Chapter 13 - Staglungpa (v): rin chen mgon

[Full title: Staglungpa (v) together with his disciples (stag lung pa slob ma dang bcas pa’i skabs)—rin chen mgon (stag lung pa’s disciple)]

Background

On the third day of the new year month, "The Late" sku yal rin chen mgon was invited to occupy the abbot’s chair. Soon afterwards sangs rgyas sgom pa also passed away. Now, this sangs rgyas sgom pa was a disciple of the Precious 'gro ba'i mgom po (phag mo gru pa). Later, after the passing of ‘gro mgon, he stayed with the great stag lung thang pa. The nephew of the great stag lung thang pa named dkar po was called sku yal ba, the "Late", because the Precious ‘gro mgon had manifested himself in his form to fulfill the work of stag lung thang pa. His real name was rin chen mgon. (His) father was a native of sgang gyang shed lung of ku lung. He belonged to bon ra stengs, and was born below the middle one of the three forts of dag sgang. He belonged to the same clan as stag lung thang pa, the Great. His father was (called) ban blon mgo yags, (his) mother jo zi gza' bkra shis mtsho.

Pre-infancy and Childhood

When the Precious One was in his (mother’s) womb, his father went to visit (the monastery) of stag lung, and while staying there stag lung thang pa, the Great, said one day: "Let mgo yags come here!"

When mgo yags came, he said to him:

"On your estate, a boy was born to you! Say: 'I shall present him! I shall present! I shall present!' "

And the father said: "I shall present him (to you)."

After about two or three years, 'tshur phu ba passed away, and they inquired as to who would occupy the chair of 'tshur phu ba. "I have prepared an abbot for ourselves!"^[1] stag lung thang pa, the Great, lived for 50 years.

He (rin mgon) was born in the year Iron Female Hog (lcags mo phag, 1191 A.D.). When he was three, in the year Water Ox (chu glang, 1193 A.D.), (khams pa) dbu se, bla ma zhang and glang lung pa passed away. When he was 11, stag lung thang pa sent him numerous presents, including a child’s upper garment (cham tsheg), and said: "Make this child a novice, and name him so and so."

The mother said: "Do not make him a novice!"

Said the father: "Let us ask him!"

The child said:

"On becoming a novice, I shall go to stag lung, become a kalyāṇa mitra and study the Doctrine! To you, parents, I shall send a message containing precepts."

In the same year, he was ordained in the presence of the upādhyāya spyi dpon pa and the ācārya 'gos lha khang ltag pa at thang skya. He heard many doctrines at the feet of the upādhyāya and ācārya, as well as from nags lung pa.

Youth

At the age of 13, he came to dbus, and the inhabitants escorted him for a while. The mother said: “If they were to say that my son was studying the Doctrine, it would not matter, if we were not to meet! Study the Doctrine!", saying so, she returned. On the top of the glang gling Pass, he met the men who were sent to meet him from stag lung. From there he journeyed to dbu ru lung.

On the day of his arrival there, stag lung thang pa said:

"Cover this path with a white piece of cloth^[2] , and the banner behind him! At ri thel carry a small banner in front of him. The congregation should receive him at ya thang!"

On meeting stag lung thang pa, he presented him a scarf of greeting, and inquired about his health using honorific expressions. Stag lung thang pa said to him: “O man! Are you not tired?"

"By your grace, all is well", replied he. They made mutual inquiries in the above manner.

On one occasion, he galloped a horse, and the father said to the Precious One: "Pray control this novice!"

Stag lung thang pa replied: "Be silent! You cannot taste the nature of this novice. He will be of use!"

After that he immured himself in a hut belonging to the monastery, with its door facing eastwards. He practised meditation for seven years without visiting (stag lung thang pa), except to receive the exposition of the Doctrine.

At that time stag lung thang pa said:

"In this monastery there was a novice who was able to benefit numberless living beings."

At the age of 19, he received the final monastic ordination in the presence of the upādhyāya gtsang pa and the karma ācārya sangs rgyas sgom pa, the ācārya sangs rgyas acting as Secret Preceptor. He exhibited many deeds, such as the lifting of the supporting column of his hut, and placing beneath it the garments of others, he grinded seven beans into dust between his big and middle fingers, he used to play with a brick of tea as if it was an egg, sitting crosslegged he threw upwards on the top of a house a large load. In general, he attended on stag lung thang pa, the Great, for eight years.

Adulthood (including the details of stag lung thang pa’s death)

When he reached the age of 20, stag lung thang pa, the Great, feeling weary, one day put his mantle and his hat (zhwa theb), on sku yal ba, entrusted into his hands the walking staff (phyag mkhar) of dpal phag mo gru pa, and made him sit on his seat, saying: “Stand up! Move round! Shake (yourself)!"

After he had done so, stag lung thang pa said:

"It will do! You will obtain a future which will be greater than mine!"

He also entrusted to him the library’s key, saying:

"In it there is a section of the Doctrine which is unknown to this monastery! I did not show avarice in matters pertaining to this Doctrine, but I hid it because of same omens on advice from phag mo gru pa. But you can reveal it, and bestow it on those who will ask (for it)."

To byang seng he said:

"The burden of guarding stag lung rests equally on byang seng and rin chen mgon."

He performed extensive funeral rites for stag lung thang pa and sangs rgyas sgom pa. Mkhan po ba said to him:

"Now, Precious One, pray examine the books!"

He replied:

"O mkhan po ba! The Teachers of our Lineage should know how to preach a suitable doctrine, as soon as a disciple appears before them. Is there any benefit in a kalyāṇa mitra, expert in texts?"

To those who asked for precepts, he taught those which could convert them. He showed impartiality towards virtuous ones, evil ones and mediocre ones. On many occasions others saw him as stag lung thang pa. On many occasions also, he exhibited different manifestations of his physical form. Further, many saw him as Śākyamuni, Saṃvara and other divine beings. There exist also many stories about his great faculty of prescience. On numberless occasions he cured the sick by a proper prognostication of omens, restored the sight of the blind and the hearing of the deaf, and helped cripples. He erected sku 'bum caityas with chapels containing images ('bum khang).

Having excavated the rock on the site of one such chapel, his foot became painful. He inquired of people who were familiar with the omens of the locality, and they told him that this was the "life" mountain (bla ri) of his Teacher, and because he had excavated it, it harmed him. He then erected a silver relic-holder (gdung khang) measuring one cubit and a full span (mtho). After that he placed in a great relic-holder made of silver, an image of phag mo gru pa seated on the sun-disc, made of 17 golden srangs. In the center of the sun-disc he placed an image of stag lung thang pa, the Great, with a parasol, made of one measure (bre) of silver. The remaining silver he used for a large image of stag lung pa.

Then he invited the upādhyāya, the ācārya and others who had the right to give advice, and said to them:

"Images and books are too numerous! They cannot be placed (inside the temple). Hold a council to discuss the erection of two chapels, and let me know (the decision)."

The ācārya khu said: "Any kind of chapel will do! We should practise meditation and the exposition of the Doctrine. A single hermit is better than a hundred Prajñāpāramitās in 100,000 verses^[3] written in gold." Others said: "Pray let us build a chapel, as well as meditate and expound the Doctrine."

When he had reached the age of 34, they began in the year Wood Male Ape ('shing pho spre'u, 1224 A.D.) the construction of the great vihāra. They sent men to nags shod to cut timber, but the inmates of 'bri khung objected to it. They also brought timber from bad. A considerable quantity of timber was brought from rdo. About that time he received the keys of phong mdo. After this the nephew of 'bri khung pa asked him to bring timber from nags shod, and they brought timber from that place. Bran ka investigated the omens of the locality, and said: "If we build it as the base (phong) of the main street, it will be good." So they built it at the beginning of the main street. In the chapel they erected eighty columns, in the upper gallery there were four rows of pillars, in all 32 pillars. In the lower gallery there were 24 columns in three rows. In each of the side galleries there were six pillars, altogether 12. In each of the naves (glo 'bur) there were two pillars. In the entrance hall (sgo khang) there were four (pillars). The verandah outside the main gate (sgo phubs) had four pillars, in all eighty pillars. There were 13 capitals (shing brtsegs). In the Mouse year (byi ba lo, 1228 A.D.) they completed the upper and lower galleries^[4] . He then appointed an upādhyāya and ācārya, and made them ordain others, and thus opened the gates of religion. He introduced the study of the Doctrine and meditative practices (nyan bshad and sgom sgrub).

General Accomplishments

The Precious One himself followed the life of stag lung thang pa, the Great. He did not add (new) precepts, and did not alter even a single word in the texts of prayers and solemn wishes (smon lam). He stayed continuously erect and did not rest his head on a pillow. When he was going to the Northern Upland, he made his retinue abstain from meat. Whenever he used to receive arms as offering, he had them broken up in his presence. He used to accept holy objects presented to him with his own hand. Other (offerings) were collected by (his) men. He did not preach to women (nag chags) and did not converse with them. He did not make meaningless jokes. When he came to the chair, those who were willing to be his supporters were very poor, but after they became prosperous, and the offerings became numerous. Numerous were the persons fed from his palace. Half of a measure (bre) of grain was given them each month. He gave guaranty on behalf of others. To some he supplied all their needs (from his palace). He supported 82 households (thab khang, hearth) from his palace (nang so nas).

Looking at the inflow of things from the outside, (people) thought: "Where will they store all this?"

And, considering the outlay from (his) palace, (people) thought: "Will he be able to meet his expenses?"

He filled the great vihāra with the three kinds of objects of worship (rten gsum). At first, when he came to the abbot’s chair, the monks who had promised not to disperse, walked off without listening (to him). The monastic cells fell in ruins, and only about 700 monks remained. Afterwards the number of the monks greatly increased, and reached the figure of 2800. They continued to increase, and finally 3700 monks gathered. The number of monastic cells also increased. ' At the time of his death, about 5000 monks had gathered. When he first occupied the abbot’s chair, he owned not more than seven loads of barley. He had also to pay a debt of about 500 golden srangs. Later, all the rooms of his palace (bla brang) became filled with gold, silver, silks, etc. The outside (precincts) of the monastery were filled by thousands of yaks and horses. The saying that "one was unable to rival even a dog of stag lung pa”, originated in his time.

Death

When he had reached the age of 47, in the year Fire Male Ape (me pho spre'u, 1236 A.D.) numerous signs, such as rainbows, sounds, lights, earth tremours, etc. Were observed. His horse 'brug khyung seng ge became afflicted by a skin disease. He issued orders to the monks to abstain from moving about, and to keep to the monastery. To some he said that he will finish the exposition (of the Doctrine); he issued many similar orders. He ordered his attendants to keep ready a large quantity of tea, brown sugar, fuel wood, etc. Then, after having given numerous exhortations, he passed away. During the cremation of his remains, a shower of relics fell. His heart, tongue, eye and finger were left unburnt, and many images and relics were recovered (from the ashes). Also numberless visions took place.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This speaker of this quote is evidently stag lung thang pa, but it needs to be looked at in the Tibetan and clarified in the English (Baker).

[2]:

i.e. carry a white piece of cloth in front of him (R).

[3]:

Śatasāhasrikā (R).

[4]:

This is the large stag lung gtsug lag khang, a famous monument of Tibetan architecture near phyag la (R).