Chapter 26 - Bu ston

Bu ston rin po che obtained from him the Kālacakra. At first he studied with thar pa lo tsā ba the Grammar by Candragomin and mastered the work of a translator. He fostered the incomparable hidden precepts of the Sadaṅga-yoga which were transmitted in the Lineage of Anupamarakṣita (dpe med ‘tsho) (%), meditated, and a wonderful experience was produced in him. He inquired into numerous difficult points of the Kālacakra, and committed them to memory. Later he visited the bla ma rdo rje rgyal mtshan at Śambhar. During the nine months of his residence there, he attended the daily recitations of the Commentary on the Tantra (Vimalaprabhā), and they conducted detailed investigations (into the system). He also made a thorough study of astrology, and studied the "lesser" branches of the Kālacakra. Following the advice of rdo rje rgyal mtshan, he translated the Commentary on the Sekoddeśa in 360 ślokas.^[1]

Having come to zha lu (gtsang), he chose the Kālacakra as the subject of his seasonal (19a) preaching, and preached it. He also composed many treatises (śāstras) on the Kālacakra. Later he obtained numerous hidden precepts of the Sadaṇga-yoga by kun spangs pa, which were in the possession of the bla ma 'phags 'od pa. While he was writing down notes on the Vimalaprabhā (Commentary on the Tantra), he revised the translation made by shong. He wrote it out properly, after it had been translated by two translators at jo nang.

In general, (one can say) that, although there were many men learned in the system of the Kālacakra, as well as many siddhas, in the domain of the detailed exposition of the system, bu himself was preeminent, the chief and the best. Through his continuous teaching of the Kālacakra, he obtained numerous disciples, the chief among whom was dpal Idan bla ma dam pa, who never left behind the book containing the Kālacakra, and studied it with great diligence even while touring the country. Having examined all the Commentaries and many different works translated previously, he wrote on many branches of the Kālacakra, such as the ''Maṇḍala rite" (mngon dkyil). He also composed a Mahā-ṭīkā. While he was preaching it at snye thang, more than 500 scholars possessing this text gathered there. Later he made a revision of the Mahā-ṭīkā. Even at the end of his life, he used to bestow complete initiations on numerous great kalyāṇa-mitras, though himself suffering from an ailment.

The Dharmasvāmin bu’s successor, the lo tsā ba rin chen rnam rgyal ba also made the Kālacakra the subject of his seasonal preaching, and taught it. His Spiritual Lineage exists until now. The Dharmasvāmin rin po che sangs pa kun mkhyen pa obtained the complete Cycle of the Kālacakra from chos kyi dpal ba of gong gsum bde chen, a disciple of the All-knowing bu (ston), and benefitted numerous living beings. The Venerable tsong kha pa, the Great, also,heard the initiation rites, the exposition (of the (19b) system), and the hidden precepts of the Kālacakra from gong gsum bde chen pa.

He (tsong kha pa) taught the complete exposition of the Commentary on the Tantra (Vimalaprabhā) in the year Earth-Male-Dog (sa pho kyi 1418 A.D.). Being a Master of the Doctrine, the Lord All-knowing (tsong kha pa’s) preaching of the system on a single occasion only became like a banner which was never lowered, not like the others who had preached (the system) on a hundred occasions. Such was the statement by my Teacher.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Tg. rgyud, No. 1354