Chapter 4 - Yamāntaka Cycle

[Full title: Yamāntaka Cycle (gshin rje gshed kyi skor gyi skabs. Chandra 331;Chengdu 454; Roerich 374).]

The Cycle of Yamāntaka (gshin rje gshed) was preached by the Venerable Master (Atīśa) to nag tsho lo tsa ba. They also translated the Tantra itself^[1] , its commentary the Sahajāloka^[2] and other texts. Nag tsho also studied under Kṛṣṇasamayavajra (nag po dam tshig rdo rje). Later Samayavajra came to dbus and gtsang, and taught the Yamāntaka Cycle, which became known far and wide. Nag tsho taught the Yamāntaka Cycle to rong pa phyag sor pa and this system also spread. 'gos also composed several expositions of the Yamāntaka-Tantra. He also performed the ceremony of Yamāntaka called 'char ka according to the rnying ma rite ^[3] . Though other lo tsa bas also possessed the text of the Tantra, it was rwa lo tsa ba rdo rje grags who mainly taught the Yamāntaka Cycle. Its preaching lasted for a very considerable time.

Now rwa lo tsa ba rdo rje grags: he was born at snye nam snang yul. In his childhood, he was placed in her sleeve by the goddess re ma ti^[4] who took him round the country for two months. After that the goddess entrusted him to his mother. Later he took up ordination and then the final monastic vows. He attended in Nepāl mostly on the Nepālese Mahākaruna (thugs rje chen po). Na ro pa taught (the Tantra) to Prajñārakṣita and the latter to the Nepālese Mahākaruna. Rwa lo studied extensively under him and became very learned. For example: he mastered the bde mchog rtsa ba'i rgyud^[5], the Sampuṭa^[15], the rdo rje mkha 'gro^[16], the rgyud bla ma mngon brjod bla ma^[17], the Heruka-abhyudaya^[18], the kun spyod^[6] , the phag mo mngon 'byung^[7] , the nag po'i chos drug^[8] , the system of lu yi pa^[9] , the Cycle of rdo rje 'jigs byed^[10] , the Cycle of gshin rje gshed nag po^[11] , the Cycle of gdon drug^[12] , the Nāmasaṅgīti (mtshan brjod), the Cycle of zhal gnyis ma^[13] and instructions in meditation (according to the Cycle of Yamāntaka), such as the par pu (sa skya chos skyong), mgon chung, etc. He mastered the precepts of srog ser^[14] .

These were genuine systems of (Indian) paṇḍitas and were not mixed with Tibetan doctrines. Therefore 'bre shes rab 'bar said: "Among the Tibetan translations there are no translated texts more satisfactory, than those by the kalyāṇa-mitra rwa lo tsa ba, for he had understood the thought of learned paṇḍitas and did not confuse it with Tibetan doctrines."

Through his excellent labours, he had gathered round himself many great followers including lha btsun sngon mo and others, and many kalyāṇa-mitras, such as 'gar ston btsan nam mkha', zhan tshes chung ba, so tshab 'dul 'dzin, gnyegs ri pa, 'bre shes rab 'bar, 'ban dkon mchog rdo rje, rog mngon pa ba, zhu bka' gdams pa, mtha' bzhī pa so thang pa, stag pa kha che, dpyal lo tsa ba kun dga' rdo rje, zhang sag pa, zhang gtsang 'od, sgang Indra, snur nyi ma, ba reg thos pa dga', lha rje dba, gran bu ba rin chen grags, klun rgyam legs, klun se bo Śākya rgyal, klun tsandra (candra), klun rdor po, rgya long chos grags, mar pa bsod rin, a me mi nyag, rgya dar seng, byang ran stan pa, myang, rog byugs se, khyung po dar ma 'bar, khyung po thu re, spo lo tsa ba, 'tshe mi bsod nams 'bar, 'tshe mi chul po, pur tsandra (candra), zhang, rwa sgom rdo rje rgyal po, rong pa rgya le, bla ma brang pa, tsangs yang dag 'bar, bla ma mtha', dpon rkun po, btsang tsha lcam me, rngog mdo sde, khu lo tsa ba mdo sde 'bar, grags, ne tso, mdo sde grags, so rdo rje rgyal mtshan, so dge 'dun, 'dzar dge po, 'gar a tsa, snyi ba, lang tsha ston nag, grol grub pa, 'bre kha skyog pa, kyu ra a skyabs, rab dbya jo sras, tre bo mchog bla, do khro yon tshul, dbang, se rigs, zur hur po, spang gyang bla ma, ma thog byang 'bar and especially tre bo mgon po, who was famous in Tibet as scholar, and others.

(Regarding the number of his pupils,) when the religious council of sambho ra was held at gnyal^[19] it was attended by 1200 priests who possessed copies of the text of nag po'i rgyud^[20] , 800 Tantrics possessing copies of the same book, in all 2000 disciples. Rwa lo tsa ba fixed (the remuneration to be paid for instruction) one golden srang for the Vajrabhairavatantra^[21] and one golden zho each for the Kṛṣṇayamāritantra, the gdong drug gi rgyud^[22] , the eight Tantras of Saṃvara^[23] , the Six Books of nag po^[24] , the lu yi pa^[25] , the 'jam dpal^[26] and the zhal gnyis ma^[27] . He thus made the above known as the "golden books." He also received numberless offerings which were not fixed.

Of the wealth (phyag bzhes), thus received by him, he sent one hundred golden srangs to Vikramaśīla in India, to pay for the cost of reciting the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-Prajñāpāramita written in gold, so long as the Doctrine will be in existence, two golden copies of the Aṣṭasāhaśrīkā-Prajñāpāramitā and one hundred golden srangs as remuneration for the recitation by eighty-four paṇḍitas of the four schools ^[28] of eighty-four copies of the Ārya-Prajñāpāramitāsañcayagāthā^[29] , so long as the Doctrine exists. He also offered one hundred srangs to the bla ma bha ro phyag rdum^[30] . He also offered 108 gaṇacakras having gathered ahout 200 ha mus, each costing about 3 or 4 golden srangs. He invited the Nepālese Mahākaruṇa to Tibet. On his return he sent him one thousand golden srangs. Till his death, he sent on thirty-seven occasions offerings to him.

The circular terrace of bsam yas was burnt in the year Fire-Male-Dog (me pho khyi - 986 A.D.) due to jealousy between klu mes and sba reg, so that even the brick wall crumbled down. He (with the help of his miraculous powers) carried Juniper timber up the stream, and five hundred workmen, including brick-layers (gyang btang), carpenters, goldsmiths, blacksmiths and imagemakers (painters), worked on it for three years. The scholar rin chen rdo rje supervised the work. In general, about 100,000 loads of building materials were used. With the remaining supply of colours he restored the court-yard of the main temple and the dbu rtse lha khang^[31] . The work took two years to complete. The lo tsa ba rwa chos rab acted as superintendent. The building materials comprised 10,000 loads.

The manner in which he (rwa) supported monasteries: he made many offerings to the monastery of ngur smrig (gtsang), including six copies of the Śatasāhaśrīkā-Prajñāpāramitā. Then he also offered 30,000 loads of even weight towards the cost of feeding visitors, so long as the Doctrine was in existence. To the bye mda' pas he presented a hundred volumes, beginning with sūtras, and 30,000 loads of provisions for distribution among visitors. He presented to the dkyus thang pas fifty volumes, beginning with two Śatasāhaśrīkā-Prajñāpāramitā, and 10,000 loads of provisions (to feed) visitors for one month every year. Similar quantities were presented by him to the nyan tsho bas and lcang ra bas. To the sho skyam pas he presented a hundred volumes, beginning with sūtras, and 10,000 loads of provisions to feed visitors. A similar quantity was presented to the Re dul bas. He prepared 10,000,000 votive offerings, and for each 100,000 he assigned 40 loads of provisions for the men who were engaged in the work of preparing them. Seven (Indian) a tsa ras^[32] were permanently supported by him, six a tsa ra priests to recite the Viṃśatisāhaśrīkā (nyi khri) and the Aṣṭasāhaśrīkā-Prajñāpāramitā in Sanskrit, and one a tsa ra who was to meditate according to the lu yi pa system.

Further, he organized the recital of sacred scriptures a 100,000 times. He made offerings to rngog lo tsa ba, including a copy of the Satasāhaśrīkā-Prajñāpāramitā. He held a religious council during which he distributed food to 10,000 persons. He made similar presents to glang ri thang pas. He made similar presents to btsan kha bo che. To rgya 'dul he made presents, including a Satasāhaśrīkā, and held a religious council during which he distributed alms to one hundred persons. He made similar presents to to btsun khyung, 'bre, 'ban, rog mngon pa ba and to stag pa kha che.

The above facts were abridged from his Life story (rnam thar) written by the bla ma ye shes seng ge. In general, he preached the Doctrine extensively, and, in particular, the Cycle of Yamāntaka to more than 2000 disciples. The Lineages through which the Cycle was handed down were numberless.

The continuity of his preaching: rwa lo tsa ba, chos rab, rwa ye shes seng ge, rwa 'bum seng, rje btsun rgwa lo, bla ma shes rab seng ge, uncle, nephew and brothers. I am unable to relate the spread of the Lineages founded by each of the above (teachers). The gshin rhe gshed dmar po'i rgyud in 19 chapters^[33] had been translated by the lo tsa ba grags pa rgyal mtshan and shong blo brtan. I did not hear about the existence of the exposition of this Tantra. There were many who worshipped the Red Yamāntaka as their tutelary deity, including dpyal chos bzangs, chag lo tsa ba and bu rin poche (bu ston).

Further, glo po lo tsa ba shes rab zin chen, a disciple of the siddha dar pan and Revenda, spread in Central Tibet (dbu gtsang) the texts of the precepts of the Red Yamāntaka according to the teaching transmitted through the Lineage of Virū pa^[34] . I did not hear of the existence of the exposition of this Tāntra according to the teaching of the Lineage of dar pan.

The chapter on the Cycle of Yamāntaka.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kṛṣṇayamāritantra, Kg, rgyud, No. 467 (R).

[2]:

lhan skyes snang ba, Tg. rgyud. No.1918 (R).

[3]:

gshing rje 'char ka, a form of Yamāntaka worshipped by rnying ma pas and invoked in magic rites (R).

[4]:

Revatī (R).

[5]:

Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 368 (R).

[6]:

Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 375 (R).

[7]:

mkha' 'gro ma thams cad kyi thugs gnyis su med pa bsam gyis mi khyab pa'i ye shes rdo rje phag mo mngon par 'byung ba'i rgyud kyi rgyal po zhes bya ba, ḍākiṇīsarvacittādvayacintyajn͂ānavajravarāhyabhibhāvatantrarāja-nāma, Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 378 (R).

[8]:

Tg. rgyud, Nos. 1445-52 (R).

[9]:

Śrī-vajrasattvanāma-sādhana, Tg. rgyud, No.1454 (R).

[10]:

Śrī-Vajramahābhairava-nāma-tantra, Kg. rgyud 'bum, No 468; Śrī-Vajrabhairavakalpatantrarāja, Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 470 (R).

[11]:

Sarvatathāgatakāyavākcittakṛṣṇayamāri-nāma-tantra, Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 467, and Śrī Kṛṣṇayamāritantrarājatrikalpa-nama, Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 469 (R).

[12]:

Tg. rgyud, No. 2003 (R).

[13]:

Śrī-Vajrayoginīsādhana, Tg. rgyud, No. 1550, and the Yogānusāriṇī-nāma-vajrayoginīṭīkā, Tg. rgyud, No. 1565; bu ston gsung 'bum, vol. XXVI /La/, fol. 18a (R).

[14]:

srog gtad, handing over the life-mantra of the Religious Protector to a disciple and the making of hail-storms (R).

[15]:

Kg. Rgyud 'bum, No. 376 (R).

[16]:

Kg. Rgyud 'burn, No. 370 (R).

[17]:

Abhidhāna-Uttaratantra-nāma, Kg. Rgyud 'bum, No. 369 (R).

[18]:

he ru ka mngon 'byun, Kg. Rgyud ‘bum, No. 374 (R).

[19]:

some Tibetan scholars maintain that this had been the birth place of thon mi Sambhoṭa/ sa 'bo ta, "heap of earth", name of a mountain in gnyal/. thon mi Sambhoṭa was born in gnyal/ see Vasilyev: "Geogtauiya Tibeta”, St. Petersburg, 1895, p. 37/ (R).

[20]:

the Kṛṣṇayamāritantrarāja, Tg. rgyud, No. 1920 (R).

[21]:

rdo rje 'jigs byed kyi rgyud, Śrī Vajramahābhairavanāma-tantra, Kg. rgyud, No. 468 (R).

[22]:

gshin rje gshed nag po gdong drug pa'i 'khor lo’i sgrub thabs zhes bya ba, Kṛṣṇayamārimukhasatcakrasādhana-nāma, Tg. rgyud, No. 2015 (R).

[23]:

bde mchog rgyud brgyad, the eight chief Tantras belonging to the 32 ra li Tantras of the Saṃvara Cycle, Kg. rgyud 'bum, Nos. 383-390 (R).

[24]:

nag po'i chos drug, Tg. rgyud, Nos. 1445-1451 (R).

[25]:

Śrīvajrasattva-nāma-sādhana, Tg. rgyud, No. 1454 (R).

[26]:

Bhaṭṭārakamanju͂ śrīyamāripūjākramavidhi-nāma, Tg. rgyud, No. 1945 (R).

[27]:

Vajravārahi, Śrī-Tattvajn͂ānasiddhi, Tg. rgyud, No. 1551 (R).

[28]:

of Vikramaśīla, i.e. the Mahāsaṅghikas, the Sthaviravādins, the Saṃmitiyas and the Sarvāstīvādins (R).

[29]:

Kg. shez phyin, No. 13 (R).

[30]:

this was rwa’s mūla-guru from whom he obtained the Yamāri Cycle (R).

[31]:

chief temple of bsam yas (R).

[32]:

ācārya (R).

[33]:

Śrī-Rakta-Yamāritantrarāja, Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 474 (R).

[34]:

Raktayamāntakasādhana, Tg. rgyud, No. 2017 (R).