Book Contents

Foreward by His Holiness the Seventeenth Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Translator’s Introduction

The Precious Essence
The Hidden Meaning of the Glorious Noble Guru’s Life

Virtue in the Beginning
The Circumstances Under Which the Autobiography Was Composed

Virtue in the Middle, The Actual Autobiography
First, an Account of Previous Lives

Virtue in the Middle, The Actual Autobiography
Second, an Account of the Essence of This Life

Virtue in the End
The Conclusion of the Autobiography

Notes

Book Excerpts

From “An Account of the Essence of this Life”

“I did as he said, and, walking to the left, reached the central hall. On the left of Guru Raksha Tötreng I saw the dakini, Blazing Blue Light, wearing red clothing, with many other dakinis behind her. I prostrated myself and prayed to them. Guru Rinpoche placed his hand on my head, bestowed the blessings of his three secrets, and predicted some of my treasures. Along with that, he said, ‘Your name is Palchen Traktung Gaway Yeshe Dechen Barway Dorje, “Great Splendor Blood-Drinker Joyous Wisdom Great Bliss Blazing Vajra.” ’

“In that way, he placed the crown of this name on my head.

“Then one of the dakinis three rows behind him took me by the hand and, holding my hand the whole way, brought me back to my room on a pathway of light.

“I recounted all of this to the Terchen. He indicated that it had meaning. ‘Barway Dorje’ became my name at that time.

“For the eight months of my stay in my mother’s womb, I perceived it as a palace of crystal, and could see and know everything surrounding us. I could hear external sounds, and with some effort could ascertain their meaning, such as a discussion of the provisions and yaks my Uncle Chöpak was going to take on his journey to Central Tibet. All of this was somewhat dreamlike.

“When I was between four and five my mother went to receive guidance on the mind from Lama Nawa of Goche Monastery. I received it along with her and understood the instruction on how to foster stillness and occurrence. Thereafter, during the day when I went to the children’s playground, I rested my mind a little. At night, when I went to sleep in my mother’s lap, I discussed my doubts with her. In that way, I began to gain a little experience.

“That summer, I went to gather dairy products, camping as I traveled from place to place. On the night I stayed at the head of a valley in Dorje Zam, I dreamed of Yeshe Tsogyal, dressed as a Tibetan woman, so magnificent in appearance that one would never tire of gazing upon her, accompanied by many women. She walked a little away from the others, and, pointing her finger, said, ‘That spring down there is a residence of Jokpo, the Brahmin king of the nagas. There is a white boulder there, shaped like a tortoise. When I concealed a profound cycle of dakini dharma there, I placed one of my hairs on top of that boulder. Not only is it still there, it has multiplied! There are two. This is a sign that it is time for that treasure to be retrieved. So, son, take it out of there!’

“After saying that, she, with her retinue, ascended ever higher into space, and disappeared.

“My attendant monk was very tough and adventurous. Therefore although the site she had indicated was very dangerous, on the next day I asked him to go there, feeling that I couldn’t let this opportunity pass. He went, and I stayed at the edge of the valley. The upper rock at the site was shaped like a haunch of meat. When it was removed, there was revealed beneath it a hollow area filled with the bodhichitta of dakinis engaged in yogic discipline, like cinnabar powder. As soon as the hollow area was exposed, a fragrance more beautiful than any we had smelled before filled the area, amazing my attendant, who put what he had found in my hands. Amongst it were many white and black relic pills and the scrolls containing The Dakini Dharma Cycle. Through the kindness of Guru Rinpoche, father and mother, there was not even the slightest obstacle to, or difficulty in, its retrieval.

“At Yudrak, at the behest of its lamas, the father and the mother, I convened an Amrita Accomplishment Assembly using The Vajrakila Cycle and, the year after, The Wrathful Vidyadhara Cycle. During these, I saw innumerable deities—peaceful, passionate, and wrathful—adorned with the marks and signs, and of uncertain appearance. There are no accounts of anyone performing an Amrita Accomplishment in that area before that. Because some of the local deities are spiteful, such as the one from Sedrong Mountain, I was unsure how successful the practice would be. However, it went very well both times. During these assemblies, many of the benevolent local deities, such as Gyokchen Dongray, took human form and attended the gatherings, reciting the mantras melodiously.

“When we left, because of the amount we were carrying, the pack mules had to be driven across the swollen river, rather than rowed across in the boats with us. One of them, a white Chinese mule, began to be swept along by the current. I prayed one-pointedly to Arya Tara, and saw White Tara on the surface of the rocks across the river. The oarsman chased the mule with our boat, and it made it to the other side alive.

“On that night we camped at the foot of a mountain. The younger monks were frightened by the wailing of many ghosts. I performed a singed offering and the visualization for banishing obstructors, and the wailing stopped immediately.

“When I went to perform a ceremony to purify the residue of the past war involving the Nine-Hundred Northern Enemies, the Three Chinese Divisions, and so forth, I found the battlefield filled with the ghosts of those killed in battle and with spirits who feed on violence. It was quite spooky, but I gradually pacified the place. When I performed the subduing of enemies by means of Yamantaka, from beneath the ground came a terrifying roar, like thunder, which we all heard. From that time on, there was no further harm caused by the Northern Enemies.

“At that time all of Tibet was involved in a great conflict. A great army from China was approaching Tibet, led by a general known as Yaktruk. He had conquered the eighteen districts in the east and all districts west of them up to Black and White Khyungpo. Many of the greatest monasteries of Tibet had been sacked and destroyed. This large army from China had appeared in Ga, and many of the area’s leaders had been deposed. Chingtu Rinpoche was forced to go there. I was extremely concerned, and sent my son Padma Tsewang with a scarf of greeting. When I had previously restored the stupa of Ridong, the protector Kugyal Shene gave me a piece of the stupa. I sent this as an offering to Chingtu Rinpoche for the interdependence of political stability. He sent back a generous gift and his assurance that he was in no physical danger. From that time on, I was unable to travel and remained in retreat praying all day and night for the protection of all Tibet and especially of our region. In particular, I performed the protection and reversal rituals of the Shvanas from my treasures and the forceful thread-cross ritual of White Umbrella. Signs of benefit were manifested.

“Since the protector of the invaders from the borderlands was the god Maheshvara, I befriended him, as Guru Rinpoche had commanded me in his prophecies. I gained control of Maheshvara’s vital force, and earnestly entrusted him with activity. I became aware of spirits sent to destroy the Buddha-dharma by many non-Buddhist siddhas. I gave them offerings and turned the curses back onto their originators. This and the magic performed by other lamas affected Yaktruk, who was executed by decapitation. Chingtu Rinpoche returned in good health from central Tibet; in celebration I invited him to my monastery and served him there. As instructed by Guru Rinpoche, for the welfare of all Tibet, I instituted the regular performance at my monastery of Great Accomplishment Assemblies of Vajrakila, The Sadhanas of the Guru’s Mind, and The Dakini Sadhana. As Great Splendor Chakrasamvara is extolled for the purpose of taming borderlands and barbarians, Padma Tsewang and I together performed that practice, with elaborate offerings.

From “The Conclusion of the Autobiography”

Saying that, he filled my mind with the inconceivable secret amrita of his speech, which I received through his boundless kindness and my good fortune. I felt that I could not bear to be parted from him, and repeatedly took the four empowerments. Finally, I left for my home.

That was the third part, the conclusion to the inner and secret autobiography of the lord of the hundred families, the noble guru, Mahavajradhara.

The bhagavat, the splendor of all, the “blood-drinking” heruka’s
Radiant display of “joyous wisdom,”
In the drop of “great bliss,” a “blazing vajra” body—
I remember you, lord of all families!

KYE HO! More secret than the secret are your qualities,
Utterly profound and reaching the limits ofthe dharmadhatu.
They are way beyond the realm of speech.
They are the inconceivable realm of the victors’ wisdom expanse.

However, the music of your deeds, noble lord, apparent to us all,
I have described a little in your words.
I am fortunate and delighted,
For your words are medicine, transferring your wisdom to us.

It is impossible to fully describe the inconceivable
Emanation of a teacher in the realm of those to be taught.
Without distinction in worthiness, all you touch
Are manifestly freed. Who else has your power?

Your vajra body blazes with the splendid light of compassion.
As soon as it is seen, the darkness of bewildered thoughts
Disappears of itself. One is left in natural self-liberation.
Of your very nature, you liberate through being seen.

Through mastery of the cloud-like wheel of letters,
From the fine vase of your throat, the sambhoghachakra,
Issues secret speech, the melody of nada, and all of it
Brings the miracle of liberation through hearing.

Absolute equality, the spacious expanse of the ground,
Is filled with clear light, the mandala of wisdom and love.
Its thousand rays, blazing with splendid benefit and bliss, bring to bloom the lotus garden
Of our minds through their touch, which bestows liberation.

Your wondrous qualities, profound and vast,
Are a canopy woven of garlands of wish-fulfilling jewels,
Raining down upon us all the siddhis we could ever wish for.
Those who taste this rain sing in the crazy spontaneity of their realization.

Peerless guru, you are an actual perfect buddha.
Your deeds, like the activity of all victors,
Are inconceivable. But at the very moment of recollecting them,
One finds rest in the bed of tranquil bliss, and is liberated.

KYE HO! Lord of Dharma, sovereign of the hundred families,
Emperor of siddhas, store of an ocean of profound treasure,
In your mastery of the wheel of the four activities,
Your splendid light brings benefit and bliss to all beings.

You have never for a moment thought of your own benefit.
In your vast work for beings and all the teachings,
Through the various means within your activity,
You have worked to help others without respite, day and night.

Through the miracle of transforming an instant into an aeon,
The great seal of your inconceivable deeds,
Displayed here as a virtuous spectacle before all existence and tranquility,
Shows clearly the vast imprint you have left.

Holding the blessed treasury of tantra, agama,and upadesha,
With perfected experience and realization, with the complete power of the two wisdoms,
You accomplish the two aims and have mastery over appearance and existence.
King of teachers, all who think of you do so with faith.

E MA! Your life story is like all space.
The little bee of my intellect with its tiny wings,
Although it wishes to, could never fathom it.
However, through faith and devotion alone,
In the immaculate, great lotus garden of your life
I have had the good fortune to drink sweet nectar,
And, having tasted it, am satisfied.

I present this for the delight of the fortunate.
Its virtue, immaculately pure amrita,
I scatter to the limits of space, without concept.
May the rain of this dedication fall on the whole of existence,
Filling it with the ripened fruit of peace.

On the summit of the high mountain of the nine vehicles,
May the divine residence of the holders of theteachings blaze with splendor.
May the light of the sun and moon of study and practice
Fill the sky in all directions, beautifying the world.

May I carry bound to my head the load
Of the peerless guru’s teachings, upholding study and practice
Through hearing, thinking, and meditating,
Until the end of existence, serving them in the best way.