Chapter 29 - Sonam Gyatso (viii): Paranirvāṇa

The eighth (Chapter): his passing into Nirvāṇa. Though the great Bodhisattvas abiding on the lofty stage (sa chen)^[1] are liberated from the bondages of birth and death, this expression is used here in order to indicate a technical religious term signifying a feeling of sorrow towards impermanence. While every day he used to bestow profound and minute instructions on the mahā-upādhyāya tshal min ghos kyi grags pa, mnga' ris rab 'byams pa sher rgyal ba, chos 'khor sgang pa, the Dharmasvāmin rte'u ra pa, rin chen chos rgyal, and others, he gathered his apparitional body on the 7th day of the 9th month of the year Water-Male-Tiger (chu pho stag 1482 A.D),^[2] called dge byed,^[3] at the age of 59.

On the 10th day he manifested the appearance of proceeding to Tuṣita, and numerous wonderful signs, such as rainbows, flower showers, scent, etc., were observed by all. The fourth kar ma pa hierarch, the "Holder of the Red Crown" (zhwa dmar cod pang 'dzin pa) came there and comforted the disciples, telling them that the Lord had truly gone to Tuṣita. The hierarch stayed with them till the end of the 49th day and exhorted them to meditate. The hierarch was present at the cremation, offered blessings on the occasion of the funeral, rites (dgongs rdzogs ngo bo bsngo ba), performed the consecration ceremonies of the precious "outer" images,^[4] and wrote a praise of the Teacher and his Biography, and thus fulfilled the Teacher’s wishes. They used white sandal wood for the cremation, as well as myrobalan and scented woods,^[5] etc. Many relics of different colours, a śārira bright as crystal, and numberless images were recovered (from the ashes), and worshipped by the disciples.

After the Teacher had manifested the appearance of passing into Nirvāṇa, his mercy (grace) continued to exert itself without break. They erected a precious stūpa (gdung khang) several stories high, made of silver. The door of the stūpa (sgo khang) and ornaments inlaid with jewels were, made of pure gold, and were adorned with countless precious stones, such as ma rgad,^[6] ruby,^[7] pearls (mu tig), saphires (nal), and turquoises. The relic holder was placed on the upper storey of the great stüpa of byams pa gling (%).

(They also prepared) a shrine made of silver and gold, adorned with precious stones, the length of an arrow (mda' gang pa) in height, a precious life-size image (of the Teacher), and several other smaller images, made of gold and silver, also several large and small painted banners (ras bris) of the Teacher, and many hundred stamped images, having mixed medicated clay with his ashes. The Collection of his Works was edited.

Later, as desired by him, a large and wonderful silk image of the Venerable Maitreya was reverently prepared by dpal rdo rje bde ma and her son the Dharmasvāmin bsod nams ye shes dpal bzang po.

Further, his personal disciples and alms-givers erected several of his images in gold and silver, and popularized his Collection of Works. All this became the foundation of the Doctrine, and objects for worship by living beings. Among his chief, disciples there were many who spread his method of meditation and his teaching in different localities, but his permanent attendants kept at dol bsam gtan gling and byams pa gling his precepts of the "Guide on the Sadaṅga-yoga", his method of rites (sgrub mchod), as well as his large image, holy objects which belonged to him, his offering utensils, and his books.

The above brief account was given here in conformity with the authorization of the author of the present work, mentioned above. In the absence of written sources, it was impossible to include in the present work the other accounts (about his Life). We have written the above, because the All-knowing 'gos, author of the present work, intended to include in this History stories about the Doctrine and various individuals which could be of benefit to the Doctrine, and because in the line of the Southern kings, who had worshipped the Three Jewels, dpal bkra shis dar rgyas legs pa'i rgyal po, who had distinguished himself by the fame of possessing unequal fortune and wisdom,^[8] by his services to all branches of knowledge, and by the spread of the Way of the Doctrine (bstan byus), like a stream in summer, when printing this great history of the Doctrine (chos 'byung chen mo), told us that he had striven towards this virtuous work,^[9] keeping in his Mind the command of the Venerable One only.^[10] No one was greater than this lo tsā ba (bsod nams rgya mtsho) in spreading the fame of our Southern kings and in the discovery of the Path leading towards the abode of perfection. Therefore, on this occasion, you should at least insert a brief account of his life. I did so at his request.

In general, the Kālacakra-Tantra (had been translated) by the lo tsā ba gyi jo, blo gros snying po, and others, rma dge ba'i blo gros, mang 'or byang chub shes rab, bsod nams ye shes, 'a zha rgya gar brtsegs, tsa mi sangs rgyas grags, ldi ri chos grags, gnam lo tsa, gnyos lo tsā ba of kha rag, ‘bro shes rab grags, stengs pa lo tsā ba, rang lings lo tsā ba, rwa chos rab, chag chos rje dpal, shong ston rdo rje rgyal mtshan, yar klungs lo tsā ba grags pa rgyal mtshan, dpan lo tsā ba blo gros brtan pa, dpan’s disciples blo gros, the two, and others. The Kālacakra-Tantra was the only book which had so many translators.

The Kālacakra-uttara-tantra^[11] was translated by gnyan lo tsā ba (dharma grags) and se'u lo tsā ba. Later it was again translated by klubs lo tsi ba blo gros dpal, who added the missing eleven ślokas. The dbang mdor bstan^[12] was translated by ‘bro, rwa, man lungs pa, sgra tshad pa rin rgyal, dpang lo tsā ba, and yar klungs lo tsā ba. Pu hrangs lo chung translated the title as dbang nyer bstan. The Commentary by Vajragarbha^[13] was translated by cog gru ting 'dzin bzang po, gnel cor shes rab grags, khyung po chos brtson, yar klungs lo tsā ba, and dpang blo gros brtan pa. (40b)

The Commentary on Saṃvara composed by Vajrapāni: I saw its translation by cog gru ting 'dzin bzang po, which was revised by shong blo brtan, as well as by khu dngos grub. Regarding the don dam pa'i bsnyen pa^[14] I have seen Somanātha’s own translation^[15] , as well as a translation by the yar klungs lo tsā ba.

The lta ba'i 'dod pa mdor bstan, which has not formerly been translated into Tibetan, was translated by kun spangs chos grags dpal. The Sekoddeśaṭīkā^[16] appears to have been translated by the yar klungs lo tsā ba, sgra tshad pa and dpang.

The book on Kālacakra. The block print was prepared at the Palace of chos rgyal lhun po.(%)

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

mahā-bhūmi

[2]:

This biography must have been inserted by the editor after the death of 'gos lo tsa ba in 1481 A.D.

[3]:

śubhakṛt

[4]:

Images placed for worship, as distinguished from those kept inside stüpas.

[5]:

benzoin, Skrt. sihla

[6]:

marakata, emerald

[7]:

padma-rāga

[8]:

the puṇya and jñāna-saṃbhāra

[9]:

i.e. the printing of this book

[10]:

The Life story of bsod nams rgya mtsho must have been added to the "Blue Annals" by the editors after the death of 'gos lo tsa ba gzhon nu dpal in 1481 A.D.

[11]:

Kg. rgyud 'bum, No. 363

[12]:

Sekoddeśa, Kg. rgyud ‘bum, No. 361

[13]:

rdo rje snying 'grel, Hevajrapiṇḍārthaṭīkā, Tg.rgyud, No. 1180

[14]:

Śrī-Paramārthasevā, Tg.rgyud, No. 1348

[15]:

rang 'gyur without the help of a Tibetan translator.

[16]:

by Nā-ro-pa, Tg. rgyud, No. 1353