Monthly Archives: February 2023

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)

Jean-Luc Achard

(CNRS, CRCAO)

The brGyud pa’i lo rgyus nor bu’i phreng ba is a late work that has been included in some of the later editions of the dGongs pa zang thal.1 It was authored by one ‘Jam dbyangs bSod nams rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po who is supposed to have been the 25th Sa skya khri chen, also known as Grags pa blo gros (1563–1617).2 I have so far been unable to identify any reference to the transmission of the dGongs pa zang thal in his biography, nor have I succeeded in locating in the same biography any interest of this master for rDzogs chen teachings. However, in the present narrative, he explains the lineage from which he has received transmission, including direct teachings from Chos kyi rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po, Rig ‘dzin Nam mkha’ grags pa and rNam rgyal mgon po, among others. This direct proximity raises questions about his dates.3 He states (p. 68) that the transmission he obtained from Nam mkha grags pa occurred 74 years after the gter ma revelation by rGod ldem. This would correspond to 1439 (sa mo lug).4 He also explains that the transmission lasted until 1441 (lcags mo bya), covering a period during which he received the various empowerments of the dGongs pa zang thal.5 The teachings he received are connected to the following line of transmission:

  1. ‘Od mi ‘gyur ba/Samantabhadra (pp. 45-46)6
  2. Buddhas of the Five Clans (rigs lnga) (p. 46)
  3. Mahā Vajradhara/Vajrasattva (p. 46)
  4. Vajrapāṇi (pp. 46-48)7
  5. dGa’ rab do rje (pp. 48-49)
  6. ‘Jam dpal bshes gnyen (Mañjuśrīmitra) (pp. 49-52)
  7. Shrī seng ha (Śrī Siṃha) (p. 52)
  8. Padmasambhava (p. 52)
  9. Vairocana (p. 52)
  10. Vimalamitra (p. 52)8
  11. Chos rgyal Khri srong lde btsan (p. 53)
  12. (Ye shes) mTsho rgyal (p. 53)9
  13. gTer ston Rig ‘dzin smug nag (p. 56)10
  14. bSod nams bzang po (p. 66)
  15. Rig ‘dzin chen po Nam mkha’ grags pa (p. 66)11
  16. rNam rgyal mgon po (p. 68)12
  17. Sa skya ‘Jam dbyangs bSod nams rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po (p. 69)

The issue about the author of this text is thorny because his dates on the Sa skya side seem to be well established while they in fact do not fit with the chronology he himself gives of the transmission he received. A solution would be to suggest there has been two Sa skya ‘Jam dbyangs bSod nams rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po-s, but I think it is pretty much unlikely.

 

Bibliography

Collective

sNga ‘gyur byang gter chos skor phyogs bsgrigs, s.l., 2015, 63 volumes, BDRC W2PD17457.

Rig ‘dzin rGod ldem (1337–1408)

— Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs: sNga ‘gyur byang gter chos skor phyogs bsgrigs, s.l., 2015, 63 vol. BDRC W2PD17457.

— Byaṅ gter rdzogs chen dgoṅs pa zaṅ thal and Thugs sgrub skor, Collections of texts from two cycles of rediscovered teachings of the Byaṅ-gter or Rdo-rje-brag tradition of the Rñyiṅ-ma-pa school, revealed from their place of concealment by Rig-‘dzin Rgod-kyi-ldem-‘phru-can. Reproduced from ancient manuscripts from the monastery of Gsaṅ-sṅags-chos-gliṅ in Spiti. Published by Orgyan Dorji, Suma, Kinnaur Distt., 3 volumes, 1978.

‘Jam mgon A mes zhabs (1597–1660)

sNgags ‘chang grags pa blo gros kyi rnam par thar pa bying rlabs char ‘bebs zhes bya ba, in The Biographies of Sa-skya Lo-tstshā-ba ‘Jam-pa’i-rdo-rje (1485–1533) sṄags-‘chaṅ Grags-pa-blo-gros (1563–1617), and ‘Jam-dbyaṅs bSod-nams-dbaṅ-po (1559-1621), Reproduced from clear prints of the Sde-dge Dgon-chen blocks, Sakya Centre, Dehradun, 1984, pp. 39-91.

‘Jam dbyangs bSod nams rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po (*1563–1617)

brGyud pa’i lo rgyus nor bu’i phreng ba, in sNga ‘gyur byang gter chos skor phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 1, pp. 43-71.

Schwieger, Peter

Die Werksammlungen Kun-tu bzaṅ-po’i dgoṅs-pa zang-thal, Ka-dag raṅ-byuṅ raṅ-śar und mKha’-‘gro gsaṅ-ba ye-śes-kyi rgyud, Tibetische Handschriften und Blockdrucke, Teil 9,  Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag, Wiesbaden, 1985.

 

  1. It is not, for instance, included in the 1978 three volume edition of the Byang gter rdzogs chen dgongs pa zang thal and Thugs sgrub skor. Nor is it contained in the A ‘dzom chos sgar edition. []
  2. About his life, see ‘Jam mgon A mes zhabs, sNgags ‘chang grags pa blo gros kyi rnam thar, pp. 39-91. His name is given on p. 43 as sNgags ‘chang Grags pa Blo gros rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po, and as ‘Jam dbyangs bSod nams rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po on p. 48. []
  3. The fact that he belong to the Sa skya lineage and that he therefore might really be the 25th Sa skya khri ‘dzin, is hinted at in the Nor bu’i phreng ba itself in which he introduces himself at one point as being of Sa skya lineage (p. 69: bdag sa skya ‘jam dbyangs bsod nams rgyal mtshan dpal bzang pos/…). []
  4. There is a discrepancy of about one century and a half when comparing these dates with those that are traditionally associated with the 25th Sa skya khri ‘dzin. []
  5. The list he gives enumerates: spros bcas dbang, spros med dbang, shin tu spros med dbang, rab tu spros med dbang, as well as thugs dbang, and rtsal dbang. []
  6. ‘Od mi ‘gyur ba (“Immutable Light”) is the name of the primordial Buddha as it appears in several Tantras of the dGongs pa zang thal (and elsewhere). This name can be interpreted as symbolically referring to the natural state (gnas lugs) which is defined as the nondifferentiation of Emptiness and Clarity (stong gsal dbyer med). The Emptiness aspect (stong cha) of this state is to be associated with the “Immutable” (mi ‘gyur ba) Essence (ngo bo) of the Buddha, while the “Light” or Clarity aspect (gsal cha) is connected to his Nature (rang bzhin). See also P. Schwieger, Die Werksammlungen Kun-tu bzaṅ-po’i dgoṅs-pa zang-thal, p. xix. []
  7. Starting with the next in the line of transmission, i.e., dGa’ rab rdo rje, all masters belong to the human realms, while nos. 1-4 were associated with divine abodes. []
  8. Padmasambhava, Vairocana, and Vimalamitra are traditionally presented as having all been disciples of Śrī Siṃha, although not at the same time. []
  9. She was a disciple of Padmasambhava (no. 8), not of Vairocana or Vimalamitra. And even though she had been married to king Khri srong lde btsan she was in no way his disciple either. []
  10. This is of course Rig ‘dzin rGod ldem (1337–1408). In the lineage of the Ka dag rang byung rang shar (Byang gter phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 3 p. 11), he is described as a great Knowledge-Holder (rig ‘dzin chen po) having a dark red or brown complexion (sku mdog dmar smug). []
  11. bSod nams bzang po and Nam mkha’ grags pa are both direct disciples of Rig ‘dzin rGod ldem. []
  12. He was Rig ‘dzin rGod ldem’s son. []

The Lineage of the Kun bzang dgongs pa zang thal according to the rDzogs pa chen po dgongs pa zang thal brgyud ‘debs

Copyright © BDRC 2023, Work no. W2PD17457.

Jean-Luc Achard (CNRS, CRCAO)

Prayers to the lineage (brgyud ‘debs) are specific supplications aiming at receiving the blessings (byin rlabs) of the lineage holders of a given cycle of teachings. They are great sources for identifying the main masters who are invoked and for understanding the potential various lines of transmission that may be found within a single collection of texts. In the present context, the line of transmission is that of the Kun bzang dgongs pa zang thal with the following successive masters:

  1. Samantabhadra
  2. Vajradhara
  3. Vajrasattva
  4. dGa’ rab do rje
  5. ‘Jam dpal bshes gnyen (Mañjuśrīmitra)
  6. Shrī Shingha (Śrī Siṃha)
  7. Padmasambhava
  8. Vimalamitra
  9. Vairocana
  10. Chos rgyal Khri srong lde btsan
  11. (Ye shes) mTsho rgyal1
  12. gTer ston Rig ‘dzin smug nag2
  13. rNam rgyal mgon po (1399–1423)3
  14. rDo rje rgyal mtshan
  15. Sangs rgyas bstan pa
  16. Shākya bzang po (15th-16th c.)4
  17. mKhyen ldan dbang po
  18. Sangs rgyas blo gros
  19. Nam mkha’ rin chen
  20. ‘Chi med tshe ring
  21. Zil gnon rdo rje5
  22. Kun bzang klong yangs (1646–1714)
  23. Chos dbang rdo ‘dzin rtsal (= Kun mkhyen rDo rje gzi brjid, Chos kyi dbang phyug, b. 1679)6
  24. Kun bzang gar dbang ‘Phrin las rnam rgyal (1696–1748).

The actual prayer is divided in three parts (not numerated). The first one enumerates the masters listed above, adding very few details, in particular their potential mudrā or the implements that they hold. The second part of the prayer follows the exact same list but gives more information about the place where the lineage masters lived, taught or are originating from.

After # 23, the prayer is dedicated to the root-master who probably is Kun bzang gar dbang ‘Phrin las rnam rgyal (# 24), in which case the author of the prayer in its present form should be the latter’s main disciple. The third part of the text is concerned with the supplication to the Protectors of the teachings, and with an aspiration prayer for realizing the principles of the Great Perfection in this life or in the Bardo.

The last master mentioned in the list—Kun bzang gar dbang ‘Phrin las rnam rgyal—has authored an interesting Guidance Manual (khrid yig) associated with the rDor sems thugs kyi me long cycle which had been previously discovered by mNga’ ris paṇ chen (1487–1542).7 According to his biography, he was born in 1696 (me byi lo)8 and studied numerous cycles of instructions, including the rDor sems thugs kyi me long until all signs of success manifested. Later on, he took a secret spouse (gsang yum) named Karma Chos sgron bde mo who gave him a son named Padma ‘jigs bral who would become his heir in the gCod lineage.9 He also had a daughter named bDe chen dbang mo with his second wife Nyi zla dbang mo. ‘Phrin las rnam rgyal passed away at the age of 52 (in 1748, ‘brug lo).10

Bibliography

Anonymous  rDzogs pa chen po dgongs pa zang thal brgyud ‘debs, in sNga ‘gyur byang gter chos skor phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 2, pp. 1047-1053.

Ehrhard, Franz-Karl  A Rosary of Rubies, The Chronicle of the Gur-rigs mDo-chen Tradition from South-Western Tibet, Collectanea Himalayica 2, Indus Verlag, München, 2008.

Gar dbang ‘phrin las rnam rgyal (16th c.?)  rDor sems thugs kyi me long las/ gar dbang ‘phrin las rnam rgyal gyis (=gyis) mdzad pa’i ‘khrid (=khrid) yig, in mKhas dbang raghu wīra dang lokesh tsandra rnam gnyis kyis nyar tshags byad pa’i dpe tshogs, bdr:MW1KG26281), vol. 41, 37 folios (img. 143-218).

Ngag dbang bstan ‘dzin nor bu (1867–1940)  gCod yul nyon mongs zhi byed kyi bka’ gter bla ma brgyud pa’i rnam thar byin rlabs gter mtsho, Ngagyur Nyingmay Sungrab, vol. 21, Gangtok, 1972, pp. 262-277.

Sanders, Fabian & Pansa, Margherita  “The Appearance of gcod in the rNying ma School”, in Perspective on Tibetan Culture – A Small Garldand of Forget-me-nots Offered to Elena De Rossi Filibeck, edited by Michela Clemente, Oscar Nalesini, and Federica Venturi, Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines, no. 51, Juillet 2019, pp. 323-336.

Solmsdorf, Nikolai Treasure-Traditions of Western Tibet, Rig-‘dzin Gar-dbang rdo-rje snying-po (1640–1685) and His Activities in Mang-yul Gung-thang, Collectanea Himalayica 4, Indus Verlag, München, 2014.

Valentine, Jay Holt The Lords of the Northern Treasures: The Development of the Tibetan Institution of Rule by Successive Incarnations, PhD, Department of Religious Studies, University of Virginia, 2013, 361 pages.

  1. According to the traditional history of the cycle, Ye shes mtsho rgyal received the dGongs pa zang thal directly from Padmasambhava and took part in the cache of the Treasure in Zang zang lha brag. After her, the lineage goes through Treasure revelation. []
  2. This is another name of Rig ‘dzin rGod ldem (1337–1408) who excavated the Treasure in 1366. []
  3. He was a son of Thang stong rgyal po (1385–1464 or 1361–1485). []
  4. Dates recovered from Jay Valentine, The Lords of the Northern Treasures, p. xiv. []
  5. On this master see Franz-Karl Ehrhard, A Rosary of Rubies, p. 104 n. 4. []
  6. His mother was actually the daughter of Zil gnon rdo rje (# 21); see Solmsdorf, Treasure-Traditions of Western Tibet, p. 60 n. 94. See his biography in Ngag dbang bstan ‘dzin nor bu, gCod yul nyon mongs zhi byed kyi bka’ gter bla ma brgyud pa’i rnam thar byin rlabs gter mtsho, pp. 181-262. []
  7. The text is simply entitled rDor sems thugs kyi me long las/ gar dbang ‘phrin las rnam rgyal gyi (=gyis) mdzad pa’i ‘khrid (= khrid) yig, 37 folios. It also appears in the gCod lineage of the Northern Treasures; see Sanders & Pansa, “The Appearance of gcod in the rNying ma School”, p. 328 n. 23. []
  8. Ngag dbang bstan ‘dzin nor bu, gCod yul nyon mongs zhi byed kyi bka’ gter bla ma brgyud pa’i rnam thar byin rlabs gter mtsho, pp. 263. []
  9. This can be deduced from the fact that Ngag dbang bstan ‘dzin nor bu bases his account on ‘Phrin las rnam rgyal’s biography of the latter’s master (Kun mkhyen Chos kyi dbang phyug) and on that of the latter’s son Padma ‘jigs bral (id., op. cit., p. 262). On Padma ‘jigs bral’s biography, see op. cit., pp. 277-305. []
  10. The biography says 53 but since Tibetans count the gestation year, this should be counted as 52 according to our comput. []