Chapter 7 - Kālacakra lineage: Somanātha

At that time there was in the country of Kāśmīra an excellent brāhmaṇa scholar named bzang po^[1] of Sūryaketu, when he was teaching the Doctrine to Paṇḍita Sonasati, Lakṣmīkara, Dānaśrī, Candrarāhula, Somanātha, and others, the Paṇḍita Vinayākaramati ('dul ba 'byung gnas blo gros) sent the Sekoddeśa^[2] and the Sekaprakriyā,^[3] and he having given them to read to the paṇḍitas, all were filled with wonder.

In particular, the Teacher Somanātha of Kāśmīra was filled with great faith, and having discontinued his studies there, proceeded in search of that system. In Madhyadeśa he met dus 'khor ba and asked him for instruction in the Kālacakra. The latter having given him instruction, he became an accomplished scholar in the complete commentary of the Tantra, in the Tantra itself, the precepts, and in the initiation rite.

This Teacher belonged to a Brahmin family and till the age of ten he studied his father’s doctrine, and was able to memorize sixteen ślokas after reading them once. After that his mother introduced him to Buddhism. He having mastered the science of the Kāśmīrī nyi ma rgyal mtshan^[4] and Kālacakrapāda, the Junior, became a paṇḍita.

He, intending to spread the system in Tibet, proceeded there, and asked gnyos 'byung po: Are you able to translate this book? The latter replied: I am unable to translate it, but there is a way out of it. I shall send a message to the son of the kalyāṇa-mitra Ice pa of bzang yul in g. Yor po who will be able to assist you with money. He sent a messenger, after which Ice, father and son, invited him. They requested him, and a proper translation (of the text) was made by him.

The great achievement of these 'father' and `son' was that, in general, they were endowed with a proper reverence, and attended on all translators and paṇḍitas, and, in particular, they possessed a great knowledge of the Mahāyāna Guhyamantra. They used to spend all their wealth for the sake of religion.

When they first met the great Kāśmīrī teacher (Somanātha), they presented him with three golden srangs, a complete set of garments, including a mantle, and begged him to stay. After that they saw him off as far as Chu śul and furnished him with thirty loads of wine. A zha rgya gar rtsegs also acted as translator, and for a whole year he fed thirty men and horses. (When they had finished the translation of the text), he presented him as remuneration thirty golden srangs, as well as another thirty srangs on various occasions. In all he presented him sixty golden srangs, and pleased him.

After that the lo tsā ba and the paṇḍita were invited by 'gar ston of the Northern Upland, the kalyāṇa-mitra gra pa, and the scholar rdo rje rgyan of skar chung to their residences. While they were receiving instruction in the Tantra itself and its commentary, the kalyāṇa-mitra lce, father and son, also listened to it.

After that the Kāśmīrī Somanātha proceeded to India to present offerings to (his) 96 (% why is this here?-ZMR)

Teacher and the Vajrāsana. When he had offered a great quantity of gold, he removed his doubts concerning (the Kālacakra) assisted by his former brother in initiation (snga ma'i mched po) 'dul da'i 'byung gnas blo gros^[5] and Siṃhadhvaja (seng ge rgyal mtshan). When he (Somanātha) again returned to Tibet, lce, father and son, obtained once more the Kālacakra from him.

There appears to have existed a later translation (of the text) by ‘bro lo tsā ba. Lce, father and son, taught it to the bla ma 'go chen po^[6] of dol, named nyi ma. The latter preached it to the great scholar klubs Saṇghakīrti. The latter to his son. The latter to glan, the Great (glan chen po).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhadra

[2]:

Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 361

[3]:

dbang rab byed, Kg. rgyud, No. 365

[4]:

Śūryaketu

[5]:

Vinayākaramati

[6]:

Head Guru