37

The life of Tilipa [sic]

38

I prostrate to the siddha gurus. This life of the great lord of yogins Tillipa is in two parts.

[First,] In the manner of having the support of others and depending on them, his relying on gurus and listening to the dharma and so forth are taught. [Second] in his coming for the benefit of sentient beings as a nirmanakaya, his having no[1] parents, gurus and so forth is taught.

39

[First,] In the manner of having the support of others and depending on them, his relying on gurus and listening to the dharma and so forth are taught.

According to the explanation of the great master Naropa, in east India in the country of Zahor, also called the city Nyuggyi Norbu,[2] his father was the bhraman Salwa.[3] His mother was the bhramani Saldenma.[4] His sister was the bhramani Saltrön.[5] Born as their son in the east in Dzhako,[6] he rose like the rising sun, and so it is said he was called by the name bhraman Salö.[7]

Both his father and mother showed him to[8] knowers of signs and astrologers. They examined his signs and calculated his stars. All the good and auspicious signs and omens in the world were complete. Therefore they didn’t know what he was, and so they spoke these verses.

Complete with all good and auspicious signs

Whether this boy is a god, naga, yaksha

Or a buddha we cannot determine.

Care for this excellent boy well.

After they said that, he depended on food of the three whites. When they had performed the liturgy for a sharp mind, by studying the Vedas and so forth he became very competent, and his knowledge increased greatly.[9] 39.6

Then his father and mother talked. “The boy must be a householder,” they said.

The son said:

On the earth, and in the celestial realms as well,

However good the care that is taken for sentient beings,

40

There is not even one of them who will not die.

Since I will die, from fear I will practice holy Dharma.

When he said that, his parents did not listen. It is said he fled to [practice] dharma.

Moreover, according to the explanation of Lord Naphupa[10] the great jetsun Tillipa had two buddha gurus. He also had human gurus of the four special transmissions of siddhi, with two lineages from Vajradhara.

THE TWO BUDDHA GURUS

Of those, the two Buddha lineages were [from] glorious great Vajradhara and the dharmakaya mother wisdom dakini, As for how he met with these two, the guru Tillipa by the oral instructions of the four special transmissions of siddhi completely ripened his being, but he was not liberated. Therefore, having been taught in person by the dharmakaya great Vajradhara, he was blessed. It is said that by that he was instantly liberated.

As for the second [buddha guru], in the west in the country of Uddiyana in the temple of Shri Ghandola, he met in person the dharmakaya mother wisdom dakini. The locks on the gates of the three seals were opened. From three treasure chests he was given the oral instructions of the three-fold wish fulfilling gem, with the view that need not be viewed, the medtation in which there is no need to meditate, the action in which one need not act, and the fruition that does not need to be established. Just by receiving[11] these dharmas of enlightenment which he had requested, 40.6 it is taught that he was naturally liberated without effort.

Those two [stories] tell only how he met with his two enlightened gurus, The extensive [versions] are contained in the hearing lineage.

Second, from [Tilopa’s] six human gurus, as for two lineages from Vajradhara in person, the guru Taillipa [sic] was

41

the heart son of the sambhogakaya victorious one great Vajradhara. An embodiment of all secret mantra, a lord of the tenth bhumi, a bodhisattva in the vajra essence, he attained the complete empowerments of the anuttara tantras of secret mantra, along with their oral instructions. The abhishekas and oral instructions of the teachings, with the permission blessings, were all excellently attained by him, it is said.

As for the master of secret mantra Glorious Vajrapani, after being urged by Vajradhara himself, [Tillipa] met him in person as an eight year old boy. He attained the teachings and permissions of all the dharmas of Mahayana. By his merely being blessed, all inner and outer Dharmas were suddenly born in his mind in an instant.

As for the way he met with the siddha gurus of the four special transmissions, first from the great bhraman Saraha he is maintained [to have received] the special transmission of the meaning of the essence, mahamudra.

From the great master Nagarjuna [he received] the special transmissions of father tantra, illusory body, and luminosity.

From Sumati [he received] the special transmissions of mother tantra Hevajra and phowa drongjuk.[12]

From Dombhi Heruka [he received] Shri Chakrasamvara and the special transmission of nadi, prana and bindu, it is said.

THE FIRST SPECIAL TRANSMISSION

As for the story of the first special transmission, 300 years after the truly, perfectly enlightened Great Sage’s parinirvana, in the great city of Shravasti there was a bhraman couple. They had abundant riches and enjoyment etc., but

42

no children. They made offerings to the three jewels and supplicated. They performed the Mahapratisara Dharani liturgy etc. and various sadhanas. By that, finally, the wife had a boy baby of good form, beautiful and attractive to look at, who was very dear to them.

Until reaching the age of thirteen he did not go out. Then in one part of the city, having set out extensive offerings, the boy went outside of the gates, showing himself to all the people of the city. In that country was a woman who was said to be a dakini. Appearing beside the boy, she gave him the name Saraha,[13] and then she said, “Saraha you go to dharmadhatu.”

With that the boy asked her, “How should I act to go to dharmadhatu?”

The woman is supposed to have said, “Seven days from now the bodhisattva Vajrapani will come and bless you.”

His father and mother said, “Since there is danger that she may be an illusion of Mara, you had better look out. 42.5 One woman is never sent outside the city alone, [so it’s suspicious,]” he said

Then one day when that boy was playing, a naked[14] woman appeared in space and said, “Saraha, meditate in your play. You are not of the family of householders. You are of the family of yogins.”

At that very instant, glorious Vajrapani came in person. Then by his merely placing his right hand on Saraha’s head, the realization of buddhahood arose in his mind. He realized and knew all outer and inner dharmas. Exaggerations and denigrations were cut through.

As he was preparing to go on retreat, his father said, “With me acting as your servant, don’t go on retreat. Stay and meditate in the house.”

“I,

43

your son, by remaining in the house from now on would be carried away by distracting preoccupations. Then meditating would not work. I must meditate in solitude.”

When he said that, his father said. “Well then, meditate in a monastery in Shravasti. When he said that, [Saraha agreed and] meditated there for many years, but [then] Saraha became sad. He went to his father and sang this song.

By me no speech is spoken.

When there is resolution,

then there is great bliss.

When there is too much, there is blockage.

It should be like the life of a fire.[15] 43.2

[All] the powers without exception

have a single luminous taste.

Things have a single essence[16]

within this path of illusion. [43.3]

By becoming one

with the self arising Tathagata

Unattached enjoyment

of nirvana is produced.

I, [called] Saraha,

do not meditate on anything.

The rope of disruptive emotions

and fears is cut from within.

Since dharmas are conceptions,

there is nothing on which to meditate.

Having removed them all,

I am asleep in bliss.[17]

I, [called] Saraha,

See nothing on which to meditate.

Having said that he flew in space. In the south he went to Shri Parvata.[18] Outside [the village], to the south, 43.5 in a great charnel ground called Fierce Rock Grove, he conquered with his action many karma lords of death and flesh eating dakinis. He remained there doing ascetic practice.

Then, having gone to the eight great charnel grounds, he was made the lord of the feast of the Dharma-explaining dakinis, and there he remained.

Then also the yidam Vajravarahi said, “Now don’t go to the celestial realms. Perform benefits for sentient beings.”

When she had said that, he went to the great city of Shravasti and stayed there. Making his yidam great Vajradhara, he gave to master Nagarjuna the instructions and a statue[19] of the deity pantsadrama etc. and said

44

“Son, you should act for the benefit of sentient beings.”

[Nagarjuna] established Aryadeva[20] in the yidam Dagmema, and completely gave him the completion stage of nadi and prana with the oral instructions, using a mandala.[21] 44.1 Then he said, “Son you should perform benefits for sentient beings.”

Having given Lhuyipa the oral instructions of tummo[22] and luminosity and the yidam Vajravarahi, he said, “Son, you too should act for the benefit of sentient beings. When I was thinking I would go to the palace of Akanishta dharmadhatu before the sixth buddha great Vajradhara, glorious Vajrayogini said, “Son, now act for the benefit of sentient beings.” When she had said that, then she said, “[Your time of] living here in the charnel ground is over. 44.3

You should spread the teachings of Buddha and act for the benefit of sentient beings who are to be tamed.

Taking on the accouterments of a monk, doing drongjuk,[23] he remained in that city three hundred human years, he showed various miracles and benefited many sentient beings. Then his skandhas were enlightened without remainder. The one [with a story] like that is “Great Saraha.” He is said to be the master of the lesser Saraha and all the siddhas.

His student was the great master Lhuyipa. As for his story, at that time in a great city in Uddiyana to the west there was a great king who had five sons. The middle one thought, “As for the royal rule, my elder brother will carry it. If I as an ordinary person am defeated or am driven out into

another country, [because my brother is worried I might be competition,] that will not be good. Therefore, I will go and seek the Dharma. Thinking that, he left and went to another country.

45

In that [country] was a great city, and [Lhuyipa] stayed there begging alms. An object of offerings of the king of that country, called Kayatapa, was skilled in letters. The prince thought, “First in the study of Dharma one must know letters,” so thinking that he would study letters, he studied them from master Kayatapa. By doing that he [came to] knew them better than the master, it is said. There in that city he remained doing calligraphy.

The king gave [Lhuyipa] a servant woman as a wife, and since he cohabited with her, a girl was born. Then in master Kayatapa jealousy arose. He put calumny in the king’s ear. “Kye great king, this person, for all his awareness is a madman. If without being able to help it,

[45.4

he transgresses, that will be bad. What’s more, he is someone who was formerly banished by another king. Now too it would be best to drive him out.”

By his saying that, the king and [Lhuyipa’s] wife[24] 45.5 etc. became hostile toward him, it is said. After Master Kayatapa and [Lhuyipa’s] 45.5

wife became friends, the prince knew about the master’s slandering hm [and thought], “These [people] are angry with me. Since it is a good decision, I shall go again to seek the true Dharma.”

Giving his wife to master [Kayatapa], 45.5 he said to the king, “I want to go wandering.”

The king said “Go!” Then the prince departed and went.

By going to the city of Shravasti,[25] he met the great lord of yogins glorious great Saraha. He asked to be accepted, and by his merely being blessed,

46

a special realization arose. He was ripened and freed.

Then the prince went to Shri Parvata in the south. He perfectly received all the abhishekas and oral instructions. “Now I have gone to the great benefit,” he thought. He realized that he had been made into a siddha,

Since he had to live, he relied on begging, but by that passion and aggression depending on objects came [to him], and his mind was lost in connection to hunger. He relied on fruit but sometimes in summer and autumn, and [always] in the winter and spring, it wasn’t available. He tried being a working man, but in between paydays he wasn’t able to meditate. By his doing agricultural work, subsequently many sentient beings were killed, and he went into evil deeds.

At a great river [there were discarded] fish guts. For these he had no ego-grasping. Continuously, also, there was plenty. His skandhas could rely on this. “I will cook and eat them,” he thought. He carried them in a basket.[26]

Building a hut by the bank of the river, he ate them. When he had attaned siddhi by meditating, he was known by the name of master Luyipa. He had no clothes. His body, affected by sun and icy wind, turned blue. His hair, also blue, stuck out crazily 46.6

Then the king from before, with his retinue and surrounded by the four kinds of troops of his army, was going to another country with his army. By that master Kayatapa saw master Luyipa blue and terrifying, with his disheveled hair[27]

LT 46.6e

and terrifying, and showed him to the king and the soldiers.

Look over there.[28] look at his hair! His color! A bad person, wherever he goes can’t do a thing.” As he said that, they all clapped their hands.

47

They laughed at him. Then master Luyipa’s [memory of] former habitual patterns awakened, and he says “bhadha.”[29]

47.1

By his looking at them with a stiffening gaze the king and Kayatapa etc., all the army became stiff like wood, and then they couldn’t move. It is also said that they couldn’t stop laughing.

Then the king asked for forgiveness. Having received [Luyipa’s] feet on his head, he asked him to relieve the stiffening. He also asked him to become an object of offerings. By his making offerings, all the army was released from the stiffening.

Then the king said, “My army [will] go back.”

47.3

After he asked him to be an object of offerings and made offerings, the army left. Then the master went [there], but as he did not intend to be the king’s object of offerings, he carried fish guts in his basket.

47.4

In the east in a great city called Jhalandhara, near the king’s palace in a gate house, [Luyipa] was staying, cooking fish guts. That morning the time had come for the great king of that city, who was called Dharikapa, to go to his pleasure grove.

In front [of the king], an outcaste was going checking[30] [the path], and so met the master. He said, “Yogin, don’t stay here. The path on which the king will go is being swept up.”

Although he said that, [Lhuyipa] didn’t want to go. Though [the attendant] dragged him with his hand, he did not move. With helpers even with 30 people pulling, he was not moved. Even after he was tied to an elephant and pulled, he was not moved.

[The outcast] said, “Cut him into pieces with a knife, and throw them away,” but by attacking him with a knife they couldn’t cut him. No matter what they did, they were not able to do it anything. When they told the king, the king said. “He [must be] a yogin. Don’t punish him at all. Let him stay there.”

48

Then the king, was lifted in a palanquin, and, having [had] set out extensive parasols victory banner, banners, silk streamers, incense, lamps etc., appeared there. Compassion arose [in Lhuyipa]. To break the king’s pride, he showed one threatening mudra, and the king and all his retinue were stiffened. Then the master sang to the king this specially directed song.

Kye ma

Without remainder the three realms are just so.

This without remainder is just so.

Within that greatness is no self and other.

As for you, you are the servant of that.

E ma samsara is so wonderful.

what can be done by unabandoned other,?

On the earth, the road 48.4] is [a sleeping] mat,

The pillow of the hand is a very soft cushion.

The lamp of the moon[31] and fan of wind are good company.[32]

47.4

As for the the canopy of the sky [above],

Releasing from desire, it acts like a woman.

King, like you, in the three realms I am a king.

By his saying that, in the king, knew that he was a siddha, and faith arose in him. He asked him to go to the palace and be his object of offerings, it is said.

E ma Ho

Approach, approach, you who are a great warrior.

Teacher of the state of purity,

[Consisting of] both emptiness and compassion,

In autonomous emanation and gathering.

Because the king so supplicating him, not raised up by many people [as the king was], the master raised himself. Then he went into the king’s palace.

Then in order to see whether the master was liberated or not liberated from attachment and had attachment to desire or not, the king’s queens, daughters and so forth, soung and seductively dressed and made up, with exquisite ornaments,[33] were brought and

49

and offered to the master.

To draw the king’s mind out of the qualities of human desire, the master said “The daughters of the gods are seven times better than those of humans. The daughters of the nagas are seven times better than even those of the gods. The daughters of the asuras are seven times better than even those. Having summoned by samadhi [some that were] seven times more beautiful than even those, he showed to the king. In the king wonder arose. His mind was drawn out from samsara. He made a request to the master, “Please accept me.”

After the master gave him the oral instructions, he said, “Abandoning a king’s rule and a king’s arrogance, take a low place. Make yourself the servant of a prostitute, and practice there. By practicing what was said in this case, perform the activity of yogic discipline.”

By his saying that, the king’s raja’s pride and arrogance were broken, and he was made into the servant of a prostitute. By meditating, after he attained siddhi, once the master’s head was surrounded by five colored light.

After the prostitute saw that, she had regrets. “My trusted servant please forgive me. Since you are a siddha yogin, it is not right that you be my servant. You should go away.” Because she said that, the king sang this song:

Actions of joy are joyless.

Having many children

and much wealth too is joyless

If one grasps the kingdom

of trikaya, that is joyful.

Actions of bliss are not blissful

Worldly bliss is not blissfull,

But spotless bliss is blissfull

Actions of benefit

are not of benefit.

50

Worldly benefit

is not of benefit.

To realize dharmadhatu,

that is of benefit.

Trikaya, of pure nature,

Is not within the realm

of experiencing false conceptions.

Mind, which is the intention

[the state of] dharmakaya, is inexhaustible.

To have experience

of that is [truly] blissfull

So he said. “After next year, though you will desire it in your hearts you will not see me,” he is supposed to have said.

Then in that country was a yogin called Nakpo Tulzhug.[34] The prostitute said to him, “My servant the siddha is an enlightened person like that. You should go look at him. 50.3 Many people appeared to see his face. There Nakpo Chöpa,[35] having prostrated to master Dharikapa, requested the oral instructions. [King Dharikapa] sang this song.

E HO [when rotten inside akar wood is] black aloe.

This is made into an offering for the gods.[36] 50.4

If [we are] ignorant of inner divine existence,

Why [should we] make offerings to the external gods?[37]

“Husband and wife are making the offering of union,” 50.4

That is the way that it is told by Dharika.

Incense wood, thangdrom[38] [herb], and glorious bilwa[39] fruit,

50.5

Flower-like leaves, so green, why place them on the head?[40]

The three-fold worlds have been completely conquered by me.

It was not with a sword. It was not with a club.

By the personal kindness of the lord Lhuyipa

The sword of nonduality pierced through Dharikapa.

As for mind, the mandala of spaciousness

Is changeless, [so that] hope is [forever] cut off.

The flower of natural space, [shining like] crystal and gold,

Is the winds, and as for those five, A ho kye.[41]

50.7

Having said that, king Dharikapa, at that very time, subsided into the sky like a rainbow subsiding into space. His skandhas without remainder were enlightened.

51

Then also in king Dharikapa’s minister named Dingipa faith arose. He asked master Luyipa to accept him. The master knowing that master Dingipa was a vessel [of the teachings], properly established him on the path of ripening and freeing.

“Abandoning the haughtiness of a minister, you [should] go to the great city of Shravasti. Practice by beating rice. In this very life you will attain the supreme siddhi of mahamudra.”

So he prophesied. Then Dingipa, having grasped the pranas, beat rice. After the wisdom of meditation had arisen by meditating, he sang this song:

Without means, without clothes,[42] without skin,[43][44] and without any root. 51.3-4

As for the great wisdom, its two shores are attained.

By the rope of prana, equal taste[45] is brought on.

Though so ba [grain] and beating rice are nonexistent,

At all times, for all that, I am beating rice.

So he said. By means of nadi and prana he attained siddhi.

In the city of Shravasti he became a beggar of secret activity and lived there for a long time. Then, as for arriving and departing, once he did so riding the stream of a river. Sometimes he did so riding sun and moon rays. By attaining the power of heat, he went naked.

In a great charnel ground called Ki Ka grove was a land of dakinis. Having been invited there, he was offered to by the dakinis and made the lord of the dakini feast. He stayed there explaining the dharma.

The great master Tillipa did not arise gradually. It was sudden. A wisdom dakini called Chushingyi Nyemachen[46] prophesied him, and said, “Tillipa, you should act to benefit sentient beings.

52

In the great charnel ground Khamka Grove is the great master called Dingipa who has been made into an object of offerings by the dakinis. Go meet him,[47] and [then] 52.1 perform benefits for sentient beings.

Then Tillipa went to seek master Dingipa. In the charnel ground Sosa Ling was an authentic bhraman who was making a ganachakra out of the flesh of the dead. When Tillipa went to him, the dakinis said, “Here is some more feast material. Let us kill him and make him into the feast!”

Saying that, they grasped him. Tillipa was delighted. Having thought, “This body of mine will go for a great purpose,” he made this special utterance.

This dharmata is without complexity.

Spotless luminosity arises in the mind.

The yogin abandons grasping and fixation.

As for the essence, it is completely pure.

I Tillipa am the feast substance.

Because he said that, the dakinis said, “Since this is a yogin having good fortune, let us not kill him, but let him go.”

When they had said that, then Tillipa said to Master Dingipa “I must request the dharma.”

By his saying that master [Dingipa] said, “Tillipa seek the ultimate 52.6

of dharmata, Cutting off the complexities of mind, rest continually in the yoga of non-meditation.”

By his saying that Tillipa perceived the essential meaning of dharmata. Thus by the sixth buddha Vajradhara[48] the lineage went to the bodhisattva Vajrapani. By him the lineage went to great Saraha. By him to Luyipa, by him Dharikapa, by him to master Dingipa, and by him the lineage went to master Tillipa. In particular this was the special transmission of nadi and prana, tummo, and mahamudra.

THE SECOND SPECIAL TRANSMISSION

As for the story of the second special transmission, the lord of the tenth bhumi

53

the bodhisattva Lodro Rinchen says, the great bhraman Saraha blessed suddenly. The master Nagarjuna blessed gradually. Both these two are prophesied in many sutras and tantras as emanations of the truly completely enlightened one.

Moreover the Lankavatara Sutra and Mahaameghasuutra/ great cloud sutra sprin chen po’i mdo, and rnga bo che’o mdo, Great Drum Sutra, dangs snyigs a’byed pa’i mdo and a’jam dpal rtsa ba’i mdo and mgon po mngon a’byung ba’i rgyud etc., 13 sutras and tantras translated into Tibetan, prophesied Nagarjuna, and these were fulfilled in existence.

As for the story of master Nagarjuna, the great master having these many prophesies, [he was born] in south India in the region of Bheta, in the weekly market place[49]

53.4

called ka ra ha, His father was king trig tra ma and his mother the bhramani ghri hi .t.ti. He was born her son. Later she is also called Ghi hi ti. [sic] Sometimes it is said he was a bhraman, but a’bra ko also has it that he was a kshatriya.

His parents gave that prince the name Dharmadhara. As soon as the prince was born, from space the sound “Nagarjuna Nagarjuna” arose, and after that he was known by the very well known name Nagarjuna.

When he was a child, he leaned the [technical treatise on the science of medical diagnosis] etc., 53.6 gso ba rig pa’i spor thang, and handicrafts and construction, astrology etc., by seeing them one time they were known. Then when he was twenty years old, he was also known as Gyalwa Jinpa,[50] the khenpo of glorious Nalanda. He was also called “little Saraha” and “master Spotless Melody.” Having taken ordination, when he became a full gelong,[51]

54

He was also given the name Shakye Shenyen.[52]

By training in hearing, contemplating and meditating until he was thirteen he knew the meaning of all the scriptures.

sde snod 54.1

He became a pandit learned in the five sciences. He became like the crest jewel of all Buddhists.

Then, having met with the bodhisattva Lodro Rinchen, he was completely empowered with the four empowerments. He was given the secret name Nyime Dorje.[53]

If so, his householder name was Dharmadhara. His ordination name was Shakye Shenyen. His abhisheka name was Mikyö Dorje.[54] His prophesied name was Nagarjuna. His secret name was Vajraraka.

Moreover on first seeing the Prajnaparamita in 8,000 lines, he saw the truth of the first bhumi, and from that he was empowered by the bodhisattva Lodro Rinchen. By that he attained the meaning of the eighth bhumi and being a rigdzin of life.

Then at a certain point, from his practicing meditation at glorious Nalanda, a dakini appeared in the aspect of a young girl. Having prostrated to the master, circumambulated and made offerings, she said, “The day after tomorrow a call will come [to summon you]. That is an obstacle. Don’t go, but stay [where you are].”

The day after the next, from the village, though he was called, he did not go but stayed. In the morning that girl came and asked. “Did you go where you were called?”

“I didn’t go.” he said.

“Well then, follow me.”

As he went where he was led by that girl, the earth trembled. Then in a village with some run-down houses many people had been killed in many ways.

55

Their flesh and blood was all being eaten, it is said. There, having given it to [Nagarjuna and the girl] also, they said “Eat it.”

The master thought,“ First, I am a bhikshu. Second, [this was] ripened by great arrogance. Third, it is not suitable to eat just-killed warm flesh without an intermediary.”

Having those thoughts, he did not eat it. Then they all disappeared, he knew not where, it is said. Then the girl said, “You don’t know how to receive siddhi. Now, on the morning of the day after next, there will appear before you many geese. Among them will be the yidam deity Shri Manjushri. Catch them.”

The day after the next many geese appeared. [Nagarjuna] thought, “If I can catch them…”, but while he stayed in the mud, they all got away, it is said. when the girl appeared she said, “Didn’t you catch the geese?”

“I couldn’t catch them, and because of the mud they all got away,” he said.

“You are unworkable. Also you don’t know how to receive siddhi. The day after next a woman will come. Catch her any way you can,” she said.

The day after the next as he waited from the early morning, at one point a girl appeared. By his grasping her, it is said that all at once [she turned into a long flame of blazing fire 55.6

Since he grasped the middle of that, it is said that she turned into water. By his grasping the water, she turned into the noble one Manjushri, who said, “Son, say what siddhi you desire.”

The master said, “[I] request [that I become an] enlightened one [by gaining] supreme siddhi in the bardo ef existence,”[55] and the ordinary siddhis, under the ocean,[56] at the bottom, in the land of the nagas, and 55.7

Also by going to the peak of the god realms, and going in a castle that is made there [miraculously].

“Very well, I will grant you both. But don’t talk about it even to your mother.

56

Having said that, he became invisible and dissolved into light, it is said.

Then because that castle arose as he desired, the master is said to have been joyful. In saying just a little bitto my mother there will be no fault at all,”

56.1

he thought.

However by his so speaking, the castle was completely destroyed. 56.2 Then the master was depressed. “I can’t receive siddhi. This is the result of small learning,” he thought.

Therefore he saw and understood the teachings of the Sugata universally without exception. Those he did not know, he asked about from his preceptor and master of studies and from guru Lodro Rinchen. Cutting through exaggeration and denigration, he comprehended their words and meaning.

Then for the sake of later generations he wrote many shastras. In the world he roared with the lion’s roar three times. Among texts chiefly teaching the profound view, he produced a complete cycle of knowledge. Among texts chiefly teaching meditation to be practiced, he produced a cycle of the correct[57] oral instructions. 56.5

Among texts chiefly teaching vast action he created a cycle of scriptural pramana.

He made those three. In the first, the cycle of view, were the Praise of Dharmadhatu, tshig gi gter snying po gsal ba, Averting the Arguments, srid pa a’pho ba, the Mulamadhyamakakarikas etc., 14 texts in all.

In the cycle of meditation were the pa.natika, mdos sred, Intention of Shri Guhyasamaja, a’du’s pa’i rigs lnga, a’phags skor, the Chakrasamvara with 13 deities etc.

In the cycle of action, generally for the sake of renunciates an abridgement of the vinaya was made.

57

In particular, for the sake of son gelongs the so so thar pa a’grel pa nyi zla was made. For the sake of the bodhisattvas the bslab pa kun las btus pa and mdo kun la btus pa were made. For physicians the sman dpyad yan lag brgyad, phan pa’i pu tra and a’tsho ba’i mdo were made. For kings the shes pa’i spring yig, for ministers the shes rab brgya pa nyi shu pa’i a’grel pa, and for ordinary people the mo yig spos sbyor, rten a’brel kyi rtsis ka greater and lesser etc. were made. These, in brief, had immeasurable good qualities. They had greatness of purpose for those of Jambuling in the south.

Then in the service of his preceptor, at the time of his work at Shri Nalanda, after a great famine had arisen, he made a gold transforming elixir.[58] By his nourishing his companions, they all rejoiced. From that, khenpo Saraha said, “By this my sangha is joined to wrong seeking, [with women] so now for forgiveness[59] from that, of ivory and sandalwood and things like that[60] 57.5 build 108 temples for the lords.[61] 57.5 Finally go to meditate at Shri Parvata in the south,” he said.

When he had gone there, whenever he placed his hands on on a woman,[62] 57.6 The master may [make them somewhat][63] depressed. If [she] is someone of very small learning say, “If you are of small learning, you are like me.” If [she] are someone of very great learning he said, “you have great learning like me.”

So having taught the sangha of later generations, he also built the lords’ temples. At that time he wrote the aspircation, “At the time of turning the wheel, [557.7 ] in all the birth places,” and also he went to Shri Parvata.

Lord sna phu pa maintains that master Tillipa and the great master

58

Nagarjuna really met. In that story, by the great master Nagarjuna accomplishing the siddhi of the vase, all that was wished for and needed was established by that vase.

As for a little while the master was going to beg in the city, on the bank of a river was a group of children[64] playing. “We are cattle herders.” 58.2

The master thought, “[I should] examine whether among these there is or is not a suitable vessel of mudra, having the Mahayana family.

This river was completely unfordable. and because there were big waves it was a bad place. Then, because he was trying to cross over, 58.2

a boy said, “Noble one, 58.3 that is not a place you can ford the river. You won’t make it.” he is supposed to have said. “Don’t go. I will help you cross.”

Then the boy went on 58.4 holding him by the hand. To examine whether he was a vessel of mantra or not and suitable to teach the Mahayana Dharma or not, the master blessed that water [so that it was] very high. Though by that emanation both masters on the point of sinking, in the boy regret did not arise.

Thinking “If this master cannot get free again, how bad that would be” the boy made this utterance regarding the situation: “Whoever does not grasp a corpse or root or tree, will die in the midst of the water and by that will not reach the shore. Noble one, grasp my neck grasp and don’t let go,” So saying, he saved him from the water.

Then also the master did his alms-begging, and when [again] he came to the water, the former child appeared as a king. He sat on a tala tree trunk with two girls

59

as queens to the left and right. Four boys acted as the inner ministers. Ten surrounded him as the outer ministers. Twenty acted as subjects. They acted like king and ministers, it is said.

Then to the master they said,

“Kye noble one, since a king is staying there we ask you not to go that way.”[65] 59.2

The master knew that that child had the karma of being a vessel.

From where they were dressed in yellow[66] 59.2 that former boy, having come from the field, prostrated and spoke to him politely.[67]

Then the master said, “If you were [really] a king would you be happy? The boy is supposed to have said, “I would be happy with that; but not having good fortune and samaya substance, indeed I was born as a cowherd.”

There the master said, “Well, I will empower and bless you as a king.”

Having said that the king, ministers, and queens with the subjects names were written on tala leaves and placed in the vase. Having left them there for seven days, [Nagarjuna] said to that boy, “Say into the mouth of the vase, “I am made the king of this country.” By saying that the boy did so, and in so doing he attained the siddhi of the vase.