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PART 11 (DA): Great Seal (Skt. Mahāmudrā) [NO SEPARATE CHAPTERS] ?From the Blue Annals, chapter on the Great Seal (Skt. Mahāmudrā).? deb ther sngon po las / phyag rgya chen po?i skabs. 13 folios. Chandra 743 767; Chengdu 983 1014; Roerich 839 866.THDL.

Again on one occasion, ka ro pa said to him: "If you go to Tibet, you will benefit living beings". ni rū pa then said to him: "Would it be possible for me to do something of benefit to living beings?" Again on one occasion the Teacher said to him: "One day you will benefit living beings in Tibet. Go in any case to Tibet!" He inquired: "How shall I go there?" The Teacher said: "From here you should go to the island of rdo chu. You won't be harmed by the dangers of the frozen river. There exists an island of dākinīs, and the dākinīs will assist you and bless you".

Then ni rū pa following his instructions, proceeded as far as the rdo chu. This rdo chu whenever it touches (the body) of a living being, causes his death and transforms him into a stone. However it did not harm him. Then the dākinīs came out to meet him and honored him. He presided over a Tantric feast (gana?cakra) which was held on three occasions. Then the dākinīs delivered a prophecy which said: "You, go to Nepal! There you will meet a young Tibetan, possessed of (auspicious) marks, who was ordained in his youth, and is endowed with wisdom. His time (i.e. death) having come, you must perform the cons?ciousness transference (gron ?jug) rite, and then go to Tibet. We shall protect you from accidents, and shall assist you." Then the Venerable ni rū pa proceeded to Nepal, and there met skor, the Junior (skor chun ba), at the residence of the alms giver bha ha. Then ni rū pa entered the body of the deceased, skor hun ba. His former body was cremated, and he then proceeded to Tibet (in his new body). At first he went round as a beggar. The Venerable ka ro pa and his wife having come to lhasa, met him. From beyond a sand place the Venerable ku mu da ra (kumudarā) addressed him, saying: "praj?ākīrti!" He asked her: "How did you get here?" The woman said: "The Venerable ka ro pa is also staying here. We came here because an accident is due to happen to you". He 'saluted (them), circumambulated {R 855} round them, and placed their feet on his head. The Teacher (ka ro pa) blessed him. He used to say: "Because the Teacher had blessed me, when gye ru śe'u chun pa had decided to kill me, the accident did not take place". While in lha sa on one occasion he listened to the exposition of the dbań rnam nes (abhisekanirukti). Then he saw his Venerable Teacher and his wife off to gun?than in man yul. Having returned, he put on the dress of a pandita of ?ans glin, and proceeded (on his journey), and thus became known as the "Indian of Zans glut who had come to Tibet". Then he put on a Tibetan dress, and preached the Tantric doctrine for twenty-one years to disciples, including thirteen monks and others, bestowed initiations, and prepared his own translations (without the help of lo tsā bas) of numerous Tantric texts. He also preached numerous works belonging to the Tantric class and many texts (belonging) to the class of hidden precepts, and thus helped to spread the profound Tantras of the Holy Doctrine, as well as the essential teachings. In general, from the age of five till the age of twenty-one, he continued his studies. At the age of twenty, he proceeded to Tibet. From the age of twenty-one, he expounded the essential meaning (of the doctrine) and passed into Nirvana in the year Water Male Horse (chu pho rta? ? 1102 A.D.), aged forty-one. He taught the Doctrine to chań ra śes rab sen ge. The latter to (his) son ye śes see ge. The latter to glan ston of khams. The latter to the bla ma brag pa chen po. The latter to the bla ma myan? chen po. The latter to sans rgyas ?jo sras. The latter to the ācārya sak śe. The latter preached it to the bhiksu Ratnesvara. Though this skor had been a great siddha and had spent a considerable time in Tibet, the present day kalyāna mitras do not attach great importance to him. Therefore I have written (his) life story at some length. Again, when the Indian vajrapāni (phyag ua) went for 'Tantric practice, and was begging in Nepāl, he was wonder?ing {R 856} whether he would be able to spread the Doctrine in Nepāl.

He thought that he would be able (to do so). Later when he reached the age of fifty, he came to ye rań and settled there. He was met by Tibetan scholars, such as 'brog ?jo sras and others who asked him to preach the Doctrine to them. He bestowed on them the following doctrines: the basic text of the grub s?in (Cycle of Dohā) to?gether with addenda, the nine "bits" (brul tsho) which follow?ed on the Sūtras, the nine "bits" of, precepts which followed on the Tantra of the "Father" class (pha rgyud), the nine "bits" which followed on the Tantras of the "Mother" class (ma rgyud), in all twenty-seven, and bound them with the four mudrās i.e. the karma mudrā (las kyi phyag rgya), the dharmamudrā (chos kyi phyag rgya), the mahāmudrā (The Great Seal), and the samaya mudrā (dam tshig gi phyag rgya).

He also preached them the six "links" the theory accompanying tradition and reasoning, meditation accompanied by experience, prac?tice suitable for the present time, results producing benefit to others, the Path accompanied by the signs of the Inner Heat, and Initiation accompanied by precepts. Among the chief texts were: the "Seven Classes of Realization" (grub pa sde bdun), the gsań ba grub pa of mtsho skyes (saroruha, padmavajra), the rgyud ma lus pa'i don ńes par skul bar byed pa (sakalatantrasambhavasa?codanī śrīguhyasiddhi nāma,), the thabs dan śes rab grub pa of yan lag med pa'i rdo r?je (anańgava?jra; praj?opāyavintścaya?siddhi), the ye śes grub pa of Indrabhūti (j?ānasiddhi nama sadhana), the g?is med grub pa of laksmīkara (advayasiddhi?sādhana nāma), the lhan chig skyes grub of dombhī heruka (śrī sahajasiddhi nāma), the gsan ba chen po'i de kho na ?id grub?pa of dā ri ka pa (Dārika), and the dńos po gsal ba'i r?jes su gro ba'I de kho na ?id {R 857} grub pa composed by the yoginī tsi to (cinta). The Essential: the three dohās: the "King" dohā, the "Queen" dohā, and the "Subjects" (dmańs) dohā. Further, the dbań ńes?bstan (sekanirdeśa nāma,) composed by Maitrī pa.

Lesser texts, such as the bdag med ma gsal?ba and others (nairātmya prakasa), the de kho na ?id bchu pa'i 'grel pa composed by sahajavajra (lhan chig skyes pa'i rdo r)e, Tattvadasatika), the gNas pa bsdus pa (sthitisamuccaya), the rdo r?je'i tshig 'byed (vajrapāda nāma) composed by phyag na (vajrapani), the bla ma brgyad pa'i rim pa (guruparamparakramopadeśa nāma), the śes rab ye śes gsal ba (praj?āj?a?naprakāśa) composed by devākara?candra, the dbań ńes bstan gyi 'grel pa (sekanirdeśapa?jikā) composed by rāmapāla, the phyag?rgya b?i r?jes su bstan pa (caturmudtāniścaya) composed by the ācārya nāgārjuna. The above were known as the "Cycle of Lesser Texts." After that 'brog ?jo sras having invited the bla ma vajrapāni (phyag na) to Tibet, the latter while residing at chu sgo, of gtsan, preached extensively the mahāmudrā doctrine to Tibetan scholars. Among his disciples were: śe sńon byan 'bar, zan sna riń mo, khams pa rgwa ston, spu hrańs nag po śer dań, 'brog lo sras rdo r?je 'bar, 'or brgyad stun chun, kluń śod pa khyuń khri, khyi'u brtson 'grus, ba reg thos pa dga', brań ti blo gros dbań, bra'o 'bum la?bar, brag pa dkon grags, se ston sgra gc?n zin, mtshur ?'dbyig gi rgyal mtshan, the four disciples lo tsā bas ? nag tsho tshul khrims rgyal ba, rma ban chos 'bar, gnan dharma?grags, and mchun ye śes 'byun gnas. One could increase the number of the above disciples by saying the "Thirty Tibetan scholars." When 'brog ?jo sras invited vajrapāni (phyag na), he promised him eighty golden srańs. During the performance of the funeral rite for his father, he presented {R 858} him with fifty golden srańs packed together as eighty srańs , bla ma phyag na's attendants having weighed the package, discovered that there were only fifty (srańs ). The bLa ma became displeased and said: "It is improper for 'Brag 1o sras to tell me lies! If so, his father also could not be a genuine (teacher), for it is said: ?The father's behavior will be manifested by the son?.? Saying so, he suddenly slashed his belly with a razor. His attendants were frightened, and began to weep, but he said to them: "If you don't like it, nothing will happen," and passing his hand over the wound, he caused it to disappear without leaving even a scar. He then continued his journey towards India and Nepal (lho bal).

The eight signs of his miraculous power (grub rtags brgyad): (1) when a venomous snake attacked him, he drove it away with the help of the yamāntaka?yoga spell (gśin r?je gśed kyi rnal 'byor), (2) when he came across a mad elephant, a 4ikini assisted him in driving the animal way. This dākinī then uttered a prophecy, and he acting accordingly proceeded to a town, where lived an old brāhmana with a dākinī as wife. The two kings of oddiyāna were waging war against each other. The king, a bhram who was a "seven born" was killed by the other king's minister moń rtse moń ga. He hit him with a diamond pointed arrow between the eye brows. The corpse of the king was then torn to pieces by dākinī s. The wife of the old brāhmana secured the head (of the dead king), and brought it to her house. The brāhmana rebuked her. She 'told him: ?Because of a karmic bond (las 'brel), I attended on you. Now, if you don't need me, I can go," and saying so, she presented the head (of the dead {R 858} king) to vajrapāni, and herself passed out. vajrapāni hid the skull underground. Then a sound resounded in the sky and he understood that (the skull) possessed miraculous powers (3). He again took it out from underground. He kept it carefully and obtained miraculous powers. He used to pour a little wine into it, and kept it inside a vase, which became filled with wine. While walking along the bank of the Ganges, two d?kinis presented him with a meditative string (sgom thag) made of stones without joints (4). He manifes?ted the face of vajra yoginī to his disciples performing the "homa" offering of Vārahī "with three vases" (phag mo bum gsum pa ? some mandalas of vajravārahī have triangles, in each of which is represented a vase or skull cup) (5). He gathered the dung of a red cow before it had fallen on the ground, placed it in a pot made of precious substances, then placed fruit on it, and having blessed it, produced fruit without end (6). On the bank of the river Ganges even kings used to be attacked by robbers, but he was able to render the robbers, bodies rigid, with the help of the yamāntaka samādhi(7). When ?jo sras rdo r?je 'bar offered him gold, he cut his stomach with a razor and this was said to have been his eighth' accomplishment (miracle). Also there existed a story that when zla ba 'od zer (gyi ?jo lo tsā ba), son of 'khon phu ba, came to Nepāl, he perceived many wonderful signs of siddhi performed by vajrapāni. The disciple of vajrapāni the kKashmirian Dharmaśri, called the "One-eyed", accompanied the Teacher (on his journey to Tibet). He preached extensively the Cycle of Mahamudrā. Having consulted his Tibetan disciples, he composed a Commentary on the śatasāhasrikā praj?āparamitā and the "Key to Sancaya" (sdud pa'i Ide mig, praj?āparamitākośatāla nama). Again among the disciples of vajrapāni (phyag na) we find: la stod gtsań śod pa, śer sgom dar? seń, ?jo btsun me 'bar, ?an ded po luń pa, go luń pa grub? {R 860} thob btsun pa, mna' ris chań chuń pa, la stod na zlum pa, mkhan po sńin po rgyal mtshan, mkhan po rgyal mtshan?'od, the upādhyāya Kam mkha' rgyal mtshan, '?jam dbyańs rin chen bzan po, and mi ?ag śes rab bzań po. From the Venerable ri mi 'babs pa, I obtained the guide book composed by mi ?ag pa. Thus the Doctrine which had originated from vajrapāni and his disciples became known as the ' Upper" school (stod lugs) of mahamudrā.
a su: His grandfather was a pandita, who had come from India, and was the house priest of the bha ros in Nepāl. His son, who was uneducated, became the servant of bha ro. a su was the latter's son. From his childhood he possessed a very sharp mind, and was distinguished by wisdom. He used to carry goods as far as the frontier of India (rgya) and presented them to his master bha ro who was pleased, and told him: "Now I shall give you a house". A su told him: "I don't want a house! I prefer religion. Please permit me to enter religion". bha ro gave him his permission. At first he obtained many initiation rites and Tantric commentaries, as well as hidden precepts, from a Nepalese pandita named dze hūm, or śāntibhadra. After that he obtained secret precepts from vajrapāni, realized the Truth, and became a saint (yań dag pa'i skyes bu). He had the intention of going to China and spent some time at sum 'phreń of 'phan yul. While he was preaching to many disciples, he married the lady of 'brom ('brom mo gza'), and a son' named grags pa sen ge was born to him. On seeing his son's face he gave up the idea of going to China, and spent a long time at rluń śod (near nag chu ka). rma sgom chos kyi śes rab met a su at rlun 'sod.
Later (a su) was invited by the alms?giver klu phyug and stayed at Upper 'brom. Here he preached his own doctrine, such as the Cycle of vajravārahī, the Dohā, and the Mahāmudrā, to an assembly of 10,000 monks. At that time the dharmasvāmin ras chuń pa also {R 861} met him and made the request that he might be instructed in the Doctrine. a su told him: "I have to support my wife and children. Go and beg, and present me with some barley!" ras chuń pa having collected much barley offered a su twenty donkey loads of grain. a su had four sons grags pa sen ge, chos kyi brags pa, Indu, and dbań he. (His) daughters were named: lha mo, 'dre mo, and mi mo. Altogether he had seven children. The Venerable grags pa sen ge mastered the theories of his father,' and an understan?ding of the mahāmudrā, lofty as sky, was born in his Mind. He perceived all worldly objects as a dream and illusion. He was a yogin who had obtained the two kinds of siddhis.

chos kyi grags pa: In general, he was learned in the characteristics common to all things (sāmānya laksana), and in the particular essence of the elements of existence (sva laksana). In particular, he became very efficient in the (practice) of the doctrine of the mahamudrā. lndu and dbań ńe were not able to continue the Spiritual Lineage (of their father). grags?pa seń ge's son was the siddha mgon po, his younger brother .was Sans rgyas sgom pa. Then seń ge grags. The youngest was the ācārya bal po '?jig rten. Now the siddha mgon po: He studied the doctrine of the mahāmudrā and meditated on it. He became a great scholar, and propitiated the tute?lary deity (yi dam) vajravārahī, and had a vision of the goddess. As his servants he employed loka dākinīs. The dharmapāla nātha (Mahākāla) and the eight classes of gods and demons offered him their life mantra (srog s?in). He became a yogin possessed of two kinds of siddhis (mchog gi dńos grub and thun mońs dńos grub). sańs rgyas sgom pa: having no attachment towards the lofty seat of his forefathers, he cast (it) away as spittle. Having cut off his attachment towards food and drink, he practiced austerities, subsisting on water (only). The understanding of the mahāmudrā was produced in him. He was a man whose individual practice did not contradict his religious beliefs. The ācārya bal po '?jig rten: Because of {R 862} accumulated former good fortune, he was born as son of a nephew of benevolent forefathers. He gladdened his elder brothers and grasped the thoughts of former teachers. From the high seat of his forefathers, he taught the precepts of the mahāmudrā, similar to a shining sun, and removed the darkness of living beings. He had visions of tutelary deities, and employed dākinī s as servants. He used to hold discussions and give orders to the dharmapāla lcham dral (mahākāla and Ekajatī) 'and dam can pho mo (vajrasādhu and r?jo rje gyu sgron). Those who had been the spiritual disciples of the bla ma skye med: the "Four Pillars of Medi?tation" (sgom ka ba bit), the "Six Beans" (gdun drug), the "Three sons of gyor po ba," dmag pa sgan, and others. The "Four Pillars": sgom tsho of rgyal, sgom tsho of grab, sgom tsho of Upper bya ma luń, and sgom tsho of kLags. The "Six Beams" (gduń drug): rwa lo tsā ba, ba tshab lo ?tsā ba, dol po ye śes, the kalyāna mitra g?an, and others.

Among the three sons of gyor po: rog pa dmar ba rdor? sen, ?an bra 'o brag rtsa ba, rluń ston rdo r?je bla ma: more over mhla' ris par pu ba, sgan ston 'od 'bar, spań ston chhos? 'bar, and others. It was (incorrectly) stated that among them rog rdor set taught sańs rgyas brtsag son. The ācārya rlut ston pleased his teacher with the three kinds of joy, and an understanding of the mahāmudrā was born in him. 'He collected the essence of the Mind of bal po skye med. He excelled the other disciples, and acquired the faculty of preach?ing the dohā in detail. The siddha mgon po and sańs?rgyas sgom pa obtained the doctrine from him. Bal po '?jig?rten obtained the Doctrine from him, and his brother. dol?pa ?jo sras obtained it from the latter. Again, the one named the bla ma mńa' ris pa was ordained in his youth, and con?ducted extensive studies. He especially preached on about four?teen occasions the vinayamūlasūtra (Pratimoksa sūtra).
Having heard that the bla ma vajrapāni possessed a miraculous hidden precept of the Venerable dbu bead ma (vajravirāhi with several heads), he proceeded to ask for it. The bla ma {R 863} vajrapāni said to him: "Do you desire the sublime or the ordinary realization (mchhog gi gńos grub and thun mońs kyi dńos grub)?" mna' ris pa replied: "I desire the sublime realization." Then the Teacher said: 'Well! You have grown old. I possess hidden precepts which were not given ?by me to any one else previously. They are called The Cycle of phyag rgya chhen po rde'u'. In it the Method (thabs), and the Wisdom (ses rab) are combined, and are used as a Path of Spiritual Training. The number of stages between the cause and Effect of Phenomenal Existence (samsāra) and the sahaja j?āna was counted with the help of 175 pebbles. It represents a commentary on the three basic texts in which not a single word had been added or omitted from the time of the great brāhmana (bram ze chhen po ? saraha) over three to the present time. There was no contradiction in regard to the meaning, and it was not defiled by persons who had broken their vows, and it was not intermixed with any other kind of method of salvation (preached by other Teachers). I shall bestow it on you!" Then having obtained the understanding from the Teacher, he stilled his Mind. Afterwards he proceeded to dbu ru 'brom pa. Because Teacher bal p? had acquired great fame, (mna' ris pa) was of the opinion that he (bal po ?jig rten) possessed a mahāmudrā doctrine which did not require even meditation, and so heard (its exposition). He then found out that the bla ma Bal po was preaching the basic texts combined with the theory, but used to leave out the Method (upāya). mna' ris pa told him: ?bla ma vajrapāni formerly gave me the 'Cycle of the Pebbles' (rde? u skor) in such and such a manner. But why do you, great Teacher, preach in this manner?" Bal po replied: "Tibetans prefer this sort of exposition, shallow and detailed. For this reason I have abstained from preaching the rde'u skor. But I shall preach it to you!" He then prepared a Tantric feast (gana?cakra) {R864}, presented his request, and received the (teaching).

He then discovered that it was not different from the former which he had obtained from the bla ma vajrapāni. 'Later rlun rdo r?je bla ma went in search of these hidden precepts. He bestowed on him (the precept) that corresponded to about 150 pebbles, and which followed on former precepts. bla?ma mna' ris pa for eight years acted as household priest of. bal po ('?jig rten). His disciple was gru śul ba. mNa' ris pa went to gru śul, but the elder (sthavira) did not admit him. While he was staying inside an empty enclosure, gru śul invited him inside, but he declined. When snow started to fall, he was again asked to come in, and entered (gru śul?s house). On seeing the painting (thań ka) representing the Spiritual Lineage (of the mahāmudrā doctrine), he inquired: "Have you faith in it?" ?Yes, I have", gru śul ba replied. "Do you know their precepts?" ?I don't know", gru śul replied. "Well, I have them", and saying so mna' ris pa bestowed on him the complete precepts during eighteen days. gru śul ba presented to him five "?o" of gold "la thub" (a sort of gold), and mna ris pa said: ?I do not need it," and did not accept it. mna' ris pa said: ?Next year you should come to chu bo ri on a certain date". Then having fixed the date, mNa' ris pa departed. When the time came for him to return, Gru śul ba went to chu bo ri, and dis?covered that the Teacher had reached there five days earlier. He (gru śul ba) spent there one month and practiced secret observances (gsań spyod), and nobody knew where he went, and where he died. The scholar Par pu ba blo gros seń ge obtained from him the mahāmudrā of the Cycle of the dohā. He (par pu ba) also composed eight text books (yig sna), such as the ?Summary of the three sections of the dohā", its commentary and a running commentary ('brel '?jug), etc. These text books spread throughout all quarters. His dis?ciples were: sgyer sgom chen po, sańs rgyas dbon po, bla ma brag 'bur ba, śug gseb ri pa, the dharmasvāmin bla ma dam pa, mi ?ag śes rab bzań po, and the dharmasvāmin {R865} ?Who d?jid not descend from the mountain" (chos r?je ri mi? 'babs pa) bsod nams rin chen. The latter bestowed on me the dohā according to the system of par (par pu ba).

The Cycle of a su became known as the ?Lower" school (smad ?lugs) of the mahāmudrā. Again, the "Later" translation (phyi ?gyur): When vajrapāni became old, nag po ser dad mna' ris stayed with him in Eastern India, and obtained (from him) the Ten texts of the mahāmudrā, the ?large" and ?lesser' recensions of the dohā (dohākośagiti), the sku'i mdzod 'chi med rdo r?je (sku'i mdzod 'chi med rdo r?ji glu, kāyakosāmrtavajragīti), the gsun gi mdzod ?je?i dbyans rdo r?je (gsun gi mdzod ' ?jam dbyans rdo r?j'i glu, Vākkosarucirasvaravajragīti), the thugs kyi mdzod skye med rdo r?je (thugs kyi mdzod skye med rdo r?je?i glu, cittakosāja?vajragiti), the sku gsun thugs yid la mi byed pa'i mdzod (sku gsuń thugs yid la mi byed pa ?es?bya ba, kāyavākcittamanasakāra nāma), the sgom rim drug pa (bhāvanākramasatka nāma), the 'chi kha ma'i gdams nag ('phags pa 'da' ka ye ses les bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo, ārya ataj?āna nāma maha?yānasatra), the r?og pa med pa'i rgyud (rgyud kyi rgyal po r?og pa med pa ?es bya ba, anā?vita Tantrarāja). He (nag po śer dad) was the disciple of 'gos lo tsā ba. Later he founded a monastery behind g?un gru sna, and became an official at lhan tsho. His death was caused by poison administered by the monks. bla ma so heard the hidden precepts from him, and skor churl ba. He especially spent six years in the presence of nag po (śer dad). When so became old, he gave (these precepts) to Alyah ston rtsags se. The latter gave them to the bla ma rog bde The Lineage of {R 866} Teaching (bka') of the grub s?iń, as well as that of the "Lesser? texts (twenty-six a ma na si), are not extant at present, but the Lineage of Authorization (lun) is as follows: sa ba ra, maitrīpa, rgya gar phyag na (vajrapāni), bran ti, gtsan yan dog 'bar, phyag zuns skyabs, rtsans 'byuń se, lche stop mdo sen, the bla ma ston sak, lce blo ldan sen ge, kun mkhyen 'phags 'od, bu ston rin po che, the lo tsā ba rin chen rnam ?rgyal, and thus to the Venerable grags pa rgyal mtshan. From him I obtained the "Seven Sections of grub pa" (grub pa sde?bdun) only, the mūla and the commentary of the de kho na nid bcu pa (Tattvada'saka nama).

From the birth of rgya g?r phyag.na to the year Fire Male Ape (me pho spre'u 1476 A.D.) 460 years have elapsed. The Book on the (doctrine) of the ?Great Seal'? (mahāmudrā), handed down by the jina maitri pa.