Chapter 8 - Second incarnation series (ii): grags pa seng ge

[Full title: Second incarnation series (ii): grags pa seng ge (dbang gu ras pa) (1283-1349)].

Soon after, the ascetic (rtogs ldan) grags pa seng ge was born in the year Water Female Sheep (chu mo lug 1283 A.D.) as son of father stag chu pa and mother a rgod gza' of the dbrang gu family of the sha clan which was one of the two 'bu and sha clans, in the locality of spom po. The parents and their son (the three) obtained initiation from the bla ma ston byang ba. When the deity took possession (ye shes phab pa^[1] ) of the mother, she began to dance and utter Sanskrit words.

The bla ma said: "She is a jñāna-ḍākinī!"

From the age of five, the boy had visions of the Tārā and from his early childhood he possessed an unimpeded faculty of prescience. At the age of 13, he received the upāsaka vows in the presence of blo gros grags pa, a disciple of the Master khol pa, and spent two years with him. Then he was taken to the residence of one who knew the mantra of kha thun ^[2] . He applied himself with great diligence to propitiations, and to his enemies he exhibited many signs of magic.

At the age of 17, he was ordained at the monastery of spom in the presence of the bla ma ye shes seng ge, and heard (the initiation) of the lhan skyes^[3] , the jo mo hrīḥ bskyed^[4] and the bam bskyed812. This ye shes seng ge ba was a disciple of rgya pho ba lung pa. Rgya pho ba lung pa obtained the doctrine from dus gsum mkhyen pa. From these teachers he obtained many precepts. Especially he obtained instructions in the upāya-mārga from ye shes seng ge ba, and an intense "Inner Heat" was produced in him. He used to wear a single linen cloth and became known as dbang gu ras pa.

About that time, he had a vision of ber nag can, who prophesied to him a journey to dbus. He then thought of proceeding to dbus and of studying treatises on philosophy. He asked his father’s permission to go, but the father withheld his permission. Then, in secret, he took a good horse, several pieces of gold and silver, and fled accompanied by 'ba' ri chos sang. They covered the distance without accident.

At the source of the sog chu, he dreamt of ber nag can, who told him: "I shall act as your friend!”

On awakening, he felt his mind at peace.

Then in the year Earth Male Ape (sa pho spre'u 1308 A. D.), he came to 'tshur phu. At that time, the Dharmasvāmin rang byung rdo rje, having been invited to kong po, was residing in kong po. He heard many doctrines from the ācārya tshul rin, including the initiation to the Guhyasamāja Cycle and the Tantra. From the ācārya bsod nams seng ge, he obtained the initiation of the five lnga tshan^[5] and some sādhanas. The latter gave him also a bell (phyag dril), which was said to have belonged to dus gsum mkhyen pa. From the ācārya dbu ma pa of gnam par he heard the initiation into the Cycles of Saṃvara and Hevajra, and the practice of the Yoga-Tantra together with the dbyangs bri thig^[6] .

After that he proceeded to gsang phu and became the disciple of the chief preacher (bla chos pa) 'jam dbyangs shAk gzhon, and of the assistant preacher the ācārya blo gros mtshungs med, and obtained (instructions) in many philosophical texts, including the Five Divisions of the Yogacaryā-bhūmi of Asaṇga, the Five Treatises of Maitreya, the Pramāṇaviniścaya ^[7] , the Ārya-Prajñāpāramitā-sañcayagāthā ^[8] , the Bodhisattva-caryā-avatāra^[9] , and other texts.

In particular, when the ācārya blo gros mtshungs med saw a commentary on the Prajñāpāramitā being composed by him, he said:

"Though well done, there will be no one to follow it. Leave it!"

He then gave up the writing (of the commentary).

When the Dharmasvāmin rang byung rdo rje arrived from kong po, he went to meet the Dharmasvāmin at a place where the hierarch was presiding over a festival held by 'tshal pa dga' bde gshegs pa. Having mastered the Prajñāpāramitā within four years, he made a round of the monasteries in gtsang for the purpose of debating and became famous as one versed in the language of the Prajñāpāramitā.

While he was residing at gsang phu, he went to meet rgya brag chos rje, who was very famous. On the mere seeing of his face, the whole outlook of people used to change. He was expert in the understanding of the Absolute and compassion. Any one who happened to stay in his presence developed a concentrated trance and thus great faith was born in him. He obtained an exposition of the precepts of the three mtha' bral of zhi byed and a mental creative effect towards Enlightenment according to the Mādhyamakas. In all he spent seven years at gsang phu.

As he grew weary of the disputes between the followers of the "New" and "Old" schools, he proceeded to skungs, where resided the Dharmasvāmin accompanied by ten disciples.

The Dharmasvāmin said to him:

"Last night ber nag can appeared here! You seem to be escorted by a religious protector!"

In that year the Dharmasvāmin founded the (monastery) of bde chen stengs. While his hut was being built, he obtained instruction in the "Six Doctrines" of nA ro and during the summer practised meditation at seng ge lung, and achieved success.

He had a vision that the valley was filled with water and related it to the Dharmasvāmin who said:

"Indeed you have caught the breath of water" (chu'i rlung^[10] ).

He spent the winter meditating at bde chen, and developed the faculty of training in dreams^[11] and of (manifesting) his illusory body^[12] . When a persistent rumour spread that troops of the Upper Hor^[13] were coming, he saw a vision of the troops turning back from the shores of the lake ma dros pa (mtsho ma pham, Manasarovar Lake), and only after the lapse of half a month the news came that soldiers were not required.

When practising in his dream, he tried to go to u rgyan, and had a glimpse of the country on several occasions. He thought that he should go to u rgyan and become one similar to the mahā-siddha u rgyan pa.

He related the matter to the Dharmasvāmin and the latter said:

"Wonderful indeed is the wild steed of vision (nyams myong)!"

But he did not tell him whether he would succeed or not in reaching u rgyan.

When the Dharmasvāmin was invited to snye mo in the autumn, he accompanied him as his attendant. There he took final leave (of the Dharmasvāmin) and proceeded towards gtsang. At jo mo nang^[14] he met

byang sems rgyal yes and told him:

"I am a priest of the Dharmasvāmin, my name is grags pa seng ge. I am going now to u rgyan (Oḍḍīyāna)."

The latter replied:

"The Doctrine of India has set! The Turuṣkas may cause an accident."

He believed him, and in company with some other persons obtained the highest initiation^{[15] [16]} of the Kālacakra. He also obtained the pratyāhāra (sor sdud) of the Sadaṅga (of the Kālacakra) and meditated on it. He perceived the complete signs (of this method) and related his experiences.

The Teacher said:

"You have already obtained the anusmṛti (rjes dran, the Sixth "branch"). Did you meditate before?"

He replied:

"I had obtained many instructions from the Dharmasvāmin rang 'byung ba. In particular, I practised the snying thig and saw the results (lit. “signs” rtags) of this method" (i.e. The Sada₈₂₄ ṅga).

The bla ma said: "You belong to the class of cig char bas."

He went as an attendant of byang sems pa who was going to phug mo'i brag, and spent one year with him. The latter bestowed on him the complete instructions in the Sadaṅga (sbyor drug, of the Kālacakra). He also received many permissions (lung) of Indian basic texts and permission to teach them to others. Then, one night, while en route to sa skya, he saw in a dream that the Tārā had told him that he would not be able to reach Oḍḍīyāna, and he accordingly dropped his intention of proceeding to Oḍḍīyāna.

Then on the road leading towards the "Six Forts" of mid la and shrI ri, he met the lo tsA ba blo gros brtan pa, and spent several days with him, and obtained from him the permission (lung) to read the Śrī Paramārthaseva^[17] and the sgrub thabs rgya mtsho. In a hermitage called 'bri Icam of Upper sa skya, he heard the several precepts on rtsa rlung^[18] from a khams pa of bright appearance, because he had practised the Sadaṅga and the Karma-mudrā method (las rgya). After that he proceeded to shI ri and while he was residing at rgod tshang, and the Dharmasvāmin was staying at jo mo gangs, he heard clearly (by his divine ear) the latter’s song. In a dream he met the Dharmasvāmin rgod tshang pa and discussed religious subjects with him. He observed that over the foot print of the Venerable mid la there was an imprint of the foot of god tshang pa. He then obtained an introduction into the Doctrine (chos 'brel, lit. "a religious link") from the mahāsiddha 'dam pa zhig po, who was residing north of shrI ri.

After that he proceeded towards the "Six Forts" (rdzong drug) and spent a considerable time at brag dkar, khu byug dben pa rdzong and brag dmar. In the other places he made a short stay only. He met the Venerable One (mid la) in a dream, and the latter sang for him a psalm. His meditation greatly developed. He spent three years in that region, and paid a visit to 'phags pa wa ti^[19] . After that he returned, and spent some time at the birth place of the Dharmasvāmin. He also visited ding ri, and then proceeded towards spu tra, and heard an introduction into religion (chos 'brel) from a young novice, who was an incarnation of grub chen pa (u rgyan pa), and was aged 13, and possessed pure faculties. He also obtained instructions in religion from the mahāupādhyāya bsod nams ‘od zer. There he met dbon chen dpon po ting 'dzin bzang po and was given a golden srang by him.

After that he proceeded to bde chen to interview the Dharmasvāmin. He spent five full years meditating at bde chen and heard many doctrines. He received final monastic ordination in the presence of the mahā-upādhyāya gzhon nu byang chub and the acāryā bkra shis rin chen. He also heard several doctrines from the upādhyāya. Then during a Tantric feast (tshogs gral), he saw the mountains of dags lha sgam po through his prabhāsvara, and dags po lha rje residing inside a sphere of rainbows, and he recollected former states. He saw clearly his former existences, and sang a song (about them).

He said:

" 'or ston and g. Yam bzangs pa from that time (i.e. From the time of his former incarnation) had become my disciples."

He said that on one occasion when the Dharmasvāmin rang byung ba felt indisposed, he said to us:

"There is some one who had uttered a magic spell against us in the direction of gtsang^[20] . You, ascetics, should hold a rite!" "He then distributed to us the necessary implements of the rite. Some of us performed the "Life" ceremony (tshe sgrub), some recited the mantra of rnam 'joms^[21] . I and tshul blo performed the "defensive rite" of Yamāntaka (gshin rje'i bzlog pa). After one month, the whole country side as far as sa skya, appeared to me as a prabhāsvara vision, and during the vision I heard that in a Tantric monastery many Indian (mon bu) were wailing loudly. Next morning I went to see the Dharmasvāmin and reported the matter to him, saying that I had seen such a prabhāsvara vision and that something must have happened to the magicians."

The Dharmasvāmin sent an attendant of the ācārya rdo rje seng ge to have a look, and the man discovered that the magicians at the monastery were afflicted with dysentery (dmar nad), and that some of the Tantric had died. The Precious Lord had also recovered from his indisposition.

He then bestowed the initiation into the lnga tshan^[22] on about twenty disciples, including rtogs ldan e rgyal, the upādhyāya tshul blo, ston pa, lha rje gyam bzang pa and others. This was the first occasion on which he had performed an initiation ceremony. Henceforth he laboured extensively for the welfare of others by bestowing initiations and instructions.

He used to say

"The Dharmasvāmin when he was going to found the monastery of nags phu in kong po, appointed me, against my wish, abbot of the bde chen monastery. But I refused to comply with his command. Because of this, in later life my own disciples disobeyed my words."

He heard the secret part of the "Great Achievement" (rdzogs chen gsang skor) from the vidyādhara Kumārarāja^[23] . He settled at the hermitage of phug mo. At gsang phu he obtained the Cycle of Vajravārahi according to the method of nA ro from the bla ma ston dar. He also received an auspicious prophecy and chiefly practised meditation on it.

After that he proceeded towards ra tshag and made offerings to the Lady (Vajravārahī), and secured many signs of her blessing him. He said:

"Lha sa is the counterpart of Vajrāsana (rdo rje ldan); ra tshag is the counterpart of Oḍḍīyāna."

He spent five years at phug mo che, and then proceeded to rta phug mkha' 'gro gling, a hermitage founded by the siddha chu sgom ma bsam gtan rgyan, a disciple of dus gsum mkhyen pa, in the Upper part of 'tshur ca ra. He found the signs of the landscape round gnas nang to be auspicious.

One night he saw in his dream chu sgom ma appearing in the sky, who told him: “If you build a monastery at a spot, over there, great benefit will arise for living beings. I, being (a woman) of low birth, am unable to establish it, but, you brother, will succeed", and saying so, she disappeared. He therefore resolved to build a monastery there in the year of the Ape (spre'u lo 1332 A.D.). One night he saw the Tārā, poorly adorned, her face covered with dust, and therefore he did not start the building during that year, and pretended that it had not been approved by astrologers.

He founded the monastery of gnas nang in the beginning of the Hen year (bya lo 1333. A.D.). When he was laying its foundation, he had a vision of ber nag can placing the loads on the spot of the "Lower" mansion, and therefore he built his mansion on that spot. He built the monastery in a month and a half, and about a hundred priests gathered there. All practised meditation and many of them obtained the signs

(results) of` the "Six Doctrines" of nA ro and the Sadaṅga. Said he:

"In this monastery the practice of meditation will be on the increase for three generations, then a ploughman will come!"^[24] .

There he laboured extensively for the welfare of living beings. After that he entrusted his mansion to ston pa. He made him give instructions and founded the mansion of yang dgon[797]. There he practised meditations for one year without seeing anybody. After that he received a message from the Precious Dharmasvāmin from the Imperial Palace (Peking), saying that he should take up residence at bde chen. He therefore settled at bde chen. Here he built a spacious mansion and spent a summer. Then he felt slightly indisposed, and thought that gnas nang was a healthier place. He moved there and soon recovered.

In the Hare year (yos lo 1339 A.D.), while he was staying in strict seclusion at bde chen, he perceived that the Precious Dharmasvāmin had passed away at the Imperial Palace.

At the age of 61, which was a critical year for him, he fell ill at gnas nang. He saw a vision of Tārā appearing in the sky, well adorned and surrounded by fragrance, and he recovered from his indisposition. Then again he felt indisposed in the tenth month of the Mouse year (byi ba lo 1348 A.D.) and saw a vision of Sahaja-Vajravārahī amidst a procession, in the intervals of which numerous young girls were seen dancing, and he recovered. Till that time, he had numerous visions of the heavenly spheres. He also had a clear vision of the Intermediate Stage and was able to benefit the denizens of the Intermediate Stage (bar do). He also removed numerous accidents that hindered ascetics. His actions similar to the above are numberless.

In the end, at the age of 67, in the last month of the spring of the Earth Female Ox year (sa mo glang 1349 A.D.) he showed signs of indisposition, and from the 14th onwards his health began to deteriorate.

He gave detailed instructions to the upādhyāya and the ācārya, saying:

"You should distribute my property! I intended to proceed in a "rainbow body" ('ja' lus) in this very life, but due to some accidents I failed in it. Now my remains should not be cremated, but should be adorned with the six kinds of ornaments and enshrined in a silver caitya of a bright colour, turnying my face towards the East."

On the 19th day in the forenoon he passed away into the sphere of Peace. On the 23rd day, they performed the funeral, rites and all observed a heavy shower of flowers. At that time it was said that because of a karmic connection of his former incarnation, a flower shower also fell at stag lung. When they had enshrined his remains in the caitya, a rainbow appeared from all quarters, and the sacrificial offerings of Tantric feast of Vajravārahī were seen surrounded by a rainbow.

In general, he had many disciples, but four were known as the "Great Sons" (bu chen): rtogs ldan mgon rgyal ba, ‘jam dbyangs chos rdor ba, g. Yag sde paN chen and mkhas grub dar ma rgyal mtshan.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

R: jñāna-āviṣṭa

[2]:

R: name of a rnying ma chos skyong /a deity invoked in black magic/, a form of Yāma, gsrin rje kha thun nag po

[3]:

R: propitiation of Vajravārahī without bīja.

[4]:

R: propitiation of Vajravārahī born of the bīja-hriḥ 812 propitiation of Vajravārahī born of the bīja-bam.

[5]:

R: a rite belonging to the Kālacakra Cycle.

[6]:

R: instructions as to the drawing, measurements of mandalas and the melodies to accompany an initiation rite.

[7]:

R: Tg. tshed ma, No. 4211

[8]:

R: Kg. Shes phyin, No. 13

[9]:

Tg. dbu me, No. 3871

[10]:

R: one of five kinds of rlung.

[11]:

R: svapna, meditation practice while sleeping.

[12]:

R: māyākāya;the training in dreams and the manifestation of the illusory body are two practices included in the "Six Doctrines" of n A ro pa.

[13]:

R: stod hor or Central Asian Turks.

[14]:

R: the original monastery /rtsa ba'i dgon pa/ of the jo nang pas

[15]:

R: uttara-abhiṣeka.

[16]:

R: 11. A person of spontaneous spiritual development.

[17]:

R: don dam bsnyen pa, Tg. rgyud, No. 1348

[18]:

R: rtsa—the three mystic veins; rlung—breath.

[19]:

R: at skyi rong; skyi rong jo bo, one of the three sacred images of Tibet: lha sa'i jo bo, skyi rong gi jo bo, kho char jo bo

[20]:

R: gtad is a magic rite which consists in handing over a man to a nāga or demi-god. During the rite a magic diagram is buried with some objects which had belonged to the man against whom the spell is being directed, in a spring facing the north.

[21]:

R: Vajravidāraṇā-nāma-dhāraṇi, Kg. rgyud, No. 750.

[22]:

R: a Kālacakra rite

[23]:

R: a famous rnying ma pa bla ma, Teacher of klong chen pa.

[24]:

R: by this he meant that for three generations the inmates would practise meditation, but after that the monks would acquire the habits of villagers.