Jean-Luc Achard
(CNRS, CRCAO)
Edited by Marianne Ginalski
2. The Entrustment of the teachings to
Garab Dorje, Indra, and Tröma Nakmo
Then, Vajrasattva emanated from the sanctuary of Akaniṣṭha into the pure realms of the Enjoyment Body where he remained for sixty-one years,1 absorbed in the radiant state of his own Wisdom of Awareness. He then emanated himself in the sanctuary of the Thirty-three Gods and stood on the Armolika stone, with his retinue consisting of the three groups of the Vajra clan.2 He stayed there for twenty-three years, and in the abode of the gods, gave teachings on symbols (brda) and their meaning (don) to Garab Dorje,3 Indra (the Lord of the Gods), and to the Protectress Tröma Nakmo.4
To liberate gods, he taught symbols to Indra; to liberate men, he taught the condensed meaning of these symbols to Garab Dorje; and to fiercely protect the teachings of Dzogchen, he gave Tröma Nakmo a seal of entrustment. He also gave a seal of entrustment to Garab Dorje, addressing him with the following words:
You, the emanated Garab Dorje, perform the good of Jambudvīpa for one hundred and one human years! (Then,) in three thousand and five hundred years from now, an emanated son of the noble Mañjuśrī, bearing the name of Mañjuśrī(-mitra) will come, so entrust him (with these teachings)! (…)5
Then, the Emanation Body Garab Dorje went to the southern island of Jambudvīpa where he entrusted Mañjuśrīmitra6 with the Dzogchen teachings similar to the Body of the Buddha. He gave the king, his minister, and the son of a brahman7 the Dzogchen teachings similar to the Buddha’s Speech. Eventually, he gave the erudite Śrī Siṃha the Dzogchen teachings similar to the Buddha’s Mind.8
3. The transmission given to Mañjuśrīmitra
In days of old, in the country of India, the teachings of the Buddha had spread in complex ways, giving rise to the existence of numerous systems such as the eight Vehicles (theg pa rim pa brgyad) which are the source of all teachings, consisting of:9
- the Vehicle of characteristics with its sections on monastic discipline, discourses (mdo), and Abhidharma, as well as [1] the Vehicle of Listeners, [2] that of Solitary Buddhas and [3] that of Bodhisattvas;10
- the Vehicle of Mantras (i.e., Tantras), with the outer Tantras consisting of [4] Krīya, [5] Upaya, and [6] Yoga Tantras; and
- the Secret Mantras with the cycles of [7] Mahāyoga Tantras and [8] Anuyoga Tantras, both leading to the realization of the Great Symbol (phyag rgya chen po).11
At that time, Garab Dorje appeared as an emanation of Vajrasattva’s Mind and went before an assembly of five hundred Indian paṇḍits whom he addressed in the following manner:
There is a teaching far superior to your Vehicles. It is more extraordinary than the mere View of union that characterizes the Great Symbol.12 This superior teaching is such that if you realize it in the morning, you become a Buddha in the morning; and if you realize it in the evening, you become a Buddha in the evening. It is the quintessence of all Views, the Contemplation of all Buddhas, the supreme Peak of all Vehicles, the authentic and ultimate teaching. It is called the “Sacred Great Perfection”.13
Given that the five hundred paṇḍits were totally unable to understand what Garab Dorje was talking about, a date was decided upon for confronting him in a disputation. The actual debate took place in Vajrāsana and lasted three months during which the theories of the nine Vehicles, starting with the last of them, were discussed. According to Garab Dorje, the ninth Vehicle’s name was Atiyoga. Ati is an Indic term which in Tibetan means “unborn” (skye med) and “self-arisen” (rang byung).14 Yoga is translated as Neljor (rnal ‘byor) which has a very specific meaning in Tibetan, namely: “possessing” or “enjoying” (‘byor) the natural ease or genuine condition (rnal) of the primordial state.
While they were debating the theories about the various Vehicles, Mañjuśrīmitra stepped out from the assembly of the five hundred paṇḍits and called out Garab Dorje:
Since the other paṇḍits are unable to refute you on the topic of the View (lta ba), I shall now debate with you. Should I win this debate, it will mean that you are a demonic emanation, so your tongue will be cut off and you will be banished to the borderlands. Should you be victorious, I will not be able to bear the ripening of having deprecated the unsurpassable teaching on the Fruit (‘bras bu). Therefore, I will thus confess this in front of you and then immediately cut my tongue with a razor. Then, you paṇḍits, shall all follow his teachings!15
He then prayed to the Three Jewels16 and engaged the debate whereupon Garab Dorje eventually won. The ācārya Mañjuśrīmitra made his confession and drew a razor, ready to cut off his tongue. Garab Dorje stood up and said: “Throw that razor away!” He went on saying:
Mañjuśrīmitra, do not cut off your tongue but accept this Revelation of mine!
Proceed with distinguishing the specific Views17
And you will not find any contentions in the principles of Dzogchen.
From now on, cultivate these principles of the Great Perfection
And you shall be freed from the downfalls of the complete ripening (of causes)!18
This is how Garab Dorje imparted the teachings of the Great Perfection to Mañjuśrīmitra.
4. The transmission given to Śrī Siṃha
Afterwards, the ācārya Garab Dorje revealed the precious treasury that had been concealed in his Mind in the form of the “six sections of the teachings of the Great Perfection displaying Manifest Reality” (chos nyid mngon sum du rdzogs pa chen po chos sde drug) and taught them to Śrī Siṃha.19 When transmitting him the seal of entrustment (gtad rgya), Garab Dorje said:
O Son of noble clan! Śrī Siṃha, you who bear the name of Zilnön Sengge, Resplendent Lion! For three thousand human years, you have remained in Jambudvīpa! I entrust you with all the precepts of the Great Perfection, of the quintessence of all the noble teachings of the Buddha’s Revelation.20
He added that, in the future, three heart-sons will appear in the country of Tibet,21 and that he should entrust them with the Dzogchen teachings of the Body, Speech, and Mind of the Buddhas. He left right away after saying this, heading for Akaniṣṭha’s sanctuary.
5. The advent of Vimalamitra,
Padmasambhava, and Vairocana
After he received the transmission from Garab Dorje, Śrī Siṃha spent five hundred years living in a grove in central India. During that whole time, he remained absorbed in the principle of the Great Perfection.22 At one time, the Indian erudite Vimalamitra23 came to him and as the master saw that he was a suitable vessel for the teachings of the Great Perfection, he transmitted him the seal of entrustment, explaining him all the secret precepts.
After a hundred years had passed, Orgyen Padmasambhava24 approached Śrī Siṃha who saw right away that the great ācārya was a suitable vessel for the transmission of the seal of entrustment and the secret oral teachings of Dzogchen. Yet again, a hundred years later, the Tibetan monk Vairocana became a disciple of Śrī Siṃha and also received the seal of entrustment, together with the secret precepts.25
Śrī Siṃha exhorted each of them to diffuse the secret teachings of Dzogchen in both India and Tibet, both countries in which they would themselves have several heart-sons (thugs kyi bu, thugs sras). He considered his disciples to be the emanations or heart-sons of Vajrasattva (for Vimalamitra), Amitābha (for Padmasambhava), and Vairocana (for Vairocana).26 After urging them to find qualified vessels for their transmission, he remained absorbed in the state of Contemplation, experiencing the unceasing display of the five lights symbolizing the five Wisdoms.
6. The Entrustment of the Teachings during Imperial Tibet
In the past, the three ācāryas (Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Vairocana) had formulated aspiration prayers to be reborn in Tibet in order to spread the Dharma there.27 Among the numerous disciples they had in India and Tibet, the most important who received their complete transmission were the Dharma king Trisong Detsen (r. 755–797) and the ḍākinī Yeshe Tsogyel.28
One day, as the three masters were meditating in a cave at Chimphu near Samyé, Trisong Detsen had a vision of seven Ḍākinīs who prompted him to seek teachings from these ācāryas. He prepared extensive offerings from China, India, and Tibet, and made a request, pleading with these masters to consider taking Tibet and its red-faced inhabitants under their compassion. He specifically requested them that they reveal a teaching superior to Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna, that would encapsulate the actual quintessence of all Dharma instructions. He said:
I beg you to give me the profound key points that will enable me to encounter the spontaneous realization of Samantabhadra’s Mind, a teaching that enables one to obtain Buddhahood in a single day and night, and that is in itself sufficient to see, look at and realize. I offer you my body, speech, and mind as supports (for this request). I pledge to never go against whatever you shall teach. I offer you my devotion with an unpretentious mind. I therefore request you to bestow upon me a noble teaching that is sufficient to meet with and that does not take long to purify obscurations and gather the accumulations!29
Maintaining the same viewpoint in mind, and having realized that the time had come, the three ācāryas conferred over the matter and came to the conclusion that it would indeed be excellent if they taught the king the ultimate stage of all Vehicles, the teaching that transcends causes and fruits as well as hopes and fears, the actual Contemplation of all Buddhas, the quintessence of Dzogchen, the Transparent Contemplation of Samantabhadra (Kun tu bzang po’i dgongs pa zang thal), the Heart Treasury of Vajrasattva (rDo rje sems dpa’i thugs kyi bang mdzod).30
Yeshe Tsogyel also received these teachings directly from Padmasambhava and integrated them in her own heart. The three ācāryas then revealed these teachings to their respective disciples and set about hiding treasures for the benefit of future beings.
In particular, Padmasambhava mentioned that a perfectly qualified vessel for the teachings of the Great Perfection would appear at a distance of about eight yojanas in the northwest of the glorious Samyé monastery.31
For the sake of this individual, Padmasambhava concealed teachings in Zangzang Lhadrak, in the northern region, and more precisely on a mountain that resembled a heap of poisonous snakes.32 Then, in Chimphu, the ācārya revealed the teachings of the Great Perfection by imparting the quintessence of these instructions through symbolic and ultimate empowerments, along with their entrustment seal. In addition, he gave his final Testament (zhal chems) in which he prophesied the advent of his disciples endowed with the proper karma for rediscovering his Terma teachings.33
Subsequently, the three masters were asked by king Trisong Detsen and his sons to give numerous prophecies, teachings, and their Testaments (Zhal chams) for the benefit of Tibet and its people.
Thereafter, Padmasambhava journeyed to Zangzang Lhadrak where he hid an unbelievable amount of treasures for the good of the royal dynasty and the Tibetans.34 The Oḍḍiyāna master is generally depicted as having concealed treasures of Dharma teachings, wealth, precious substances, etc., throughout Tibet, but he is particularly said to have hidden this very profound and vast cycle of teachings in Zangzang Lhadrak. He made the prophecy that the fortunate one destined to retrieve it would be someone born in a fire year (me’i lo pa), on the eastern slope of Mount Riwo Trazang.35
When Padmasambhava hid the treasure in Zangzang Lhadrak, Nanam Dorje Düdjom36 inquired about the appropriate time when the terma should be retrieved, the methods for extracting it, and so forth. After answering his disciple, the ācārya entrusted the protection of the treasure to the Guardians of the Teachings (bka’ srung), as well as to four powerful local entities37 that are under the command of the Protectors.
*
Bibliography
1. Tibetan sources
Klong chen pa (Dri med ‘od zer, 1308–1364)
— Lo rgyus rin po che’i phreng ba, in Bla ma yang tig, vol. 1, sNying thig ya bzhi, vol. 1, Delhi, ed. by Sherab Gyaltsen Lama, 1975, pp. 84-134.
Khang gsar bsTan pa’i dbang phyug
— Padma mkha’ ‘gro’i thugs thig las/ rDzogs pa chen po sems nyid rang grol gyi rgyud kyi ‘grel pa ye shes ‘od snang zhes bya ba, in Khang gsar bstan pa’i dbang phyug gi gsung ‘bu, Beijing, Mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2005, vol. 4, pp. 171-298.
— rDzogs pa chen po sems nyid rang grol gyi rgyud kyi bsdus don brgyud gsum gdams mdzod phye ba’i lde mig ces bya ba, in ib., pp. 299-308.
‘Jam dbyangs bSod nams rgyal mtshan (14th-15th c.)
brGyud pa’i lo rgyus nor bu’i ‘phreng ba, Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 1, pp. 43-71.
Padma Las ‘brel rtsal (1291–1319)
sNying thig chen mo’i rgyab chos kyi rtsa ba, in mKha’ ‘gro snying thig, vol. 1, sNying thig ya bzhi, vol. X, Delhi, 1976, pp. 411-474.
Rig ‘dzin rGod ldem (1336–1408)
— Yid ches brgyud pa’i lo rgyus stong thun gyi spyi chings chen mo, in Kun tu bzang po’i dgongs pa zang thal du bstan pa’i chos skor, vol. 1, published by the Sim la Thub bstan rdo rje brag e wam lcog sgar chos sde, based on the A ‘dzom blocks, Simla, 1973, pp. 3-25.
— Ye shes chen po bstan pa’i phyi ma rgyud, in Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 2, pp. 645-659.
— Ye shes rang la gnas pa’i rtsa ba’i rgyud, in Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 2, pp. 631-643.
— Rig pa rang gsal gyi rgyud, in Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 2, pp. 617-629.
2. Western sources
Achard, Jean-Luc
— “A Line of Transmission of the dGongs pa zang thal according to the History of the Lineage known as the Garland of Gems (brGyud pa’i lo rgyus nor bu’i ‘phreng ba),” in Northern Treasures Histories, 21/02/2023, https://fchnt.hypotheses.org/1166.
—“The Location of Zang zang lha brag according to Se ston Padma dbang chen’s General Presentation of the Northern Treasures and the Concealment of the Treasures”, in Northern Treasures Histories, 03/04/2023, https://fchnt.hypotheses.org/1305.
Düdjom Rinpoche, Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje
The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Its Fundamentals and History, Translated and edited by Gyurme Dorje and Matthew Kapstein, Wisdom Publications, Boston, 1991.
Østensen, Morten
In the Presence of the Dharmakāya, Dzogchen Practice According to Khangsar Tenpe Wangchug’s Notes on Dza Paltrul’s Extraordinary Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King (mkhas pa shrī rgyal po’i khyad chos), MA Thesis, Kathmandu University, Centre for Buddhist Studies (Rangjung Yeshe Institute), Fall 2008, 97 pages.
Tulku Thondup Rinpoche
Hidden Teachings of Tibet, An Explanation of the Terma Tradition of the Nyingma School of Buddhism, Wisdom Publications, London, 1986.
*
- There is probably a hermeneutical interpretation of that number of years but it currently eludes me. [↩]
- rdo rje rigs kyi sde gsum. This expression is not listed in the dictionaries at my disposal. Given the context, I would suggest that this corresponds to three groups comprising gods (lha), humans (mi) and Protectors of the teachings (bka’ srung). The Armolika stone is also often spelt Amolika and is a large slab that supports Indra’s throne. It is on this stone slab that Vajradhara and others have preached Dharma in the realm of the Thirty-three Gods. See inter alia, Martin, A History of Buddhism in India and Tibet, p. 373 (PDF version) n. 1212. See also, id., “Ar mo” https://lists.h-net.org/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=H-Buddhism&month=1001&week=c&msg=LTCjmKyDJGXaZRaHvFNqVg&user=&pw=. [↩]
- dGa’ rab rdo rje is traditionally presented as having been the first human lineage holder of the Dzogchen teachings. Depending on the sources that explain his place in the line of transmission of the Great Perfection, he received these teachings either from Vajradhara, Vajrasattva, or even Vajrapāṇi. See a version of his life-story in Nyoshul Khenpo, A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems, pp. 37-38. See also Düdjom Rinpoche, The Nyingma School, pp. 490-494. [↩]
- She is a wrathful form of Vajravārāhī who plays an important role in the practice of Chö (gCod, in particular in the Düdjom Tersar tradition) and in the protection of Dzogchen teachings. She is often presented as the “Lady of Cemeteries” (dur khrod kyi bdag mo); see for instance, Nebesky-Wojkowitz, Oracles and Demons, p. 474. In the cycle of The Transparent Contemplation of Samantabhadra (Kun bzang dgongs pa zang thal), she plays a crucial role as the Protectress of the lineage known as the Contemplative Transmission of the Victorious Ones (rgyal ba dgongs brgyud); see Turpeinen, Vision of Samantabhadra, p. 43. [↩]
- P. 48 : sprul pa dga’ rab rdo rje khyod mi lo brgya dang rtsa gcig bar/ /’dzam bu’i gling gi don gyis shig /da nas stong gsum lnga brgya nas/ /’phags pa ‘jam dpal sprul pa’i sras/ /’jam dpal ming can ‘byung gis gtod/ (…). The temporal periods that are referred to in this quote are rather puzzling, to say the least. To my knowledge, they are quite unusual when compared to other narratives associated with dGa’ rab rdo rje. The same remark applies to other durations that are mentioned below. [↩]
- On this historical figure, see Nyoshul Khenpo, op. cit., pp. 38-39. [↩]
- The king is possibly Dha he na ta lo, on whom see Karmay, The Great Perfection, p. 19. However, later, on p. 51, the author states that the account regarding the king, his minister and the son of a brahman mentioned here is unclear (gsal kha med pa) and is actually of little importance (gal chung). He therefore unfortunately does not provide any information on these figures. [↩]
- There is evidently a progression in the increasing subtlety of the teachings that were transmitted, those associated with the Buddha’s Mind (sangs rgyas kyi thugs) being both essentialized and deeper than the previous ones. [↩]
- Numbers have been added to the following list to facilitate the identification of the eight Vehicles. [↩]
- Basically, these make up the three Vehicles of the Sūtra path. [↩]
- In more traditional terms, Mahāmudrā is presented as the Fruit of Mahāyoga, while Anuyoga’s Fruit is defined as Dzogchen. On the Fruit of Anuyoga, see Kapstein, The Tibetan Assimilation, p. 105. [↩]
- This View is that of the union of Appearances and Emptiness (snang stong zung ‘jug) which implies that those who acknowledge such a View contend that: 1. objects indeed appear but are in reality empty, and 2. the ultimate truth of the Mind is indeed manifest but definitely empty. Thus, the two extremes of eternalism and nihilism are avoided. One may also define this View as being that of the union of Bliss and Emptiness (bde stong zung ‘jug), or even as that of the union of the Development and Perfection Stages (bskyed rdzogs zung ‘jug). [↩]
- P. 49: de la khyed kyi theg pa de las khyad par du ‘phags pa/ phyag rgya chen po zung ‘jug gi lta ba bas kyang ngo mtshar che ba/ nang rtogs na nang sangs rgya/ nub rtogs na nub (p. 50) sangs rgya ba’i chos/ lta ba thams cad kyi snying po/ sangs rgyas thams cad kyi dgongs pa/ theg pa thams cad kyi yang rtse/ yang dag don gyi chos bka’ rdzogs pa chen po zhes bya ba yod do/. [↩]
- Actually, in sanskrit ati means something like “supreme”, “higher”, “extreme” and translates into Tibetan as shin tu (extremely, exceedingly, higher, etc.). [↩]
- P. 50: da khyed paN+Di ta gzhan gyis rtsod pas lta ba’i skabs ‘dir mi thub pas/ nga yis rtsod par bya’o nga rtsod pa rgyal na kho bdud kyi sprul pa yin pas/ kho’i lte chod la mtha’ la spyugs shig /kho rgyal na ngas ‘bras bu bla na med pa la bskur pa btab pa’i rnam smin bzod par mi nus pas/ kho’i drung du nga yis bshags pa byas ma thag /nga’i lce spu gris chod cig /khyed rnams kho’i bstan pa la zhugs shig/. In India, the custom in a debate was that the loser would have to adopt the tradition upheld by the winner. [↩]
- Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. [↩]
- I.e., the conditioned Views of the eight lower Vehicles, and the unconditioned View of Dzogchen. The reason the firsts are defined as conditioned is because they entirely rely on the conditioned mind (sems) and because they lack the direct introduction to Awareness (rig pa ngo sprod). Conversely, the View of Dzogchen is considered as being unconditioned because it fundamentally relies on the prerequisite of receiving this direct introduction and on experiencing concretely the discerning Awareness of the natural state (gnas lugs). Since in Dzogchen all practices are meant to be performed within the state of Awareness, by-passing this compulsory experience is simply impossible. [↩]
- P. 51: ‘jam dpal bshes gnyen lte ma gcod nga yi bstan pa khyod kyis zungs/ /lta ba la shan ‘byed pa la/ /rdzogs chen don la rtsod pa med/ /phyin chad rdzogs chen don blangs pas/ /rnam par smin pa’i nyes ltung bral/. [↩]
- On Śrī Siṃha, see Nyoshul Khenpo, op. cit., pp. 39-40. The six sections of teachings (chos sde drug) might reflect a series of instructions and texts included in the dGongs pa zang thal. However, given the various collective sets within this cycle, identifying potential candidates remains conjectural. [↩]
- P. 51: rigs kyi bu zil gnon sengge’i ming can shrI sing ha khyod/ mi lo sum stong ‘dzam bu’i gling du gnas/ /bstan pa’i dam chos kun gyi snying po ste/ /rdzogs chen man ngag thams cad khyed la gtad/. [↩]
- They are not all born in Tibet but according to traditional narratives actually met in Tibet. These three heart-sons are Padmasambhava (of Oḍḍiyāna), Vimalamitra (of India), and Vairocana (of Tibet). [↩]
- This principle (don) is that of the nondifferentiation of Emptiness and Clarity (stong gsal dbyer med). [↩]
- On Vimalamitra, see Nyoshul Khenpo, ib., pp. 40-41. See also, Flemming, “Vimalamitra — One or Two?”, pp. 19-26. [↩]
- The literature discussing Padmasambhava is too numerous to be listed here. For a condensed presentation, see Nyoshul Khenpo, ib., pp. 41-48. [↩]
- On Vairocana, see the chapter entitled “The Legend of Vairocana” in Karmay, The Great Perfection, pp. 17-37. See also Hanson-Barber, The Life and Teachings of Vairocana, passim, and Ani Jinpa, The Great Image. [↩]
- In Tibetan, their names are clearly distinguished: the translator is called Bee ro tsa na, whereas the Buddha he is an emanation of is named rNam par snang mdzad. [↩]
- This should definitely remind readers about the Legend of the Great Stūpa, on which see Dowman, The Legend of the Great Stupa. [↩]
- It is difficult to say whether or not she was an actual historical figure. Her biography dates back to the 17th century but she clearly appears in the early bKa’ thang literature, including the bKa’ thang zangs gling ma by Nyang ral Nyi ma ‘od zer (1124–1192). Outside the rNying ma tradition, and even if the references are later than Nyang ral, she is also known in the Sa skya school as a lineage holder of Phurpa. See for instance rJe btsun Grags pa rgyal mtshan, rDo rje gzhon nu rgyan gyi gdams ngag sangs rgyas lag bcangs kyi dgongs pa, p. 783: “The ācārya Padma gave this transmission to ‘Tsho rgyal, the Lady of mKhar che[n], at the time of their separation (/slob dpon padmas mkhar che bza’ ‘tsho rgyal la ‘bral khar gdams pa’o/) [information from Malcolm Smith]. [↩]
- P. 55: mthong dang bltas dang rtogs pas chog pa yi/ /nang nub gcig la sangs rgyas thob pa’i chos/ kun tu bzang po’i thugs kyi klong brdol ba’i/ /’phrad chog zab mo’i gnad cig bdag la zhu/ /bdag gi lus ngag yid gsum rten du ‘bul/ /ci gsung bka’ las mi ‘da’ ngag dam bca’/ /yid la zol zog med pa’i mos gus ‘bul/ /sgrib pa sbyangs dang tshogs bsags yun mi dgos/ /’phrad pas chog pa’i dam chos bdag la zhu/. The obscurations to purify are obscurations caused by passions and obscurations to knowledge. The accumulations that must be gathered are those of merits and Wisdom. In Dzogchen lore, simply cultivating the knowledge of the natural state without artifices enables one to purify obscurations and gather the accumulations. This is the reason of the king’s request. [↩]
- If the Kun tu bzang po’i dgongs pa zang thal is evidently here both a collection of texts and a category of teachings (pointing to the general Man ngag sde literature), the rDo rje sems dpa’i thugs kyi bang mdzod refers exclusively to a category as no cycle of this name exists to my knowledge. [↩]
- Given the context, this prophetic statement is obviously about Rig ’dzin rgod ldem. [↩]
- Dug sbrul spungs pa ‘dra ba (often abbreviated as dug sbrul spungs ‘dra). See Herweg, p. 168, etc. [↩]
- The so-called Testament of Padmasambhava is included, in various different versions, in several collections of treasures. The one that is relevant here is The Testament known as the Precious Nail (Zhal chems rin chen gzer bu zhes bya ba) which is included in the cycle of The Natural Emergence of the Self-Arisen Primordial Purity (Ka dag rang byung rang shar; see bibliography under Rig ‘dzin rgod ldem). [↩]
- These were to constitute the collections of the Northern Treasures (Byang gter). [↩]
- This fire year corresponds to the female Fire Ox (me mo glang), i.e., 1337 AD. [↩]
- He was one of Padmasambhava’s twenty-five disciples. As his name indicates, he belonged to the sNa nam clan. On this personage, see the fascinating paper by Angowski, “The rDo rje in the Details” (full references in bibliography in fine). [↩]
- They are known as the bod kyi mthu bo che sde bzhi (p. 56). They must probably be clearly distinguished from the mthu bo che mi bzhi appearing in the Nyang ral’s Zangs gling ma biography of Padmasambhava (Rin chen gter mdzod, vol. 1, pp. 24) since these are not Tibetans but of Indian origins. [↩]
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Jean-Luc Achard (April 21, 2025). The History of the Transparent Contemplation of Samantabhadra as Portrayed in Jamyang Sönam Gyeltsen’s Garland of Jewels — Part II — The Symbolic Transmission of the Knowledge-Holders. Northern Treasures Histories. Retrieved May 13, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/13s41