Chapter 25 - Rgwa lo

Rgwa lo: When during the reign of khri srong Ide btsan, king of Tibet, sba gsal snang and sang shi were sent as envoys to invite Buddhist monks (hwa śaṅ) from China, they invited one mi nyag^[1] who had been a hwa śaṅ, and the king made him his chaplain (mchod gnas).

Among the Lineage of numerous mantradharas who had practised the teachings of the basic texts of the Mahāyāna, were: at yar 'brog sgan mi nyag gzhon nu snying po, his son gzhon nu seng ge, and the latter’s son rig 'dzin snying po, who settled in the country of rgya ma of rong. His son rdo rje seng ge took over mkhar phug of rong. The eldest of his four sons, named ye shes rdo rje, was a learned man, and attained spiritual realization. He took over the monastery of dben dmar, the seat of one called dbang phyug rgyal pa, who had obtained the siddi with the help of precepts known as the dbyug chos of the Mahāmudrā.^[2] rgwa lo was born to him in the year Water-Female-Hog (chu mo phag 1203 A.D.).

On being recognized as an incarnation of rgwa lo, he was called rgwa lo. His real name was rnam rgyal rdo rje. In his childhood he met the kha che pan chen (Śākyaśrī) at ngur smrig,(%) who perceived that he was to become a remarkable man. He (Śākyasrï) took the boy with his hand and pronounced an auspicious śloka.

During his studies, the boy became afflicted by the "king".^[3] He proceeded to thar pa (%) to (interview) dpyal, and the affliction left him. There for three years he studied the Sanskrit alphabet. He listened to the exposition of the Hevajra and (Vajra)-vārahī Cycles, and afterwards preached them. All were filled with amazement.

From rwa 'bum seng he obtained the doctrines of the tradition the of rwa, and especially the Kālacakra. He practised meditation, and obtained the perfection of speech, and gained the faculty of composing new mantras. He taught the Kālacakra and had many disciples. He died at the age of 80 in the year Wood-Horse (chu rta 1281 A.D.).

(man lungs pa)

His chief-disciple (was) the Venerable man Iungs pa, the Great.^[4] He was born ín the year Earth Female-Hog (sa mo phag 1239 A.D.). In the year Iron-Male-Mouse (lcags pho byi ba 1300 A.D.) he took the vow in front of the Mahābodhi at Vajrāsana not to partake of more than a single grain of rice and a drop of water per day, while expecting a prophecy, by the Mahābodhi image. (17b) On the 12th day (after his vow) the host poured some water over his head but lie scarcely felt it. On the 18th day the Mahābodhi (image) spoke to him, saying: O son of noble family! Proceed to Mount Potala, and practise the virtuous conduct in the manner of Bodhisattvas in the presence of the Bodhisattva Avalokíteśvara. Having received this prophecy, he rose and proceeded southwards. While staying at the caitya of Śrī Dhānya•kaṭaka,^[5] a splinter of seng ldang wood^[6] injured his foot, and he bled profusely. After healing his wound, he obtained the Paramākṣarasukha (mchog tu mi 'gyur ba'i bde). Then attired as an Indian yogin he crossed over the surface of the Ocean, as if walking on hard ground, and proceeded towards Potala.

(rgwa lo’s disciples)

Rgwa lo had many disciples: the bla ma phags pa, rin po che khro phu ba, lho pa grub seng, thang ston lo tsā ba, and others. His eldest son rgya gar brags pa whose ordination name was blo gros nam mkha' dpal became learned in all the doctrines of his father, including that of Kālacakra, and took over the monastery of dben dmar. He built a vihāra, performed (there) extensive religious works, and passed away.

(rgwa lo’s second son shes rab seng ge)

His second son shes rab seng ge was born in the year Iron-Female-Hog (lcags mo phag 1251 A.D.). In his youth he studied grammar^[7] and the Kālacakra. At the age of 16, he taught the Kālacakra. At the age of 20, he proceeded to thar pa^[8] and obtained the doctrine from dpyal. At the age of 22, he came to stag sde seng rgyal and for five years studied the Prajñpāramita and Logic. He became especially learned in Logic. He took part in philosophical debates in dbus and gtsang. At the age of 30, he was ordained and received the final monastic ordination in the presence of the bla ma chos rgyal 'phags pa and the upādhyayā mchims. He listened the expositions of many (18a) doctrines. He invited the lo tsā ba grags pa rgyal mtshang, and listened to the exposition of the Vajramālā initiation Tantric texts, including the Mañjuśrīmūlatantra,^[9] etc., as well as the sman dpyad yan lag brgyad^[10]

He took over the monastery of dben dmar, and preached there for a long time. He also preached many doctrines at various other monasteries, such as thar pa khro phu, bsam yas, stag lung, gzhu kun dga' ra ba, sangs rtse gdong, chu mig, ston mo lung, g. Yus dga' ldan, and others. At the age of 41, he entrusted dben dmar to the bla ma rdo rje rgyal mtshan and himself settled at dmu (%).

He founded Śambhar (%) (gtsang) and built there a vihāra. He copied the Tantra section of (the bka' 'gyur) and the Vinaya, and laboured fur the welfare of living beings. At last, he bestowed an initiation on the newly born Dharmasvāmin bsod nams rgyal mtshan, and died at the age of 65 in the Wood-Female-Hare (shing mo yos 1315 A.D.).

He had many disciples among the descendants of sa skya pa, including the ti śrī (ti shih) kun blo and others; numerous disciples among great men, and many disciples who were learned men, virtuous and benevolent, such as the lo tsā bas yar (yar klungs grags pa rgyal mtshan), thar (thar pa lo tsā ba nyi ma rgyal mtshan), dpang (dpang blo gros brtan pa). He had in particular many disciples learned in the Kālacakra.

The third son (of rgwa lo) the ācārya rnal 'byor looked after the country. The fourth son the bla ma Ākarasiddhi mastered the Kālacakra according to the traditions of rwa and 'bro, as well as the complete systems of dpyal ba and sa skya pa.

(rdo rje rgyal mtshan)

His son the bla ma rdo rje rgyal mtshan was born in the year Water-Female-Sheep (chu mo lug 1283 A.D.). In his youth he studied grammar and was ordained by 'jam dbyangs rin rgyal acting as upādhyāya, and the ācārya shes gyal acting as ācārya. At the age of, 16, he took over the monastery of dben dmar. He maintained a school (bshad grwa) of Kālacakra, and received the final monastic ordination in the presence of the upādhyāya bka’ bzhi pa and (18b) the upādhyāya zhal snga ba. He studied the grammar of Candragomin^[11] (%) and different kinds of alphabets with the thar pa lo tsā ba, and studied the Abhidharma and many hidden precepts (upadeśa) and propitiation rites (sādhana). He obtained from the bla ma shes rab seng ge ba all the instructions pertaining to initiation rites, especially those of the Kālacakra, and mastered them in the planner of a vase filled to the brim.

Further, he obtained from the, upādhyāya zhal snga ba the Vinaya and the Abhidharmakośa. From mdzo po lhas pa sangs rgyas sgom pa (he obtained) the Vajramālā, transmitted through the Lineage of sgang lo tsā ba, the Guhyasamāja, the Saṃvara Cycle according to the method of Atīśa, hidden precepts of the "Path and Fruit" doctrine (lam 'bras), etc. Further, he studied many Tantras. He also obtained from sri u chung pa blo ldan sed ge, the Guhyasamāja, the Yoga (Tantra), the gsang ldan,^[12] the gdang bzhi,^[13] and other texts.

Bla ma shes rab seng ge having died, he took over Śambhar (%) and dben dmar. For a long time he carried on the preaching of the Kālacakra. After that he was invited by the Great Emperor, because his fame had encompassed all quarters. He proceeded to the Imperial Court in the Dog year (khyi to 1310 A.D.),^[14] and installed faith in the Great Emperor and all his ministers. He died at the age of 43 in the year Wood-Female-Ox (shing mo glang 1325 A.D.).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

a native of mi nag

[2]:

dbyug chos means a secret doctrine written on a roll of paper, and hidden inside a bamboo stick, used as a walking staff by yogins.

[3]:

rgyal po, a demon of the gnas byung chos skyong class

[4]:

A famous Tibetan pilgrim who wrote a lengthy account of the holy places of India /man lungs pa'í lam yig/, on which the byang sham ba la'i lam yig by dpal ldan ye shes, the Third pan chen bla ma of bkra shis lhun po, was based.

[5]:

Guntur District, Madras

[6]:

Khadira, Acacia catechu.

[7]:

i.e. Sanskrit Grammar

[8]:

situated near gyang tse

[9]:

Kg. rgyud ‘bum, No. 543

[10]:

The Eight branches of Medical Science, Tg. gso rig pa, No. 4306.

[11]:

tsandra pa/Candra-vyākaraṇa-sūtra, Tg. s Gra, Na. 4269/

[12]:

Tg. rgyud, No. 2584

[13]:

Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 430

[14]:

This must be the Iron Dog year /Icags khyi/