Uhhuu
name of Gyalwa Yungdrung was bestowed upon him as his ordination name. T hereupon, in terms of his training and discipline, he acted consistently in accordance with real meaning of his monastic vows. [24] "Elsewhere, it is said that he requested the initiations and the scriptural authorizations, together with the blessings, for the three sections of Bon, namely, the outer, the inner, and the secret, and thereby he purified his mind-stream (by practicing these teachings). In particular, he performed the commitments of his daily practice with one-pointed concentration and without distraction. [25] "Moreover, according to the statements made by the Lama himself, 'In the beginning, having requested the training in the monastic vows which are to be guarded well, I guarded them without secrecy and without ostentatious display. T hen, in between, having considered the kindness bestowed upon me by my masters in terms of hearing and reflecting upon their teachings, I thoroughly cut off all my doubts. And finally, I came to recognize correctly the face of the Natural State, even though I will not fully comprehend it in this present life nor in my next one- still all this represents the threefold kindness of my masters.' "Elsewhere, from Y ilton Namkha Sonam (dByil-ston nam-mkha' bsod-nams), the nephew of Y ilton Khyunggodtsal (dByil-ston khyung rgod rtsal), [26] from Lunggom Tashi Gyaltsan (Lung-sgom bkra shis rgyal-mtshan) of the lineage of Lungton Lhanyan (Lung-ston lha-gnyan), [27] from Maron Drangsong (rMa-ston drang-srong) of the lineage of Maton Siddzin (rMa-ston srid-'dzin), [28] and so on, he requested the initiations, the scriptural authorizations, and the instructions, together with the blessings. [29] "T hen, at the time when Lama Togdan Dadpa Sherab was fifty five years old he made a pilgrimage to all the monasteries, places of realization, and great holy places of the Bonpos found in Central T ibet. [30] And in particular, he went to meet the famous Dru Tsandan Dulwa (Bru tshan-ldan 'dul-ba), the uncle of Gyalwa Yungdrung, who was residing at Lhodrak (lho-brag). Coming into the presence of Tsandan Dulwa, the former requested such scriptural authorizations as the rDzogs-pa chen-po A-khrid dmar byang, the Dri-med lhan-skyes
dbang ye dbang chen-mo, and so on. [31]
And because there was
some mention of the teachings on the sZhang-zhung snyan-rgyud, Tsandanpa himself said, "Indeed, you possess the complete scriptural
10
I
The Practice of Dzogcher1 rn the Zhang Zhurlg Tradition of Trbet
authorizations for the sNyan-rgyud. [32] But now I am too old to ask for it. And if I should die soon, I would not have the opportunity to practice it. T herefore, please transmit this authorization (lung) to my nephew Gyalwa Yungdrung!" "Second, because his karma had ripened and he possessed good fortune, he met with the kindness of his benevolent masters. Later, at the time when Lama Togdanpa (Dadpa Sherab) came from his pilgrimage journey to the Namtso lake and arrived at the monastery of
Wensakha,
Lama Gyalwa addressed him as follows:
'T hese
instructions for the Oral Transmission from Zhang-zhung have never been concealed beneath the earth (as treasure texts). T heir blessings have never declined nor disappeared. T hey are very special because they have been transmitted orally from one Mahasiddha to another without interruption. Just having heard the sound of their name and also seeing some words from some of the texts has produced great devotion within me. I made some inqueries regarding them to some Lopons who were said to have possessed these instructions. When I requested the scriptural authorization for these texts (dpe lung), I heard all of them speak of Yangalwa as the master holding the lineage for the descent of these teachings. [33] I sent a request with a messenger, together with some powerful medicine pills, to the monastic residence of Lama Yangalwa. Having considered the matter, he replied to me in a letter, writing, 'Now, there exists just a single essential explanation for the Experiential Transmission (nyams-rgyud dmar-khrid gcig). But we live in two distant places and so it is unlikely that we will meet personally. T hese instructions have not been previously set down in writing. And because they represent a singular transmission, there exist only the oral precepts from those previous Mahasiddhas. But even though that is the case, there is one of my disciples who has obtained the Experiential Transmission from me. You should try to meet him and look to him for this!' Also my uncle Tsandanpa had written to me and said, 'T he Togdan is the one who has the scriptural transmission for the Oral Transmission (snyan-rgyud kyi lung). T herefore, you must request it from him! Now, let us discuss this question of the scriptural authority for the Oral Transmission.' "T here having occurred many such discussions regarding the Oral Transmission, finally the Togdan conferred the empowerment and the scriptural authority upon the three scholars, Lama Gyalwa and his two companions Lopon Mewon (sLob-dpon me-dbon) and Menyak
Introduction
j11
Ringdrak (Me-nyag ring-grags). W hen the ceremony was completed, Lama Gyalwa said to the master, 'Now, there exists the question of the existence of the Experiential Transmission that has in no way been contaminated by being set down in written words. Have you considered that?' But the Togdan replied, 'This is all of it. There is not even as much as a grain of sesame remaining. The authorization I have already given will have to do!' And he remained adamant in this. "However, Lama Gyalwa cited once more the history contained in the letter from Lama Dansapa [34] which clearly indicated that what the three scholars had received was not sufficient, and that there existed a further Experiential Transmission. He should consider transmitting that also. To this the Togdan replied, "Well then, if you have such a fervent desire, according to the system of these teachings, now we must make examinations of your name, your conduct, your body marks, as well as your dreams. Although there are many examinations to be made, for a man such as yourself, it will not be necessary to examine all of them. But let us at least propitiate the non human spirits [35] and then tomorrow we will make an examination of our dreams. 'That night, among the experiences of the master, he dreamed that he saw a beautiful valley that resembled the mountain of Yartse Hauri (ya-rtse ha'u ri) and this valley appeared to be filled with various different flowers and fruit trees. Moreover, there were innumerable beautiful young girls, aged fifteen and sixteen, adorned with jewel ornaments, who came forward carrying fruits and kusha grass on their backs. And as they came, the entire region of Wensakha monastery became filled with fruits and kusha grass. W here there were no fruits, they freely scattered them about. In the direction south of Wensakha also, there were the trunks of many fruit trees that bore bright blossoms. In the middle of all that, there was a spring gushing forth that resembled that spring at Damkhari. At the head of that spring, three Bonpo priests had gathered. They had prepared many extensive offerings and they were engaged in invoking the gods (lha gsol). This was how he described his dream. "Then again Lama Gyalwa dreamed that he found himself on the road. Then, in a valley filled with flowers and fruit trees, there was the facade of a high castle. At that site he blew a conch shell, raised a silken banner, and scattered many flowers into every direction. [36]
12
\
The Practice of Dzogchen in the Zhang-Zhung Trad1t1on of Tibet
"Third, as for the special places of practice that served as his supports anywhere during his lifetime, he principally engaged in the practice of meditation at such places of realization (grub gnas) as the rock at Yeru Kharna (g.yas-ru mkhar-sna'i brag) and at Ragong Yonpo (Ra-gong yon-po), and elsewhere. Moreover, the Lama himself said, "Due to the compassion created by my fervent devotion to those earlier Mahasiddhas, there came forth within me a confident belief and definitive decision (regarding the Natural State), which cut off the extremes that are conceptual elaborations." [3 7] "Furthermore, there arose from within the interior of his mind the bliss of pristine awareness without thoughts and he cut off the stream of distinguishing characteristics associated with subject and object. [38] And because of that, there arose for him without interruption the Clear Light, which is the spontaneously perfected Base (in terms of Thodgal visions). The distinctive characteristics of the three: the sounds, the lights, and the rays, were liberated into their own original condition on the Path. And as the Fruit, at the ultimate stage (in the development of vision) the Trikaya became visibly manifest to him. [39] Thereby the Great Bliss remained in its own original condition of the Dharmakaya and he came to behold the face of his own meditation deity, the Y idam Tsochok (gtso-mchog), whereupon the Generation Process and the Perfection Process, all emanating and reabsorbing, were liberated into their own original condition. In consequence, immeasurable numbers of liberations of experience and understanding were born in his mind. [40] "Moreover, the treatises composed by him, born of the above understanding, and after having condensed them into the outer, the inner, and the secret classes, were as follows: [41] 1.
Lag-len pod chung (outer, inner, and secret rituals),
2.
gZungs 'dus (dharani-mantras),
3.
kyi
lag-len
dmar-khrid
explanations regarding the practice manual for the Zhang-zhung Nyan-gyud), 4.
dBal-gsas khrig-ma lag khrid
5.
rTsa rlung gi gdams-pa (instructions on Tsalung practice),
6.
Drang-don snod bcud kyi yig-sna (assorted texts on the universe
(the practice manual for the deity
Walse),
and its inhabitants according to Relative Truth),
Introduction
113
7.
Dong sprugs zlas lung (mantra recitations for stirring up the
8.
Zhal gdams mgur 'bum (songs of spiritual instruction),
9.
gSol-'debs (various invocations and prayers),
depths of Samsara),
(And in particular) 10. A-khrid kyi gzhung rgyab skor {the cycle of the principal and
ancillary texts of the A-khrid system of Dzogchen practice) [42) whereby he arranged innummerable disciples on the Path of spiritual instruction and liberation. "Fourth, his virtuous qualities and the signs of his realization that were ordinary manifested during his lifetime. According to the prophecy found in thegNad byang drug-cu rtsa gcig-pa: of Chyangphak: [43) 'There will come forth in the future one called Drusha Tsun (Bru sha btsun) who will be an emanation of {the ancient sage) Nangwa Dogchan (sNang-ba mdog-can). There will be fourteen Bodhisattvas who are lineage-holders (in his lineage of transmission) and he will come to guide living beings. Gyalwa Yungdrung will come as the emanation of the Sugatas, those noble ones who are the makers of medicines, for the sake of benefiting living beings. Those who merely touch his lotus-like feet will become arrayed on the path to freedom from the five aggregates of rebirth and the doors to liberation for some three hundred-thousand beings will be opened.' [44) "Fifth, his extraordinary understanding became manifest. All of his experiences and signs (nyams rtags) in meditation practice were very auspicious and even the non-human spirits could not bind him with their disturbances. Having requested his two companions to depart from the room first, Lama Gyalwa, in the presence of his own master (Chigchod Dadpa Sherab), requested to receive the oral instructions, together with the permissions for the practices (zhal-gdams rjes-gnang). Moreover, Lama Gyalwa agreed to preserve the Single Transmission (gcig brgyud) and not to dispense the teachings either for wealth or for fame. There arose within him a confident belief and a definitive decision (yid-ches thag-chod) regarding the Natural State without reverting to either hopes or fears. All of his conceptual elaborations in the form of doubts, as well as his hopes and fears regarding the cycles of instructions (gdams skor) were removed for him like cutting through a spider's web. And he obtained all of the words and the meanings {tshig don) from the transmissions. Up until his own time,
141
The Practice of Dzogchen 1n the Zhang-Zhung Tradition of T1bet
this teaching of the Zhang-zhung Nyan-gyud had not spread very much, but during the lifetime of Lama Gyalwa, the teaching spread widely like the rays of the sun and became well known. "Finally, as for the life-span of his physical body, having attained fourty-nine years, he displayed the method of passing beyond sorrow. He is said to have died at his monastery of Yeru Wensakha. His principal disciples were his younger brother Dru Namkha Odzer (Bru Nam-mkha' 'od-zer) and his nephew Druton Sonam Gyaltsan (Bru ston bsod-nams rgyal-mtshan)." [45]
Contents of the Practice Manual: rGyal-ba phyag-khrid Among his many literary works cited above is a noted commentary on the practice of the A-khrid system of Dzogchen, entitled the Thun
mtshams bco-lnga-pa man-ngag khrid kyi rim-pa lag-len thun-mtshams dang bcas-pa. [46] And in addition, he composed the practice manual and commentary on the Zhang-zhung snyan-rgyud that we have here, namely, the sNyan-rgyud rgyal-ba'i phyag-khrid. I am aware of two published versions of this text: 1.
A litho edition in the dbu-med script published in India, no date; and
2.
The reprint of a xylograph edition published in a volume entitled
sNyan rgyud nam-mkha' 'phrul mdzod drang nges skor and Zhang zhung snyan-rgyud skor, Tibetan Bonpo Monastic Centre, New Delhi 1972, ff. 539-726. Within this collection composed by Gyalwa Yungdrung, we find three classes of texts: (1)
The preliminary practices (sngon-'gro),
(2)
The principle practices (dngos-gzhi), and
(3)
The ancilliary texts or branches (yan-lag). These latter texts are four in number and deal with the view (lta-ba), the meditation (sgom-pa), the conduct (spyod-pa), and the fruit ('bras-bu), respectively.
lr1troduct10r1
]15
The texts included in the rGyal-ba'i phyag-khrid collection are as follows: 0. Zhang-zhung snyan-rgyud kyi lo-rgyus rnam-thar dang bcas-pa, "The History of the Oral Transmission from Zhang-zhung, together with the Hagiographies," (ff. 539-589). This history is found in the xylograph reprint, but not in the dbu-med manuscript. It is a different text than the one similarly titled found in the collection that is the basis for the present study. [47]
1. sNgon-'gro rim-pa rnams, "the Stages of the Preliminary Practices" (ff.l -22), including an invocation of Tapihritsa, sNgon-'gro gsol
'debs, "the Invocation for the Preliminary Practices" (f£.23-28). In the xylograph reprint the text is called Bon-spyod dgu-rim, "the Nine Stages for the Conduct of Bon" (ff. 591-607). This text contains the explanations by Druchen for the preliminary practices (sngon-'gro) and it is divided into nine distinct practices:
(1) The Conferring of Empowerments (dbang-bskur), (2)
The Meditation on the Impermanence of Life (tshe mi rtag-pa),
(3)
The Confession of Sins (sdig-pa bshag-pa),
(4)
The Producing the Bodhichitta (sems bskyed),
(5)
The Going to Refuge (skyabs 'gro),
(6)
The Offering of the Mandala (mandai 'bul)
(7)
The Reciting of Mantras for Purification (sngags kyi bzlas-pa),
(8)
The Cutting off of Attachments (gcod), and
(9)
The Praying to receive the Guru's Blessings (gsol-'debs) which is the Guru Yoga (bla-ma'i rnal-'byor) proper. [48]
2. Zab-mo gnad kyi gdams-pa dngos-gzhi, "The Instructions concerning the Profound Essential Points for the Principal Practices" (ff.29-76), and in the xylograph reprint Khrid rim lag-len, "The Manual for the Stages of the Explanation" (ff.609-638). This text represents the principle practice, including both Trekchod (khregs-chod) and Thodgal (thod-rgal), but with the emphasis on the latter. The Thodgal practice for the development of vision (snang-ba) is divided into dark retreat practice (mun-mtshams), space or sky practice (nam-mkha'), and sunlight practice (nyi 'od) which represents Thodgal as such. Complete instructions for these practices are provided by Druchen. [49]
161
