Chapter 20 - Students following Shes rab rgyal mtshan

My Teacher Sakyaśrī was a disciple of 'jam dbyangs chos mgon po, and had studied extensively the Kālacakra. He also listened to its exposition by the mahā-upādhyāya rin po che rgyal bzang ba and the rin po che bsod bzang ba. He also listened to the exposition of most of the Kālacakra works of bu ston by a bla ma known as dbang rin pa, who resided at rgyal lha khang, ('phan po), a direct disciple of bu ston rin po che.

The mahā-upādhyāya las kyi rdo rle^[1] revealed to him that he had been in a previous life a kalyāṇa-mitra of snar thang (%) learned in the Kālacakra. In a dream he saw himself climbing a long stairway, and when he had reached the bum pa (the spherical part) of a caitya, he saw in the corner of a shining maṇḍala of Kālacakra the Dharmasvāmin kun mkhyen chen po.^[2] Since he saw himself being blessed by dol po pa, he used to say that he had understood many doctrines. He proceeded to Sukhāvatī at the age of 80 in the year Earth-Male-Dragon (sa pho 'brug 1448 A.D.).

Further, the upādhyāya of je rdzin tshogs pa, named rin chen tshul khrims, obtained the Kālacakra system together (13b) with its hidden precepts from the Dharmasvāmin kun mkhyen chen po. He practised meditation and attained great wisdom.^[3]

His disciple zho lung mtsho chen po benefitted numerous living beings with the help of precepts of the Sadaṅga-yoga. The disciple of rin chen tshul khrims pa, the Dharmasvāmin bsod nams rgyal mtshan possessed a perfect knowledge of the Sadaṅga-yoga and guided numerous disciples.

Again, the disciple of kun mkhyen chen po, 'jam dbyangs blo gros rgyal mtshan, known as sman chu kha pa, looked after many disciples with the help of initiations, by preaching to them the Tantra, by expositions, and hidden precepts. His disciple the Dharmasvāmin smi ri ba founded the monastery of smi ri. He introduced many disciples to meditation. There were about eighty of those who observed a yearly seclusion (lo mtshams pa). Even nowadays this rule has not been infringed.

Further, the disciple of byang sems rgyal ye, the kalyāṇa-mitra who was born at dar yul bye ma, and who was a disciple of stag lung rin po che sans rgyas dpal and of ngo pa dar se, obtained the hidden precepts of the Sadaṅga-yoga from byang chub sems dpa' rgyal ba ye shes. He visited Wu-t'ai-shan (ri bo rtse lnga) and other places, practised meditation and was known to have been a siddha. He spread the Doctrine of the Sadaṅga-yoga in the Northern Quarters. A disciple of yon tan rgya mtsho ba and rin po che shes rab 'bum pa, named seng ge dpal, propagated the Doctrine of the Sadaṅga-yoga in the Northern Quarter.

Bo dong rin po che rin chen rtse mo, who had become one of the nine "sons" of gral zhig, obtained the exposition of the Kālacakra and all its hidden precepts from the bla ma se mo che ba. He also erected a large image which became known by the name of dus 'khor lha mo che of bo dong rin rtse. He recited diligently 10,000,000 mantras without leaving his mat. While he was making oblations (homa), the flames assumed the shape of auspicious signs, such as the lucky diagram,^[4] the svāstika (gyung drung 'khyil ba) etc. He used to preach the Kālacakra, and had numerous disciples. In particular, there appeared 18 'parasol holders' (gdugs theg pa). He bestowed guidance, and had disciples possessing miraculous powers. At the age of 51 he proceeded to Śambhala.

bo dong rin po che’s disciple stag sde ba seng ge rgyal mtshan: he was born in the year Water-Male-Ape (chu pho spre'u 1212 A.D.) at pha li lung. He obtained from the bo dong rin po che the Prajñapāramitā, the Pramāṇa (Logic), and the Abhidharma, and especially the exposition of the initiation of the Kālacakra together with its hidden precepts. After the death of the Dharmasvāmin, he took over numerous monasteries, such as log grong and others, and preached there. He had many learned disciples, such as the brothers shong, dkon gzhon, the Senior and Junior (che chung), thur she, the Senior and Junior, and others. Among his early disciples there were 13 'holders of the Parasol' (gdugs theg pa). Later sna tsha rong pa sher gzhon, stag sde ba brtson rgyal, the bla ma dge 'dun brtan, the upādhyāya yon mgon, and others obtained initiations (from him). These disciples surpassed in learning the Teacher himself. He passed away at the age of 83 on the 8th day of the Tiṣya month (rgyal) of the year Wood-Male-Horse (sin pho rta 1294 A.D.).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Teacher of rje tsong kha pa

[2]:

dol po pa shes rab rgyal mtshan

[3]:

mahā-jñana, ye shes chen po

[4]:

śrīvatsa, dpal be'u