Chapter 13 - Staglungpa (i): Introduction

[Full title: Staglungpa (i): Introduction (stag lung thang pa bkra shis dpal)].

The Lineage of dpal stag lung thang pa: The great stag lung thang pa bkra shis dpal was born in the year Water Male Dog (chu pho khyi 1142 A.D.) as son of father ban blon 'bar po and mother brab shi gza' dge sum khro mo in g. Yang shod bong ra stengs. In the next year the Dharmasvāmin of ‘bri khung was born. He belonged to the klu dge family, a branch of the dbrag zi ‘bring po ("middle") clan.

His mother died early and his father married a second wife who took a dislike to the boy. Then (the father) took yet another wife who became fond of the child. It is said that when the child grew older, he made several attempts to enter religion, but was prevented by his father. When he reached the age of 18, he ran away to bla gang pa at thang skya lha khang and received ordination in the presence of the upādhyāya ga ston bla gang pa shes rab rdo rje, and the ācārya tshar ston sgo mangs pa.

When the ceremony had been performed, the pursuers sent by the boy’s father arrived there. Said the father:

"I have heard that you had grades (among monks) according to the seniority of ordination. He is known as my son, son of klu dge 'bar po, do not place him at the end of the row!"

The upādhyāya then placed him at the head of the front row. He heard from the kalyāṇa-mitra brag dgon pa the Sphuṭārtha ('grel chung by Haribhadra), the Bodhicaryāvatāra (spyod 'jug), the Śīkṣāsamuccaya, the Bodhipathapradīpa (the lam sgron of Atīśa) and the Dohā (of Saraha).

At that time he had the intention of going to India, and heard that Idan ma bla ma ser^[1] 'bal was going there. They settled the date, but then the latter did not come. Then he thought of making friends with the sbom^[2] po ba bla ma a skyabs, but the latter passed early in the morning, and he missed him.

When he had reached rdang khang dmar, he was overtaken by a pursuer, and was forced to turn back. Then again (he heard) the bla ma hwa shang saying that he was going to India, and (he) settled the date, but the latter left before (his coming).

The Precious One having loaded two leather bags (sgro ba) on a horse, started off during the night. Snow fell, and he felt cold and thirsty. When he had reached gru mur of brab shi sam pa, he was again overtaken by a pursuer, and again had to return.

At thang skya lha thel he saw numerous people engaged in gathering the autumn harvest, and a great sadness overcame him. After this he perceived all external objects as having no substantiality. One night in a dream he saw on a path full of thorns where there was no place to step aside, a tall black woman who embraced him. With full faith that he was a deity (lha'i nga rgyal, the utpannakrama degree), he subdued her and she said:

"Now let me go! You are blessed by the thirteen gods!"

Again at thang skya, an old woman who had returned to life, said to him:

"Such a thing will happen to you! And many attendants will come to you."

Later, the words of ‘gro mgon agreed with (the woman’s prophecy). On one occasion, when he was going from thang skya to steng khang, he asked a fortune teller to examine his fortune (phag mo gru pa'i sku cha, name of a method of fortune telling).

Said the man:

"You will be a powerful man, and you will gather a field of gold. You will be going to a mountain of yellow colour and a grey plain. If you do not perform a magic rite, your head might be broken, or a boulder from the mountain side might strike you."

He spent one summer at rting ser. While he was staying at snyel nge, an image of phag mo gru pa was sent to the bla ma rmog (who said to him): "Are you able to worship this image?"

He prepared a votive lamp, and went to offer it (to the image). (On seeing it), he felt in himself that he must go and meet this Teacher.

When he was about to start for dbus, he saw in a dream that he was climbing a tall ladder, and that when he was about to reach the top, a big white man appeared, took hold of his hand, and said: "Unless I pull you, you can't reach!"

Later ‘gro mgon (phag mo gru pa) said to him: "The white man was I."

He then fled towards 'byi and reached rting ser.

After that, he proceeded to the residence of the ācārya sangs rgyas skyabs at steng byang, and spent several days there. When he came to mdor lha stengs, he arranged for a servant and a horse, and then forded the river. They missed the ford, and were almost carried away by the stream, but his horse placed its foot on a patch of dry ground, and he was able to come out (of the stream). After that, he reached the Northern route and joined stong bzher bcu ston who was proceeding to bya yul to arrange there for an eternal votive lamp. When they had reached com thang, the com pas and the phon mdo bas were harvesting.

A physician of nyan pa said to him:

"Some of my cousins in my native place are taking salt to sell it at the gates of phag mo gru."

He followed them, and by way of klungs shod reached nyan. Then having joined some merchants, he reached 'on. From there, he continued the journey alone through the gorge of ljang, and came to tsha rong.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

DD: Roerich’s text looks like it says “sher”, but it could be a smudge. The Tibetan says “ser” {p 718}.

[2]:

DD: Here Roerich has “s Pon”; the from Tibetan looks like it should be “sbom” {p 718}.