Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po)

by George N. Roerich | 1949 | 382,646 words | ISBN-10: 8120804716 | ISBN-13: 9788120804715

This page relates ‘Lineage of Tropuwa’ of the Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po)—An important historical book from the 15th century dealing with Tibetan Buddhism and details the spiritual doctrine and lineages of religious teachers in Tibet. This chapter belongs to Book 14 (Great Compassion Cycle).

Chapter 4 - Lineage of Tropuwa

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[Full title: Lineage of Tropuwa (khro phu ba las brgyud pa’i skabs). {Chandra 915; Chengdu 1200; Roerich 1030}]

The story of the doctrines taught by the Venerable Mitrayogin (mitra dzo ki). The Venerable, Mitra: he was born in the great city of the country of Ra dha^[6] in Eastern India. He was accepted (as disciple) by Lalitavajra (Rol pa'i rdo rje), a direct disciple of Tillipa. For 12 years he meditated at Khasarpaṇa.

Avalokiteśvara surrounded by his retinue manifested himself to him, and {(12a)} expounded the Doctrine to him, and he attained spiritual realization (siddhi) (this is his first miracle). His name was Ajitamitragupta (mi pham bshes gnyen sbas pa).

Ekajatti taught him the upāya mārga, and he was able to realize all his wishes, by praying to her and placing in front of himself a wooden tray. This was (his) second miracle.

There were 12,000 monks at Otantapuri, and there was discord among them. One of the parties was supported by the bung shing king % who led his troops against the monastery. (Mitra) threw his mace, and the troops terror stricken decamped. No harm resulted to the monks and the viharas. This was (his) third (miracle).

During the reign of king shing ltad khan^[7] troops from Vārāṇasī, the dust raised by (their marching feet) almost shrouding the Sun, attempted to destroy the Doctrine of Buddha in Magadha. (Mitrayogin), naked, shouted (at them) and the Earth shook, and all men and animals stood motionless.. The king begged to be forgiven, and he relieved them from torpor. This was (his) fourth miracle.

The king Yaśas (grags pa) invited the monks of the four schools (sde bzhi) Mahāsthaviras, Sarvāstivādins, Mahāsarmmitiyas and Mahasaṅghikas as witnesses, and declared: Should heretics be able to move my wooden throne', I would give them a thousand golden srangs and would convert all Buddhists to the doctrine of the heretics. Should they fail, I would convert all heretics to the Buddhist doctrine. In the centre of a wide plain he erected his wooden throne. (Mitrayogin exercised his powers) and the heretics were unable to move the throne even a little. Then the heretics were converted to Buddhism. This was (his) fifth miracle.

King Upatra^[8] covered a pit with cloth and invited the Teacher to sit on it. The Teacher fell (into the pit). The king then covered the opening of the pit with wood and stones, but the Teacher was able to reach the market place, and said: I should have been invited to the Palace by the king. The king felt remorse and placed the Teacher’s foot on (his) head. This was (his) sixth miracle.

Again the king ordered wood to be piled up, and placed the Teacher on top of it. For three days he set fire to it, but the Teacher remained unburnt. This was (his) seventh miracle.

When he was preaching the five profound Ślokas to the king of Vārāṇasī, a shower of flowers fell from the Sky, and he showed him the vision of a devaputra offering him a vase filled with nectar. This was (his) eighth miracle.

When the king requested that he might be initiated, Mitra told him: You must draw {(I2b)} the outline of the rāja maṇḍalawith jewels. The king thought that the yogin was deceiving him, and regretted his request for initiation. Mitrayogin then showed himself sitting amidst clouds in the Sky. This was (his) ninth (miracle).

Filled with shame, the king worshipped him for seven days, and the yogin came down on a pond, and sat there. This was (his) tenth (miracle). Then the king presented him a town of 1,600,0000 families to support him. The Teacher built there a hospice (sbyin gtong gi khangpa), and distributed alms for three years.

After the lapse of three years, he disappeared without anyone knowing where he had gone. This was (his) eleventh miracle.

Then in the vicinity of the Kuru vihāra (Kuru bi ha ra) of the South, there were two yakŚas who used to devour an old and a young man of the town each day. He subdued them and built a temple. This was (his) twelveth miracle.

In order to kindle the faith of the monks, he cast a magic glance (upwards), and all the birds of the sky came down on his hand and obeyed his words. This was (his) thirteenth miracle.

Though he did not preach the Doctrine to the 84 chiefs of Vārāṇasī, by a mere mental projection he caused them to meditate on skeletons (keng rus sogs kyi 'du shes), etc. They proceeded to a forest, and emancipated their minds from the notions (peculiar) to worldly beings. This was (his) fourteenth miracle.

Then the king Jayasena and the paṇḍita Ānanda mistrusted him and made an attempt on his life. He placed them in the mudra^[9] of intense mental concentration and concentrated his mind on the meaning of a Śloka and following this they attained emancipation with out rising from their seats. This was (his) fifteenth miracle.

He uttered a prophecy to a king of Vārānnasī, which said: Because of your doubt in me, you will not obtain spiritual realization in this life, but will obtain it in the Intermediate Stage. This was (his) sixteenth miracle.

The king of Vārāṇasī thinking in himself: I shall not let this Teacher go to another place, made him stay in a vihāra, and sealed its gate. Thereupon the Teacher was seen playing on the top of a large boulder, lying outside the vihāra, and simultaneously sitting inside the vihāra. This was (his) seventeeth miracle.

Then when he was living inside the house of an ascetic^[10] , two monks drove away two figures resembling him which appeared outside and inside the house, and when they peeped through a hole inside the house, they saw him preaching the Doctrine to the eight classes of gods and demons. This was (his) eighteenth miracle.

The above are called his 18 wonderful stories. According to the twentieth story^[11] , he was admitted by Devaḍāki to Venudvipa% ('od ma'i gling) and there met Avalokiteśvara who told him: Son of good family! You should bestow for the sake of the living beings of future times the initiations of the four classes of Tantras at one time. This was (his) nineteenth miracle (or story).

The king of Vārāṇasī worshipped him for seven days, and was given the initiations of all the classes of Tantras in a single maṇḍala at one time. This was (said to be) (his) twentieth miracle.

When the lo tsa ba byams pa'i dpal^[12] who was studying the Doctrine with the paṇḍita Buddhaśrī, heard that this great siddha, endowed with such miraculous powers, had come to 'phags pa shing kun^[13] , he took with him some leaves of piper betel^[14] and presented them to Mitrayogin, inquiring about his health. The latter gave him a friendly answer. As the yogin was sitting with his face turned towards Tibet, a thought occurred to the lo tsa ba: he may perhaps go to Tibet, and he asked the yogin to visit Tibet, but the latter did not promise. He then obtained from him a short summary of the ciṭotpāda rite.

After that the lo. Tsa ba was attacked by fever, and almost passed out. The great siddha (Mitra) proceeded to India, and the lo tsa ba followed after him, as soon as his health, which was not quite restored, permitted him to do so.

He found him residing in a fort of the border country, which was guarded by fierce looking soldiers of Tirahuti^[15] % who had collected to guide (the siddha). An a tsa ra (ācārya) who was known to him, took him inside and he met the siddha on the roof of the fort. He again asked him about his coming to Tibet, and again (the siddha) made no promise. The lot sa ba thought to himself: Death is better, than to return to Tibet without inviting this siddha, after having met him. He then made a solemn wish to become the siddha’s disciple in his next life, and without hesitation, jumped down from the top of the fort. But the mahasiddha seized him with his hand and exclaimed: Ha ha! Don't do such things? and kept him in his presence. The siddha said: To enable me to go to Tibet, you should remove your defilements! This fever of yours removed many of your defilements. This time you made an attempt on your own life for my sake, and this has completely removed your defilements. Now I shall go to Tibet.

Having promised, the siddha proceeded to Tibet and spent 18 months in Upper gtsang, and preached the Doctrine to many scholars and monks. He also blessed the foundation of the chief vihara and the great image of Khro phu.^[16] The lo tsa ba attended on the siddha as far as the Pass of Mang yul. Mitrayogin having packed the gold received by him in Tibet in two packages, hung them on his shoulder, and proceeded away, like a falcon chasing his prey.

Branches of the Doctrine taught by Mitrayogin:

The branches of the Doctrine^[17] taught by him were:

1. The Cycles of the Ordinary Doctrines preached as branches of science,

2. The Cycle of different practices taught as method of inner meditation,

3. The Cycles of the Special Doctrine preached as an introduction to hidden initiation.

The Cycles of the Ordinary Doctrines preached as branches of science:

The first Cycle: it was divided (into the following sections): the bstan pa' gru bo 'ching ba rnam grol^[18], the rnal'byor bdun gyi lam rnam par nges pa^[19], the yid bzhin nor bu^[20] the bsre ba bzhi'i gdams ngag and the rin chen phren ba (the Garland of Jewels).

2. The second Cycle was divided into:

2.1 the Sādhana of his tutelary deity the Great Merciful One (Mahākaruṇika), and

2.2 the methods of benefitting others and himself by it.

2.1 The first (the Sādhana) was divided into

2.2.1 twenty mula sādhanas (rtsa ba'i sgrul thabs) and

2.2.2 twenty sādhanas of realization (dngos grub sgrub pa), forty in all.

The Cycle of different practices taught as method of inner meditation:

[2.1 the Sādhana of his tutelary deity the Great Merciful One (Mahākaruṇika)]:

2.1.1 twenty mula sādhanas (rtsa ba'i sgrul thabs)

The first: the yid bzhin nor bu'i sgrubs thabs lha nyis stong sum bchu ma^[21], the ye shes 'khorlo lha lnga bcu rtsa lnga ma^[22], the 'gro 'dul lha sum bcu rtsa dgu ma^[23], the 'khor los bsgyur ba lha gsum 'bcu rtsa gsum ma^[24], the Po ta la'i ri'i rtse mo lha nyi shu rtsa lnga ma the^[25], the rnga sgra lha bcu gsum ma^[26], the lus kyi 'khor-lo 'bar ba'i sgrub thabs lha bcu gcig ma^[27], the rigs nga'i sgrub thabs^[28] the mkha' spyod kyi sgrub pa^[29], the tshad med bzh’ī sgrub pa^[30], the bskal bzang gi sgrub thabs phyag stong pa^[31], the Zhal bcu gcig pa^[32], the 'jig rten sgron ma yi ge drug pa^[33], the Khasarpanna tshigs bcad bzhi pa^[34], the Khasarpanna 'jig rten dban phyug^[35], the don zhags^[36] , the seng ge sgra^[37], the drangsrong gi sgrub pa^[38], and the longs sku sku gsumgyi sgrub pa^[39] .

{2.1.2 twenty sādhanas of realization (dngos grub sgrub pa)}: The second (dngos grub sgrub pa'i sgrub thabs):

2.1.2.1 the longs spyod mi bzad pa'i sgrub pa (the Rite of obtaining inexhaustible wealth ), the nam mkha' mdzod (the Treasury of Heaven)^[40], the dpag bsam shin can (the Wishing Tree)^[41], the Cintamani (yid bzhin nor bu), the bum pa bzan po (the Pot of Fortune)^[42], the 'dod 'jo'i ba (the cow of plenty)^[43], the rdorje rin po che^[44], the gter chen po (the Great Treasure)^[45], the nyi zla ‘bar ba (the Shining of the Sun and Moon), the ral gri ring po che (the Precious Sword)^[46] the bdud rtsi'i bum pa (the Vase of Nectar)^[47], the ma rmos lo thog,^[48] the khrus kyi rdzing bu (the Swimming Pool)^[49], the sman gyi bcud len (the inexhaustible blessing)^[50], the dngos grub ril bu (the Miraculous Pill) ^[51], the drang srong rig byed (Astrology)^[52], the rdzogs ldan gyi sprin (the Cloud of Golden Age)^[53], the gser 'gyur gyi rtsi (substance changing metals into gold)^[54], the can ses kyi rta (the Wise steed),^[55] the Balavajra sādhana (stobskyi rdo rje'i sgrub thabs)

2.1.2.2.1 the ten 'preceding' doctrines (belonging) to the svartha class (ran don la sngon 'gro’i chos bchu),

2.1.2.2.2 the ngos gzhi’i bchu gnyis (the Twelve main doctrines),

2.1.2.2.3 the ‘chi ba la dgos pa'i chos bdun (the Seven doctrines required at death). From among these 29 books;

2.1.2.2.1 the first: the dam tshig gso ba^[56], the bla ma sgrub pa^[57], the byin rlabs mi bzad pa^[58], the stong nyid sgompa^[59], the khro ba spang ba^[60], the snying gi dug sbyang ba^[61], the zhi gnas bskyed pa^[62], the ting 'dzin myur du bskyed pa^[63], the Zung 'brel gyi gnad^[64] , and the Ye shes 'bar ba^[65] .

2.1.2.2.2 Among the second:

2.1.2.2.2.1 the Six Books illucidating the Degree of Utpannakrama (bskyed rim gsal bar byed pa'i chos drug), the padma sdong bu chan gyi sgrub pa (the Sādhana of the One holding the Lotus stalk), the me tog gdan chan gyi sgrub pa (the Sādhana of the One Sitting on the Flower), the me tog la brtenpa’i sgrub pa (Flower Sādhana), the gzugs brnyan gyi bsgrub pa (the Sādhana of the Image), the dri ma med pa'i sgrub pa (the Sādhana of the Immaculate), the ye ge med pa’i sgrub pa (the Sādhana of the Unwritten).

2.1.2.2.2.2 The Six Books of the Sampannakrama degree: the ‘khor lo gsum bsgom pa (Meditation on the Three Cakras), the ‘khor lo bchings grol (the Binding and the unbinding of Cakras), the ye shes ‘bar ba (the Kindling of Knowledge), the ‘khor lo ‘bar ba (the Kindling of Cakras), the ‘khor lo rnam dag (Purification of Cakras), and the rdorje ‘bar ba’i bsrung ba (the Protection of the flaming Vajra).

2.1.2.2.3 The third: rang bsrung pa (Self protection), the nad gsal ba (Healing of Ailments), the ‘chi ba blu ba (the Ransoming of Death), the ‘gron ‘jug (the Transference of the life principle)^[66] , the ‘pho ba rdo rje skar mda’ (the Shooting diamond star of the transference of the life principle), the rmi lam dri med (Immaculate dreams), and the skye ba bsdams pa (Restriction of Rebirth).

2.2 Among the texts of benefit to others (gzhan don):

2.2.1 the sngon ‘gro’i chos bcu (the Ten preceding Books), and 2.2.1 the Twelve Main Books (dngos gzhi’i chos bcu).

2.2.2 The Seven Books especially required by a disciple.

2.2.1 The first: the grags pa spel ba (Increase of Fame), the gzibyin bskyed pa (Increase of Lustre), the sems chan ‘gu byed (Gladdening of living beings), the ngag gi mthu bskyed pa (Production of the Power of Speech), the gsang snags myur’grub (the Quick realization of Mantras), the smon lam dbang du byed pa (the Control of Wishes), the dregs pa zhi ba {(14b)} (The Subduing of Pride), the sems brtan par byed pa {R1038} (the Steadying of Mind), and the sems ngal so ba (the Resting of the Mind), the yid ‘gyod pa bsal ba (the Removal of Mental Afflictions).

2.2.2 Among the second (group): the gdug pa ‘dul ba’i cho ga (the Rite of subduing demons), the gzhan las rnam rgyal (the Defeat of Others), the gnyod pa bzlog pa (the Repulsion of Harm), the sde glom pa (the Destruction of Enemies' Troops), the dbang du bya ba (the Control of Others), the ngag mnon (Causing enemies to become dumb), the bkra shis kyi cho ga (Auspicious Rite), the gzhan bskyab pa (Protection of Others), the mi ‘jigs pa sbyin pa (the Gift of Courage), the nad gso ba (the Removal of Diseases), the klu nad gso ba (the Curing of ailments caused by Nagas), the tshe ‘das sbyong ba (funeral ceremony), and the ro bsreg gi cho ga (the Rite of Cremation).

2.2.3 The third: the rmi lam rab brtan (Indications contained in dreams), the rmi lam nan bzlog (the Removal of Evil Dreams), the shes rab bskyed chog (the Rite of Producing Wisdom), the byan chub sems dpa’i byin rlabs (the Blessing of Bodhisattvas), the rang byin rlabs (Self blessing), the ting nge ‘dzin gyi dbang bskur (Initiation into Samadhī), and the ye shes dgug gzug gi byin rlabs.

The 24 books required ordinarily (thun mong du dgos pa'i chos), and among them the Twelve Merit Accumulating Books: the sku gzugs kyi choga (the rite of erecting images) named sku gzugs rin po che'i las, the mchod rten gyi bsnyen bkur (the Worship of a Stuupa), the bsam mi khyab kyi mchod pa (the Unconceivable Worship), the mandala’i cho ga (the Rite of the Mandala), the chos spyod yan lag bzhi pa (the Four Branches of the Dharmācārya), the chos spyod brgya rtsa (The Hundred /forms/of Dharmācārya), the zas kyi rnal ‘byor (the Yoga of taking food), the lus sbyin pa (the Offering of one’s own body), the gtor ma'i cho ga (the Rite of Offering), the chu sbyin (Water Offering), the chu gtor (Water Libation), and the sbyin bsreg (homa). The five ‘gal rkyen spang ba (the Five removals of accidents): the chom rkun bchin ba (the Binding of robbers), the nad bsrung ba (Protection from Diseases), the mdze gso ba (Curing of leprosy), the char bzlog (the Stopping of Rain), the 'chi ba bsrung ba (Protection from Death).

The five sādhanas of ‘thun rkyen (favourable causes): the rab gnas (consecration rite), the bsrung 'khor (charms), the srung skud (holy thread), the sre’'u gso pa (Protection of children), and the char dbab pa (the Production of rain). Thus 20 mūlasādhanas (rtsa ba'i sgrub thabs), and 20 sādhanas for the attainment of siddhis, in all 40. 29 doctrines of self benefit, 29 doctrines of benefit to others, in all 58. 22 common doctrines.

In all 120 sādhanas of practice.

Special Cycle and Hidden Blessing:

The initiation of bde chen ral gchig (Mahāsukha Ekajati) and the precepts of Avalokiteśvara in 25 Ślokas formed part of the Special Cycle, expounding the Introduction to the Hidden Blessing. The Chapter on the Spiritual Lineage of khro pu ba.