Wylie:Snyan brgyud rdo rje'i tshig rkang
Vajra Verses of the Aural Transmission (Karṇatantravajrapada) is said to be teachings spoken by Vajradhara to Jñānaḍākinī, which she in turn transmitted by means of symbols to Tilopa in the Ghandhola temple in Oḍḍiyāna. Tilopa then brought these teachings to the human realm. Since they were sealed with the command to be passed on as a single transmission for thirteen generations, he gave them to only one student, Nāropa, who gave them only to Marpa Lotsāwa. Nāropa and Marpa translated them into Tibetan, which is our sole record of these instructions, now preserved in numerous canonical and paracanonical editions.[1] The inclusion of the Vajra Verses of the Aural Transmission here—in the section of root texts for the six dharmas—is somewhat curious, since it is the root, or source, text for the Saṃvara Aural Transmission. Its teachings are expounded by Tilopa in his Short Text*[2] and are amplified by Milarepa in two texts in this volume: The Instruction Manual for the Shared WishFulfilling Gems: The Practices Connected with the Vase Abhiṣeka from the Glorious Saṃvara Aural Transmission†[3] and The Instruction Manual on the Six Dharmas, Which Liberate through the Upper Door: The Perfection Process of the Saṃvara Aural Transmission, with one edition of the latter citing specific lines from Vajra Verses, indicating how closely the Vajra Verses serves as its basis.[4] Therefore, we might expect the Vajra Verses to be the first text in the later section, “The Texts in the Dharma Cycles of the Root Aural Transmissions.”*[5] Nevertheless, despite that and the fact that only about 30 percent of this text is on the six dharmas, it is included here, as the second text Jamgön Kongtrul selected as a root six dharmas text.
Regarding the importance of this text, Zhang Lotsāwa, in his Introductory Notes, states:
The extensive teachings that are the root of the Aural Transmission are the Tantra of Saṃvara Who Equals Space[6] and all the Cakrasaṃvara tantras. The teachings on their meaning are the Vajra Verses spoken by Vajradhara to Jñānaḍākinī, The Short Text composed by Tilopa, and the notes and commentaries on those.
Tashi Chöpal’s Record of Teachings Received also identifies the Vajra Verses as the “root text” (rtsa ba) of the glorious Saṃvara Aural Transmission WishFulfilling Gems.[7]
Regarding the attribution of authorship, Fabrizio Torricelli addresses this by asking:
[I]f the ādibuddha Vajradhara is said to have granted instructions to the ḍākinī Vajrayoginī, who in turn would have transmitted it to Tilopā; if the latter memorized these teachings and handed [it] down to his disciple Nāropā, who in turn passed [it] on to his disciple Mar pa; if the latter translated and arranged the teachings in the presence of his guru, a legitimate question would be, who is the author of the work we have? . . . [I]t seems more reasonable to say that a text comes from a certain master, than to assume that it is by him.[8]
Since Jamgön Kongtrul refers to this text as being “the words of Vajradhara” (rdo rje ’chang gi bka’), Vajradhara is designated as the author here. Jamgön Kongtrul also says that those who say that should be investigated are simply being sectarian.[9]
All accounts of the transmission of this text begin with the story that Tilopa went to Oḍḍiyāna to receive instructions and that after overpowering protective retinues of karmaḍākinīs and the ḍākinīs of the five families, he met the Jñānaḍākinī (Vajrayoginī). Once he demonstrated to her that he was worthy of her instructions, the Jñānaḍākinī bestowed abhiṣekas and blessings upon him and gave him the complete Aural Transmission instructions. She also explained the Saṃvara root tantra in fifty-one chapters and all the tantras with their instructions.[10] After leaving Oḍḍiyāna, Tilopa heard a ninefold dharma teaching spoken by formless ḍākinīs.[11]
It is worth mentioning here that this ninefold dharma teaching from the formless ḍākinīs is ancillary to the Saṃvara Aural Transmission. The teaching is quite well known, at least in name, mainly due to the account found in Tsangnyön Heruka’s One Hundred Thousand Songs. Briefly, although Marpa gave Milarepa the Saṃvara Aural Transmission in full, he only transmitted four (or five) of the nine teachings from the formless ḍākinīs to Milarepa. Marpa instructed Milarepa to send one of his disciples to India to receive them from a disciple of Nāropa, which he did: Rechungpa went to India and received them from Tipupa.[12] Some confusion has occurred concerning the importance of these teachings because the Blue Annals mistakenly refers to the ninefold teaching from the formless ḍākinīs as “‘The Lineage of Oral Instructions of Saṃvara,’” and says “the Lineage which was founded by Ras-chuṅ-pa himself is known as ‘The Lineage of Oral Instructions of Ras-chuṅ.’” This is not the case, as is well documented in the histories of the Saṃvara Aural Transmission.[13]
In addition to the Vajra Verses’ special feature of being the words of Vajradhara, what is important about this text is its teachings and its transmission.
Teachings
The text lays out the path according to this cycle of teaching in a concise manner, which has led, as so often is the case, to the composition of numerous commentaries and outlines. The root text included here contains topical headings (either added by Jamgön Kongtrul or found in the edition he used for inclusion in the Treasury), which organize the teachings into what became standard categories for the Saṃvara Aural Transmission. The headings are given below with a summary of the content and the corresponding lines in the Vajra Verses in parentheses.
- Wish-Fulfilling Gems of the Lineage (descriptions of the qualifications for teachers and disciples) (7–9)
- Wish-Fulfilling Gems of the Maturing Path (the four abhiṣekas of the sixty-two deity maṇḍala of Cakrasaṃvara and the four symbolic abhiṣekas of the fifteen deity maṇḍala of Vajrayoginī) (10–13a)
- Wish-Fulfilling Gems of the Liberating Path (the practices associated with the four abhiṣekas) (13b)
- Vase abhiṣeka: The path of the generation processes (the practices called the sovereigns, the ministers, the people, mixing, equal taste, and the three samayas)*[14] (14–15)
- Secret abhiṣeka: Liberation through the upper door using the six dharmas†[15] (caṇḍālī, illusory forms, dreams, luminosity, transference, and entering a body) (16–60)
- Prajñā abhiṣeka: Great bliss through the lower door (61–79)
- Fourth abhiṣeka: Mahāmudrā, the illumination of wisdom (80–103)
- Arriving at the end of the path through recollection: The instructions pointing out the bardos (104–23)
- Dispelling hindrances and enhancement: Universal instructions(124–27)
- How the result is attained (128–39)
Transmission
The Vajra Verses concludes with saying, “The transmission of the verses is placed under a seal for thirteen [generations].” All commentarial sources begin by listing the first six members of the transmission series: Vajradhara, Vajrayoginī, Tilopa, Nāropa, Marpa, and Milarepa.
However, as also discussed later,‡[16] although these Aural Transmission instructions were only to be given to one person each generation for thirteen generations, there were instances when a transmission holder passed it on to more than one person. The first occasion was with Milarepa, who received permission to do so in a vision of Vajrayoginī. He is said to have given the Aural Transmission teachings to a number of his disciples, including three main ones: Rechungpa, Ngamdzong Repa,*[17] and Gampopa. The accounts of what he transmitted to whom vary, but it is clear that there were two main lines of transmission to their thirteenth recipients: one that carried on the transmissions Milarepa gave to Rechungpa and Ngamdzong (merging in the tenth, Zhang Lotsāwa) and one that continued from Gampopa. The thirteenth recipients were Ziji Gyaltsen (1290–1360) and Drung Mase (1386–1423).
Since this translation relies on the commentaries by Tsangnyön Heruka and Jampa Puntsok, their accounts of the transmission through thirteen generations will now be related (see below for the transmission lineage received by Jamgön Kongtrul).
Tsangnyön Heruka comments on line 140 in the Vajra Verses,“The transmission of the verses is placed under a seal for thirteen [generations],” as follows:
The transmission of Vajradhara was sealed with the command, “This is to be practiced without spreading it beyond a single transmission for thirteen [generations],” and then Tilopa will emanate to release the seal in actuality.
Tilopa, Nāropa, and Marpa based [their transmissions of] the abhiṣekas of the path of maturation and the generation and perfection processes of the path of liberation on either Hevajra or Saṃvara. As for these instructions, within the dharmas that liberate by means of the upper door, transference and entering a body were considered one. The bardo instructions were added to those five. Tilopa, taking them as an approach that came from the gurus of his four entrusted transmissions, matured and liberated many fortunate beings. Nāropa, giving them the name “the six dharmas of Tilopa,” benefitted many fortunate beings. Marpa, giving them the name “the six dharmas of Nāropa,” also benefitted many fortunate beings. Their activities and fame equaled the extent of space.
The extensive, complete, unerring, and perfect instructions of the Ḍākinī Aural Transmission alone are the Aural Transmission.
Vajrayoginī, knowing that vast benefit for beings would occur, appeared to Jetsun Milarepa in Drö Puk. She gave permission for and made a prophesy concerning the spreading of [the Ḍākinī Aural Transmission instructions] to a few fortunate ones and for writing them down. To his heart sons Rechungpa Dorje Drakpa and Ngendzong Tönpa, the Jetsun gave the complete extensive instructions of the Threefold Wish-Fulfilling Gems. Thus, their [transmissions] became known as the Rechung Aural Transmission and the Ngendzong Aural Transmission. These instructions, whose command seal for being only a single transmission had been permitted to be loosened, were spread in a very strict and secret manner. Their fame spread in all directions like thunder. In actuality, these complete and unerring instructions were transmitted like stars during the daytime, [that is, very rarely,] and they continued up until they reached me.[18]
Jampa Puntsok explains:
The reason for requiring this to be a single transmission for thirteen [generations] was to establish the auspicious connection for the individuals engaging this path to reach the end of the twelfth bhūmi and manifest the thirteenth bhūmi of Vajradhara.
The way these were given is as follows: Great Vajradhara, the true, perfect buddha, had many disciples who were bodhisattvas dwelling on the bhūmis, but he only gave them to Vajrayoginī, the female consort, who was inseparable from him in terms of relinquishment and realization.
Vajrayoginī had countless disciples who were heroes and yoginīs dwelling on the bhūmis, but she gave the instructions to the exalted Tilopa, an emanation of Saṃvara. Although the nirmāṇakāya Tilopa had many disciples who were siddhas, such as Riripa, Kasoripa, and Nakpo Gewa, he gave the instructions only to the scholar-siddha Nāropa Mahāpaṇḍita. Nāropa also had numerous disciples, including the śramaṇera Prajñā Siṃha; glorious Śāntibhadra, the master Maitrīpa, Tipupa, and the Great Lord, glorious Atiśa. However, he gave the instructions only to the translator Marpa Lotsāwa. The translator Marpa, despite having many disciples (such as Ngoktön, Maitön Tsompo, and Tsurtön Wangi Dorje), gave the instructions only to Milarepa of Gungtang.
Jetsun Milarepa had numerous disciples, such as the unequaled Physician from Dakpo [Gampopa] (who was prophesized by the Victor), Zhiwa Ö, and others, but he gave the instructions only to Rechung Dorje Drakpa. Rechungpa himself had many disciples (including Ra Shernang, Tönpa Sungyang, and Gyalwa Lo of Tsa), but he only gave the instructions to Gyalwa Khyung Tsangpa.
Khyung Tsangpa had many disciples who knew the entryways to the piṭakas, and yet he gave the instructions only to three: Martön Tsultrim Jungne, Lopön Targom, and Machik Ongjo. Among them, Machik Ongjo was given the complete instructions, and she received an injunction from Khyung Tsangpa that she was to give them to one person who supplicated three times to receive this dharma.
For the sake of this dharma, Zhang Lotsāwa Drupa Palzang supplicated [Machik Ongjo] first as an upāsaka, in the middle as a śramaṇera, and in the end as a bhikṣu. Following those supplications, Machik gave Zhang Drowai Gönpo the instructions.*[19] Zhang Lotsāwa had many students who were scholarpractitioners, but he gave the instructions to Bandhe Dharaśri of Ba. Bandhe Dharaśri of Ba had many students, but none were suitable recipients, and therefore he gave the instructions to his son, Jangsem Sönam Gyaltsen. Jangsem Sönam Gyaltsen had students, but since none were suitable recipients, he gave the instructions to his sister, Kunden Rema. Machik [Kunden Rema] also had students but gave the instructions to Nartangwa Delek Rinchen and Nyanangpa Khetsun Ziji Gyaltsen.
Khetsunpa was the thirteenth [holder] of the transmission, and he heard the instructions from both Delekpa and Machik. There were also many amazing signs, indications, and so on that Khetsunpa was the thirteenth [holder] of the transmission.
Jampa Puntsok concludes by providing the transmission after Khetsun Ziji Gyaltsen up to himself:
Khetsunpa gave the instructions to Khenchen Wangchuk Sherap from Ngari Guge. He gave them to Jatang Ritröpa Zhönu Gyaltsen of Latö Namding. He gave them to Rechen Zhönu Palden of Latö. He gave them to Dongtön Namkha Gyaltsen of Kham. He gave them to Dulzin Ngaki Wangpo of Ngari Gungtang. He gave them to Sangye Senge of Penyul Shara. He gave them to Tsangnyön Sangye Gyaltsen of Nyangtö Kharkha. He gave them to the scholar-siddha Lhatsun Rinchen Namgyal and Pagö Götsangchen. Those two holy beings gave them to me, Töngom Jampa Puntsok. I also received the complete set of abhiṣekas, instructions, associated elements, and procedures.[20]
The Catalog states that this text is followed by a short commentary, Opening the Vajra Verses, but that text was not included in The Treasury of Precious Instructions and its identity is uncertain.[21]
Transmission lineage received by Jamgön Kongtrul. Vajradhara to Jñānaḍākinī, Vajrapāṇi, Tilopa, and then the same as previously stated for the Ganges Mahāmudrā.[22]
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- Other notes
- Genre from Richard Barron's Catalog
- Instruction manual
- Genre from dkar chag
- gzhung rtsa 'grel
- BDRC Link
- VolumeI1CZ3969
- BDRC Content Information
- No note on contents
- Other Translations
- Morrell, Jerry, trans. The Life of Tilopa and the Ganges Mahamudra. Auckland, New Zealand: Zhyisil Chokyi Ghatsal Trust, 2002. (translation of "phyag chen gang+gA ma")
- Text(s) in the DNZ of which this is a commentary
- Bka' yang dag pa'i tshad ma zhes bya ba mkha' 'gro ma'i man ngag
Information about Unicode Tibetan and the digitization of this text
As the only available unicode Tibetan text at the time, Nitartha International's version of the Gdams ngag mdzod Paro Edition of the gdams ngag mdzod is provided here. However, note that it has not been thoroughly edited and that there may also be mistakes introduced through the conversion process. Eventually we will provide a fully edited version of the entire Shechen Edition, entered and edited multiple times by Pulahari Monastery in Nepal, but as of fall 2017 that project has not been finished. Note that the folio numbers that appear throughout were added by Nitartha Input Center at the time of input.
Provided by Nitartha International Document Input Center. Many thanks to Person:Namdak, Tenzin and Person:Wiener, G. for help with fonts and conversion.
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