Chapter 1c - The Zur Geneology (xiv): Yung ston pa

The story of g. Yung ston pa: he belonged to the glan family. His native place (was) tshong 'dus. From his youth his knowledge was great. He was learned in the "Old" and "New" classes of Tantras. In the Sūtra literature, he mastered the Abhidharma-samuccaya.^[1]

He went as attendant of zur byams pa seng ge, when the latter heard the exposition of the Cycle of Yamāntaka (gshin rje) from shangs pa shAk 'bum, and studied it well in the company of his teacher. Having mastered the method and the yantra ('khrul khor), his magic power became great.

In his youth he went to China by Imperial command, and performed before the Emperor a religious dance, etc. At that time many villages, which had to pay tribute in grain to the Emperor, were suffering from draught. They therefore requested the Emperor to send someone who could cause rain to fall. He was sent there. He prayed to the Three Jewels, and rain began to fall. The Emperor was greatly pleased, and gave him numerous presents. With great wealth he returned to Tibet. He did not give anything to his acquaintances or his friends, but offered everything to his teacher and the monastic community in memory of his mother.

He heard many precepts from many teachers. He was a disciple of the Dharmasvāmin rang 'byung rdo rje and bu ston rin po che. He became learned in the Kālacakra, and earnestly practiced the precepts of the "Great Perfection" (rdzogs chen), etc.

He went to mon ba gro, and his power of concentration became great. In this connection, he sang a song which began with the words: "I, the matchless Jina g. Yung ston…”

He spent a long time residing at phung po ri bo che and at ra dum brag, preached and labored for the welfare of others. He was able to stop water (from flowing out) when a water bag was pierced by a needle made of a vulture feather. He was not burnt when touching a red-hot iron. He plastered a wall with a mixture made of six kinds of stones, and the wall became (firm) as a rock. He knew many wonderful works.

He used to discriminate between Buddhahood (attained) through the Tantras, and the (22b) Buddhahood (attained) through Sūtras.

g. Yag ston paN chen after having grasped this theory, had faith in it, and with 15 attendants proceeded to phung po ri bo che, and became g. Yung ston’s disciple.

In latter life, he ordained tshogs pa chos lung pa. His name rdo rje 'bum was changed to that of rdo rje dpal. This holy man was born in the year Wood-Male-Ape (shing pho spre—1284 A.D.)^[2] He died at the age of eighty-two in the year Wood-Female-Serpent (shing mo sbrul—1365 A.D.).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

mngon pa kun las btus, Tg. sems tsam, No. 4049

[2]:

The Chronological Table of sum pa mkhan po (JASB., No. 11/1889/, p. 56 ff.) gives the year 1288 A.D. (sa byi, Earth-Mouse).