Chapter 13 - Staglungpa (iii): Stays at other monasteries

In the company of officials, the treasurer, the alms giver rmog sgom and others, he proceeded towards mal ‘gro, and there heard the Doctrine from 'chad kha pa.

At klungs shod he befriended several bka' gdams pas and went with them. They said to him: "Change your hat!" but he replied: "I shall use my hat as protection (against robbers) in Upper dbu."

After that he proceeded to phong mdo khang chen. The kalyāṇa-mitra khang chen pa having come out, they met at the threshold. He felt faith born in him and stag lung thang pa spent one winter in the thang mgo monastery as his house priest (bla mchod). After the spring of (that year) he stayed at se gle. About that time, he received an invitation and a good horse from khams, and proceeded to phag mo gru. He spent one summer building caityas for relics and looking after the image makers. He offered presents, including horses, etc.

During the year that followed his stay at se gle, the acāryā sgom pa came there.

While he was climbing the stone steps leading towards the latter’s house, he (sgom pa) heard distinctly the voice of phag mo gru pa (speaking) inside, and on entering the house, he said:

"I heard your voice as the very voice of phag mo gru pa. I recollect phag mo gru pa saying formerly that I shall carry you along with me wherever I go. This is the fulfilment of his promise."

Then, having requested an elder of the zhang sho ma ra pas to act as upādhyāya, mar pa com thang pa as karma-ācārya, and zhang ston sgo mig pa as Secret Preceptor, he received final monastic ordination at sho ma ra.

Then again, when he was residing at se gle, a man leading horses for him (bsu rta, a horse sent for a guest to ride on) came from khams. When the man had gone to gtsang, stag lung thang pa proceeded to phag mo gru to convey presents. He returned soon. In the meanwhile khang chen pa having learnt of his intention to proceed to khams, collected villagers who insisted that he should not go to khams, and he promised to remain. Many priests having gathered, the monastery could not accommodate all of them, and he thought of moving them to some other place.

Then a voice resounded from heaven, saying:

"In seven years from now on, you will control the three dar, sbras and rong."

He then proceeded in search of a hermitage as far as brag po che, but did not find (any suitable place), and came back.

When he reached tar mda', 'gon lug said:

"The place called phi ri stag lung had been the residence of kalyāṇa-mitra spo to ba. In the upper part (of that valley) there exists also a good rock-cave.”

He proceeded to stag lung, blessed the site, and spent a night in the cave. After that, he founded a hermitage above mdzo ra of stag lung, and took up residence there. At that time the Teacher and his disciples numbered 18.

When the Precious ‘gro mgon had reached the age of 60, in the year Earth Female Ox (sa mo glang 1169 A.D.) he manifested simultaneously twelve aspects of his body. With the help of one aspect of his body, he was able to cover with his foot the entire region of stag lung and bless it. He then transformed the entire earth of stag lung into mantra-clay (sngags 'dam or blessed clay), and all the water into mantra-water (sngags chu i.e. Holy water).

The Precious ‘gro mgon said: "There in the North, is a region for (your) extensive labours. Perhaps you have to go to khams, if so, go to khams once. After that, you will come across a place indicated by your former actions. In that place all your labours will be extensive. Further, that place is very rugged and there exist numerous evil deities and demons headed by a demon who had originated from men. (So far) no one was able to hold (the site). I have trodden with my feet all the land, and subdued all the deities and demons, and made them into beings performing a labour of compassion. Now you will be able to control that place", saying so, he prophesied: "In the north, in the Land of Snows……."

Again a voice was heard from heaven saying:

"Since you are not yet in control of stag lung, should unpleasantness happen (there), change place."

Then one of his friends dbang phyug grags, having gone to phong mdo, a beggar from spras pa broke his head, and thus the accident (indicated in the prophecy) took place (and he /stag lung thang pa/ had to change place).

Said he: "We shall spend seven years at se ba lung”, and proceeded there. Many monks gathered there. Lha rje bod chung ba and phong mdo ba planned there extensive construction works (mkhar las) and laid the foundation in eight days.

He said to them: "We shall not stay here! The monks will become numerous and we shall be unable to accommodate them here. I shall make stag lung a place where many donkeys with loads of barley will crowd,"saying so, they abandoned the site. After that he was invited to stag lung by the inmates of dar, spras, rong, the three, and phong mdo.

At the age of 39, in the year Iron Male Mouse (lcags pho byi ba 1180 A.D.) he was welcomed to bla brang nag po (the 'Black' Mansion), and took up residence there. Crows used to bring pieces of wood and earth, whatever they could find, and deposit them on the site where the present day yang dgon is situated. Then he moved his residence to that place, and after the lapse of several years, the bla ma zla 'od pa and others from khams came there to invite him. They insisted (that he should go). Then the Teacher and his disciples, in all about five or six men, went as far as the top of the glang ling la pass.

After partaking of water on the far side of the mountain pass, he said:

"O dbang seng! prepare some strong tea and cut brown sugar on this piece of ice (which he used as a table). I am to go to ku^[1] yung sgangs".

He spent the night there, having turned his face eastwards. The eastern part of sky was cloudy, but the sky of the western quarter was clear.

They inquired about the cause, and he replied:

"This is the sign of the downfall of than skya."

Next morning, he declared that he would labour for the benefit of living beings of the eastern quarter, and began preaching the three "inseparable^[2] (objects) of recollection".

When he came back, he stayed at ko khyim. Phong mdo ba said to the messengers who had come to meet him, not to take him to khams, and they agreed. He was then invited to return.

The summer of the next year he spent at bkrab ting. About that time she pa dar re was killed, and he was invited to settle a dispute between the dar yul bas and the rong pas. They offered him dar re’s head, and freed many prisoners who had been convicted for murder. In this manner both dar and rong were controlled by him. Then, when he was invited by the spras pas, they also recognized his authority.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

R: The text, fol. 97a, has: kho bos ku yung sgangs su phyin pa yin. The past tense is here used in the sense of "I am to go……".

[2]:

R: Teacher, Death and One’s Vows, or bla ma, sdom pa, 'chi ba; mi 'bral ba dran pa gsum.