Chapter 9 - Phagmodrupa (iii): rpo rje rgyal po

[Full title: Phagmodrupa (iii): phag mo gru pa (rpo rje rgyal po) (‘gro mgon) (chos tsha ba) (mtha' rtsa ba) (1110-1170)]

At last, the third: the story of his gradual emancipation as a fortunate pṛthag-jana (ordinary man): he was born in the year Iron Male Tiger (lcags pho stag 1110 A.D.) in the country of stag ngos mkhar in 'bri lung rne shod of Southern Lower khams (mdo khams), as son of father dbas we na a dar and mother ro 'bye gza' btsun ne; he belonged to the dbas we na 'phan thog clan. His mother saw in a dream that a golden vajra with nine points was born to her. She placed it on the lap of her coat, and it emitted light which shone towards the ten quarters and illuminated all directions.

Phag mo gru pa used to say:

"(The Buddha) had said that the child when being born, feels his body as if passing through a vice ('jur mig). However I did not get that sensation, except that of falling down into a bottomless empty pail. I remember that at that time my father brought in the carcass of a hog."

When he reached the age of two, he developed a natural state of trance. While one of his boy friends was disturbing him, he felt commiseration towards him, and thought: "If only he was I" (he would feel the joy of trance). At the age of 3, his mother used to hold him up to make him pass water, add the child thought: "(They) do not keep away from shame!". This caused him to forget his former existences.

He said:

"About that time, I killed a snake and later felt in the upper half of my body an inflammation which seemed to have been caused by this act."

At the age of 7, he once more developed a natural state of trance, and remembered to have been born as a monkey in the period during which the Buddha Kāśyapa preached his Doctrine, but when his parents gave him a spotted meat to eat (rme sha), he forgot it.

His parents having died when he was young, he left his younger brother in the house, and with the help of his uncle, took up ordination at the age of 9, at the temple of bya khyi lha khang, in the presence of the upādhyāya lhing nge yan thub bu tshul khrims and the ācārya lhing ne 'od zer rgyal mtshan, and was given the name of rpo rje rgyal po. He knew writing without having studied it previously. When his upādhyāya was preparing a silver copy of the Śataśāhasrikā-Prajñāpāramitā, he copied one volume. He also knew the work of an artist without having learnt it previously. During his initiation by the bla ma rgya chen po, he took the vow not to drink wine at the time of religious assemblies, and thus pleased his Teacher greatly. He heard numerous sacred texts, such as the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra and others. He also heard many doctrines from a chief named u rin rgyan 'bar about the Three Worlds (khams gsum) and the nine stages or bhūmis, etc.

He used to say:

"This man (u rin rgyan 'bar) seemed to others to be an ordinary chief, but (in reality) he was a Bodhisattva of the Tenth Stage (bhūmi)."

In general, he had about 16 teachers in khams. He preached on several occasions the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra. The upādhyāya and his disciples were fond of him, and agreed to send him to dbus, but he did not possess any wealth, except for a small turquoise.

So he proceeded in the company of the great dbas, who was a wealthy man and helped him out, saying:

"We shall share this property in common."

When they came to mer nag kha of sog, he had a vision that the region of dbus gtsang was covered by a black veil, and that a small image of the Lord Acala had rent the veil with a sword, and that a pall of grey colour was spreading in all directions.

At the age of 19, he came to dbus. He unsaddled his horse (rta sga phog pa) at stod lung rgya dmar. From the assistant preacher the kalyāṇa-mitra g. Yor nyan he obtained (an exposition) of the Mādhyamaka system and the Nyāya. At that time also he obtained from the kalyāṇa-mitras of the bka' gdams pas—yang gang pa, don stengs pa, bya yul pa and others, a Mental Creative Effort in the smon 'jug (in respect of a Solemn wish and practice) and also heard (an exposition) of the bstan pa'i rim pa. He said that while he was studying under rgya dmar pa, he offended the kalyāṇa-mitra phyA pa, and for eight years was unable to expiate it.

At the age of 25, he received the final monastic ordination at zul phu, bya dul acting as upādhyāya, rgya dmar acting as ācārya and ar as Secret Preceptor. From the upādhyāya he heard the Vinayasūtra ('dul ba mdo). From myang bran he heard extensively the "Domain of Practice" (spyod phyogs). While he was studying at a philosophical school, he used to practise continuously the yoga of the four periods (thun bzhi^[1] ). Because of his great knowledge, he was known as chos tsha ba ("Burning religion").

After having collected dues ('dun ma^[2] ) from rmen dor ba, he heard many Tantras including the Samvara-Tantra and other Tantras from dmar, chos kyi rgyal mtshan, a direct disciple of pu brangs lo chung. He also met dpal chen rgwa lo, and heard from him many precepts and doctrines. When he was engaged in the study of the remaining part of the Doctrine with the bla ma a seng, he lent some tea to the Teacher, but the latter did not share it with him, so his faith (in the Teacher) slightly diminished. After that, he saw in a dream that his Teacher had turned his back on him (and he noticed) that he was wearing ragged clothes. After that he took up a hundred initiations into the methods of concentrated trance, and then recovered his former faith (in his Teacher). He heard from him numerous doctrines of rgwa lo, including the Sadaṅga (sbyor drug) and others.

After that he proceeded towards gtsang and obtained from brag dkar po ba the precepts of a ro^[3] . He thought that these precepts represented merely a mind-concentration (zhi gnas, śamatha), and did not feel satisfied. He heard the exposition of the Guhyasamāja according to the Nāgārjuna method, and the Abhidharma from 'jang bras stag pa, a disciple of 'gos (lo tsA ba), ba ri lo tsA ba and his nephew rngog mu ne. After that, he visited bur sgom nag po at bur, and asked to be given the precepts of lo ro pa (ras chung pa). Bur sgom bestowed on him the complete precepts. He meditated for eight months in the presence of bur, and his physical body was filled with well being, and when a thorn had wounded his foot, he even felt a pleasant sensation.

Then he proceeded to sa skya. From the great sa skya pa he obtained numerous hidden precepts of the "Path and Fruit" (lam 'bras) Doctrine and other systems. As the latter was fond of debating on religious subjects, he put many questions to him, and he was able to give correct answers. The bla ma was pleased and exclaimed "O wise khams pa!” After that he heard many precepts of the Tantric class, such as the "thim pa rnam gsum"^[4] and others from the bla ma 'byim lo tsA ba Kumārabuddhi {R 557}. From byang sems zla ba rgyal mtshan he obtained the initiation into the Cycle of Avalokiteśvara and the practice of a Mental Creative Effort (cittotpāda) in respect of his solemn wish (smon) and practice ('jug).

The bla ma said to him:

"You should remain in seclusion during the period of a waning moon, and should preach the Doctrine, when the moon is on the increase, and bestow initiations and blessings, thus there will be great benefit to others."

He heard the three parts of the kha rag (system of kha rag skor gsum) from myang sgom rgod po, a disciple of lho pa who was in his turn a disciple of kha rag sgom chung. He heard the Eight Doctrines of man mkhar ba from the Teacher himself.

He proceeded towards stod lungs accompanied by ston 'jam with the view to ask sangs rgyas gnyal chung ba for instruction. He made his request through a nun, but the teacher did not grant him an interview.

He repeated his request, saying: "Well then, I shall prepare a gtor ma!"

Then he met him and asked to be given instruction in the Doctrine.

The bla ma said:

"Tonight I shall examine the dream signs."

He went up stairs to rest, and he (phag mo gru pa) saw him drinking wine heavily and hiding his face in a mantle made of a dog fur, and snoring loudly.

He (phag mo gru pa) thought: "Can he get a dream?" and his faith diminished.

Next morning this thought of his was perceived by the Teacher who said to him:

"O khams pa scholar! You are followed by four ḍākinīs adorned with gold ornaments. You will become of great benefit to living beings at the foot of the black mountains of ngam shod. I shall teach you the Doctrine!"

Then he bestowed on him the hidden precepts of the upāya-mārga, its practice and yantras (i.e. āsanas). Then to others he (phag mo gru pa) gave a short exposition and obtained some presents. Again he visited sa skya pa chen po. He also followed on 13 teachers—yoginīs, such as ma gcig zha ma and others. In general, there were no famous scholars in precepts, whom he did not meet.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

R: four daily meditations: in the morning, at noon, at dusk and at night

[2]:

R: In older texts the word is used in the sense of khral, custom, dues

[3]:

R: they belong to the rdzogs chen system

[4]:

R: a Tantric rite which is said to correspond to the process of death: the merging /thim pa/ of the vision /snang ba/ into the stage of Red vision /'chad pa/, of the 'chad pa into the next stage characterized by a vision of darkness /nyer thob/, of the nyer thob into the stage of 'od gsal or prabhāsvara, characterized by an absence of all visions