Chapter 10 - Phagmodru Lineage (vii): tshes bzhi rnying ma ba

[Full title: Phagmodru lineage (vii): tshes bzhi rnying ma ba (grags pa rgyal mtshan) (1293-1360, abbot in 1310)]

Tshes bzhi rnying ma ba was born in the year Water Female Serpent (chu mo sbrul 1293 A.D.) as son of dpon rin chen skyabs and zhang lcam ma. His mother had many auspicious dreams. In his youth he received ordination in the presence of the upādhyāya tshul dar and the ācārya zhang btsun pu hrangs pa, and was given the name of grags pa rgyal mtshan. This upādhyāya tshul dar^[1] was the supervisor (zhal ngo) of kun dga' ra ba (ārāma). Dbon po gzhon nu bzang po was his nephew, and therefore called dbon po. He obtained instructions in the Doctrine from gnyis mchod pa. The bla ma lha khang pa opened the gate of religion (for him). He heard from the bla ma brag pa rin chen the rites of propitiations of the Religious Protectors. The bla ma delivered to him a prophecy, saying: "A Religious Protector (chos skyong, dharmapāla) will be attached to you!" He heard a detailed exposition of the bka' brgyud precepts from the bla ma ti se ba dar ma rgyal po and others.

He became abbot (of gdan sa thel) in the year Iron Dog (lcags khyi 1310 A.D.), aged 18. Till the age of 51, he maintained classes. He foretold (future events) to the nomads of pra ti ba and ti se ba. At the time of his death, ḍākinīs were seen coming to receive him, and he was seen being carried out on a lion throne.

He died at the age of 68 on the 3rd day of the tenth month of the year Iron Male Mouse (Icags pho byi ba 1360 A.D.). On the cremation of his remains, numerous relics were recovered (from the ashes). His best disciple was bcu gnyis rin po che.

His earliest disciples were a bla ma named mkhar thog pa who for 12 years engaged in propitiations and possessed the faculty of prescience, the bla ma sna'u pa, rdor 'dzin sangs rgyas rgyal mtshan, who possessed the understanding of the Non-manifested (aprapañca, spros bral), the bla ma named mgon gzhon pa who had a vision of Mahākāla (ye shes mgon po) and others. Among his later disciples were one named mtshungs med rin gzhon pa, who became the master of the Meditative Lineage, and many others.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

In ancient times the term kun dga' ra ba designated a place belonging to a priest king. Even nowadays the Dalai Lama’s Palace in the monastery of 'bras spuns is called kun dga' ra ba