Chapter 5 - Direct students of Gampopa

[Full title: Direct students of Gampopa (sgam po ba’i dngos slob kyi skabs. Chandra 408; Chengdu 557; Roerich 468).]

The Master sgam po pa's great disciple rnal 'byor chos g. Yung was born in the year Iron-Male-Dragon (lcags pho 'brug 1100 A.D.) as son of yo mi klu phyug at ngal mda' of the valley of klungs shong. At the age of 19, he was ordained by bya yul pa. At the age of 22, he met sgam po pa. He developed extraordinary faculties during the life time of sgom pa and his brother, he did not maintain a class of disciples, but after that for seven years, he started a class. He died at the age of 78 in the year Fire-Female-Hen (me 'mo bya 1177 A.D.).

Further, grol sgom chos gyung, who was great in supernatural deeds (siddhi), a disciple of dags po (sgam po pa): He was a native of 'ol kha (in lho kha) and was born in the year Water-Female-Sheep (chu mo lug 1103 A.D.). His father was lha rje (physician) smon lam 'bar and his mother rnam shes skyid. This was the 25th year of Master sgam po pa. When grol sgom was ten, he studied his father’s Tantric Doctrine and medicine. At the age of 15, he married, but lost his bride during the same year. He was filled with grief, and took up religious vows that he proceeded to 'dul gro and studied profoundly the Vinaya with zhang ston shes rab 'bar. He developed great faith in sgam po pa and offered him all his possessions. He obtained precepts from him. He developed an extraordinary aptitude for concentration, and was able to meditate on the ābhāsvara throughout the day. He subdued all the lokadākiṇīs (fairies). He gave away his property to a friend, and received the "Oral Tradition" of ras chung pa at lo ro. He had a vision of Mañjuśrī, who directed him to proceed to dbu ru. He spent two years at phya yul, and during his stay there had a vision of Hayagrīva, who prophesied that a disciple was coming to him.

In this manner 'gro mgon zhang (bla ma zhang) came to him. When rgwa lo was thinking of making him his disciple, he (chos gyung) exhibited the rite of entering into the (dead) body of a goose (grong 'jug), and rgwa lo was filled with faith, and begged to be instructed in the Teaching about the Intermediate stage. During that time he (chos gyung) developed the great power of restoring life after destroying it and of controlling others by his Tantric gaze (lta stangs). From ba ri lo tsa ba he obtained the "Hundred Sādhanas" (ba ri brgya tsha). Chos g. Yung died at the age of 97 in the year Earth-Female-Sheep (sa mo lug 1199 A.D.) amidst wonderful signs. The Dharmasvāmin 'bab rom pa dar ma dbang phyug was born in the clan of mdar ka ba in 'phan yul.

In his youth a young Tantric bla ma came to his residence and greatly praised the Master sgam po pa to him, saying: "You also should visit him!" "Well, will you accompany me?" asked 'bab rom pa, and the Tantric agreed to do so. They proceeded to sgam po, but before they had reached sgam po, the young Tantric disappeared, and no one knew where he had gone. He was said to have been a manifestation of the Master sgam po pa. He met sgam po pa, the Teacher liked him, and bestowed on him detailed guidance. An excellent understanding was born in him. In the North he founded the monastery of 'bab rom. He enjoyed a long life and gathered round him numerous disciples. As that place ('bab rom) was rich in bird life, it was known to have been frequented by dākiṇīs. His Spiritual Lineage was continued by his descendants. In later times his descendants quarrelled between themselves, and there were (frequent) changes of abbots. Ti shrI ras pa^[1] had been a disciple of 'bab rom pa. He acted as supporter in the construction of a large silver stupa to enshrine the "inner" relics, and which still stands undamaged.

Further, the Master sgam po pa’s disciple lho la yag pa byang chub dngos grub: his grandfather, star ka Bodhirāja, was learned in the "Old" Tantras, and having developed supernatural powers (siddhi), lived for 112 years. (byang chub dngos grub) was born to his son star ka dpal skyid, who had extensively studied the Abhidharma and the 'New' and 'Old' Tantras, and mother stag lo zla sgron, who was known as a manifestation of a jñāna-dākiṇī. He was given the name of chos kyi dngos grub. When he was a small child, there was no one to look after him, and a white hand wearing ornaments (lag pa dkar po rgyan can) acted as his nurse. At the age of 3, when his father began to teach him the alphabet, he said: "O father! I also know it", and he mastered it without the slightest effort. At the age of 5, a boy friend burnt a flea and he fell senseless. From his birth, he possessed a great commiseration, and was afraid of committing even the slightest transgression. At the age of ten, he studied extensively under the kalyāṇa-mitra smon mda' ba the sgyu ‘phrul zhi khro (42 gods of the mild aspect and 68 gods of the fierce aspect) and the yang dag (one of the eight sections of the "Old" Tantras), and practised them. From an uncle, who was residing at chu khyer mda', he heard the "Treatises of Maitreya" (byams chos), the Abhidharma and the "Domain of Practice" (spyod phyogs),^[2] together with their minutiae.

After reading twice he was able to repeat by heart the Sūtrālamkāra and complete the study of the "Treatises of Maitreya". At the age of 17, he proceeded towards gtsang, and heard on one occasion the "Treatises of Maitreya"and the "Domain of Practice" (spyod phyogs) at the residence of the kalyāṇa-mitra lcang ra ba ldum ston and mdar skyogs me There he met a novice named pa ra ga te who had developed supernatural powers.

The latter gave him a scarf of superior silk from Hor (Mongolia) with fringes, and uttered a prophecy:

"You will go towards sunrise, and the sun of happiness will shine on you. Do not feel sad!"

He then returned to his native place, and met la stod dkon mchog mkhar and bsam yas pa who were invited to attend an assembly on the occasion of the funeral ceremony for the kalyāṇa-mitra cha ba. He heard from them a pañjika (dka' 'grel) on the Prajñāpārāmitā.

He then participated in a philosophical debate, and people said about him:

"Indeed this old and dwarf Tantric bla ma had studied many doctrines!"

The kalyāṇa-mitra la stod pa said to him:

"Come with me! Within one year I shall make out of you a scholar in the Prajñāpāramitā doctrine!”

It is said that when he was about to go along, an ascetic, who had been a disciple of sgam po pa and was residing in his native place, took him to sgam po. He spent some time in his native place, and then led by the ascetic, went to sgam po. The man who led him was named sgom pa zhi mdzes.

The Master sgam po pa said (to him):

"I am the last light of the Sun! This southerner and myself have a karmic bound (las 'brel), similar to that which had existed between the Venerable Master (mid la) and me."

He then said to sgom tshul: "Open quickly the gate of religion for him!"

He was admitted in the hermitage of the Dharmasvārmin and was given initiations and precepts. Sgam po pa said to him:

"You, Son of a Priest (jo sras), are the incarnation of a disciple of my early life, who had died and was reborn in you, but this time you should live long!"

Then blessed by the Teacher, he perceived the Mahāmudrā, as if he had met an old friend.

The Teacher also gave him (instructions) in the various (forms) of the "Inner Heat" (gtum mo)^[3] and said: "Take down notes on these".

But he replied: "I shall practise meditation only. I do not require these various things!"

—"This wouldn't do", said the Teacher and prophesied:

"You will have a very long life and will have to act as teacher of about a hundred grayheaded ascetics".

And again (the Teacher) said:

"I first studied the Cycle of Saṃvara according to the method of ba ri (lo tsa ba). I had neither a book, nor did I teach it. Son of a Priest (jo sras), you should also obtain the Cycle of Saṃvara from one belonging to the spiritual line of Śrī nA ro pa."

He gave him the permission (lung) and a book containing the commentary on lU yi pa^[4] according to the method of the Master (Atīśa), composed by the lo tsa ba rin hen bzang po.

Since sgam po pa was staying in seclusion, and because he was afraid to meet him, he was asked to come by an attendant. At the time of their meeting, (sgam po pa) said to him:

"I have entered seclusion for your sake! You can come at any time."

He reported to sgam po pa about his results in the practice of the subtle body, etc., and sgam po pa said:

"All this is unimportant, but now you have succeeded in your intention."

After that he returned to his native place and gathered many presents. He presented (to the Teacher) several coats of mail, and the latter pretended to be very pleased. At that time he spent one year, and in all four years. He satisfied his mind with hidden precepts, mystic trance and cognition of the Truth. At the age of 22, he took up final monastic ordination in the presence of the Bodhisattva zla ba rgyal mtshan, and a Mental Creative Effort towards Enlightenment was produced in him.

The upādhyāya said to him: "From now on, you should do your utmost for sentient beings."

Thoughts of a selfish nature were never produced in him, because from the outset he had placed all sentient beings in the innermost of his own heart. He continuously practised propitiation rites at gro bo lung, grub pa'i gnas bdun (The Seven Saintly Places), pho ma lha khang and elsewhere. When he was residing on a rock in the neighbourhood of pho ma, numerous gods and demons having assembled, erected two catapults (sgyogs) and were ready to shower stones on him, but seeing fires lit on the slopes of the rock, on which the Teacher was dwelling, the devas and demons did not dare draw nearer. He thus subdued evil devas and demons residing in the country. After that he proceeded to the residence of rngog at ri bo in order to listen (to the exposition) of the Hevajra-Tantra in supplement to the "Six Doctrines" of nA ro pa. He listened (to the exposition) of many Tantras and hidden precepts. After that he proceeded to the residence of the bla ma do pa, and listened attentively to the Saṃvara-Tantra and its initiation rite. Then having taken with him numerous presents, including two horses, he proceeded towards lha sa. Before the ācārya sgom pa had reached it, he saw in a dream that the latter was soon to arrive.

Soon after meeting him, he made offerings to him, and the ācārya sgom pa said:

"Stay with me! You will have the greatest fortune among these men!"

In general, this bla ma performed wonderful deeds, such as visions of protecting deities, the production of understanding in others and the subduing of insane persons by the mere hearing of his name. Here I have given a brief account only. The Chapter on sgam po pa’s direct disciples.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

[2]:

Caryā-pakṣa, i.e. the Bodhicaryāvatāra, the Suhṛllekha and other texts

[3]:

caṇḍali

[4]:

name of a Sādhana of Saṃvara, Tg. rgyud, No. 1427.