Chapter 16a - Lo ras pa (Gtsang pa rgya ras’ disciple)

Birth

The Dharmasvāmin lo ras pa was well known by that name, because he belonged to lo nang. In the locality of grags chen of gzhung, father rnal 'byor and mother me gza' skyid de were childless. They made offerings to the Great Merciful One^[1] and prayed that a son might be granted to them. Blessed by the Lord, a boy was born in the year Fire Female Sheep (me mo lug, 1187 A.D.), after the mother had seen an auspicious dream.

Childhood

In his childhood he was characterized by a religious disposition, and did not play with other children. From the age of six he mastered the alphabet. When he was sixteen, the Dharmasvāmin gtsang pa came to gzhung, and faith was born in him. He served him well.

Youth and Renunciation

When he was seventeen, the Lord gong ma (the Lord Superior gtsang pa) arrived at snye thang of dums, and met the parents and the boy. At the age of eighteen, the boy ran away, and received ordination in the presence of the upādhyāya sbal ti at skyor mo lung (near lhasa), and was given the name of dbang phyug brtson 'grus.

When he was staying with the Master (gtsang pa), a man from his native place came to take him back.

The Master said:

"Go this time! It will not hinder you!"

When he came to his native place, his relatives held a council, and decided to find him a bride, and to chain him. His mother informed him, and he ran away to the Master, and obtained from him the remaining part of the instructions on the "Inner Heat" (gtum mo), and other subjects. Since that time, extraordinary "Inner Heat" was produced in him, and he had to wear a single cotton garment (ras rkyang).

During the autumn, the Master received an invitation from his native country, and held there a religious council. The relatives then requested the master to order him to disrobe, but lo ras pa begged the Master to be allowed to reply himself to their request. He then said to them: "When I shall be dying, you relatives won't be able to hold me back. You may kill me, but I shall never disrobe!" and so on. Then the entire assembly shed tears.

His father and the others gave up hopes (to make him return). The Dharmasvāmin said: "Today he distinguished himself as a hero (in the battle) between this life and the next"^[2] , and became very pleased. The father and son accompanied the Dharmasvāmin to 'brug, and themselves received initiation.

Final Ordination

In the autumn he took up the final monastic vows and heard the Pratimokṣa sūtra (mdo rtsa ba), and other texts. He also studied the Hevajra, the Mahāmāya, and other Tantras, secret doctrines, such as the Dohā (of Saraha), and sādhanas (propitiations), such as the Saṃvara and others.

When his father fell ill, he came to his native place. Soon after this, his father died, and he invited the Dharmasvāmin and his retinue to gzung, and offered him presents in great numbers, including 2800 measures (of barely). He entertained monks, made presents and paid remunerations to the supervisors of construction, and revolved the Wheel of the Law. He also entertained lavishly the people of the country. He lost more than a thousand measures to mtha' bzhi (most probably the name of an official). In addition to this, he spent all his money (in the interest) of the Doctrine, and did not keep even one measure (of grain) for himself.

Meditation at ‘brug

Having come to 'brug, he observed the seven vows: not to go to his father’s place; not to come down from the mountain; to sit up continuously; not to lie down^[3] ; not to cross the thresholds of laymen’s houses; to wear a single cotton garment only; to abstain from speaking; not to break the daily morning offerings to Pretas^[4] .

The Master said to him:

"These vows have no importance for you! But since the Muni had also practised austerities for six years, so keep these vows also for six years. After that, stay at ease."

When he expressed his intention to practise austerities (ro snyoms, Skrt. Samarasa) at the cremation grounds of India (the eight famous cremation grounds) and other places, the Dharmasvāmin said to him: "While the Teacher is in good health, remain here!" and so he remained.

He then met with some serious misfortunes, such as the receipt of the news that his cousin was oppressing his mother and sister, jealousy on the part of his friends, disease caused by fleas (shig nad), and nervous complaints. He turned them all to the benefit of his spiritual practice, without abandoning his devotion towards his Teacher.

Travels, Practice of Austerities and Activity

After that he proceeded to gtsang into the presence of the Master, and obtained numerous hidden precepts from him. In dbus he built for himself a small cell close to the corner of the preacher’s seat, and was thus able to hear in privacy the preaching to the assembly of monks.

When he was 25, the Master gtsang pa passed away. He then settled at jo mo 'gro sa, on (the mountain) peak of kha rag, without provisions. A snow avalanche having come down over him, he stayed there without water, fire and fuel. In this manner he practised austerities at jo mo gangs, se mo do, and again at jo mo gangs. He was afflicted by a mental ailment internally, and externally he was tormented by demons, and various other hindrances to his ascetic practice befell him in profusion. However, all this helped his concentration of mind, and the force of his inner knowledge developed. He also developed a great faculty of prescience.

In fulfilment of prophecies by Teachers, tutelary deities and gods, he established in meditative practices priests who had gathered in various localities, and frequently sent them to hermitages. He also founded small hermitages, such as chu mig dkar mo, shing skam, lchags spyil, dbu ri, and others, and looked after the interest of others.

He especially spent six years at dbu ri, and gathered round himself more than a thousand monks. This being a dangerous place, he took it over, and because of this, the other uplands and lowlands became free of danger. He also distributed lavishly alms and provisions to men. Since that time, he used to send large offerings to the upper and lower monasteries.

Later, having come to myang ro, he stayed also at jo mo lha ri. The teacher and his disciples did not suffer at the hands of mongol troops. Then again, in the year of the Ox (1241 A.D.) he founded the monastery of dkar po chos lung. During the great assemblies more than 10,000 monks gathered there. He also prepared numerous manuscript volumes written in gold as objects of his worship.

He then proceeded to lho brag mkhar chu, and rebuilt anew the temples of mkhar chu which had been damaged during the civil war, and hoisted (on them) golden banners (dhvaja). After that he proceeded to bum thang in the mon country ('brug yul, Bhutan), and established in abstinence the natives of mon who resembled beasts. He also founded the monastery of thar pa gling (bum thang thar pa gling).

After that he proceeded to seng ge ri. There he forced monks, who had relaxed their vows, to observe them and bestowed on about 1500 novices the "great initiation" of Saṃvara (bde mchog gi dbang mo che). After that he performed a Great Memorial service (dus mchod chen mo, in memory of his Teacher), and for a month and a half preached continuously the Doctrine.

Death

He passed away on the 21st day of the 9th month of the Iron Male Dog (lcags pho khyi, 1250 A.D.) at the age of 64. His remains were cremated on the 1st of the next month, and many relics were recovered (from the ashes), including his heart and tongue. Innumerable extraordinary signs also took place. On the 11th day of this month, all the monks of the lho brag region gathered and performed the funeral rite.

Thus, this holy personage had no one to match him in the distribution of alms, in detachment from worldly matters, in diligence, in meditation, in scholarly knowledge, and in his labours full of compassion for the benefit of others. After the passing of lo ras, his nephew tsa ri ba took over the monastery, and in general laboured extensively for the welfare of living beings. He had many excellent disciples, including the siddha mgon yes and others.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

jo bo thugs rje chen po 'rang byon lnga ldan of Lhasa, a famous image of Avalokiteśvara in the Lhasa Cathedral or jo khang (R).

[2]:

i.e. the Worldly Life and Religious Life (R).

[3]:

utkuṭukāsana, Mhvtpt, No. 6709 (R).

[4]:

gtor ma brgya rtsa, 108 balls of tsam pa are offered with water, also called chu gtor. This offering was first introduced by Atīśa, and is well known throughout Tibet (R).