Source of the Nyingma Kathok School in Tibetan Buddhism
The advent of Tibetan Buddhism began in the dynasty of Ancient Tibet
during the reign of the 29th King Lha Thothori Nyantseni. When it came to
the era of the 33rd King Songtsen Gampo in AD 629, during the monarchy
of Chinese Emperor Tang Taizong, court alliances were forged with the
Tang Dynasty's imperial office and the Nepalese king through marriages.
Princess Wencheng and the Nepalese Princess Tritsun were invited to Tibet
and their dowry included a Shakyamuni Buddha statue and copious
volumes of Buddhist scriptures. In order to install the statue and Buddhist
scriptures and also partially as a geomantic remedy for the inauspicious
shape of Tibet which resembled a female demon, the construction of the
Larger and Smaller Jokhangs (monasteries) and 108 other monasteries
ensued. At that time, despite numerous monasteries being constructed,
there remained a dearth of Tibetan monastics. Songtsen Gampo then sent
many people to study Sanskrit and Pali in India, amongst whom a high
officer Thomi Sambhota created the Tibetan Language which is currently
being used, exerting a far-reaching influence on the latter-day development
of Tibetan Buddhism.
During the regime of the 38th King Trisong Deutsen, an edict was issued to
propagate Buddhism. Khenpo Bodhisattva (Prince Shiwatsoii of the Indian
King of Sahor), Guru Padmasambhavaiii and many Buddhist specialists were
invited to Tibet. The Samye Monasteryiv was constructed. It was the first
temple in Tibetan history which was modeled after the historical Indian
Odantapura Monastery and incorporated elements of Chinese, Tibetan and
Indian architecture.
The Tibetan King Trisong Deutsen invited Buddhist scholars from India,
Nepal and various regions, trained talented people in translation skills and
commissioned the large-scale translation of Buddhist scriptures. With the
great master Vairotsana and seven others taking the lead in the
experimental inception of monastic ordinationv in Tibet, some 300 other
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people followed suit to take ordination, creating the first Sangha
community, thus the Buddhadharma began to flourish widely in Tibet.
Since the time when Guru Padmasambhava began to teach the Dharma and
benefit beings, the past lineage Gurus had sustained the transmission until
the Kathok lineage master Dampa Deshek. The teachings of the Dharma
have continued uninterruptedly like the perpetual blossoming of the lotus
flower. The lineage is described as follows:
Guru Padmasambhava
Khenchen Bodhisattva
Vimalamitra
Vairotsana
Yudra Nyingpo
The translator of Nyag, Jhanakumara
Palgyi Yeshe
Nubchen Sangye Yeshe
Yonten Gyatso
Nyang Sherab Chok
Yeshe Jungney
(Below are the three famous Nyingma Masters of the Zur family, they are
the great Buddhist scholars of the Tantric scripture collections.)
Zurpoche Shakya Jungney
Zurchung Sherab Drakpa
Zur Shakya Senggey (otherwise known as Sangdak Dropukpa)
Dzamton Drowai Gonpo
Kathok Lineage Master Dampa Deshek
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King of Holy Places - Kathok Monastery
Kathok Lineage is the first amongst the lineages in the Nyingma School. Its
history stretches far back, its essence is extraordinary and vast, it is the
primary source of the present six lineages of Nyingma schoolvi. Some
stanzas from a song says:
At this eastern place named Kathok
Lion-roar prophecy of the Guru
Thirteen times blessed by Padmasambhava
Mountain shaped like a prone sleeping lion
Termas deeply hidden in the neck of lion
With karma for Padmasambhava benefitting beings
I, Tsogyal, will emanate the precious Dampa
Resting in the midst and fringe of the secret Ati doctrine
Buddhadharma's rise and fall with no fixed count
Those with affinity emerge from the gradual
Tsogyal's last place of benefitting beings
Hundred thousand rainbow bodies will be perfectly accomplished
For a long time, many termas have contained profuse praises of Kathok
which were as abundant as snowflakes. There is no way to enumerate
them one by one. The siddha Dechen Lingpa in his commentary to
"Profound Terma - 25 supreme places in the Xi-kang" said that Do-shangvii
was the "Sacred Place of Enlightened Activity- the Vajra Throne of
Enlightenment", it is the chief of all five sacred places where Yeshe Tsogyal,
who was the holder of the Vajrakilaya lineage of Padmasambhava,
practiced the five activities. In a Kathok text, "Thousand Jewels of DoShang", there are verses stating:
In Southern Dzambuling frontier,
At the heart of the snowland of Tibet,
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Kathok's unchanging Vajra throne,
Sacred place of peaceful and wrathful deities of five cycles
Numerous are the holy places for practice
Kathok is the king of holy places
Kathok is an excellent sacred place for practitioners to accomplish the
rainbow light transformation body and the dakini practice. Up to present
times, about a hundred thousand people have been recorded
accomplishing the rainbow light transformation body there. Therefore
Kathok well-deserves its accolade of being a Vajra Throne, an epithet also
given to India's Bodhgaya.
Standing at Kathok Monastery and gazing afar at the horizon, its sky
resembles the eight wheels of prosperity, the land is like a fully-blossomed
eight-petalled lotus flower, flanking its land are geographical patterns like
the eight auspicious symbols. At its rear, the mountain is shaped aweinspiringly like a white parasol. The hills in front bear the shape of the
clockwise turning conch, it signified that Kathok's fame would be spread far
and wide in the ten directions. The profile of the mountain on the right has
the appearance of a leaping tiger on the rocks of fortune. On the left, there
is an outline on the mountain that seems to be a fragrant elephant carrying
the load of eighty-four thousand tomes of Buddhist scriptures. If one peers
upwards past the silk scarves dangling gracefully, in the mountain face
below, there is an image of hands folded in the unmoving mudra beckoning
the vast multitudes of devotees. The whole mountain is perfect and
complete with the deportment of mighty Yamantaka.
In the profile of the mountain in front, at the level of the secret chakra,
there was a triangular vermillion colored lake.
Above the navel chakra (Nirmanakaya chakra), there was a lion throne,
multi-colored vajras, natural syllables of AH and KA, as well as parasols that
seemed to be fashioned out of peacock feathers.
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At the center of the mountain (its heart chakra or Dharmakaya chakra), on
its left side was the place where the illustrious master Dampa Deshek saw
Red Manjushri and Yellow Manjushri debating and built a large hall
Chorkorling, to represent that there would be a unremitting stream of great
scholars appearing in the Kathok lineage.
On the symbol of the throat chakra (Sambhogakaya chakra), there was a
black rock which has a natural white syllable AH appearing on it. To the left
of this AH syllable was a cave which is a holy place of accumulation of
Avalokiteshvara's heart mantra called, "Batrul Lekden Ling"
At the crown chakra (Chakra of Great Bliss), there was a white peak, like a
torma where all the deities of the Three Roots occasionally seemed to
gather like a cloud and at times seemed to surround the Torma, partaking
of the offering.
Above it, on the steep face, there was a naturally emanated image of
Buddha Shakyamuni, to the left, there was a famous and sacred retreat
cave called "Yangtul Dechen Ling". In the cave was many images, Dharma
instruments, mantras which appeared naturally on the rock walls. Aside
from that, lions, tigers, dragons and Garudas, the four wind-horse animals
also appeared there. The entire Kathok monastery had numerous
marvellous different practice caves.
Padmasambhava once brought his twenty-five disciples to stay at Kathok
for twenty-five days and consecrated the place thirteen times (the meaning
of consecration is to cause the blessings to permanently remain),
Padmasambhava left a hand-print on a rock as he was blessing Kathok. It
appeared as if he were clutching on to something. There were also footprints of both his feet and indentations made by his robes. Many images of
Padmasambhava, Dharmapalas, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas also manifested
naturally on the cliff-walls. Besides that, the footprints of many Dakinis
who were celebrating during the Dharma festivities at Kathok were left on
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the boulders. It really causes one to be amazed! Its many auspicious
manifestations are parallel to those in the Lotus palace of the Great
Ultimate heaven in Akanistha pureland.
When the master Vairotsana went to Gyalrong, he stayed at Kathok for a
whole month to practice. Kathok's first lineage master Dampa Desheg also
practiced here. His practice cave is named "Dan Pu".
Below the Kathok Monastery and situated to its left was a place of 'Gonpo'.
It was the site of the thousand Buddhas. The siddha Vairotsana erected a
stupa at Gonpo. It was one of the many monastery/stupa structures built
to tame the female Rakshasa demon which, according to ancient geomancy,
the land of Tibet resembled. This place became the area where many of
the reliquary stupas of lineage masters were located.
At Kathok monastery, the sacred places considered to be the emanations of
body, speech and mind blessings are :
Sacred place of body - Zeqing Pawo Pungjung
Sacred place of speech - Rongpu Yulo Goba
Sacred place of mind - Lingchu Yangdak Puku
Sacred place of qualities - Dagchen Shunla
Sacred place of activities - Zhaga Dorje Pulang
The meaning of the common sacred places is the Shan-nong mountains
The uncommon sacred place is Palyul Noble Mountain
It is impossible to give complete detailed descriptions of Guru
Padmasambhava's five dharma wheels of sacred places and the hundred
and eight exalted holy sites. Therefore, Kathok is regarded as the second
Manganda or the second Bodhgaya where Buddha arose.
As Kathok's lineage and teachings proliferated, the sangha members
increased correspondingly. When it came to the time of the fifth lineage
master Yeshe Bern, the lineage had prospered to a height of having
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180,000 sangha members. A hundred of Yeshe Bern's disciples attained
rainbow body. The rainbow body is the culmination of the highest level of
spiritual attainment possible in the widely-spread teachings left for futuregenerations. The practitioner has integrated his physical body, nature of
mind and clarity-emptiness completely. This is identical to the wisdom
body of luminosity of Buddha. The practitioner who accomplishes this may
be completely obscure when he was alive but upon his death, he
demonstrates that he has already realized Buddhahood and dissolves his
whole body into limpid rainbow light which melts into space, leaving
behind only his hair and nails. In Kathok's lineage, there have been a
hundred thousand cases of rainbow body accomplishments recorded even
before 1912. The silent, relentless and solid practice of these people with
their body and mind has proven to the world that the Dharma is authentic
beyond the shadow of a doubt.
According to historical records and supported by latter-day research, there
was a magnificent story of Kathok handed down to posterity. During the
construction of the Kathok monastery, there was a time when everyone
was in incredible difficulties. Someone then took this opportunity to offer
them a thousand sheeps with the (wicked) hope that the people would
slaughter the sheeps as food for the builders of the monastery. The master
Jangchub Pawo allowed them to kill these sheeps, but after they had
partaken of the meat to their satisfaction, they piled the bloody fur and
bones together. The master snapped his fingers and all the sheeps were
resurrected without any harm. They continued to eat the grass as if
nothing had transpired. All the bystanders who witnessed this were
completely astonished. Jangchub Pawo snapped his finger again and in an
instant, all the sheeps were transformed into light and soared into the sky
to the pureland of Great Bliss and Emptiness. Only a thousand sheep skins
were left behind. In recent times, during the Chinese revolution, many
sheep skins were found in the reliquary stupas. These sheep skins that had
been left behind from a long time ago were proof that this famous tale of
Kathok was not made-up.
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The sixth lineage master Jangchub Pawo (Jangchub Bern) built more than a
hundred monasteries of different sizes and many cabins for the sangha. As
the whole of Kathok's frontal mountain was already filled with monasteries
and sangha cabins, they began building on the mountain to its rear. The
monastics that filled the august Kathok mountain were so numerous that
the maroon-yellow colors of their robes ranging over the verdant green
mountain wilderness, cast their sheen in the sheer blue sky , often filling
the sky with a radiant sunset glow. It was very picturesque!
Kathok's teachings once pervaded the whole of Tibet, Nepal, India and
Mongolia, Dali and Shanxi's Five-peaked Mountain and other places locally.
The Kathok school's practice, during the time of Dampa Desheg, was based
primarily on the sutra, illusory tantra and mind sections amongst the
Nyingmapa's Generation-Completion stages and Dzogchen scriptures,
namely:
Scripture section : Sutra of the Gathering of Secret Intent
Illusory Tantra section : Sutra of Illusory Web or the Sutra of Auspicious
Secrets
Mind section : Mind section, eighteen root and ancillary scriptures
Other scriptures included the Guhyasamaja, Cakrasamvara and Kalachakra
practices.
The teachings on the sutra section were given openly on a wide scale with
teachings and practices conducted in groups. This nurtured many
accomplished masters who later attained the state of Vidyadharaviii.
The illusory tantra and mind sections were transmitted in the manner of
mouth-to-ear sublime pith instructions. This unsurpassed transmission was
incomparable and galvanized the unimaginable achievements of a hundred
thousand rainbow bodies and their unfathomable realms of practice.
At the time of Mani Rigdzin, apart from the kama (scriptural) lineages,
there were also the terma lineages of the Yang and Gu - two realized
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masters who revealed earth treasures. At the time of Dzongnang Kasengye,
they started to practice Ratna Lingpa's termas.
During the period of Duddul Longsal Nyingpo, the Northern treasures such
as Karma Lingpa's "Peaceful and Wrathful Hundred Deities of the Bardo"
practice, "Embodiment of the Gurus", making a total of nine types of
practices were widely promulgated.
When it came to Situ Chokyi Sengye, as he was the disciple of Jigme Lingpa,
he brought the Longchen Nyingthig practices to Kathok!
From Dampa Desheg onwards, the sutra and terma baskets of scriptures
consisted of thirteen large compendiums of teachings. They were the
principal practices at Kathok. These were also the sources of practice done
by practitioners who attained rainbow body over past generations. They
were usually called the essential profound thirteen collections of teachings.
These grand and magnificent thirteen teachings are the precise
compositions of the accomplished masters:
1. Zhang-dong-jie's Pith Instructions - Rosary of Views
2. Namkhai Dorje's Teachings on Semde (Mind Section)
3. Migyur Sangye Dorje's Guru's Quintessential Heart Essence
4. Yeshe Gyaltsen's Ocean of Mahamudra Core Instructions
5. Kong-ga-bern's Extensive teachings on Severance
6. Tashi Rigdzin's Dzogchen Profound Mirror of Wisdom
7. Kusali Sonam Dudjom's Profound Essential Meaning of Dzogchen
8. Horpo Chatral Gyaltsen's Direct Path to Insight of Wisdom Mind
9. Pema Madeng's Teachings on the Six Realms and Bardos
10. Rigdzin Dorwang Tsurpu's Uncommon Collection - Guru's Mind
Ornament
11. Pema Madeng's Profound Path - Illuminated Meaning
12. Duddul Dorje's Dzogchen Teachings - Samantabhadra's Rainbow Body
13. Longsal Nyingpo's Phowa - Accepting and Rejecting Rainbow
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A recent accomplished master Getse Gyurmed Dampa Namje collated these
thirteen teachings and all its essential teachings completely into a
compilation "Teachings of Pith Instructions - Precious Jewelled Mirror". It
became an extremely important practice text for practitioners who were
engaging in meditation.
As time went by, with successive generations, the Kathok lineage
practitioners who spread out to different regions to spread the teachings
began to set up their own branches and schools. By the time of the great
accomplished master Longsal Nyingpo, there were more than a thousand
monastics. When it came to the time of Situ Chokyi Gyatso, there were
more than three thousand monastics. The strength in numbers of the
sangha was no longer like before, however within the Kathok monastery
there remained many valuable artifacts. These were, for instance, the
hand-written manuscripts of the lineage masters, wood-carved print-blocks
for various works and termas, the Kangyur scriptures written in gold ink,
and various rare treasures. There were also golden statues several stories
high and numerous inexpressibly marvellous Buddha images and dharma
items from exceptional sources such as the entirely gold plated, threestoried high stupa that was bestowed by the national teacher Phakpa
(Lodro Gyaltsen) of the Yuan dynasty. This stupa was a thanks-giving gift
from Phakpa to his empowerment teacher, the fifth Kathok lineage master,
Yeshe Bern. Yeshe Bern had conferred the Illusory Hundred Deities Bardo
empowerment on Phakpa.
Another holy object is the glass stupa
presented by the king of Dali, within which is a Buddha statue cast from
pure gold and an upright mandala made from elephant tusks. The king also
gave seven huge offering bowls which has a diameter of three meters each.
There was also a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha which was a treasure of the
Wu-dang Dar-por-lee Monastery in India and many other holy objects.
What is most spectacular and highly acclaimed is the world-renowned
Lotus Born mandala - the Auspicious Copper Colored Palace. Its external
appearance is that of a magnificent and elegant three-level palace. Its
interior contains the statues and great palatial mandala of the three kayas
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of Buddhahood, ie, the Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya
dimensions. The wall paintings and carvings are life-like and vivid. It is like
encountering the actual Sukhavati pureland directly. The stone walls, stone
pillars and roof tiles are painted with gold as thick as the horse's hide.
There are also gold ornaments of parasols, banners, deers, dharma wheel
and a treasure vase at the roof-ridge. There were a wealth of such
splendorous religious symbols and exquisite artistic treasures.
Nonetheless, the force of impermanence did not stay its hand just because
it concerned the Dharma. The natural progression of formation, abidance,
destruction and void continued to creep up silently on the glorious Kathok
monastery in its sacred land. During the Chinese cultural revolution, the
flood-gates of violence opened and invaded the Kathok Monastery loftily
poised atop the highlands. All of the above-mentioned magnificent
monastery, stupa and precious holy objects were levelled to the ground in
one day. Everything was looted, leaving only the rubbles as mementos for
posterity. The sangha members were either forced to disrobe or exiled to
foreign lands.
Before the communist party inflicted any damage, the Kathok lineage had
more than three hundred monasteries scattered all over Tibet, Bhutan,
Sikkim, Mongolia, Dali and Inner China. After the revolution, there were
only a total of a hundred and thirty monasteries after including those that
were recently restored.
From the first founding master of Kathok, Dampa Desheg to the recent 80th
lineage-holder Situ Choje Gyaltsen Rinpoche, there were a total of a
hundred and twenty-three sublime masters. Situ Choje Gyaltsen passed
the mantle to the present Motsa Rinpoche, Shingkyong Rinpoche and
Khenchen Gyaltsen Woser (already passed into parinirvana) who
respectively maintained the lineage up to its 83rd lineage-holder. Lhoga
Rinpoche is the 84th lineage-holder.
After ten years of tumultuous changes, the golden throne-holders of
Kathok - Motsa Rinpoche, Shingkyong Rinpoche, Khenchen Gyaltsen Woser
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and the present abbot and lineage-holder Lhoga Rinpoche led the masses
of disciples to renew and strengthen their lineage and its norms. Relentless
efforts were poured into the reconstruction of monasteries, sangha
residences, Buddhist college, retreat places and the resplendent glorious
Copper-colored Mountain Palace of Lotus Light, in order to establish Kathok
as a center for the neighbouring or distant sangha members and laity to do
Dharma practice.
In this way, by building up from the ashes, in these few years, the ancient
Kathok has begun to manifest its might, just like a formidable lion that had
returned from afar or an elephant that emerged from the muddy swamp.
Thus, Kathok made its first sacred step on the important and far-reaching
journey of propagating the Dharma and benefitting beings.
In 1992, the Tibetan monkey year, from the first day of the sixth month to
the tenth day, the Thousand Sangha Grand Ceremony took place. There
were a total of thirteen mandalas involved in the turning of the Dharma
wheel. More than three thousand six hundred monastics and some tens of
thousands of lay-people who participated in this great event.
In 1995, the Tibetan boar year, from the first day of the sixth month to the
tenth day, the Ten-Thousand Sangha Grand Ceremony was held. In the
ceremony, there were specially blessed nectar Dharma medicine. There
were more than ten thousand monastics who came from the smaller
Kathok-affiliated monasteries and included those sangha members who
had received benefit from the Kathok lineage. From all parts of the world,
there were more than ten thousand disciples of various nationalities,
including Chinese and so forth.
The Kathok lineage, originating with the founding master Dampa Desheg till
the present Motsa Rinpoche, Lhoga Rinpoche etc, with its excellent lineage,
great practitioners who have attained ultimate realisation and the
Bodhisattvas who have received the nectar of Dharma have influenced
countless local and foreign people. They have benefitted limitless beings
through their boundless compassion and power of the Dharma. In
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accordance with Kathok's strict tradition of attaining realisation through
genuine practice and its authentic mind-teachings, the aspirations of the
lineage and its followers will benefit sentient beings, turn the dharmawheel and forever pervade throughout samsara without ceasing!
Kathokpa Founding Master, Dampa Deshek
The founding master of the Kathok Monastery, Dampa Deshek, was the
actual Manjushri himself, not being in the least different from Manjushri.
He was also known as Sherab Sengye Pobpa Thaye. Dampa Deshek was
once the great Indian highly accomplished Arhat Bharadvaja and later
became Shantideva. He also emanated as Yeshe Tsogyal in Tibet and as the
Nyak translator Yeshe Zhonnu as well as other emanations. He was born in
the Kham region, in a place called Zhitra Gang in Chushi Gangdru (six waters
and six ridges). His father was a yogic practitioner by the name of Tsangpa
Peldrak. His mother was Tsangmo Rinchen Gyen. His father had four sons
and one daughter. His elder brother was the founder of the Phagdru Kagyu
school, Phagmo Drukpa Dorje Gyelpo. Dampa Deshek was the second son.
Dampa Deshek was born in 1122AD amidst many wonderful signs. His
father was very pleased and named him Increasing Virtue (Gewa Pel). In his
youth, he was a eloquent and resourceful boy with rosy lips and white
teeth. From his infancy, he possessed a spirit of renunciation and did not
like wine or meat. From his fifth year, his father taught him to read and
write. From his sixth year, he drew and sculptured Buddha images, learnt
astrology, modern and ancient medical science, poetry and songs, worldly
litigation and memorized the large Prajnaparamita sutra. In the meanwhile,
he also received the upasaka vows from Lama Peldzin.
When he was nine years old, due to his strong revulsion for worldly affairs,
he listened to the advice of his father and went to Lang, where he studied
the Tripitaka of Vinaya, Sutras and Abhidharma at his brother's monastery
Pelgyi Chokhor. There he received the Bodhisattva vows and his brother
taught him the Dharma, inspiring him with exceedingly great joy. This was
followed by him receiving the Vajra Tummo Cakrasamvara initiation where
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many signs of accomplishments manifested. He also received the Palden
Lhamo transmission and although Dampa Deshek had never practiced this
deity, he saw Palden Lhamo descending.
When Dampa Deshek was sixteen, he proceeded to Kampo and studied the
Dharma with Geshe Jampa Namdak. He received many empowerments,
transmissions and learnt how to teach the Dharma. When he was nineteen,
he went to Lhasa in Central Tibet and relied on Geshe Dotok Telpa Gyeltsen,
Geshe Gyarmarwa, receiving many kinds of teachings such as Kalachakra
and was exposed to many ways of doing practice.
When Dampa Deshek was twenty-one, he went to Reting monastery where
he met the Kadam scholar Sengge Zangpo who taught him the
Bodhipathapradīpa, Madhyamika, Logic and gave him the related
transmissions and methods of practice. Later, he went to see the Sakya
Throne-holder Sonam Tsemo and Kunga Lekpa, from whom he received the
Hevajra, Lamdre, Vajra Treasury, Sakya Vajrakilaya and so forth. He
received Yamataka initiation from the various lineages of Sakya, oral
transmissions and many teachings.
Dampa Deshek once went to the inner court of Maitreya in the Tushita
heaven in his meditation and received many incomparably pure
clarifications of his doubts. He relied on Ratna Sengge, Kam Lotsawa and
various other great translators for teachings on Vajravarahi and
Cakrasamvara. After receiving the empowerments, he practiced arduously
in retreat.
When Dampa Deshek was twenty-four, he went to Penyul Gyel and took
ordination with Jangchub Sengge. He was given the name Sherab Sengge
(Lion of Intelligence). He made great efforts to study the Nyingma
teachings including the Dzogchen, Generation and Completion Stages,
practices related to the Prana, Nadi and Tigle and all the transmissions and
initiations. His realisation and knowledge became unimpeded like the
Buddha! Extrasensory perceptions manifested in a wonderous manner,
and in every practice he engaged, the deity appeared. All the accomplished
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masters in Tibet praised him as a great scholar and mahasiddha, his fame
spread in the ten directions!
When he was twenty-five, he went to the range of mountains Gangtishe
and met with the disciple of Milarepa-- Rechungpa. He received the
teachings on the blue Cakrasamvara and the formless Dakini. Later he also
met Repa Shiwa-tso and learnt the tummo practice from him. He went to
Narthang Buddhist college which had the highest location in Tibet to
receive the full Bhikshu vows from Khenchen Depa Nagkyi who was in the
lineage of Lu-med Sherlajyangix. From then on, he kept his vows like
Nuangker of India. He also received the Vidyadhara symbolic lineage of the
Nyingmapas and the hidden treasure lineages -- both the kama and terma
lineages. He also received the empowerments and all the teachings of the
Mind, Space and Pith Instructions sections of the four basic texts of the
Illusory Web from Dzamton Drowa'i Gonpo who was the disciple of one of
the Nyingma Zur masters, Zur Shakya Sengge (Sangdag Drophugpa).
When Dampa Deshek was twenty-nine, his teacher Dzamtonpa predicted
that Dampa would accomplish the rainbow body if he practiced at the
Kampo mountains, but that if he went to the Kathok holy site where Guru
Padmasambhava practiced to teach and propagate the dharma, there
would be more than a hundred-thousand disciples attaining rainbow body,
His teacher also predicted that Dampa Deshek's lineage would last for more
than a thousand years!
Following that, Dampa Deshek made his way to Zangri Khamar where he
learnt the Chod teachings from Tho-nyon, son of the Chod founding master
Machig Labdron, and a 'crazy' accomplished yogi named Drubtob Nyonpa
Donden. He also went to Dolpo, where he received Mahamudra teachings
from Dakpo Lharje (Gampopa), the main disciple of Milarepa. In Tsari,
Dampa Deshek practiced in retreat for four months.
After he had attained accomplishment, Dampa Deshek returned to his
teacher (Gampopa) and offered his realisation to his teacher. When he
recited the six syllables mantra, rainbow light shone from his mouth. After
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the teacher bestowed upon him the full set of Dharma robes and
accoutrements, blessed objects and a offering scarf (khata), Dampa Deshek
left to look for the Kathok mountains. Dakpo Lharje also made a prophecy
then that Dampa Deshek would choose the path of benefitting beings!
Dampa Deshek also met Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa on his way. Their
realisations were equal and Dampa Deshek also received teachings and
initiations from Karmapa, becoming his excellent disciple. By this time,
Dampa Deshek had received teachings from more than a hundred teachers
amongst the mahasiddhas and had perfected all stages of the path!
Between the age of thirty-three and thirty-five, Dampa Deshek went to the
kingdom of Dali in Nan-Xia (Nan Chao) and the country of Ling. He taught
the Dharma to the royalty. Through the patronage of the royalty and his
status as their master, Dampa caused some nine-hundred people to take
ordination and gave them various initiations and transmissions from
different schools.
At the age of thirty-six, Dampa Deshek returned to his home-town and the
local mountain god came to welcome him and left after receiving some
teachings from Dampa Deshek. He searched for Kathok with his attendant
Dorje Gyaltsen and reached the village Horpo at the foot of the Kathok
mountains. At Yungdrung Tangdar in Horpo, there was a Bonpo monastery,
above which Palden Lhamo appeared and kindly indicated the direction of
Kathok saying, "Son, go in that direction!"
Dampa Deshek followed the directions of Palden Lhamo and saw thirteen
young boys herding cows. He asked the boys, "Where is Kathok?" The
boys unanimously pointed at an opposite hill. He continued on the way
and discovered a huge rock with a natural syllable "Ah" and "Ka" in the
forest. The lion-like mountain had a jade lake. Dampa Deshek walked to
the retreat place of the great master Vairotsana, beside Yang-tso-chu's
retreat cave, water sprouted out spontaneously.
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In the Horpo village, the ruler Gelu admired Dampa Deshek's practice very
much but because most of the people ascribed to the Bon beliefs, there
was no major following of Dampa Deshek. Auspicious factors soon ripened
and Gelu became a sponsor of Dampa Deshek, gradually, disciples
increased like the waxing of the moon, their devotion to their teacher
became stronger and stronger, they were willing to help Dampa Deshek
establish a monastery and requested him to stay on in that area.
When the decision was made to build the monastery, the Bon mountain
god Duo-nen who had hitherto received his offerings from the Bon
worshippers was apprised of it and created obstacles to the construction by
taking a human form at night. At that time, Dampa Deshek was teaching
the Cakrasamvara tantra. The next morning, it was snowing heavily, Dampa
Deshek and his attendants Dorje Rohe and the Bhikshu Deng-po went out
hunting down the mountain god and traced his footsteps to a large boulder.
Dampa Deshek drilled two holes into the boulder which happen to be the
deity's nostrils and tied it with a rope. He asked his disciple to drag the
boulder (with the mountain god in it) and while dragging, Dampa Deshek
whipped the rock so that stripes after stripes of welts appeared on it. The
whipping went on until the rock was tugged to the side of a stream beside
Kathok monastery. The mountain god was in unbearable pain and could
only surrender in the end by taking a vow to protect Kathok! From then on,
the huge boulder remains in that place, where the whipped welts are
amazingly still visible today!
After that, Dampa Deshek's disciples and listeners of his teachings
multiplied by the day till there were more than a thousand followers. They
built the monastery in the day and listened to the teachings at night,
practicing purification of negative karma while listening to the teachings
through the hard work of building the monastery. All the builders, stonemasons and craftsmen poured their heart and soul into the construction of
the Kathok monastery day and night.
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The Kathok monastery had a huge main hall. Beside the main hall were the
Gongka-la (gardens) and the hall of Awakened-Incense. In the main hall
was a very large Buddha statue, wall paintings, other statues of Buddhas of
the past, present and future as well as the eight Bodhisattvas, door gods,
protectors and other such murals. Treasured collections of Dharma objects
include the hand-written scripts of Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra, the
five Indian illusion-like sutras written on palm-leaves, the robes of the
Mahasiddha Sangdag Drophugpa, Mahasiddha Zurpoche Shakya Jungne's
tooth, Lama Atisha's Pandit hat, Nub Sangye Yeshe's Vajrakilaya dagger,
Buddha Shakyamuni's body relic, Tengyur, hand-copied Kangyur and the
large Prajnaparamita sutra written in gold ink and silver ink. In all, there
were more than a thousand three hundred tomes.
Kathok Monastery's construction began in 1159 AD, lasted for two years
and was completed in the year of the Dragon.
When Kathok monastery was consecrated, the clear bright sky suddenly
revealed rainbows and the entire Kathok monastery was cloaked in halos of
light. There were exquisite music wafting through space and the sounds of
Dharma instruments. Many fresh colorful flowers showered down like rain,
and many auspicious signs occurred that indicated the presence of the
deities residing in Kathok. Many people saw these marvelous and rare
auspicious signs and were so exhilarated that it seemed they were
transported beyond their bodies and minds.
More than four thousand monastics and vow-holders from various parts of
Tibet, Dali and Li-Jiang etc, came to be part of the sangha and practiced the
Mahayana, Kalachakra, Cakrasamvara, Yamantaka, Auspicious Illusory and
so forth.
The Ling King (a descendant of King Gesar) invited Dampa Deshek to the
country of Ling. On this occasion, Dampa Deshek received the armor of
Gyatsa - the minister of King Gesar.
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Dampa Deshek became increasingly powerful and influential which led to
discontent of the Bonpos, some of whom practiced sorcery in a cave called
Ganbu to curse him but the spell was turned back by Palden Lhamo which
caused a huge boulder to crush the cave, killing the Bonpos. Dampa
Deshek drew a visva-vajra (crossed vajra) on the boulder with his finger and
the rock remains to this day. It is called the 'rock that buried eight people'.
The ruler of Horpo, Gelu, Xi-Sha's King Tajin, Li-jiang's King of Dali, King of
Ling, Kongpo Kaleb, Eastern Tsongka, Gyalrong etc and the various local
rulers were venerated Dampa Deshek highly and were his sponsors.
When Dampa Deshek was forty, he established a college and retreat center.
He initiated the great practice of the "Secret United Collection" where
there was an attendance of more than two thousand Bhikshus. In the
summer he concentrated on teaching the sutric and tantric scriptures and
commentaries. In the winter, he gave empowerments, transmissions and
in the course of three years, Dampa Deshek taught a syllabus of how to
peruse the sutras, debate on the scriptures, teach the scriptures, listen to
the scriptures, logic and epistemology, craftsmanship, medicine, astrology,
Vinaya, Prajnaparamita, Madhyamika, Abhidharma, Lam-Rim Chenmo,
Yamantaka, Lamdre, Kagyu's Six Yogas of Naropa, Mahamudra, Kalachakra
and such tantras of the ancient and new schools. He also taught the
methods of practice, gave empowerments and transmissions of the
Nyingma scriptures, Mayajala tantra (Magical Net), the three heart sections,
Sem-de, Long-de, Men-ngag-de, and all the various empowerments and
transmissions. He gave teachings adapted to the diverse capacities of
beings. In a single day, Dampa Deshek could transmit up to thirteen
different teachings!
When Dampa Deshek's root teacher Dzamtonpa attained the rainbow body
at the age of 100, Dampa Deshek organized a major Dharma ceremony at
Kathok monastery to commemorate his teacher. By then, Dampa Deshek
had disciples who were as numerous as the stars and amongst them two
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were outstandingly brilliant like the sun or moon, they were Tsangtonpa
(the second lineage master Tsangton Dorje Gyaltsen) and Khenchen Draye.
Disciples who attained the rainbow body: Acharya Bernton, Drari Lama
Kunja-er, Yontan Bern from Central Tibet, Jamyang Yontan, Monk of Ling
Shela etc.
Those who attained realization instantaneously when listening to the
teachings include the three friends of Gyarong: Bhikshu Sherab Gyaltsen,
Sherab Sengge (Dorje) and Sherab Pawo
Ten disciples attained the stage of supreme attainment (amongst the four
stages of warmth, peak, patience and supreme attainment), while three
disciples attained patience, there were more than a hundred great
Acharyas and more than eighty thousand monastics.
The monastics of Kathok were unfettered by worldly concerns through the
guidance of Dampa Deshek. Their outer appearance were noble and
dignified while internally they were fully of the supreme Bodhichitta and
profound realizations. The Sangha at Kathok in that period became the
wellspring for the great wisdom and Mahasiddhas of the snowy land of
Tibet!
Dampa Deshek taught countless students in his life. The scriptures of
Vinaya, Sutra and Abhidharma he propagated, compositions about his
practice and view, practice texts, the accounts of his conduct and speech,
his poetries and songs, and other writings for benefitting the minds of
others are assorted and bountiful. They are rich and vast, acclaimed by
others and make up a total of nineteen volumes.
But due to
impermanence and the evanescence of this world, nothing is left of these!
From his infancy, the auspicious Mahakala (Four-armed Mahakala) and the
self-arisen Goddess (Palden Lhamo) have been by Dampa Deshek's side to
protect him. Many mountain gods and earth deities have also complied
with his orders and performed tasks for him. He could see Manjushri,
Avalokiteshvara, Vajrapani, Maitreya, Tara, Vajrakilaya, Cakrasamvara,
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Yamantaka and other Bodhisattvas and mandalas directly. Dampa Deshek
was able to meet directly the great Indian Mahasiddha Saraha (Nagarjuna's
teacher), Birwapa, Indrabhuti, Balatatra and converse with them. He often
saw Sukhavati (pure realm of Amitabha) and the pure realm of Guru
Rinpoche in his meditations and received the prophecies, teachings and
predictions of both Amitabha Buddha and Guru Padmasambhava.
Dampa Deshek had the following external signs of accomplishment: his
body did not cast any shadow; he had no obstructions in walking, standing,
sitting or lying down, and could pass through walls, the external material
world seemed to have no hold over him; his body often emitted the
variegated colors of rainbow light which could be seen with our normal
eyes. Dampa Deshek could also carve the six syllables mantra (OM MANI
PADME HUNG) on the hard rocks with merely his finger; when he was
practicing, nectar naturally flowed from all the tormas used in his practice,
the skies rained with fresh flowers and dharma music resounded in the
space. The sounds of the Amitabha epithet and mani mantra were often
heard continuously out of thin air. He was able to know with exactitude
everything in the past, present and future. These unique abilities were well
known by many people and his story continues to be passed on today.
When Dampa Deshek was 70 years old, he transmitted the Bodhisattva
vows and initiations to more than 70,000 devotees. At that time, he passed
his Pandita hat and old mantle to the holder of his mind transmission,
Tsangton Dorje Gyaltsen, appointing him as the successor of the lineage.
Khenpo Yedra was appointed as the main professor of the Buddhist college
and Gonpo Buchungpa as the main teacher of the practice center.
When Dampa Deshek was 71, he gathered all the disciples and advised
them: "Regardless of the height of your view, the Buddhadharma's essence
is contained in the Vinaya, therefore, pay close attention to all your speech
and conduct, exercise utmost caution ; the Buddhadharma's crucial
meaning is not found in the mastery over words and texts but in the
comprehension and realization of the heart-essence of the definitive
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meaning; no matter what level of practice of the Hinayana, Mahayana or
Vajrayana you are engaging in, nothing is more important that taming your
own mind! You should put yourselves in a lowly position and learn humbly;
you must all focus on practice diligently and regard Dharma practice as the
only goal. The reason for the continuous manifestation of rainbow body by
the lineage Gurus is due to the merits of diligent practice! If I had gone to
the Kampo mountains to practice, ordinary beings will witness my
attainment of rainbow body, however, due to the necessity of perpetuating
the Buddhadharma and to pass the lineage to later generations, I have
chosen the practice path of teaching the Dharma. To me, there is utterly
no difference between the two paths because I have already attained the
eternal level of perfection.
Dampa Deshek further instructed repeatedly:
You must never forget Bodhichitta, never ever forget this, practice is to look
back at your own nature, don't seek externally!
During this time, Kathok Monastery held a huge feast-offering ceremony.
After the ceremony had concluded, the disciples knew that Dampa Deshek
was nearing his parinirvana and repeatedly requested him to stay on,
Dampa Deshek replied, "The causes and conditions for this body to truly
benefit beings have been exhausted, I would be going to the pureland of
Amitabha. I pray that the Buddhadharma will continue to remain for a long
time, flourish and be taught to many beings, and that the lineage holders
will live long and benefit beings!"
Following this, he went to the Garden of Holy Dharma and Amassed
Delights, faced the western direction, placed his hands in the mudra of
resting in the nature of mind and entered parinirvana!
This was on the fifteenth day of the fourth month in 1192 AD. According to
Tibetan Buddhism, this is also the day on which Buddha Shakyamuni
entered his mother's womb, attained enlightenment and entered
parinirvana.
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When Dampa Deshek entered parinirvana, instantly the earth quaked nine
times in thunderous roars and a rainbow appeared, spanning from the
western horizon to the place where Dampa Deshek had entered
parinirvana. It was just like a bridge of seven colors. The clear sky began to
snow and all the beings who witnessed these auspicious signs aroused
unparalleled faith and planted the seeds for liberation from samsara.
Dampa Deshek's disciple (the second Kathok lineage master), Tsangton
Dorje Gyaltsen, led three hundred Bhikshus to conduct the cremation.
During the cremation, a huge red flower grew out from the side of the pyre.
After the cremation, Buddha figures manifested on the skull bone and an
image of the thousand arms, thousand eyes Avalokiteshvara appeared on
the forehead bone, beside Avalokiteshvara was the Amogapasha
bodhisattva, on his right is the five Dhyani Buddhas, in the four directions
are the four door-guarding deities, at the crown is the Herukas of the ten
sections, on the right side of the crown is Samantabhadra, on the left side
are the sixteen deities of Go and Shing, on the interior is Manjushri, on the
posterior is Vajrakilaya. Behind the spine is Shakyamuni Buddha, Shariputra
and Maudgalyayana. Many Buddha images can be seen on the skull bone.
The Buddha images were extremely minute, identical to the original
Buddha forms and somewhat akin to miniaturized carvings. This precious
and amazing skull-bone relic is still preserved up till today.
After the cremation, a thousand relics manifested. The monastics created a
stupa and hall to commemorate Dampa Deshek, preserve the holy traces of
his activities and to celebrate his incredible accomplishment of Dzogchen.
i
AD 500, the king Lha Thothori Nyantsen was residing at Yong-Bula Palace when from the sky fell volumes
of the "Hundred Prostrations Amending and Confession Sutra", a golden stupa, "Heart-essence of Jewel
Ornament Sutra taught by Buddha -- the Mani mantra" , "Cittamani Practice". A voice from the sky
announced, "Five generations from now, the meanings in these scriptures would be known." Thereupon,
the King Lha Thothori Nyantsen ensconced these texts in the treasure vault of the palace and made
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offerings earnestly to pray for good fortune. He named them the "Secret Exalted Treasure". This was the
beginnings of Tibetan Buddhism.
ii
Khenpo Bodhisattva, also known as 'Silent Life' or 'Guardian of Peace' (Shantarakshita) took ordination
under the translator Wisdom Treasure at Nalanda monastery, and undertook the Upasampada (full set of
Bhikshu vows). He was a Madhayamaka master and author of the Madhyamakalankara (Adornment of
the Middle Way).
iii
Lotus-born, Guru Rinpoche or otherwise known as Padmasambhava was born in western India in the
ancient kingdom Oddiyana. He was fostered by the King Indrabhuti in the position of prince. The King
named him 'Lotus-born', later he went to Manjala and was ordinated by the translator Prabhahasti.
Padmasambhava received the Kagye teachings from the eight Vidyadharas and received the Guhyagarbha
teachings from the translator Buddhaguhya. From Shri Singha, he listened to many sutric and tantric
teachings but primarily the Dzogchen teachings. Padmasambhava wandered through Manjala, India,
Bhutan, Nepal etc, leading many beings with affinity to take refuge in Buddhism.
iv
Samye monastery's architectural syle: its main hall symbolizes Mount Meru, the smaller halls that
surround it symbolize the four main continents, the eight subsidiary continents, sun and moon. Stupas
frame the borders of the monastery. It is a very majestic monastery. Samye monastery has survived
several great fires, renovations and repairs were carried out each time to restore it. In the 11th century,
monastic Diaspora began to return to Tibet and congregated at Samye monastery, thus making it the
main monastery of the Nyingmapas.
v
In an experiment to determine if the Tibetans' lifestyle was suited for holding the ordination vows, seven
men were put to the test. This was called the 'experimental inception' or 'Tibetan experiment of the
seven awakened ones.'
vi
The six Nyingmapa schools are Kathok, Palyul, Dzogchen, Shechen, Mindrolling and Dorje-drak.
vii
"Do-shang" is the name of an ancient place.
viii
A realized practitioner who has at least attained the first Bhumi of Bodhisattvahood
ix
Lu-med Sherlajyang is a Tibetan Buddhist scholar during the time of the Northern Sung dynasty. He
received precepts from Gongpa Raser and returned to Tibet. He is the foremost of the ten youths of UTsang (who played a role in restoring the purity of precepts in a time of degeneration of discipline in Tibet)
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