Teacher Pema Tegchok Loden 1879–1955 BDRC P6955 TREASURY OF LIVES LOTSAWA HOUSE PHOTO CREDIT Pema Tegchok Loden was a twentieth-century Nyingma master from Kham. He was educated at Śrī Siṃha College at Dzogchen Monastery, where he served as the twentieth abbot, from 1904 to 1912. He spent the last four decades of his life in retreat in a cave above Dzogchen. Translated Works Biography Mura Pema Dechen Zangpo Tenzin Lungtok Nyima A genealogy of the Mura lineage through its incarnations, focusing on the Third Mura Pema Dechen's life, teachings, and key relationships, penned by Tenzin Lungtok Nyima. Read Biography The Biography of Dzogchen Khenchen Abu Lhagang Khenpo Tsöndru Khenpo Tsöndru chronicles his teacher Pema Tegchok Loden (1879–1955), from his studies with renowned masters to his role as Dzogchen Śrī Siṃha's abbot, culminating in solitary meditation practice. Read Biography The Wondrous Light of Lunar Nectar Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor chronicles the life of Chatral Kunga Palden (1878-1944) in this luminous biographical account. Read Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Teacher Rigpe Raltri 1830–1896 BDRC P7933 TREASURY OF LIVES HAR Dechen Rigpe Raltri (1830–1896), son of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje , was a significant Tibetan Buddhist master known for his spiritual lineage and miraculous life events. Born in Golok, his name, "The Blissful Sword of Awareness," was inspired by the legendary appearance of a golden sword at his birth. Identified as the reincarnation of Jigme Nyinche Özer, son of Jigme Lingpa , Rigpe Raltri trained under masters like Mingyur Namke Dorje and Dza Patrul Rinpoche at Dzogchen Monastery. He later led several monastic institutions and preserved his father's teachings, including overseeing the construction of Do Khyentse's reliquary stūpa. Renowned for his profound practice and contributions, he passed away in 1896, leaving a lasting spiritual legacy. Translated Works Biography The Biography of Ḍākki Losal Drölma Tubten Chödar A realized female master, Ḍākki Losal Drölma served as custodian of her half-brother Do Khyentse's treasure teachings while deepening her own spiritual attainments in Tibet's sacred sites Read Biography The Biography of Gyalse Rigpe Raltri Tubten Chödar Son of Do Khyentse and recognized as Jigme Lingpa's son's reincarnation, Rigpe Raltri became a revered Minyak guru, transmitting the Yangsang Khandro Tugtik treasures to his own son. Read Timetable A Chronological Timetable: Lives of Do Khyentse’s Familial Line Tubten Chödar A chronology of birth and death dates mapping Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje's family lineage through its key figures and connections. Read Biography A Brief Biography of Jetsunma Do Dasal Wangmo Tsangpo A renowned female master in eastern Tibet, Do Dasal Wangmo - Do Khyentse's great-granddaughter - served as nun, physician, and treasure revealer, later teaching medicine despite political hardship. Read Biography Abbreviated Biography of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye Jamgön Kongtrul celebrates Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo's mastery of diverse Tibetan spiritual traditions in this reverent biographical account. Read Lineage Prayer A Lineage Prayer for the Natural Liberation of Grasping Gyalwang Nyima, Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje A compilation of supplication verses and transmission lineage for Do Khyentse's Dzinpa Rangdröl treasure cycle, arranged by Galwang Nyima from original revealed texts. Read Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

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Tracing Galenteng Monastery from its founding by Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje through its evolving construction, lineage affiliations, and even its changing name and pronunciation. The History of Galenteng Monastery The monastery sits in the Khorlo Valley [ 1] in the district of Dege. Initially, after killing the Tibetan King Lang Darma (r. 838–842), [ 2 ] Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje (early 9th cent. – mid 9th cent.) [ 3 ] fled to Do Kham in the year 1005/6 [ 4 ] and built a square meditation building without a central pillar. Later, Lord Ling Repa (1128–1188) [ 5 ] of the Kagyu [order] came and restored that meditation building. Then, while Ga Anyen Dampa (1230–1303) [ 6 ] was traveling to China, he constructed a protectors’ temple called Utter Victory Over Mara . [ 7 ] At a later time during the eleventh calendrical cycle (1600), the dharma lord Tenpa Tsering (1678–1738) [ 8 ] established an entire monastery, primarily building The Completely Victorious Teachings of the Buddha Assembly Hall along with its sacred objects and shrine rooms. Ga from the name Ga Ling [ 9 ] is a sub-category of the six principal Tibetan clans. In ancient times, there was a region that was cut off from the Ga clan and was known as the Land of Asha. [ 10 ] Due to the fact that the people [in that region] were not able to [properly] pronounce Ling, the word corrupted to Len. [ 11 ] Legend has it that when Anyen Dampa was travelling to China, he removed his saddle [to rest] at Galenteng and over time, the meaning of Galen [ 12 ] was said to derive from this [anecdote]. However, concerning this statement, Namkhai Norbu (1938–2018) [ 13 ] comments, “Since Anyen Dampa was riding a horse while traveling to China and while returning to Tibet, he would have unsaddled his horse every day. If [it is like the legend asserts], then all those areas in China and Tibet would be called Galenteng!” Consequently, since this place is in the center of the Land of Asha, the principal area of the ancient Ga descendants, it is conventionally known as Galing. After Lang Darma was set upon the throne the Buddha’s doctrine greatly diminished, and it was at this time that Lhalung Pelgi Dorje murdered him and then rode out in the direction of Do Kham [to escape]. When he [arrived and] set his lotus feet upon Galingteng, he saw that it was a marvelous place and constructed a square meditation building without a pillar. There he practiced for a few months. Since the families of the Asha [region] were well-disposed toward the teachings, they paid great respect and service toward Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje. However, he did not continue to reside in the area, and he travelled to the nearby cave of the Secret Lord, which had been blessed by Guru Pema. This place is in the central mountain of the supreme secret site of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the three families. This is where he spent the rest of his life, later passing into a body of rainbow light. [In a later period], Lord Ling Repa (of the Pakdru Kagyu) arrived at Galingteng and restored the meditation building of Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje. It is also where he taught the excellent teachings to the people of that land for a few months and built an additional square meditation building equal in size to the [other] meditation building. In that place, he accepted a few disciples, and their lineage holders resided there until [very] recently. Thereafter, when the teacher Ga Anyen Dampa was travelling from China to Tibet, he set his lotus feet upon Galingteng in Do Kham, arriving at the meditation building of Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje. There he constructed a protectors’ temple called Utter Victory Over Mara . It was from that period that the transmissions of the secret mantra of the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya [traditions] were continued without partiality. These teachings became the tradition of Lhalung Pelgyi [Dorje] of Galing. At a later time when the dharma lord Tenpa Tsering was building twenty-five temples [ 14 ] in Derge, he built Galingteng’s Completely Victorious Teachings of the Buddha Assembly Hall . [At that time] there were Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje’s meditation building and the outer and inner meditation [sections] of the lord of adepts Ling Repa’s meditation building. Frescos of the Kagyu and Nyingma [traditions] could be seen in the central and left shrine halls of the temple. Up until recently the shrine hall to the left, in particular, was set with statues of the peaceful and wrathful guru as well as the twenty-five disciples consisting of the lord and his subjects. [ 15 ] That shrine hall was widely known as The Nyingma Shrine Room . [ 16 ] Following the example of the prayer festival [ 17 ] in Lhasa, the king of Dege inaugurated the practice of The Great Six Assemblies of the Convocation [ 18 ] at Lhundrubteng’s Gonchen Monastery [ 19 ] and its seven subsidiary monasteries within which Galing Monastery is included. Later, the tradition of appointing an abbot from Ngor Tartse, [a guru’s residence at Ngor Ewam Choden Monastery], [ 20 ] at [Galingteng Monastery] flourished. This abbot was known as Rongpo Yarmar. [ 21 ] Many excellent and great beings came including: Sanggye Lhundrub [ 22 ] a guru of scholars and adepts, Ronpo Sherab Chozang, [ 23 ] and guru Nawang Pelden. [ 24 ] As the teachings from the previous tradition of Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje diminished, the people there considered it to be a monastery of the glorious Ngor [tradition]. More recently, many gurus of the Nyingtik , or Heart Essence, lineage came including the teacher-student pair of Galing Guru Kunga Pelden [ 25 ] and Khyentse Chokyi Wangchuk. [ 26 ] Once again the teachings of Dzogchen, or the Great Perfection, spread. Thus, for over nine-hundred years since the founding of this monastery, excellent and great beings who continued to come to [Galingteng] built many sacred objects and shrine rooms. Yet most importantly, during the time of the previous Galing Khyentse, a list was arranged containing names of the [sacred buildings and objects] that had been [at the monastery]. As mentioned beforehand, there is the four-pillared Completely Victorious Teachings of the Buddha Assembly Hall constructed by the dharma lord Tenpa Tsering, Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje’s meditation building, the lord of adepts Ling Repa’s meditation building that has outer and inner [sections], the temple of Rongpo Yarmar, the temple shrine room which is of the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya [traditions], Ga Anyen Dampa’s protectors’ temple called Utter Victory Over Mara , a giant prayer wheel, another shrine room, Galing Khyentse’s palace, and living quarters for over eighty monks. When it comes to the principal sacred objects, they include a pair of statues of the Buddha about a cubit high made of the Indian alloy called li khra , [ 27 ] a statue of the Mahakala’s Warm Bird [ 28 ] handcrafted by teacher Ga Anyen (It is widely known that at the heart of this statue remains the warmth of a bird.), three statues of a peaceful guru, a wrathful guru, and a lion guru, a statue of Vajrabhairava, a statue of Derge’s protector Nyenchen Getok Buzik Je, [ 29 ] a golden reliquary inlaid with precious stones, and cymbals called Dzamling Yezhag , which were famously brought by a garuda (These are said to be imprinted with the beak of the garuda.). Concerning the source of offerings such as the expenditure for conducting practices at this monastery: Previously, the followers [ 30 ] of the monastery were from six settlements—three settlements of Gyachu and three from Lezil . [ 31 ] Now, there are only the three settlements of Lezil (The other set of three does not exist.). They present offerings such as grains, butter, and cheese. The local Tibetan governing regimental commanders known as Khyung and Ton [ 32 ] respected Galing Guru Kunga Pelden as their main guru. As such, there are many taxed farmlands from places such as Korlo Valley, Khar Sum Valley, and Mar Rongnang,[ 33 ] which have been collected together. This monastery has four main administrators and around twenty service workers. Each of the main administrators hold their responsibilities for seven years. However, during the Cultural Revolution, the monastery’s sacred objects and shrine rooms were completely destroyed, and only the name remained. These days the temple, the statues of the Buddha and his principal retinue as well as the statues of Guru [Rinpoche] and his principal retinue have been newly constructed. More than forty monks [currently] reside at the monastery. COLOPHON None NOTES [1] 'khor lo mdo [2] glang dar ma or u'i dum bstan/'u dum bstan (Tri Üdum Tsen), BDRC P2MS13219 There are various dates put forth concerning the time period of Lang Darma, but here we are presenting from Dates in Tibetan History and Key Events in Neighboring Lands in The Tibetan History Reader, edited by Tuttle Gray and Schaeffer Kurtis R., Xv–Xxiii. New York: Columbia University Press, 2013. [3] lha lung dpal gyi rdo rje, BDRC P6986 [4] The script in the text is unclear if it is 1005 or 1006. Regardless, these dates need to be taken into consideration with the proposed dating of Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje and Lang Darma. See note above. [5] gling ras pa pad+ma rdo rje, BDRC P910 [6] sga a gnyan dam pa kun dga' grags pa, BDRC P2612 [7] bdud las rnam rgyal. [8] sde dge rgyal po 10 bstan pa tshe ring, BDRC P4095 [9] sga gling [10] 'a zha'i yul [11] len [12] sga len [13] nam kha'i nor bu [14] The clause here is: dus phyis chos rgyal bstan pa tshe ring gis sde dge las dgon nyi shu rtsa lnga bzhengs pa'i du|. We have consulted a handful of Tibetan and Western Tibetologists concerning las dgon and have not yet come to a definitive answer. According to Jann Ronis’ work The Deeds of the Dergé King in Sources of Tibetan Tradition edited by Kurtis R. Schaeffer, Matthew T. Kapstein, and Gray Tuttle, 607–614, New York: Columbia University Press, 2013, Tenpa Tsering constructed seventeen temples during his reign. There are, additionally, twenty-five major Sakya temples in Dege; however, the translators have not found a corroborating list. It has also been suggested that these are statues of the Raven-Faced Mahākāla (las mgon, Kakamukha Mahākāla), a retinue protector figure of Catubhuja Mahākāla. If you are able to provide any help in this matter, please contact Tib Shelf. [15] rje 'bangs nyer lnga [16] snying ma'i lha khang [17] smon lam [18] 'dzoms pa’i drug 'du chen mo [19] lhun grub steng, BDRC G193 [20] ngor thar rtse and Ngor e waM chos ldan, BDRC G211 [21] rong po yar mar [22] sangs rgyas lhun grub [23] rong po shes rab chos bzang [24] ngag dbang dpal ldan [25] kun dga' dpal ldan, BDRC P6963 [26] mkhyen brtse chos kyi dbang phyug [27] This is said to be made from gold, silver, zinc, and iron. [28] mgon po byi'u drod ma [29] gnyen chen gad thog bug zig rje [30] lha sde [31] brgya chu shog and Le zil shog [32] khyung, BDRC C11MS134 and ston [33] 'khor lo mdo, mkhar sum mdo, and dmar rong nang BIBLIOGRAPHY 'Jigs med bsam grub. 1995. Sga len dgon pa (sde dge rdzong) . In Dkar mdzes khul gyi dgon sde so so'i lo rgyu gsal bar bshad pa, vol. 1, pp. 240–241. Beijing: Khrung go'i bod kyis shes rig dpe skrun khang. BDRC W19997 Abstract A short text concerning Galenteng Monastery purportedly initially established by Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje. Its construction, linage affiliation, pronunciation, and orthography changed over time lending itself to a multitude of modifications. BDRC LINK W19997 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Nyingma | Kagyu | Sakya FOUNDED 1005/1006 REGION Derge ASSOCIATED PEOPLE Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje Ling Repa Anyen Dampa The Tenth Derge King, Tenpa Tsering Sanggye Lhundrub Ronpo Sherab Chozang Guru Nawang Pelden Kunga Pelden Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Wangchuk TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTION N/A INCARNATION LINES Unknown AUTHOR Jigme Samdrup The History of Galenteng Monastery VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. 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A realized female master, Ḍākki Losal Drölma served as custodian of her half-brother Do Khyentse's treasure teachings while deepening her own spiritual attainments in Tibet's sacred sites The Biography of Ḍākki Losal Drölma OPENING PRAISE: Princess Mandāravā of India, To raise the Victor’s doctrine to a peak That at no time dwindles in the Land of Snow, You emanated intentionally in the heart of Dokham’s maṇḍala. Noble lady Ḍākki—I bow to you! CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION The adept and great being Ḍākki Losal Drölma , also known as the precious Losal Wangmo, was not a descendant of the Refuge Protector Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje’s patrilineal line. [ 1 ] She was, however, his sister, an extraordinary Dharma custodian, and supreme disciple. [ 2 ] She spent much of her life living with the Precious Refuge Protector in the same encampment. For such reasons, I have arranged her concise life story. Since there has not been much written about her, I lack the good fortune to write a story in full. Yet portions of her life story [156] have been arranged in such works as the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī: An Autobiography and The Biography of Khyentse’s Signs of Accomplishment . [ 3 ] So, I will briefly recount her life story by relying upon these materials. Losal Drölma’s father was Chökorma Sönam Pen. Her mother was Tsewang Men, the daughter of Dapa and an emanation of Ḍākinī Shaza Khamoche (“Great Devourer of Flesh”). [ 4 ] She was born to these two in the Barzhi Nangpa household in [the Pema Bum tribal area] of lower Golok [in Amdo, Tibet]. [ 5 ] CHAPTER 2: HER BIRTH Ḍākki Losal Drölma entered the womb in the first month of the Water Dog year (1802) of the thirteenth Tibetan calendrical cycle. This time period is evident because the 32nd page of the Sichuan-printed version of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 6 ] "One night I had fallen asleep on my mother’s lap, and at dawn, my mother became a red woman with orange matted hair. At first, I was terrified, but then I asked, 'Who are you?' " 'I’m Dzompa Kyi, daughter of Hūṃkāra the holder of mantra. [ 7 ] Currently I am Shaza Khamoche, Appearing here as the mother of the Dharma King. If karma, auspicious connections, and aspirational prayers aren’t diverted, It’s certain that the sun and moon will rise together over Tibet!' " "It appears that my parents conceived my sister while we were living at that place." When this prophetic dream arose, the Refuge Protector Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje was three years old in the first month of the Water Dog year (1802), while he was living at the Shugchen Tago hermitage, the encampment [157] of the First Dodrubchen Trinle Özer . [ 8 ] Furthermore, during the gestation period following her conception, Ḍākinī Shaza Khamoche, as well as others, clearly prophesized that the daughter, Losal Drölma, was an emanation of Vajravārāhī, mother of all victors, and Noble Tārā. Additionally, while she was in the womb, many wondrous signs occurred that exceeded the imagination. The 38th page of the Sichuan-printed version of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 9 ] "I am uncertain if it was real or a dream, but one night an elderly woman appeared before me, bearing a walking stick in her hand. She pronounced: " ' Kye , son of a noble family! You, Brahmā’s Divine Flower, [ 10 ] And Tārā Vajravārāhī— If you three emanations Protect the welfare of beings in Tibet simultaneously When the signs of the future degeneration age come to be, The dying flames of the teachings will rekindle in the borderlands and central Tibet And the joy and happiness of sentient beings will increase! But gateways for demonic obstructors exist, And beings’ merit is of meager supply— So, no more than two of the three will come to be! Through the interdependence of skillful means and wisdom Of the combined, mutual emanations, Only you and Tārā’s form will manifest.' "Unexpectedly I replied, 'This is the pronouncement of Yingki Dorje! [ 11 ] My own emissary of enlightened activity, Tārā Vajravārāhī, must appear in the human world. It’s okay if the other cannot come. It’s even all right if the emanation is a combined form.' "The old woman came and kneeled [158] before me. A light ray radiated from her heart; out of nowhere, a guru clothed in the attire of a treasure revealer appeared. He melted into the light of the old woman’s heart, becoming a crystal vajra. Then the manifest orb of light melted into itself, and a blue woman rushed forth from the tip of a light ray. The light rays from the old woman’s heart caused the woman to dissolve into light, becoming Green Tārā, the size of a bean. "I looked at my mother and perceived her as the person who had earlier said, 'I am Shaza Khamoche.' [Green Tārā] then entered the crown of my mother’s head. " 'Since it’s said that connecting auspicious occasions is a great enhancement [to any situation],' the old woman commented, 'it is excellent that this has become just so.' Chanting SUPRA TIṢṬH VAJRA YE SVĀHĀ, she touched my mother’s head and mine one time each with her staff and vanished. When I woke from my dream, a deity had possessed my mother, causing her to say all sorts of things. "That night my mother dreamed that a woman came carrying a turquoise statue of a deity with its right leg extended, but its left leg was not visible. 'In all the realms of the universe, there is no Noble Tārā other than this. You must keep it safe!' Saying this, the woman placed it on my mother’s lap, and it dissolved into her heart. After that, sparks of light flickered in and around my father’s house, and from time to time, they encircled only my mother. "Others derided her saying, 'Isn’t this your deceptive magic? This is a sign of sorcery!' While several [159] remarked, 'This is a gyal provocation!' "In any case, because of oaths previously sworn, my sister had to accompany the great sage, just as a shadow follows one’s body, and accomplish enlightened activity. For this reason, since entering my mother’s womb, she was sure to be born in cyclic existence." When Do Khyentse was sixteen years old in the Wood Pig year (1815), while in retreat in the Resplendent Turquoise shrine room on the second floor of Samye Monastery, he experienced a vision in which the knowledge-holder Jigme Lingpa came before him. [ 12 ] Jigme Lingpa prophesized that the Precious Refuge Projector was his blessed emanation and Ḍākki Losal Drölma was [one of his] body emanations. The 90th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 13 ] "One night a frightful guru clad in white with matted hair bound up in a topknot about one cubit high appeared. Da-dum and sil went the skull ḍamaru and a bell that he bore as he danced about in numerous countenances: " 'Now, upon the peak of Cāmaradvīpa’s Glorious Mountain, The saṃbhogakāya Stainless Teacher Is professing the Dharma to karmically-endowed retinues. After twenty human years have come and gone, On the eight rākṣasa islands, for the span of seven years, He will teach the supreme, secret teachings of union and liberation. Then from the peak of the mountain, the summation of all, He will [160] teach the Great Perfection To the manifest sage, Drimé Özer, and retinues of hundreds of thousands. By the power of aspirational prayers, a blessed emanation will descend And the Dharma will fall like rain in lower Dokham. At that time, you, fortunate one, will be liberated in the dharmakāya And have control over the secret sky-cache of mind treasures— It is certain the two-fold benefit will be spontaneously accomplished! My own emanation, Ḍākkima, Will take care of the Formless Ḍākinī teaching cycle. I and the emanation will mix as one experience into the ground of being, And your service will be completed. This is certain!' " Dodrubchen Rinpoche Jigme Trinle Özer and other great beings also gave many confirming prophecies that Ḍākki Losal Drölma was indeed an emanation. Losal Drölma was born at dusk on the tenth day of the tenth month in the Water Dog year (1802) of the thirteenth calendrical cycle. A great many marvelous sights accompanied her birth. The 39th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 14 ] "At dawn of the tenth day of the tenth month, OṂ TĀRE TUTTĀRE TURE SVĀHĀ was heard resounding, and green light spilled forth from the house. On that day, a rainbow appeared in the sky, and many vultures flocked en masse above the village. Looking downwards, I saw five vultures perched atop our house. "I laid down for a short nap that day. Whether or not it was a vision or a dream, I am uncertain, but a rainbow and a pavilion of light appeared in the expanse of the sky. A dark blue [161] deer crowned with a single golden horn sat in its center. As rainbow light emanated from its body, it proclaimed: " 'The human realm I roam, In a form arisen from the saṃbhogakāya. Seizing a body of light endowed with the essence of primordial wisdom, I shall teach the signs and symbols of Dharma, Liberate beings through a variety of skillful means, And make all my relationships and associations meaningful.' "Right at that moment I awoke, and my grandmother said to me, 'There’s a sweet fragrance here in this house today. It’s high time your mother gave birth. So, isn’t an emanation bound to be born as your little brother?' "During the evening that night, the entire house sparkled with red light, rainbow light swirled, and all sorts of other phenomena occurred. My sister was born during the early night’s wrathful period. That night I was put upstairs. "The following morning, I came down to see her. She was in a dark room in the inner part of the house, but the whole place was suffused with five colored rainbows. I saw several small deities of various colors that were only the size of a finger span, many looked like human girls. Then, in the center of a swirling rainbow, I saw a green-glowing infant. " 'Are you my sister?' I asked. 'Oh, oh,' she replied as she grabbed my hand, smiling. Taking a second look, I realized the small girl was holding my hand." This event occurred in the Water Dog year (1802) when the Refuge Protector was three years old while his family was living at the Barzhi [162] Nangpa household in his fatherland. CHAPTER 3: TRAVELING TO LHASA IN CENTRAL TIBET When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was two in the Water Pig year (1803), as the elder Dodrubchen Jigme Trinle Özer instructed, the Precious Refuge Protector Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, Ḍākkima, and their entourage began their journey to Drigung Til Monastery, traveling in the direction of Lhasa in central Tibet. [ 15 ] Eventually they made their way from Golok and arrived at Dzogchen Monastery in Derge, where they set up camp in the Rudam Orgyan Lhalung valley. [ 16 ] While camping there, they visited the monastery and religious objects of body, speech, and mind, in addition to meeting the Fourth Dzogchen Rinpoche Namkhe Mingyur Dorje and many tulkus and khenpos from whom they imbibed the nectar of the teachings. [ 17 ] Subsequently, they accompanied the elder Dodrubchen to Derge and moved their camp to Chölung Dong. [ 18 ] In the capital, they partook in the nectar of the teachings from [the First] Katok Situ Chökyi Senge, [the Third] Shechen Rabjam Paljor Gyatso, [the First] Gotsa Chogtrul Jampal Samten Gyatso, and many other khenpos and tulkus. [ 19 ] Most notably, they received the empowerments and oral transmissions for Longchenpa’s Seven Treasuries and the Nyingtik Yabzhi from the elder Dodrubchen Rinpoche Jigme Trinle Özer. [ 20 ] They also conferred the throne ceremony for the Precious Refuge Protector, from which the teacher [Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje] and his retinue became a source of auspiciousness. Eventually, they continued their journey to central Tibet, accompanied by a welcoming party [163] from Drigung Monastery, in addition to a Derge escort. They reached Drigung Yangri Gar, and after some time, they traveled and lived in such places as Drigung Dzongsar. [ 21 ] It was at this time that they made many spiritual connections with the two Zhabdrungs and others. Having arrived at Drigung Monastery, the knowledge-holder Jigme Lingpa’s consort [Gyalyum Drönkar] and the attendant Özer Taye came from Tseringjong and met Do Khyentse, Ḍākkima, and their companions, to whom they extended an invitation [to Tseringjong]. [ 22 ] At that time, Losal Drölma’s previous propensities awoke, and she put forth many questions to Jigme Lingpa’s consort and the attendant Özer Taye, concerning various stories of the Tseringjong residence and other things. This delighted Jigme Lingpa’s consort and Özer Taye. Özer Taye lauded her saying, “There is no doubt that this girl is also an emanation of our Lama and Refuge Lord [Jigme Lingpa]!” The 58th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 23 ] "During those times, my sister adored nephew Özer and Jigme Lingpa’s consort from an early age. Since she enquired about various things from the past, his consort felt an intense attachment to her. Nephew Özer Taye recalled, 'My excellent Refuge Lord (Jigme Lingpa) said that he’ll display a variety of emanations and promised to attain the state of a mahāmudrā knowledge-holder. Since there are bound to be several variations of his emanations, it’s without a doubt that this girl is a manifestation of his three secrets. So, it would indeed be good if she were to stay with [164] his consort for a time.' "However, my parents replied, 'Our boy is already a tulku. If we were to offer you two our daughter, then we wouldn’t be able to contain our immense sorrow upon our return home!' " Then Ḍākkima relied on both Drigung Refuge Protectors and remained at the Drigung residences for three years. When she was four in the Wood Ox year (1805), after living at Drigung Monastery, Ḍākkima returned with her parents to Golok, her fatherland. Living there for some years, she relied on Dodrubchen Rinpoche and learned the alphabet, reading, and writing while receiving various streams of empowerment and transmission. Nevertheless, it is apparent that she was led back to her fatherland on account of her paternal and maternal uncles’ deep faith in and attachment to worldly affairs. The 74th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 24 ] "While my sister traveled to Lhasa and back, she spent a few years in the presence of lamas and experienced the awakening of previous habitual tendencies and some incomplete visions. But our paternal and maternal uncles forced my parents and sister, along with our property, to return to our fatherland. Because of the land and companions [being unconducive], my sister’s pure visions vanished for some time." [165] CHAPTER 4: LIVING IN SUCH PLACES AS GOLOK When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was eleven years old in the Water Monkey year (1812), she lived in Golok. That year the Precious Refuge Protector went to stay in Dodrubchen’s camp following his time at Drigung Monastery, during which the siblings had the opportunity to meet and speak with each other. The 74th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 25 ] "I arrived at Do Gongma in upper Golok and met some locals but most importantly my mother and my sister." [ 26 ] When she was fourteen in the Wood Pig year (1815), Ḍākkima once again prepared to go with the Precious Refuge Protector to Lhasa in central Tibet. But she did not receive the elder Dodrubchen’s permission. It seems for that reason, she remained in her fatherland just like she had done before. The 86th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 27 ] "The elder Dodrubchen remarked, 'If your sister went to Lhasa with you, it would be excellent for you. But it appears that the both of you wouldn’t return, so it’s better to postpone such a journey.' " Ever since Ḍākkima was young, it is clearly stated in the beginning, middle, and end of the Refuge Protector’s autobiography that she was integral in assisting him in accomplishing enlightened [166] activity. According to Ḍākkima’s biographical accounts, as mentioned above, in addition to other sources, she did not have the fortune to engage in extensive learning and contemplation before the age of fifteen. CHAPTER 5: TRAVELING TO KATOK MONASTERY FOR STUDY AND CONTEMPLATION When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was fifteen in the Fire Bird year (1816), as the elder Dodrubchen instructed, she set off with the Precious Refuge Protector, Gyi Lung Tugchok Dorje, and others to Katok Monastery and Getse’s monastic seat of Drago Hermitage, for study and contemplation. [ 28 ] From Getse Mahāpaṇḍita Gyurme Tsewang Chogdrub they perfectly obtained streams of [167] empowerments, oral transmissions, and instructions. [ 29 ] These included the empowerment for The Sūtra Which Gathers All Intentions and the empowerments and oral transmissions for The Magical Display of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities , Yangdak Heruka, The Union of the Buddhas , Emptying Saṃsāra's Depths , Vajrakīla, and the three lineages of the Kagyu. [ 30 ] In addition to these, they received a stream of oral transmissions—namely, various commentaries on the Guhyagarbhatantra , Ka Dampa Deshek Sherab Senge’s collected works, Kunzang Ngedön’s collected works, and Getse Mahāpaṇḍita’s collected works. [ 31 ] They also received empowerments, transmissions, and instructions for the Guhyagarbhatantra , Madhyamaka collections, and the presentation of the philosophical systems, all from the master. Moreover, they acquired many lines of empowerment and oral transmission from Katok Drimé Zhingkyong, Mogtsa Rinpoche [Chöying Dorje], and others. [ 32 ] The 116th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 33 ] "That autumn, I went to beg for barley alms in Dzirkala, and when I came back my sister and mother arrived at the Lord Lama’s residence from Golok.[ 34 ] There were more than ten of us who traveled to Katok Monastery: my sister and I, Gyiling Chogtrul Tugchok Dorje, Lord Lama’s nephew Tobgyal, nephew Longsal, and attendants." [ 35 ] For more than a year, Losal Drölma extensively studied and contemplated in various places, Katok Monastery, for example. Following this, she returned to Dodrubchen’s camp. The 118th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 36 ] "For a short while, my sister returned to Lord Lama once again." Since that time, she relied on Dodrubchen Rinpoche as her primary lama, receiving an ocean-like number of empowerments, oral transmissions, instructions, and advice for sūtra and mantra teachings. She lived at Dodrubchen’s camp up to the time of his passing. CHAPTER 6: LIVING IN THE CAPITAL OF DERGE When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was eighteen in the Earth Rabbit year (1819), she [168] and the Precious Refuge Protector Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje traveled together to Lhundrubgang in the Derge capital. [ 37 ] While Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje was in a retreat at Lhundrubgang, Ḍākkima, Jigme Losal, and others served as his attendants. [ 38 ] The 125th page of the Precious Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states :[ 39 ] "Having been granted permission to remain in retreat for a period at Lhundrubgang, I exerted myself in the practice of approach and accomplishment of the deity. I only had three religious companions with me at that time: my sister, the previous Omniscient One’s direct disciple, Jigme Losal, and my personal attendant, Kunzang Tendar." [ 40 ] At that time, the Refuge Protector sent Ḍākkima to conduct a feast offering in the valley above the capital Lhundrubteng. When she was there, a ḍākinī appeared before her and spoke many symbolic teachings—the ḍākinī proffered her own urine Losal Drölma and a bowl brimming with green ambrosia. By imbibing these, Ḍākkima’s mind-stream was blessed, an extraordinary blissful joy was induced in her, and she became victorious over the battling, hindering hordes. The ḍākinī sent Losal Drölma back to Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje with tales of symbolic teachings, a protection cord, and sacred items. The 126th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 41 ] "One day, I sent my sister with several materials for a feast. I told her to offer them to that old woman in the upper valley, so my sister and her attendant [169] set out on their way. They found an old woman with hair whiter than a conch shell, draped in a tattered robe, asleep in a stone enclosure. My sister gave her the meat, beer, roasted barley flour, and a few other gifts, saying, 'These are for you from the Tulku.' " 'Ha! Ha!' she laughed. 'What am I to do with this flour?' the old woman retorted. She chucked the flour into the air, then devoured the meat and gulped down the beer. 'My poor child! There’s no one more troubled than him in this human realm. The minuscule merit of this world is depleting; even the many auspicious gates are in turmoil. I’ve expelled the obstacles to his life, and now there’s little need for me to stay here any longer.' "My sister’s attendant spewed all sorts of arrogant things after witnessing this. 'We can’t stay here now. It’s best we leave. This old hag is disgusting!' "The old woman sprang up and ran towards them as they began to depart. 'If you go down any further,' she yelled, 'I’ll chuck these stones at you and bash that head of yours!' Looking at my sister’s friend, she exclaimed, 'You can take that meager merit of yours and bug off.' "Frightened as she was, my sister returned to the ḍākinī and found her stark naked, scampering around the enclosure. The woman came, stared at my sister, and shot a stream of urine. It went into my sister’s mouth, descending to her stomach. My sister could smell the scent of accomplished medicine, and her entire body tingled and trembled with a numbing yet blissful sensation. Gazing over at the old woman, she uttered, 'The old woman’s body is made up of rainbow light!' " 'Girl, you should go. I won’t be staying here long, myself, now. I’ve been waiting for you. Even though I haven’t met my boy, [170] meeting my girl is good enough. O my troubled boy, don’t stay here too long! The auspicious connections of this realm have become uncertain. But if you were to depart for any other world, I would compassionately care for you.' She put a roll of paper bound with white and red thread into my sister’s hand, instructing, 'Give this to my troubled boy.' "She filled her bowl to the brim with a unique, green beer and told my sister to drink it. 'For the next two years,' the ḍākinī said, 'you’ll experience an obstacle, but mother will definitely take care of you.' "My sister drank the beer-like substance without leaving anything behind and returned in a drunken-like state. Having given me the sacred items, she began to tell me her story in detail." CHAPTER 7: LIVING AT DODRUBCHEN'S CAMP When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was nineteen years old in the Iron Dragon year (1820), the Precious Refuge Protector renounced his familial property and became a renunciant. Leaving Dodrubchen’s encampment, he went on a northern pilgrimage to such places as Trokyab Tugje Chenpo. [ 42 ] At that time it seems Ḍākkima was staying at Dodrubchen’s encampment for study and contemplation because the Precious Refuge Protector eventually traveled back from Trokyab Tugje Chenpo and arrived at Dzöge Tangkor. [ 43 ] At that time, he met a man from his homeland, Chagtar Gyal of Takshok, Golok. [ 44 ] [171] He sent a letter for the elder Dodrubchen and his sister, Losal Drölma, with the man. The 143rd page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 45 ] "One time, when I arrived at Dzöge Tangkor, I met Chagtar Gyal of Takshok. I sent a letter with him asking Lord Lama for his permission to go to Tsongön [province] in the north. [ 46 ] I also wrote an aspiration never to be separated from him in all my lives to come, even if I could not be with him at that time. Lastly, I wrote to my sister, asking her to stay with him for as long as he lived. And that when he passed, I would come for her, and we would go to a remote mountain and practice the authentic, divine Dharma. Losal Drölma eventually journeyed on the road following this." When she was twenty in the Iron Snake year (1821), the elder Dodrubchen passed away. Ḍākkima, Longsal, and attendants, seven in all, left Yarlung Pemakö Monastery, the second seat of the elder Dodrubchen, and journeyed to Rebkong’s sacred place of Ling Gya Amnye Lhari to invite the Precious Refuge Protector. [ 47 ] Having arrived at their destination, Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, Losal Drölma, and retinue reunited at Ling Gya’s Mantra Temple. [ 48 ] Ḍākkima offered Dodrubchen’s final testament and letter to her brother. Then they and their entourage departed Ling Gya’s Mantra Temple for Golok. Ḍākkima [172] remained in her fatherland, but the Refuge Protector and his entourage proceeded to the elder Dodrubchen’s seat of Yarlung Pemakö. The 161st page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 49 ] "I finished retreat, and many mantra practitioners of the Eight Pronouncements gathered at Ling Gya’s Mantra Temple .[ 50 ] At that time, my sister Losal Drölma, some attendants, and in particular the Lord Lama’s nephew Longsal, seven in all, arrived from Kham. They told me how the Lord Lama’s omniscient mind dissolved into the dharmadhātu and handed me a scroll containing his final testament. They were also there to escort me back. "After I had left earlier, my sister completely fulfilled all the wishes Lord Lama had near the time of his death. Without leaving anything out, he had given her his outer, inner, and secret final testament, instructions, and other things. "Because of past dreams and prophecies, I had altogether decided to return. … [ 51 ] I passed through Ladrang Tashi Gomang, Sangkok, Ngulra Lhadé, and some other places, eventually arriving in Golok. [ 52 ] My sister resided in my father’s house for a short while as I took the path leading to Yarlung Pemakö, the seat of my Refuge Protector and Dharma King [Dodrubchen]. The Lord Lama’s remains and tiny pearl-like relics ( ringsel ) had been placed inside a vase, and I prostrated, made offerings, prayers, aspirations, and other things as much as I could for a full week."[173] CHAPTER 8: LIVING AT THE DO DZONG HERMITAGE When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was twenty-one in the Water Horse year (1822), she and the Precious Refuge Protector built a new hermitage in the great Do Dzong in the Nyenpo Yutse mountain range. [ 53 ] There Losal Drölma received the instructions for the preliminary practices and so forth from Do Khyentse. That year Ḍākkima had a vision of the mantra protectress [Ekajaṭā] in which a prophecy arose, foretelling that the Refuge Protector would experience an obstruction to his physical wellbeing, and she would have to avert it by means of her resolve. She practiced all the outer and inner enlightened activities and remained at the hermitage for a short while. The 165th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 54 ] "At the time of the old new year’s, I arrived in Golok and established a new cave in Do Dzong. Thinking we ought to practice, my sister and I, along with a few others, arranged various auspicious connections according to the ḍākinī’s secret prophecies. But on account of the powerful Margyen Tromkyi’s misguided aspirations and my realization being obscured, all our deeds of auspicious connections had come to nothing. [ 55 ] I only gave condensed instructions for the preliminary practices to some of those who had gathered. "Meanwhile, on account of the ḍākinīs attachment to me, [174] a few signs and indications showed that my body and mind were on the verge of separation. Nevertheless, the force of my sister’s fervent aspirations and the power of the heroes and ḍākinīs of Kham Tsāriṭa prevented my death. [ 56 ] "One time I went to the shore of Yutse Lake, where the obscurations within the three doors of body, speech, and mind were dispelled. [ 57 ] Again, at Do Dzong, I engaged in the Lotus King’s practice just to pass the time. Once during that period, Ekajaṭā had secretly possessed my sister and commanded, 'Don’t stay in this place now. Separate yourselves from vow breakers and set off to the sacred site of Tugje Chenpo.' So, we prepared to depart, but my father did not allow my sister to come." From that year on, the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima stayed together in the same encampment, where she alone was the companion for Do Khyentse’s enlightened activities. When she was twenty-two years old in the Water Sheep year (1823), Ḍākkima lived at the Do Dzong hermitage while the Precious Refuge Protector dwelled at Trokyab Tugje Chenpo in Gyalrong .[ 58 ] At that time, Do Khyentse sent a messenger to Golok to invite Ḍākkima. Departing Do Dzong Hermitage in Golok with an entourage, she eventually arrived at Tsakhagyal Tashitang in Gyalrong, where Yeshe Dorje and his entourage met her. [ 59 ] Do Khyentse gave instructions on the preliminary channels and winds practices and conferred some empowerments to a group of more than one-hundred disciples from various places most importantly to Losal Drölma. This was when ḍākinīs of magnetization possessed [175] her. She performed immeasurable wondrous magical powers: accomplishing the unsurpassable conducive circumstances for the activities of empowerment and instruction, sitting cross-legged in the sky, and ejecting her consciousness with a forceful PHAṬ! causing her body to become lifeless only later to summon her consciousness back into the corpse. Other unfathomable signs occurred—namely, not eating for seven days on end, she abandoned all sleep and sang songs of meditative experience day and night and spoke various symbolic languages of the ḍākinīs as they endeavored in methods for gathering the ḍākinīs. The 166th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 60 ] "[One day, Ḍākinī Shaza Khamoche possessed my Dharma friend Rogza Sönam Palge and said, '[…] from the Sheep year onward, you must gather all who uphold their commitments, especially your great sister, Tārā’s divine emanation, and for a few years do nothing but arranging various auspicious conditions.' [ 61 ] "Accordingly, I sent someone to escort my sister. As soon as we finished our prostrations and circumambulations at Tugje Chenpo, we traveled through Drong Dzong and arrived at Tsakhagyal Tashitang, where my mother and sister also came. [ 62 ] For a hundred days, I taught the preliminary practices of the channels and winds to about a hundred people in the surrounding area, particularly from Pema Senge, Yulzhi. [ 63 ] "At times, as I endeavored to please the heroes and ḍākinīs, using various auspicious [176] methods akin to the entertaining games of children, all sorts of visions arose. One time, Lama Rogza Sönam Palge led us in the rituals. On another occasion, the blessings of the primordial wisdom ḍākinīs descended upon seven or so people who upheld their commitments, including my sister, and many doors of auspicious connections opened. "We performed an elaborate feast offering in a secluded place, where my great sister transformed into Ḍākinī Sazin Chenmo (“Great Holder of Earth”) and accomplished all the activities of the maṇḍala. [ 64 ] Moreover, the five types of ḍākinīs possessed five others, both men and women, and taught various symbolic teachings. Siṃhamukhā possessed Rogza Sönam Palge and guarded the boundary. Pema Senge transformed into Hayagrīva and subdued the obstructors. Two low-caste individuals exhibited the forms of demonesses and fled the maṇḍala. However, others in the group experienced the sudden rush of the vision of the dharmatā, performed vajra songs and dances, spoke in Sanskrit, and remained in a carefree and aimless state for an entire day. The more common signs were boundless: rainbow light swirled around the maṇḍala, the taste and potency of the feast substances were exquisite, and a fragrant aroma wafted about. "At that time, secret and marvelous auspicious connections were complete, and my great sister performed boundless feats of miraculous magical powers. She transformed into Ḍākinī Pema Bumde and floated in the sky, cross-legged, then ejected her consciousness into another realm through a mighty PHAṬ! resulting in her body laying lifeless. [ 65 ] Afterwards, she summoned [177] her consciousness back into the corpse. For seven days on end, she did not partake in any sustenance nor sleep, but songs of meditative experience she sang throughout the day and night and spoke in the various symbolic language of the ḍākinīs. Meanwhile, we endeavored in devices that gather the ḍākinīs. After seven days had passed, the immense auspicious connections were excellently perfected." The place mentioned above in which the Refuge Protector turned the wheel of the Dharma was not clearly specified in his autobiography. Nevertheless, after finishing all the activities, including turning the wheel of the Dharma, they went to Golok, upper and lower Tsang, and other places. Afterwards, they headed in the direction of Gyalrong and spent the winter at the Sarwaha Hermitage, located in Drong Dzong, in the mountain range in front of Trokyab Tugje Chenpo. [ 66 ] It was in that place during the winter that Do Khyentse’s daughter, Khaying Drölma, an emanation of Yeshe Tsogyal, was born. [ 67 ] Since Drong Dzong Sarwaha Hermitage was a primary seat of the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima, it appears that there they turned the wheel of the Dharma. Currently, not only do the ruins of the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima’s retreat houses remain, but a mantra practitioner from Rebkong, Amdo, has restored what appears to be Ḍākkima’s retreat house. At the age of twenty-three in the Wood Monkey year (1824), Ḍākkima, [178] the Refuge Protector, and their entourage traveled together from Drong Dzong Sarwaha Hermitage to Dzirka, Dzamtang. [ 68 ] Then Ḍākkima proceeded with an entourage to the Do Dzong hermitage in Golok. Do Khyentse and his retinue passed through Yarlung Pemakö and Lhundrubteng, in Derge’s capital, on his way to Dzachukha, eventually arriving at Do Dzong Hermitage. [ 69 ] In that year, primordial wisdom ḍākinīs possessed Ḍākkima, and she foretold prophecies and dispensed auspicious teachings, numerous in number. The disciples endeavored in these auspicious instructions, giving no thought to day or night; such efforts ousted the physical obstacles of the Refuge Protector Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje. Then he and Ḍākkima, with retinue in tow, made Drong Dzong Hermitage their residence for a short while, where they conducted a meditation retreat and brought benefit to the teachings and beings. The 169th page of the Refuge-Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: [ 70 ] "The Refuge Lord’s (Dodrubchen) nephew, Jigchang, also arrived to invite me back to Derge. [ 71 ] We all departed with a retinue from Sarwaha Hermitage, heading to Yulzhi. When we reached our destination, my father also wanted to visit Tugje Chenpo with us. As soon as the pilgrimage concluded, the group separated as we set out on the road. Starting from Dzirka Nada, we went our different ways: my parent and sister returned to Golok while I set off for Derge." [ 72 ] Then the 173rd page states: [ 73 ] "I arrived in Golok. [179] In Do Dzong, I conducted a short approach and accomplishment practice, and my great sister transformed into various primordial wisdom ḍākinīs and gave prophecies and commands through several methods that gather the auspicious connections. [ 74 ] All those close to me incessantly generated fierce courage, day and night, and dispelled the great obstacle to my life that year." When she was twenty-four years old in the Wood Bird year (1825), Ḍākkima, the Refuge Protector, and their entourage left Do Dzong Hermitage and went to Mayul Pema Rito in the land of Golok, where they lived for a short time.[ 75 ] During their stay, wondrous and inconceivable sights occurred: they were welcomed by the deities of Ling, for instance, Machik Drubpe Gyalmo bestowed a long-life empowerment, and Ḍākinī Göcham Karmo possessed Ḍākkima and healed her depleted life-essence.[ 76 ] In those sacred sites of accomplishment, including the Ling Gesar meditation house, they temporarily remained and practiced.[ 77 ] Following this, the Refuge Protector, Ḍākkima, and their entourage returned to Do Dzong Hermitage, but they eventually left Do Dzong Hermitage. Passing through Dzirka, they traveled to such places as Yulzhi, Tugje Chenpo, and Drong Dzong Sarwaha Hermitage. While residing in those places along their way, they carried out beneficial deeds on behalf of the teachings and beings. Later Ḍākkima left Drong Dzong Sarwaha Hermitage and went to Do Dzong Hermitage located in Golok. Meanwhile, the Refuge Protector was benefiting the teachings and beings [180] in the environs of Gyalrong since he was living there for a short time. The 174th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 78 ] "Following the prophecy of the ḍākinīs, in the first month of the Bird year, my sister and I, along with a four-monk retinue, went to Mayul Pema Rito. The deities of Ling welcomed us, and various excellent and wondrous sights took place. We found the place of accomplishment called Lion Cub’s Striped Meditation House, which is the sacred place of the Lotus King’s activity emanation, supreme being Gesar, the enemy-conquering jewel.[ 79 ] "During our week-long stay, Machik Drubpe Gyalmo appeared before our very eyes and bestowed a long-life empowerment, and Göcham Karmo descended into my sister, taking possession of her and healing her life-essence. I revealed treasures, including Ling’s Soul Animals and the father teachings.[ 80 ] But as the earth treasures are the terrestrial essence of the world, I entrusted them to the care of the treasure lords. We also empowered the prominent local gods and warrior spirits and gave them assurances and high praises. Having done so, we established a continuation of the auspicious connections and began our return journey. "All the monks from our encampment arrived from Dzachuka. Then we passed through Dzirka and arrived in Yulzhi. To fulfill the requests of Lama Pema Senge, I spent some time in Omgo, where I bestowed some of the empowerments and oral transmissions for The Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (Longchen Nyingtik).[ 81 ] But because there were some with broken vows and low-caste women with perverted aspirations, the auspicious connections withered for some [181] time, like a sprout destroyed by frost. We left as the welcoming escort from Puntsok Dzong arrived.[ 82 ] And following a short stop at Tugje Chenpo, we arrived at Drong Dzong Sarwaha and went our separate ways—my sister went to Golok as I continued to Puntsok Dzong." When she was twenty-five in the Fire Bird year (1826), Ḍākkima went to Do Dzong Hermitage and enacted helpful deeds for the sake of the teachings and beings. That year, the Precious Refuge Protector left Drong Dzong Sarwaha Hermitage in Gyalrong and traveled to Golok, where he reunited with Ḍākkima. Since the Refuge Protector returned, Ḍākkima accompanied him to Drong Dzong Sarwaha Hermitage. Having lived there for a while, Ḍākkima returned to Do Dzong Hermitage. The 175th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 83 ] "On one occasion, I traveled around Golok for a short time, and my sister came to Drong Dzong for a period but soon departed. One time I went to Somang and gave some empowerments and oral transmissions for The Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse to a few earnest people—for example, Awatota Rotak Kyab and Nyagnyo Lama Zöpa.[ 84 ] I also met with the king and established some religious connections, upon which I returned (to the Drong Dzong Sarwaha Hermitage)."[ 85 ] [182] CHAPTER 9: LIVING AT MAYUL PEMA RITO When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was twenty-six in the Fire Pig year (1827), she and her retinue conducted outer and inner enlightened activities at the Do Dzong Hermitage. The Precious Refuge Protector met them at the Do Dzong Hermitage in Golok, having arrived from Drong Dzong Sarwaha Hermitage. Then, following the ḍākinīs’ prophecy, they all departed Do Dzong Hermitage for Mayul Pema Rito. There they remained for a handful of years, practicing meditation, and benefiting the teachings and beings, as the auspicious connections were efficacious. It was in this same abode that the elder Dodrubchen’s tulku, Sherab Mebar, was born in the Earth Ox year (1829).[ 86 ] Additionally, Rigpe Raltri , the incarnation of Jigme Dechen son of Jigme Lingpa, was also born there in the Iron Tiger year (1830).[ 87 ] In the Tiger year, Do Khyentse traveled throughout Gyalrong. It seems [183] from the time Losal Drölma was twenty-six in the Fire Pig year (1827) until she was thirty in the Iron Hare year (1831), she benefited the teachings and beings while living at the great sacred site of Pema Rito. She additionally took responsibility for the Refuge Protector’s sons and nurtured them. The 175th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 88 ] "When the Pig new year came about, King Tsewang Lhundrub passed into peace due to others' pernicious actions.[ 89 ] I performed a purifying liturgy, prepared his body, and sent him to the eastern realm of Abhirati .[ 90 ] "As Trokyab Nangso Namkha Lhundrub ordered, I went for a while to the great sacred site of Kake’u Senge Yangzong.[ 91 ] I visited its naturally manifested Orgyen [statue] as well as its sacred grounds, where I offered prostrations and circumambulations. I met Nangso Rinpoche and made a religious connection with him.[ 92 ] As he was incredibly delighted, our minds merged as one, and I distinctly realized our future auspicious relationship would continue. "Shortly after, I began my return journey; passing through Drong Dzong, I arrived in Do Dzong, Golok. In Matö county, I made some religious connections with the Akyong clan community and its highest chief.[ 93 ] For about three years, the retinue, my sister, and I lived at Pema Rito, as the previous prophetic certificate had foretold. Everything went splendidly due to the auspicious connections of the spirits, prominent local guardians, and formless beings, in addition to the noble ladies of space and the ḍākinīs. Everything good in this human realm proliferated on account of [such conducive circumstances of] the region, time, companions, and occasion. "According to the Lord Lama’s prophecy, a tulku (Sherab Mebar) was born as a new family heir in the Ox year. Another tulku (Rigpe Raltri) was born into our family in the Tiger year. Intense, turbulent circumstances also occurred during that time, [184] resulting in my sister remaining at our place in Golok. The rest of us, however, voyaged around Gyalrong, and passing through Trokyab, we arrived at the capital of Geshe, as an invitation was extended to us.[ 94 ] There a handful of elemental spirits newly arose, and I tamed them. I also took up the yogic conduct of a madman for the time being. "In the Hare year, I remained in Kake’u for a short time and fulfilled some wishes of Nangso—they were quite minor. I also briefly met Lhase Rinpoche once again since we were connected through our previous aspirations and karma. Then I spent some time in Geshe. At the end of the year, I traveled to various places upon invitation—Chagla and Yutang, to name a couple.[ 95 ] Eventually, when I arrived at Lhagang, where a party welcomed me at the behest of [the mountain deity] Zhagdra Gangkar, I witnessed a multitude of brilliant and outstanding signs.[ 96 ] I also met the two khenpos, the governor, and all the counselors of Dartsedo, with whom I made religious connections.[ 97 ] My sister also came—the auspicious connections and the timing coincided." Concerning the following statement from the autobiography: "Another tulku (Rigpe Raltri) was born into our family in the Tiger year. Intense, turbulent circumstances also occurred during that time, resulting in my sister remaining at our place in Golok. The rest of us, however, voyaged around Gyalrong, […]." If we examine the clause, “resulting in my sister remaining at our place in Golok,” it is most suitable to say that Ḍākkima either continued to live at Pema Rito or, rather, traveled to the seat of Do Dzong Hermitage. [185] CHAPTER 10: LIVING IN YUTANG AND DARTSEDO, MINYAK When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was thirty in the Iron Hare year (1831), according to what was mentioned above, she and the retinue remained either in Pema Rito or in Do Dzong Hermitage. Following this, she traveled to the capital of Dartsedo in Chagla, Minyak. While in the capital, she met with the Precious Refuge Protector and benefited the teachings and beings while living in there for a short period. The 176th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 98 ] "In the Hare year, I remained in Kake’u. …[ 99 ] I also met the two khenpos, the governor, and all the counselors of Dartsedo, with whom I made religious connections.[ 100 ] My sister also came—the auspicious connections and the timing coincided." When she was thirty-one in the Water Dragon year (1832), the Refuge Protector, Ḍākkima, and their retinue traveled from Dartsedo, Minyak, to the Yutang capital, where they celebrated the new year. Do Khyentse established the sādhana class practices of The Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse and taught their preliminary practices in addition to others. It was during this period that he and Losal Drölma had luminous, visionary dreams beyond the scope of the imagination. The 176th page of the Refuge Protector’s [186] The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 101 ] "Taking a short leave of absence, I traveled to Yutang and met the king. He also had a teacher-student relationship with the previous Omniscient One. I also met a blessed nirmāṇakāya of Lord Lama, some Sakya disciples, Rikhu Tulku, and some officials.[ 102 ] "After celebrating the new year, the king and the officials, most notably, newly established The Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse cycle of teachings out of their pure intentions. So, I bestowed the oral transmission and the instructions of its preliminary practices, in their entirety, to the lamas and monks. "At dawn on the twenty-fifth day of the first month of the Dragon year, I beheld Machik Labdrön before me in a space of rainbow light.[ 103 ] An entourage of five ḍākinīs circled her; yogins and yoginīs appeared like clusters of stars as they danced gracefully about. HŪṂ! and PHAṬ! rumbled like a roar of a thousand dragons […].[ 104 ] That night, my sister also had boundless visions." Then the pair and their entourage departed the capital city of Yutang, and eventually, passing through Chagla’s capital city of Dartsedo, they arrived at Lhagang, Minyak. There they went on pilgrimage and offered prostrations [187] and circumambulations at various representations of body, speech, and mind, in addition to sacred sites. Some of these were the Jowo Rinpoche temple built during the time of the Dharma King Songtsen Gampo and the Siddha stūpa built by an Indian siddha lord of the priest caste.[ 105 ] One day during this period, many marvelous signs occurred when they were circumambulating: Ḍākkima had a vision of Guru Padmasambhava in which he foretold many prophecies, she received the ultimate empowerment of dharmatā, and rainbow light and a sweet fragrance diffused throughout the land.[ 106 ] The 180th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 107 ] "We eventually arrived in Lhagang. As the Jowo (Buddha) statue, built by the Chinese wife Kongjo, possessed immense blessings, I prostrated, presented offerings, and circumambulated for some time.[ 108 ] "One day, while my sister was circumambulating alone, rainbow light suffused the entire area, and an old, bearded man bearing a walking stick led her into the center of the hundred stūpas. 'When you were born as the Chinese wife Kongjo,' he said, 'you had to wait a long time for minister Gar here upon the border of China and Tibet.[ 109 ] This, in turn, resulted in the construction of the life-size Jowo statue that is itself a wish-fulfilling jewel. At that time, a mendicant sage came and gathered the minerals of Barma Changdong Mountain [to construct the religious objects].'[ 110 ] "That is how the old man told the tale of the statue and the exalted Sage stūpa. He also talked about the six mountain ranges [of Kham] and explicitly mentioned that the Minyak mountain range is a most spectacular place on Earth. Moreover, if the range is cherished and does not come to ruin, it will continuously bring benefit. He also spoke of Songtsen Gampo being the exalted Lotus Holder (Avalokiteśvara) in person and the venerable Omniscient One as the incarnation of minister Gar. "Upon the completion of the Jowo temple [188] and the stūpa, boundless amazing signs materialized: three Teachers appeared in the sky to perform the consecration, and divine rain of flowers fell. Also, all the gods in the heavens brimmed with joy as they sang, danced, and played music, incredible in their array, causing light rays to emanate from the circular patch of hair between Jowo’s eyebrows and scatter throughout the land, some striking the gods. The sage, the Chinese wife, and the retinue received blessings in proportion to their fortune. Since the gods were pleased, the sage named it Lhaga Jowo (“Lord of the Joyous Gods”), but the name has changed over time and is known colloquially as Lhagang. The old man recounted this story and spoke of many prophecies concerning her future births. "Pointing his stick at her heart, he cried a forceful HŪṂ! Immediately falling into an unconscious state, she experienced a momentary, visionary rush of dharmatā, thus receiving full empowerment. The old man came to declare: " 'I am Pema Tötrengtsal! My emanations enact beneficial deeds for those in Tibet. The basis of emanation roams through the realms of the three kāyas. The land of the rākṣasas is where one of them turns the wheel of the Dharma. Caring for you in all your lives, I’ve come now for your benefit To dispel hindrances and bestow spiritual attainments upon you. Do not surrender yourself To demons of discursiveness, wrong view, and doubt! Train yourself in a perception that is pure! When the masculine and feminine consorts have perfected the benefit of beings, They will become enlightened in the realms of the three kāyas! Now I must depart to the realm of Beings’ Greatly [189] Blissful Heap To be the chief of the ḍākinīs’ assembly.' "Becoming a mass of light, the old man faded away. "At that time, a mist rolled in, and an excellent scent floated in the air as rainbow clouds amassed above. My sister regained consciousness and proceeded on the circumambulation path, where we met in front of the Sage stūpa. Until that point, the monks and attendants had been searching everywhere, but they were never able to find her. "That night an elderly woman came to me in a dream and instructed: " 'Keeping secret mantra secret, siddhis swiftly come. Secret mantra not kept secret, samayas come undone. Siddhis come to nothing as hindrances abound So keep yourself as silent as a corpse’s mouth.' " Then from Lhangang, they passed through Serchetang and traveled to Ta’u, Minyak.[ 111 ] Then they arrived in the capital city of Geshe, Gyalrong. At that time, Ḍākkima traveled around Golok for a short while, then returned to the territory of the Geshe king. It was in this year that the pair, along with their retinue, established Mahā Kyilung Monastery and a new hermitage in the realm of the Geshe king, where they extensively turned the wheel of the Dharma.[ 112 ] The 183rd page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 113 ] "We returned. In Serchetang I wandered alone, and my mind seemed to do the same. "From the peak of Mount Hepo, A white man on a white horse proclaimed:[ 114 ] 'When the time finally comes For the Mahā Guru’s [190] prophecies And the great being Gesar’s intentions, My land shall possess the auspicious connections For the secret mantra teachings to proliferate. At that appointed time, I shall come for you— So don’t fall under the power of hindrances!' "Having uttered these words, he disappeared. I returned from my walk and reconciled a small quarrel between the villagers around the Ta’u kingdom. Then I headed to the capital of Geshe while my sister left for Golok. When the opportunity presented itself, I conducted some altruistic deeds. That winter, as soon as my sister returned, I instructed on the preliminary channels and winds practices and bestowed the empowerment and reading transmissions for The Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse to more than a hundred people at the newly constructed Kyilung Monastery. I also instructed a handful of lamas on the Yeshe Lama ." CHAPTER 11: LIVING IN MAHĀ KYILUNG MONASTERY AND YIKHOK When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was thirty-two in the Water Snake year (1833), she was in retreat at a hermitage at Mahā Kyilung Monastery. After traveling to various places, Golok being one, Do Khyentse went and resided with her at Mahā Kyilung Monastery. The 183rd page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 115 ] "In the Snake year, my sister was in retreat in [191] the newly constructed hermitage while I journeyed around Golok." When she was thirty-three in the Wood Horse year (1834), the pair and their retinue departed Mahā Kyilung Monastery and headed to Yikhok, where they dwelled and benefited the teachings and beings.[ 116 ] That year, Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje’s father Sönam Pen passed away. The two then traveled through Golok with their retinue as they enacted virtuous deeds on behalf of his father and guided him on the path of liberation. They all subsequently departed for Yikhok. Upon the invitation of Decha Tulku, they moved their encampment to Chakang Decha Tulku’s hermitage, where they benefitted the teachings and residents.[ 117 ] The 183rd page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 118 ] "In the Horse year, we went to Yikhok. I guided my father between this life and the next. My sister and I traveled around Golok for a bit, but as soon as we returned, we went to Decha Gyalse’s newly constructed hermitage as was his wish." [192] CHAPTER 12: LIVING AT ZHAGDRA, PAWANG CAPITAL, AND LA'UTANG MONASTERY When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was thirty-four in the Sheep year (1835), the record of where they lived is not evident in the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī. But in the autobiography, it is apparent that they lived at Chakang Decha Tulku’s hermitage in the Wood Horse year (1834) and moved the encampment from Decha Gyalse’s hermitage to Zhagdra, Minyak, in the Fire Monkey year (1836).[ 119 ] It is, therefore, unmistakable that in the Wood Sheep year (1835), she helped the teachings and residents in such places as Chakang Decha. When she was thirty-five in the Fire Monkey year (1836), the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima, along with their retinue, moved their camp from Decha Gyalse’s hermitage to Zhagdra, Minyak, as prophesized by the ḍākinīs. This was where the Precious Refuge Protector Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje manifested as the victorious Longchenpa in person. To the ordinary people of the area, he bestowed the empowerment and instructions for The Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse. But to seven [193] fortunate disciples, Losal Drölma most notably, and to a non-human retinue of over ten thousand, Do Khyentse extensively granted the empowerment and instructions for the Dzogchen Khandrö Yangtik Chenmo.[ 120 ] At that time, Vajrayoginī and Ekajaṭā possessed Ḍākkima and performed unexcelled enlightened activities—namely, teaching the ritual details for empowerment and instruction, correcting the wrong views held by the retinue, and establishing all on the path of faith and pure perception. The 184th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 121 ] "Again, our camp left Decha and set out to Mount Zhagdra, according to the ḍākinī’s prophecy. My sister and all in the camp dwelled in a secluded place in the woods in front of this place of power, while my assistant Ösal Nyingpo and I went in search of a retreat cave at the base of the mountain.[ 122 ] …[ 123 ] All of us, teacher and retinue, inhabited the same isolated place in the forest from before. For seven days on end, we had a tantric feast, offered our bodies as food, offered torma to the Dharma protectors, and made smoke offerings to the eight classes of non-human beings. Moreover, we thoroughly pleased the heroes and ḍākinīs by [establishing] numerous sorts of auspicious connections. "During this time in which we incessantly strove day and night, four prominent worldly deities named Dorje gathered and prayed for experiential visions to arise. As my prayers and my sister’s intentions aligned, the auspicious connections were just right. Gyalwang [194] Longchen Rabjam, Vimalamitra’s emanation in human form, dissolved deeply into the center of my indestructible heart, opening the door to the maturing empowerment and liberating instructions of the Dzogchen Khandrö Yangtik Chenmo. I established seven fortunate disciples and tens of thousands of non-human beings on the path that is utterly pure. I also gave the general public the extensive and profound maturing empowerment and liberating instructions of The Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse. "When I was giving the maturing empowerment and liberating instructions of the Yangtik Chenmo, whenever there was the need for Vajrayoginī or Ekajaṭā, my sister’s essence manifested these deities’ awareness display. She taught the activities of the maṇḍala clearly, in addition to the ritual details arranged in the instruction manual and the supportive teachings. Doubts and negative concepts held by those in the retinue she swept away and placed all upon the path of devotion, pure vision, and perseverance." That year, the Queen Mother of the Pawang king invited the Refuge Protector, Ḍākkima, and the retinue to the capital of Pawang, Gyalrong, where they remained for three days.[ 124 ] Then, for three weeks, they dwelled in the Menpa hermitage and the Sage cave above the hermitage, located on the mountain in front of the royal residence.[ 125 ] At that time, Losal Drölma had a vision of her main lama, Dodrubchen, who prophesized that the time had come for her to carry out altruistic deeds. Later, they continued to Zhagdra, and Ḍākkima [195] went into a retreat for the Dharma cycles of the Enlightened Heart-Essence (Tugtik) by the bank of Yumtso Lake.[ 126 ] The Precious Refuge Protector traveled to such places as Palri Monastery in Minyak.[ 127 ] After finishing her retreat, she went to La’utang Monastery in Minyak and reunited with Do Khyentse.[ 128 ] Then he went to Palri Monastery with his retinue, where he lived for a while, effectively engaging in the practice of the Lotus King. A welcoming party of the Chagla king in Minyak arrived, and the pair struck the road to Dartsedo, the Chagla capital, with their retinue. Having concluded their council with the king and his court, they proceeded to the capital of Yutang. At that time, Ḍākkima came down with a minor illness. Nevertheless, she became victorious in her battle against [the illness-inducing] hordes because of the resolve of the motherly ḍākinīs, and other factors. After recovering, Losal Drölma journeyed to Palri Monastery but immediately moved the encampment to La’utang Monastery. Do Khyentse also later departed for that same monastery. That winter, she continued her training. The 191st page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 129 ] "At that time, the Queen Mother of the Pawang king came to the hot springs by Zhagdra for a visit. Since she gave us everything we needed, my sister and I set out for Gyalmo Mudo [in Gyalrong] as the timing was right.[ 130 ] Having visited the capital for about three days, we made Menpa Hermitage our residence, located on the mountainside facing the city. My sister and I, along with a few attendants, five of us in all, lodged [196] there for about three weeks in the Sage cave situated at the mountain’s peak. …[ 131 ] There, my sister had a vision of Lama [Dodrubchen], who prophesized that the time had come for her to benefit others. We descended back to the Menpa hermitage and conducted a kīla practice for our personal benefit. Then when the Queen Mother of the Pawang king had also arrived, we offered a few healing ceremonies and a long-life empowerment. "We set off on the path and arrived at our place at Zhagdra. My sister, with three or four attendants, went into retreat for a while at a hermitage near Yumtso Lake at Zhagdra. Meanwhile, Chagla Khen Rinpoche, along with the king, mother, and heir, insisted that I stay at one of their comfortable monasteries. As I could not turn down their request and had no choice but to stay for a while, I went to Palri Monastery, the seat of the treasure revealer Nyida Nyingpo, along with my camp, where I stayed for a period.[ 132 ] "Then I left for La’utang Monastery as I had received an insistent invitation from its colleges, whose patrons earnestly requested that I reside there. Also, some non-human beings stated that there were auspicious connections for me to live there for a few years. So, I decided to move my camp to La’utang again, and my sister joined me there after concluding her retreat. Then, we went once to Palri Monastery, where I effectively carried out an intensive practice of the Lotus King. "Since then, I began to benefit others with my purest intentions. My sister [197] and I traveled to Dartsedo as a welcoming party from the Chagla king had arrived. Having met with the king and his officials, and following the celebrations, we set off for a brief visit to fulfill the wishes of the Yutang king. "After this, I went to Hor Drago to reconcile some regional disputes as requested by the Chinese.[ 133 ] Because of the protectors’ intense clinging, I experienced a severe illness. Still, Ekajaṭā’s enlightened activities freed me from this obstacle. My sister also came down with a slight illness and departed Yutang. As soon as she arrived at Palri Monastery, she set up camp at La’utang upon the encouragement of non-human beings, where I also later came. For a month that winter, I instructed on the preliminary practices to the monastery’s college." When she was thirty-six in the Fire Bird year (1837), the Refuge Protector, Ḍākkima, and their retinue left La’utang, Minyak, and proceeded to Golok to benefit the teachings and residents. It was at this time that the kings of Chagla and Geshe sent a welcoming party for her. Subsequently, she departed to Golok, eventually traveling to the capital cities of Geshe and Chagla. After satisfying the wishes of the kings and their entourages, she took residence at La’utang Monastery. It was in this year that Ḍākkima became gravely ill due to others’ violations of samayas. The Refuge Protector, however, was able to avert this with his enlightened activities. The 195th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 134 ] [198] "When the Bird new year came about, my sister and I went on a brief journey since we were invited to Golok. My sister was asked by Chagla and Geshe, so she traveled back down as she had done before. …[ 135 ] Because a couple of people who broke their samayas came to our camp, my sister was struck with illness. I went to her quickly when I was told of her condition. Upon my arrival, I carried out auspicious skillful methods to alleviate the agitation of the heroes and ḍākinīs. Her condition improved as if it were a result of this. Accordingly, we returned to the old hermitage from before, the one in the secluded area of Zhagdra. I deciphered the treasure cycles of the Pema Khandrö Tugtik, and some other supplementary parts came to me.[ 136 ] I also made spiritual connections with about seven disciples that were suitable to each’s fortune. Nevertheless, the auspicious connections were minuscule because a few people did not uphold their samayas. Later we returned to La’utang Monastery." CHAPTER 13: LIVING AT MAHĀ KYILUNG MONASTERY, YIKHOK, MINYAK, AND OTHER PLACES When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was thirty-seven in the Earth Dog year (1838), as requested by the king of Geshe, Gyalrong, the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima, [199] along with their retinue, went to Mahā Kyilung Monastery. There she undertook a retreat at the monastery’s hermitage. The 196th page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 137 ] "When the Earth Dog new year came about, we arrived at Kyilung Monastery following the wishes of the Geshe king. My sister went into a retreat at the hermitage, and I traveled to the capital of Mutri as the Dharma King of Trokyab wished."[ 138 ] When she was forty-one in the Water Tiger year (1842), Ḍākkima primarily resided at Mahā Kyilung Monastery. It was at this time that family heir Sherab Mebar and her mother Tsewang Men both passed away, respectively. After completing the funeral for Sherab Mebar, Ḍākkima returned to her retreat at the solitary hermitage of Mahā Kyilung. Upon completion of the retreat, she visited Minyak, but only briefly. Later, having reunited with the Refuge Protector at Lhagang, Minyak, she returned to Mahā Kyilung Monastery. Since her mother passed away that winter, she remained there and conducted the funeral and other duties. The 199th page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 139 ] "When the Tiger new year came about, the family heir, nirmāṇakāya [Sherab Mebar], was struck by illnesses due to polluted and unclean samaya. Because of the powerful karmic imprints and sentient beings’ collective merit of that period, it was extremely difficult to have two of my [200] unmistaken heirs serve in the human realm. First, this supreme being was in my family lineage. Second, everyone was amazed by him. Third, it was a bit too early to present his qualities. These reasons, along with the corruption of the auspicious connections, brought about his passing. "Having performed an elaborate funeral on his behalf, my sister went into retreat at her residence while I aimlessly wandered through Dartsedo, Yutang, and other places. At some point, we reunited in Lhagang. During this period, if the auspicious connections had continued at Zhagdra, there would have been propitiousness, but we accidentally missed it. My sister went to her own place at Kyilung, and I went to Dartsedo, where I had a short audience with Changkya and fulfilled some of the wishes of Chagla before leaving for Kyilung.[ 140 ] Upon my arrival, my benevolent mother had just gone to Sukhāvatī, inseparably intertwined with Ḍākinī Shaza Khamoche. We conducted the cremation and virtuous rituals." According to the content of the Refuge Protector’s autobiography, from the Earth Dog year to the Water Tiger year, a period of five years, Ḍākkima was primarily residing at Mahā Kyilung Monastery to lead the monastery, as well as undertake retreat. When she was forty-two in the Water Rabbit year (1843), it appears that Ḍākkima and [201] her camp primarily remained in Yikhok. The 200th page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 141 ] "When the Rabbit new year came about, I did some work to benefit the inhabitants in the lower geographical areas. I remained until the end of the year and completed beneficial activities. For various reasons, including my sister being a little under the weather, at the beginning of the Dragon year, I ventured up to Yikhok. My sister slightly recovered from her illness because of medical and other treatments." This demonstrates that the Refuge Protector accomplished some beneficial activities for the residents of the lower geographical areas, Yikhok and Minyak, and then returned to Golok to complete other such deeds. He then proceeded from Golok to their camp in Yikhok at the beginning of Dragon year on account of Ḍākkima’s illness. Besides this, his son, Sherab Mebar, and his mother passed away. Additionally, at this time, the Refuge Protector had to banish Rigpe Raltri from the camp owing to the appearance of an obstacle threatening Raltri’s life. Therefore, they experienced unfortunate circumstances. This appears to have resulted in the Refuge Protector, Ḍākkima, and their retinue departing Kyilung Monastery to live in Yikhok. When she was forty-three in the Wood Dragon year (1844), although Do Khyentse considered accomplishing useful deeds in the upper geographical regions, Derge and Dzachukha for example, following the prophecies of [202] deities and lamas, he and Losal Drölma remained in Yikhok and helped the residents. The 200th page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 142 ] "At the beginning of the Dragon year, I ventured up to Yikhok. My sister slightly recovered from her illness because of medical and other treatments, so we thought of heading to the upper geographical areas. But as soon as we embarked, we received prophecies from lamas and discouragement from the eight classes of gods and demons, saying that it was not the time to go there, not until we completed our helpful deeds in the lower geographical areas. So, we made our decision in keeping with such conditions." When she was forty-four in the Fire Snake year (1845), the Refuge Protector departed to the sacred land of Kham Tsāriṭa Nyenpo Yutse in Golok. Ḍākkima remained in Yikhok and carried out worthwhile acts. He then returned to their camp in Yikhok from Golok. Then both of them, along with their retinue, moved the encampment from Yikhok to La’utang Monastery in Minyak, where he went to various places, including the capitals of Chagla and Yutang. Upon completing his visits, he returned and lived at La’utang. The 200th page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 143 ] "When the Snake new year came about, I passed through Sertang and visited the precious reincarnation [the Second Dodrubchen, Jigme Puntsok Jungne,] at Yarlung Pemakö, the seat of my Lord Lama.[ 144 ] [203] I conferred upon him the empowerment, transmission, and instruction for The Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse. Then I eventually made my way to Nyenpo Yutse. …[ 145 ] I paid a brief visit to the seat of my Lord Lama and then ventured to our camp in Yikhok. There I met a group sent from Chagla that carried an insistent command for me to come down there, so I departed from Yikhok. "In Debkhok, I found the reincarnation of a secret yogi who was a student of the previous Omniscient One in Horpa Sönam’s family, a minister of Geshe. There were even auspicious signs that I would be serving him again. Then, together with an escort from Zhagdra, our camp settled in La’utang Monastery. Delight filled the monastic community and local residents there on account of my sister’s recovery and our return since we were unable to proceed to the upper geographical areas." That year the Refuge Protector recognized that the emanation of the family heir, Sherab Mebar, entered a womb in Yutang. The 210th page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 146 ] "The emanation of the family heir, who had passed away, entered a womb in Yutang. As my sister and I distinctly beheld a luminous perception [of the child] when we were previously in Yikhok, we paid a short visit to Yutang. Like our vision, we heard the child chanting OṂ VĀKYEDAṂ NĀMAḤ [204] from the womb.[ 147 ] So, I recognized him since the time he was in the womb and earnestly told King Ngagchang Dampa that since the child is our reincarnation, I want him to recognize the boy as soon as he is born and bring him to us."[ 148 ] When she was forty-four in the Fire Horse year (1846), the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima arrived in Zhagdra from La’utang with their retinue. It was here that Do Khyentse codified the space-like mind treasures, including the teaching cycle of The Formless Ḍākinīs, The Exceedingly Secret, Enlightened Heart-Essence of the Ḍākinī, and other such golden-letter teachings. Additionally, Losal Drölma transformed into Vajravārāhī in the flesh and conveyed the symbolic scripts, an assistance that was unsurpassable. Ḍākkima then entered a retreat for the approach recitations of the mind treasures. As a sign of accomplishment, there were various marvelous occurrences as the earth quaked and the meditation cave blazed with fire. That year, she composed Truthful Words for the Sage’s Long Life on behalf of Do Khyentse.[ 149 ] On account of her resolve, even his most dangerous obstacles were averted. The 211th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 150 ] "[Because a few disciples did not abide by their vows and a few men and women contradicted the instructions, leading to various disturbances], there was a slight rift in the [revelation of] the Pema Khandro’s cycle of teachings, and the heroes and ḍākinīs became a bit agitated. Consequently, the old treasure teachings dissipated into the expansive space [205] of Pāṇḍaravāsinī. "The blessings of Vajravārāhī, the basis of emanation, descended anew into my tulku sister, opening the door to ascertaining the teaching cycle of The Formless Ḍākinīs, The Exceedingly Secret, Enlightened Heart-Essence of the Ḍākinī. The teaching cycle of The Natural Liberation of Grasping transformed adversity into favor, misfortune into the path, and hindrances into siddhis, making the circumstances conducive to deciphering the golden letters [of the mind treasure]. Those upholding their vows attentively created auspicious connections, an immeasurable variety, throughout the day and night and began to assist in decrypting the signs [of the mind treasure]. My student Rigpe Yeshe acted as our scribe.[ 151 ] "It was at this time that the power of my past transgressions generated dangerous obstacles to my life, causing significant deterioration in my physical health. Numerous ḍākinīs invited me [to depart this world]. I felt as if a great many hosts of the haughty, worldly local deities were seeing me off. Yet, my great sister’s courage of pristine intention and the strength and skill of the heroes and ḍākinīs of Kham Tsāriṭa, amongst others, …[ 152 ] dispelled the extreme obstacles to my life. All demonic emanations were also banished from our maṇḍala. "Having cared for those maintaining their vows, we left for Zhagdra, an extremely isolated place. Four vow holders named Dorje became possessed, and day and night, they carefully crafted various auspicious connections using tangible and intangible means. [206] Wisdom ḍākinīs, but most importantly my sister, also manifested as awareness displays. To my very own eyes, they showed their genuine forms as they supervised the deciphering [of the treasure]. While the protectors guarded the inner and outer borders, we decoded the golden letters. "Then, when my great sister was practicing the approach and accomplishment of the meditational deity to solidify the treasure, there were many natural signs: the earth shook, mountains wailed, rivers and wind bore the natural sound of mantra, and the meditation hut roared in flames. There were also countless signs of extraordinary accomplishment. She journeyed to the Realm of the Thirty following this, and in the realm where flesh-eating ḍākinīs roam, she overpowered them with her splendor and bound them under oath. Following her retreat, my sister came to me, but she soon returned to her secluded practice."[ 153 ] When she was forty-six in the Fire Sheep year (1847), the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima invited the family heir Sherab Mebar’s reincarnation, Do Drimé Drakpa, who was born at the Yutang minister Pema’s house, to the encampment, and held an enthronement ceremony at La’utang Monastery.[ 154 ] Do Khyentse dwelled at La’utang Monastery for some time with his retinue while he gave instructions on the golden-letter teachings. Since the family heir Raltri was heading to Lhasa, Do Khyentse and Losal Drölma went to Zhagdra and made offerings of gratitude, [207] including smoke offerings, as protective rituals on Raltri’s behalf. Then they returned to the encampment at La’utang. During the winter, they both journeyed to the hermitage in Zhagdra, where she once again went into a retreat of approach and accomplishment. The 214th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 155 ] "When the Sheep year came …[ 156 ] [Drimé Drakpa], the nirmāṇakāya reincarnation of my son, also came from Yutang. He was enthroned at La’utang, and the signs of virtue were superb. He spoke of many stories as he recollected his former life. He also recognized his aunt and other monks from the past, as well as volumes of [personal] scriptures and accoutrements. Moreover, as in his past life, he did not eat meat, which made all his previous acquaintances believe in him. "At that time, I opened the door to the golden-letter treasures to some of the faithful. As soon as the Dharma activities were completed, Raltri, who holds my family name, and the Yutang king with his entourage set out for Lhasa. My sister and I went to Zhagdra, made some offerings of gratitude, and came back to our place. I carried out some altruistic and opportune deeds, such as the reconciliation between Geshe and Chagla people, while my sister went into retreat during the winter. I also settled into practice a bit." When she was forty-seven in the Earth Monkey year (1848), the Refuge Protector [208] had to go [reconcile] the war between Nyagrong and Chagla. Ḍākkima was averse to this, remarking, “I disagree with you listening to the Chinese and Chagla. But if you think it is a situation you can benefit, then go do it.” Since she said this while living at Zhagdra, it is apparent that she was, for the most part, there that year in retreat. When she was forty-eight in the Earth Bird year (1849), the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima, with their retinue, made the Garnang Jogang hermitage north of Zhagdra their main seat, living there for a while.[ 157 ] Today we can find the remaining walls of the Refuge Protector’s room, Ḍākkima’s room, and four temples of various sizes, with very well-crafted walls and roofs made of aga.[ 158 ] The place is highly isolated, with a surrounding environment so enchantingly beautiful that it is as if it is in competition with the gardens in the god realm. Besides being a pivotal seat of the pair, Gyalse Rigpe Raltri and Do Drimé Drakpa also lived in this sacred dwelling for quite some time. The Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima then proceeded to Senge Monastery in Minyak with their retinue and extensively turned the wheel of the [209] Dharma to humans and non-humans alike.[ 159 ] The auspicious connections were perfectly set in place at that time. As far as the monastery is concerned, it was initially founded by the victor Karma Pagshi.[ 160 ] At some point, however, the wicked Mongol army destroyed all the Kagyu monasteries in Minyak. The sundered remains of the monastery were the only things left when the pair arrived with their retinue. Nevertheless, they made it their seat and resided there for over a year. The 221st page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 161 ] "At the newly constructed Jogang hermitage, adjacent to Zhagdra, my sister and I endeavored in practice for a while, accompanied by some who maintained their oaths. The prominent local guardians of Zhagdra came to dissuade us, and the auspicious connections of the Monkey year fell under the power of others. Consequently, remaining there became impossible; there was nothing we could do but go to the Senge mountain to avoid making a mess of lower Minyak’s auspicious connections. "While there, I turned the wheel of the Dharma concerning the Enlightened Heart-Essence of the Vidyādhara to formless beings, such as Gangkar the mountain deity, and made sure the auspicious connections would perpetuate into the future. Also, I ascertained the three Enlightened Heart-Essences and established excellent auspicious connections for averting the obstacles to my and my sister’s lives. "I also heard about the peaceful passing of Chagla Khenchen Rinpoche during this period, so we made some commemoration offerings and saw him off to the realm of [210] the vidyādharas. As the inviting party had arrived, I went with them to the Trokyab capital of Mutri while my sister performed accomplishment practices at our residence." “Our residence” can mean many places, such as Mahā Kyilung Monastery. But here, it refers explicitly to Senge Mountain. This is because when the Refuge Protector developed arthritis while in Yikhok, Ḍākki Losal Drölma and others saw this through their clairvoyance and headed there. The 226th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 162 ] "From Senge Mountain, my sister and two tulkus came to La’utang as if they possessed the power to perceive such hidden phenomena. At that same time, they heard of my illness and went to Yikhok, and we met in Tsachukha." When she was forty-nine in the Iron Dog year (1850), Ḍākkima, along with a retinue, came to depart Senge Monastery in Minyak for Yikhok, passing through La’utang. The Refuge Protector reunited with her and the retinue there. They resided at Yikhok for a while as they carried out some long-life rites on behalf of the Refuge Protector. During autumn, the entire group traveled to Shar Drongkhok from Yikhok, where they set up the camp in a remote location.[ 163 ] There, Do Khyentse gave maturation instructions for the preliminary practices of the channels [211] and energies to those gathered from various locales. The 226th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: "From Senge Mountain, my sister and two tulkus came to La’utang as if they possessed the power to perceive such hidden phenomena. At that same time, they heard of my illness and came up to Yikhok, and we met up in Tsachukha. For a short while, we made camp at whatever isolated areas in Yikhok there were while we accomplished the ḍākinīs’ prophecies. That autumn, we went to a hermitage in Shar Drong, where I gave a handful of empowerments and transmissions, as well as maturation instructions for the preliminary practices of the channels and energies to people gathered from distant places, Tashi Gelek from Derge being one of them in attendance." CHAPTER 14: LIVING IN GYALMO TSAWARONG When Ḍākki Losal Drölma was fifty in the Iron Pig year (1851), the Refuge Protector, Ḍākkima, and their retinue headed to Khogta Sengtsang Monastery from Shar Drong, where they set up camp for a short while.[ 164 ] With some of their attendants, the pair went to Palek and the new capital of the Gyalrong Trokyab king.[ 165 ] They reunited with all the attendants and masters, including the Dharma King Tsewang Namkha and [Do Khyentse’s] daughter Khaying Drölma.[ 166 ] They conducted [212] long-life rites for the sake of the king and his retinue. From Sengtsang Monastery, the camp also traveled to Puntsok Dzong, the old capital of the Trokyab king. Losal Drölma briefly stayed at camps and other places. The 226th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 167 ] "We set off when the Pig year came, but the camp remained at Sengtsang Monastery. My sister and I went to the capital of Mutri as the Trokyab king had ordered. Having a private audience with the king and my daughter, we recited some long-life prayers. Even though we persistently asked permission to travel to the upper geographical regions, not only was it not granted, but he insisted that we not go. So, there was nothing for us to do in that regard. "Then, following a brief pilgrimage to Tsotor, a welcoming party from Derge accompanied us on our return home.[ 168 ] Since we received an escort from Puntsok Dzong, we moved our camp there from Sengtsang Monastery. At Puntsok Dzong, we met with the Queen Mother, princess, and others and recited some long-life prayers. My sister briefly stayed at Namgyalteng Monastery.[ 169 ] But I went to the Somang kingdom since an escort came bearing an insistent order." When she was fifty-one in the Water Rat year (1852), Ḍākkima and her camp went to the Somang capital of Tsetenling upon the invitation of the Gyalrong Somang king.[ 170 ] After meeting with the king and his attendants, she went to his main monastery of Kachok and watched the excellent lama dance held on the [213] tenth day.[ 171 ] Having presented offerings, prostrations, and circumambulations to the monastery’s three religious objects, she resided there and benefited the teachings and residents. Tsetenling was one of the primary seats of the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima. But since it was demolished during the Cultural Revolution, apart from a smoke-offering chiminea, its ruins cannot be found. The 223rd page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 172 ] "My daughter caught an illness that was difficult to cure with medicine and healing rituals. She did, however, live for a while. During that time, my sister and her camp were invited to Somang to meet with the Queen Mother. With camp set up in the capital of Tsetenling, she completed all the necessary annual rituals in full: feast fulfillments, prayer offerings to the protectors, and so on." When she was fifty-two in the Water Ox year (1853), upon the invitation of the Trokyab king, the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima, along with their retinue, journeyed to Palek, the capital of Trokyab. They performed healing rituals for [Do Khyentse’s] daughter Khaying Drölma and gave council during their stay. Then from there, they returned to the camp at Tsetenling. Once again, the Trokyab king extended another invitation, and Losal Drölma went to the capital of Mutri. She advised Khaying Drölma and performed [214] healing rituals, fulfilling Khaying Drölma’s wishes. Then she returned and resided at Tsetenling. The 233rd page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 173 ] "When the Ox new year came about, there was an invitation to Ka Ke’utsang, so I also went there.[ 174 ] As it seemed that my daughter would only live for a handful of months, my sister remained there for a few days while I headed for Somang. A small group came from Yutang, my niece being the most notable among them, but they returned home after I had fulfilled their wishes. "At the capital, I gave teachings on the preliminaries for over a month to about a hundred people, particularly the Queen Mother. After staying at Tsetenling, my sister also came to the king’s court, as the Trokyab king commanded, and completely fulfilled the wishes of my daughter. She also performed a few long-life rituals before returning to settle in Tsetenling." When she was fifty-three in the Wood Tiger year (1854), Ḍākkima arrived from Tsetenling at Mutri Palek, the capital of Trokyab. Since Khaying Drölma’s illness was quite severe, Ḍākkima remained, performing healing rituals and everything that was needed. On the fifteenth day of the second month of that year, Khaying Drölma’s rūpakāya dissolved into the dharmadhātu. The Refuge Proctor, his retinue, [215] and many other lamas and tulkus from various monasteries performed an extensive funeral service at the Palek capital. Losal Drölma stayed there from the third day until the completion of the imprinted holy objects (sāccha).[ 175 ] It was at this time that, in the vision of her dream, Ḍākkima saw that Khaying Drölma departed to the vidyādhara’s pure land of the Glorious Mountain (Zangdok Palri). Then, she returned to Tsetenling, passing through Ka Ke’utsang, where Do Khyentse joined her following his daughter’s funeral service. Then, at the seat of Tsetenling, the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima accumulated virtuous deeds, vast in number, as part of the funeral service for his daughter. Losal Drölma was taken ill during this period, but it was warded off through medicine and healing rituals. That year Do Khyentse reached a decisive insight into the symbolic signs of the ḍākinīs for an extensive amount of mind treasures. Additionally, Ḍākkima had visions of the wisdom ḍākinī, from whom she received many prophecies. Since she and others assisted the Refuge Protector in deciphering the ḍākinī’s signs, all the enlightened activities were highly successful. Moreover, at that seat, Do Khyentse bestowed extensive instructions on the golden-letter [teachings] and preliminaries to Losal Drölma and others, resulting in many people being introduced to realization. The 234th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 176 ] "When the Wood Tiger new year came about, my sister traveled there [216] to assist the king in differing ways and to fulfill the wishes of my daughter. I departed for Somang for a short while as the king was ill." Also, the 236th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 177 ] "My sister also dreamed that my daughter was escorted to the door of the Glorious Mountain. Then, my sister and I proceeded to the Palek capital along with others, Sawang Rinpoche being the most notable among the group. We prayed extensively and hoisted endless prayer flags on the forty-ninth day of my daughter’s death. Focusing on our collective karma, we practiced The Peaceful and Wrathful Deities Who Purify the Lower Realms for seven days.[ 178 ] We carried out an effective long-life practice for Sawang Rinpoche and requested him to remain with us. "As soon as the bone purification ceremony was completed, my sister went to Tsetenling once again, passing through Ka Ke’utsang.[ 179 ] However, I remained for a while to accomplish the king’s wishes." Also, the 236th page of The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 180 ] "We then arrived at Tsetenling. To put my sister’s mind at ease, we focused on my daughter’s collective karma as hundreds of saṅghas performed peaceful and wrathful purification rituals. In the monasteries, they conducted some fasting practices with breaks in between their rituals. They dedicated all their virtue to the attainment of enlightenment. My sister was a little unwell at that time; she had some issues with her feet but recovered [217] on account of medicine, the long-life feast ritual, fire offerings, and the like." Also, the 237th page of The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 181 ] "We finished all that needed to be accomplished at Tsetenling. As soon as the tenth-day ceremonies were finished at Somang Kachok Monastery, we conducted a few long-life rituals at the capital and resided at Tsetenling for a period.[ 182 ] There we arranged appropriate and suitable auspicious connections and deciphered the ḍākinī’s symbolic scripts. I taught on the golden-letter [teachings] to seven samaya holders, of which my sister was foremost. Furthermore, I also instructed on the energies and channels for The Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse to some people, although for the majority, I taught the preliminaries. "Treasure owners and non-human spirits, form and formless beings, who take delight in virtue, also enthusiastically gathered. The Teacher also unraveled the meaning of the golden-letter [teachings] in accordance with the inclination of humans and non-human beings. Also, the congregation of heroes and ḍākinīs took place day and night. But due to people’s various attitudes and conduct, samaya was in short supply; however, self-condemnation, high hopes for signs of accomplishment, and arrogance were plentiful, bringing us to the brink of disaster. It was Ḍākkima’s bravery that carried us to victory over these demons. "Due to the Teacher’s blessings, the wisdom ḍākinī’s emanation seed also entered the womb. [This was to be Somang Chogtrul, the emanation of Khaying Drölma.][ 183 ] It was prophesied that, amongst the meritorious disciples, the emanation would receive the opportunity to be the lineage holder of the Enlightened Heart-Essence. During that time, at dawn, a yoginī, who wore the six bone ornaments and held khaṭvāṅga and bāṇḍha in her hands, pointed the trident at my sister’s heart and said: " 'Kye ho! Primordial wisdom—free of the duality of mind and appearances, Essentially pure, spontaneously vast, and naturally liberated, Cannot be expressed by words nor examples. It’s all-pervading, utter vastness—EMAHO! If you fathom the meaning of the sole path, Traversed by the victors of three times: past, present, and future, You will capture the capital of the dharmakāya. Birth and death are mere labels. There is no traversing to “pure lands.” Pure and impure are the mind’s magical displays— They come about from losing control over the five obscuring poisons. But by reaching a definitive conclusion That hatred is luminous emptiness, desire is bliss emptiness, Delusion is awareness-emptiness, pride is baseless, And jealousy is utter self-liberation, You realize that the five poisons are the essence of the five primordial wisdoms! The immutable view seizes dharmakāya capital. The meditation perfects the saṃbhogakāya’s expressive power. The conduct, the nirmāṇakāya’s manifesting power, Accomplishes altruism, utilizing skillful means and compassion! Within the body of flesh and blood, created by vulgar mental impressions, Is the All-Creating King—the youthful vase body. When you come to see the immutable, spontaneous Great Perfection, You will control the expressive energy of the primordial wisdom ḍākinī’s reflexive awareness And, with the appropriate methods, accomplish the welfare of beings. The benefit of beings will, thereby, be endless! Bear in mind the meaning of every statement [219] In Śrīsiṃha’s great prophetic certificate! From the Iron year of the Dancing Bodhisattva, The time of the ripening fruition has come. Hence, with the emanation and basis of emanation, I have merged inseparably And shall establish all outcomes of the spontaneously accomplished two benefits Into the state of complete Buddhahood.' "After saying that, she disappeared. Then those holders of samaya increasingly endeavored in the instructions and purifications day and night. Some of them were struck by blessings and came to their own recognition. My supreme sister and her samaya-keeping attendants also intensively and diligently endeavored, day and night, in various auspicious connections to revise the symbolic scripts, following the prophecies of the lamas, deities, and ḍākinīs. The excellent path was successfully accomplished." When she was fifty-four in the Iron Rabbit year (1855), Ḍākkima was at the monastic seat of Tsetenling while bringing benefit to the teachings and beings. Her disciple Rigzin Paljor was sent to Lhasa for the purposes of renovating the knowledge-holder Jigme Lingpa’s monastic seat of Tseringjong, and for other reasons. The Refuge Protector went to Samdrub Dzong in Palek, the capital of the Trokyab king, and other places.[ 184 ] Following this journey, he returned to the monastic seat of Tsetenling. At the capital of Tsetenling, the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima carried out such rituals as praying for the long life of the Somang king. [220] Then they departed Tsetenling for Kachok Monastery, the Somang king’s main object of veneration. At that time, being invited by the king of Trokyab, Losal Drölma went to Samdrub Dzong in Palek for a while, where she brought benefit to the teachings and beings. Then she continued to Ka Ke’utsang. It was at this time that Ḍākkima developed a throat illness stemming from polluted samaya in addition to unclean food. Do Khyentse also went there and prayed for her long life. After recovering from the illness, the pair, along with their retinue, eventually departed Ka Ke’utsang and went to Kachok Monastery, where she entered retreat. The 244th page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 185 ] "My sister dispatched her student Rigzin Paljor to Lhasa to renovate the seat of the previous Omniscient One Jigme Lingpa, and for other purposes." Also, the 246th page states:[ 186 ] "My sister was also at the Sama capital with other relatives, where we reunited. The two of us siblings recited some long-life prayers. …[ 187 ] As the escort from Trokyab arrived, my sister went there once again." Also, the 257th page states:[ 188 ] "I had heard that my sister developed a sore throat due to defiled samaya and unclean food, so I also traveled to [221] Ka Ke’utsang, where I conducted some rituals to purify such defilements and resolve conflict.[ 189 ] From this, and also on account of my sister’s strong will to benefit the teachings and beings, her illness improved ever so slightly. That was when I went to the Palek capital for a brief visit. But following this, with permission from Sawang Rinpoche, we took the path to the capital of Sama Khar from Ka Ke’utsang.[ 190 ] "After our audience, [Sawang Rinpoche] settled at his own monastery, the Kachok monastery. There, following our tradition, we amassed auspicious connections and conducted the methods that please the heroes and ḍākinīs. As soon as I completed last year’s maturation instructions of The Natural Liberation of Grasping, which were left unfinished, giving them to seven students, who were also attending the master, we sent three people to three different haunted areas. There were others who remained in their own residences, entering retreat on the practice of Severance (chöd). My sister also undertook a retreat. As soon as I completed all the necessary rites of service at the capital, I went on a one-month retreat with Sawang Rinpoche and offered him experiential instructions afterwards." When she was fifty-five in the Fire Dragon year (1856), the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima, with their retinue, stayed at the seat of Kachok Monastery. There they made various prayers and the prescribed offerings. It was during this time that Losal Drölma received numerous prophecies from lamas and ḍākinīs and beheld them in visions. Additionally, supplications from the faithful people averted any life-threatening obstacles she had. Then, the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima, with their retinue, departed Kachok Monastery [222] and headed to Trochu, Gyalrong.[ 191 ] While there, not only did Losal Drölma extend the patron Tārodrung’s life for three months, but she also planted the seed of bodhicitta in his mind-stream.[ 192 ] Moreover, by establishing an extensive spiritual connection with faithful locals, conducting funerary rites, and binding both gods and demons under oath, she carried out various activities for the sake of the teachings and beings. Following this, they traveled to the main seat of Vairocana, Trochu Dechen Monastery.[ 193 ] Since she previously bound Awo Tabshe and other local deities of the area, they proffered their vital-heart mantras and conducted enlightened activities upon her command, thus, ultimately fulfilling the wishes of the faithful people in accordance with their needs.[ 194 ] Following this, they returned to Kachok Monastery for the Great Summer Tenth-Day Ceremony, and for other services. Then once again, the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima, with their retinue, proceeded to return to Trochu, and it was during this time that the patron Tārodrung died. Losal Drölma then took her retinue to Derge, Kham, where they managed religious ceremonies for the king, prince, and servants at the Lhundrubteng capital. At that time, at the exhortation of Ḍākkima, Do Khyentse deciphered [223] a few treasure teachings. The 247th page of the Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 195 ] "When the Fire Dragon year came about, and after completing the prescribed offerings and rituals that generate joy, I remained in a natural samādhi, and in a dream, there appeared a lama with heruka attire. …[ 196 ] My sister also received many prophecies from the lama and ḍākinīs as she experienced them in visions. Her life-threatening obstacle, due to occur in the Dragon year, was also averted because of faithful people’s supplications. Then, as the time had come, the two of us siblings and two tulkus ventured to Trochu. …[ 197 ] The patron Tārodrung was about to die, and we all, mainly my sister and I, extended his life for three months. Although he was a sinful and fell man, my sister cared for him wisely and planted the seed of bodhicitta in his mind-stream. She also lessened his mental habituations through the view of dharmatā’s natural radiance, and he came to realize a portion of the theory of faithful compassion. He was, thereby, blessed as a fortunate one by her deeds." Also, the 250th page states:[ 198 ] "We traveled to Dechenling Monastery with our retinue and fulfilled the people’s wishes in accordance with their needs. As the right time had arisen, we went to the area of Awo Tabshe, and the excellent auspicious connections came about perfectly. Since all the non-human guardians of the [224] secret treasure, who had karmic connections with my sister in the past, chiefly the local deity Awo Tabshe, saw her with their clairvoyance, they submitted their vital-heart mantras and pledged their servitude. "Then we went to Kachok Monastery. But as soon as the ceremonies on the tenth day were completed, I returned to Trochu again. The patron Tārodrung passed away as well. We cared for him through purification rituals, consciousness transference, and cremation; and with her great compassion, my sister guided him on his way to the Glorious Mountain. "Next, we completed suitable temporal and spiritual activities in the surrounding areas. People under delusion’s control experienced some fantastical signs that were anything but deceitful. Then we headed back up and arrived at our place. "Those from Golok who had traveled to Lhasa also returned. However, there was a mixture of people who came, some with and some without samaya. A few minor issues arose upon their departure, but we just let them be. Still, I looked after the consciousness in the bardo and sent it swiftly off, where it eventually made it to the pure land. "It was at this time that some other people had come from Derge, and my student Tashi Gelek, foremost among them, came to ask for my presence. The younger prince at the capital was experiencing immense and intense obstacles, so he was invited to our place. We opened the three kinds of maṇḍala to the benefit of all; and having conquered the host of demons, we assembled exceptional auspicious connections perfectly. [225] I gave maturing empowerments and liberating instructions to the assembly, in accordance with their interest, and completely fulfilled their various hopes. As urged by the allotted Dharma custodian, Ḍākkima, I deciphered some symbolic scripts, and some faithful people displayed signs of blessings." When she was fifty-six in the Fire Snake year (1857), the Refuge Protector and Ḍākkima, along with their retinue, celebrated the new year at the capital city of Derge. While staying there, they accomplished necessary, contemporary enlightened activities. Then Do Khyentse, Losal Drölma, and retinue headed to Khogsung Chumen (“Protected Valley with Medicine Water”) to bathe in the hot springs.[ 199 ] During this period, they accomplished a great many enlightened activities for the sake of the teachings and residents of the area. Then, from Derge, they ultimately proceeded to Kachok Monastery in Gyalrong, the Somang king’s main object of veneration, and dwelled there. Ḍākkima traveled to the Tsetenling seat for its renovation and undertook the necessary rituals during her sojourn, taming the earth and other pertinent rites. After finalizing the renovation, the camp was moved from Kachok Monastery to Tsetenling. That year the reincarnation of Khaying Drölma, who had been born to the Somang king’s queen, was invited to the camp at Tsetenling and enthroned. Then the Precious Refuge Protector continued to Golok, while Losal Drölma [226] and retinue remained at Tsetenling, primarily engaged in retreat and deeds on behalf of the teachings and beings. In that year, Ḍākkima sent messengers to the Precious Refuge Protector in Golok and requested him to return in haste. In a letter sent back with the messengers, Do Khyentse wrote that he had urgent enlightened activities that he must see through. The 251st page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 200 ] "When the Fire Snake new year came about, after we finished such suitable and necessary offerings as those that please and fulfill the heroes and ḍākinīs, the two of us siblings traveled to Khogsung Chumen. There we placed all non-human spirits, primarily the great heir of the evil spirit and the chief local deity, under oath, and the elemental spirits quarreled to a sweltering degree. Yet, forcefully we bound them, many times over, with the seals that signify the teachings as we developed an altruistic compassion, marked by fortitude. "We found the hot springs, primarily, to be very beneficial, and we also conferred protective rituals, empowerments, blessings, and auspicious consecrations upon our faithful patrons in accordance with their interests and karmic allotment. Throughout the area, we developed opportunities for people to establish connections with the Dharma through seeing, hearing, touching, and remembering. As we departed, those with previous karmic connections saw us off until the border. Passing through the capital city, we arrived at Kachok Monastery. "Like always, Tsetenling required some renovation, and my sister went there to bless the [227] earth, while I did a bit of approach and accomplishment practice on my meditational deity at my residence. Eventually, the camp moved to Tsetenling. My sister and I reunited at some point, and Tashi Gelek returned home. "Then all of us invited the prince [Somang Chogtrul], and the Queen Mother and his sibling saw him off from the monastery. It was on an auspicious day that he settled at Tsetenling, and we created excellent auspicious connections in the form of a ceremony. …[ 201 ] At that point, the time came for me to go to Tsāriṭa in Kham, and Nyenpo Yutse’s host of deities came and called upon me. As my sister and others effectively ensured [that virtuous karmic] results would ripen on time by offering a ceremony, smoke offering, gifts, and goods to the treasure protectors, prominent local guardians, heroes, and ḍākinīs, I prepared for my journey to the upper lands, for which I embarked on an auspicious day." Also, the 256th page states:[ 202 ] "Messengers were sent from my sister to check up on me and encourage me not to stay too long. They also brought letters from the Sama capital. I wrote a letter, which I sent her, mentioning that I had some worthwhile affairs I needed to take care of." Also, the 264th page states:[ 203 ] "Since I came up there, apart from conducting protective rituals and occasional offerings and praises, my sister was [228] in retreat." When she was fifty-seven in the Earth Horse year (1858), Ḍākkima once again sent messengers to Golok to invite the Precious Refuge Protector. Following her messengers, he began his journey to Gyalrong. Upon his return journey, Do Khyentse arrived in Nyenpo Yutse, where he manifested various emanations. During his time there, the Dharma custodian Ḍākkima appeared in his luminous visions and assisted with the enlightened activities, resulting in their unhindered fulfillment. Then, swiftly returning to Tsetenling, the Refuge Protector reunited with Ḍākkima and retinue. Then Do Khyentse and the Somang king, with his entourage, departed for Trochu for the sake of the teachings and locals. Per Trokyab King Tsewang Rabten’s invitation, Losal Drölma went to Palek, the capital, where she performed long-life rituals for him and his entourage.[ 204 ] Additionally, while residing there, she consecrated the three objects and accomplished deeds on behalf of the teachings and residents. Then Ḍākkima and her retinue departed the Palek capital and proceeded to [229] Tsetenling via the [three places of] the Dampa capital, Gyalnak, and the Somang king’s new capital of Norbuling, respectively.[ 205 ] For the Refuge Protector’s enlightened activities to succeed without any obstacles, Losal Drölma performed various activities, elaborate and unelaborate, during her time there—namely, supplications to the lama, exhortations to the meditational deities, feast offerings to the ḍākinīs, offerings to the Dharma protectors, and offerings to the treasure guardians. The 256th page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states:[ 206 ] "On a favorable day of the first month of the Earth Horse year, we celebrated the new year and made some smoke offerings at the place of Yanglek."[ 207 ] Also, the 258th page states:[ 208 ] "Together with the escorting messengers from the Tsetenling seat and the Sama capital, our camp settled at Mayul for a while. Some of us, master and attendants, fulfilled the wishes, just enough, of those whom we met along the way. Lord Ngawang was one of them.[ 209 ] Then we arrived in Nyenpo Yutse. The upper side of the rockface there, adjacent to the lake, is like a dancing Ḍākinī. During the day, I preoccupied myself with distractions, taking in the landscape and partaking in various games. During the night, I engaged in heruka sādhanas for the pure realm of the earth travelers and knowledge holders and for the pure land endowed with beautiful sights and precious jewels." Also, the 259th page states:[ 210 ] "At that time, the Dharma custodian Ḍākkima did not physically come. Nevertheless, in a luminous vision, she appeared as an emanated body of light and took up the responsibilities of a great caretaker." Also, the 259th page states:[ 211 ] "When the time came, we set on the road together with the [230] escort from the border areas. Since we believed there would be delays, we traveled secretly and swiftly through Ngakhok and other places.[ 212 ] At Katö, the escort from the eight towns started on their return journey.[ 213 ] Leaving altruistic deeds and auspicious connections unfinished, we arrived safely at Tsetenling. "From the time I came up there, apart from conducting protective rituals and occasional offerings and praises, my sister was in retreat. …[ 214 ] For the well-being of the people of Trochu, it was necessary for the king, Queen Mother, and prince to go there. I also went for the purpose of averting obstacles and offering protective services. The group arrived at the capital, followed by the arrival of the Chinese as well. Together all of us endeavored in methods for creating the causes of well-being for the people. I also provided some necessary services to a degree. After some time, everything became peaceful. "At that time, as the supreme king of Trokyab sent an escort, my sister also proceeded to the capital of Palek via Dampa. While having a close patron-priestess relationship, she fulfilled his wishes, completing in turn the relevant deeds of consecrating statues during the feasts for the assembly." Also, the 268th page states:[ 215 ] "After receiving Sawang Rinpoche’s permission, my sister departed Palek and safely arrived at Tsetenling. On the way, she briefly visited the Dampa capital, Gyalnak, and the Sama capital, where she paid a short visit to the [231] Queen Mother." Ḍākkima went to many places including Dampa, Gyalnak, and the Sama capital, perfectly fulfilling disciples’ wishes along the way. Subsequently, she returned to Tsetenling and resided there. The 268th page of Refuge Protector’s The Speech of the Ḍākinī states: "After receiving Sawang Rinpoche’s permission, my sister departed Palek and safely arrived at Tsetenling. On the way, she briefly visited the Dampa capital, Gyalnak, and the Sama capital, where she paid a short visit to the [231] Queen Mother. …[ 216 ] My great sister thoroughly accomplished all activities, elaborate and unelaborate, all of which were necessary and suitable. She brought about prosperity and well-being for the realm in both general and specific aspects. But in particular, she opened the door of the Enlightened Heart-Essence [treasure cycle] at Ka Ke’utsang and finalized the decoding of symbols, including those of various ritual masks. She also made supplication prayers that pleased and fulfilled the lamas, allowing for all to be accomplished without hindrances; called upon the meditational deities; offered feasts to the ḍākinīs; amended the outer, inner, and secret pledges; and presented offerings to the Dharma protectors and treasure guardians." Ḍākkima was fifty-eight in the Earth Sheep year (1859), but the Refuge Protector began writing The Speech of the Ḍākinī: An Autobiography in the eleventh month of the Earth Horse year (1858), completing the task on the fifteenth day of the [232] first month of the Earth Sheep year (1859). Therefore, there is no way to know about Losal Drölma’s life after this year. However, the Refuge Protector’s autobiography was written at Trochen Sawang’s hermitage of Khandrö Dzongchen.[ 217 ] At that time, she and the camp were at the seat of Tsetenling, and the pair made it their main seat around this time. Consequently, it seems that when she was fifty-eight in the Earth Sheep year, Ḍākkima was residing at Tsetenling, carrying out deeds on behalf of the teachings and beings. CHAPTER 15: HER PASSING On the twenty-fifth day of the fourth month of the Iron Bird year (1861), in the fourteenth calendrical cycle, at the age of sixty, Ḍākki Losal Drölma passed into the dharmadhātu while bestowing numerous future prophecies and displaying a great many wondrous signs. In his supplication to the life of the Refuge Protector, Do Drimè Drakpa depicts: "Iron Bird year, fourth month, twenty-fifth, morning: With prophecies of times to come, Ḍākkima, The hour of your departure for Khecara came to be. Benefactress for beings to be tamed—I supplicate [233] you." This verse here I wrote from the memories of Do Dasal Wangmo .[ 218 ] The original manuscript of this supplication to the life of the Refuge Protector was lost during the time of turmoil. CHAPTER 16: HER BIOGRAPHY WITHIN KHYENTSE'S BIOGRAPHY OF SIGNS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT Some parts of Ḍākki Losal Drölma’s life story are found in The Secret Biography of Khyentse Heruka: The Compilation of the Displays of the Signs of Accomplishment, and I have arranged them here. The eighth sign of attainment states: "When Drubwang [Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje] was staying at La’utang Monastery with his entourage, his sister taught Dzogchen to the students at Garnang Hermitage.[ 219 ] One time, as soon as the sun arose, the Refuge Protector said, 'Raltri, go get two horses and a white mule. The time has come for us to go.' He did accordingly, and they rode out to the foot of the plain. "Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje said, 'Raltri, close your eyes!' It was as if a wind had come about and lifted us away [thought Raltri]. After a while, Do Khyentse said, 'Open your eyes!' "Upon opening his eyes, he realized they had appeared at the Garnang Karza hermitage [234] as [his father’s] sister (Losal Drölma) had just concluded teaching. They met the students as they were being dismissed and moving about, but nobody could see the pair. However, [his father’s] sister saw them. Then all the students could see them, and they came to prostrate on the ground. When Raltri looked at the sun, it was in the same position as when they departed La’utang Monastery. The wonder of this struck everyone." Thus, Ḍākkima was always in retreat, engaging in approach and accomplishment practice, and assisting the Refuge Protector with his enlightened activities. Additionally, it is evident she bestowed teachings to students at the camp, both of sūtra and tantra, but especially those concerning the Dzogchen teachings of the Old Translation school. The Abridged Biographies: The Lineage of the Do Family authored by Do Dasal Wangmo in the Fire Ox year (1997) in the seventeenth calendrical cycle depicts: "Lord Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje’s sister was Losal Drölma. Her father was Chökor Sönam Pen, and her mother was Tsewang Men. She was born on the tenth day of the Resultant month (10th month) of the Water Dog year of the thirteenth calendrical cycle.[ 220 ] In the early morning of her birth, a great resounding of [Tārā’s] ten-syllable mantra was clearly heard, and many amazing signs manifested, green light pervading the entire house, for instance. "From Dodrubwang, she received immeasurable common and uncommon teachings. Particularly from her brother, the Lord, she received the golden-letter cycle of The Exceedingly Secret, Enlightened Heart-Essence. [235] Putting them to practice, the results of accomplishment became apparent, and she beheld the faces of the primordial wisdom ḍākinī and a number of her personal deities. She bound hosts of haughty ones into her service and became renowned for being the emanation of the mother Tārā and Vajravārāhī. Since she attained mastery over the supreme and ordinary siddhis, she would often appear in a cross-legged position in the air, and by pronouncing PHAṬ! she would teleport to a new place, only to later reappear in a corporeal form. Such miraculous powers she mastered. She was the Dharma custodian and caretaker of the activities, and established many human and non-human beings on the path of maturation and liberation. At sixty she passed away in the morning of the twenty-fifth day of the fourth month of the Iron Bird year. When her body shrank to a cubit in height, there were sounds, lights, rainbows, and numerous relics. CLOSING PRAISE: Lady of the lineage, Ḍākkima, Like a cluster of stars, your stories are manifold. Their arrangement in words, I have not seen. So, I lack the fortune to compose more than a précis. COLOPHON None NOTES [1] Dak+ki blo gsal sgrol ma, 1802–1861, BDRC P1GS138134 ; mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje, 1800–1866, BDRC P698 . Refuge Protector, or Kyabgön (skyabs mgon), is used exclusively throughout the document when denoting Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje. To align with English’s distaste for monotonous repetition and to clarify the subject for the reader, we have used variants from “Refuge Protector Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje” throughout the translation. [2] A Dharma custodian (chos bdag) is an individual who is ultimately responsible for the transmission of a particular set of teachings. [3] The specific version of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje’s autobiography (rang rnam mkha’ ’gro’i zhal lung) used for cross-referencing is mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje 2009 , BDRC MW1PD89990 . This is not the same text utilized by Chödar; however, we have noted the corresponding page numbers and omissions from BDRC MW1PD89990. For a reference to the general collection of the autobiography, see mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje, BDRC WA18047 . For the second text mentioned, see Anon, BDRC W4PD971 . [4] chos skor ma bsod nams ’phan, BDRC P1PD76596 ; The Chökhor are descendants of the Akyong clan (a skyong, BDRC C11MS165 ). mda’ pa’i bu mo tshe dbang sman, BDRC P1PD76598 ; Dapa was from upper Ma and was said to be a descendant of the nyen spirits. mkha’ ’gro ma sha za kha mo [5] bar gzhi nang pa, BDRC G1PD76597 ; pad+ma ’bum, BDRC G3775 ; mgo log, BDRC G1490 ; a mdo, BDRC G1202 [6] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 60.2. [7] ’dzom pa skyid [8] shugs chen stag ’go ri khrod; rdo grub chen 01 ’jigs med ’phrin las ’od zer, 1745–1821, BDRC P29 [9] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 61.5. [10] Brahmā’s Divine Flower (tshangs pa lha yi me tog) is an epithet of Tri Songdetsen (khri srong lde btsan, 742–796/800, BDRC P7787 ). [11] dbyings kyi rdo rje [12] g.yu zhal ’bar; bsam yas dgon pa, BDRC G287 ; ’jigs med gling pa, 1730–1798, BDRC P314 [13] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 146.2. [14] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 64.4. [15] ’bri gung mthil dgon pa, BDRC G340 ; lha sa BDRC G2800 [16] rdzogs chen dgon, BDRC G16 [17] rdzogs chen grub dbang 04 mi ’gyur nam mkha’i rdo rje, 1793–1870, BDRC P1710 [18] sde dge, BDRC G1539 ; chos lung gdong [19] kaH thog si tu 01 chos kyi seng ge, b. 1775, BDRC P5981 ; zhe chen rab ’byams 03 rig ’dzin dpal ’byor rgya mtsho, 1771–1807, BDRC P2JM436 ; mgo tsha mchog sprul 01 ’jam dpal bsam gtan rgya mtsho, 1791–1860, BDRC P8327 [20] klong chen pa dri med ’od zer, 1308–1364, BDRC P1583 ; mdzod bdun, BDRC WA10MS11430 ; snying thig ya bzhi, BDRC WA12827 [21] yang ri sgar, BDRC G62 ; ’bri gung rdzong gsar [22] nye gnas ’od zer mtha’yas, BDRC P5052 ; tshe ring ljongs, BDRC G351 [23] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 94.5. [24] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 121.3. [25] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 121.3. [26] mdo gong ma, BDRC G1722 ; Tubten Chödar footnotes in his biographical work that Do Gongma is under the jurisdiction of Pema Dzong, Golok. [27] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 140.1 [28] gyi lung thugs mchog rdo rje, d. 1939, BDRC P6007 ; kaH tog dgon, BDRC G17 ; sbra mgo ri khrod [29] dge rtse paN chen ’gyur med tshe dbang mchog grub, 1761–1829, BDRC P2943 [30] ’dus pa mdo, BDRC WA0RK0825 ; sgyu ’phrul zhi khro; yang dag; sangs rgyas mnyam sbyor, BDRC WA10MS11180 ; ’khor ba dong sprug; rdo rje phur pa; bka’ brgyud rnam gsum [31] gsang snying rgyud, BDRC WA21833 ; kaH thog pa dam pa bde gshegs, 1122–1192, BDRC P1314 ; phyag tsha sprul sku 01 kun bzang nges don dbang po, BDRC P5987 [32] dri med zhing skyong 02 ’jigs med rig ’dzin mgon po, d. 1836, BDRC P5992 ; rmog rtsa 02 chos dbyings rdo rje, BDRD P6008 [33] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 188.1. [34] ’dzir ka la [35] dpon stobs rgyal; tsha dbon klong gsal [36] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 192.1. [37] sde dge lhun grub sgang/steng is the Derge capital in which the Lundrubteng Monastery is located, BDRC G193 . [38] ’jigs med blo gsal, BDRC P2JM209 [39] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 203.5. [40] nye gnas kun bzang bstan dar [41] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 204.5. [42] khro skyabs thugs chen po, BDRC G3728 [43] mdzod dge thang skor [44] mgo log rtag lcags thar rgyal [45] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 232.4 [46] mtsho sngon zhing chen, BDRC G977 [47] yar klung pad+ma bkod, BDRC G3983 ; reb gong, BDRC G2369 ; gling rgya a mye lha ri [48] gling rgya sngags khang [49] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 261.1. [50] bka’ brgyad, BDRC WA1KG12075 [51] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~261.5–262.3. [52] bla brang bkra shis sgo mngas, BDRC G1802 ; gsang khog; dngul rwa lha de, BDRC G3227 [53] rdo rdzong; gnyen po g.yu rtse [54] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 268.2. [55] dmar rgyan khrom skyid [56] khams kyi tsA ri Ta, BDRC G2CN11110 [57] g.yu rtse’i mtsho [58] rgyal rong, BDRC G1272 [59] tsha kha rgyal bkra shis thang [60] The insertion, which gives the instrumental, is ye shes rdo rje 2009, 270.1–270.2. Chödar’s text begins on 270.4 [61] rog bza’ bsod nams dpal dge, 1800–1884, BDRC P2JM289 . For a praise of Rogza Sönam Palge see Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpai Nyima, “In Praise of Sönam Palge,” trans. Adam Pearcey, Lotsawa House, 2020. [62] ’brong rdzong [63] yul bzhi pad+ma seng ge [64] Dak+ki sa ’dzin chen mo [65] Dak+ki pad+ma ’bum sde [66] ’drong rdzong sar wa ha’i ri khrod, BDRC G1PD76601 [67] mkha’ dbying sgrol ma, 1823–1854, BDRC P1PD76599 ; ye shes mtsho rgyal, BDRC P7695 [68] ’dzir kha; ’dzam thang rdzong, BDRC G2336 [69] rdza chu kha, BDRC G2301 [70] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 274.5. [71] ’jigs byang [72] ’dzir ka na mda’ [73] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 281.4. [74] Approach and accomplishment pertain to the four stages of a creation stage practice: (1) approach, (2) close approach, (3) accomplishment, and (4) great accomplishment. [75] rma yul pad+ma ri mtho, BDRC G1PD76604 [76] gling lha; ma gcig grub pa’i rgyal mo, BDRC P4CZ15370 ; mkha’ ’gro ma rgod lcam dkar mo [77] gling ge sar, BDRC T248 [78] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 282.1. [79] seng ’u’i sgom khang khra mo [80] For a brief glimpse into bla zog, see Berounský “Tibetan Purificatory Sel Rituals,” 37. [81] bla ma pad+ma seng ge; ’om ’go; klong chen snying thig; BDRC WA7478 [82] phun tshog rdzong [83] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 284.1. [84] a ba to ta ro stag skyab; nag nyo bla ma bzod pa [85] The interpolation within the parenthesis is extant in Chödar’s text. [86] rdo grub ’jigs med ’phrin las ’od zer 02 shes rab me ’bar, 1829–1842, BDRC P1PD76603 [87] rig pa’i ral gri, 1830–1896, BDRC P7933 ; Jigme Lingpa’s son, Jigme Dechen (’jigs med bde chen) also known as Jigme Nyingche Özer/Wangpo (’jings med nyin byed ’od zer/dbang po), was the Fourth Drigung Chungtsang Tenzin Chökyi Gyaltsen (’bri gung chung tsang 04 bstan ’dzin chos kyi rgyal mtshan, 1793–1826, BDRC P2233 ). His father never formally recognized his paternity. For more information on this see: Sørensen, “Rulers of the Celestial Plain,” 734. [88] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 284.3. [89] rgyal po tshe dbang lhun grub [90] Abhirati (mngon par bga’) is the eastern buddha field of the five buddha families. Belonging to Akṣobhya, it is the realm of the vajra family. [91] khro kyabs nang so nam mkha’ lhun grub; kaH gong seng ge yangs rdzong; We are emending kaHgong seng ge yangs rdzong to ka ke’u seng ge yongs rdzongs as found in ye shes rdo rje 2009. [92] nang so rin po che [93] rma stod rdzong, BDRC G1755 [94] dge bshes rgyal sa; Thub bstan chos dar 2008 and ye shes rdo rje 2009 both spell it as dge bshes. But this kingdom is also known as Geshitsa (dge shis tsa). See Tuttle, “An Introduction to Gyelrong.” [95] lcags la, BDRC G1489 ; yu thang/’gu thang, BDRC G1PD76606 ; the document uses both yu thang and ’gu thang; however, we are using Yutang in all instances for the sake of the reader. [96] The biographies do not expressly state if he is pertaining to the Lhagang area (lha sgang ring mo, BDRC G1100 ) or to its Lhagang Monastery (lha sgang dgon pa, BDRC G3791 ). bzhag bra gangs dkar [97] dar rtse mdo, BDRC G2308 [98] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 286.1. [99] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~286.1–286.3. [100] dar rtse mdo, BDRC G2308 [101] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 286.4. [102] ri khud sprul pa’i sku [103] ma gcig lab kyi sgron ma, 1055–1149, BDRC P3312 [104] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~287.4–292.1 [105] chos rgyal srong btsan sgam po, 617–650, BDRC P8067 [106] pad+ma ’byung gnas, BDRC P4956 [107] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 293.1. [108] rgya bza’ kon jo, 623–680, BDRC P8116 [109] blon po mgar stong btsan, BDRC P8117 [110] ’bar ma spyang gdong ma’i te se [111] gser bye thang; rta’u yul BDRC G2298 [112] ma hA skyid lung dgon, BDRC G353 [113] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 296.3. [114] has po ri, BDRC G3CN278 [115] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 297.3. [116] g.yi khog [117] lcags rkang sde cha sprul sku [118] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 298.1. [119] bzhag bra lha rtse, BDRC G3500 [120] rdzogs chen mkha’ ’gro’i yang tig chen mo [121] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 298.4. [122] nye gnas ’od gsal snying po [123] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~298.5–302.3. [124] pa waM/dpa’ dbang [125] sman pa ri khrod [126] g.yu mtsho [127] dpal ris dgon pa, BDRC G3786 [128] la’u thang dgon pa, BDRC G4110 [129] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 310.2. [130] rgyal mo dmu rdo, BDRC G3184 [131] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~310.4–313.5 [132] gter ston nyi zla snying po [133] hor brag ’go rdzong, BDRC G2299 [134] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 316.1. [135] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~316.2–316.3. [136] pad+ma mkha’ ’gro’i thugs thig skor [137] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 317.2. [138] khro kyabs dmu khri dpal legs rgyal sa [139] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 322.4. [140] lcang skya [141] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 323.5. [142] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 324.1 . [143] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 324.3. [144] gser thang; rdo grub chen 02 ’jigs med phun tshogs ’byung gnas, 1824/25–1860/63, BDRC P2561 [145] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~324.5–339.1. [146] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 339.5. [147] Oṃ vākyeda namaḥ is the heart mantra of Mañjuśrī. [148] rgyal po sngags ’chang dam pa [149] See Losal Drölma. zhabs brtan drang srong bden tshig. [150] Chödar’s text initiates the quote at ye shes rdo rje 2009, 342.1. However, we have inserted the instrumental clause from 341.5 in brackets. [151] rig pa’i ye shes [152] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~343.2–343.4. [153] Chödar notes on p. 206: “The above supplication prayer for long life still exists today.” [154] mdo dri med grags pa, 1846–1886, BDRC P8006 [155] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 347.4. [156] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~347.5–348.3. [157] gar nang jo sgang ri khrod, BDRC G3787 [158] a sga [159] Should you wish to read about Senge Monastery in Minyak (mi nyag seng ge dgon), see reb gong pa ʼjigs med bsam grub, ed. mi nyag seng ge dgon (dar mdo rdzong). [160] kar+ma pa 02 karma pak+Shi, 1204/1206–1283, BDRC P1487 [161] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 358.1. [162] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 365.4 [163] shar drong khog [164] khog tha seng tshang dgon [165] dpal legs [166] chos rgyal tshe dbang nam mkha’; Khaying Drölma (sras mo mkha’ dbyings sgrol ma, 1823–1854, BDRC P1PD76599 ) married King Tsewang Rabten of Trokyab. [167] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 366.2. [168] mtsho tor [169] rnam rgyal steng dgon, BDRC G1KR89 [170] tshe brten gling [171] kaH mchog dgon pa, BDRC G1KR84 [172] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 376.5. [173] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 377.2. [174] ka ke’u tshang [175] Emending tsa+tsha to sA tsa+tsha [176] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 379.3. [177] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 382.3 [178] zhi khro ngan song sbyong ba, BDRC WA0XL4F8B7D21A1CA [179] For a description of bone purification rituals, see Tulku Thondup, “Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth,” 223. [180] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 383.2 [181] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 384.4 [182] ka mchog dgon, BDRC G1KR84 ; for a history of the monastery see BDRC MW2CZ7959 . [183] so mang mchog sprul, b. 1855, BDRC P1PD76611 ; Somang Chogtrul’s biological father was Gyalse Rigpe Raltri, but his parental father was Somang King Tsegön Rigzin (so mang rgyal po tshe mgon rig ’dzin, BDRC P1PD76613 ). [184] bsam ’grub rdzong [185] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 395.2 [186] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 398.3 [187] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~398.3–399.1. [188] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 399.5 [189] ’khrugs bskang, BDRC T339 [190] sa ma mkhar rgyal sa [191] rgyal rong khro chu, BDRC G2332 [192] sbyin bdag tA ro drung [193] khro chu bde chen dgon, BDRC G3733 [194] a wo thabs shes [195] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 401.1 [196] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~401.2–402.5. [197] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~403.2–403.5. [198] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 404.4 [199] khog srung cho sman [200] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 406.5 [201] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~408.2–408.5. [202] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 414.3 [203] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 430.2 [204] khro skyabs rgyal po tshe dbang rab brtan, BDRC P1PD76602 [205] dam pa; rgyal nag; nor bu gling [206] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 415.1 [207] yang legs [208] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 417.5 [209] dpon ngag dbang [210] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 419.1 [211] Chödar’s referred witness is unavailable to the translators. But the page number noted in the translation, 259, is mistaken and not emended. ye shes rdo rje 2009, 429.5 [212] rnga khog, BDRC G1196 [213] ka stod [214] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~430.3. [215] ye shes rdo rje 2009, 343.1 [216] The text omits ye shes rdo rje 2009, ~434.2–434.3. [217] mkha ’gro’i rdzong chen [218] mdo zla gsal dbang mo, 1928–2018, BDRC P1GS60402 [219] gar nang kar mdza’ ri khrod, BDRC G3787 [220] smin zla Published: September 2022 Edited: December 2023 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . Sponsored by the Khyentse Foundation Ashoka Grant BIBLIOGRAPHY thub bstan chos dar. DAk+ki blo gsal sgrol ma’i rnam thar. In mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje’i gdung rgyud rim byon gyi rnam thar gsal baʼi me long, 191–271. pe cin: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2008. BDRC W1KG987 . SECONDARY SOURCES: Anon. mkhyen brtse he ru ka’i gsang ba’i rnam thar grub rtags ston tshul ’thor bsdus. In dro bo bla mas nyar tshags mdzad pa’i dpe rnying dpe dkon, vol. 20, 139–254. BDRC W4PD971 . Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpai Nyima, “In Praise of Sönam Palge.” Translated by Adam Pearcey. Lotsawa House. 2020. https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/dodrupchen-III/sonam-palge-praise . Losal Drölma. zhabs brtan drang srong bden tshig. In gter chos mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje, vol. 3, 259–62. khreng tu’u: rdzogs chen dpon slob rin po che, 2009. BDRC MW1PD89990 . mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje. rig ’dzin ’jigs med gling pa’i yang srid sngags ’chang ’ja’ lus rdo rje’i rnam thar mkha’ ’gro’i zhal lung. In mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje’i rnam thar. BDRC WA18047 . reb gong pa ʼjigs med bsam grub, ed. mi nyag seng ge dgon (dar mdo rdzong). In dkar mdzes khul gyi dgon sde so soʼi lo rgyus gsal bar bshad pa, vol. 3, 18–23. pe cin: krung goʼi bod kyi shes rig dpe skrun khang, 1995. BDRC MW19997 . thub bstan chos dar. 2008. mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje’i gdung rgyud rim byon gyi ’khrungs rabs re’u mig. In mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje’i gdung rgyud rim byon gyi rnam thar gsal ba’i me long, 449–50. pe cin: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang. BDRC W1KG987. See translation: A Chronological Timetable: Lives of Do Khyentse’s Familial Line . Sørensen, Per. Rulers of the Celestial Plain: Ecclesiastic and Secular Hegemony in Medieval Tibet, a Study of Tshal Gung-thang. Vienna: Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, 2007. Tulku Thondup. Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth: A Tibetan Buddhist Guidebook. Edited by Harold Talbott. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2005. Tuttle, Gray. “An Introduction to Gyelrong.” SHANTI Place Dictionary. University of Virginia. 2012. http://places.kmaps.virginia.edu/features/15376/descriptions/1220 . ye shes rdo rje. rig ’dzin ’jigs med gling pa’i yang srid sngags ’chang ’ja’ lus rdo rje’i rnam thar mkha’ ’gro’i zhal lung. In gter chos mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje, vol. 1, 1–468. Edited by skal bzang don grub. khreng tu’u: rdzogs chen dpon slob rin po che, 2009. BDRC MW1PD89990 . Abstract Collated, researched, and written by Tubten Chödar, The Biography of Ḍākki Losal Drölma systematizes and encapsulates the enlightened life of this female master of primordial wisdom. Being the half-sister and religious companion of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, a nineteenth-century treasure revealer, Losal Drölma was pivotal in the treasure teachings that he brought forth and became the Dharma custodian of his teachings. Not only did she travel and live in power places of Tibet, while imbibing the nectarous streams of liberating instructions, she spent a wealth of time in retreat and grew rich in experiential realization. BDRC LINK W1KG987 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Nyingma INCARNATION LINE N/A HISTORICAL PERIOD 19th Century TEACHERS The First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Özer Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje Getse Mahāpaṇḍita Gyurme Tsewang Chogdrub The Fourth Dzogchen Rinpoche, Namkhe Mingyur Dorje The First Katok Situ, Chökyi Senge The Third Shechen Rabjam, Paljor Gyatso The First Gotsa Chogtrul, Jampal Samten Gyatso The Fourth Drigung Chungtsang, Tenzin Chökyi Gyaltsen The Second Drimé Zhingkyong, Jigme Rigzin Gönpo The Second Mogtsa, Chöying Dorje TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTIONS Drigung Yangri Gar Drigung Dzongsar Drigung Til Dzogchen Monastery Tseringjong Katok Monastery Lhundrubteng Monastery Yarlung Pemakö Sarwaha Hermitage Trokyab Tugje Chenpo Pema Rito Mahā Kyilung Monastery La'utang Monastery Palri Monastery Garnang Jogang Hermitage Namgyalteng Monastery Kachok Monastery Trochu Dechen Monastery STUDENTS Do Drimé Drakpa Rigzin Paljor AUTHOR Tubten Chödar The Biography of Ḍākki Losal Drölma VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! 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A vajra song supplicating the early Dagpo Kagyu masters while expressing aspirations for realization through the luminous Mahāmudrā path. The Drop of Spring: A Spontaneous Vajra Song of Definitive Meaning That Supplicates the Great Charioteers of the Luminous Mahāmudrā A ho! Conjoining the pristine primordial wisdom free of elaborations With the youthfulness of luminous great bliss, You attained union endowed with the supreme of all aspects and bear the major and minor marks of perfect accomplishment. Great Buddha Vajradhara, I long for you from the center of my heart— Bless me to realize the unborn true nature! Vajra Queen, devourer of the three existences, with your magical illusions You bring the fortunate to a banquet of the two accomplishments And experientially reveal the naturally liberated truth of the fundamental nature. Chief of the primordial wisdom ḍākinīs, I long for you from the center of my heart— Bless me to accomplish the unchanging supreme bliss! Displaying the drop of the primordially changeless nature of reality [365] As a playful emanation of the three seats of phenomena, You bestowed the short path of the ultimate secret yoga to the fortunate. Tilopa Prajñābhadra, [ 1 ] I long for you from the center of my heart— Bless me to realize the transcendent continuum! By the marvelous chariot of eighty-two challenging deeds, You approached the lotus feet of the presiding lord, the glorious guru, And attained the precious qualities of the stages and paths in a single moment. Reverend Lord Nāropa, [ 2 ] I long for you from the center of my heart— Bless me to obtain the nectar of maturation and liberation! The flowers of the secret tantras blossom in the ocean-like multitudes of teachings and practices; By tapping them to extract the honey-like nectar of the essential pith instructions, You introduced the intelligent to the restfulness of the supreme adepts. Yogin Marpa the Translator, [ 3 ] I long for you from the center of my heart— Bless me to realize the innate primordial wisdom! Driven by the wind of an intense and genuine determination to be free, You firmly secured yourself to the boat of the true nature, inner suchness, And crossed to the other shore of the ocean of existence and peace. Mila Zhepe Dorje, [ 4 ] I long for you from the center of my heart— Bless me to reach the ultimate goal in one life! Outwardly, you are a spiritual friend of the Mahāyāna fully trained in bodhicitta; Inwardly, you are a practitioner of the Vajrayāna treading the path of maturation and liberation; Secretly, you are the crown jewel of the doctrine holders of the essential [366] profound meaning. Dharma King Da Ö Zhönu, [ 5 ] I long for you from the center of my heart— Bless me so that the two benefits are accomplished spontaneously! In short, the beacons of the aural lineage of the ultimate and swift path Introduce all beings of the Land of Snow to the light of liberation And guide all with whom they have connections to the greatly blissful city of the three kāyas. Gurus of the Dagpo Kagyu of natural liberation, I long for you from the center of my heart— Bless me to realize all that is perceived as illusory! A ho! Although I have obtained the difficult to attain, the free and well-favored precious human body, I am disheartened at the way things appear to be—momentary and impermanent. Through the realization that wherever I am born in saṃsāra is naturally suffering— Bless me with the capacity to accept or reject cause and effect! Recognizing abodes, friends, and possessions to be a play of illusion, I deeply recall the revulsion toward insignificant things, come what may. In a cave of extreme isolation, under an overhanging cliff in a pleasing environment— Bless me to strive single-pointedly in practice! To accept the Three Jewels as the foremost refuge, To train in supreme bodhicitta both in aspiration and in deed, And to utterly expel all obscurations by utilizing the four powers— Bless me to achieve these goals and to endeavor on the path of the two accumulations! In particular, the embodiment of all the victors of the three times, The bodily display of [367] omniscient primordial wisdom, The presiding lord, the glorious guru possessing the three-fold kindness— Bless me to perfect uncontrived devotion! By the guru’s power, the empowerment that transfers vajra wisdom Purifies the three doors equally of all habitual tendencies of transference, [ 6 ] And one directly perceives the ultimate and unchanging, true fundamental nature— Bless me to liberate saṃsāra and nirvāṇa into the central channel! The form, arisen from the essence that is the same as emptiness, Perceiving it as the union of appearance and emptiness, the body of the deity, Firmly binds common delusory concepts— Bless me to cultivate the excellent path of the creation stage! By being saturated with the nectar of the three kinds of training, I have accomplished the union of all winds that enter, abide, and arise, And become familiar with the outer, inner, and secret yoga of inner heat— Bless me in my blazing, dripping, and dissolving in the central channel! [ 7 ] Resting in the actual primordial wisdom of near attainment during equipoise And perceiving all things as the eight similes of illusion [ 8 ] during subsequent cognition Familiarizes one with the illusory clarity-emptiness, pure and devoid of clinging— Bless me to accomplish the level of union! Having entered the luminosity of supreme bliss through complete or subsequent dissolution And conjoined it [368] with the essence of the four empties in an experience of equality, Everything is liberated into the space of the vajra mind of perfect accomplishment— Bless me to dissolve into the dharmakāya of death! Holding the wind and mind inseparably in the drop of the throat And viewing daytime appearances as only the entering and emerging of dreams, Conjoin one with the practice that recognizes derivative delusion for what it is— Bless me to master purification, multiplication, emanation, and transformation! [ 9 ] Familiarizing myself with the view that sees all phenomena as the unreal appearances of the intermediate state, The direct cause of being able to see those appearances as deity, mantra, and dharmakāya Merges the intermediate state with the level of the saṃbhogakāya— Bless me to achieve the supreme attainment! Although the ultimate is beyond elaborate characteristics, such as coming and going, Conventionally, by relying upon a messenger of yogic breath practice, The wind, mind, and drop are ejected into the space of the dhūti [ 10 ] — Bless me to attain the unerring Khecara ! [ 11 ] The meditative absorption of calm-abiding abandons all coarse and subtle concepts. When magnificently perfected, it is like a placid ocean. By embracing it with the insight of the inexpressible and self-arisen true nature— Bless me to realize their inseparable union! One-pointedness is remaining in a state of clarity-emptiness in the yoga of visionary experiences. Freedom from elaborations is realizing the original fundamental nature upon the path of seeing. One taste is being free from abandoning, adopting, denying, and affirming— Bless me to secure these along with the fourth, the stronghold of non-meditation! Through familiarizing myself with primordially innate, unchanging great bliss— The indivisible E and VAM, the drop of spring— And by introducing the indicative wisdom as the uncovered, true primordial wisdom— Bless me to perceive the definitive meaning of Mahāmudrā! Accordingly, by relying upon the vajra yogas of the swift path And maintaining my commitments and vows in a faultless form During the experiences of this life, at the time of death, and in the intermediate state— Bless me to achieve the level of the three kāyas! If the power of karma causes me to enter existence, Bless me to be born into the sharp-witted Vajrayāna family, And with songs intoxicated with the nectar of maturation and liberation— Bless me to proceed to the cities of accomplishment! In this way, with resolute respect, a supplicating song of the definitive meaning Was sung with a lotus-like and pleasing voice that is free of attachment On the twenty-fifth day during the waning phase when the heroes and ḍākinīs assembled To make an aspiration prayer to realize transcendent luminosity. COLOPHON This supplication to the great masters who attained accomplishment through the path of the luminous Mahāmudrā in conjunction with aspirational prayers of the profound path was freely composed by the renunciate beggar called Tsuglak Mawé Nyima [ 12 ] on the twenty-fifth day under the light of a butter lamp near the glorious Taklung Monastery. [ 13 ] Siddhirastu! [ 14 ] NOTES The Drop of Spring is a vajra song that invokes the Dagpo Kagyu Mahāmudrā lineage, recounts a brief tale of each of this tradition’s earliest masters, and requests inspiration to complete the path of awakening. According to the colophon, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo composed this text spontaneously while seated near a butter lamp just outside Taklung Monastery. The song is divided into two main sections: lineage supplications and aspirations. The lineage supplicated is comprised of the earliest Mahāmudrā masters of the Dagpo Kagyu. Each stanza contains a vignette of a master, followed by Khyentse Wangpo’s heart-filled request for that master’s blessing. The aspirations begin with the four thoughts that turn the mind to the Buddhist teachings: precious human birth, impermanence, suffering, and causality. Toward the end of the aspirations, Khyentse Wangpo sings about the foundations of the Vajrayāna path and the special practices of Mahāmudrā. [1] te lo pa, 988–1069, BDRC P4024 [2] nA ro pa, 1012/1016–1100, BDRC P3085 [3] mar pa lo tsA ba chos kyi blo gros, 1012?–1097, BDRC P2636 [4] Milarepa (mi la bzhad pa’i rdo rje, 1040–1123, BDRC P1853 ) [5] Gampopa (dwags po zla ’od gzhon nu, 1079–1153, BDRC P1844 ) [6] “Habitual tendencies of transference” has a range of meaning but generally refers to the “transference of the elements during union.” For an extensive explanation, see Padmasambhava, The Light of Wisdom , Vol. 2, 281, n. 204. [7] The “yoga of inner heat” is a reference to tummo ( gtum mo ) practice. [8] The “eight similes” are that phenomena are like: (1) a dream, (2) an illusion, (3) an optical illusion, (4) a mirage, (5) a reflection of the moon in water, (6) an echo, (7) the City of the Gandharvas, and (8) a phantom. For more detail, see The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism , entry on the “Eight Similes of Illusion” in the “List of Lists,” 73. [9] This stanza alludes to the practice of dream-state illusion, a subset of the illusory-body practice of the Six Yogas. During this method, the practitioner enacts specific processes to recognize appearances have the exact nature of dreams, identify dream phenomena, stabilize the clarity of dream states, and manipulate these experiences. The final line of “purification, multiplication, emanation, and transformation” succinctly points to such skillful means. For a detailed explanation and secondary reading, see Jamgön Kongtrul, The Elements of Tantric Practice , 163 and 345, n. 51. [10] The Sanskrit term dhūti refers to the central channel. [11] Khecara ( mkha’ spyod ) is first and foremost a highly purified experience connected with spiritual accomplishments ( dngos grub , siddhi ) in Buddhist tantra. It is a manifestation in which one’s realization is a completely pure realm. Endowed with eight qualities, such as subtly of form, the higher classification of Khecara is an utterly pure realm where one can further train on the path. Associated with the realm of form, the god realm, and the human realm, this lesser state can be reached through meditative abilities or by yakṣī or siddha guides. For further reading on the topic, see Jamgön Kongtrul, Journey and Goal , 346–348. [12] Academic Nyima, or Tsuglak Mawé Nyima (gtsug lag smra ba’i nyi ma), is one of the pen names of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (’jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse’i dbang po, 1820–1892), BDRC P258 . [13] Taklung Gönchen (stag lung dgon chen, BDRC G67 ) [14] "Let there be success!" Published: April 2022 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . Originally published for Khyentse Vision Project Photo credit: Himalayan Art Resources BIBLIOGRAPHY mkhyen brtse'i dbang po. 2014. ’od gsal phyag rgya chen po’i shing rta chen po rnams la gsol ba ’debs pa’i rdo rje’i thol glu nges don dpyid kyi thig le. In gsung ’bum/_mkhyen brtse’i dbang po, vol. 22 (za), 364.3–369.6. khams sde dge rdzong sar dgon: rdzong sar blo gros phun tshogs. BDRC W3PD1002 ———. 2013. ’od gsal phyag rgya chen po’i shing rta chen po rnams la gsol ba ’debs pa’i rdo rje’i thol glu nges don dpyid kyi thig le. In mkhyen brtse'i bka' babs, vol. 2 (kha) 167.1–174.3. dkar mdzes bod rigs rang skyong khul sde dge rdzong: rdzong sar khams bye’i slob gling. BDRC MW4PD2082 Secondary: Buswell Jr, Robert E. and Donald S. Lopez Jr, eds. The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism . Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2014. Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé. Journey and Goal: An Analysis of the Spiritual Path and Levels to Be Traversed and the Consummate Fruition State . In The Treasury of Knowledge, Books Nine and Ten . Translated by Kalu Rinpoché Translation Group. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications, 2011. ———. The Elements of Tantric Practice: A General Exposition of the Process of Meditation in the Indestructible Way of Secret Mantra . In The Treasury of Knowledge, Book Eight, Part Three . Translated by Kalu Rinpoché Translation Group. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications, 2008. Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche. Gateway to Knowledge: The Treatise Entitled the Gate for Entering the Way of a Paṇḍita, Vol. III . Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 2002. Padmasambhava and Jamgön Kongtrül. The Light of Wisdom, Vol. 2 . Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1999 Abstract The Drop of Spring inspires us by supplicating the early Dagpo Kagyu lineage and making aspirational prayers on the path of the luminous Mahāmudrā. BDRC LINK W3PD1002 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 10:15 TRADITION Sakya Nyingma Marpa Kagyu INCARNATION LINE Dzogchen Khyentse Dzongsar Khyentse Beru Khyentse Dilgo Khyentse Pagchok Khyentse PREVIOUS & SUBSEQUENT INCARNATIONS Jigme Lingpa The Forty-Fourth Ngor Khenchen, Jampa Namkha Chimé Subsequent Incarnations Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Karma Jamyang Khyentse Özer Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Peljor The Third Dzongsar Khyentse, Khyentse Norbu The First Dzogchen Khyentse, Guru Tsewang HISTORICAL PERIOD 19th Century TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf STUDENTS Jampa Tenzin Khamnyön Dharma Senge Khenchen Tashi Özer The Fourth Zhechen Gyaltsab, Gyurme Pema Namgyal Mipam Gyatso Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye Ngorpa Pönlob Loter Wangpo Dongkam Tulku, Ngawang Damchö Gyatso The Fifteenth Karmapa, Khakhyab Dorje Śākya Śrī The Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang, Tubten Chökyi Dorje Gatön Ngawang Legpa Karma Ngedön Tengye Tashi Rinchen Orgyen Tenzin Norbu The Second Dzaka Chogtrul Kunzang Namgyal The First Adzom Drugpa, Drodul Pawo Dorje Khenchen Tubten Gyaltsen Özer Jamyang Sherab Chökyi Nangwa The First Gyatrul, Dongak Tenzin Rigzin Gargyi Wangchuk Khenchen Tsewang Rigzin Tubten Legshe Zangpo Kunga Jampal Drakpa The Eighth Dzamtang Chöje, Mipam Chökyi Jampa Jamyang Dragpa Pema Tegchok Loden The Fifth Zhechen Rabjam, Pema Tegchok Tenpe Gyaltsen Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpe Gyaltsen Ayu Khandro Dorje Paldrön Minyak Kunzang Sönam Kunzang Gyurme Palden Chimé Takpe Dorje Chokgyur Lingpa Kunga Palden The Sixty-Fifth Ngor Khenchen, Dampa Rinpoche Ngawang Lodrö Zhenpen Nyingpo Ngawang Nyima Könchok Paldrön Ngawang Jampal Rinchen INSTITUTIONS Mindröling Ngor Ewaṃ Chöden Dzongsar Dzongshö Rongme Karmo Taktsang Khawa Karpo Pema Shelpuk TEACHERS Gelong Tubten Dröltön Jamyang Chögyan Kagyu Trinle Wangchuk The Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang, Mingyur Namkhe Dorje Könchok Tenpa Rabgye Yeshe Döndrub Tenpe Gyaltsen Gyurme Tutob Namgyal Chokgyur Lingpa Gyelse Zhenpen Taye Özer Pema Dudul Wangchuk Dorje Rinchen Zhalu Losal Tenkyong The Fourth Zimok, Jampa Tenzin Nyendrak Minling Jetsun Trinle Chödrön The Eighth Chagzam, Khyenrab Tutob Kachen Lobzang Gelek Khenpo Damchö Özer The Forty-Seventh Ngor Khenchen, Jampa Kunga Tenzin The Second Mogtsa, Chöying Dorje Khengen Rigzin Gyatso The First Gyatrul, Dongak Tenzin Pema Vajra Taklung Trirab Ngawang Tenpe Nyima Sakya Yabje Kunga Rinchen Jigme Gyalwe Nyugu Ngawang Namgyal AUTHOR Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo The Drop of Spring: A Spontaneous Vajra Song of Definitive Meaning That Supplicates the Great Charioteers of the Luminous Mahāmudrā VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

A mysterious letter from the Ninth Paṇchen Lama's secretary to Hotoktu Rinpoche, now preserved in a French private collection - its acquisition history remains unknown. A Letter to Hotoktu Rinpoche I offer this at the feet of the incomparable glorious protector of the doctrine and beings, the venerable lord and excellent being, Hotoktu Rinpoche. [ 1 ] In these exceedingly virtuous times, I [hope] your supreme body, the singular eddy flowing from the pure conduct of your primordial and immense resolve to attain enlightenment and the source of precious jewels, is entirely brilliant. Moreover, the garland of your incomparable, marvellous deeds brings about the benefit and welfare of the teachings and beings in an all-pervasive manner, as if it is rising to the summit of existence. We are grateful for your loving care! I am also well, both mentally and physically. We humbly request that the precious emanation of the supreme protector, [the Paṇchen Lama], take up all the lifestyles of previous reincarnations and diligently engage in studying and conducting deeds beneficial for religious and secular matters. The main point of this letter is connected with an enquiry made by the head personal attendant Nomin Han . [ 2 ] Here, we have made good preparations for the long-life offering to the refuge protectors, victorious lords, father and son (the Paṇchen Lama and the Dalai Lama) and to serve and venerate the sangha. However, it has not been possible to obtain permission to do this in the last three years. Hence, [the Panchen Lama], like a thirsty person desires water, very much wishes to visit you. However, in addition to his old age, recently, from the beginning of the second month, he has developed an illness that is combined with phlegm, blood pressure, and bo disease. [ 3 ] It is increasingly worsening. Not only that, but the divination that was conducted last year indicated that the obstacles of his sixty-second year would be significant. This divination also indicated that there would be a slightly greater obstacle on the way. Subsequently, we do not have the hope that he will recover for a while or for you both to come together. At this time, the treasurer, master, and servants were specially delegated to offer gifts without delay to everyone, especially the government, in reciprocity with the gifts received. Apart from that, we have no choice but to take leave for a few years until his health is completely restored. Also, as the head personal attendant himself has [already] sent a separate detailed letter requesting permission to serve you, the Excellent Protector, when you come to Tibet, if you are definitely going to come, I hope his request will be answered with a positive result. Please keep us informed of your visit and, as per your wishes, we can choose and appoint suitable and new personal attendants. Please keep [these words] in the deep expanse of your mind. In the future, for the excellent benefit of the doctrine and beings, please spontaneously establish your precious feet in the everlasting nature. Moreover, may your enlightened resolve and beneficial activities be even better than before, and from that state, may you also keep your compassionate deeds uninterrupted like the Ganges river. I send this request and my regards along with a pair of ceremonial scarfs. [ 4 ] Sent on an auspicious date. COLOPHON None NOTES [1] If the letter is from the secretary of the Ninth Paṇchen Lama, then Hotoktu Rinpoche is khal kha rje btsun dam pa 08 ngag dbang blo bzang chos kyi nyi ma, or rje btsun dam pa ho thog thu rin po che, 1870/1871–1923/1924, BDRC P4945 [2] byabs khrus mkhan po no min han [3] 'bo nad [4] lha rdzas Photo Credit: Wikipedia Published: September 2021 BIBLIOGRAPHY paN chen bla ma 09 thub bstan chos kyi nyi ma (purported). Date unknown. Private Collection. London: Tib Shelf W003 Abstract This letter is purportedly from the secretary of the Ninth Paṇchen Lama to Hotoktu Rinpoche. It was purchased and is now conserved in a private collection in France. The means of the initial acquisition is unknown. We are happy to receive any information concerning this letter. TIB SHELF W003 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 03:35 TRADITION Geluk INCARNATION LINE Paṇchen Lama HISTORICAL PERIOD 19th Century 20th Century TEACHERS The Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso Ngawang Tsültrim Dönden Tenzin Wanggyal TRANSLATORS Rachael Griffiths Tib Shelf INSTITUTION Tashilhünpo Monastery STUDENTS Pema Chok Palsangpo The Fifth Jamyang Shepa, Lobsang Jamyang Yeshé Tenpé Gyaltsen Jigme Trinle Gyatso Lobsang Lungtok Jikmé Tenpé Gyaltsen Ngawang Tsültrim Dönden Jigme Tenpé Gyaltsen The Fifth Maṇipa, Lobsang Chöpel Gyatso AUTHORS The Secretary of The Ninth Paṇchen Lama Tubten Chökyi Nyima A Letter to Hotoktu Rinpoche VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

Treasure revealer and Rimé master Khyungtrul Pema Trinle Gyatso's life story draws from his autobiography and oral accounts, revealing his significant impact on nineteenth-century Kham Buddhism. The Biography of Khyungtrul Pema Trinle Gyatso Khyungtrul Pema Trinle Gyatso, [ 1 ] commonly known as Khyungtrul Rinpoche, was born nearby the shaded side of the [Kyangtang Khampa] Mountain [ 2 ] in the Evaṃ Valley of Drongpa Meshung, [ 3 ] Nangchen, Kham in 1886, the Fire, Dog year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was named Mipam Tsöndru of the Jo [clan] and his mother Adroza Deden Tso. [ 4 ] His father was a direct disciple of Drubchen Ngawang Tsoknyi [ 5 ] the mantra holder, who attained accomplishment through the practice of Palden Lhamo Dusölma . [ 6 ] Shortly after his birth, Khyungtrul met the Fifteenth Karmapa, Khakyab Dorje, [ 7 ] who performed the hair-cutting ceremony. Furthermore, he accepted the Three Jewels, received the vows of a lay disciple, [ 8 ] and was given the name Karma Gyatso. The Karmapa described how the child was a reincarnation of a great being and made a prediction that the boy was undoubtedly going to be a person who would benefit sentient beings and teachings in the times yet to come. At the age of five, his parents took him on a pilgrimage to meet lamas in eastern Kham. In Degé he met and received teachings from Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, [ 9 ] who was at that time performing his last religious activity at Dzongsar Monastery [ 10 ] before passing into peace. He also received many important teachings, such as empowerments, transmissions, and instructions, from Jamgön Kongtrul Rinpoche at Palpung Monastery [ 11 ] in Degé. After a successful pilgrimage to all the monasteries and sacred sites in the Degé, Kham, Khyungtrul returned home with his parents. His father took responsibility for his own father’s monastery, Druk Heru Monastery, [ 12 ] [which comes under the management of Trulshik Monastery, [ 13 ] the main Drukpa Kagyu seat in Nangchen]. Later, due to his realization in the practice of Palden Lhamo Dusölma , his father was appointed as the lama of the protector’s temple at Trulshik Monastery. Khyungtrul spent the next couple of years at Trulshik Monastery with his parents. During his time at Trulshik Monastery, even though he was very young, there were several marvelous signs that occurred, such as possessing a symbolically scripted inventory of treasures, indiscriminately extracting a variety of treasure-like substances, and receiving prophecies of the ḍākinīs. However, his father kept them secret and forbade revealing them [to the public], stating that they were insignificant. [Unfortunately], his father passed away when he was just seventeen years old, and he performed the funeral rites in a proper manner. Until he was nineteen, Khyungtrul spent most of his time at his personal Heru Monastery in addition to Trülshik Monastery where he received empowerments and instructions from Satrul Rigzin Chögyal [ 14 ] and other Drukpa Kagyu masters. He diligently trained in the rituals of his tradition, the Drukpa Kagyu. At the age of nineteen, Khyungtrul once again went back to Degé, Kham where he entered Dzogchen Monastery. [ 15 ] There he took full ordination from the Fifth Dzogtrul Tubten Chökyi Dorje [ 16 ] and received the name Tubten Chöpal Gyatso. From Gyalse Jampa Taye, Tubten Chökyi Nangwa, [ 17 ] and others, he received oral transmission of the Kangyur (Translated Words of the Buddha) and such teachings as the Bodhicaryāvatāra ( A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life ) and Kunsang Lame Shalung ( The Words of My Perfect Teacher ), achieving a great understanding of the Mahāyāna. He later went to Palpung Monastery, where under the care and tutelage of Khenchen Tashi Öser [ 18 ] the lord of the extraordinary family, he received bodhisattva vows in accordance with the tradition of Śāntideva the heir of the victors and was named Jamyang Lodrö Gyatso. With Lord Khenchen Tashi Öser, he studied all the sūtra and tantra teachings and received empowerments and instructions. Khenchen identified him outwardly as an embodiment of Gyalwang Dechen Dorje, inwardly as an embodiment of Taksham Nuden Dorje, and secretly as an embodiment of Longchen Rabjam. [ 19 ] Khyungrul also received and studied the sūtras and tantras along with the fields of knowledge from Katok Khen Tubten Gyaltsen, Jamgön Mipam Namgyal Gyatso, Khenpo Shenga, Nesar Karma Tashi Chöphel (one of the three chief disciples of Jamgön Kongtrul), Gyarong Tokden, Choktrul Pema Dechen Sangpo, Jamyang Tashi Rinchen, Katok Situ Chökyi Gyatso, Chokling Terse Tsewang Norbu, [ 20 ] and many other non-sectarian masters. Though this Lord was not said to be an emanation of any particular lama, he was called Khyungtrul because there was nobody who could rival his innate wisdom when he was studying and contemplating. Since everyone was discussing that he was an emanation of an excellent, superior being, he was considered an emanation. In those days the political relationship between Degé and Nangchen was not so friendly. So, for the safety of Khyungtrül, when anyone asked Khenchen about where the emanation was from, he would answer, “The emanation’s place of origin is Khyungpo.” [ 21 ] As a result, being called Khyungtrul in addition to his real name, Pema Trinlé Gyatso, he became widely known as Khyungtrul Pema Trinlé Gyatso. At the age of twenty-five, he began the traditional three-year retreat at the Samten Chöling retreat center of Palpung Tubten Chökhorling Monastery, [ 22 ] during which Karma Tashi Öser the extraordinary lord of the family [ 23 ] and Karma Tonglam [ 24 ] [shared the role of retreat master]. Khyungtrul completely mastered Mahāmudrā, the six yogas of Nāropa, and all other essential Kagyu practices during the retreat. His spiritual practices were so impressive that he was, for a short while, appointed master of the retreat center in accordance with the lama’s command. [ 25 ] [When he turned thirty-three], [ 26 ] he led the life of a renunciant, abandoning everything and practicing meditation at various secluded places, such as Tashi Palri, [ 27 ] Pema Shelphuk, [ 28 ] and Karmo Taktsang [ 29 ] and eventually left for his homeland. On the way back home, he visited Netan Chokling Monastery Gyurme Ling, met the Second Cholking, Pema Gyurme Tekchok Tenpel, [ 30 ] and received many teachings, such as the Chokling treasure teachings, empowerments, transmissions, and instructions from him. He subsequently visited Kham Riwo Monastery, Dilyak Monastery, and Jang Tana Monastery [ 31 ] where he received a grand welcome and gave instructional teachings and maturing empowerments. After returning to his homeland, Khyungtrul stayed at Druk Vaṃlung Monastery [ 32 ] for a while and turned the wheel of the teachings for his karmically fortunate followers. Since he was a treasure revealer and particularly an accomplished practitioner of the profound secret mantra, there were requisites for him, such as relying on the mudrā of another’s body, so he took Tanaza Rigzin Drölma [ 33 ] as a consort. However, some ordinary people [from his homeland] objected and disapproved of his taking a consort and criticized him explicitly and implicitly. As a result, Khyungtrul Rinpoché decided to leave his homeland for a period to embark on a pilgrimage to U-Tsang with his secret consort Tanaza Rigzin Drölma. He remained in U-Tsang for many years, visiting various sacred sites, practicing meditation at sacred places of Guru [Rinpoche], such as Samye Chimpu, [ 34 ] and composing many treatises and songs of realization. He conducted many religious activities while in Lhasa, including giving the empowerment and transmission of the Rinchen Terdzö (The Treasury of Precious Revealed Scriptures). [ 35 ] Then he returned to his homeland, and at his Druk Heru Monastery, he expanded the assembly hall and other areas and rebuilt temples and shrines. Thereafter, it received the name Heru Ngedön Sangngak Chökhorling. He also built his residence named Changlochen [ 36 ] and the Secret Mantra Palace meditation hall and stayed there regularly. There the teachings of scholars and adepts pervaded in all directions, and he constantly turned the wheel of the teachings to unfathomable assemblies of disciples and emanations—chiefly the lamas and emanations of the non-sectarian movement. Sometimes he traveled to other regions to give empowerments and teachings. He conferred the empowerment and transmission of the Rinchen Terdzö at Netan Monastery in Chimé and Shakchö Monastery in Khyungpo, [ 37 ] the empowerment and transmission of the Damngak Dzö (The Treasury of Precious Instructions) at Tsangsar Monastery, [ 38 ] and the empowerment of the Kagyu Ngakdzö (The Treasury of Kagyu Mantras) at Rago Tsokha Monastery. [ 39 ] There were many other empowerments, transmissions, instructions that he gave at Sertsa Tashi Ling Monastery [of the Bön tradition] and Tsangsar Lakhyab Monastery. [ 40 ] He also stayed at Jang Tana Monastery, the monastic seat of Drogön Yelpa for a long time, properly supporting the Yelpa teachings. In short, he was a lama of the non-sectarian movement of the philosophies of the Sakya, Geluk, Kagyu, Nyingma, and Yungdrung Bön; all revered him as a boundless superior being. Accordingly, having accomplished the benefit of self and others, Khyungtrül Pema Trinlé Gyatso passed away at the age of sixty-three on the eighteenth day of the Month of Miracles (the first month) of Earth, Bird year, 1948, at Tana Monastery. It was exactly on that day when Drogön Sangyé Yelpa passed away. [ 41 ] When Khyungtrul passed away, there were many astonishing signs, which once again established the disciples into a place of faith. His main disciples were his son Pema Gyurme, Kongtrul Lodrö Rabpel, Tsangsar Lodrö Rinchen [of the Barom Kagyu], Tana Penpa Tulku, Tana Drubgyu Tulku, Suru Jokhyab, etc. [ 42 ] There were many other disciples with whom he had a spiritual connection, such as [the Eighth] Adeu Rinpoche Drubrik Khyuchok, the [Ninth] Benchen Sangye Nyenpa, Dilyak Dabsang, Japa Sangye Tenzin, the [Eleventh] Situ Pema Wangchuk Gyalpo, [ 43 ] the Second Chokling, and many others. He had such a great assembly of students that there were almost none of the great lamas of his time who did not have a lama-disciple relationship with him. Among the chief disciples: his son Pema Gyurme was the main lineage holder of both his family lineage and teachings. He was a sovereign of loving-kindness and compassion, a vegetarian, a realized yogin intent upon the profound meaning, a holder of the fields of knowledge, a holder of his father’s lineage of Karma Garsar calligraphy, a disseminator of his father’s empowerments, transmissions, and instructions, and a preserver of his father’s collected works. For this, I wish to express much gratitude to him. Khyungtrul Pema Trinle Gyatso’s teachings, which are contained in about four volumes, are: Secret Embodiment of the Three Kāyas: Accomplishing the Enlightened Mind of the Guru , The Ocean of the Dohās of the Early Translation Nyingma School , The Ocean of Drukpa Dohā, The Excellent Vase of Nectar from The Grand Ritual of Severance , [ 44 ] instructional manuals on the creation and completion stages, songs of spiritual experience, a large volume of mind treasure teachings, and many other texts. COLOPHON Composed by Khen Orgyen Namgyal NOTES [1] khyung sprul pad+ma phrin las rgya mtsho [2] Khyungtrul’s memoir (rang rnam) mentions e waM lung pa'i d+hU ti'i sbubs/ ri bo me ltar 'bar ba'i zhol as his birthplace. Through personal communication, a resident of Meshung said the name of ri bo me ltar 'bar ba is Kyangtang Khampa (rkyang thang kham pa). [3] Drongpa Meshung ('brong pa rme gzhung) was formally known as Sengshung (seng gzhung), the valley looking like a resting lion, located in Nangchen. [4] 'byo mi pham brtson 'grus and a gro bza' bde ldan mtsho [5] Drubchen Ngawang Tsoknyi (grub chen ngag dbang tshogs gnyis, 1828–1888) was a highly realized mantra holder and Drukpa Kagyu master born in Senge Dzong, Kham, in 1828. His father was Ugyen Gönpo and mother was Drongza Lhamo Dröl. He passed away in 1888. [6] dpal ldan lha mo dus gsol ma [7] kar ma pa 15 mkha' khyab rdo rje, 1870?–1921?, BDRC P563 [8] The vows of the lay disciple (dge bsnen gyi sdom pa, upāsakasaṃvara) consists of the five precepts (bslab pa lnga, pañcasīla): (1) Not to kill, (2) Not to steal, (3) Not to engage in sexual misconduct, (4) Not to lie, and (5) Not to use intoxicants. [9] 'jam dbyangs mkhyen btse dbang po, 1820–1892, BDRC P258 [10] rdzong sar dgon, BDRC G213 [11] 'jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha' yas, 1813–1899, BDRC P264 and dpal spungs, BDRC G36 , seat of Situ Pema Wangchuk Gyalpo and Jamgön Kongtrul [12] Druk Heru Monastery ('brug heru dgon) was initially founded by Gyalwang Dechen Dorje. [13] Trulshik Monastery ('khrul zhig dgon) is the seat of Satrul Rigzin Chögyal located in Nangchen Sharda. [14] Satrul Rigzin Chögyal (sa sprul rig 'dzin chos rgyas) was the sixth reincarnation of Satrul, born in the fifteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was a prince to Nangchen King, and his mother was a daughter to the Drongpa chieftain. [15] rdzog chen dgon pa, BDRC G16 [16] rdzogs chen grub dbang 05 thub bstan chos kyi rdo rje, 1872–1935, BDRC P701 [17] rgyal sras byams pa mtha' yas and thub bstan chos kyi snang ba [18] mkhan chen bkra shis 'od zer, 1836–1910, BDRC P1373 [19] It is said that Gyalwang Dechen Dorje (rgyal dbang bde chen rdo rje) built a hundred and eight Guru temples, including Heru Monastery and Vamlung monastery. stag sham nus ldan rdo rje, b. 1655, BDRC P663 and klong chen rab 'byams, 1308–1364, BDRC P1583 [20] kaH thog mkhan thub bstan rgyal mtshan 'od zer, b. 1862, BDRC P6048 ; 'jam mgon mi pham rnam rgyal rgya mtsho, 1846–1921, BDRC P252 ; mkhan po gzhan dga', 1871–1927, BDRC P699 ; gnas sar bkar ma bkra shis chos 'phel, BDRC P6173 (one of the three chief disciples of Jamgön Kongtrul); rgya rong rtogs ldan; mu ra sprul sku 03 pad+ma bde chen bzang po, BDRC P8693 ; 'jam dbyang bkra shis rin chen; kaH thog si tu 03 chos kyi gya mtsho, 1880–1923/1925, BDRC P706 ; mchog gling gter sras tshe dbang nor bu, BDRC P2713 , the second son of Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa [21] khyung po, a place in Kham [22] dpal spungs thub bstan chos 'khor gling gi sgrub sde bsams gtam chos gling [23] karma bkra shis 'od zer [24] karma mthong lam [25] According to the oral account, he was appointed as a retreat master for the next three-year retreat program. [26] According to the oral record, at the age of thirty-three, he left the Palpung Monastery for his homeland. [27] bkra shis dpal ri, a sacred site in Kham [28] pad+ma shel phug, BDRC G3624 [29] dkar mo stag tshang, BDRC G3625 [30] gnas brtan mchog gling 02 pad+ma 'gyur med theg mchog bstan 'phel, 1873/1874–1927, BDRC P1AG97 [31] byang rta rna dgon pa, BDRC G2628 [32] Druk Vaṃlung Monastery ('brug vaM lung dgon) was initially founded by Gyalwang Dechen Dorje in the twelfth sexagenary cycle, located in Drongpa Meshung [33] rta rna bza' rig 'dzin sgrol ma [34] bsam yas mchim phu, BDRC G3528 [35] rin chen gter mdzod [36] lcang lo can [37] Netan Monastery (gnas brtan dgon, BDRC G1AG98 ), the seat of Chokgyur Lingpa, is located in Chimé, southwest of Nangchen. Shakchö Monastery (khyung po zhag gcod dgon), is a Karma Kagyu monastery, founded by Shagchö Tashi Palzang in 1533 in Khyungpo. [38] gdam ngag mdzod; Tsangsar Monastery (tshangs sar dgon) is a Barom Kagyu Monastery and the seat of Tsangsar Lodrö Rinchen. [39] bka' brgyud sngags mdzod and ra mgo mtsho kha dgon [40] gser rtsa bkra shis gling (a Bön Monastery in Sertsa) and tsangs sar bla khyabs [41] Drogön Sangye Yelpa ('gro mgon sangs rgyas yal pa) is the founder of Yalpa Kagyu School. [42] pad+ma 'gyur med 1929–1999; kong sprul blo grus rab 'phel, 1901–1958, BDRC P1PD108567 ; tshangs sar blo gros rin chen; rta rna spen pa sprul ku; rta rna sgrub rgyud sprul sku; gzu ru jo skyabs [43] a lde'u grub rigs khyu mchog, 1930–2007, BDRC P6757 ; ban chen sangs rgyas gnyen pa 09 karma bshad sgrub btsan pa'i nyi ma 1897–1962, BDRC P934 ; dil yag zla bzang; ja pa sangs rgyas bstan 'dzin 1919–2001; ta'i si tu 11 pad+ma dbang mchog rgyal po, 1886–1952, BDRC P925 [44] Some of his teachings include gu ru'i thugs sgrub sku gsum gsang ba 'dus pa, snga 'gyur snying ma'i mgur mtsho, 'brug pa'i mgur mtsho, and gcod kyi tshogs las bdud rtsi bum bzang. Photo Credit: Heru Monastery contributed by the translator Published: July 2021 Edited: February 2022 BIBLIOGRAPHY Khen Orgyan Namgyal (mkhan o rgyan rnam rgyal). 2021. khyung sprul pad+ma phrin las rgya mtsho'i rnam thar . London: Tib Shelf W003 Abstract Khyungtrul Pema Trinle Gyatso, also known as Khyungtrul Kargyam, was not said to be a reincarnation of any particular Lama. Yet, he was a treasure revealer, a highly learned master, and undeniably an important figure in the Rimé movement of the nineteenth century in Kham. His writings comprise around four volumes which were collected and preserved by his son Pema Gyurme. Pema Gyurme’s disciple, Khen Orgyen Namgyal, composed this short biographical text, using Khyungtrul’s autobiography and the oral account. TIB SHELF W003 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Drukpa Kagyu INCARNATION LINE None HISTORICAL PERIOD 19th Century 20th Century TEACHERS The Fifteenth Karmapa, Khakyab Dorje Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye The Fifth Dzogtrul Tubten Chökyi Dorje Khenchen Tashi Öser Katok Khen Tubten Gyaltsen Öser Jamgön Mipam Namgyal Gyatso Khenpo Shenga Nesar Karma Tashi Chöphel Mura Pema Dechen Sangpo The Third Katok Situ, Chökyi Gyatso Chokling Terse Jigme Tsewang Norbu The Second Cholking, Ngedön Drubpe Dorje The BDRC Identifications have not been found for the following. Please contact us if you have any information: Satrül Rigzin Chögyal Gyalse Jampa Taye Tubten Chökyi Nangwa Gyarong Tokden Jamyang Tashi Rinchen Karma Tashi Öser Karma Tonglam TRANSLATOR Rinzin Dorjee Drongpa INSTITUTIONS Dzongsar Monastery Palpung Monastery Trulshik Monastery Dzogchen Monastery Pema Shelphuk Karmo Taktsang Netan Monastery Jang Tana Monastery Samye Chimpu The BDRC Identifications have not been found for the following. Please contact us if you have any information: Druk Heru Monastery Tashi Palri Kham Riwo Monastery Dilyak Monastery Druk Vaṃlung Monastery Shakchö Monastery Tsangsar Monastery Rago Tsokha Monastery Sertsa Tashi Ling Monastery Tsangsar Lakhyab Monastery Changlochen Residence STUDENTS Dzigar Kongtrul Lodrö Rabpel The Eighth Adeu Rinpoche Drubrik Khyuchok The Ninth Benchen Sangye Nyenpa, Karma Shedrub Tenpe Nyima The Eleventh Situ Pema Wangchuk Gyalpo The Second Cholking, Ngedön Drubpe Dorje The BDRC Identifications have not been found for the following. Please contact us if you have any information: Pema Gyurme Tsangsar Lodrö Rinchen Tana Penpa Tulku Tana Drubgyü Tulku Suru Jokhyab Dilyak Dabsang Japa Sangye Tenzin AUTHOR Khen Orgyen Namgyal The Biography of Khyungtrul Pema Trinle Gyatso VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. 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A unique genealogy of Tibet's Barchung and Ju clans tracing their Genghis Khan lineage, offering rare insights into Mongolian Buddhism during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Ruby Garland: A Genealogy of the Emperor Uhu Wang Genghis Khan Mangalam Shining with a plethora of virtues and good qualities, Endowed with an uninterrupted stream of magnificent activities, A treasury of attainments that fulfils all wishes and desires, Auspiciously protect me through the supreme refuge, the three precious jewels. Displays of the vajra come in various compassionate expressions: Primordial wisdom and radiant intelligence of knowledge and love, Like an ocean of inexhaustible auspicious glory, Oh, glorious Guru, simultaneously bestow all these upon me! By the blessings and power of Manjughosha, During the waning moon whilst atop a mountain The young prince of Brahma descended the stairway of heaven Relying upon the sky cord—a divine lineage. I will briefly pen the source of Genghis Khan’s lineage. Well then, concerning the subject that I will discuss: The great scholar Lang [ 1 ] said, “Human ancestry is derived from the gods, and a stream comes from the snowy mountains.” Accordingly, I will arrange a condensed history of the royal lineage of the Divine Ruler and Manifestation of Manjughosha, Genghis Khan (1162–1227). Additionally, I will present those who have a connection with that history. This includes the royal lineage of the Great Ming (1368–1644) [ 2 ] and the many gurus and spiritual masters born for the benefit of all sentient beings. A long time ago, a young, beautiful, and handsome son of the resplendent gods descended the nine stages of the divine mu cord. [ 3 ] He came to rest upon a mountain peak adjacent to the Five-peaked Mountain in China (Wu Tai Shan). He was (1) Borta Ching, [ 4 ] the son of gods of heaven. His son was (2) Tachi Gen, and his son was (3) Tamcha Ga. [ 5 ] According to the oral tradition of that locale, Tamcha Ga’s son, (4) Chingji Mergen, [ 6 ] has the same basis of emanation as the great teacher Padmasambhava. Even in these times, it is said that Padmasambhava resides in the southwestern [continent], subduing demons. Chingji Mergen’s son was (5) Laudza Bera Ol, and his son was (6) Sikin Dun. [ 7 ] Sikin Dun’s son was (7) Semdza Odzi, and his son was (8) Laju. [ 8 ] His son was (9) Nunmer Gen. [ 9 ] After his death, when the queen called Alankho, or Lenlun Mo'o Ma [ 10 ] was widowed. It was at this time that a ray of light descended either from the sky or the sun and moon, striking her. Bliss enveloped her and she was impregnated. Consequently, she gave birth to a son named (10) Boton Char, or Charmer Gen. [ 11 ] Charmer Gen’s son was (11) Gachi Tei Hou, and his son was (12) Bikhir. [ 12 ] His son was (13) Manto Don, and his son was (14) Gaitu Gen. [ 13 ] Gaitu Gen’s son was (15) Bai Shing, and his son was (16) Khora Togshing. [ 14 ] His son was (17) Dumbi Hai Khen, and his son was (18) Gabu Lagen. [ 15 ] Gabu Lagen’s son was (19) Barten Badur, and his son (20) Yepur Gaba Dur, [ 16 ] the twentieth of the royal genealogy. It was at this point that Emperor Genghis Khan [ 17 ] was born to Yesugei (1134–1171) and his queen Hoelun [ 18 ] in the Water Horse Year (1162). [ 19 ] His actual name was Temunjen, also known as (21) Emperor Taitsu Zhin Uhu, [ 20 ] and he was a great emperor akin to the glorious and meritorious autumn and a manifestation of Manjughosha’s Wheel of Stability. When he turned fifty-seven in the Earth Female Rabbit Year (1219), [ 21 ] he captured the Chinese Emperor Hu Wang's capital, becoming the emperor of the empire of astrological science and the great eastern land of the world—China. Hence, he brought all territories under [the Emperor of China] and most other areas under his domain. He governed the empire for twenty-three years, passing into the heavens at the age of sixty-six (1227). From that time on, China's (Mongolia) political dominion had spread and flourished more than ever. Therefore, fortified castles were built in the borderlands and in each direction to sustain this power. Subsequently, the tradition of the hereditary princes [ 22 ] governing these fortified castles was established. The eldest prince, Jochi Khan (1182–1227), was appointed as the king of Tokmok. [ 23 ] The second prince, Chagatai Khan (1183–1241), was given the rank of prince and was appointed as the ruler of the northern lands, principally Tokar, [ 24 ] belonging to the lower northern area of the Five-Peak Mountain, and all the areas to the north-east. He governed the Yerkhen Fortress [ 25 ] and was the actual ancestor of Kalkha Dondrub Wang, the Ju clan, and the six tribes of the Barchung clan, all of which are known in Tibet. [ 26 ] Chagatai Khan had five princes, of which the eldest, Abo La, [ 27 ] succeeded as regent. The second son, I Mama Huli, became the king of Kha Che (Islamic world) and resided at the Red Soil Fort. [ 28 ] The third son, Atira Maha Mari, became the king of India and resided at the Balasha Fort. [ 29 ] The fourth son, Kongkha Ratolo, became the king of Rom and resided at Domala Fort. [ 30 ] The fifth and youngest son, Temur, became the king of Oru Kho and was said to have resided at Bhuha Fort. [ 31 ] The aforementioned great Emperor Genghis Khan’s third son, Ogedei Khan (1185–1241), or (22) Emperor Taitsung Ingwen Hu, [ 32 ] ruled the empire for thirteen years. His son, Guyuk Khan (1206–1248), also known as (23) Emperor Tingtsung Stiyan Pinghu, [ 33 ] ruled the empire for six months. The fourth son of Genghis Khan was Tongkha Tolo. [ 34 ] His eldest son ruled the empire under the names of Mongke Khan (1209–1259), Emperor Shiyen Tsunghu Bansuhu, and Monggol Gengya. [ 35 ] All the Tibetan areas, including Utsang, Ngari, and upper and lower Do Kham, were gradually subdued by military forces during the [reign of] Prince Godan Khan (1206–1251), [ 36 ] Guyuk Khan, and Mongke Khan. Mongke Khan’s son, (24) Kublai Khan (1215–1294), widely known to Tibetans and Mongols as Sechen Gengyar, [ 37 ] ruled the kingdom for thirty-five years. Under his rule, the sacred doctrine spread and prospered, making significant contributions in service of the Buddhis teachings. He honoured great beings and gurus from the Sakya, Nyingma, and Kagyu orders, living until the age of eighty. Thereafter, the son of Kublai Khan [ 38 ] had already passed away. His name was Prince Bahu Wang, [ 39 ] or the Regent of Jing Gin. His son was Temur, or Emperor Chingtsung Kuwang Shio Uhu (26), [ 40 ] who became the king of Uljoi Tu, or Olja Du (Temur Khan; 1265–1307). [ 41 ] During his reign, he received the Great Unchangeable Precious Royal Seal, made of white jade and engraved with [the title] Kwi Zhiu Yungtang. [ 42 ] He ruled the empire for thirteen years. There were five or six royal generations from the time of Genghis Khan until these emperors. They conquered almost everyone on the planet: from the subjects of Khincha [ 43 ] in the north to all those in the other three directions up to the islands in the sea, including Zhison, Hpusang, and Siyang. [ 44 ] By bringing many of these under their control, their empire was twice the size of both the Han (206 BCE–220 CE) and Tang (618–907) dynasties. The empire was called the Great Yuan, or the Great Hor. [ 45 ] After some time had passed, Emperor Olja Du’s eldest brother’s son, Emperor Utsung Shan Shoihu (27), otherwise known as Emperor Khuluk or Goyuk (Kulug Khan; 1281–1311), [ 46 ] governed the empire for years. His younger brother, Emperor Ayu Parsata Zhin Shiuhu (28), or Emperor Buyantu (Ayubarwada Buyantu Khan; 1285–1320) [ 47 ] ruled for nine years. His son, Emperor Shubho Pala Yingtsung Wenshi Uhu (29), or Emperor Kokon (Gegeen Khan; 1302–1323) [ 48 ] ruled for three years. Up until him, all the previous emperors maintained the tradition of wearing the hats and attire of the Hor. However, it appears that Yingtsung changed them all to Chinese attire. Then Jing Gin’s grandson, Emperor Yisun Temur Jing Wang Titing (30), [ 49 ] ruled for five years. After him, some sources also assert that his eldest son Rakyi Pak, or Asukiba (31), [ 50 ] ruled the government for forty years. However, some sources say that after three months on the throne, Emperor Utsung’s youngest son, Tuktomur, [ 51 ] seized power from him and pretended to give it to his older brother, Emperor Kushala Mingtsung (32). [ 52 ] Although, Emperor Kushala Mingtsung also passed away after approximately eight months [of ruling]. The majority of sources say Kula Gotu, or Kushala Mingtsung, stayed on the throne for one month. In any case, it is also said that in the end, Emperor Temur Wentshung Jayatu (33) [ 53 ] ruled for five years while some other sources say three years. When he was about to die, his final testament was to appoint Mingtsung’s younger son, Rinchen Pel (34), [ 54 ] to sit on the throne. Following his final demands, Rinchen Pel was enthroned, but he died about a month later. At that time, the throne was vacant for six months, with Minister Emtamur Tashi [ 55 ] ruling the empire. The eldest son of Mingtsung, named Emperor Togan Temur Huitsung Zhunhu (35), or Emperor Uha (Toghon Temur; 1320–1370), [ 56 ] ruled for thirty-six years. After that point, he had to abdicate and leave for lower Hor. Concerning the reason for his abdication, he appeared to be a great religious scholar. However, he lacked knowledge in temporal and state matters, causing multiple disagreements and creating countless conflicts leading to an upheaval in the empire. For instance: there were twenty-three great bandit leaders and many less significant leaders who brought bouts of significant suffering to China, Hor, Mongolia, and Tibet. A short while after this, the Great Ming Emperor Taitsung [ 57 ] took the land under his dominion and pacified it, conquering the capital of China (Beijing) and becoming emperor. It is said the Mongol emperors descendent from Genghis Khan until to Togar Temur [ 58 ] occupied the capital of China for one hundred and forty-seven years, nine months, and ten days. After Genghis Khan had ruled over China, Togen Temur was the fifteenth emperor in the royal succession. From his time onwards, they only ruled their own territory, the land of the Hor. Some two hundred and sixty-six years later, the twentieth emperor, Hor Lekden Zhutok, allied with Karma Tenkyong Wangpo, [ 59 ] the regent of Tsang, Tibet. The emperor marched to Tibet in support of the Kagyu doctrine but died on the journey. It is said that this empire [of Northern Yuan] fell apart due to these unsuccessful conditions. In that way, the narrative on the royal lineage of the Great and Divine Ruler Genghis Khan of Hor is complete. Here, I will explain the lineage of the Great Ming emperors, who, like the Hor of the past, were benevolent to us, the heavenly descendants of Genghis Khan, our kings, ministers, and populace, as well as all the monks, principally the state preceptors, [ 60 ] in all possible ways. This includes bestowing appointments and being graciously protective, respectful, and resourceful. It is not easy to find this family lineage's origin, but the first ruler was Emperor Taitsung (Taizu; 1368–1398). [ 61 ] Taitsung was a monk in the Huang Kyou Zi Temple [ 62 ] during Togan Temur’s time. It was a period marked by banditry, an era where gangs robbed and ransacked. After hearing a great bandit leader arrived in the vicinity of the monastery, Taitsung’s friends fled. Finding himself in such a predicament, he thought, “If I run away, then the sacred objects will be ruined—they will set the temple ablaze and other such calamities. Even if I do not flee but stay and fight, I will surely not be able to protect them. Yet, if I do surrender, I fear I might become one of the bandits. What should I do?” Subsequently, he performed a divination in front of a [Buddhist] statue, which indicated that it would be better to surrender, so he waited for the bandit leader. In the process of surrendering, they conversed in Chinese, and the bandits realized that he was extraordinary and unlike others. Therefore, the people raised him up upon their shoulders, and he was given a great and powerful position through which he gradually accrued power. Thereafter, when the bandit leader died, Taitsung took the position as the head leader of the bandits. He continued to grow in prestige from then on, spreading his influence and bringing all his people under his power. After that, in the Male Earth Monkey Year (1368) he even conquered the capital city of the Great Hor. Since the empire’s control did not extend to the north and west, it was weaker than the time of the Hor (Yuan Dynasty). However, it was highly prestigious and not too dissimilar from the time of the Han and Tang dynasties when it came to other matters. The name of the empire was Great Ming. In general, its administration had good connections with Bon, Buddhist, and Vedic [traditions]. It also maintained a priest-patron relationship [ 63 ] with the early translation Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya. In that way, he ruled the kingdom for thirty-three years. His son Kyihun (Emperor Jianwan; 1398–1402), [ 64 ] the second royal successor, ruled for two years. His son Yewang Yung Lochenpo (Yongle Emperor; r. 1402–1424), [ 65 ] the third royal successor, paid excellent service to the Buddhist teachings, ruling the empire for twenty-two years. His son and the fourth successor, Zhinzung, [ 66 ] ruled for four years. His son and the fifth successor, Zonde, [ 67 ] ruled for eight years. His son and the sixth successor, Chi Tung, [ 68 ] ruled for thirteen years. His son and the seventh successor, Kyinta, [ 69 ] ruled for seven years. His son and the eighth successor, Tenshun, [ 70 ] ruled for eight years. Thus, it is said from the first Great Ming Emperor, Taitsung, to the last [emperor], Tenshun, [ 71 ] the Great Ming Emperors occupied the capital of China for ninety-seven human years. Apart from the first Great Ming emperor and the third [emperor called] Yewang, [ 72 ] the majority of the other emperors were too weak. It is said their reigns shortened due to such things as losing control of the eunuchs and corrupted ministers. It is also said that after Emperor Teshun, [ 73 ] there were four people: [Emperor] Utsung, the Bon favouring [Emperor] Zhitsung, the ugly [Emperor] Shontsung, and [Emperor] Krungtsun. [ 74 ] These four caused conflicts to ripen, triggering the loss of the empire to the hands of a bandit leader called Litsi Ching. [ 75 ] In the legendary narratives and writings of our ancestral chieftains, it says: “In the Water Bird Year (1633), the eighth year of the eighth successor the Great Ming Emperor Tenshun’s reign, King Taitsung Bokto conquered the capital city of China with his army. Taitsung Bokto’s actual name was Emperor Zhitsuhu and was also known as Mukton. More recently, Tibetans refer to him as Manju Sokpo Chinhwa. [ 76 ] Subsequently, the Great Ming Emperor Tenshun took control of the four cardinal borderlands of greater China where his royal descendants still reside. It is said that in two hundred years, the royal descendants will return and claim the throne of China.” Homage to Padmakara! Now, I will present the successors [and history] of our ancestors' descendants and the great ministerial state preceptors [ 77 ] connected with them. I have already discussed the succession from Genghis Khan, the Divine Ruler of Manjughosha, up to the twentieth royal descendant in the section of the history of the Hor. The twenty-first royal successor, Emperor Taitsu Zhing Puhu, [ 78 ] controlled the capital city of eastern China. The twenty-second successor is considered his son, the Second Tistsi, the Emperor Chagatai La Chinwang [ 79 ] and ruler of the Yerkhen Fortress. [ 80 ] His younger brother and fifth son of Genghis Khan, Master Sansu Tanzhin, or Dharma Lord Yonten Pel, [ 81 ] was the First Great Ministerial State Preceptor. He was a profoundly and extensively skilled victory banner of scholars and a proponent of the three baskets ( tripitaka) [of the Buddhist teachings]. He was a direct disciple of both Katok Tsangton Dorje Gyeltsen and Jampa Bum. [ 82 ] The twenty-third successor, Awola Jingwang, [ 83 ] lived a long and full life of one-hundred and seven years. His younger brother was the Second State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Yeshe Gyeltsen Pel, who received the victory banner and title of Tungshu Wanda Shai. [ 84 ] The twenty-fourth successor was Hanwang Khola Jing. [ 85 ] His elder brother was the Third State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Gelek Pel, who received the victory banner and the title of Hpozhiku Wanggi Pouda Shai, or the Radiant Sun Rays of the Victor’s Doctrine. [ 86 ] The twenty-fifth successor Tawang Negoye constructed Tau Titur Temple [ 87 ] at the Yerkhen Fortress, which was unrivalled under the sun. The temple was filled to the brim with representational objects of the enlightened body, speech, and mind. His half-brother from a different mother was the Fourth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Jinpa Pel, received the victory banner and title of Wuwan Hpapagi Youda Shi, or the Lineage Holder who Protects the Teachings. [ 88 ] The twenty-sixth successor was Sanwang Tomer. [ 89 ] His elder brother was the Fifth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Gyamtso Pel, who received the victory banner and title of Uwan Hpatou Yin Mioushi Wandai Shai, or the Lineage Holder and Courageous Lord who Disseminates the Doctrine. [ 90 ] The twenty-seventh successor was Yerkhen Dazhi Tawang. [ 91 ] His nephew was the Sixth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Jampa Pel, who received the victory banner and the title of Wuwan Hpatung Su Wanda Shai, or the Realised Lineage Holder. [ 92 ] The twenty-eighth successor was Hputai Wang Ulkebe. [ 93 ] His elder brother was the Seventh State Preceptor, Khyilwa Kunga Pel, who received the victory banner and the title of Tuwan Hputungsi Wanda Shai, or the Lineage Holder of Great Courage. [ 94 ] The twenty-ninth successor was Shrir Nadalai Wang. [ 95 ] His younger brother was the Eighth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Gyeltsen Bum, [ 96 ] who did not receive any titles. The thirtieth successor was Maga Shri Palayon Wang. [ 97 ] His elder brother was the Ninth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Jangchub Pel, who received the victory banner and title of Tuwan Hpu Shuan Ude Shai, or the Compassionate Lineage Holder. [ 98 ] The thirty-first successor was Sanwang Olgo Temu. [ 99 ] His younger brother was the Tenth State Preceptor, Purnye Shri, [ 100 ] who did not receive any titles. The thirty-second successor was Emperor Chinggin Dalai Wang Kunga Dorje, [ 101 ] and he had nine princes. The eldest prince, San Zhita Wangching, [ 102 ] was the successor to his father and controlled the Yerkhen Fortress. It is said that the current Hor Khalka Dondrub Wangchenpo is his descendant. [ 103 ] The second prince under San Zhita Wangching was the Eleventh State Preceptor, Master Zhiwa Pel, the ruler of Huwang Mei Zi'i. He received the victory banner and title of Tunghu Da Shai, or the Dharma Lord of Supreme Intellect. [ 104 ] The other six young princes were individually given golden edicts [ 105 ] and titles of lords of six large districts under the power of [Yerkhen]. These days it is said that the eighth prince Hau Puyan Tako [ 106 ] is the forefather of the Ju clan in Tibet. It later came to pass that he became the ruler of the Mong Ra Fortress. His lineage was called the Thirteen Black Spear Holding Anye Mantra Practitioners. [ 107 ] This name was bestowed since their dharma protector bears a black silk clan flag, which I will talk about in a later section. The ninth and youngest prince was acutely intelligent, exceptionally wise, highly tolerant, a prodigious orator, and a quick thinker. Even the noblest, such as the great ministers, could not compete with him. As he was King Kunga Dorje's favourite son, [ 108 ] the father kept six of the eighteen major districts for himself and gave six to his son. His father praised and bestowed upon him such items as his own imperial golden edict and golden seals from the Mongolian capital of China. The thirty-third successor was Chinggin Sanwang Gaushri Wangchuk Gyeltsen. [ 109 ] It was not known in China, Hor, nor Mongolia; however, the Barchung clan, here in Tibet, was established by him. This prince resided in the district of Ule Yerkhen Dazhi on the border of Sang Hor and Oro. [ 110 ] The thirty-fourth successor was Tiwang Yeten Toktu. [ 111 ] His elder brother was the Twelfth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Drime Pel, who received the victory banner and title of Tungshi Wan Minyi Giyou Yamida Shai, or the secret lord, the scholastic-adept of sutra and mantra. [ 112 ] During this patron-priest [relationship], the great Hor was in distress. Many greater and lesser bandit leaders began to gather, and many bandit hideouts sprang up in the lower part [of Mongolia]. Although an ocean of suffering began to overflow in the upper and lower parts [of Mongolia], we [our ancestors] could barely save our own six districts from becoming subservient to them. The Lord Togen Temur [ 113 ] also fled to the lower lands of Hor. Not long thereafter, the Great Ming Emperor Tai Tsung [ 114 ] settled in China’s capital city, bringing peace to the land. The thirty-fifth successor was the elder prince, Tale Wangtang Tirti Mangga Shri. [ 115 ] His younger brother was the Thirteenth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Taye Pel, who received the victory banner and title of Mintan Tato Yuwan Zhunthunggi Youda Shai, or the Supporter of the Victor’s Teachings—supreme unification of the oral transmission of instructions and the repository of treasure teachings of qualities. [ 116 ] From that time forward, the Great Ming emperors showed more prominent respect to Genghis Khan's royal descendants by bestowing titles, golden seals, hats signifying high rank, et cetera. The thirty-sixth successor was Ila Sikyi Wangpa Chara. [ 117 ] His elder brother was the Fourteenth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Tashi Gawai Pel, who received the victory banner and title of Lintan Date Khaisan Shiotunggi Youda Shai, or the Supporter of the Victor’s Teachings who simultaneously spreads the three trainings of oral transmission of instructions and the repository of treasure teachings of qualities. [ 118 ] During this priest and patron relationship, Chongti Dewa Temple was built in the district of Ule Yerkhen Dazhi Fortress. It was filled with unfathomable sacred objects symbolic of the enlightened body, speech, and mind, as well as a wrathful [statue] of Ashtasahasrikaprajnaparamita . Rapu Dewa Temple was built in the district of Orong. Ayur Dewa Temple was built in the district of Mala Punrar. Siu Pati DewaTemple was built in the district of Daun Tsung. Sesi Soto Dewa Temple was built in the district of Mongra Khar. On Sage Dewa Temple was built in the district of Tewo Rasi. Minyigi Dewa Temple was built in the district of Oshanwa Si. Thus, seven great temples were built in six districts as well as a fortified palace. [ 119 ] The thirty-seventh successor was Elche Wangsan Gaushri, [ 120 ] who lived for eighty-nine years. He provided unrivalled support for the Buddha's precious doctrine in the service of the Great Ming Emperor Yewang, or the Great Yunglo (Emperor Yongle; 1360–1423 CE). [ 121 ] His elder brother was the Fifteen Great State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Lachen Ozer Pelwa. [ 122 ] He received the victory banner and title of Tui Luzi Giyou Tutsun Tungdau Tungton Titan Shi'i Khing Shou Tarleu, [ 123 ] or the elder master who completely and unbiasedly ascertains the doctrine of the victors, the lord of the perfectly pure primordial wisdom of the realisation of the path, and the dharma king and great abbot endowed with immutable life. It is said that out of all the highest tantric gurus, none were more learned or had more excellent qualities than him, as the great scholar and victor Longchenpa (1308–1364) [ 124 ] had already left Tibet. The thirty-eighth successor was Tawang Tolo Gechi.[ 125 ] His younger brother was the Sixteenth State Preceptor, Rana Kotu, and was not bestowed any titles. [ 126 ] The thirty-ninth successor was Tale Wangsiwi Tanata, [ 127 ] who was a great physician. His elder brother was the Seventeenth State Preceptor and the Dharma Lord, Gyeltsen Pel, who received the victory banner and the title of Khaisan Thiokyang Thuwang Datheng Kyemin Tanshi'i, [ 128 ] or the lineage abbot of the oral transmission and treasure teachings of the precious qualities of the Mahayana and of the bodhisattva vows, the one who propagates the three excellent trainings. A younger brother of his, Tale Badur Tarwa Kyab, [ 129 ] lived in a separate household. It was said that he was not a family descendant, as he was an adopted son. The six Barchung groups spread from the descendants of Tale Badur Tarwa Kyab and his elder brother, King Tale Wangsi. [ 130 ] The actual descendants of the physician King Wangsi were the older Penkor, the middle Kyabkor, and the youngest Yagkor. These three were collectively known as the three groups of lords. [ 131 ] As for the descendants of Badur Tarwa, they were the older Jamo, the middle Taglen, and the youngest Gurshul, which made up the six groups. [ 132 ] The fortieth successor was the first prince Sanwang Tashir Ola Pen, [ 133 ] who stayed in the capital. The second prince was called Daben Tsering Kyab. The third prince was Sukini Tolo Yak. [ 134 ] The second and third lived in separate households. The fourth prince was the Eighteenth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Lekpa Pel, who received the victory banner and the title of Hputsung Hunggi Youda Shai, or the lineage protector and the disseminator of the doctrine. [ 135 ] The forty-first successor of the great Genghis Khan was Yewan Tebun Tsita Gaushri. [ 136 ] His younger brother was the Nineteenth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord, Sonam Pel, who received the victory banner and the title Sahpo Kiyopu Manda Shai, [ 137 ] or the perpetually happy one. In this period, changes ensued in the capital of China, and a huge crisis befell the empire due to the activities of the Great Ming Emperor Toshun (Emperor Chongzhen; 1627–1644). [ 138 ] A significant fragmentation occurred, as most people in the empire fled from areas such as the Hor land and the upper and lower parts of Oro, scattering to various places. Most of them escaped to the upper and lower parts of Kokonor. Some people from the Forty Oro Tsoyan group scattered to the sunny and shaded sides of the upper part of Ma. [ 139 ] The King Dwaichen and some others fled to both the sunny and shaded sides of Shardza, [ 140 ] and it was at this time that they acquired new abodes. At that time our own Great and Powerful Genghis Khan [ 141 ] (the lord of the clan) also abandoned and fled from the district of Ule Yerkhen Dazhi to the area of upper Barwon, [ 142 ] located in the upper part of Kokonor. There they acquired new land as they settled under black and white tents. The subjects of the six controlled districts and their chieftains scattered in all directions. Some became the victims of gangs of bandits and were completely annihilated, whilst others are said to have fled, wondering to any place they could find. People from the six districts and around our fort who followed the Lord’s family had three lords and nine groups of subjects. [ 143 ] In total, there were a little over three hundred households. During this time, Emperor Mugton Tangtsung Bogto, also known by some as Mongolian Manju Changha, [ 144 ] had settled in the China’s capital, leading to a terrible and tumultuous war that subsided after about twelve years. At that time, Hor Lekden [ 145 ] was unsuccessful in Tibet and returned with his two queens and two princes. Along with three thousand soldiers of the eight Chakar groups, [ 146 ] he surrendered to Emperor Bogto. It was at this time he offered the royal seal of the Precious, Immutable Swastika to Mugton Bogto. It is said that the power of this seal established the relationship in which China, Hor, Manchu, and Mongolia came under the one-state policy of the [Manchus]. The forty-second successor was Sanshri Gung Gonpo Gyel, [ 147 ] who did not have a priest. When he was middle-aged, King Bogto’s son, Emperor Dekyi (Emperor Qianlong, 1711–1799), [ 148 ] became a patron of the Geluk tradition. His great minister, Mongolian King Gaushri Tendzin Chogyel, [ 149 ] became very powerful. Subsequently, he put the Mongolian settlements, Ziling, Dranak, [ 150 ] and others all under miserable conditions. An uprising arose as he began to proceed with his army to Tibet. In the face of this, Barchung Chede Yaggyel and Yagkor Uchen Pema Wangdrak, [ 151 ] who were relatives of our chief, refused to obey the chief’s orders. They took about one hundred different families and went to the south of the Dzachu River to surrender to Hor Mazur Tsang. [ 152 ] Once again, the two brothers did not get along well, and Che Yaggyal departed with about seventy families, settling in the valley of Washul Tramtar. [ 153 ] Some leaders came from [within those two groups] back to us in need of a clan to join, as well as provisions. These are the ones residing in Shuggur [ 154 ] to this day. The Uchen Sewang group could also not settle and came to Da Valley to reside. [ 155 ] Some of them came to settle in Ser Valley. [ 156 ] It is also said that many families of the clan separated due to infighting. At that time, the leader of the unrest, San Gung [the forty-second successor], did well in negotiating with Sog Gau Shri. Due to this, no harm was done to the people and they [were even] granted some benefits. The forty-third successor was the chief of Gungru Jasak called Lord Namlha Yak. [ 157 ] His father passed away when he turned fifteen. Not long after that, Khandro Lobzang Tenkyong [ 158 ] from Upper Mongolia created conflicts between the Tibetans and Mongols, provoking large unrest. At that time, three groups, (1) Ju Nangso, (2) Sog Dewa rod, and (3) Sershul fled to upper Dza, initially settling there. [ 159 ] The Ju Nangsog are descendants of Hau Puyan Tako and share the same blood lineage as ours. They were the lords of Mongra Fort, a minor fort under [the control of] Yerkhen. [ 160 ] Then gradually (4) Tarshul, (5) Bumshul Nying, (6) Ponpo, (7) Badur, (8) Trims Zagong, (9) Gemang, (10) Mangge, (11) Chitan, and (12) Chewo were the first to come. Those who came later were, (13) Getse Gong, (14) Gegab, (15) Trom Gab, (16) Arig Za, (17) Pongyu, (18) Ase Bayan, and (19) Bum Sar. [ 161 ] Thus, there were eighteen Mongolian clans together with the Ju clans of Hor. These nineteen clans swore allegiance to the [king] of Derge. It was at that time the three groups of lords and nine groups of subjects continued through the land of Machu and settled on the shaded side of the Dar Valley [ 162 ] in Machu. Since the aforementioned Sanshri Gung Gonpo Gyel and Jasak Namlha Yak were without priests, there were no state preceptors for two generations. The eldest prince of Jasak was Orgyen Tsering, who lived separately. Jasak’s middle son was Lord Tsangsangs Tendzin. [ 163 ] The youngest son was the Twentieth State Preceptor and Dharma Lord the Excellent Guru Gyurme Tashi Gyamtso (1714–1793), also called the great scholar and adept A Tsuta Maha Pandita Maha Guru Sara. [ 164 ] In the Male Wood Horse Year, called Victorious, he was born in Chag Trang [ 165 ] situated in the lower part of the Dar Valley in the land of Ma. In the Fire Monkey Year (1716), when [Tashi Gyamtso] was three years old, most of the Tibetans and Mongols from the Gelug tradition were provoked by [the god of desire], Metok Dachen. [ 166 ] When the impudent borderland army of the Dzungar Mongols marched to Central Tibet, it is said that they passed over a small part of Upper Ma. In the Earth Dog Year (1718), they caused large scale destruction to the teachings, principally the Nyingma teachings, especially at such monasteries as Dorje Drak and Mindroling. [ 167 ] When they returned in the Earth Pig Year (1719), a large Chinese army annihilated the Dzungar troops and their leaders. Simultaneously, a great majority of other Mongolian gurus and leaders were also annihilated by the law. As a result, the area became relatively peaceful. In the Iron Mouse Year (1720), most of the nomadic settlements in Ma escaped to other places as there were hidden enemies and bandits who were pillaging. It was difficult, in particular, to distinguish and know if the travellers claiming to be Mongolian were friends or foes. Losing hope, they decided this was not a place to reside for a significant period of time. These were the chief houses of Genghis Khan. The three groups of lords together with the nine settlements of subjects which are (1) Jamo, (2) Taklen, (3) Gurshul, (4) Gyarok Beli, (5) Tsanno Behu, (6) Achok Bechang, (7) Sokpo, (8), Gotsa, and (9) Gyeza. [ 168 ] In total, around one hundred and eighty families travelled here to the south. In Derge, the Dharma King Tenpa Tsering (1678–1738) [ 169 ] had just been enthroned [in 1714], and it was a great time for the clans to meet and submit to him. The chief house was given the position of a great lord like before. Chief Orgyen Tsering and Penkor Barchung Delek Rabten of separate houses were given the position of the great managers of Derge. Kyabkor Barchung Yeshe Tseten and Yagkor Barchung Gyeltsen Bum were given the position of the interior court. Gya, Tsan, and A were given the position of ministers like before as well as excellent resources and respect following the tradition of the kingdom. [ 170 ] Thereafter, during the time of land distribution, [the king] purposely sent the general secretary Tashi Wangchuk and gave [the Barchung] the opportunity to choose from the Dzachukha area, an incomparable place. They chose all the land of Dzahu Rama, the lands from the lower Chaktak Drangkha and the upper and lower Sakuti to the plain of Dza, the lands from Dzasang Hachak Gamapu to the entire area of Hura, Margo Womporing, upper and lower Sang Trichan, the entire land of Dzagyab Mukmo, [ 171 ] and the land that belong to the families of Lake Mang can. Thus, he gave excellent and vast lands to the smallest settlements for their resources. In brief, there were twenty-two successors of the Divine Ruler Genghis Khan of the Great Hor. Beginning from the reign of the twenty-second successor King Chagatai La Chinwang, who took control of the immutable Fort Yerkhen Dazhi in the land of north-eastern Tokar, to the forty-third successor Chief Gungru Jasak called Lord Namlha Yak, who was an owner of a nomadic black-haired tent. From the time of Chagatai La Chinwang’s younger brother, the first of the Great State Preceptors Sansu Tanzhin, or the precious Dharma Lord Yonten Pel, until Namlha Yak’s younger son the [Twentieth] State Preceptor A Tsuta Maha Pandita, Gyurme Tashi Gyamtso, the Dharma Lord of the great Translated Words of the Buddha, there were twenty excellent gurus. During these years, they were exclusively the lords who maintained and disseminated the lineage of the teachings and were the disciples of the victorious dharma lords of Katok [Monastery]. They also made offerings to and relied upon the deities of The Eight Pronouncements : Yamantaka, Vajrakila, and the protector the Mahakala as their supportive deities. They engaged exclusively in the root of all teachings called the Nyingma—the profound path of the secret Vajrayana [tradition] of the great and secret Early Translations, the tradition of the victorious Lake-Born, [ 172 ] who is the immortal and universal embodiment of all the victorious ones of the three times. Since the gurus and chiefs [of this clan] were self-composed, they could continue with their own tradition. They did not follow other traditions other than [Nyingma] and were not distracted by the vast selection of new or higher teachings. The forty-fourth successor and twenty-second successor [counting from Genghis Khan] was the great lord and doctor Sanggye Tendzin. [ 173 ] During his time, he performed excellent services to the Dharma King [of Derge] and his nephew. The king favoured him, granting great privileges. Our people found that he was quite dignified and paid him high respects as they prospered in wealth and reputation. At the age of eighty-seven he passed away, having greatly benefited beings, teaching medicine, and administering treatments His younger brother, the [Twentieth] State Preceptor, the great scholar and adept Gyurme Tashi Gyamtso received, trained in, and learnt [many teachings], relying upon many excellent teachers. These included Katok Drung Rinpoche, Minling Trichen Namgyel (1765–1812), Venerable Guru Mingyur Peldron (1699–1769), and the Second Dzogchen [Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin] (1699–1758). [ 174 ] There were many people to whom he offered the gift of the excellent teachings. These included the glorious and sacred master Katok Drung Rinpoche, Drime Zhing Gonpo (b. 1724), Gyelse Orgyen Tenpel, Gyelse Pema Namgyel, Karshing Rigdzin Chenpo, Minling Tri Trinle Namgyel (1765–1812), Khenchen Orgyen Tendzin Dorje (b.1742), Dordrak Rigdzin Chenpo Kham Sum Zilnon, the Eighteenth Lhatsun Zhabdrung, and Khampa Dzogchen Tulku Ngedon Tendzin Zangpo (1759–1792). [ 175 ] Most of their monastic students and other countless students from the north [of Tibet] were united through a single golden thread of bearing commitments to the teachings. These include people of Gome (Dome), Rongpo, Tsako, and Gyelmo Rong as well as the King of Dardo Chakla and the Lord Prince Lodro Gyamtso along with his mother, minister, and other government officials. [ 176 ] In brief, during the entirety of his life, his good and excellent deeds shone in all directions, and he passed away in the Water Ox Year (1793) at the age of eighty. Gyurme Tashi Gyamtso was alive, sometime during his fifties, he received from Changkya Rolwai Dorje [ 177 ] the title of State Preceptor A Tsuta Maha Pandita Maha Guru Sara, [ 178 ] or the supreme guru of the great crown jewel. Manchu Emperor Po Hwong also granted him many privileges and an ample amount of high respect. Emperor Po Hwong was the son of Kanshin, who was in turn the son of Emperor Dekyi, son of Pogto, the first Manchu Emperor. [ 179 ] During the time of this guru and lord, the remaining noble familial lineage of Barchung Tseyak Gyel of Tromkyi Shugu had ceased. [ 180 ] As such, they earnestly said there is no other way [for them to continue their familial line] unless they were gifted a son from the genuine, great, and noble Genghis Khan family—the Pen, Kyab, and Yak [families]. The lords agreed that it was suitable [for them to receive a child] from the highest family [of Genghis Khan]. However, there were only two boys, one of whom would be a guru and the other a lord. Penkor Delek Rabten’s second son, Gyamtso Tar, was chosen to be given to the Parkha family as their lord following the divinations and astrological calculations. [ 181 ] The forty-fifth successor, Lord Gonpo Wanggyel, [ 182 ] was a sound person, but he was weak and lost his power to the hands of others. At this time, the misdeeds of Lakho, an incapable person of the Yakkor community, [ 183 ] came to fruition, and a great number of our clan fled towards Namtsho Lake in the north. Afterwards, many of our settlements and families scattered to places like Serkhok, Gyade, and Shokpa. [ 184 ] The Lord [Gonpo Wanggyel] himself did not live past his fifties. The younger brother, Je Won Guru Tendzin Norbu,[ 185 ] was the twenty-first successor [counting from Genghis Khan]. He relied upon many excellent masters principally his paternal uncle who was a guru and the great state preceptor. He performed admirable deeds of the excellent ones such as scholarship, nobility, and kindness, passing away at sixty-six. The forty-sixth successor was Lord Kunzang Namgyel, and his younger brother was Gegen Choying Tendzin. [ 186 ] During their adolescence, the Derge representatives could not hold onto their governance, losing it to the selfish and powerful lords of Getse. These lords did what they wanted, taking the remaining settlements and entire territory of Barchung. The forty-seventh successor was Barchung Sanggye Tashi, even though he was not given the title of Lord. He and his younger brother, Guru Jigme Chodar, were the last actual successive lords of Genghis Khan’s descendants. [ 187 ] After these two brothers there were no more successive guru seat holders who were genuine descendants of the Genghis Khan lineage. However, the lord Won Guru Tendzin Norbu’s direct student was Guru Drubchen Pema Wanggyel of Adro. [ 188 ] I, Gyurme Pema Chogyel, an itinerant monk, and supposedly his reincarnation, possessing the name of an emanation and of the Dru lineage, am the current lineage holder, and I am still alive. [ 189 ] Furthermore, Adro Guru Pema Gyamtso, an excellent and supreme student of Gyurme Tashi Gyamtso, and the Derge retreatant and excellent guru, our own nephew Guru Kunzang Dargye also lived at the same time as Je Won Guru [Tendzin Norbu]. [ 190 ] COLOPHON Thus, The Ruby Garland i s a document of the genealogy of the Divine, Great Emperor Uhu Genghis Khan, an emanation of Manjughosha, and the state preceptors and gurus connected with that genealogy. Gyurme Pema Chogyel, also known as Rigdzin Tubten Gelek Pelzangpo Chokle Nampar Gyelwai De, the Twenty-Third State Preceptor of Genghis Khan’s lineage wrote it. [ 191 ] It was composed on a virtuous day in the sixth month of the Water Mouse Year (1852?) to fulfil the wishes of Lord Rigdzin, [ 192 ] a descendant of Gyamtso Tar, who is unmistakably Genghis Khan’s descendent and State Preceptor, Santang Ola Pen. [ 193 ] May it be victorious! As the ancient saying goes: “The immutable fort is the Fort of Yerkhen Dazhi. The immutable lords are the descendants of the heavenly Genghis Khan. The immutable subjects are the communities of the three and nine districts. The number of subjects is said to be one hundred and fifty-five thousand, two hundred and ten.” A later saying posits: “The descendants of the heavenly Genghis Khan governed the left, right, lower, and central regional divisions of Kokonor. There were three thousand and two hundred black nomadic tents, sixty families, and over three hundred lord families. Thus, these are the two sayings [associated with the descendants of Genghis Khan].” After some time, when they arrived in the south, there were three communities of lords: Pen, Kyab, and Yak. There were nine communities of subjects: Ja, Tak, and Gur, three communities of ministers: Gya, Tsen and A, and the three communities of subjects: Gon, Sok, and Gyo. Within those twelve [ 194 ] communities numbered around one hundred and eighty families. It is said that during the time of the Lord Tsodze Chenpo [ 195 ] and the state preceptor gurus and brothers [Tashi Gyamtso and Sanggye Tendzin], the status [of the whole community] was higher than that of Brahma. May it be victorious! NOTES [1 ] rlangs [2] ta'i ming, 大名 [3] dmu thag [4] sbor ta' ching [5] ta' chi gan; tham cha ga [6] ching ji mer gan [7] la'u dza be ra 'ol and sis kin dun [8] sems dza 'o dzi and la ju [9] nun mer gan [10] a lan kho and len lun mo'o ma [11] bo ton char and char mer gan [12] ga chi the'i ho'u; sbi khir [13] man tho don; ga'i thu gan [14] ba'i shing; kho ra thog shing [15] dum bi ha'i khan; ga bu la gan [16] bar than bA' dur; ye phur ga bA dur [17] ching gis rgyal po'am jing gir [18] ye phur ga ba dur; mo hu lun [19] The original text states this is the Water Male Tiger Year. [20] the mun jen and tha'i tsu zhing u hu wang rdI, 皇帝 [21] The original text states thirty-eight. [22] gdung brgyud this tsi, 太子 [23] ju chi; thog mog [24] cha ga ta'i; chin wang, 亲王; thod dkar [25] Yardkand or Yarkent (yer khen) is currently a county in Uyghur Autonomous Region and used to belong to Chagatai Khanate. [26] khal kha don 'grub wang, 'ju, and 'bar chung [27] sras this tsi; a b+ho la [28] i ma ma hu li; sa dmar gyi mkhar [29] a ti ra ma hA ma ri; bA la sha'i mkhar [30] kong kha ra to lo; rom and sdom la'i mkhar [31] the mur; o ru kho; and mkhar b+hu ha [32] u go ta; tha'i tsung ing wen hu wang rdI [33] go yug; ting tsung sti yan phing hu wang rdI [34] stong kha tho lo [35] mung khe; Shi yan tsung hu ban su hu wang rdI; mong gol gan gya [36] u la go ta [37] hu pi la'i; se chen gan gyar [38] se chen gan gya [39] ba hu wang [40] the mur, or ching tshung ku wang Shi'o 'u hu wang rdI [41] ul jo'i thu', or ol ja du [42] kwi zhi'u yung thang [43] khin cha [44] gzhi son; h+phu sang; si yang [45] dwa'i yu'an, 大元; and chen po hor [46] u tshung Shan Sho'i hu wang rdI, or khu lug, or go yug [47] a yu par sa ta zhin tshung khin Shi'u hu, or bu yan thu rgyal po [48] shu b+ho pha la yin tsung wen Shi 'u hu wang rdI, or ko kon rgyal po [49] yi sun the mur jing wang thi'i ting rgyal po [50] ra khyi phag, or a su ki ba [51] thug tho mur [52] ku sha la ming tsung rgyal po, or ku la go thu [53] the mur wen tsung ja ya thu [54] rin chen dpal [55] blon chen em tha mur tha shris [56] tho gan the mur hu'i tsung zhun hu wang rdI, or u hA rgyal po [57] tA'i ming tha'i tsung rgyal po [58] tho gar the mur [59] hor legs ldan zhu thog rgyal po; gtsang pa sde srid karma bstan skyong dbang po [60] tI shri [61] tha'i tsung rgyal po [62] hu'ang kyo'u zi lha khang [63] The priest-patron relationship, or mchod yon, played a pivotal role in the history of Tibet by establishing connections with other dynasties including the Yuan, Ming, and Qing. [64] kyi hun [65] ye wung g.yung lo chen po [66] bzhin rdzung [67] zon de [68] ci thung [69] kyin tha [70] then shun [71] There are spelling variances in the text with ton shun, thon shun, and ten shun, alluding to the same individual. [72] ye dbang [73] the shun [74] u tsung, zhi tsung; shon tsung; khrung tsun [75] li tsi ching [76] tha'i tsung bog to rgyal po; zhi tsu hu wang rdI; mug ton; man ju sog po ching hwa [77] tI shri blon chen po [78] tha'i tsu zhing phu hu wang rdI [79] this tsi gnyi pa cha ga tA'i la chin wang rgyal gpo [80] Yerkhen and Yarkant are the same fortress. [81] tI shri blon chen po 01, chos rjes yon tan dpal, slob dpon gsan su twan zhin. It is also important to mention here that bla rab and tI shri are interchangeable in the text. [82] kaHtok gtsang ston rdo rje rgyal mtshan; byams pa 'bum [83] a bO la Jing wang [84] tI shri blon chen po 02, chos rje ye shes rgyal mtshan dpal; thung Shuwan dA sha'i [85] han wang kho la jing [86] tI shri blon chen po 03, chos rje dge legs dpal; h+pho zhi ku wang gi po'u dA sha'i [87] tA wang gnas go ye; lha khang ta'i tis tur [88] tI shri blon chen po 04, chos rje sbyin pa dpal; wu wan h+pha h+pha gi yo'u dA shi'i [89] gsan wang tho mer [90] tI shri blon chen po 05, chos rje rgya mtsho dpal; u wan h+pha tho'u yin mi'o'u si wan dA sha'i [91] yer khen dA zhi Ta wang [92] tI shri blon chen po 06, chos rje byams pa dpal; wu wan h+pha thung Shu wan dA sha'i [93] h+phu tA'i wang u lke be [94] tI shri blon chen po 07, 'khyil ba kun dga dpal; Thu wan h+phu thung si wan dA sha'i [95] shrIr rna dA la'i wang [96] tI shri blon chen po 08, chos rjes rgyal mtshan 'bum [97] ma ga shrI pha la yon wang [98] tI shri blon chen po 09, chos rjes byang chub dpal; Thu wan h+pha Shu'an u dE sha'i [99] gsan wang ol go the mu [100] ti shri 10 pur+N+ye shri [101] ching gin dA la'i wang kun dga' rdo rj rgyal po [102] gsan zhi tA wang ching [103] hor khal ka Don 'grub wang chen po [104] tI shri blon chen po 11, slob dpon zhi bad pal, hu wang me'i zi'i bdag po; thung hu dA sha'i [105] gser yig [106] ha'u phu yan tA ko [107] a mnyes sngags pa mdung nag can bcu gsum [108] kun dga' rdo rje [109] ching gin gsan wang gau shri dbang phyug rgyal mtshan [110] u le yerk hen dwa zhis rdzong; bsang hor; o rod [111] tI wang ye then thog tu [112] tI shri blon chen po 12, chos rjes dri med dpal, thung Shi wan mi nyi gi yo'u ya mi dA sha'i; mdo sngags mkhas grub gsang ba'i bdag po [113] bdag po tho gan the mur [114] tA'i ming tha'i tsung rgyal po [115] tA las wang thang Thir thi mang+ga shri [116] tI shri blon chen po 13, chos rjes mtha' yas dpal, min than Ta to yu wan bzhun thung gi yo'u dA sha'i; gdams pa'i bka' babs yon tan gter mdzod kha sbyor mchog ldan rgyal bstan 'degs pa [117] i la si kyi wang pa cha ra [118] tI shri blon chen po 14, chos rjes bka shis dga' wa'i dpal, lin than dA te kha'i san Shi'o thung gi yo'u dA sha'i; gdams pa'i bka' babs yon tan gter mdzod bslab gsum 'dom spel rgyal brtsan zhabs nas 'degs pa [119] The temples and their districts include: (1) lha khang chong ti dE ba – u le yerk hen dwa zhis rdzong (2) lha hang ra phu dE ba – o rong rdzong (3) lha khang a yur dE ba – ma la pu n+rar rdzong (4) lha khang si'u pa ti dE ba – dA’un tsung gi rdzong (5) lha khang sas si so to dE ba – mong ra mkhar rdzong (6) lha khang on sa ge dE ba – the bo ra si rdzong (7) lha khang mi nyi gi dE ba – 'o shan ba si rdzong [120] el ce wang gsan gau shri [121] tA'i ming ye dbang ngam g.yung lo chen po [122] tI shri blon chen po 15, chos rjes bla chen 'od zer dpal ba [123] TU'i lu zi gi yo'u tu tsung thung dA'u thung Ton Ti Than shi'i khing zho'u Tar le'u [124] klong chen pa dri med 'od zer, BDRC P1583 [125] tA wang tho lo ge chi [126] tI shri blon chen po 02, ra rna ko tu [127] tA las wang gsi bi Tha nA tha [128] tI shri blon chen po 17, chos rjes rgyal mtshan dpal; kha'i san Thi'o kyang Thu wang dwa Theng kyas min than shi'i [129] tA las bA dur thar ba skyabs [130] rgyal po tA las wang gsi [131] 'phen skor; skyabs skor; yag skor; and rje nges tsho gsum [132] 'ja' mo; stag len; and gur shul [133] gsan wang tA shir o la 'phen [134] dwa ben tshe ring skyabs; su ki ni tho lod yag [135] tI shri blon chen po 18, chos rjes legs pa dpal; h+phu tsung hung gi yo'u dA sha'i; brgyud skyongs bstan spel [136] ye wan the bun tsi tA gau shri [137] tI shri blon chen po 19, chos rjes bson nams dpal; sa h+pho ki yo phud man dA sha'i [138] tA'i ming tho shun rgyal po [139] mtsho sngon; o rod tsho yan bzhi bcu; rma stod [140] dwa'i chen rgyal po and shar rdza [141] jing gir wang chen po [142] According to 'ju dgon po sprul sku, bar won is in them chen district under Qinghai province. [143] 'bangs [144] mug ton thang tsung bog to rgyal po; sog man ju chang hwa [145] hor legs ldan [146] cha dkar mtsho brgyad [147] gsan shrI gung mgon po rgyal [148] bde skyid rgyal po [149] blon chen sog po rgyal gau shri bstan 'dzin chos rgyal [150] zi ling and sbra nag [151] 'bar chung che de yag rgyal; yag skor dbu chen pad+ma dbang drag [152] rdza rgyud; hor ma zur tsang [153] wa shul khram thar khog [154] shug gur [155] dbu chen sad dbang; zla khog [156] gser khog [157] gung ru ja sag dpon gnam lha yag [158] mkha' 'gro blo bzang bstan skyong [159] 1. 'ju nang so; 2. sog sde bA; 3. ser shul [160] ha'u phu yan tA ko; mong ra mkhar rdzong [161] 4. thar shul; 5 'bum shul rnying, 6 dpon po; 7 bA dur; 8 khrims bza' gong; 9 dge mang; 10 mang dge; 11 chis tAn; 12 che wo; 13 dge rtse gong; 14 dge 'gab; 15 khrom 'gab; 16 a rig bza'; 17 dpon rgyu; 18 a se bA yan; and 19 'bum gsar [162] dar lung [163] o rgyan tshe ring; dpon tsang sangs bstan 'dzin [164] tI shri 20, chos rjes 'gyur med bkra shis rgya mtsho; mkhas grub chen po 'a tsU Ta ma hA paN Ti ta ma hA gu ru sa ra; BDRC P8741 [165] lcags 'phrang [166] me tog mda' can ('dod lha ) is the god of desire. [167] rdo rje brag dgon; smin grol gling [168] 1 'ja' mo; 2 stag len; 3 gur shul; 4 rgya rog bE li; 5 tsan no be hu; 6 a lcog be cang; 7 sog po; 8 mgo rtsa; 9 gye za [169] sde dge rgyal po 10 bstan pa tshe ring, BDRC P4095 [170] 'phen skor 'bar chung bde legs rab brten – gner chen; skyabs skor 'bar chung ye shes tshe brtan and yag skor 'bar chung rgyal mtshan 'bum – mdun skor nang ma; and rgya, tsan, and a – blon [171] rdza hu ra ma; lcags thag 'phrang kha man; sa ku ti; rdza gsang ha cag 'ga' ma phu; hu ra; mar sgo womp u ring; gsang khri; rdza rgyab smug mo [172] mtsho 'khrung [173] sangs rgyas bstan 'dzin [174] kaH thog drung rin po che; smin gling khri chen 05 'phrin las rnam rgyal, BDRC P674 (It is not clear to us whether this is the Third Throne Holder rin chen rnam rgyal (1694–1758; BDRC P674 ) or the Fifth Throne Holder mentioned in this paragraph.); rje bla ma mi 'gyur dpal sgron, BDRC P678 ; and rdzogs chen grub dbang 02 'gyur med theg mchog bstan 'dzin, BDRC P677 [175] kaH thog drung rin po che; dri med zhing mgon po, BDRC P5972 ; rgyal sras o rgyan bstan 'phel; rgyal sras pad ma rnam rgyal; mkhar shing rig 'dzin chen po; smin gling khri chen 'phrin las rnam rgyal; smin gling mkhan chen 03 o rgyan bstan 'dzin rdo rje, BDRC P683 ; rdor brag rig 'dzin chen po khams gsum zil gnon; lha btsun 18 zhabs drung; khams pa rdzogs chen grub dbang 03 nges don bstan 'dzin bzang, BDRC P7404 [176] sgo me/rdo me; rong bo; tsa kho; rgyal mo rong; dar mdo lcags la mi che sa’i rgyal ba/mi nyag lcags la rgyal po; bdag po lha sras blo gros rgya mtsho [177] lcang skya rol pa'i rdo rje [178] tI shrir tsU Ta ma Ti ma hA ru sa rA [179] man ju bog to sras/ bde skyid rgyal po/ de sras khang shin/ de sras rgyal po hwong [180] krom kyi shu gur 'bar chung tshe yag rgyal [181] rgya mtsho thar; 'phen skor bde legs rab brten; phar kha [182] dpon mgon po dbang rgyal [183] yag skor ba bla kho [184] gser khog; rgya sde; shog pa [185] rje dbon bla ma bstan 'dzin nor bu [186] dpon kun bzang rnam rgyal; dge rgan chos dbyings bstan 'dzin [187] 'bar chung sangs rgyas bkra shis; bla ma 'jigs med chos dar [188] a gro bla ma sgrub chen pad+ma dbang rgyal [189] 'gyur med pad+ma chos rgyal; 'bru rigs [190] a gro bla ma pad+ma rgya mtsho; kun bzang dar rgyas [191] bla rab 'dzin pa 23 rig 'dzin tub bstan dge legs dpal bzang po phyogs las rnam par rgyal ba'i sde [192] dpon rig 'dzin [193] gsan Tang tI shri o la 'phen [194] The text states thirteen communities, however, there are only twelve. [195] dpon 'tsho mdzad chen po BIBLIOGRAPHY 'Gyur med pad+ma chos rgyal. 1852?. ' Jam dbyangs brtan pa'i 'khor lo'i sgyu 'phrul gyi rol gar 'od gsal gnam gyi lha zhing u hu wang jing gir gyi gdung rab yi ger bkod pa pad+ma rA ga'i phreng ba zhes bya ba bzhugs so . London: Tib Shelf W001 Abstract The Ruby Garland is a genealogy of the Tibetan clans Barchung and Ju, descended from Genghis Khan. It might be the only Tibetan historical document that holds a clear account of Buddhism's existence in Mongolia during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Parallel historical narratives can be found in the official historical records of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Shi (明史). TIB SHELF W001 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 HISTORICAL PERIOD 13th Century 14th Century 15th Century 16th Century 17th Century 18th Century 19th Century CLAN Barchung LORDS 1. Genghis Khan 2. Chagatai Khan 3. Borta Ching (pending) 4. Hanwang Khola Jing 5. Tawang Negoye 6. Sanwang Tomer 7. Yerkhen Dazhi Tawang 8. Hputai Wang Ulkebe 9. Shrir Nadalai Wang 10. Maga Shri Palayon Wang 11. Sanwang Olgo Temu 12. Chinggi Dalai Wang Kunga Dorje 13. Wangchuk Gyeltsen 14. Tiwang Yeten Toktu 15. Tale Wangtang Tirti Mangga Shri 16. Ila Sikyi Wangpa Chara 17. Elche Wangsan Gaushri 18. Tawang Tolo Gechi 19. Tale Wangsiwi Tanata 20. Sanwang Tashir Ola Pen 21. Yewan Tebun Tsita Gaushri 22. Sanshri Gung Gonpo Gyel 23. Namlha Yak 24. Sanggye Tendzin 25. Gonpo Wanggyel 26. Kunzang Namgyel 27. Sanggye Tashi STATE PRECEPTORS 1. Dharma Lord Yonten Pel 2. Dharma Lord Yeshe Gyeltsen Pel 3. Dharma Lord Gelek Pel 4. Dharma Lord Jinpa Pel 5. Dharma Lord Gyamtso Pel 6. Dharma Lord Jampa Pel 7. Khyilwa Kunga Pel 8. Dharma Lord Gyeltsen Bum 9. Dharma Lord Jangchub Pel 10. Purnye Shri 11. Zhiwa Pel 12. Dharma Lord Drime Pel 13. Dharma Lord Taye Pel 14. Dharma Lord Tashi Gawai Pel 15. Dharma Lord Lachen Ozer Pelwa 16. Rana Kotu 17. Dharma Lord Gyeltsen Pel 18. Dharma Lord Lekpa Pel 19. Dharma Lord Sonam Pel 20. Dharma Lord Lama Gyurme Tashi Gyatso No State Preceptors for two Generations 21. Lama Tendzin Norbu 22. Choying Tendzin 23. Lama Jigme Chodar (no title and end of bloodline) 24. Drubchen Pema Wanggyel (lama of the lineage) 25. Gyurme Pema Chogyel (author) TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf Rachael Griffiths INSTITUTIONS N/A STUDENTS N/A AUTHOR Gyurme Pema Chögyal The Ruby Garland: A Genealogy of the Emperor Uhu Wang Genghis Khan VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. 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The first guidebook to Pemokö, revealed as a treasure by Jatson Nyinpo, prophesies future degeneration and identifies this sacred hidden land as a sanctuary. The Guidebook to the Hidden Land of Pemokö Emaho! One such as I, the Lake-Born Padmasambhava, meandered throughout India like a river for 3028 [years] and stayed in the region of U in central Tibet for 111 years. In Chamara, [ 1 ] the country of the rakshasa demons, I led the red-faced [cannibals] to the Dharma. I established all beings in happiness. Even still, forty eons in the future, famine, and poverty will arise from desire, proliferating war will arise from hatred, different forms of pestilence will arise from delusion, and various torments will arise from the three poisons in equal measure. At that time, sentient beings will have no opportunities for happiness, and the Turkish armies will invade every direction. Alas! What a surging wave of misery! Although it might be possible to escape to the sixteen greater and lesser hidden lands, due to the power of negative karma, very few will escape. The wealthy will be caught by the noose of avarice, and those who have heirs will deceive one other. The elderly will lose the will to travel, children will be unable to find the path, and animals will just up and die. Such is the ripening of negative karma for beings without refuge! As a sign of the ripening of such karma for beings devoid of a protection, there will also be these outer, inner, and secret bad omens: sudden avalanches will occur on Mt. Kailash, lightning and hail will destroy the region of Ngari, earthquakes will destroy the borderlands of Tibet and China, heretical doctrines will multiply in Nepal, and samaya-breakers, maras, and elemental spirits will overrun U and Tsang. In the region of Dokham, destructive wildfires will burn alive tens of thousands of sentient beings, causing [the survivors] to wander the scorched earth. There will be many mad dogs and crazed people in the lands of Jar, Dak, and Nyal. Suffering and pestilence will blanket Drak, Long, and Nyang. Many multifarious maladies will steam forth from the mouths of the people of Hor and Mongolia. The majority will die as medicine will prove ineffective. Provocations and elemental spirits from the east, wild men, predatory animals, and barbarians from the south, poisonous commerce of warfare from the west, and Hor, Mongols, and Turks from the north—all these will spread! Countless bolts of lightning as well as hailstones and meteorites will descend from the vast sky. Multiple earthquakes will shake the ground. Bright stars and white lights will appear over and over again, and the red light of the god of fire will fill the sky. Orchards and crops will be blighted and bear no fruit. Due to famine, generations of families will repeatedly face ruin. Rain will fall sporadically, and there will be great depressions and caverns in the earth. The ground will collapse, rock faces will subside, rivers will overflow, and there will be many wildfires. When all these things occur, the signs of illness will arise: people will be physically stunted and possess a great desire for destructive actions. They will debauch themselves as much as possible. All of this will appear like the rising of a storm. At that time, various kinds of [cultural] ornamentation and weaponry will spread, there will be a great trend of new people, new languages, and new fashion. The jewellery and attire of the borderlands will spread into the centre of the country, while the appearance of the ordained living in the centre of the country will disperse to the borderlands. At that time, the appearance of both sutra and mantra practitioners will be in disarray, new doctrines will arise like a whirling blizzard, and unusual treatises will pervade the land. Confidence in the Mahayana will fade in the face of individual fabrications of sophistry. Demonic emanations appearing in the guise of dharmic practitioners will become ubiquitous while individuals who attain accomplishment will be as rare as stars in broad daylight. At that time, most beings will be under the power of Mara. Towns will be lawless like a mala with a broken cord. There will be no compensation for murder or maiming [a member]. Wicked individuals will win arguments, and robbery and stealing will be rife. What spiritual friends there are will have short lives, the meaning of meditation will go unlearned, and people will learn to be competitive in arts and technology. [ 2 ] Some people, seeking to destroy their delusion, will eat human flesh and solely devote themselves to the misguided conduct of depriving beings of their lives. At that time, an emanation of Gyalwa Chokyang (8th cent.) [ 3 ] will be born on the north-east border and will gain widespread fame. All who hear of him will be led to Sukhavati (Dewachen), by the very same [emanation] Vajradharmadhatu. The teachings will be confused [as the perplexed people] won’t understand the [correct] ordering of them. Internally the people will be in disarray, and externally they will [appear] Chinese. These will be the secret signs of their appearance. At that time, all the countryside will be in complete turmoil! All men and women, lay and ordained, and livestock will be distraught! Even the eight classes of gods and demons, the non-humans, will be upset. As there will be external fighting, internally the mind will be conflicted! The channels and winds will be muddled, as if one had drunk poison, and people will lack self-confidence. This is definitely the magical ploys of demons. After that, there will be an emanation of Nine Gonpo demon brothers, bearing the name Duk Lung because of whom a singular act harmful to the whole of Tibet will arise. For these reasons there exist the sixteen great hidden lands. Concerning the great place Pemoko [ 4 ] : east of Samye there is a valley called Dakpo, and if you follow the river, there is a valley that resembles a prone scorpion. Atop the tip of the tail sits a site called Gyala, which is the extraordinary supreme sacred site of Yama, Lord of Death. From there you can continue to follow the river, or, alternately, going towards Kukar pass is also acceptable, where there is the great charnel ground, Tsenmo Mebar. In the east, it is similar to a gathering of wildlife with a base [shaped] like upward climbing scales. Behind there is a mountain in the shape of an open flower, resembling a brandished weapon. About seven furlongs away is a place where the gods and [ravenous] rakshasas gather. There are many large and small border stones, and then the four doors to the sacred site. At Drangtsi Drak, perform a hundred feast offerings, make smoke offerings, and declare the power of the words of truth. Then there is the so-called Ziknang Drak, which reveals the reflection of all who gaze upon it. Then there is a great eddy in the river and a large tree about two arm spans in width, with a fragrance like incense and a pungent flavour. You will be able to make a bridge by felling it. There are many such big trees, so sharpen your tools. There is a stone stupa as big as Mt. Meru then, there is a place called Rabtroling. All visions that are seen will appear as if they are real. There are [also] many stone crossings. Then you will arrive at Namdak Jatson Ling, a place which appears to be endowed with the eight auspicious signs [ 5 ] and the eight articles. [ 6 ] The smell of incense billows everywhere and the streams murmur with the sound of the rulu [mantra]. This is a place where meditative concentration arises spontaneously. Then there is a small mountain pass called Jokpama, where the path has the shape of the syllable bhyo , the earth has an eight-petalled lotus, and there is an eight-spoked wheel in the sky. The surroundings feature the eight auspicious symbols and the eight auspicious articles. To the east of the place called Gumik Lingtse is Namdak Kopa as well as Melong Kochung, to the south is Palden Kopa as well as Yonten Kochung, to the west is Pemo Kopa as well as Pemo Kochung, to the north is Lerab Kopa as well as Drakpo Kochung, and in the centre is Taye Kopa. The area of the Five Kochen is one hundred and eighty furlongs, and the Four Kochung extend for thirty-five furlongs. The perimeter is surrounded by snow and rock, and a rain of flowers falls continuously from the sky. When the seasons change, if one flees the four places—China, Jang, Lo, and Kong—then one will be satisfied by escaping to the place [of Pemoko]. Each and every area is sealed by mountain passes, rivers, and cliffs. There will be no risk of conflict or strife. At that time, the emanation of the Guru will gradually show the path. Remember [me] Orgyen at all times and recite the Guru Pema Siddhi [Hum mantra]. This will clear away obstacles and adversity. I will appear vividly to those who have undoubting faith in me and longingly keep me in the centre of their hearts. Continuously sing heartfelt supplications and I will also come as sundry sounds. Visualise [me] either above the crown of your head or in front of you, and you will be able to perceive me directly. Let everyone during the five hundred [degenerate] years humbly beseech me, Padmakara, and take refuge in me. Compared to other Buddhas, my compassion is swift. Even if we do not meet in this life, I will certainly dispel suffering in the intermediate state. For me, there is nothing more than the welfare of beings. Whatever one wishes will be spontaneously accomplished. Amongst the sixteen hidden lands, whoever hears of or recalls this great Pemoko, their karmic obscurations will be purified. Even walking or riding seven steps in its direction will certainly result in being born there. Performing seven full prostrations while visualising this [place] will lead to becoming a Non-Returner and no longer wandering in cyclic existence. Whoever surely arrives here will obtain the indestructible rainbow body. Even drinking a single drop of water or eating a pinch of herb will pacify sufferings such as chronic illness and clear dulled sense faculties. The elderly too will take on youthful forms. Those with bad karma, who do not recall the excellent dharma, will, by virtue of travelling to this sacred site, become self-liberated accomplished ones. Consuming the earth and stones of this place, even at the end of one’s [karmic] lifespan, will extend life by hundreds and thousands of years. If feeling cold, wear the union of fire and wind as clothing. If thirsty, enjoy ambrosial water. If hungry or destitute, live on corn, the five kinds of cereal, and the fruits from trees. There is no physical pain or mental suffering, and there is no need for conflict or sloth. The primordial wisdom of the [union of] emptiness, luminosity, and the self-blazing warmth of bliss will arise. The majority of fruit is about the size of a horse’s head, unhusked wheat and barley grains the size of an apricot stone, and radishes and turnips [so large] people can barely lift them. There is no need to grind salt as the food is comparable to nectar and equal in potency to the sustenance of the gods. The channel of clear intelligence will open, clairvoyance and the four immeasurables like love and compassion will arise, and in six months a body of light will be spontaneously accomplished. How amazing! How amazing that the victorious ones of the three times have such powerful prayers of aspiration and such capacity! One such as I, the Lake-Born Padmakara, concealed many texts as treasures in mountains and valleys. I concealed many sacred substances, representations of body, speech, and mind. I hid a mixture of many excellent teachings for protecting, repelling, and killing. In the future may those treasures be taken out by a [heart] son. There will be many obstacles when Jatson, the emanation of [Myang] Tingdzin Zangpo (8th cent.), [ 7 ] fulfils his own and others’ aims. At that time an emanation light ray of Takra Lugong (d. 782) [ 8 ] will appear disguised as a [heart] son, and there is a risk that he will cause obstacles. Practice firm samadhi which blazes forth with the powers of subjugation and wrathful activity. An emanation of the evil minister Tramik will appear in the guise of a spiritual friend and through his cunning disparage others and eventually cause disputes. At such a time, entreat the Lord of Great Compassion (Avalokiteśvara). There will be an emanation of the demoness Zanglak, who will adopt a beautifully fine form and cause obstacles to your practice, vows, and samaya. Look at her with intelligence as she could be seen as a demoness or a goddess. An emanation of Tsenmar Raru will appear in the guise of a nobleman pretending to be your patron and eventually take hold of your life. It is crucial that you dedicate yourself to the ablution of Ucchuṣma, king of the wrathful (Trogyal Metsek). You will come across about seven manifestations of red-faced Te'u Rang dwarves, who will provide bad, unclean food and disparage you. Develop compassion towards them and transform them through that relationship. Furthermore, at that time since the three poisons will be expressed so strongly, gradually spread and cherish the profound treasures. Simultaneously, as a result of propagating empowerments and oral transmissions, there will be many samaya transgressors and you must absolutely look after them at all times as well as strive in your own practice. Do not drink maddening alcohol and avoid low caste women. Travel the path of secret mantra and be diligent. Whatever happiness or suffering befalls you, recall [Guru] Orgyen, and all those with whom you come into contact, however significant or insignificant, will be satisfied. Even amongst manifestations, this heart son [ 9 ] is the foremost emanation. For example: among all the different kinds of blood, he is that of the very heart. Among celestial bodies in the sky, he is the essential sun and moon. Among the best medicines, he is the special, all-conquering one. Among jewels, he is that which fulfils all wishes and desires. Among treasure revealers, he is the discoverer of the most supreme and rarest treasure. Fortunate ones, supplicate him. In this vidyadhara’s heart centre, light energy blazes in the branch channels to form a triangle, the auspiciousness of which is externally apparent. The ferocity of his exalted mind is akin to the games of children— one moment divine, the next demonic. [However] his conduct is faithful to the Three Baskets [of the Buddhist teachings]. As for his meditation, he practices Mahamudra, Dzogchen, and Madhyamaka, and his view arises as the non-referential view, free from the extremes [of nihilism and eternalism]. He immediately remembers that he has no time for distractions. Suffering unbearably, eyes wet with tears, unfriendly yet maintaining samaya—all of this is the magical display of his channels. A person possessing such karma is one in a hundred. This heart son of Padma will be surrounded by plenty of fortunate ones with the right karma. However, since there are many with bad karma and forsaken samaya, dakinis who are the essence of the sky, protect him! Samaya. The seal of the words of the Buddha, the seal of the nectar of the excellent dharma, the seal of the aspirational prayers of the sangha. Seal! Seal! Seal! The seal of the compassion of the gurus, the seal of the blessings of the deities, the seal of the entrustment of the dakinis, the seal of the power and force of the dharma protectors. Seal! Seal! Seal! COLOPHON Concerning both the concise and extensive guidebooks of Pemoko, which is one of the sixteen hidden lands, the treasure revealer Jatson Nyingpo brought forth [this guide] from the Guru Rinpoche Practice Cave in the valley of Kongpo. NOTES [1] Cāmara can be identified as Sri Lanka [2] The text reads gzo rigs which we have interpreted as a spelling error for bzo rig. [3] rgyal ba mchog dbyangs, BDRC P2JM167 [4] There are two variations of the spelling of this hidden land: Pad+mo bkod and Pad+ma bkod. We have followed the form that Jatson Nyingpo uses [5] The eight signs include the lotus (padma), the endless knot (dpal be’u, śrīvatsa), the pair of golden fish (gser nya, suvarṇamatsya), the parasol (gdugs, chattra), the victory banner (rgyal mtshan, ketu), the treasure vase (gter gyi bum pa, dhanakumbha), the white conch shell (dung dkar, śaṅkha), and the wheel ('khor lo, cakra). [6] i.Right-coiling conch shell (dung dkar gyas 'khyil), ii. Yogurt (zho) iii. Durva grass (rtsa dur ba) iv. Vermilion (li khri) v. Bilva fruit (shing tog bil ba), vi. Mirror (me long) vii. Bezoar (gi wang) viii. White mustard seed (yungs dkar). [7] myang ting 'dzin bzang po, BDRC P3827 [8] stag gra klu khong, BDRC P10MS16952 [9] At this point the treasure text is describing Jatson Nyingpo as the heart son. Thanks to Adam Pearcey at Lotsawa House for his editing. Published: November 2020 BIBLIOGRAPHY Jatsön Nyingpo ('ja' tshon snying po). 1979. sbas yul pad+ma bko kyi lam yig . In: Gter chen rig 'dzin 'ja' tshon snying po'i zab gter chos mdzod rin po che , vol.1, 445–460. Konchog Lhadrepa. Majnukatilla, Delhi. BDRC W1KG3655 . Abstract The Guidebook to the Hidden Land of Pemokö is a revealed treasure text included in Jatson Nyinpo’s Embodiment of the Precious Ones, the Konchok Chidu. It is a prediction text about the future degenerate times and purportedly the first guidebook to the hidden land of Pemoko. BDRC LINK W1KG3655 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 14:14 TRADITION Nyingma INCARNATION LINE N/A HISTORICAL PERIOD 16th Century 17th Century TEACHERS Namkha Jigme Chade Tertön Tsultrim Gyaltsen Mipam Lodr ö The Tenth Karmapa, Chöying Dorje TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTION Bangri Jogpo STUDENTS Dudul Dorje Sonam Gyatso Natsok Rangdröl Namkha Jigme Lodrö Nordan The Sixth Zharmapa, Chökyi Wangchuk The Fifth Drugchen, Pagsam Wangpo The First Drigung Chungtsang, Chökyi Dragpa The Third Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Ngakgi Wangpo Chökyi Gyatso Norbu Gyenpa Pema Mati AUTHOR Jatsön Nyingpo The Guidebook to the Hidden Land of Pemokö VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

A chronology of birth and death dates mapping Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje's family lineage through its key figures and connections. A Chronological Timetable: Lives of Do Khyentse’s Familial Line NAME DATE OF BIRTH DATE OF DEATH LIFE SPAN* ANNOTATION Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje Thirteenth Cycle Iron Monkey Year1800 Fourteenth Cycle Fire Tiger Year 1866 66 - Losal Drölma Thirteenth Cycle Water Dog Year 1802 Fourteenth Cycle Iron Bird Year 1861 59 Not of familial line Khaying Drölma Fourteenth Cycle Water Sheep Year 1823 Fourteenth Cycle Wood Tiger Year 1854 31 - Sherab Mebar Fourteenth Cycle Earth Ox Year 1829 Fourteenth Cycle Water Tiger Year 1842 13 - Gyalse Raltri Fourteenth Cycle Iron Tiger Year 1830 Fifteenth Cycle Fire Monkey Year 1896 66 - Somang Chogtrul Fourteenth Cycle Wood Hare Year 1855 - 80+ - Drimé Drakpa Fourteenth Cycle Fire Horse Year 1846 - 40+ Not of familial line Gyepa Dorje Fifteenth Cycle Iron Tiger Year 1890 Sixteenth Cycle Earth Hare Year 1939 49 - Tsezin Wangmo Fifteenth Cycle Wood Horse Year 1894 Sixteenth Cycle Water Snake Year 1953 59 - Dasal Wangmo Sixteenth Cycle Earth Dragon Year 1928 - - 80 years old as of this year COLOPHON None NOTES * Dates have been shifted back one place to align with European calculation. Photo credit: BDRC W1KG987 Published April 2021 BIBLIOGRAPHY Thub bstan chos dar. 2008. Mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje'i gdung rgyud rim byon gyi 'khrungs rabs re'u mig . In Mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje'i gdung rgyud rim byon gyi rnam thar gsal ba'i me long, pp. 449–450. Pe cin: Krung go'i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang. BDRC W1KG987 Abstract This concise table features birth and death dates for essential individuals connected with Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje's familial line. BDRC LINK W1KG987 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Nyingma Drigung Kagyu HISTORICAL PERIOD 19th Century 20th Century 21st Century PEOPLE Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje Losal Drölma Khaying Drolma Sherab Mebar Gyalse Rigpe Raltri Somang Chogtrul Drimé Drakpa Gyepa Dorje Tsezin Wangmo Dasal Wangmo INSTITUTIONS Mahā Kyilung Monastery Katok Monastery Dzogchen Monastery Tseringjong Drigung Til Monastery Derge Monastery Gyalrong Kachok Minyak Kernang Karza Hermitage Pema Rito Yarlung Pemakö TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf AUTHOR Tubten Chödar A Chronological Timetable: Lives of Do Khyentse’s Familial Line VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

Through verse, Dudul Dorje explores addiction and worldly attachments, revealing how these forms of suffering stem from the clinging mind itself. Addiction [1] གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔ GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ! [2] ཨེ་མ་དཀོན་མཆོག་འགྲོ་མགོན་པདྨ་འབྱུང༔ འཁོར་བའི་ཞེན་ཆགས་བྲལ་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔ Eh ma! supreme jewel, protector of beings—Lotus-Born One, Please bless me to sever my fixed attachment to saṃsāra! གཉུག་མར་རང་གསལ་ཆང་འདི་མ་འཐུང་ན༔ བྲམ་ཟེ་ཆང་མྱོས་འདི་ལ་མཐོང་ཚེ་ཡི་རེ་མུག༔ གཤིས་ལུགས་ཀ་དག་གི་ནོར་མཆོག་མ་མཐོང་ནས༔ བསླུས་ནོར་ཞེན་འཛིན་འདི་མཐོང་ཚེ་ཞེ་རེ་ལོག༔ How sad it is to see a brahmin [ 3 ] dissipated on drink, Having failed to imbibe the innate nature’s self-luminosity. When you don’t appreciate the supreme jewel of your primordially pure makeup, When you hang on to the counterfeit jewel of consuming fixation—this pains my soul .[ 4 ] མར་དམྱལ་བ་ཚ་གྲང་གི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་ཐར་མེད་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་ཞེ་སྡང་གི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ ཡི་དྭགས་བཀྲེས་སྐོམ་གྱི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་བཟོད་མེད་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་སེར་སྣའི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ The inescapable, harrowing heat and cold of hell below ,[ 5 ] My dear, [ 6 ] are rooted in your mind’s hostility. The ghost’s overwhelming, burning hunger and thirst, My dear, are rooted in your mind’s rapacity. བྱོལ་སོང་བླུན་རྨོངས་སྡུག་བསྔལ་བཟོད་མེད་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་གཏི་མུག་གི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ ལྷ་མིན་འཐབ་རྩོད་གྱི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་བཟོད་མེད་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་ཕྲག་དོག་གི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ The benighted brainlessness of a beast, My dear, is rooted in your mind’s vacuity. The asuras’ acidic quarrels ,[ 7 ] My dear, are rooted in your mind’s envy. འཆི་འཕོ་ལྟུང་བའི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་དོང་རིང་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་འདོད་ཆགས་ཀྱི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ དེ་ལྟར་དབུལ་ཕོངས་ཀྱི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་དེ༔ བུ་སྦྱིན་གཏོང་གཉིས་པོའི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ The nightmarish chute of your fall from grace, [ 8 ] My dear, [241/242] is rooted in your mind’s indulgences. Likewise, my dear, the pauper’s pain Shares its root with the two kinds of giving .[ 9 ] འཁོར་འདས་ཤེས་བྱའི་ཐ་སྙད་དེ༔ བུ་རེ་དོགས་གཉིས་ཀྱི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ བུ་རྫོགས་སངས་རྒྱས་པ་ཞེས་བྱའི་སྒྲ་ཆེ་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རིག་སྐྱེ་མེད་ཀྱི་ཀློང་དེར་འདུག༔ The conventions known as saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, My dear, are rooted in your hopes and fears. My dear, what’s called “exalted, perfect awakening,” Is there, my dear, in the unborn expanse of your self-knowing awareness. ཡིན་མིན་འབུང་བའི་གླུ་ཆུང་འདི༔ རང་འདྲའི་ཞེན་ཆགས་རྟག་འཛིན་མཁན་རྣམས་ལ༔ མཆོག་སྨན་ཆུའི་དབེན་ཁྲོད་དུ༔ འབུང་བའི་གླུ་ཆུང་སྨྲས་པ་ཟེར་རོ༔ This little song about the struggles of dignity— [ 10 ] For those like me who are hooked and think things last forever— Was sung with sincerity In isolated retreat where sublime Healing Waters flow. [ 11 ] COLOPHON ཧ་ཧ༔ དགེ་བས་འགྲོ་ཀུན་བུདྡྷ་མྱུར་འགྲུབ་ཤོག༔ རིག་འཛིན་བདུད་འདུལ་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཡིས༔ སྨན་ཆུའི་ཡང་དབེན་དུ་སྨྲས་པ་ཟེར་རོ༔ མངྒ་ལམ༔ Ha ha! By the good of this, may all beings quickly attain buddhahood. This little poem was written in the Healing Waters of total solitude .[ 12 ] By Rigzin Dudul Dorje. Maṅgalam NOTES [1] The title is literally “The Drawbacks of Alcohol.” In classical Tibetan literature, and even today, alcohol (chang) is used as a catch-all term for addictive substances. This is no doubt largely because, until recently, there was little access to other addictive substances on the Tibetan plateau, with the exception of tobacco and occasional opioid abuse among the economic elite (See McKay, “Indifference, Cultural Difference, and a Porous Frontier: Some Remarks on the History of Recreational Drugs in the Tibetan Cultural World”). We choose to render the title more openly as “addiction” since it does not focus on alcohol but on the mind afflicted by addictions to its own poisons. [2] The only edition we find of this text has rather curious punctuation. Each line ends with Sanskrit visarga marks (ཿ ), which are very commonly conflated with Tibetan terma marks (༔) that indicate a text is a revealed treasure. Since Dudul Dorje was a treasure revealer, his works are full of terma marks, however, the present poem shows virtually none of the characteristics of a treasure text and seems to be a personal composition intended for his student. Thus, the use of the visarga/terma marks may just be an editorial quirk. [3] Brahmin (bram ze): the highest caste in traditional Indian social strata. Brahmins are distinguished by their access to the sacred Vedic scriptures, which are the source of all knowledge. As a seventeenth-century Tibetan, Dudul Dorje likely uses the term figuratively as something like the English “gentleman,” as in someone whose nature is essentially good. Thus, the line might be read in contemporary English as “One hates to see a good man in the throes of addiction.” [4] “Soul” here is in the figurative sense of one’s innermost being (zhe), not, of course, in the non-Buddhist metaphysical sense of a permanent self. There are synonymic resonances in this stanza between “soul” (zhe), “innate nature” (gnyug ma), and “makeup” (gshis lugs), which is more commonly translated as “disposition,” “character,” or the extremely long “fundamentally unconditioned nature.” [5] This and the following stanzas have a repeating structure in which lines 1 and 3 repeat the word “suffering” (sdug bsngal) + an intensifier like “inescapable” (thar med) or “unbearable" ( b zod med). Since the meaning of the lines is unambiguous, rather than render a stiff word-for-word translation of the repeated phrases, we prefer to use evocative synonyms for each in accord with English stylistic conventions. [6] The word here is literally “son,” which is a common term of affection that a lama uses to address a close male student. We believe that in the present context, the term’s affectionateness is more important than its gender, and that using “son” might create needless confusion about whether he’s referring to his literal son or not. A good alternative is sometimes “dear student,” but we reluctantly choose “my dear” because it is slightly lighter in the meter. [7] Asuras (lha min) can be translated as “demi-gods”—powerful and privileged beings tormented by competitiveness with the gods who are even more powerful and privileged. [8] This line uses a phrase associated with the experience of gods when their positive karma runs out, and they traumatically descend back into lower realms. [9] Two kinds of giving (sbyin gtong gnyis po) is synonymous with two kinds of generosity (sbyin pa gnyis), which are the giving of things (zang zing gi sbyin pa) and the giving of Dharma (chos kyi sbyin pa). This line seems to emphasize that suffering and wholesome categories like generosity both have their root in the mind. [10] This interesting line deserves unpacking. It is literally “is and is not” (yin min) + “making effort” (’bung ba) + of + “little song” (glu chung). The phrase “is and is not” usually concerns moral questions of what is and is not good or right, so the line could be read as “this little poem about right and wrong.” Here, we prefer to handle it slightly more delicately since Dudul Dorje does not emphasize ethics in the poem but rather the epistemology of a mind addicted to its poisons. This is how we arrived at “the struggles of dignity (i.e., self-respect).” [11] sman chu dben khrod. This is almost certainly a place name, as in the sublime “Healing Waters Hermitage.” However, since we cannot confirm its location, we prefer to translate the terms, which have some poetic value. [12] Again, here “Healing Waters” (sman chu) is likely the name of the hermitage where he stayed. Dudul Dorje spent many years in retreat and revealing treasures in remote places, especially in the southern Tibetan regions of Powo (spo bo), Kongpo (kong po), and Pemakö (pad+ma bkod). Published: September 2023 Thanks to Lowell Cook for this editorial feedback. BIBLIOGRAPHY Dudul Dorje (bdud ’dul rdo rje). chang gi nyes dmigs. In gter chos bdud ʼdul rdo rje, 3:249–50. Edited by Zhichen Bairo (gzhi chen bai ro 03 padma rgyal mtshan). Darjeeling: Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang, 1997. BDRC MW22123_D2C055 . McKay, Alex, Alex. “Indifference, Cultural Difference, and a Porous Frontier: Some Remarks on the History of Recreational Drugs in the Tibetan Cultural World.” The Tibet Journal 39, no. 1, Special Issue: Trade, Travel and the Tibetan Border Worlds: Essays in Honour of Wim van Spengen (1943–2013) (Spring-Summer 2014): 57–73. Abstract Using poetic verses, this work delves into the theme of addiction, whilst emphasizing the destructive nature of clinging to worldly attachments. Dudul Dorje draws parallels between various forms of suffering and the importance of recognizing that they are rooted in the mind. BDRC LINK MW22123_ D2C055 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 02:02 TRADITION Nyingma INCARNATION LINE Dudjom Lingpa Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje HISTORICAL PERIOD 17th Century TEACHERS Drenpa Könchok Gyal Jatsön Nyingpo Derge Drubchen Kunga Gyatso TRANSLATOR Dr. Joseph McClellan INSTITUTION Katok Monastery STUDENTS Wangdrak Dorje Longsal Nyingpo Orgyen Palzang Nyima Drakpa Kunzang Pema Loden The First Dzogchen Drubwang, Pema Rigzin Nuden Dorje Orgyen Damchö Pal Tashi Özer AUTHOR Dudul Dorje Addiction VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.