Chapter 8 - Second incarnation series (v): mkha' spyod dbang po

[Full title: Second incarnation series (v): mkha' spyod dbang po (karma zhwa dmar pa) (ye shes dpal) (mi pham dpal Idan) (1350-1405)]

The Dharmasvāmin mkha' spyod dbang po (karma zhwa dmar pa), an incarnation of the ascetic grags pa seng ge, was born in the year Iron Male Tiger (lcags pho stag 1350 A.D.) as son of father lha rgyal and mother 'brog mo at kha na bar pa in the sandy valley of gnam, near a mountain peak which was the abode of the Gandharva king zur phud lnga pa in the country of the North. On his birth, beginning from the seventh day, the child had a clear vision of dpal dus gsum mkhyen pa and other teachers making prophecies and preaching religion. At the age of 3, he bestowed the permission (lung) to recite the mantra of meditation on Avalokiteśvara to an assembly. Having cognized the nature of others, he appears to have uttered many appropriate sayings. At the age of six, he revealed to some of his former disciples, that he was an incarnation of the ascetic grags pa seng ge.

The story of his former labours was heard in detail by mkhas grub dar rgyal ba, and many disciples and teachers came to invite him. As soon as they had met him, they showed signs of faith and reverence, and were filled with joy. On their return journey to gnas nang, some of the teachers and disciples, fell into water at chu mdo of bye lung. Frightened, he (saw clearly) the Venerable Tārā helping them out, and all happily extricated themselves. At 'tshur phu the child revealed the story of his former incarnation as nam mkha’ ‘od to the monk dar ma tshul khrims.

At the age 7, he met the Dharmasvāmin rol pa'i rdo rje at mtsho snang. He received the upāsaka vows and the cittotpāda rite from him. He heard the exposition of the "Six Doctrines" and of the Cycle of Mahāmudrā. At bde chen he was ordained by the mahā-upādhyāya rin po che don grub dpal ba and the Dharmasvāmin rol pa'i rdo rje, who acted as upādhyāya and ācārya. He was given the name of ye shes dpal. From the Precious mahā-upādhyāya he heard some shorter texts, such as the kA ri kA^[1] and others. From the Dharmasvāmin g. Yung ston pa he obtained the "Life giving ceremony" (tshe sgrub) of the White Tārā. From rje ri khrod pa he obtained the permission (lung) to read the entire rgyud 'bum^[2] and the greater part of the mdo mangs, as well as numerous initiation rites and instructions. He specially followed most of the profound and vast precepts of the bka' brgyud pa sect.

One night he saw in a dream the Dharmasvāmin rang byung rdo rje bestowing on him the cittotpāda ceremony in the midst of a multitude of people, and giving him the name of mi pham dpal Idan. When he was standing in front of the image of the Lady of ra tshag^[3] , he saw the image transformed into a real Sahaja-vārahī, a shining red svāstika^[4] appeared between her eye brows and then touched his body, after which a feeling of bliss was produced in him. He heard many instructions from bsod nams 'od of g. Yam bzangs. He stayed in seclusion and meditated. He was able to perceive the activity of all the ascetics of gnas nang. He censured some of them, to some he gave instructions, and all were filled with amazement.

At the age of 18, he took up final monastic ordination in the presence of the, mahā-upādhyāya rin po che don grub who acted as upādhyāya, and 'jam dbyangs chos kyi rdo rje who acted as ācārya, and gzhon nu dpal ba acting as secret preceptor, amidst a numerous congregation. During the same night he had a dream that four suns had appeared in the sky, and that he, wearing the three monastic robes, preached to gods and men the Doctrine to their satisfaction. He heard the ācārya 'jam rin of bde ba can^[5] preach the "Five Treatises of Maitreya", the Pramāṇaviniścaya and the Vinayasūtra^[6] . He heard the mahā-upādhyāya kun dga' 'od zer, a disciple of the Dharmasvāmin rang byung rdo rje, preach many initiation rites, including that of the Vajramāla (rdo rje phreng ba). After that he proceeded towards the North, as far as re shod, via 'dam and sog. While he was staying in the Snows of re rgyab and po rgyang, he had a vision of the Dharmasvāmin who crowned him, and delivered to him a prophecy. He brought with him numerous presents offered to him by the monks and laymen of those regions, and gave them away towards the upkeep of the monastic congregation and of the monastic law at gnas nang.

After the passing of the Master (svāmin) ri khrod pa, he grew disheartened with the wicked monks, entrusted the abbotship to the bla ma bsod names 'bum, and himself settled in a hermitage situated on the mountain back of gnas nan. He heard the mahā-upādhyāya ‘od zer rgya mtsho preach the snying thig system together with its branches. From the ācārya ‘od zer dpal he obtained the commentaries on the "Old" Tantras and most of the doctrine (bka' lung) of the "Upper" and "Lower" classes of the Hidden Scriptures^[7] . He examined Tantric texts without interruption by day and by night, but chiefly practised meditation. Having taken with himself 9 attendants, in all ten, including himself, he proceeded from Upper dbu via myang po, to rgya mda'. When he arrived there, he saw a vision of the Master dus gsum mkhyen pa who delivered a prophecy to him.

Then gradually he visited all the districts of kong po. In particular, he spent a considerable time at byin legs of New tsa ri. Following instructions received from the Dharmasvāmin rol pa'i rdo rje, he took over ba yo, the monastery and village. He obtained from the Dharmasvāmin all the hidden precepts of the "Six Doctrines" of nA ro and other texts. He heard also many Mādhyamaka texts, including the dbu ma rtog ge 'bar ba^[8] and others. He spent three years on the rock of dkar ma of tsa rin chen. He contemplated miracles performed by ‘heroes' (dpa' bo or vīra, a class of male deities) and ḍākinīs. When he proceeded towards stag Iha sgam po and stayed there, he recollected that he had been the monk tshul khrims dpal (Śīlaśrī), and his meditation developed greatly. He spent a considerable time at stag ma phu of kong po and lkog 'phrang, as well as in other places. He gathered round himself about 300 monks and to each of them he preached religion, as much as was desired by each of them. He spent three months in seclusion in the summer and winter, and bestowed instructions without interruption. When he came to bya yul, he had a vision of bde bar gshegs pa, who uttered a prophecy.

In the Horse year (rta lo 1378 A.D.) his supporters presented him with the hermitage of stag rtse rnam rgyal, and he founded there a monastery, and about 200 priests gathered there. When he was staying at tsa ri gsar ma (New tsa ri), he perceived the passing of the Dharmasvāmin rol pa'i rdo rje, and composed a song expressing his sorrow. In the Tiger year (stag lo 1386 A.D.), he founded the monastery of dga' ma mo and met the Dharmasvāmin de bzhin gshegs pa at stag rtse. He expounded to him many Doctrines (bka' lung) and satisfied him. When he was residing at the new monastery of lhun grub stengs and 'ja' tshon gling, he heard the ḍākinīs singing a secret (vajra) hymn. He also had numberless visions, such as the vision, of the Mount Maṇibhāga on the peak of rgyal, etc. When the Dharmasvāmin de bzhin gshegs pa left for dbus, he followed after him, and they, as Teacher, and disciple, gradually journeyed from myang po to 'tshur phu of stod lungs. At seng ge sgo mdun he preached the "Six Doctrines," and bestowed initiations on the Mongol official rigs ral and others.

After that he again proceeded towards kong po and spent most of his time in hermitages. He arranged a three year truce in the feud of the ral gsum valley in kong po. He stayed at ma ra stengs. While he was preaching the Doctrine, people who were staying at a distance of two krośas could hear his words distinctly. He also subdued many wrathful asuras, and made them take up the upāsaka vows and established ignorant disciples on the path of Vinaya. He composed guide books elucidating hidden precepts which were obscure, a nyams mgur^[9] and many short treatises.

Among his disciples were: the Dharmasvāmin de bzhin gshegs pa, the bka' bzhi pa rig pa'i ral gri, whose name was rin chen bzang po, rdza dgon kun spangs chos kyi ye shes, 'ger nag rtogs ldan chos dpal ye shes, zur dgon, bka' bzhi pa rin chen dpal, ri mi 'babs pa bsod nams rin chen, lha gzigs rin chen rgyal mtshan, 'khrul zhig bsod nams 'bum, chu tshan kha pa shes rab dpal and others.

When he was nearing the end of his labours, he met the Dharmasvāmin de bzhin gshegs pa who was returning from the Imperial Palace (Peking ^[10] ). He bestowed on the Dharmasvāmin many religious instructions at rtse lha sgang and other places. He also received large offerings from the Dharmasvāmin. Again while he was residing at tsa ri, he composed a song which began with the words: "‘chi med rtag pa... (eternal immortal)." When he arrived in dga’ Idan ma mo, he sealed the books with his own seal and told his attendants: "I shall be soon coming to this place!" Being earnestly requested by some khams pa priests and disciples, he proceeded to chu nyi ma and on his way he used to repeat frequently: "this time auspicious signs did not appear", but he was forced by them. As soon as they had pitched the camp there, he completed his preaching, and then showed signs of being somewhat indisposed.

He passed away at the age of 56 on the 29th day of the seventh month of the year Wood Female Hen (shing mo bya 1405 A.D.). At the time of his death a heavy shower of flowers fell and the whole of the sky was filled by a net of rainbows. His remains were placed in a palanquin, and a golden caitya was built at dga' Idan ma mo (kong po). The remains were enshrined inside the caitya. All this work was done by the bla ma chos bzang and the monk grags pa rgyal mtshan.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

R: Vinayakārikā, Tg. 'dul ba, No. 4123

[2]:

R: the Tantra section of the bka' 'gyur

[3]:

R: an image of Vajravārahī

[4]:

R: gyung drung here signifies the symbols of Yin and Yang, /nandyāvarta, dga' khyil /

[5]:

R: rwa stod dgon pa, near lha sa

[6]:

R: Tg. 'dul ba No. 4117

[7]:

R: gter kha, gong or "Upper" represents the hidden scriptures revealed by nyang nyi ma ‘od zer; 'ogor "Lower" represents the hidden scriptures, revealed by gu ru chos dban

[8]:

R: Mādhyamakahṛdayavṛttitarkajvālā, Tg. db.u ma, No. 3856

[9]:

R: a book of songs on religion

[10]:

In Amdo, Peking is designated by the word pho brang or palace