Joyful Path of Good Fortune. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
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Indian Buddhists, and was regarded as a second Buddha.
Before Atisha’s time the thirty-seventh king of Tibet, Trisong Detsen (AD circa 754–797), had invited Padmasambhava, Shantarakshita and other Buddhist Teachers to Tibet, and through their influence pure Dharma had flourished; but some years later a Tibetan king called Lang Darma (AD circa 836) destroyed the pure Dharma in Tibet and abolished the community of ordained monks and nuns. Until that time most of the kings had been religious, but it was a dark age in Tibet during Lang Darma’s evil reign. About seventy years after his death Dharma began to flourish once again in the upper part of Tibet through the efforts of great Teachers such as the translator Rinchen Sangpo, and it also began to flourish in the lower part of Tibet through the efforts of a great Teacher called Gongpa Rabsel. Gradually, Dharma spread to central Tibet.
At that time there was no pure practice of the union of Sutra and Tantra. The two were thought to be contradictory, like fire and water. When people practised Sutra they abandoned Tantra, and when they practised Tantra they abandoned Sutra, including even the rules of the Vinaya. False teachers came from India wishing to procure some of Tibet’s plentiful gold. Pretending to be Spiritual Guides and Yogis they introduced perversions such as black magic, creating apparitions, sexual practices and ritual murder. These malpractices became quite widespread.
A king called Yeshe Ö and his nephew Jangchub Ö, who lived in Ngari in west Tibet, were greatly concerned about what was happening to the Dharma, Buddha’s teachings, in their country. The king wept when he thought of the purity of Dharma in former times compared with the impure Dharma now being practised. He was grieved to see how hardened and uncontrolled the minds of the people had become. He thought ‘How wonderful it would be if pure Dharma were to flourish once again in Tibet to tame the minds of our people.’ To fulfil this wish he sent Tibetans to India to learn Sanskrit and train in Dharma, but many of these people were unable to endure the hot climate. The few who survived learnt Sanskrit and trained very well in Dharma. Amongst them was the translator Rinchen Sangpo, who received many instructions and then returned to Tibet.
Since this plan had not met with much success Yeshe Ö decided to invite an authentic Teacher from India. He sent a group of Tibetans to India with a large quantity of gold, and gave them the task of seeking out the most qualified Spiritual Guide in India. He advised them all to study Dharma and gain perfect knowledge of Sanskrit. These Tibetans suffered all the hardships of climate and travel in order to accomplish his wishes. Some of them became famous translators. They translated many scriptures and sent them to the king, to his great delight.
When these Tibetans returned to Tibet they informed Yeshe Ö ‘In India there are many very learned Buddhist Teachers, but the most distinguished and sublime of all is Dhipamkara Shrijana. We would like to invite him to Tibet, but he has thousands of disciples in India.’ When Yeshe Ö heard the name ‘Dhipamkara Shrijana’ he was pleased, and became determined to invite this Master to Tibet. Since he had already used most of his gold and more was now needed to invite Dhipamkara Shrijana to Tibet, the king set off on an expedition to search for more gold. When he arrived at one of the borders the evil king of that country captured him and threw him into prison. When the news reached Jangchub Ö he considered ‘I am powerful enough to wage war on this king, but if I do so many people will suffer and I will have to commit many harmful, destructive actions.’ He decided to make an appeal for his uncle’s release, but the king responded by saying ‘I will release your uncle only if you either become my subject or bring me a quantity of gold as heavy as your uncle’s body.’ With great difficulty Jangchub Ö managed to gather gold equal in weight to his uncle’s body, less the weight of his head. Since the king demanded the extra amount, Jangchub Ö prepared to go in search of more gold, but before he set out he visited his uncle. He found Yeshe Ö physically weak but in a good state of mind. Jangchub Ö spoke through the bars of the prison ‘Soon I will be able to release you for I have managed to collect almost all the gold.’ Yeshe Ö replied ‘Please do not treat me as if I were important. You must not give the gold to this evil king. Use it all to invite Dhipamkara Shrijana from India to our country. This is my greatest wish. I will give my life joyfully for the sake of restoring pure Dharma in Tibet. Please deliver this message to Dhipamkara Shrijana. Let him know that I have given my life to invite him to Tibet. Since he has compassion for the Tibetan people, when he receives this message he will accept our invitation.’
Jangchub Ö sent the translator Nagtso together with some companions to India with the gold. When they met Dhipamkara Shrijana they told him what was happening in Tibet and how the people wanted to invite a pure Spiritual Guide from India. They told him how much gold the king had spent for the purpose of inviting him, and how many Tibetans had died for the same purpose. Finally, they gave him Yeshe Ö’s message: To restore pure Buddhadharma in Tibet I sincerely wish to invite the qualified Teacher Dhipamkara Shrijana, and for this purpose I have accepted dying in prison. When they had made their request Dhipamkara Shrijana considered what they had said and accepted their invitation. Although he had many disciples in India and was working very hard there for the sake of Dharma, he knew that there was no pure Dharma in Tibet. He had also received a prediction from Arya Tara that if he were to go to Tibet he would benefit countless living beings. Compassion arose in his heart when he thought how many Tibetans had died in India, and he was especially moved by the sacrifice of Yeshe Ö.
Dhipamkara Shrijana had to make his way to Tibet in secret, for had his Indian disciples known that he was leaving India they would have prevented him. He said that he was making a pilgrimage to Nepal, but from Nepal he passed into Tibet. When his Indian disciples eventually realized that he was not going to return they protested that the Tibetans were thieves who had stolen their Spiritual Guide!
Since it was customary in those days, as it is today, to greet an honoured guest in style, Jangchub Ö sent an entourage of three hundred horsemen with many eminent Tibetans to the border to welcome Atisha and offer him a horse to ease the difficult journey to Ngari. Atisha rode at the centre of the three hundred horsemen, and by means of his miracle powers he sat one cubit above his horse’s back. When they saw him, those who previously had no respect for him developed very strong faith, and everyone said that the second Buddha had arrived in Tibet.
When Atisha reached Ngari, Jangchub Ö requested him: ‘O Compassionate Atisha, please give instructions to help the Tibetan people. Please give advice that everyone can follow. Please give us special instructions so that we can practise all the paths of Sutra and Tantra together.’ To fulfil this wish Atisha composed and taught Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment. He gave these instructions first in Ngari and then in central Tibet. Many disciples who heard these teachings developed great wisdom.
While he had been in India Atisha had received a prediction from Arya Tara, ‘When you go to Tibet, a layman will come to receive instructions from you, and this disciple will cause Dharma to flourish far and wide.’ This prediction referred to Atisha’s foremost disciple, Dromtonpa. At first Atisha taught Lamrim mainly to Dromtonpa, and to other disciples he gave instructions on Secret Mantra. When Dromtonpa asked him ‘Why do you give Lamrim mainly to me and not to others?’, Atisha replied that he was especially worthy to receive Lamrim teachings. After Atisha’s death Dromtonpa was regarded as his successor and respected as his equal. Dromtonpa taught Lamrim extensively in Tibet.
Three lineages of Lamrim instructions were passed down from Dromtonpa. Kadam Shungpawa passed from Dromtonpa to Geshe Potowa to Geshe Sharawa, and through further Teachers to Je Tsongkhapa. Kadam Lamrimpa passed from Dromtonpa to Geshe Gonbawa to Geshe Neusurpa, and through further Teachers to Je Tsongkhapa. Kadam Menngagpa passed from Dromtonpa to Geshe Chengawa to Geshe Jayulwa, and through further Teachers to Je Tsongkhapa. Up to the time of Je Tsongkhapa these three lineages are called ‘Old Kadam lineages’. The three lineages from the time of Je Tsongkhapa to the present day are called ‘New Kadam lineages’. All three are still practised today. Practitioners of the three schools are differentiated in terms of the extent of their philosophical studies. Kadam Shungpawas study very extensively, Kadam Lamrimpas study less extensively, and Kadam Menngagpas study least extensively. However, they all have Kadam Lamrim as their main practice and integrate all their philosophical studies into their practice of Lamrim.
The great Spiritual Guide, Ngawang Chogden, is an example of a Kadam Shungpawa. He studied philosophy for