Chapter 4 - The chapter from Shar ba pa to 'Chad kha pa

Shar ba pa

The great shar ba pa: In his youth, he proceeded to po to ba, took up ordination and heard the latter’s instructions. After the death of po to ba, most of the latter’s disciples assembled round him. While he taught the Uttaratantra, he was not satisfied with the quality of translation and relied his teaching on incomplete translation of rngog.

When pa tshab lo tsA ba from India, he preached the Mādhyamika doctrine, shar ba pa offered him many of his own novices as disciples. When shar ba pa read the texts of the Mādhyamika tr. By pa tshab, he suggested to corrected his translation.

At rwa sgreng, he took away the Sūtrasamuccaya and asked its translation to the Kashmirian Jayānanda, the lo tsA ba pa tshab nyi ma grags and khu mdo sde 'bar. While other bka’ gdams pa maintained that the cittotpada rites of the Mādhyamikas and the Vijñānavādins different, he maintained similarities of rites based on two systems. Later, the All knowing blo bzang grags pa'i dpal (tsong kha pa) maintained the same theory. ==> What are differences and similarities of the cittotpada rite. Are there any rite based on Mādhyamikas?

From among his 3600 disciples; Prajñā jvāla, nag shod dpe ston, ban chen skyas bu of Idan, shes rab rdo rje of gzho, gtum ston of snar thang, grags pa seng ge of bya, 'jing pa dgye lung pa, byang chub grags of la stod, rtsed pa of Lower myang, rgyu bug pa of shangs, gtsang gad gnyos pa, khu le'i kha mo zer ston, 'Be dkar of Upper myang, myang ro pa, bya rgyus pa, jo sras of Upper myang, shar ba pa blo gros grags, rgya ston of gtsang, zhar chos of po dong, dge 'dun skyabs of gnyal, gyor ston of myang po. The "former" and the "latter" tshes pas, gnyos ston of gnyal, dar rin of gnyal, jo sras kong po, lho pa dar ma grags, myang of sol thang, sba 'dul of nag mo, tshul she of zhogs, the "latter" zhar dgon pa, skyo ston of yung, stod lungs mon gra pa, lho pa dar ston, byang grags of rgyal, bya ston 'chad ka pa, stabs kha ba, the Great, and many other holy men.

Bya ‘chad kha pa

Bya’chad kha pa (ye shes rdo rje:1101 - 1175) had been a disciple of ras chung pa of lo ro. He went as attendant of ras chung pa to a religious assembly of ngor rje btsan bho ra at gnyal. When he was studying the Vinaya under sha mi, there he met the kalyāṇa mitra myang lags zhing pa in yar klungs.

From him he heard the "Eight Sentences" (tshig brgyad ma) of glang ri thang pa, and faith was born in him. For four years, he attended on the kalyāṇa mitras dol pa and lugs smad pa till 1089 A.D. At the age of 20, he met accidentally a disciple of glang ri thang pa in lha sa. And found that glang ri thang pa passed away and there was a conflict between gnyan who became the second abbot of glang thang and 'dul ba 'dzin pa.

Having heard that, he proceeded to shar ba pa, the Great, who was residing at khang pa gnas of gzho. He attended the classes, but the words of the blo sbyong (tshig brgyad ma) did not appear clear to him. After 13 years studying with shar ba pa, he could get clear understanding on blo sbyong.

He had taught and leart blo byong at gzho, for six years at dge gong, shar ba, and byen. While residing at 'gres phu, He taught the don bdun ma (blo sbyong don bdun ma). He proceeded to mal gro and founded the monastery of Old 'chad kha ('chad kha rnying ma in 'phan yul).

He also prophecised to se spyil bu pa that the latter will found the present day "New" 'chad kha. Then he visited bya nur mo. He composed the mthar thug gsum gyi gdams pa and an auto biography in ślokas.

Se spyil bu pa

se spyil bu pa: his family name was se. He was born at in the year Iron Ox (lcags glang–1121 A.D.). His name was chos kyi rgyal mtshan. For many years he followed on 'chad kha pa. In the year Wood Ape (sing spre–1164 A.D.) he founded the "New" 'chad kha. He also established a monastery at spyil bu. After the death of 'chad kha pa, he resided alternatively in the above two monasteries for 14 years, between the year Fire Ape (me spre–1176 A.D.) aud the Earth Hen (sa bya–1189 A.D.) year. He died in his (1189 A.D. 69th year) at spyil bu.

His disciples the yogin byang seng, rgya spang thang pa, lha dge 'dun sgang pa, and nyan lha sdings pa founded the monasteries of gro sa, spang sa, dge 'dun sgang and nyan lha sdins each.

Lha lung gyi dbang phyug

Lha^[1] lung gyi dbang phyug, son of jo bo rnyal 'byor and dpal 'dren, lady of sna nam. From 1165 to 1172, gu ri ba was his teacher. At the age of 15, he invited and requested klubs dkar to act as ācārya, and khyung po as upādhyāya, and thus received ordination at bya sa. He received the name of byang chub rin chen. He also studied the Vinayakārikā^[2] and heard twice the sum brgya pa^[3] and mastered it. In the same year, he preached them at spu gu no, and on seeing the image of bya 'chad kha pa, he was filled with faith. Having known his death, he went to se spyil bu pa. In 1182, his 24th year, se spyil bu pa ordained him as a monk. The upādhyāya glan, the ācārya zhang, gnyags performed the ritual and gave secret precepts.

He attended on many teachers, such as the kha che pan chen^[4] and others. After the death of se spyil pa, lung gyi dbang phyug occupied the abbot’s chair of spyil bu for 43 years, from 1190 to 1232. He also received the permission (lung) of the entire kangyur and therefore became known as the "Lord of Permissions".

Lha 'gro ba'i mgon po

Lha 'gro ba'i mgon po (1186–1259): His father was jo 'bag and his mother lha gcig (Princess) dzam gling, sister of lha 'dri sgang pa. He was born in the year Fire Male Horse (me pho rta–1186A.D.). At the age of 16, he obtained the upāsaka vows from 'chad kha in the presence of lha lung gyi dbang phyug in 1191. He received the name of byang chub 'od.

After lha lung gyi dbang phyug’s death, became abbot from 1233 to 1259. He managed many monasteries of po to and its branch monasteries, 30 monasteries of kong po, from dags po, from gnyal the monastery of zangs po che and its branch monasteries, rong rtse dkar. In subsequent periods, there were many followers of the Spiritual Lineage of spyil bu pa at zangs po che and bra gor.

He laboured for the benefit of scholars, priests and notables, and died at the age of 74 in the year Earth Female Sheep (sa mo lug–1259 A.D.) at spyil bu. After his cremation many relics were distributed spyil bu, ngo sgra, spu gu ngo and inside the image of Mahābodhi and so forth.

From blo gros ye shes to lha zur khang pa

blo gros ye shes of lha brag kha: he was born at bye chung in the year Iron Male Dog (lcags pho khyi–1250 A.D.) as son of the Lord shAkya bkra shis and skyor mo dar rgyan. He became a disciple of lha 'gro ba'i mgon po, and mastered, in the manner of a filled vase, all the knowledge of sbas pa ston gzhon. For 27 years he occupied the abbot’s chair, from the year Iron Male Ape (lcags pho spre–1260 A.D.) to the year Fire Dog (me khyi–1286 A.D.), and laboured extensively for the welfare of living beings. He lived till he was 37.

Lha zur khang pa (1277 - 1337) was son of jo bar. He became a disciple of lha brag kha pa and received the upāsaka vow. He was ordained and received the name of dbang phyug ye shes. From ston gzhon he heard the "Five Treatises of Maitreya", the tshig 'jug^[5] and other texts, and mastered them without difficulty. From the upādhāya lhag ru ba he heard the Abhidharmakośa and preached it to a class of pupils. He became abbot of spyil bu from 1287 to 1307.

Lha blo gros 'od (1285 - 1350): he was the eldest son of king grags pa rin chen and lha gcig rdo rje. He proceeded to spyil bu (in 'phan yul) as indicated by lha zur khang pa and received from zur khang pa the upāsaka vows. With zur khang pa he studied all the basic texts and instructions. In particular, he heard many oral precepts known and unknown, such as the blo sbyong don bdun ma and others. From 1311 to 1350, he had been the abbot of spyil bu for 40 years. During this period the trouble between sa skya and 'bri khung came to an end. Spyil bu pas also lived in plenty.

After that lha rin chen seng ge who possessed excellent faculties, such as the remembrance of his former rebirths, etc., held the abbotship till the year Fire Female Ox (me mo glang–1337 A.D.). The chapter from shar ba pa to 'chad kha pa.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

lha means Prince, son of a king. S.C. Das, A.S.B. N.2 /1889/ p.47 misunderstood the title.

[2]:

Tg.'dul ba, No. 4123.

[3]:

Āryamūlasarvāstivādiśramaṇerakārikā, Tg.'dul ba, No. 4124.

[4]:

the Great Paṇḍita of Kāśmīra–Śākya Śrībhadra.

[5]:

the Prasannapāda, Tg. dbu ma, No. 3860, and the Mādhyamakāvatāra, Tg. dbu ma, No. 3861.