Chapter 3g - The Life Story of the Mahāsattva Yang den pa

[Full title: The Life Story of the mahāsattva yang den pa–the reincarnation of ston pa]

The reincarnation, known as yang dben pa, was a mahāsattva who took rebirth (1060 A.D.) in order to look after the interest of others. His mother was smon lam rgyan, daughter of the eldest of the four principal disciples of zang dkar lo tsā ba ston pa Dharmarāja, and his father—the ācārya ston pa. She was a disciple of the ācārya ston pa and had studied with him many doctrines. He (yang dben pa) was born when his mother was 39. He mastered reading after being shown merely the beginnings. From childhood he was able to understand the method of initiation of his father, and spent his time in the performance of deeds in conformity with the Doctrine.

At the age of 14, he took up ordination in the presence of the upādhyāya se and the ācārya du pa ba. At the age of 15, he expounded the rgya cher 'grel pa^[1] and became very learned. All the great disciples, headed by the kalyāṇa-mitra glang, were pleased. When he was 17, his mother gave him plenty of provisions, and said: "I have finished my duty (towards you)! You seem to be the one indicated by lha rje ma in her prophecy. Now go to lha rje zla ba 'od zer and request him to bestow on you the complete initiation, the secret precepts and the treatises". Accompanied by several attendants he proceeded to gtsang.

lha rje zla ba 'od zer had a premonition of his coming, and sent men to meet him (on the way). They met him at tshong 'dus mgur mo (the market place mgur mo). He met lha rje who was residing at mon 'gar rgyal bzangs. He offered presents, and made presents to others also. When he made his request saying that the "grandfather should protect the fatherless orphan", the monks shed tears. Lha rje chen po held him dearer than his own son.

After completing his studies of the texts and precepts together with the initiations, on his return journey he earnestly studied at 'dzang the "Domain of Practice" and the Abhidharma with ston skyabs pa.

On the advice of the upādhyāya he took up ordination: The latter told him: [15b] "Great assiduity was shown by you to come into my presence", and was pleased.

He then arranged a funeral repast (in memory) of lha rje zla ba'i 'od zer, who had died at the age of 60, erected a funeral monument, and a caitya. He then spent six months in order to finish the preaching to disciples; left unfinished by his guru.

At the age of 23, he proceeded to dbus and was appointed to the (abbot’s) chair. After that he journeyed to sog, and for about two or three years spent immured in meditation.

On his return, he spent three or four years immured in retirement at each lu ru'i grag, 'gar brag and at yang dben. While residing at byang klag brag of Upper lu ru , he had a brilliant vision of 'ma gcig zha ma herself sitting on a throne supported by a lion and an elephant, and adorned with precious stones, and covered with a precious (costly) carpet. On her right was Lakṣmī (dpa' mo) (%)^[2] , on her left—Tārā, sitting in reclining posture on lotus seats with the image of the Sun on them. She bestowed on him the complete four initiations and told him: "On the Path of the uniformity (mnyam nyid) of all the elements of existence, you should not be attached to the illusion (of differentiating) between the subjective and objective.

Concentrate (your efforts) on the investigation with the help of discriminative knowledge cognizing all separate elements and objects." Whenever he used to feel lonely, the vision of zha ma appeared before him and preached to him the Doctrine. Zha ma ma gcig also appeared to him in a dream, and told him: "Listen (to the exposition) of the sgrol ma rgya mtsho rgyud and many Tantras, which I know well".

In all his occupations, big or small, he was perpetually befriended by ḍākiṇīs. He used to emit rays which were seen by others, and thus numerous foot prints (on stones) were left behind (by him). In general, he laboured solely in the interest of the Doctrine. In particular, he built the vihāra of mal gro rgyal bzangs sgang to commemorate his father and lha rje zla ba'i 'od zer, and subdued the fear caused by visions of deities. At rgyal bzangs he gathered about sixty monks. Once people asked him: "How many insects and flies had been killed, while constructing this vihāra"? He replied: "If I had not the power to transfer their (conscious principle), how could I undertake such a construction?"

Through such service (to the Doctrine) and preaching of texts and precepts, he [16a] benefitted greatly. He died at the age of 58 at the end of the Ox year (glang lo—1217 A.D.), which was the year of the death of 'bri khung chos rje.

From the birth of rma to this year, 174 years have passed. In the presence of about 8000 monks a great funeral repast was held. After the cremation of his remains, numberless relics appeared, including seven images, and among them three images of his tutelary deity. Then a funeral monument was erected having 35 spans in height. Even (this monument) continued the work of the guru.

The above is an abridged account of the life story of the nirmāṇakāya yang dben pa, as told by dbang phyug gzhon nu.

The chapter on the propagation of the Doctrine by rma lo tsā ba, zha ma and, her brother. [16b]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

tg. 'dul ba, No. 4106 (R)

[2]:

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