KyabjéTrijangRinpochéatHyderabadHouse,NewDelhi,1956COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

“Rinpoché’s interestswerevariedandhisfieldofmasterywide, rangingfromclassicalphilosophytoliteratureandpoetry,andfromtraditionalTibetanhealingsciencestothevisualarts.ThecollectionofhiswritingsreflectshisbroadcommandofTibetanculturaltraditions....IfeelfortunatetohavebeenamongthestudentsofthisgreatTibetanmaster.IamprofoundlygratefultoRinpochéforhiskindness,forhisteachingandtransmissions,andforhispersonalfriendship.ItisajoyformetoaddthesefewwordsofappreciationtotheEnglishtranslationofTrijangRinpoché’sautobiography.”

—FROMTHEFOREWORDBY

HISHOLINESSTHEDALAILAMA

Publisher’sAcknowledgment

The publisher gratefully acknowledges the generous help of the HersheyFamilyFoundationinsponsoringtheproductionofthisbook.

Contents

ForewordbyHisHolinesstheDalaiLamaPrefaceTranslator’sIntroduction

TheMagicalPlayofIllusion

HomageandPreliminaryRemarks

1. THEBEGINNINGOFMYLIFEMyFamilyBackgroundTheDeathofMyPredecessorMyRecognitionasaReincarnationContentionConcerningaRivalCandidate

2. ORDINATIONANDEARLYEDUCATIONTakingUpOfficialResidenceandBeginningMyEducationTheArrivalofKyabjéPhabongkhaRinpochéMemorizationofTextsMyOrdinationatRadrengMonasteryMyMother’sDifficultiesMyEnrollmentatGandenMeetingwithMinisterShedrawaReturningtoChusangChoosingaTutorReceivingtheKālacakraInitiationBeingAwardedtheFirstAcademicDegree

3. EARNINGTHEGESHÉDEGREE

FirstMeetingwithHisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLamaandArrival

oftheNationalistChineseASmallpoxEpidemicTroublewiththeChineseStudiesandEmpowermentsStudyingGrammarandCompositionThePassingofNgakrampaFinancialDifficultiesPreparationsfortheGeshéLharamDegreeMyGeshéLharamExaminationOrdination,Practice,Study,andMemorizationPhabongkhaRinpoché’sExtensiveDiscourseontheStagesofthePathBedaTulku’sArrivalfromChatrengFurtherTeachingsandEmpowermentsFrustratedAttempttoSolvetheEstate’sProblemsMeditationRetreats

4. TRAVELSANDTRAVAILSINKHAM

PreparationsfortheJourneytoChatrengTheJourneytoChatrengTeachingsatChatrengFightingTraveltoGangkarLingAssassinationPlotReturntoChatrengConstructionoftheMaitreyaStatueOvercomingRitualObstaclesShadyDealingsVisittoTrehorVisittoaNomadicCommunityLithangMonasteryPilgrimagetoKampoAvertingRetaliationAPlotAgainstMeAtChakraTempleVisitingMyPredecessor’sBirthplace

ObstaclestoMyReturntoLhasaTheJourneyBeginsMeetingwithGangkarLamaRinpochéLastPhaseofTravelHomeArrivalHome

5. APERIODOFGAINANDLOSSCaredforWhileIllbyTridakRinpochéTheArrivalofPaldenTseringThePassingoftheGandenThroneholderandGeshéNgawangLosangThePassingofHisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLamaTheDeathofLosangTsultrimTantricTeachingsfromKyabjéPhabongkhaRinpochéPilgrimagetoSouthernDistrictStagesofthePathTeachingsfromKyabjéPhabongkhaRinpochéJourneytoDungkarMonastery,India,andNepalToSakya,TashiLhunpo,andBacktoLhasaReceivingandGivingFurtherTeachingsAppointmentasAssistantTutorandthePassingofPhabongkha

RinpochéMiscellaneousDutiesandTeachingsPilgrimagetoPhenpo

6. BLACKCLOUDSONTHEHORIZON

TravelstoKundelingandTölungADisputeBreaksOutTheRitualtoTransferLhamo’sShrineatDrepungANewAppointmentIllnessandSchismTheFormalEnrollmentofHisHolinesstheFourteenthDalaiLamaCatalogingReligiousTextsObstaclestoHealthRenewingtheProtectorSupportSubstancesinthePotalaArrivalofCommunistChineseandHisHoliness’sEnthronementFlighttoDromoandtheSeventeen-PointAgreement

ReligiousActivitiesafterReturningtoLhasa

7. TOCHINAANDBACKMyAppointmentasJuniorTutorTheDalaiLamaTakesFullOrdinationTravelingtoChinaWithinChinaArrangingaVisittoKhamAReturnVisittoChatrengTheJourneyfromChatrengtoChamdoReunitingwithHisHolinessandReturningtoLhasa

8. STORMCLOUDSGATHERING

ChineseAppointmentsandMyMother’sPassingVisittoRadrengCelebratingtheBuddhaJayantiinBodhgayaFearsandConflictuponReturningtoTibetVisitstoTsurphuandYerpaHisHoliness’sGeshéExaminationsPortentsofTroubleReflectionsonImpermanenceHisHoliness’sFinalExaminations

9. THESTORMBREAKSTibetanUprisingDivinationsandaDecisiontoFleeLongTrekthroughtheMountainsCrossingintoIndiaSubjectsofChinesePropaganda

10.EARLYYEARSOFEXILETravelstoNepalandNorthIndiaResidencesinDharamsalaandSonadaBodhgayaandFurtherTravelsTeachinginSpitiPilgrimage

OralTransmissionoftheWorksofJéTsongkhapaThePassingofKyabjéSimokVajradharaATriptoDalhousieMeetingofAlltheHeadsoftheTibetanReligiousTraditionsSarnath,Bodhgaya,andReturntoDharamsalaBodhgaya,Sarnath,andDelhiEnthronementofKyabjéLingRinpochéandthePassingofLhabuOutbreakoftheIndo-PakistaniWarFurtherTeachings

11.DISTANTTRAVELSANDTRAGICNEWS

FirstVisittoSwitzerlandGermanyandEnglandFrance,Switzerland,andItalyReturntoIndia:DharamsalaandSarnathReturntoDharamsalaThePassingoftheIncarnationofKyabjéPhabongkhaRinpochéNewResidenceHisHolinessRequestsBodhisattvaVows

12.PLANTINGROOTSOFVIRTUE

InvitationtoSwitzerlandEnglandandFranceReturntoIndiaMussoorieandDelhiAvertingHindrancestoHisHoliness’sLongLifeSearchingfortheReincarnationofKyabjéPhabongkhaRinpochéMoreTeachingstoHisHolinessExchangingTeachingswithKyabjéLingRinpochéinBodhgayaHisHoliness’sRetreat

13.TWILIGHTYEARS

VisittotheTibetanSettlementsinSouthernIndiaIndo-PakistaniConflictConfirmingtheRecognitionoftheThirdPhabongkhaRinpochéBodhgayaandSarnath

TeachingsandRetreatinDharamsalaSarnathReturntoSouthIndiaReturntoDharamsalaAuthor’sColophon

TRANSLATOR’SCOLOPHON

EPILOGUETheFinalSixYearsofRinpoché’sLifeTheSpecialQualitiesofKyabjéTrijangRinpochéKyabjéTrijangRinpoché’sPassingTheSearchforHisReincarnation

Appendix:TheIncarnationLineageofKyabjéTrijangRinpochéGlossaryIndexAbouttheTranslator

I

ForewordBYHISHOLINESSTHEDALAILAMA

AM PLEASED that the autobiography of my late tutor, Kyabjé TrijangRinpoché,isbeingmadeavailableinEnglish.Rinpochéwascelebratedforhiseruditionandeloquence,andhisautobiographystandsasa testimony

tohisremarkableskillsasawriterandkeenobserverofhumanexperience.Bornin1901,inGungthangnearLhasa,TrijangRinpochéwasrecognized

asthereincarnationofhispredecessorwhenhewasbarelythreeyearsold.HestudiedattheShartséCollegeofGandenMonasticUniversity,theseatofthegreat scholar and accomplished practitioner Tsongkhapa, and obtained hisgeshélharamdegreebeforereachingtheageoftwenty.HethenjoinedGyütoTantric College, where he completed his formal education. Rinpoché’sinterests were varied and his field of mastery wide, ranging from classicalphilosophy to literature and poetry, and from traditional Tibetan healingsciences to the visual arts. The collection of hiswritings reflects his broadcommandofTibetanculturaltraditions.

In 1940TrijangRinpochéwas appointed one ofmy debating assistants(tsenshab),andin1952hebecamemyjuniortutor;myseniortutorwasLingRinpoché. I have fond memories of Rinpoché’s kindness throughout mychildhood.

Sincehispredecessorshadclosetiestothepractice,asdidhisrootlamaPhabongkhaRinpoché,it isunderstandablethatmylatetutorfollowedtheminpropitiatingDölgyal(DorjéShukden).Nevertheless,theGreatFifthDalaiLamawasunequivocalindescribingDölgyalas“anoath-breakingspiritborn

from perverse prayers . . . harming the teachings and all living beings.”ThereforeIwasdeeplygratefultoRinpochéforhissteadfastsupportwhenIbegantoexpressmystrongobjectionstoDölgyalpractice.Heonceremarkedto me that the investigative procedures I had followed with regard to thisissue, including my consultations with the Nechung oracle, had beenconsistently reliable at critical junctures forTibet and had stood the test oftime.

TrijangRinpochédied inNovember1981.Themoment I receivednewsof his imminent demise, I rushed to his residence in Gangchen Kyishong.WhenIarrived,sadlyRinpochéhadalreadypassedaway,but Iwasable topay my respects. Soon after, at the request of Rinpoché’s personal staff,Ganden Shartsé Monastery, and Rinpoché’s many devotees, I composed aprayerfortheswiftreturnofhisreincarnation.

I feel fortunate to have been among the students of this great Tibetanmaster. I am profoundly grateful to Rinpoché for his kindness, for histeachingandtransmissions,andforhispersonalfriendship.Itisajoyformetoadd these fewwordsofappreciation to theEnglish translationofTrijangRinpoché’sautobiography.

10April2018

K

Preface

YABJÉTRIJANGRINPOCHÉhadbeenourfamilygurusincelongbeforeIwasborn.Myfamilysoughthisguidanceandhisdivinationforeverymajorevent inour lives,and theadvicehegaveusnever failed tobe

beneficial. Even after 1959 Rinpoché always made me feel welcome andvalued throughout the different phases of my life in exile. It was anincomprehensiblelosswhenin1981Rinpochépassedaway,likethesuddenclosure of amonumental library. I am honored to have this opportunity toshare the life story of this incomparable lama with readers of the Englishlanguage. Although I can scarcely hope to reproduce the beauty and free-flowing style of his writing, which in the original Tibetan is marked byelegance and candor, I hope this volume will provide even a littleunderstandingoftheimmeasurabledepthofhisknowledgeandcompassion.My earnestwish is that this autobiographywill reopen a small part of thathugelibrary.

KyabjéTrijangRinpochéwroteTheMagicalPlayofIllusionin1975.ThefullTibetantitleisDga’ldankhrichenbyangchubchos’phelgyiskyegraldurlompa’igyinapazhiggisranggingangtshulmabcospalhugparbkodpa’khrulsnangsgyuma’izlosgar,anditappearsinvolume4ofRinpoché’scollectedworks as published inNewDelhi byMongolianLamaGurudeva.Shortlyafteritspublication,IsoughtKyabjéRinpoché’sblessingandconsenttotranslateitintoEnglish,butbecauseofmajorchangesinmylife,Ihadtodelayworkonthetranslation.AfterImovedtoNewYorkCityin1976,mygood friends Benjamin and Deborah Alterman provided much-neededencouragementtocontinuetheworkonthetranslation.In1981,throughthekind support and recommendations of my good friend the late KennethMorgan,professoremeritusandformerdirectoroftheFundfortheStudyoftheGreatReligionsof theWorldatColgateUniversity,andofJohnCarter,professorofphilosophyandreligionatColgateandthendirectorofthefund,I received a grant enablingme to travel toTibet and toDharamsala, India,whereIcompletedtheinitialdraftofthetranslation.Ideeplyappreciatetheirkindness.

ThelateGyatsoTsering,formerdirectoroftheLibraryofTibetanWorksandArchives and a devoted disciple ofKyabjéTrijangRinpoché, providedmewithaccommodationandofficespacewhileinDharamsalaandhelpedmeobtainIndianvisaextensionsthatenabledmetocompletetheinitialdraftofthis translation. I received constant support from the late Kungo PaldenTsering,lifelongattendantofKyabjéRinpoché,andfromotherstaffmembersof Trijang Labrang. JoyceMurdoch, Elizabeth Grant, and Philippa Russellgavemeinvaluablesuggestions.AniUrsulaSollmanntypedtheoriginaldraftof themanuscript several times.My thanks toZacharyLarson for spendingmanyhourswithme inMadison preparing annotations. I deeply appreciatethevaluablecontributionsofeachofthesepeople.

IoffermyheartfeltthankstomyfriendJonathanLandaw,whorenderedinvaluableeditorialassistance.IamverygratefultothelateDavidGonsalez(Losang Tsering) for his encouragement and support for this work. At myrequest David compiled the epilogue based onmaterials that I provided tohim, including notes and letters from Kungo Palden Tsering and others.Sadly, David passed away in 2014 after prolonged illness. Thanks also toAndyFrancis forhis countless improvements to the style andclarityof thetextandforhishelpfulannotations.GavinKiltylentinstrumentalsupportininterpreting difficult passages and in the rendering of verse and providedsomeof theglossaryentries.MartinBrauen lentassistance inclarifying theidentitiesandspellingsofseveralEuropeanindividualsmentionedinthetext,and Joona Repo provided helpful information and editorial suggestions.Finally,IwanttoexpressmysincereappreciationtoDanielAitkenandTimMcNeill,publishers,andtomyeditoratWisdom,DavidKittelstrom,forhisbrilliant editorial work and sensitivity to the readers, which contributedimmensely to the literary grace of this translation. I also want to thankeveryoneelseatWisdomPublicationsfortheirtirelesswork.AlthoughIcannever claim this to be a perfect translation, I am hopeful that with utmostdevotion and genuine feeling for the work, I have at least not caused anydamagetoit.

Thoughbegunlongbeforehand,TheMagicalPlayofIllusionisappearinginprintayearafterTheLifeofMyTeacher, the translationofHisHolinesstheDalaiLama’sbiographyofhisother tutor,KyabjéLingRinpoché.Thatvolumeparallels thepresentworkinmanyrespects,andtheintroductionbyGeshéThupten Jinpa there can inmanywaysbe read as an introduction tothisbookaswell.ManyofthephotostherealsoillustratepeopleandeventsthatTrijangRinpochédescribesinhisnarrativehere.

It is my sincere hope that those who read Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché’s

autobiographywillobtainatleastaglimpseofthevastandintensivetrainingthat he and great lamas like him have undertaken. By seeing their tirelesseffort anddedication,we candevelop adeep appreciation andgratitude forthosewhocontinuetogivetheauthenticteachingsoftheunbrokenlineages.WeareindeedextremelyfortunatetoreceivetheseteachingsagainandagainfromHisHolinesstheDalaiLama,whoembodiesthewisdomofallthegreatlamasofthepast.Mayallbegreatlyinspiredbyreadingthisautobiography,andmayKyabjéTrijangRinpoché’sprayersandwishescontinuetoguideusinourquestforenlightenment.

SharpaTulkuTenzinTrinleyMadison,Wisconsin

KyabjéTrijangRinpochéathisresidenceinDharamsala,August3,1980COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

K

Translator’sIntroduction

HISTORICALBACKGROUND

YABJÉTRIJANGRINPOCHÉ(1901–81),theauthorofTheMagicalPlayofIllusion,waswidelyregardedasoneoftheforemostTibetanBuddhistspiritual masters of his day. He served as the junior tutor to His

Holiness theDalaiLamaalongside the senior tutor,KyabjéLingRinpoché.For the benefit of those readers who are not familiar with Tibet and itsBuddhist traditions, the following brief remarks may provide a context inwhichthelifestoryofthisgreatlamacanbemorefullyappreciated.

Located north of the towering peaks of the Himalayas, the Tibetanplateau,whichatanaveragealtitudeof16,000feetisthehighestintheworld,isoftencalledtheroofoftheworld,andtheTibetansthemselvesrefertotheircountryasthe“landofsnows.”TibetisroughlythesizeofWesternEuropeand,contrarytopopularbelief,isnotentirelymountainousandbarren.Ithasvastareasrichinforest,seeminglyendlesspasturelands,andextensivefertilevalleys. Surrounded by perennially snow-covered ranges and dotted withnumerouslakes,TibetandtheareaimmediatelyadjacenttoitarethesourceofmanyofAsia’sgreatestrivers:theGanges,Brahmaputra,Indus,Yangtze,andMekong,tonamebutafew.ItbordersIndiatothewestandsouth,Nepal,Bhutan,andBurmatothesouth,EastTurkestantothenorth,andChinatotheeast.Tibetanpeopleareadistinctracewiththeirownlanguagebelongingtothe Tibeto-Burmese linguistic group. Their unique history and culturalheritagespanthousandsofyears.

TheTibetancalendardates fromthe timeofKingNyatriTsenpo in127BCE,andasuccessionofkingsruledTibetforoverathousandyears.DuringthereignofKingSongtsenGampo(b.620CE),Tibetbecameagreatmilitarypower inCentralAsia, and itwaswith the support of his two queens, onefromNepal and the other fromChina, that this leader promotedBuddhismacross the region.Later,during the reignofKingTrisongDetsen, thegreatIndianmastersŚāntarakṣita andPadmasambhavawere invited toTibet, andwith the founding in 790 of Samyé, the first Buddhistmonastery in Tibet,

Buddhism became firmly established in the land of snows. Subsequently,manyotherIndianmasters,mostnotablyAtiśa,whosechiefTibetandisciple,Dromtönpa (1005–64), is regarded as the predecessor of the line of DalaiLamas,madesignificantcontributionstothedevelopmentandrefinementoftheTibetanBuddhistteachings,asdidhundredsofTibetanscholarswhowenttoIndiatoreceivetheirspiritualtraining.

Beginningintheeleventhcentury,duringthereignsofvariouslamasandother rulers of the Sakya and Kaygü schools, special priest-patronrelationshipswereestablishedbetweencertainhighlyregardedTibetanlamasand the powerful Mongol and Chinese emperors. In 1642, the Fifth DalaiLamaassumedbothspiritualandtemporalauthorityoverTibet,andtheMingemperor of China received him not only as Tibet’s head of state but as a“divinityonEarth.”ItisrecordedthattheemperorwentoutfromBeijingtogreettheDalaiLamapersonallyand,outofveneration,evenhadaninclinedpathway built over the city wall so that his honored guest could enter thecapitalcitywithouttheindignityofhavingtopassthroughgates.SubsequentDalaiLamas,someofwhomwereshortlived,maintainedthisspecialpriest-patronrelationshipwiththerulersofChina.

The transition to the more modern period in Tibetan history occurredduringthetimeoftheGreatThirteenthDalaiLama,ThuptenGyatso.Hewasbornin1879andtookoverthedutiesoftemporalandspiritualleaderofTibetin1895.Itwasduringhis timethatvariousforeignpowersmadeincursionsintoTibet,andtheDalaiLamawasforcedintoexiletwice,firstbetween1904and1909astheresultofaBritishinvasion,andagainbetween1910and1913because of an invasion from China. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama was anintelligent reformer who proved himself a skillful politician when Tibetbecameapawnintheso-calledGreatGameplayedbetweentheRussianandBritishempires.Afterwarning thatTibetwouldsoon lose its independence,hepassedawayin1933.

Gyalwa Thupten Gyatso’s immediate successor, His Holiness theFourteenthDalaiLamaTenzinGyatso,wasborn in1935.Due to thegravesituation caused by the incursion of the Communist Chinese army intoTibetanterritoryin1950,heassumedfullspiritualandtemporaldutiesbeforehewas sixteenyearsold.Despite theseheavy responsibilities,HisHolinesscontinuedtopursuehisrigorousstudiesandin1959wasawardedhisgeshélharam degree (roughly equivalent to a joint doctorate in philosophy anddivinity)bythethreemajormonasteriesinLhasa,theso-calledthreeseatsoflearning. I had the great fortune of participating in many of the grandcelebrations of His Holiness’s geshé examinations at the monasteries

concluding at the Jokhang Temple during the annual Great Prayer Festivalonly weeks before the tragic events of 1959. Despite the deteriorating andfearful political situation at the time, everyone enjoyed these solemn andjoyousoccasions.Thecourtyardof theJokhangTemplewasdecoratedwiththemost beautiful appliqués and ornaments, and fragrant smells of incensepermeated the courtyard. His Holiness’s throne was at the center of theentrance to the inner chapel of the sacred statue of the Buddha. He wasflankedbyhistutors:KyabjéLingRinpochéonhisrightandKyabjéTrijangRinpochéonhisleft.

While top scholars were engaged in debate with His Holiness, high-rankingmonkofficialTaLamaLosangJikmé,themediumofNechungstateoracle,wasspontaneouslypossessed.Duringhispossession,hewasquicklywhiskedawaybythewell-trainedNechungmonks,whowerepostednearbyinanticipationofsuchanoccurrence.OutsidetheTārāChapel,theNechungmonks had been waiting with the full regalia, including the heavy ornateheaddress.Withinminutes,theNechungoraclewasescortedintothepresenceofHisHoliness.ThiswasthefirsttimeIhadeverseenaprotectorintrancedebate with His Holiness. After a brief exchange with His Holiness, aceremonialwhitescarfwasputaroundtheneckoftheoracle,whothenmadeprostrationstoHisHoliness.Atthatmoment,theoracleleftthemedium,whowascarriedawayintotalexhaustion.Itallseemsnowlikeabeautifuldream,onethatwillremainforevervividinmyheart.

ItwasonthefatefuldayaweekaftertheTibetannationaluprisingagainstthe Chinese in Lhasa onMarch 10, 1959, that the Dalai Lama, the seniortutor,thejuniortutor,membersofHisHoliness’sfamily,andkeyfiguresoftheTibetangovernmentbegantheirtreacherousflightfromoccupiedTibettoseekasyluminIndia.TensofthousandsofTibetansfollowedhimandmadetheir way to India, Nepal, Bhutan, and other lands. With the generousassistanceof the Indiangovernment under the leadershipofPrimeMinisterNehru,HisHolinessthenworkedquicklytosetupsettlementcampsforthegeneralrefugeepopulation,establishschoolsfortheTibetanrefugeechildren,andreestablishTibet’sancientseatsoflearning.

WiththeestablishmentoftheCentralTibetanAdministration(CTA),theDalai Lama has worked to establish democratic institutions among therefugeepopulation.Hehasalsoattemptedtoforgea“middlepath”solutiontothe Sino-Tibetan conflict by advocating Tibetan autonomy instead of fullindependence from China, and on March 10, 2011, he voluntarilyrelinquishedhisroleaspoliticalleader.

HisHoliness theDalaiLama continues to travel extensively around the

world,sharinghisviewsonuniversalresponsibilityandsupportingthedesireofallbeingsforpeaceandwell-being.Hisfar-reachingeffortshavetouchedmanylivesinternationally.Thepromotionofinterreligiousharmonyhasbeenhisunceasingmission,asarehiseffortstofostermutuallybeneficialcontactwithpractitionersofthephysicalandcontemplativesciences.Asasignofthegenuine appreciation felt around the world for his tireless, nonviolent, andcompassionateeffortsonbehalfofallbeingsandthenaturalenvironment,HisHolinesshasbeenawardedmanyhonors,includingtheNobelPeacePrizein1989, theU.S.CongressionalGoldMedal in2007,andtheTempletonPrizein2012.

Thepresentwork,theautobiographyoftheDalaiLama’sjuniortutor,waswritten at the urging of His Holiness. His Holiness was not the onlybeneficiary of Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché’s wisdom, compassion, and wide-rangingexpertise.FirstinTibetandthenafterwardinexileinIndia,Rinpochéwas much sought after for both his spiritual guidance and his advice onmundane affairs. Everyone from the highest-ranking government officials,abbots, tulkus (incarnate lamas), and geshés to the most ordinary monks,nuns,andlaypeople,Tibetanandnon-Tibetanalike,cametoseehim,andheserved them all with great kindness and patience. It is from his uniquevantage point at the epicenter of Tibet’s spiritual and temporal life for somany decades that Rinpoché is able to provide the readers of thisautobiography with such a vivid account of the momentous events that sodramaticallyimpactedTibetanditspeopleinthetwentiethcentury.Withoutfabrication or omission, he candidly describes the external events thatunfolded before his own eyes and also gives his impressions of them. Healludes to secret visions, such as the one he hadwhen standing before thesacredstatueofGuruPadmasambhavaatSheldrakCave.

SPECIALRELATIONSHIPOFTHETWOTUTORS

Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché and Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché were extraordinarybeings,beyondtheirvastlearningandaccomplishments.Theybothreceivedextensive teachings on sutra and tantra from PhabongkhaDechenNyingpo(1878–1941),whowas root guru to both of them.And theyboth served astutors to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Trijang Rinpoché was a few yearsolder than the senior tutor, Ling Rinpoché. The term “junior tutor”merelyindicates that he was appointed a few years later. Instead of experiencingrivalry and competition, the two tutors becamevery close.They exchangedteachings and initiations with each other in a mutual guru-disciple

relationship, creating a special harmony, so vital for their roles as tutors.Whenevertheyattendedceremoniesandfunctions,itwascleartheywerethebest of friends. Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché often made remarks that causedLingRinpochétoburstoutlaughing,whichcanbeseeninmanyphotographs.Iwitnessedafewoftheseoccasionsmyselfandusedtowonderwhatitwasthat they could be talking about. After Trijang Rinpoché’s passing, LingRinpoché told me several times how much he missed Trijang Rinpochébecauseoftheiruniquebond.

LingRinpochéandTrijangRinpochésharingalaughonthelawnofRikonMonastery,Switzerland,1968.

COURTESYOFYONGZINLINGTSANGLABRANG

PERSONALREMINISCENCESANDREFLECTIONS

InmyearliestmemoriesofRinpoché,hewouldwalktoourhouseinLhasatoconfer White Tārā long-life initiations or to preside over special ritualofferings. All the members of my family would wear their best attire andstand in line outside the gate of our house with incense in hand to greetRinpoché, who came a short distance from his labrang (official residence)together with his retinue. It was always a joyous occasion when Rinpochécame. Inmymemory, he is tall and slender,with sharp features, a gaze ofcaring tenderness, and awarm smile.Hehad an amazingvoice: soft, deep,

and melodious, and one always felt cared for and valued while in hisbenevolentpresence.ThesegreatlyanticipatedvisitstoourhomebecamelessfrequentafterRinpochéwasappointedtutortoHisHoliness.

Inadditiontothosemagicaloccasionswhenheblessedourhousewithhisvisits,IhavemanyhappymemoriesofvisitingwithRinpochéinthePotalaortheNorbulingka,dependinginwhichofthesetwopalacesHisHolinesswascurrentlyresiding.AndasayoungboyIlovedattendinghisteachings.EventhoughIwasonlysevenyearsoldat the time, I rememberonediscourse inparticular that he gave in 1957. Rinpoché had returned to Tibet from twomajortripsaccompanyingHisHolinesstheDalaiLama:firsttoChinain1954and then India in 1956.Rinpochéwas fifty-seven years old, and sadly thishappened to be his lastmajor discourse inTibet. Itwas a discourse on thestages of the path (lam rim) and onmind training (blo byong). Rinpoché’steaching centered on Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, a work hecomposed based on notes he had taken during a famous teaching given in1921byhismainguru,thegreatPhabongkhaRinpoché,toagatheringofoversevenhundredmonks,nuns,andlaypeople.KyabjéTrijangRinpochéeditedthesenotesintoperhapsthemostwidelystudiedstagesofthepathtextofthepastcentury.

This discourse in 1957 was given by Rinpoché at Shidé Monastery inLhasa,anditlastedoveramonth.Thesessionswerelong:threehoursinthemorningandfour to fivehours in theafternoon.Over four thousandpeoplefromallwalksoflifeattendedthem,includingabbots,tulkus,geshés,monks,governmentofficials,andmembersofthegeneralpopulationfromtheLhasaarea. In the morning sessions, melodious chanting of preliminariesaccompaniedreviewmeditationsonthepointsoftheteachingsRinpochéhadtaught the previous day. At that time there were no loudspeakers, butRinpoché’s melodious voice could be heard clearly at any location on thepremises.Interspersedwithreadingsfromthetext,giveninordertotransmittheblessingsofitsunbrokenlineagetothoseinattendance,Rinpochéspokeextemporaneously. He was engaging, and as he scanned the hall from oneside to theother,hemadedirecteyecontactwithallhisgathereddisciples.When he narrated the miseries in the lower states of cyclic existence orexpoundedon theheroicdeedsof thebodhisattvas,audiencememberswerevisiblymoved,andmanyhadtearsrunningdowntheircheeks.Hehadawayofdrawingawiderangeofreactionsfromhisaudience,oftenleavingtheminstitchesafteroneofhishumorousanecdotes.Irememberseeingafewintheaudience, suddenly awakened from their momentary naps by these gleefulsounds, join in the general laughterwithout having any ideawhat the jokewasabout.

Afewtimesduringthisdiscourse,Rinpochécontinuedtoteachwellintothe evening and beyond. As darkness fell, the glimmering light from thehundredsofbutterlampsbeforetheholyimagesonthealtarwouldilluminatethespaciousassemblyhall.TotherightofRinpoché’steachingthrone,onatable,satalonekerosenelantern.IremembervividlythelightthislanterncastonRinpoché,whilehesatinhistypicalposture,hisheadleaningslightlytotheright.Whilemanyinattendancewereapparentlyabletostayfocusedonthe teachings far into thenight, therewerea few likemewho longed for abreaktorelievethepressureinourbladders.TherewasnoshortageofpeoplewhosponsoredofferingsofTibetanteainthemorningsandafternoonsforthedurationof thediscourse.Participantsbrought theirownwooden teabowls.Forthemorningteasessions,manybroughtasmallpouchofroastedbarleytsampaflourmixedwithgrateddriedcheese.Themixtureofteaandtsampamadeadeliciousinstantmeal.Duringtheafternoonteabreak,Rinpochéreadannouncements of the sponsors of the tea offerings and requested theaudiencetosayprayersforthem.

DespiteeverythingelsethatwasoccurringinTibetatthattime,duringthemonth of Rinpoché’s teachings an immense feeling of joy and peaceprevailed. It felt as though the grosser afflictions were dormant. Those inattendance showed kindness and love toward one another, creating anatmosphere of inspiration and hope. I remember looking forward to eachday’steachingsandwasdeeplysaddenedwhentheycametoanend.

This atmosphere of love and kindness was eventually destroyed by thepresenceofChina’sPeople’sLiberationArmy.TeachingssuchastheonesIhavedescribedbecamemoreandmorescarceinTibetastensionsrose.TheatmospherebecamehostiletoTibetancultureanditsuniquewayoflife.By1959, Tibet was an occupied country, and the values and beliefs of theCommunist occupiers were in direct conflict with those of the nativepopulation,andmanyfledintoexileinthehopesofbeingabletokeeptheirculturealive.

Whileinexile,Rinpochécontinuedgivingteachingsandcomposingtextsthatmakeup thesevenvolumesofhiscollectedworks. Ialsohad thegoodfortune to attend many of Rinpoché’s teachings in India. Even though thediscourses were as brilliant as before, the atmosphere in which they weregivencouldnotcompare towhatIexperiencedasayoungstudent inTibet.Nevertheless, the immensegratitudeandappreciationI feelfor thepresencein exile of such greatmasters asHisHoliness theDalaiLama and his twotutorscannotbeadequatelyexpressed.Iconsidermyselfincrediblyfortunatetosharesuchcloseculturalandethnictieswiththeseincomparablebeings.

THESHUKDENCONTROVERSY

I feel it is important to clarify here the exact nature of Kyabjé TrijangRinpoché’sassociationwiththeprotectorShukden,whichismentionedintheautobiography. The practice of Shukden was not a central element ofRinpoché’scommitments.Shukdenwasoneofmanyindigenousoath-boundprotectordeitiesthatRinpochépropitiatedtobindthemtotheircommitmentstoassistinDharmaactivities.ThepracticeofShukdenbecamewidespreadincertain Geluk circles in the 1970s in India, almost to the extent of takingprecedenceoverother essentialBuddhistpractices, suchas taking refuge intheThreeJewels.Ifonereadstheinstructionalnotestothepropitiationofthisdeity,KyabjéPhabongkhaclearlyemphasizesthatoneshoulddotheritualsinprivateandnever inpublic.Contrarytothis,Shukdenwasbeingpropitiatedin the general assembly halls in some monasteries. This practice was alsoerodingrelationsamongthedifferentTibetanreligioustraditions.InordertopromoteharmonyamongtheTibetanlineages,HisHolinesstheDalaiLamawas compelled to discourage the practice of Shukden. His Holiness hasclearlyexplainedthereasonsforhisstandonnumerousoccasionsandmakesit clear that thosewho continue to pursue this divisive practice should notattendhistantricteachings,especiallyinitiations,asthiswouldviolatesacredcommitmentsbetweenguruanddisciple.

Contrarytosomeclaims,therewerenodisagreementsorbreachesofgurudevotionover this issuebetweenHisHolinessandTrijangRinpoché.ManytimesHisHolinesshasexpressedhisdeepgratitudeanddevotion toKyabjéTrijang Rinpoché as the true emanation of Cakrasaṃvara and the solepropagatorof the complete transmissionof the stagesof thepath andmindtraininglineages.WheneverHisHolinessgivespublicteachingsonatextthathehasreceivedfromKyabjéTrijangRinpoché,heneverfailstoacknowledgeand pay tribute to him as the source of the lineage. His Holiness fullydiscussed the conclusions of his research on the controversy with TrijangRinpoché before declaring his stance publicly. It is not a breach of gurudevotiontomerelydisagreewithone’sguru.Thisisclearlystipulatedinverse24ofFiftyVersesonGuruDevotionbyAśvaghoṣa.

Furthermore,KyabjéTrijangRinpoché,whowaswithHisHolinessfromthe timeHisHolinesswasonly six years old, had tremendous affection forHisHolinessandalwaysmarveledatthedepthofhiswisdomandincredibleaccomplishments in all aspects of learning and spiritual attainments.At thediscoursesinbothTibetandIndia,RinpochéfrequentlyappealedtodisciplestoprayforthehealthandlonglifeofHisHoliness.Heremindedthemthatthe

Fourteenth Dalai Lama is an extraordinarily great lama who surpasses thewisdomandaccomplishmentsofallthepreviousDalaiLamascombined.

Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché’s greatest legacy is his impeccable service toHis Holiness as tutor, offering instructions on all aspects of traditionalTibetaneducationaswellasofferinginstructionsforthetrainingandpracticeof all sutra and tantra lineages. In addition to his ownDharmapractice, hededicated his entire life to preserving and propagating the sutra and tantrastudiesandpracticesforothers.Heisalsoknownforhisuniquecontributionstoawiderangeofotherfieldsofknowledgesuchasart,drama,literature,andpoetry.

Afterorchestratingtheeventsattheendofhislifeandgivingguidanceforthediscoveryofhisreincarnation,Rinpochépassedhisthoughtsintothestateofpeaceat the ageof eighty-one. I had thegreat fortuneofvisiting Indiaonemonthbeforehispassing.On the lastdayofmyvisit inDharamsalabeforemy return toNewYork, Rinpoché invitedme to have lunchwith him.Hegavememuch spiritual advice and lovingly heldmy head to his chest andblessed me. His parting words were that there will be no one like HisHoliness, who can give such genuine and trustworthy advice, and that weshouldallfollowhiswishes.

TheMagicalPlayofIllusion

ACandidAccountofMyLifeasanOrdinaryBeingClaimingtoBetheReincarnationoftheGreatGanden

ThroneholderJangchupChöphel

KYABJÉTRIJANGRINPOCHÉ

LOSANGYESHÉTENZINGYATSO(1901–81)

I

HomageandPreliminaryRemarks

Theimmutableessenceofallthevictoriousones’ineffablebody,speech,andmind is manifest in the form of my protectors, my twenty-two kind andvenerable teachers. At their feet, I remain humbly devoted until myawakening.

LonghaveIlaininthebedofsamsara.Idespaironseeing,inlifeafterlife,thepatternofhappinessandsufferingthatislikethefrontandbackofasinglebrocadewovenfromcountlessthreadsofkarmaandaffliction.

Butaswithaflashoflightninginthedarkofnight,bythekindnessoftheholylamasIhavecaughtaglimpseofthestainlesspathofDharma,andsoIhavehopethatmylifeinthisworldwillhavemeaning.

Yetmyheartisgrippedbythedemonofclingingtothingsasrealandlasting,andsoItellthisstoryofhighaspirationtossedonthewindbytheceaselessdistractionsofthemonkey-danceappearancesofthis

life.1

AMANORDINARYmancalledLosangYeshéTenzinGyatso.ItissaidthatIam the reincarnation of the Eighty-Fifth Ganden Throneholder2 LosangTsultrim Palden, who was himself the reincarnation of the Sixty-Ninth

GandenThroneholderJangchupChöphel. Iamsaid tobe this reincarnation,butmymindisnomysterytome,andthequalitiesthatmakethosesupremebeingsworthy to be called incarnations of theAwakenedOne are nomorepresent inme than are flowers in the sky. It is only through the immutableforceofactions inprevious lives that Inowenjoy the fortune tohavebeengiventhetitleofahighincarnation.

JéGungthangpa3oncesaidthatifonehaspurposelyreincarnatedforthe

sakeofpropagating theDharma, thenonemust leavea legacyof teachingsandaccomplishments.It isdauntingtoreadthebiographiesoftheholymenwhoweremypredecessors.Theirqualitiesarousefaithandhavethepowertoplant the seeds of complete liberation in the minds of disciples who hearthem.

Likehaironaturtle,howcouldanysuchqualitiesexistinonesuchasme,a mass of stupidity and the three poisons [of attachment, ignorance, andhatred],renownedforthreethings[only—sleeping,eating,anddefecating]?Indeed,Ihavenosuchqualities;Ipossessmerelythenameofamaster.Still,so as not to squander the name of thatwhich I am supposed to be, ImustleaveatleastameagerlegacyofprotectingandspreadingtheDharmathatIhaveheard,studied,taught,andpracticed.

Ifonedoesnotlookclosely,itmayappearthatIhavethequalitiesofmypredecessorsorsomethingsimilartothem,buttheseapparentqualitiesdonotstandup to scrutiny.Thequalitiesofgreatnessappearing tobemineareanillusion with the ephemeral nature of a colorful rainbow. In fact, I am anordinarypersonoverwhelmedbyconfusionaboutthisphenomenalworld.FormetowriteaboutmylifemayupsetdiscriminatingpeoplebecauseitmightseemasifI,likeabatmistakingitselfforabirdinthesky,havethetemerityto imitate those great masters, my predecessors, who wrote theirautobiographies.

Be that as it may, in the wood-dragon year (1964), the OmnipresentProtector, the Supreme Lord of the Victorious Ones, Tenzin Gyatso, HisHolinesstheFourteenthDalaiLama,saidtome,“Youmustwritethestoryofyour life,” and I received his holy command on the crown of my head.Subsequently,GeshéTamdrinRaptenofSeraJéandother faithfuldisciplesinsisted that I do so; the former cabinet minister Neshar Thupten TharpapresentedmewithabronzestatueoftheBuddhatogetherwithaceremonialsilk scarf and made this request; and more recently Dagyab HothokthuRinpochéaskedmetodosoinaletterfromGermany.Moreover,Palden,whohas been with me in close attendance for many years and saw everythingfirsthand,madeaspecialpointoftakingcarefulnotesontheconversationsheoverheard,andhehasinsistedtimeandagainthatIputtheminorderandeditthem.

Ihavedecided,therefore,towritecandidlythestoryofmylife,andIfeelthatthereisnothingverywrongwiththisifitisconsideredinthecontextofautobiographies such as those of Depa Kyishöpa, also known as TaktséShabdrung Dorjé Namgyal, the cabinet ministers Gashiwa Doring TenzinPaljor4 and Dokhar Shabdrung Tsering Wangyal,5 and other well-known

statesmen.Mine is thestoryofhowIwasted thefreedomandopportunity that this

life affords in the pretense of Dharma, while the happiness and sufferingbrought forthbymyown ignorance andgood andbaddeeds came in turnsthroughouttheseasonsofmylife.It isthestoryofhowIreceivedreligiousinstructionsonthevastandprofoundsutrasandtantrasfrommanyqualifiedspiritual masters, who were like the Buddha himself, and yet I remainedunable to show even one point that Imastered or to demonstratewith anyconfidence that, apart from recollection of those instructions, any of themtookroot inmyheart throughpractice.AstheSeventhDalaiLamaKalsangGyatso(1708–57)said:

Thosewhoteachthepathtofreedomtoothers,iftheylackthequalityofmindmergedwithholyDharmaandpossessjusttheappearanceofworkingforthewelfareofothers,causenothingbutwearinessforthemselvesandothers.Howsadtoseethemfoolthemselvesinsuchaway.

Inbrief, thefeeblewayinwhichIhavepropagatedDharmabyteachingearnest seekers is akin to a tape recorder or a parrot recitingmantras. TheTibetanscholarMiphamGelekoncesaid:

Thegroveofpeacethathasgrowninmyheartservesonlytodeceivemyselfandothers,forIhavebeengivenawobblystaffofmorality.Whogavemethisstaff?Myownunconscionableacts.

Likewise,Ihavedeceivedothersanddistractedmyselfbyturningthewheelofvirtuousandnonvirtuousactions,thethreepoisons,andtheeightworldlyconcerns.6Mystoryisoneofanempty-handedvagabondinwantofDharma.Itiscrudelywritten,butitiswithoutfabrications.Iwillnotpresentwhatdidnothappenasifithad.Iwillnotpresentashavingbeendonewhatwasnot.WhateverIrecall,Iwillopenlyandtruthfullyrelate.

1

I

TheBeginningofMyLife

MYFAMILYBACKGROUND

WASBORN IN the land of the supreme āryawith a lotus in his hand.7 OfTibet’s three provinces, mine was Ü-Tsang, the “province of Dharma.”Among the fourdistrictsofÜ-Tsang,minewasKyishöTsalGungthang.

Thiswas thebirthplaceofYudrakpa, protector of the inhabitants ofShang.HefoundedtheTsalpaKagyütraditionandamonasteryinGungthangdistrictthatvastlyimprovedscholarshipinthearea.8Infact,priortothefoundingofRiwoGandenMonasterybyMañjunātha, thegreatTsongkhapa,GungthangMonasterywasrenownedasoneofTibet’ssixmajorcentersoflearning,theothersbeingSangphu,RatöDewachen,Gadong,Kyormolung,andSulpu.

DuringtheheightofruleoftheTsalpapotentate,themonasterycontainedtwocollegesknownasTsalandGungthang.InTsalCollegethereweretwoschools:ULingandYangön.InGungthangCollegetherewerethreeschools:Chötri, Sim Khangshar, and Chökhor Ling. The monastery was wellendowed, both spiritually and materially. Later the rule of the Tsalpapotentatedeclined,andinthefire-rabbityearoftheninthcycle(1507),agreatfire broke out in the monastery and destroyed the main chapel, statues ofMahādeva Munīndra, Shang Rinpoché, Four-Armed Mahākāla, the TashiÖbarmausoleum,andsomeextremelysacredrelicsoftheBuddha.Withonlytwo small schools, Sim Khangshar and Chötri, remaining, the monasterydeterioratedbothspirituallyandmaterially.

At the time of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama Ngawang Losang Gyatso(1617–82),SurchenChöyingRangdrölwasthepresidinglamaofGungthang.After him came the ascetic from Amdo, Gendun Phuntsok, the FiftiethGandenThroneholder.ItwashewhocoveredGanden’ssilvermausoleumofMañjunāthaJéTsongkhapawithgold.Inappreciationofthis,KingLhasang9bestowed upon him dominion over the Gungthang temple and its sacredtreasures,thetwomonasticschoolswithatreasuryfortheirmaintenance,theland,buildings,people,andwealthofthedistrict.

Thus Gendun Phuntsok came to be widely known as the great

throneholder fromGungthang, and his subsequent reincarnations, includingthe revered Tenpai Drönmé, were also commonly known as men fromGungthang,eventhoughtheycontinuedtomaintaintheirhouseholdsatTashiKhyilMonastery inAmdo. The distance fromAmdo toGungthangwas sogreatthatthereincarnationofthegreatthroneholderGendunPhuntsokfoundit too difficult to administer his holdings in Gungthang and so eventuallyreturnedthemtothecentralgovernment.

In later times,whentheSeventhDalaiLamaKalsangGyatsowas inhisminority, the Dalai Lama’s uncle Samten Gyatso served as his devotedguardian and reading instructor. In appreciation of his services, dominionover Gungthang district, including its temple and treasury, was given inperpetuity to the entire familyofSamtenGyatso, beginningwithhis son, amonknamedKalsangYönten.

Myownfather,TseringDöndrup,wasanundisputedpaternalrelativeofthe Seventh Dalai Lama and as such became a member of the Gungthanghierarchy.Aneruditemaninsecularmatters,hewasfirm,subtle,andwise.Thushecametobehighlyesteemedbyalltheinhabitantsoftheregionandwasconstantlysoughtafterforhisgoodadvice.

My father’s firstwifeborehim twodaughters and five sonsandpassedawayatanearlyage.AmongtheirchildrenwastheincarnationoftheGandenThroneholdernamedKhamlungTulku,ofDratiHouse,SeraJé.During thistimemy father alsohadanamorous relationshipwithoneof thehouseholdmaids,andshegavebirthtoPhukhangKhyenrapTulkuofGanden.

Theyoungestofhisfirstwife’ssonswasmarriedattheageoftwentytoTseringDrölma,aladyfromtheNangGongfamilyofGungthang.Oneday,whilefordingtheKyichuRiveronhiswaytoLhasa,hewassweptawaybythe current and drowned. Later my father married the widowed TseringDrölma,andsheborehimthreechildren.Theeldestwasmyself, themiddlechildwasadaughternamedJampalChötso,andtheyoungestwasason,thereincarnationofLelungTulku.Thesearetheoriginsofmyimmediatefamily.

My father was born in the water-rabbit year (1842), my mother in thewood-pig year (1874). He was fifty-nine years old and she twenty-sevenwhen,bytheforceofvirtuousactionsIhaddoneinpreviouslives,Iwasbornastheirson.Ileftmymother’swombatsunriseasthestarDenebolaappearedintheskyonTuesday,thetwelfthdayofthethirdmonthoftheiron-oxyearofthefifteenthcycle(April30,1901).

ReligiousdancesatGungthangMonastery,1920or1921©RABDENLEPCHA,PITTRIVERSMUSEUM,UNIVERSITYOFOXFORD;1998.285.363

My father was responsible for the overall administration of GungthangMonastery, which included the temple and the two colleges. Among hisresponsibilities was the obligation to provide a monk official from themonastery’s hierarchy to work in the central government. Previously someverywell-knownmenhadservedinthiscapacity.AmongthemwereJampaTengyé,whorosetobecomelordchamberlain,andjustafterhim,asIrecall,TenzinWangpoofGungthang,whobecameaministerialsecretary.

My older sister, Kalsang Drölma, married a nobleman of the Kheméfamily named Rinchen Wangyal, who was himself a minor lay official.Thereafter the Khemé and Gungthang households were joined and becameknownasKhegung.Asboth the layandmonkofficials fromthehouseholdhadtobeattheirofficesinLhasaeveryday,somelandwasboughtinLhasawhenIwasaboutthreeorfouryearsoldandahouseconstructedtherecalledKunsangtsé.

When I was about three years old, my father and Secretary TenzinWangpo took upon themselves the responsibility of having extensiverenovationsmade to the entireGungthangMonastery, a small room for theDalaiLamaconstructedontop,andadditionalmonks’quartersbuiltoutside.Whenallwascomplete, theyinvitedDzamlingCheguWangdü,patriarchofSakya Phuntsok Phodrang,10 to perform a long-life empowerment and a

ceremony for the elimination of inauspiciousness. I still remember beinggiven a sacramental tablet on a silver spoon during the long-lifeempowerment, people passing back and forth over a vessel filled withglowingcoals,and tsa-tsa11beingheldover theirheadswhile theyreceivedablution from a ceremonial vase during the ritual for the elimination ofinauspiciousness. I also remember the aged consort of the Sakya patriarchholdingme in her lapwith great affection andmany other things that tookplace that day.Later,when Iwas about thirty-sevenyears old, Iwent on apilgrimageintheprovinceofTsangandvisitedtheSakyaPhuntsokPhodrangmausoleumwhere, tomyamazement, I beheld something in the shapeof alotusapproximatelyonefoothighgrowingontheembalmedremainsofthatpatriarchwhohadgivenusthelong-lifeempowerment.

THEDEATHOFMYPREDECESSOR

Mypredecessor,LosangTsultrimPalden,wasbornintotheÖntönKyergangfamilyofTölungRakorintheearth-pigyear(1839).Inthefire-monkeyyear(1896)hewasinstalleduponthegoldenthroneofGanden.Intheiron-ratyear(1900), while my predecessor still carried the responsibilities of thethroneholder, the lord of the victorious ones, the Thirteenth Dalai LamaThuptenGyatso (1876–1933), decided tomake a journey to ChökhorGyaland,aswasthecustom,plannedtostopatGandenenroute.InordertogreettheDalaiLamaaccordingtotradition,thethroneholderproceededfromLhasatoGandenwithagoldenparasolandfullentourageinthethirdmonthofthatyear. When the procession reached a grove of willows on the Gungthangestate,thethroneholderannouncedthatheneededtorestandwouldstoptherefor a littlewhile.His attendants asked if thiswould be proper, consideringthat they were in a formal procession and very near a village. He replied,“Whatiswrongwiththat?Ishallsitforawhilerighthere,”andsotheentireprocessioncametoabriefhalt.ThenhecommentedthatitwouldbeniceifheknewsomeoneinthatareasothathecouldhaveagoodplacetostopwhenhetraveledbackandforthbetweenGandenandLhasa.

At a later date, the Dalai Lama arrived in Ganden and the ceremonieswereperformed.AftertheDalaiLamahaddeparted,thethroneholder’shealthbegan to deteriorate. During his daily circumambulations of Ganden, hewould become tired and thirsty, and so his attendantswould bring along achairandsomethingtodrink.Onthetwenty-fifthday12ofthefourthmonthofthe iron-rat year (1900), while circumambulating Ganden, the throneholdersat down at a side entrance to the debating ground that was in front of Jé

Tsongkhapa’sthroneroom.Facinghisattendantsandlookingathistreasurer,NgakrampaGyütöLosangTendar,13 he began to speak, saying, “Thismanwill search out . . .”He continued speaking for awhile and then faced thewestern sky. Laughing all the while, he said, “Ganden, Ganden,”14 andsuddenlypassedintotherealmofpeace.

Geshé Nyitso Trinlé of Samling Monastery immediately carried thethroneholder’sbody to thehouseofJéTsongkhapaandplaced it inasmallroom called theChamber ofClearLight. For oneweek the body remainedthere while offerings were made. Then it was cremated behind Ganden’sMountGok.Thesmokerisingfromthecremationpyreliftedthesilkcanopyhighintotheskyasifithadbeenblownbythewind.Boththesmokeandthecanopydisappearedtothewest.

After one week, the cremation structure was opened, and thethroneholder’s heart, tongue, and eyes were discovered to have not beenconsumedby thefire.Areliquarystupawasbuiltat thesmallmonasteryofChatreng,andthesepartsofhisbodywereenshrinedthere.Yearslater,whenthepeopleofChatrengwerefightingtheChinese,theyfoundthatdrinkinganablutionpouredovertheserelicsgavethemprotectionagainstbullets,andsoin order tomake themselves bulletproof, they divided the relics up and atethem.Inlateryears,NgakrampawouldrefertothenativesofChatrengas“thepeoplewhoatemylama’sheart.”

After the cremation, Ngakrampa assisted by Chisur Lekshé Gyatso, anephew of the late throneholder, took primary responsibility for makingceremonial offerings and finding the throneholder’s incarnation. Theyrequestedourgreatrefugeandprotector,theThirteenthDalaiLama,whowasthenstayingathispaternalfamily’sestate,tocomposeaprayerforthequickarrivalofthereincarnation,andtheDalaiLamadidsoimmediately.

MYRECOGNITIONASAREINCARNATION

ThewinterbeforeIwasborn,apeachtreeinthegroveofasummerhouseontheGungthangestatemiraculouslyburst intoflower,andabout thirtypiecesoffruitformedatthetopofthetree.BeforeIcouldevenwalk,Idisplayedafascinationwithdeities,statues,andreligiousobjectsandtookgreatpleasureinvajras,bells,drums,cymbals,andotherritualobjects.Monkswereasourceofdelighttome.Ilovedtositamongthemwhentheywereinassemblyandimitatetheirchantingofprayers.

Sincemyactionsshowedsomeindicationofrightinstincts,ageshéfrom

Gandenwhocameregularlytoourhouseholdtoperformritualstooknoticeofme. He reported that there was an exceptional boy in the Gungthanghouseholdwhoshouldbeconsideredwhencandidatesforthethroneholder’sreincarnation were examined. Thus Ngakrampa and Geshé Sadul GendunDrakpa,themonkfromChatrengwhohadcarriedtheceremonialparasolforthelatethroneholder,cametoGungthangtoexamineme.

Whentheyarrived,Ihappenedtobeonmynanny’sbackjustoutsidethefence.AswemetIcalledoutloudly,“GendunDrakpa!”Ngakrampainquiredwhether any of the family, friends, or servants had such a name and wasinformedthatnooneinthehouseholdhadanameanythinglikethat.Amazed,theywentinside,andI,havingfollowed,climbedintoGendunDrakpa’slap,extendedmylegs,andsaid,“Washmyfeet!”Whenthelatethroneholderhadbeenstrickenwithrheumatism,thismonkhadbathedthethroneholder’sfeetwith radish juice, and so it seemed to him as if I were manifesting actualremembrance of that previous life.With tears streaming down his face, hewashed the bottoms of my feet by licking them with his tongue. I stillrememberthis.Actuallyitmustallhavebeennothingmorethansomesortofcoincidence,forImyselfhadnoactualmemoriesofapreviouslife.

Thehousehold’sdairyman,TashiDöndrup—thefatherofbothmyseniorattendantLhabuandpersonalattendantPalden—haddeep faith in the latethroneholder, so when he heard while on a sojourn in Lhasa that thethroneholder’sreincarnationwassupposedtobeinGungthang,hedecidedtogoandseeforhimself.Atthemonastery’sreceptionhall,hewasseatedattheendofarow.Seeinghim,Isprangoutofmyseatandranovertohim.Pullingout a silver coin, I handed it to him. Not knowingwhat to do with it, thedairymanhandeditback.Iremembermyfathersaying,“Thisisagiftmysonmadetoyou;itisallrightforyoutokeepit.”

The Thirteenth Dalai Lama was requested to make a divinationconcerning the throneholder’s reincarnation. He did so and then gave thefollowing instructions: “During the second month of the water-tiger year(1902),makeadetailedinvestigationinthesouthofLhasa.”AtthatverytimemymotherwenttoLhasainordertodoprostrations,circumambulations,andsoon.ShehappenedtorentaroominthehouseofamancalledAkhuTrinlé,whowascaretakerofthesouthernpartofLhasa’sJokhangTemple.

AtutortotheDalaiLama,PhurchokJampaGyatso,saidinresponsetoarequestfordivination,“InaplacenotfartothewestofGanden,thefaceofthatsupremeemanationappearstome.”TheoracleofGadong,15inresponsetothefirstrequestforaprophecyconcerningthethroneholder’sreincarnation,said,“Ontheoutskirtsoftheeasternsideofthetemple,examineaboyborn

intheiron-oxyearwhosemother’snameendswithDrölma.”The predecessor of the present Ling Rinpoché16 said in response to a

requestfordivination,“OftheBuddha’sfiveemanations,17thisincarnationisanemanationoftheBuddha’smind.HeappearsinaplacenotfartothesouthofLhasa.”

Respondingtoasecondrequestfordivination,forwhichhewaspresentedwith names of boys who had shown some promising signs in theirexaminations,theThirteenthDalaiLamasaid,“Thisdivinationindicatesthattheboybornintheiron-oxyeartoTseringDrölmashouldberecognizedasthelatethroneholder’sreincarnation.”

TheoracleofGadongsaidinhissecondprophecy,“Theboybornintheiron-ox year to TseringDrölma should definitely be recognized as the latethroneholder’sreincarnation.”TheNechungoracle,whenpresentedwiththelistofnames,madehisprophecywhile in trancebystampinghissealuponthelinethatread,“Boybornintheiron-oxyeartoTseringDrölma.”

When Ngakrampa and his party made their initial examination, theyshowedmeastatueoftheBuddhathatthelatethroneholderhadreceivedathis ordination, his prayer beads, and his woodenmonk’s bowl, along withother similar decoy objects. I picked up the late throneholder’s statue andactedasifIwantedtoputitsheadinmymouth.TheytookthisasasignthatIwas assertingmyself as amaster of the doctrine. I next picked up the latethroneholder’s bowl and then a stringof prayer beads that hadbeenplacedamong the other objects as a decoy. A little while later I put those prayerbeads back, picked up the ones that had belonged to the late throneholder,and,refusingtogivethemback,keptthemthereafter.Apparentlyallthisgavetheexaminersgreatfaithinme.

CONTENTIONCONCERNINGARIVALCANDIDATE

Therewasalsoanotherboywhohadshownsomegoodsigns.Hewasasonofthe Chagong Beda Trotitsang family from Upper Chatreng. The people ofChatreng,motivatedbyprovincialbias,intendedtohavethisboyrecognizedasthelatethroneholder’sreincarnation,comewhatmay.TheyspreadrumorstotheeffectthatasonofLekshéGyatso,theformergovernorofGungthang,wasgoingtoberecognizedasthelatethroneholder’sreincarnationandfinallywrote a letter to Ngakrampa and to the former governor Lekshé Gyatsohimselfthatreadasfollows:

The reincarnation of our lama is right here in Chatreng. You

cannotgivehistitletosomelittleboyfromGungthang.Sinceitwould bewrong to give recognition to thisGungthang beggarboy, we will not allow you to take possession of the latethroneholder’shouseholdorhispersonalpossessions.TheywillbeplacedinthecustodyofChatrengMonastery.

Anumberofheatedmissiveslikethisweresent.LetterswerealsosenttothemonksfromChatrengatGandenandSeramonasteriesapprisingthemofthesituation.Someof themonksheld theviewthat itwouldsuffice tofindtherealreincarnation,nomatterwherehemightcomefrom,butthemajorityinsisted that the boy from Chatreng be recognized regardless. These twofactions remained divided and continued to argue until the Great PrayerFestivalatNewYear.18AtthattimerepresentativesfromSamlingMitsenandDokhangHouseandtheabbotandstaffofGandenShartséCollegemetatthelate throneholder’s residence in Lhasa.19 They argued the matter day andnight until they finally came to a decision based upon the prophecies anddivinationsgivenbytheoraclesandmasters,mostespeciallytheDalaiLama.Thustheychosetorecognizeme.

The series of letters sent from Chatreng Monastery to the Trijanghousehold with copies of the various responses, documents containing thedivinationsandpropheciesmadebythelamas(chiefamongthemthoseoftheDalaiLama) andoracles, togetherwith the formal requests, a recordof theextensiveritualsthatwereperformedinordertoassurediscoveryofthetruereincarnation,andawrittenhistoryofeverythingthattranspiredfollowingthepassing away of the late throneholder up to the time Iwas recognized andinstalledat themonastery—allof thiswasgathered togetheraspartof theTrijang household records and kept at Chusang Hermitage near Sera.AlthoughIwasfinallyrecognizedasthelatethroneholder’sreincarnationandinstalledashissuccessorbasedonthedecisionthathadbeenreachedat themeetinginLhasa,themajorityofthepeoplelivinginChatreng,exceptforavery few who remained neutral, held fast to their previous position andplannedtomountachallenge.

However, in the wood-snake year (1905) a large number of ChinesesoldiersledbytheChinesegeneralZhaoErfeng,alsoknownasZhaoTarin,invadedeasternTibetandremainedinoccupation.NumerousmonasteriesintheoccupiedareasofLithang,BaChödé,andsoforth—especiallyChatrengMonastery— put up an armed resistance for quite some time, but on thefifteenthdayofthefourthmonthofthefire-horseyear(1906),themonasterywaslost,togetherwiththelivesofmanylaymenandmonks.

Allthelaymenofthoseareasandtheremainingmonksfledtotheforests

and remained there in hiding. They continued to carry on their armedstruggle,until finally,on the fifteenthdayof the fourthmonthof theearth-horseyear(1918),theywereabletoholdaserviceonceagain,intheruinsofthemonastery’sassemblyhall.Asthemonasteryandallthesurroundingareahadbeen ina constant stateofunrest for those thirteenyears, therewasnoopportunity to indulge in complaints toLhasaaboutmy installation, and socontentionnaturallycametoastandstillduringthatperiod.

Intheearth-horseyear(1918)Ireceivedmygeshélharamdegree,andbythenmany of thosewho had initially opposedmy installation had changedtheirmindsaboutme.Therewasstill,however,agroupfromBedaMonasterywhocontinuedtostiruptroubleuntiltheearth-snakeyear(1929),whenIhadreachedtheageoftwenty-eight.Ishalltellaboutthislaterinitschronologicalplace. In any case, the situationwas such that the outcome could not havebeenaltered,evenbytheinterventionofathousand-armedgod.

2

I

OrdinationandEarlyEducation

TAKINGUPOFFICIALRESIDENCEANDBEGINNINGMYEDUCATION

NMYFOURTHYEAR,onthetwenty-thirddayofthefirstmonthofthewood-dragonyear (1904), Iwas taken for the first time frommybirthplace toTrijangLabranginLhasa.ThatdaywastheconclusionoftheGreatPrayer

Festival in Lhasa, and following the tradition, the current throneholderaccompanied by lay and monk officials had gone in formal procession toperform the customary blessing of Lhasa’s Kyichu River dam. Our partyproceededjustafterthethroneholder’spartyhadreturnedfromthisceremony,andthus,withouthavingbeenplanned,therewasaspontaneousreceptionasif the throneholder had come out to greetme.Thiswas said at the time tohavebeenanauspicioussign.

Just beforewe arrived at the entrance to our house, amiller’s daughtercarryingalargesackofwheatonherbackstoppedtolookatourprocession.Thespectaclemusthavedistractedherattention,fortheropethatsecuredthesack slipped from her hands, and all the wheat poured onto the ground,blockingthelabrangentryway.Takingthistobeanotherauspicioussign,allwhoweretheretogreetmegrabbedhandfulsofthewheatandthrewitatusinwelcome.Thebursarofourlabranghadtolaterreimbursethemillerwithanothersackofwheat.

Justafterwearrived,aformalreceptionceremonywasheld in themainassembly hall.Whether for a special purpose or for someother reason,mythrone faced north, and themasters and staff ofGanden,who had come towelcomeme,sat ina rowat thenorthsideof thehall facingsouth.AmongthemwasKhedrup, the incumbent treasurerofShartséCollege,whosharedthe same householdwithKhamtruk, aman fromChatrengwho had been abodyguard of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and had experienced somedifficultieswithmypredecessor.AlthoughKhedrup sat in the rowwith theotherswhowerewelcomingme,hiswerenotthoughtsofwelcome.StaringathimItouchedmyfingertomycheek,indicatingthatheshouldbeashamed.Everyonewasquitesurprised,andnaturallyhebecameflushedwithguilt.

Afewdayslater,NgakrampatogetherwithDzongsurLekshéGyatsoandsome others took me for the first time to Chusang Hermitage. When wearrivedthere,weweregreetedbythemasterofthehermitage,DromtöGeshéRinpoché, a dignified white-hairedmonk who had both received from andgiven teachings to Kyabjé Vajradhara Phabongkha Rinpoché. In a formalreceiving line there were also several other senior monks attired in theirceremonialrobesandhats.Athronehadbeensetupformefacingeastinthemainprayerhall,andafterIwasseatedonit,teaandricewereserved,andthemonksperformedthe long-lifeceremonyof thesixteenarhatsforme.Istillrememberthatamongtheritualobjectsthatwerehandedtomeandthentakenback as part of the ceremonywas a beautiful silk appliqué of amongoose,whichIrefusedtogivebackforquitesometime.

About tendays later,Ngakrampahada smallwoodenboard forwritingspecially made for me. Since the translators of old had propagated thedoctrineinTibetbyfirststudyingtheIndiantextswrittenonpalmleaves,heconsidered this to be an auspicious way of beginning my education. HeprintedonmywoodenboardthethirtylettersoftheTibetanalphabetaswellas all the subscripts and superscripts. He also wrote a few verses ofalliterative children’s poetry. In this way he taught me the alphabet, thebuildingblocksofallliterature.

I delighted my teacher by learning all thirty letters that very day.Thereafter,hewouldboastthathischargehadlearnedthekakhagaalphabetinasingleday.Ngakrampaspenta longtimeteachingmetoreadandspellfrom printed editions of the Buddha’sEight Thousand Verse Perfection ofWisdomandtheSonTeachingsfromtheBookofKadam.20Healsohadmepractice on a text that had been written out in longhand with numerousabbreviations: theStagesof thePathbyKachenNamkhaDorjé,whowasadirect disciple of Paṇchen Losang Chögyen.21 Because of my teacher’sthoughtful instructions, Iwas able from thenon to readwith ease an entirebookeveryday,beitprintedorhandwritten.

WheneverDzongsurLekshéGyatsowouldcomefromLhasatoChusangHermitage,whereIwasstaying,Iwouldsaybeforehearrived,“Mr.Dzongiscoming,”andthenhewouldarrive.Oneday,lateinthemorning,Isuddenlysaid,“Lhundrupdied.”WefoundoutlaterthatanoldservantintheMaldroJaradoLabrang,aformermonknamedLhundrup,haddiedjustatthattime.Ngakrampa thought these occurrences extraordinary, and so he noted themdown. Actually, they were just the babbling of a child who says whatevercomes to his mind. This situation was not unlike that of the pig-headedfortuneteller.22Afterall,howcouldI,someonewhoisnotevensurewhere

he will defecate at night the food he ate in the morning, know of thingshiddeninthefuture?

WhenIhadreachedtheageoffive,myfathertookthevowsofanoviceand a fully ordainedmonk fromVenerableKhyenrapYontenGyatso, whowas then the incumbent Jangtsé Chöjé and later became the GandenThroneholder. My father was given the name of Khyenrap Chöphel. Mymother TseringDrölma,my sister JampalChötso, andmy younger brothertook up residence in the estate thatmy father had left to them. Itwas in aplacecalledGungthangChökhorLing,neartheresidenceofanunclenamedGyatso-la,whowasamonkatChötriCollegeofGungthangMonastery.

WhenIwassixyearsold,DemoRinpoché23ofTengyéLingMonastery,whowasthesameageasI,cametovisitMr.Lokhé,hismonastery’sbursarthenstayingatChusangHermitage.Onedaytheycametomyresidence,andImetDemoforthefirsttime.Weweresosmallthatwewerebothputinthesamechair.Thenfornoapparentreason,thetwoofusbegantocry.Itseemsthat,eversincethetimeofGandenThroneholderJangchupChöphel,ourtwolabrangs had very strong religious and secular connections. Demo’spredecessorhadbeenaregentofTibetandwasimprisonedbytheThirteenthDalaiLama.While in prisonhe died, and so it seemed to bothNgakrampaand Mr. Lokhé that the two of us were crying in remembrance of thedifficulties that Demo’s predecessor had endured. Actually this was justanothercoincidence,forIhadnoideawhyIwascrying.

THEARRIVALOFKYABJÉPHABONGKHARINPOCHÉ

Later thatyear,KyabjéVajradharaPhabongkhaRinpochécame toChusangHermitage. This was as if the force of my prayers combined with aconsiderable store of accumulatedmerit had rolled a giant boulder of goldright up to my door. For seven years, until the end of the water-rat year(1912),helivedintheguesthouseonthedebatinggroundofmyresidence.

Atthebeginningofthisperiodhewastwenty-nineyearsoldandhadjustleftGyütöMonastery,theuppertantriccollege.24ForattendantshehadonlyhiselderbrotherSölpön-la,who laterbecame thesenior treasurerknownasNgawangGyatso,andanotheraidnamedLosang,whohadbeenprovidedbytheShölTrekhangfamily.

Once in a while Tsangyang, a geshé from Gyalrong House of SeraMonasterywhowasaverytalentedcook,wouldvisitPhabongkhaRinpochéfor a few days and at those timeswould serve as chef. From time to time

various masters would gather at Phabongkha Rinpoché’s retreat house andexchange teachings that they had heard. Among them were GungtrulRinpoché, whose personal name was Khyenrap Palden Tenpai Nyima,GangkyaRinpoché ofPhenpo,MinyakRikhüRinpoché,whowas amasterfromKham,andDromtöGeshéRinpoché,themasterofChusang.SometimestwentytothirtymonksfromSeraandothermonasticuniversitieswouldcomeforteachings.

Between these periods Phabongkha Rinpoché would usually go intosecluded retreat, after which he would perform a fire offering. He himselfwouldmakeallthepreparationsforthisritual.Hewoulddrawthenecessaryhearth diagrams, arrange the ritual objects, mix the four libations, and soforth. Because I was so young, I treated these occasions as a playfuldistractionandwouldcompetewithSölpön-latoassistduringtheceremonybytryingtohandoverorreceivebacktheofferingsubstancesbeforehecouldgettothem.

Apart from an enormous number of books, the precious lama had fewpossessions,andhislivingconditionsdifferedlittlefromthoseofanaveragemonk.After learningmylessonsinthemorning,Iwouldhaveabreakuntillunchandsowouldgotothedebatinggroundtoplay.TimeandagainwhenIcameintothepresenceofmyrefugeandprotector,Itreatedhimasanequalwithoutanyreverenceorcourtesy,withtheattitudeofachild.InhispresenceIwouldperformimitationsofreligiousdancesthatIhadnamedDanceoftheLotusandDanceofWhiteLightofGungthang.SometimesIwouldleapintohislapandplay.Hewasaverygoodartist,andwhilesittingtherehewoulddrawall sortsof thingsonpaper.Occasionallywewouldhave lunchat thesametime,andIwouldsharehisseatandhisplate.

Although Iwasquiteabother, thisprecious lamawas soverykindandgentlethathecaredformejoyfullyandlovingly,withouteveroncebecomingupsetorirritated.Thinkingback,Ireceivedmanyvastandprofoundteachingsinthepresenceofthisincomparablykindmaster,whowaslikeafathertome,but from the standpoint of practice and accomplishment, I was unable torealizethefullintentofhisteachings.ThusIholdthepretentiouspositionofafireplacedintherankofthesun,forIhavebeenlikeasonwhodisregardedhis father’s last words and threw his will to the wind. Although I havepropagated the discourses and esoteric practices of Dharma, principallythroughteachingthestagesofthepath,thisisamerereflection,amimickingofmymaster’steachings.

WhenIthinkbackonmycarefreebehaviorasathoughtlesschild,Ifeelthat this led me not astray but rather in a good direction. It is said that

devotiontoone’smasteristherootofeverygoodinthislifeandthenext,andlater inmy life Ihad theopportunityof serving to thebestofmyability inevery way, materially and spiritually, the next incarnation of this suprememaster,fromthetimewhenhewasfirstrecognizeduntilheearnedthedegreeof geshé lharam. I was able to serve in every way except to prevent hisuntimely death, which was a serious setback to the propagation of theBuddhistdoctrine.25

MEMORIZATIONOFTEXTS

The first text that my teacher Ngakrampa hadme commit tomemorywasChantingtheNamesofMañjuśrī.AfterIhadmemorizedit,herequiredthatIrecite iteverydaywithoutfail.Hethenhadmememorizetheshort textsofworship for the red and yellow aspects of Mañjuśrī and required that Iregularlyrepeatthemantrasforincreasingwisdom.Inthehopeofincreasingmywisdomstill further, I voluntarily recitedoneof thesemantrasnotonlyeverymorning but every evening aswell, eventually completing a hundredthousandrepetitions.

Once, my elder half-brother Khamlung Rinpoché came from SeraMonastery to visit me at Chusang. He brought as a gift his monastery’sreadingprimer,asheassumedthatIhadyettolearntheTibetanalphabet.ItbothembarrassedandpleasedhimtodiscoverthatIhadalreadymemorizedmost ofMaitreya’sOrnament ofRealization togetherwith several differenttypesofritualtexts.

At the age of six it is difficult to do extensive memorization, butNgakrampa was extremely skillful in the way he raised me, applyingdiscipline and patience in their appropriate places. Although I had no realunderstanding of what I was memorizing, I would make up my owninterpretations,andthismadeiteasytoholdthewordsinmymind.Iwouldlater askNgakrampa to explain themeaningof these texts, and since I hadalreadymemorized thewords, theconditionswere thenpresent tosupportaclearcomprehension.

MYORDINATIONATRADRENGMONASTERY

In the fourth month of the fire-sheep year (1907), at the beginning of myseventhyear,I leftChusangHermitageaccompaniedbyNgakrampaLosangTendar, our treasurer Chisur Lekshé Gyatso, and Chatreng Nyitso Trinlé

Tenzin of Gashar Dokhang House. Several others, including NenangDreshingGeshé and Sölpön Phuntsok, also joined our party.We traversedPhenpoGoPass and stayed the night at the temple inLangthang.We thenwentoverChakPassandtraveledviaPhödotoRadrengMonastery.26There,on the eighth day of the fourth month, the fourth reincarnation in thesuccessionoftheRadrengmasters,thegloriousandreveredNgawangYeshéTenpaiGyaltsenconferreduponmethepreceptsandvowsofalaymanandofa novice monk. He gave me the name Losang Yeshé Tenzin Gyatso andcomposed an eloquent prayer formy long life,which beganwith this line:“TheBuddha’sexquisiteattributescharmtheeyesofawildmountaindeer.”Ithen received the further kindness of his oral transmission of Candrakīrti’sEnteringtheMiddleWayandtheOrnamentofRealization.

The fifteenth day of that month happened to be a prayer festival atRadrengMonastery.Iwitnessedtheunfurlingoftheirenormoussilkpictorialappliqué thangka, ritual dances, and so forth. Then I went to see themonastery’smostsacredimage,whichwasastatueoftheBuddhaknownasLord Mañjuvajra, visited the smaller chapels, and made one thousandofferings. I also visited religious centers near Radreng, such as TsenyaHermitage, Yangön Hermitage, and Samten Ling Nunnery, where I paidhomageandmadeofferings.

Previously,while learning to readatChusangHermitage, Ihad read theSonTeachingsoftheBookofKadamtwicefrombeginningtoendandsohadagoodrecollectionofthestoryofAtiśa’sdiscipleinhisincarnationasKingKönchok Bang. Thus when our guide at Radreng explained points ofsignificance, I immediately recognized them, and a certain familiarity fromtheassociationswouldariseinmymind.WhenIpracticedmyreadingontheSon Teachings, Ngakrampa would at the beginning explain some of theincidentsinthestories.Then,asIcontinuedreading,Iwasabletounderstandroughlymostof theother episodesand themeaningof theeasierversesonmyown.Likewise,whenmemorizing themonastery’s traditional prayers, Ifound myself for the most part able to understand roughly the meaningexpressed in the aspiration prayer that concludes Śāntideva’sGuide to theBodhisattva’sWayofLife.Consideringmyage,thisseemstoindicatethatIwasintelligent,atleasttosomedegree.

RadrengMonastery,1950©HUGHRICHARDSON,PITTRIVERSMUSEUM,UNIVERSITYOFOXFORD;2001.59.2.52.1

WhilewewereatRadreng,themonastery’sadministrationhadusstayintheir receptionroomonthemezzanineandextendedtoourentireentouragethe most cordial hospitality, seeking to provide for our every need andcomfortwiththeutmostconsideration.OnthewaybacktoChusang,wespentanightatTaklung,aKagyümonastery,andIvisitedthechapelsoneachfloorofitstemple.ThereIsawamostamazingthing:astatueofDromtönpawithhairgrowingonitshead.Afterthat,wewenttoDromtö,passingonthewayThangsakGandenChökhor and othermonasteries. RadrengMonastery hadgivenussomuchyogurtthatit lasteduntilDromtö.Wecarriedit inleatherpouches and made it into a paste with roasted barley flour. Finally, wereturnedtoChusangHermitage.

MYMOTHER’SDIFFICULTIES

Just before I left for the sojourn atRadreng,my father had died. SecretaryTenzinWangpoandtheotherlayandmonkofficialsresidingatKunsangtséinLhasachose trusteesfromGungthangformyfather’sestate.The trusteeswere a relative ofmy father namedAniYangzom and her husband, amanfromKhamnamedBapaApho.Thosetwowroteletters toSecretaryTenzinWangpo,whowas alsomanager ofKunsangtsé, toRinchenWangyal,whowas an important member of the Khemé family, and to other influentialpeopleinanattempttoprejudicethemagainstmymother.Theselettersmadethe accusation that my mother had secretly accumulated a great deal ofwealth.Myeldersister,KalsangDrölma,notonlyfailedtodousethefireofthisaccusation,shefueled theflames.ThusApho-lasuddenlyappearedonedayatmymother’shouseinGungthangChökhorLing,lockedthedoors,andlegallypreventedanyonefromentering.Nowevicted,mymotherandhertwootherchildrenwenttostayforafewdayswithUncleGyatso,whoprovidedthemwithfoodandshelter.Thiswasquitesimilar to thesituationofJetsunMilarepa’smother,NyangtsaKargyen,andhersister,TretaGönkyi,whoalsosufferedthehardshipoftheirrelationsturningagainstthem.

AssoonasthenewsofthissituationinGungthangreachedmylabranginLhasa, my treasurer, Chisur Lekshé Gyatso, personally went to see theofficialsatKunsangtséandexplainedindetailwhathebelievedtobethetruefactorsunderlying thisunfortunate situation.Finally the sealon thedoorofmy mother’s house was broken and her possessions carefully examined.Therewasnosecretaccumulationofwealthasthetrusteeshadclaimed,andso the truth was revealed. On returning to Chusang, I heard about mymother’sdifficultiesandbecamequiteupsetandworried.

MYENROLLMENTATGANDEN

During the summer retreat that year I was going to enroll at GandenMonastery.Ngakrampa,whowaswellversedinastrologyandaccomplishedinritualprocedures,dideverythingthatwasnecessarytocounteractnegativeastrologicalforcesthatmightinterferewithmyenrollmentandtoremoveanyobstructionsthatmightblockfavorableastrologicalinfluences.

On the third day of the seventh month, I left my residence in Lhasaaccompanied by Ngakrampa, the treasurer Chisur, Mr. Lokhé, a monasticofficial named Jangchup Norsang, who represented the Dalai Lama, andseveralothers.WesetoutinprocessionforGandenMonastery,deckedinthefinestofclothingoncaparisonedhorses.

My late father’s Gungthang estate was on our route and by all rights

should have been obliged to extend hospitality to us and serve as a waystation for thenight, but becauseof themachinationsofAniYangzom,wewere not received at all and so spent the night atop the Chötri College ofGungthang.Onthatparticulardaymyhorsehadbeenoutfittedwithagoldensaddle,silkbrocadecaparison,andornaments,whileImyselfworean“eyeofthecrow”ridingrobe27andawide-brimmedgiltlacquerhat.Beingachild,Iwasmorethanhappytodisplaysuchregalia.

ThenextdayweleftGungthangandtraveledtoDechenSang-ngakKhar,wherewespentthenightatopthebranchofGyüméTantricCollegelocatedthere. The college gave us an elaborate welcoming reception, and somefriends andwell-wisherswho lived in that region came to presentmewithtraditionalgreetingscarvesandgifts.WespentthenextdayinthefoothillsofGandenandcampedthatnightinthewillowgroveofSongkhar,wheremonksfromSamlingresidingatDokhangHouseinGandenMonasteryhadpitchedatentforustostayinandhadpreparedfoodanddrink.

The following day we left at sunrise. When we reached the Serkhangestate,weweregreetedwithanelaboratereceptionthathadbeensetupinthecourtyard there by Dokhang House. It was attended by the housemaster,administrators, andmany others. They gaveme the traditional rice and teaandpresentedmewithgreetingscarvesandsymbolicofferingsof thebody,speech,andmindoftheBuddha.28

OnthepreviousdayIhadbeentoldmanythreateningstoriestotheeffectthat the housemaster of Dokhangwas an extremely hot-temperedman andwould beat little boys at the slightest provocation.When I saw him in theflesh, however, I realized that this bearded, dark-complexionedmonk withpaddedshoulderswasnotreallyashehadbeendescribedtome,andsoIwasnotafraid.

AfterthisreceptionwecontinuedonuntilreachingagroveinTsangthokwhereShartséCollegeofGandenhaderectedareceptiontentandhadmadeelaboratepreparationstoreceiveus.TheentireadministrationsofShartséandJangtsécolleges,includingtheincumbentandemeritusabbots,thereincarnatemasters of both colleges and the various houses, and the completeworkingstaffofthemonastery,hadcometogreetusandwerestandinginline,scarvesinhand,outsidetheentranceofthereceptiontent.AmidallthesepeoplewasGajang Tridak Rinpoché. As soon as I met him, without the need for anyintroduction, I thought to myself, “This is Tridak Rinpoché,” as if I weremeeting someone I had known previously. From the reception lines,representatives of Shartsé College presented me with tea, ceremonial rice,scarves, and traditional offerings. Representatives of the overall monastic

administrationandcollegesalsopresentedmewiththesetraditionalofferings.Thenthetulkusandthemonasticstaffwhohadcometogreetme,alldressedintheirfinestrobes,formedalinewiththeirhorsesandaccompaniedusinaformalprocession.

WhenwereachedthetopofMountDrok,wecametothereceptiontentthat had been set up by the administrators of the monastery as a whole.Preparations had been made to greet us, and so we took our respectivepositionsasbefore.Teaandceremonialricewereoffered,andtheabbotsofJangtséandShartsécolleges,intheircapacityasrepresentativesoftheoverallmonastic administration, presented me with traditional offerings. Then wedescended the mountain in a procession ordered according to rank. As weapproachedaspringnearGandenMonastery,avastnumberofmonksfromGanden’s two colleges, all holding ceremonial banners, were arrayed oneithersideofthepathstretchingfromtheretothegreatassemblyhalllocatedin front of the monastery. Upon reaching the spring, I dismounted onto afringed red carpet and made three fully extended prostrations toward themonastery.ThenIthrewsomegraininthatdirectionwhilerecitingcustomaryauspiciousversesthatNgakrampahadtaughtme.

Accompaniedbythosewhohadcometogreetme,allholdingincense,IproceededtotheassemblyhallofDokhangHouse.Againtheyformedlines,and representatives of Ganden’s administration, the two colleges, and thevarioushousespresentedmewithtraditionalofferings.DokhangHousethengave a reception with an elaborate feast at which tea, rice, ceremonialcookies, and lunchwere served to all.During the reception two studentsofdialecticsdebatedonlogicbeforetheentireassembly.

After the reception I went tomy suite atop DokhangHouse, and theremany individuals aswell as representatives of variousgroupspresentedmewith tea, rice, symbolic offerings of theBuddha’s body, speech, andmind,greetingscarves,andsoon.Whenall thishadcometoanend,Iwentuptothe roof. As I gazed out I saw the great assembly hall, the debatingcourtyards,andthelongstreamingprayerflags.ItwasallinrealityexactlyasIhadpictureditwhen,atChusangHermitage,IhadheardtalkofGanden.

Following theestablished traditions,a fewdays later Iwas takenby theheadmaster of the house to pay my respects at the feet of the incumbentGanden Throneholder, Losang Tenpai Gyaltsen, the third reincarnation ofTsemönlingRinpoché.TheninthepresenceoftheabbotofShartséCollege,LosangKhyenrapofPhukhang,ImadeofferingsofteaandmoneyandpaidhomagetotheassembledmonksofGandenaswellastothoseofmycollege.

Then I formally enrolled in the monastery. Tsemönling Rinpoché, the

precious throneholder, was invited to preside over this ceremony with themonastery’sentireassemblyofmonks,andIpresentedhimwithofferingsofthethreerepresentations.29ApersonalemissaryoftheDalaiLamaservedmetea from a silver pot and presented me with a stack of five “donkey ear”cookiesandaprotectioncordthathadbeenknottedbytheDalaiLama.Afterthat, representatives of the monastic administration, the college, and thevarious houses as well as other well-wishers and relatives formallycongratulatedme.Also,KyabjéPhabongkhaRinpochéextendedthekindnessof sending his personal representative to present me with a congratulatoryceremonialscarfandrollsofsilkandbrocade.

Later, according to thewishes ofNgakrampa, I entered the regimen ofLekshéKundrokLingDialecticsSchoolinGandenShartséCollege.Onthisoccasion enormous platters heaped with dried fruit were distributed to theassembledmonks.FromthenonIattendedthedailyprayerassembliesofthemonastery and the college, particularly the morning and evening debates,withoutevermissingasession.As Ihadpreviouslymemorizedmostof theprayersandrituals,IwasabletoparticipateinalltherecitationsexceptforthesupplicationstothelineageofabbotsandtheeveningritualforTārā,thedeityofenlightenedactivity.

MEETINGWITHMINISTERSHEDRAWA

One day soon after my enrollment, there was a flurry of activity in thelabrang.IwastoldthattheretiredcabinetministerShedrawa30wascomingtovisit me and that preparations were being made to receive him. Soon heappeared,aportlynoblemanwhosebaldingheadwascrownedbyabraidedwreathofthelittlehairhestillpossessed.Heworeanelegantgownoflightbluesilkbrocadeandlookedverydignified.Hepresentedmewithagreetingscarfandgiftstocongratulatemeonmyenrollment.BecauseIwassoyoung,Icouldnotthinkofanythingtosay,andsoIjustsattherestiffly.ShedrawaandNgakrampa, however,werewell acquainted and so spent quite awhilerecountingoldtimes.FinallyShedrawaturnedtomeandsaid,“Youare thebest of everything, the yolk of the egg, the crown jewel of the Gandenlineage.Youmustthereforeapplyyourselfwelltoyourstudies.”Heprofferedmuchadvicealongtheselines.

TheShedrafamilywasaspecialpatronofGandenfromancienttimesandthepatronofDokhangHouse inparticular.AfterShedrawahadbecometheprime minister, he therefore visited me whenever he came to Ganden onofficialvisitsaccompanyingHisHoliness theThirteenthDalaiLama.While

Shedrawawasservingasamemberofthecouncilofministers,hewasplacedunderhousearrestalongwithShölkhangpa,Changkhyimpa,andHorkhangpaandconfinedtohisresidenceintheNorbulingkaPalaceinthewater-hareyear(1903). This command came from His Holiness through the NationalAssembly. His Holiness the Dalai Lama may have made this decision forother reasons, but the apparent circumstances for Shedrawa’s arrest werecausedbyafewjealouspalaceattendantsofHisHoliness.Later,Horkhangpaescaped to Kyichu, and the others, including Shedrawa, Shölkhangpa, andChangkhyimpa,weredemotedfromtheircabinetpostsandsentintoexilebutpermittedtostayontheirrespectivecountryestates.However,Shedrawawasordered to stay in Orong in Kongpo. When the British army arrived inChushur, a place near Lhasa, through Tsang province in the wood-dragonyear(1904),HisHolinesshadtomakeasuddenvisittoMongoliaandChina.AtthattimeahighChineseofficial,GeneralZhangYintang,arrivedinLhasaand insisted that Shedrawa return to Lhasa to serve in the government.ShedrawarespondedandreturnedfromKongpo.HeresidedatLowerShedra,a family estate at the foot of Ganden Monastery. While Shedrawa wasresidingat thathouse,he insisted that,as theDalaiLamahadsenthimintoexile, it would not be proper for him to return to active government dutyagainstthewishesofHisHoliness.

Itisclearfromancientrecords,suchasthebiographyofJéTsongkhapa,thatShedrausedtobecalledSharhor.LateratthetimeoftheMinisterShedraDesi,thenamewaschangedtoLowerShedraasanimprovement.TheShedrafamily had been personal patrons of Jé Tsongkhapa, and their mansioncontainedmany relicsof JéTsongkhapa, includinghispersonalcopyof theKangyur, thecanonical scriptures.Assuch itwas theexclusiveprivilegeofthe Shedra family to provide the daily inner offering in the chapel of theprotectorDharmarājaatGanden.Notlongafter,HisHolinesssentaletterofpardon from China, and subsequently Shedrawa, Shölkhangpa, andChangkhyimpa were reappointed to posts at the ministerial level. ThusShedrawacontinuedtoserveinthegovernment.

RETURNINGTOCHUSANG

I leftGandenwhentherainy-seasonretreatwasover.OnthewayhomewespentalittletimeatareceptionthattheGongkotsangfamilyofDechenhadarranged for me in a meadow in front of the Kharap Shankha estate.Afterwardwespent thenightat themonastic labrangofSang-ngakKhar inDechen.Whilethere,theresidentsofourLamotséhouseholdinDechenand

othersassociatedwithitcametogreetmewithgifts.Then,furtheralongtheway, the entiremonasteryofChötri atGungthangwerehaving their annualoutdoor picnic in Jarak Park. They had pitched their assembly tent, and aperformanceofadramaticoperadepictingthestoryofDriméKunden31wasunderway.Ibrieflybrokemyjourneythereandwatchedtheperformance.Asthiswas the firstperformanceof that type that Ihadever seen, Iwanted tostay longer to enjoy it, but instead we proceeded to Lhasa that sameafternoon.

ItwasrequiredthatIhaveaninauguralaudienceandinterviewwithHisHolinessafterformallyenrollingatGanden.ButasHisHolinesshadnotyetreturned toLhasa fromhis journey toChinaandMongolia, Ipetitioned thegreatthroneinthesunlightroomatopthePotala,inaccordancewithtradition.Onthesameoccasion,Ialsohadmyinauguralaudiencewiththeregent,theformerGandenThroneholderLosangGyaltsenRinpoché,whowaslivinginaresidenceontopofMeruMonasteryinLhasa.32

AfterarrivingatmyhermitageinChusang,weheldanoutdoorpicnicfortwo days in celebration of the completion of my enrollment activities atGanden. A large assembly tent was pitched in our courtyard for religiousactivities, towhichwe invited theMostVenerableKyabjéPhabongkhaandDromtöGeshéRinpoché, the spiritual head of the hermitage, togetherwithotherresidentmonks.AsmalltenthadbeenputupseparatelyformyselfandDemoRinpoché, andweenjoyedplayinggames together.At the requestofNgakrampa,KyabjéPhabongkhagavemethecompletesetofpermissionsforthe cycle of Mañjuśrī teachings.33 Although this series of permissionsrequires prior initiation into the highest yoga class of tantra, KyabjéPhabongkhaneverthelessgavetheentireseriesexclusivelytomeforreasonsofauspiciousness.HedidthiseventhoughIhadnotyetreceivedtheinitiationofVajrabhairavaoranyotherdeityofthishighestclass.

I was too young to comprehend the entire exposition given by KyabjéPhabongkhabut rememberquitedistinctly a storyRinpoché toldmeduringthepermissionofDharmarāja.Thestorywasofa lama in thepast,ThoyönLamaDöndrupGyaltsen,whowhenconductingthesamepermission,foundthat oneof the implements—Dharmarāja’s club in the shapeof the upperpartofahumanbodyadornedwitha skull—wasnotavailable, andsoheimprovisedbyusingachopstickwithaTibetandumplingstuckontop.Ialsoremember repeating after Rinpoché “I will act accordingly” a few timesduringtheritual.

Another time, at the request of Ngakrampa, Kyabjé Phabongkha wasinvitedtoourhouseandexplainedthemeasurementsfordiagramsofvarious

designs used in the tantric ritual for consecrating the ground, in whichdifferentkindsoffoodofferingsubstancesareburnedinanopenflame.Theinstructions on these designs included four methods of accomplishment:Peace, Increase, Power, and Wrath. Except for some complicatedmeasurementsof thefirehearthrelated topower, Iwasable tocomprehendtheseinstructionsquickly.

Undoubtedly, itwasout of special consideration and regard forme thatKyabjéPhabongkhabestowedtheabove-mentionedpermissionsforthecycleofMañjuśrī teachingswithout requiringme tohave receivedprior initiationintothehighestclassoftantra.However,Ididnotletitsuffice.Asmyownqualificationswereknowntome,Ireceivedtheentiresetofpermissionsonceagain fromRinpoché, complyingwith all the requirements,when I reachedtheageoftwenty-one.

CHOOSINGATUTOR

AsIwasinneedofaregulartutor,Ngakrampaandmymanagerdiscussedapossiblecandidatefromamonganumberofqualifiedscholarsatmymonasticcollege, Shartsé, in Ganden. They presented a list of names to KyabjéPhabongkhaandtotheprotectorShukdenforconsultationanddivinationforthefinalchoiceofmytutor.BothRinpochéandtheprotectororaclereachedadecision on the same candidate, my venerable teacher Losang Tsultrim ofPhukhang House in Ganden, who was from Nangsang, a town in easternTibet.

In the tenthmonth of that year, my teacher and anothermonk, DosamNyitsoTrinlé,wereinvitedtoourretreathouseatChusang.Onanauspiciousdatedeterminedbyastrologicalcalculations,hebeganto teachme.Firstwehad a ceremony formy teacher andofferedhim tea and the traditional riceandscarftogetherwithatokengift.Aftertheceremonymyteacherstartedtoteach me the homage verses from Ratö Monastery’s34 elementary logictextbook.IalsorecitedforhimfrommemorytheentiretextoftheOrnamentofRealization and about half ofEntering theMiddleWay.My teacherwasgreatlypleasedwithmymemorizationofthesetexts.

Previously, at an annual festival at RadrengMonastery called KhoryukChöpa,“environmentalpuja,”Ihadwitnessedamostfascinatingyakdance.Thedancerhaddoneninefull turnsclockwiseandcounterclockwiseononefoot.Emulating thatparticularscene, Idid theyakdanceformyteacher. InmyhandIheldabrassutensilusedtostirtheashinaclaycontainerthatkepttheteapotwarm.AsIwaveditaround,Iaccidentallyhit theclaycontainer,

chippingit. Iwasa littlefrightenedatwhatmyteachermightsay,butIdidnotreceiveanyscoldingasthiswasourfirstformalmeeting.FromthattimeonwardmyteacherandIalwaysremainedinseparable.

Thatyearduringthemonthsofthewintersession,wereturnedtoGanden,andhavingbeentrainedinelementarylogic,Iformallybegantoengageinthedebatesforsolvingtheriddlesoflogicregardingcolorformulae.35Thereafterfollowed fouryearsofprogressive training in elementary, intermediate, andadvanced logic.From thestartofmy formal studiesuntilmycandidacy forthegeshéexamination, Inevermissedattending theannualwinter sessions,theextracurricularsummersessionsatSangphu,andtheannualGreatPrayerFestivalintheJokhangTempleinLhasa.

RECEIVINGTHEKĀLACAKRAINITIATION

Inmyeighthyear,theyearoftheearth-monkey(1908),attherequestoftheKālacakra ritualgroupofGanden,amostaccomplishedandhighly realizedmaster, SerkongDorjé ChangNgawang TsultrimDönden of Ganden, gavethe complete three-day initiation into the deity Kālacakra in the KarmogeneralassemblyhallatGanden.Ihadthegoodfortuneofbeingallowedtoreceivetheinitiationathisfeet.Attendanceattheinitiationwassogreatthatallthedisciplescouldnotfitintothelargeassemblyhall,andpeoplehadtobeseatedinthecorridorsandvestibule.Iwasseatedinfrontofthemandalaaltar behind the most venerable Kyabjé Khangsar Rinpoché36 of GomangCollegeofDrepungMonastery.SerkongRinpoché selectedme to sit in thecenterofthepurificationdiagrams,drawnoncloth,duringthevase-initiationstage. This purification ritual is performed for novices. Whether or notSerkong Rinpoché did so for auspicious reasons, he also gave me the eyelotion used in the ritual for clarity ofwisdom.The lotion contained honey,among other ingredients, and was so delicious that I ate it all. During theinitiationitwasmostspectaculartowatchsomeofthemonksfromNamgyalMonasteryofthePotalaPalace,HisHolinesstheDalaiLama’sritualinstitute,performinginfulltantricregalia.Theyeachhelddecoratedvasesandchantedmelodiouslytheversesforprosperityandauspiciousness.

Because of my immaturity I did not understand most of Rinpoché’sexplanations during the initiation, but I did notice his moving, expressivemoods.Attimestearswouldwellupinhiseyesasheexplainedtheteachingsin great detail. The next moment he would be scolding the disciples, orunexpectedly telling jokes, causing laughter. The next day, following theinitiation,Rinpochéannouncedtothegatheringthattheycouldfeelconfident,

without any doubt, that they each had received the initiation in its fullmeaning. In ancient times disciples used to receive initiation and properblessingfortheirspiritualrealizationswithamereslaponthecheekfromarealized tantricmaster.Although it isdifficult for this tohappennowadays,considering the type of disciples there are, without any doubt the specialinstructionsleftanimpressiononourmindstreamsduetothepowerofbeingdirectedthroughthevisualizationsbysuchagreat,realizedlama.

BEINGAWARDEDTHEFIRSTACADEMICDEGREE

Inmyninthyear,theyearoftheearth-bird(1909),duringtheannualsessionof the disciplinarian37 at my college, I was conferred the degree of kachu(coveringtensubjects),andIwasrequiredtorecitepassagesfromanytreatisethatIhadstudied.Atthisceremonymymonastichouseholdmadeofferingstothemonks,andIrecitedbyhearttwopagesfromJéTsongkhapa’sEssenceofEloquenceDistinguishingtheDefinitiveandInterpretive.38EveryonepresentattheceremonycongratulatedmeandcommentedonhowwellIhadrecitedwithout anyhesitationor nervousnessdespitemyage. In celebrationofmykachu examination,we alsomade extensiveofferings tomymainmonastichouseandtotheotherregionalmonasticgroupswithwhichIwasaffiliated.

Aboutthistime,Lhabu,whowasasonofdairymanTashiDöndrupfromthe pastoral region Balamshar in Dechen, arrived to become a permanentmemberofour labrang.Hewas tenyearsoldand sobecamemyplaymate.Fromthenon,untilhisdeathattheageofsixty-six,heservedasmyclosestattendant. He looked after me in accordance with the finest examples of adisciple’s dedicated service to his teacher as illustrated in theMarvelousArraySutrawiththeanalogiesofaboatandasolidfoundation,andconductasfirmasavajraandamountain.Iamverygratefulforhiskindservice.39

3

I

EarningtheGeshéDegree

FIRSTMEETINGWITHHISHOLINESSTHETHIRTEENTHDALAILAMA

ANDARRIVALOFTHENATIONALISTCHINESE

NTHETENTHMONTHofthatyear(1909),HisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLamareturnedtoTibetfromChinaandMongolia.Therewasanelaboratewelcoming ceremony with the traditional arrangements of kartro

cookies.40ThereceptionwasheldatGandenChökhorMonasteryinPhenpodistrict, northeast of Lhasa. Many dignitaries from Ganden were present,including the Ganden Throneholder, the two supreme abbots the SharpaChöjé and Jangtsé Chöjé,41 the abbots of Shartsé and Jangtsé colleges,incarnate lamas,andadministratorsofGanden. Iwasalso there towelcomeHisHoliness theDalai Lama. Thiswas the first time that I saw the noble,goldenfaceofHisHoliness,completewiththemandalaofphysicalattributesof an enlightened being. The Ganden Throneholder and other lamas andadministratorswent on to Lhasa for furtherwelcoming ceremonies there. IhadastrongdesiretogotoLhasa,butatthewishofmylabrangmanager,IwasexcusedbecauseofmyyoungageandleftinsteadforGanden.

Inmytenthyear,theyearoftheiron-dog(1910),duringtheannualGreatPrayerFestival, thetenthincarnationofKundelingTatsak,ThuptenKalsangTenpai Drönmé Rinpoché, was to pass his geshé lharam examination.Following tradition, Rinpoché extended an invitation to His Holiness topreside over the assembly of over eighteen thousandmonks fromGanden,Drepung, Sera, and other monasteries. At the same festival, the fourthincarnationoftheomniscientJamyangShepa,42KalsangThuptenWangchukfromTashiKhyilMonasteryinAmdoProvince,alsoinvitedHisHolinesstopresideoveranassemblysessionoftheprayerfestival.

TheThirteenthDalaiLama,Darjeeling,1910©THOMASPAAR,NEWARKMUSEUM,C.SUYDAMCUTTINGCOLLECTION

It was a busy time for everyone, humans and celestial beings alike,preparingforthatmajorceremonialvisitofHisHoliness.Onthethirddayofthefirstmonthduringtheeveningsession,aftertheseatingarrangementshadbeenmadefortheprayerfestival,alargecontingentofChinesearmysoldiersarrivedunexpectedly.SeveralTibetanswerekilledbyChineseartilleryfireatThalphung Gang east of Lhasa. Nearby, at Lubuk Gate, the monasticgovernmentofficialJamyangGyaltsen,whowasinchargeofthefestival,wasalso killed. Another high-ranking government official and member of theEleventh Dalai Lama’s family, Tashi Dorjé of Phunkhang, was injured bybullets.Itwasatimeofturmoilandgreatanxietyforeveryone.ThatnightHisHolinesstheDalaiLama,togetherwithasmallnumberofstaff,leftthePotalaPalace and traveled via the Norbulingka for a secret journey to India. TheChinese representative by the name of Lianyu43 sent a large number ofsoldiers topursue theDalaiLama,but theyhad towithdraw from the ferrydockat theChushurbridgeafteraconfrontationwithafewTibetans ledbyDasang Dradul, a favorite special attendant to His Holiness. Dradul latermarriedintotheTsarongfamily.

DuringthatGreatPrayerFestival,myvenerableteacherLosangTsultrimpassed his geshé lharam examination, placing second among the learned

lharam geshés. In celebration of His Holiness’s safe return fromMongoliaand China, the government during the festival distributed to each monk asilvercoinandanothercommemorativecoincalledathupten,freshfromthemint, togetherwith a ceremonial scarf. Kundeling Tatsak Rinpoché gave atamkaror tamandfivesho,andJamyangShepaRinpochégave thirty-threetamtoeachoftheassembledmonks.44

During assembly sessions of the Great Prayer Festival, the Chineseshowedmany signs of disrespect, humiliatingmonks by throwing cigarettebuttsonto themanddisrespectfully stretching their legsouton the ledgeoftheviewingbalcony.Duringtheearly-morningdiscoursesessions,whiletheGanden Throneholder was teaching, Chinese soldiers paraded past, soundsblastingfromtheirmarchingband.

That year I went to the summer sessions at Sangphu, and in betweendebatesessions,besidesmyregularcurriculumstudyofthetexts,Ngakrampa,inhisdesiretoaidourstudyofastrology,startedtoteachmytutorandmyselfhow to draw the different mathematical formulae as well as other basicmathematicssuchasmultiplicationtables.Eventuallywestudiedmostoftheformuladrawingsforastrology.Itookanenthusiasticinterestinthesubject,tothepointofmakingaholeinmyfingerfromerasure,andtrainedmyselfbywriting themathematical formulae on the dust board.45 Since I studied thissubjectataveryyoungagewhilesimultaneouslyattendingothercoreclassesin addition to memorizing and studyingmetaphysical subjects, and since Ialsolackedfurtherinterestinpursuingthesubject,Ihaveforgottenmostofitwithalmostnotrace,likethetrailofflyingbirds.

While Iwas attending the summer session at Sangphu, Jamyang ShepaRinpoché of Amdo visited on pilgrimage. At the time Jamyang ShepaRinpochéwasheldinhighregardbytheChinese,theChineserepresentativeinLhasa, and soon.Becauseof thisChinese support, the advancepartyofRinpoché’sentouragemistreatedthelocalpopulation,resortingtoverbalandphysicalabusetoenforcetheirdemands.MylandlordandothersatSangphu,whowereobligedtoprovideandperformservicesaspartoftheirlevies,wentintohidingforthreedaysintheGyamaNakrihillsfacingSangphu.JamyangShepaRinpochéhimselfspentonenightatSangphuandthenextdaymadeanofferingofhalfatamtoeachmemberoftheassembly,whichwascomprisedoftenmonasticinstitutes.Afterheblessedthemonks,hereturnedtoLhasa.Hewasanelderlymanwithalongwhitegoateeandworeamonk’srobewithayellowbrocadegown—aMongoliancourtrobe—overit.AspeoplefromLhasa andmany otherswere critical of theRinpoché, I did not havemuchrespectforhimeither.Onlateranalysisitoccurredtomethat,apartfromthe

circumstances of his Chinese escorts at the time, he was a well-qualifiedlama.

ASMALLPOXEPIDEMIC

That autumn there raged an epidemic of smallpox throughout the centralprovinceofTibet,soIremainedatGandenforsomelengthoftime.ThemostvenerableKyabjéPhabongkhasentmeatextontheritualmeditationpracticeofViśvamātṛ46alongwithaminiatureimageofthedeity.Inaccordancewithhisinstructionsandadvice,myteacherandIwentintoretreattoperformthemeditation ritual of the deity, repeating her mantra well over one hundredthousandtimes.WealsodidaretreatofWhiteTārāandrepeatedhermantraonehundred thousand times aswell as onehundred thousand recitationsofthemiktsema.47

Sincenoneofthemethodsoftreatmentoranyoftheinoculationsthatwehave nowadays existed, the death rate among the monks at Ganden wassevere. Previously interred bodieswould be uncovered as newgraveswerebeingdug,aresultoftheshortageofspacewithintheconfinesoftheburialground.InthetenthmonthofthatyearI,too,wasstrickenwiththedisease,andmyfaceandbodywerecoveredwithitspimplesformanydays.Imadeaquick recovery, mainly because of my practice of meditational rituals asadvisedbyKyabjéPhabongkha,andespeciallybecauseofthelovingcareandkindness ofmy teacher,who looked afterme for days on endwithout anysleep.Irecoveredfullyandwasabletoattendthestudyanddebatesessionsthatwinter.

Onceduringthemostseriousstageofmysickness,inaquasi-dreamstateor fit of hallucination, I thought that I was halfway up Nyakrong Pass atGanden,where severalmonks inyellow robes said tome, “Son, son, comehither.WeshallgotoGanden.”Utteringthesewords,theybeckonedme.HadI died at that time, it might have been good forme, for I would not havebecome steeped in the ill effects of consuming offerings. In anotherhallucinationIwasholdinginmylapananimallikeapuppyorkitten,whichwassnatchedawayfrommebyawoman.Onthesamedaymybrother,whohadbeenrecognizedasthereincarnationofthepreviousLelungTulku,diedatGungthang.Itseemsasifhepassedawayinmyplace.

Thentheabbot,LosangKhyenrapofPhukhang,passedontomyteachermanyexperientialmethodsfortreatingthedisease.Heinstructedmyteacherthatpatientsshouldtakeabrewoftamariskduringtheinitialstagesandthatthe body should not be exposed to thewind or breezes.When the pimples

filledwithpus,theresinoftheplantShorearobustaortheshalatreeshouldbe burned. One day the pimples curved in and became cup-shaped. Myteacherexperiencedagreatdealofconcernandanxietywhenmyconditionbecame increasingly serious.Hesought theadviceof theabbot,whosentastripofporkandgaveinstructionstocookitandgivemeafewpiecesofthefattoeat.Theverynextday,twootherpimplesappearedontopofeachcup-shaped pimple, like the layers of a stupa, and from that point I began tograduallyrecover.

After the death ofmy younger brother,mymother and sister were leftalone. As they could not bear the ill treatment of Ani Yangzom and herhusband, who were now residents of the Gungthang estate, the managerLekshéGyatsohelpedtoarrangethemarriageofmymotherTseringDrölmaand sister Jampal Chötso to Tenzin Sangpo and his son Döndrup of theKotsangfamily.ThisfamilywaspartofourmonastichouseholdatDechen.

Inmy eleventh year, the year of the iron-pig (1911), I received an oraltransmission of the exclusive or classified collected teachings of ThukenChökyiNyimaaswellasthefourteenvolumesofhiscollectedworksintheirentiretyfromtheAmdoedition.IreceivedtheseteachingsatMeruMonasteryin Lhasa from Nyal Dra-or Rinpoché, Tenzin Trinlé Öser from DeyangCollege of Drepung, who was the assistant tutor to His Holiness theThirteenthDalaiLama.

TROUBLEWITHTHECHINESE

Because of close connections between the monastic household of TengyéLingandmine,everyyearIwasinvitedtotheannualreligiousdancefestivalofDemoandattendedit.Thatyear,onthetwenty-ninthoftheeighthmonth,Iwent toattend the festival.DemoRinpochésat in thecenterof theviewinggallery, and on his right were seated other lamas: Losempa, DrakgyabChungtsang,TsangpaKhenchen,thetutortoDemoRinpoché,andmyself.Onthe left were Chinese amban Lianyu and other Chinese officials. TheministersoftheTibetancabinetandotherhigh-rankingofficialswereinfrontoftheenclosedbalconiesoneithersideoftheviewingroom.Therestofthegovernment officials were seated atop other quarters, under a tent canopy.Theviewing roomwas filledwith cigarette smoke from theChinese, and aTibetan official,DzasakChöjangDradul,was acting in a very friendly andhospitablewaytotheChinese.Iwasveryunhappyonaccountofallthis.

That evening, at the conclusion of the dance of Palden LhamoMaksorma48 and her retinue, not only did Kongtsun Demo,49 one of the

twelvetenmagoddesses50thatprotectTibet,faintinthevestibuleentranceofthemonastery, but at the end of the festival, the amban placed ceremonialscarves around the necks of each dancer. The spectators from Lhasaconsidered these tobebadomens.As ithappened,TengyéLingMonasterysufferedcompletedestructionthefollowingyearduringtheupheavalcausedbytheChinese“WaroftheWater-RatYear.”51

That autumn following the summer session atGanden, Iwas staying atmyresidenceinLhasawhenthenationalistmovementhappenedinChina.52OntheDayofDivineDescent,53politicalandideologicaldifferencesamongtheChinesepopulationeveninLhasaledtoanoutbreakofheavyconflictthatresultedincasualtiesamongthemselves.Thiscausedagreatdealofturmoil,assomeChinesemadeforcedentryintoprivatehomes,pillagingandrobbingpeopleoftheirhorsesandmules.OwingtothesechaoticconditionsinLhasa,my teacherand I stayed inacorner roomon the rooftopofaprivatehousejusttobesafe.AtthattimetheambanhadtofleefromLhasatoDrepung.

Justbefore thecelebrationon the twenty-fifthdayof the tenthmonth,54wereturnedtoGanden,andNgakrampagaveuslessonsonthedrawingandcolor composition for the celestial abodes of deities such as Guhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,Vajrabhairava, and Sarvavid.On our ownmy teacher and Idrew the deities’ abodes in color on a wall of our house at Ganden. Thedrawings came out quite well but were later destroyed in the process ofcompletely renovating the house. During the winter session I joined theintroductoryPerfectionofWisdomclassandengagedinthestudyofitstexts.We avoided going to the Great Prayer Festival that year because of thedangeroussituationcausedbytheChineseturmoilinLhasaandremainedatGandeninstead.

Thatyearthecentralgovernmentrequiredathousandmonkstoremainateach of the monasteries to defend and protect them while the rest of themonksattendedthePrayerFestival,andashareofofferingsreceivedduringthePrayerFestivalwas set aside for themonkswho stayedbehind.On thefifth night of the second month, the Chinese suddenly attacked SeraMonastery. The government ordered Ganden to hastily send about twohundredmonkstodefendSera.Bearingdaggers,spears,andmusketsadornedwithcoloredbanners—weaponstakenfromspecialroomswheredecorativeofferingsofarmshadbeenpresented tooath-boundprotectordeities— themonks setout.These“soldier”monks,whodidnothaveonhandcompletesets of lay clothes, were outfitted in mismatched clothing. Some wore theheavylayrobesovertheirmonasticvests,whileothersworemonasticbootsandwrapped their heads in the colorful cloth coversused towrap religious

texts.WhenourcontingentofmonksreachedSera,someoftheeldersopenlywept and touched their foreheads in joy, crying out, “Themonks from theseniormonasteryhavecome!”

Wealsoheardlaterthatsomeofthemonkshadtiedsmallknivesontheends of sticks with bootlaces and were running about asking where theChinesewere,claimingthattheywouldkill them.Eventually,thecombinedforceoftheTibetanarmyandmonkcontingentsfromSeraandGandendrovetheChineseoutofSeraandchased themto thesouthernoutskirtsofLhasa.MypersonalattendantLhabuandothermembersofthelabrang,whichwasinthe region south ofLhasa, alongwith eightmonks fromGandenwhowerethere to read out the entire Kangyur,55 were forced to live under Chinesecontrol fora fewmonths.During that time they ranshortof foodandotherprovisionsandweremadetodigupandtransportstonestoconstructmilitarybarricades for the Chinese. Lhabu and others ended upwith sores on theirbacks due to the hard labor and suffered intense hardship and anxiety.TheSubsequentPrayerSession,56aswellasthesummersessionatSangphu,werecanceledbecauseofthisunrest.

A classmate of mine, Ngawang Losang from the Yara region ofPhukhang,becamemyassistantandstudycompanionuntilthecompletionofmygeshéexamination.Hewasveryintelligentandsharpinhisstudies,andwe shared the same teacher. During the rainy-season session at Ganden, Irecited a treatise on the theme ofBuddha’s turning thewheel ofDharma57and debated on the same subject in the presence of the entire assembly ofmonks, along with another student who excelled in his studies, DokhangHouse’sLosangChödrakfromYangteng.Duringthisrecitation,thehomageproceduresanddebateperformancewerecarriedoffwithoutanymishapandwere successful. In accordance with the tradition for this recitation, mymanager, Lekshé Gyatso, took on the responsibility of making extensiveofferings.AllthewhilewecouldhearthesoundsofcannonfireatGanden’sNyakrongPass.

Thatyear,attherequestofthegovernment,KyabjéSerkongDorjéChangcame to Ganden to perform the exorcism ritual ofmost secret DharmarājaBlack Poison Mountain. On the day when the consecrated tormas werethrown into a burning haystack during the final outdoor ritual in themarketplace,IcouldhearRinpochéfrommyroomontopofDokhangHouseashemadetheliquidofferinginvokingthedeityinafirm,loudtoneofvoice.Rinpoché also performed similar exorcism rituals aswell as subjugation ofdemons58 and other wrathful activities dedicated to Palden Lhamo andHayagrīva.Theseritualslastedforsomemonths.

One day during this period, people discovered the heads and limbs ofsomeonecalledChözé,whohad resided at the entranceofRamoché, and ahigh-rankingChineseofficer,whohadbeenkilledbysomeoneintheGandencontingent earlier in the iron-dog year (1910). They had been among thevolunteerswhopursuedtheThirteenthDalaiLamawhenhefledtoIndia.TheheadsandlimbsofthesetwoindividualswerelaterusedinaburialritualnearDragochéGateatGanden.SerkongDorjéChangwouldperformananimatedritualdanceduringeachexorcism.Rinpochéhadverythinhairandwasratherbald.Anticipating theamusement thatwouldfollowifhisritualhatwere tofalloff,Ihopedforsuchanoccurrence.

STUDIESANDEMPOWERMENTS

Thewarhadnot ended inLhasaevenat theconclusionof the rainy-seasonretreat, so I spent twomonths in a reading retreat at the Lamotsé estate inDechen, not far from Ganden. My teacher instructed me to memorizeTsongkhapa’sEssenceofEloquence.ForthefirstfewdaysImemorizedandrecitedthetextincoherentlywithoutfullconcentration,andwhenmyteachertestedmeon thememorization, I recitedfifteenpagesof the text lookingatthemupsidedown,asmy teacherheld theminhishandwhilechecking theaccuracy of my memorization. I was then scolded and punished with alashing.Ihadtomemorizethetextfromthestart,includingallofitsseventyor so folios. I also memorized Paṇchen Sönam Drakpa’s Perfection ofWisdomcommentaryfromthetopicofthetwentytypesofsanghauptothefourthchapterinitsentirety.

At that time my mental capacity was quite good, and my abilities atmemorization and debate were improving. My teacher therefore had greathopesforandconfidenceinme,butbecauseIlackeddiligence,hewasverystrictwithme.Owingtothisseveredisciplineandconsequentlackoftimeforpersonalcare,mybodybecameinfestedwithlice.OnedaymyfriendYöntenwaspickinglicefrommywoolenbedding,andhecollectedalargecupfulofthemmixedwithbeddingfluff.

IntheninthmonthIleftforGungthangwithmyteacherandNgakrampatomakeofferingstomybirthdeity.59Myuncle,JamyangGyatso,whowasacaretaker of the place, accommodated us in the large roomwith a viewinggalleryonthetopfloorandbroughtmemealsfromhisownprivatehouseforthefewdaysIwasthere.AlthoughIwasbornintotheGungthangestateandIamatruelinealdescendantofit,AniYangzomandherhusbanddidnotevenonce,outofcourtesy,extendusadinnerinvitationwhiletheestatewasunder

their management. Another time, RinchenWangyal of Kunsangtsé and hiswife,myhalf-sister,cametoGungthangfromLhasaandstayedforoneweek.WhenNgakrampaandIwenttovisitthem,wewereservedteaandaspecialsoupdishforsupper.Apartfromthis,Iwasnotcaredfororlookedafterandwas rather avoided, likea treewithout shade.From thenonuntilmygeshéexaminations, I always stayedwithmy uncle atChökhor Ling onmy tripsbetweenGandenandLhasaduring recessperiodsandwouldnotgo tovisittheGungthangresidence.

As thewarwasstillnotover, I returned toGandenfromDechenbeforethecelebrationsof the twenty-fifthandadvanced to theseniorPerfectionofWisdom class, where we picked up our study, gradually mastering andmovingthrough“productionof theenlightenedattitude,”“instructions,”andsoon.60InthewinterrecessIleftforLhasa,andonthesixteenthdayofthetwelfthmonthofthatyear(1912),togetherwithotherlamas,IwenttopaymyrespectstoHisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLamaatareceptionceremonyatKyitsalLudingorganizedbythegovernmentontheoccasionofhisreturntothenation’scapitalfromIndia.

In my thirteenth year, the year of the water-ox (1913), I studiedcalligraphyfollowing theGreatPrayerFestivalat thebehestofNgakrampa.Samphel-la, a retired monk official, was invited to our house to teachcalligraphy to myself, Lhabu, and Tsultrim Tenzin, a nephew of DzongLekshé.Ipracticedthisforabout threemonthsduringintervalsbetweenmyotherclassesandmemorizationandrecitationperiods.

AftertheSubsequentPrayerSession,IwenttoDrepungMonasterywithmy teacher and Ngawang Losang. There in the tantric chapel of HardongHouse of Gomang College, I received oral transmission of the completeKangyur, the teachingsof theBuddha thathadbeen translated intoTibetan,theTengyurcommentarieson them, theMaṇiKabum,61 and theFather andSon Teachings of the Book of Kadam. I received these from the mostvenerable,thegreatKangyurwa,62LosangDöndenoveraperiodofmorethanthree months. The Rinpoché had a majestic presence and control over thedisciples. When some of them dozed, talked to one another, or wrote, hewouldstarewithhiseyesinatriangularshapeandpauseforamoment,whichwouldbringthestudentsundercontrolinagentlemanner.Uponcompletionof this discourse atDrepung, I returned toGanden. In accordancewith thewishes ofmy teacher, I appliedmyself with great zeal to the study of thePerfectionofWisdomfromthetwentytypesofsanghauptothethirdtopicallduring the summer and autumn.63 I practiced debate with my companionNgawang Losang and during the winter session skipped to the advanced

PerfectionofWisdomclass, takingupstudyof theeighth topic.During thefirstandsecondperiodsofthewintersessionIstudiedthefourthtopic.

Inmy fourteenthyear, after theGreatPrayerFestival in theyearof thewood-tiger (1914),BuldüVajradharaJetsunLosangYeshéTenpaiGyaltsenof Drepung’s Gomang College gave many initiations and teachings in theassembly hall of Kundeling Monastery in Lhasa at the request of TatsakHothokthu Rinpoché. Buldü Rinpoché was truly Vajradhara — an all-embracinglordofahundredbuddhafamilieswhoestablishesinthemindsofthe ocean of living beings whatever paths and fruits of the four bodies ofenlightenment in union suit them. He gave full initiations into single-deityVajrabhairava, thirteen-deity Vajrabhairava, the Ārya tradition ofAkṣobhyavajra Guhyasamāja, the Luipa tradition of sixty-two-deityCakrasaṃvara,theGhaṇṭapādatraditionoffive-deityCakrasaṃvara,andtheGreat Compassionate One according to the Bhikṣuṇī Lakṣmī tradition,together with preparation, in a painted mandala for each. Other teachingsincludedadiscourseonthreekeypointsfortheyogaofAvalokiteśvaraintheMitrayogin tradition and a discourse on the Nyen Tsembu tradition ofAvalokiteśvarayoga.64

DuringtheseteachingsthemostvenerableRinpochégaveveryprofoundandvastexpositions,includingthesubtlestdetailsofhowtoputtheteachingsintopractice.Although,asIwasofatenderage,alloftheprofoundlydifficultpointsofhis teachings couldnotpenetrate theveil ofmycomprehension, Iwasabletofollowhisinstructionsonthevariousstagesofthevisualizationsduringtheinitiationsandappliedtheminthepropercontextattheirrelevantplaces. Thanks to this, to this day I can vividly recall his explanations andevenhiscountenanceatthoseparticularmoments.Comparedtosomeelderswho, after receiving hundreds of initiations, could not do even roughvisualizations, the way in which I understood the teachings was good,consideringmyage.

During the spring session, I studied the fifth topic of Perfection ofWisdom,andinthefollowingrainyseasonIrecitedageneraldissertationandperformedadialecticaldebateontheeighthtopicofPerfectionofWisdomatGanden’smainassembly.MypartnerinthedebatewasastudentfromGowoHouse of Ganden Jangtsé well known for his scholarship. In theseperformances I did well enough that I neither disappointed those eruditemasterswhowerepresentnor embarrassedanddisgracedmyself.ThemostvenerableKhyenrapYöntenGyatso,thenGandenThroneholder,wasinvitedas chief guest for the monetary and food offerings made to the assembly.These offerings were made in all stages and varied in extent according to

traditionsprescribedinthepast.DuringthewintersessionIwaspassedintotheintroductoryMiddleWay(Madhyamakaphilosophy)class.

In my fifteenth year, the year of the wood-rabbit (1915), the Eighty-Eighth Ganden Throneholder, Venerable Khyenrap Yönten Gyatso, gave aseriesofinitiationscommencingfromtheseventeenthdayofthesixthmonthinYangpachenTempleatGandenattherequestofVenerableYeshé,aformerdisciplinarianfromTsawaHouseofJangtséCollege.Theteachingsincludedinitiations into the forty-twomandalas of theVajrāvalī,65 as established bythe great Indian master Abhayākaragupta, and initiations into the threemandalas thatgrantblissandhappiness inaccordwith theKriyāsamuccayasetdownbyPaṇḍitaDarpaṇaĀcārya.Ihadthegreathonorofreceivingtheseforty-five initiations in their entirety along with Most Venerable BuldüVajradhara,VenerableGeshéSherapGyatso(amasterproponentofthefivesciences66 fromLubumHouse ofDrepungMonastery), and other incarnatelamasand learnedgeshésexceeding sixhundred innumber.At theconductempowerment during the initiation of Cakrasaṃvara, I was given theelaboratecostumeofthedeitywithsixboneornaments,escortedaroundthemandala, andpresented to thedeity inaprocessionwithceremonialbannerandparasol.ThusIwasendowedwithimmenseprivilegeandgoodfortune.

During these initiations I was seated next to Most Venerable BuldüVajradhara. From the beginning to the conclusion of an initiation session,Vajradharasatindeepconcentrationwithoutanydistraction.BecauseofthegoodexampleandclearexpositionthatVajradharagaveduringhisinitiationsthe previous year at the Kundeling Monastery, I was able to follow thevisualizationinatokenmanner.Atthat timeIbeganstudyinggrammarandcomposition with Kyabjé Buldü Vajradhara. Rinpoché had advised me toreceive teachings on this science mainly from Venerable Geshé SherapGyatso. During the winter session I entered the advanced Middle Wayphilosophyclass.

STUDYINGGRAMMARANDCOMPOSITION

Inmysixteenthyear,theyearofthefire-dragon(1916),aftertheGreatPrayerFestival, my teacher and I invited Geshé Sherap Gyatso of LubumHouse,Gomang College of Drepung Monastery, to our retreat house at Chusang.There we studied with him in detail the root texts the Thirty Verses andIntroduction to Morphology,67 with their commentaries by Situ and DratiGeshé,foroveronemonth.GeshéRinpochéalwaysmadeuswriteexercisesin verse so as to acquire skill in versified composition. As a start, for the

exercisedealingwiththewaystoconcludesentences,Iwrotemyexerciseinverse, beginning each linewith a letter of the alphabet in sequential order.Althoughthiswasmyfirstcomposition,bychancetheverseswereratherwellwritten.ThispleasedGeshéRinpochéverymuch,andhewrote:

Notmerelyfrommylipsbutfromwithin,Itakejoyinyourgoodknowledgeofcompilingaccordingtotheorderofthealphabet.

Herewardedmewiththesewordsofapprovallikewisecomposedinversefollowing the order of the alphabet. That year at Ganden I compiled andeditedabookletofgrammaticalexercises.

Afterthecompletionofthesegrammarandcompositionstudies,Ileftforthe special summer session at Sangphu. As I was not so bad at makingdrawings of images, during the rainy season I drew the six symbols oflongevityandthefourharmoniousfriends68onthewallofmyclassmateanddebate companionNgawangLosang’s room.Under each of the drawings, Icomposedcaptionsinverse.Asacaptiontotheversesofthefourharmoniousfriends,Iwrote:

Writtenbythemelodicswanplayingintheoceanofloftyvoicethatspeakswidelyofthefivesciences.

SinceIwrotesuchaboastfulecho,GeshéSherapRinpochéwrotemealettercontainingthefollowingcompositiontopokefunatme:

His“loftyvoice”may“speakwidelyofthefivesciences”toafoolmiredinthefivedegenerationssuchasI,butwhenrefutedbyanothermasterwiseinthefivesciencesandhisclaimtoknowthefivesciencesislost,hewillgrieve.

Haha!Achildishjestbetweencloseacquaintances!Irejoiceinyouwho’sgrownuplikeachildsurpassingitsmother.StillmoredoImarvelatyourexcellentwaysthatspreadwithoutrivalyourowngloriousqualities.

It seemshewasabitputoffbymypresumptionandwasquite right tosendmesuchaletterchallengingmychildishpride.

During thewinter session, I joined theAbhidharmaclass.Before,when

studyingPerfectionofWisdomandMiddleWayphilosophy,I reliedon theworksofJéTsongkhapa,hischiefdisciples,andPaṇchenSönamDrakpaasmyprimaryreferences.Ontheadviceofmyteacher,Ialsostudiedtheworksof the FirstDalai LamaGendunDrup, the omniscient JamyangShepa, andJetsunChökyiGyaltsen.

THEPASSINGOFNGAKRAMPA

Inmyseventeenthyear,theyearofthefire-snake(1917),IwenttoDrepungaftertheGreatPrayerFestival.TherewithmyteacherIattendedtheinitiationinto the five-deity Cakrasaṃvara and the permission for the RinjungHundred69fromMostVenerableBuldüVajradhara.WhiletherewestayedatGeshé Sherap Rinpoché’s residence at Lubum House. During the GreatPrayer Festival that year, Ngakrampa was not feeling well. Before mydepartureforDrepung,hecametoseemeinmyroomandgavemetreasuredadvicefromhisheart,concealingnothingandwithtearsinhiseyes.IleftforDrepungfeelingquitesad,notknowingwhetherIwouldbeable toseehimagain.AsIsetout,tearsstreameduncontrollablyfrommyeyes.Ngakrampapassed away on the seventeenth day of the second month, during thediscourseatDrepung.Iwastormentedbyintolerablegriefuponhearingthenewsofhisdeath.

ThelateNgakrampawasborninthefourteenthcycle,inthewood-dragonyear(1844),inthefamilyofAyikThangoofthetowncalledAlaNgodroké,whichbelongedtothethreedistrictsofSho,Tar,andLhointheprovinceofKham. He entered the monastery of Arik and studied its traditional texts.LaterwhenhecametoCentralTibet,helivedinGungruHouseatDrepungandwasenrolledatGyütöTantricCollege.Hestudiedindetailtheritualsofthe monastery’s ancient tradition. Joining the ranks of ritual masters, hebecameprominent among them throughhis expertise in the construction ofthecoloredsandmandalasandtheartofritualsculpture.Hereceivedavastnumberofdiscourses,oral transmissions,andinitiationswithdevotionfromnumerouslamaswhoencompassedallgoodqualities.Thesegreatlearnedandaccomplished lamas included the great tutor Tatsak Gendun Gyatso, theKangyurwa Lhotrul Ngawang Khyenrap Tenpai Wangchuk, the greatGomang abbot Khyenrap Tenpa Chöphel, Gungtrul Rinpoché KhyenrapPalden Tenpai Nyima, and Losang Lungtok Tenzin Trinlé, the previousincarnationofTutorKyabjéLingRinpoché.

Hehadalso studiedastrologyofvarious types toa levelofmastery.Atonetime,ontheadviceofthegreattutorLingRinpoché,hewenttohisnative

province, completed a major retreat of Vajrabhairava in its entirety, thenreturned to Central Tibet and remained at the tantric college as before.Heheld the position of house master of Amdo House and served the tantriccollegewithloyaltyanddedicationindifferentcapacities.Hesharedwithmemany accounts of his efforts at various times, but Iwill not relate themallhere.Heservedforfiveyearsasthemanagerofmypredecessor,theEighty-FifthGandenThroneholderLosangTsultrimPalden,fromthetimewhenmypredecessor was the abbot of Gyütö Tantric College until he ascended theGandenthrone.

Unlikethecustomthatdevelopedlater,until1920theabbotsofthetantriccolleges and theGandenThroneholder had to administer and supervise themaintenanceandfunctionofvariousfarmlandsandhadtoprovidescheduledand special offerings to themonksof their respectivemonasteries.The lateNgakrampadideverythingrequiredofhimaccordingtotheresponsibilitiesoftheposition,withoutnegligence.Provisionswereoffered to themonkswiththe best means, without seeking easy solutions. They were of the highestqualityandnot“themildewedbitsofcheeseandyellowedvegetableleaves,”asaTibetanmaximsays.ThelateNgakrampaassumedtheprincipalburdenofresponsibilityafterthedeathofmypredecessortocompletevariousritualofferings and to construct his reliquary stupa atYangpachen, thememorialhallofGandenThroneholders.

Aftertakingcareoftheproceduresformydiscoveryasthereincarnation,the late Ngakrampa handed over his responsibilities and duties to LekshéGyatso,aformerofficialofthemonasticmanagementwhowasanephewofmypredecessor.Ngakramparemainedwithmeandbecameaconstantclosecompanion, beginning with the primary reading lessons he gave me atChusangRetreatHouseandcontinuinguntilhepassedaway.Hebroughtmeupwith a loving care and immense kindness that suffered in nowaywhencompared to that ofmy own parents.As Imentioned above, he taughtmerecitalchanting,theformulaeofastrologyaccordingtotheJedrupschool,linemeasurements and color composition of the mandalas for all tantriccategories, construction of three-dimensional mandalas, the propitiationrituals for the protector deities of the traditions exclusive to the tantriccolleges,andthestylesoftheirrituals,includingmudrāgestures.

HealsoinstructedmeinthevariousritualofferingstoDharmarāja.Everynowandthenhewouldtellmeaboutthetraditionsandproceduresrelatedtotheannualcurriculumandritualsessionsatthetantriccollege,includingtherules and customs of assembly and dispersal of the daily sessions and theduties and functions of monastic officials. As he informedme of all these

customs fromhis own experience andknowledge, fully and authoritatively,withoutanypretenseoftheeightworldlyconcerns,Iwasquitewellpreparedandknowledgeable about theprocedures at the tantric college, even thoughnewlyenrolled,whenIstudiedtherefollowingthecompletionofthecourseofstudyforthegeshédegree.

During the annual study session atDrakYerpa, Iwas fully prepared todemonstrateandrelatetotheabbotwithfullconfidenceinmyknowledgeofthemajor dimensional lines of themandalas. Iwas also able to serve as asourceof informationoncustomand tradition for junior students.ThiswassolelyduetothelateNgakrampa,theheavyburdenofwhosekindnesswouldbedifficulttorepayevenwitheonsspenttrying.

Hereisanaccountofhisactivitiesforasingleday.Hewouldriseearlyinthe morning, at the first cockcrow, wash, and review the daily activitiesrequiredofamonk.After thishewouldblesshisspeech, repeatmantrasoftransformation to intensify the effects of his deeds, and engage in thefollowingpracticesinsetsofonehundred:recitationofthemiktsemawiththeHundredDeitiesofTuṣitaprayer,takingrefugeinthefourcirclesofrefuge,andrecitationofonerosaryofthehundred-syllablemantraofVajrasattvainthe context of the meditational liturgy of Vajrabhairava. After a certainnumberofrecitationsofthemantraofVajrabhairavaatleisureataboutdawn,hewouldconcludehispresentationofthetormaofferingstoVajrabhairavaatthesectionoftheritualmanualforDharmarāja.Whilechantingtheversesofdescription, the long and short forms of the propitiation and declaration, aswell as thepraiseofDharmarāja in full, hewould fill a setofonehundredoffering bowlswith freshwater.He undertook a longevity retreat based onWhite Tārā and made various other offerings in sets of one hundredspecificallyformyownwell-being.

Aftertheseroutineofferingshewouldhavehismorningteaandtsampa.Thenhewouldtendtomystudies,suchasreadingpracticeandtestingmeonmemorizationofthenewmaterialinthelessonsforritualchanting.Fromthatpoint he would continue withmore ritual practices, such as performing anelaborate form of purification ritual in connection with the preliminarypracticeentitledPracticeoftheSixPreliminariesCalled“DharmaOrnamentof Mount Meru.”70 Other practices included offering mandalas inaccumulative numbers, and one hundred prostrations while reciting theconfessionofmisdeeds.Then,whilerepeatingfive thousandtimes themainmantrasyllablesofSecretHayagrīvainthecontextofitsmeditationalliturgyfor self-generation according to the Kyergang tradition,71 he would walkthroughandlookaroundthesurroundingsoftheteachingyardandgardenof

Chusang.At noon, after recitation of the Sutra of Remembering Refuge

(Triśaraṇagamanasūtra),hetooklunch,leavingasideadedicatedportionoffood,followedbyanofferingofburntsesameseedsdedicatedtoVajraḍāka.72Fromthefirstcleanportionofthefood,hepressedaboutonehundredsmallstatuesoftheBuddha,usingametalimpressionblock,whilerecitingthetextofrequesttotheguruseenasinseparablyonewithMahākālaasmanytimesashecould.Thenheengagedinthefollowingroutineofprayers:themantrasyllables of Samayavajra for one round of his rosary, the Prayer ofShambhala and, for my benefit, the Prayer of the Sixteen Arhats, thelongevity prayer composed for me, a Hayagrīva averting ritual calledVictorious Powerful Weapon, two short sutras entitled Armlet73 andEliminating the Darkness of the Ten Directions(Daśadigandhakāravidhvaṃsana), the twelve complete chapters of the roottantraofGuhyasamāja, the first chapterof the root tantraofCakrasaṃvara,and the Verse Summary of the Perfection of Wisdom(Ratnaguṇasaṃcayagathā).Atthispoint,hewouldcircumambulatetheouterperipheryoftheChusangretreatcomplex.

After his afternoon tea, again for the success of my activities, heperformed the mantras and self-generating liturgies of the five-deity secretKurukulle,themeditationandrecitationofBlackGaruḍa,followingwhichhewouldrepeatthemantraofAvalokiteśvaraaboutthree-thousandtimes.Hedidthesix-sessionguruyogaeverymorningandevening.Onthethreeninths74hemade elaborate offerings toDharmarāja, and on the eighth, fullmoon, andnewmoonofthemonth,heperformedthecleansingpracticeformebasedontheHayagrīvaandVajravidāraṇa rituals alternately.Becauseheused to sayhis daily prayers, perform the rituals, and read the scriptures at leisure andwith complete claritywithout any rush, I came to remembermost of thembecauseofclearlyhearingthem.Duringmyenrollmentinthetantriccollege,IcouldrecitetheRootTantraofGuhyasamājainthecompanyofothers,theonlyshortcomingbeingmyinability to recite itallbymyselfalone.DuringhisstayatLhasaandGanden,hecircumambulatedtheirouterperipheryatthestartofmantrarecitationsofHayagrīva,sayingthemantrawhilewalkinginthemornings.

AlthoughthelateNgakrampadidnotacquirethescholastictitlesofeithergeshéorkaram,hisknowledgeoftheteachingsofbothsutraandtantrawasvast and diverse, as he had received discourses, oral transmissions, andinitiationsinthepresenceofmanysupremelyqualifiedlamas.Asmentionedearlier,thedepthofhispracticeofwhathehadlearnedcannotbecapturedby

thecommonmoniker“retreat-househermit.”He was also stable and perceptive in secular matters. The depth of his

visioncouldbecomparedtothatofBrahma’swisdom.Earlier,whenheheldthe responsible position of housemaster at Amdo House of Gyütö TantricCollege,allthemonkshadhigheresteemforhimthanforothers.Asforthestate of my labrang: when my predecessor died, the monasteries under itsjurisdictionandmanyotherfactionswithinthemonasterytookadvantageofthesituation,lookingforachancetocastblameandmakevariousaccusationsin order toweaken the standing of the labrang.At that time hemaintainedself-control and looked after the administration of the labrang without anylackofefficiency,likeamajesticmountainthatnoonecouldmove.

Duringthestagesofillhealthpriortohisdecease,hetooktheMahayanapreceptsdailyandsustainedhimselfonjustmilkwithoutanysolidfood.Hehad a set of deity costumesmade todress his body at death andhadgiveninstructionsontheproceduresforhiscremationtoNyitsoTrinléofChatrengandDzongsurLekshé,whowereattendinghimduringhissickness.Foroneyear prior to his death he practiced the meditation of the transference ofconsciousness each night before going to bed. The type he practiced wascalled “shooting the arrow through the skylight.”75 These actions, and allother points of view, confirmed that he was truly a great spiritual master,repletewitheverytypeofquality.Uponreachingtheageofseventy-four,onthe seventeenth day of the second month in the fire-snake year (April 9,1917),histhoughtsascendedtoarealmofpeace.

FINANCIALDIFFICULTIES

After the Subsequent Prayer Session, once again in the tantric chapel atHardongHouse,Drepung,IreceivedaninitiationintoSecretHayagrīvafromMostVenerableBuldüVajradhara.OtherteachingsthatwereceivedincludedthehundredsetsofpermissionfortheSurkaCycleofsādhanas,discoursesonAśvaghoṣa’sFiftyVersesonGuruDevotion,Candragomin’sTwenty VersesontheBodhisattvaVow,andaversifiedtextexplaininginfractionsoftherootvowsoftantra.

In my eighteenth year, the earth-horse year (1918), from about thebeginningofthefirstmonth,thestateofhealthoftreasurerDzongsurLekshéGyatsogrewincreasinglypoor.Itwasn’tpossibletoturnhisconditionaroundwithmedicaltreatmentorritualcures,andhepassedawayonthefirstdayofthethirdmonth.UpuntilthattimeDzongsurhadborneallresponsibilityforour labrang. My teacher and I had been fully absorbed in religious study

withoutperforminganyofthedutiesassociatedwiththelabrang,sowehadno practical experience running a labrang. In the absence of anyone elsecapable of carrying out those duties, the burden ofmaintaining the labrangfell to us. After taking stock of the records and other possessions in thetreasurer’sroom,wefoundthatthelabranghadbarelyanycash—notevenahundred sang. As the late Dzongsur had been stricken with a prolongedillnesspriortohisdeath,therewereonlyoneandahalftang76ofbutterandseveral packages of brick tea in our stores, and all other provisions werenearly exhausted. We had to borrow money to cover the late Dzongsur’sfuneral,offeringrituals,andothernecessities.

Dzongsurappearedtohavebeenacapablepersonandpeopleheldhiminhigh regard. In his attempt to further establish the labrang, he had madeextensiveloans.Hopingtocollectontheseloans,wesearchedforanylegalrecord of them. Not only did we fail to find receipts for loans made, wediscoveredasmallblackbookcontainingalistofloansthathadbeenmadetothe labrang and themonthly interest owed to various government agenciesandprivateindividuals.Thegrandtotaloftheloansamountedto294tamdo.We had to take an additional loan of six tamdo for the late Dzongsur’smemorial offering rituals, which brought the total owed to three hundredtamdo. As money was relatively scarce in Tibet at the time, owing threehundred tamdo then was an exceedingly heavy burden, like owing thirtythousand tamdo later when the Communist Chinese came to Tibet [in the1950s].Manyofthemerchantsfromwhomtea,fabricforclothing,andotheritems had been purchased were constantly demanding payment. We weretrappedinthenetofserioushardship.

TheattemptedChineseoccupationinthewater-ratyear(1912)happenedjustafterthelateNgakrampahadhandedovertheresponsibilityofmanagingthelabrangtoDzongsurLekshé,whichgreatlydisruptedthings.Wehadalsospent a great sum for the feasts and offerings associated with my initialenrollment at Ganden and examinations before the assembly77 at variousstages.

Other than three dairy farms, the labrang held not even a palm-sizedparcel of farmland.Althoughwe leased these three dairy farms annually inorder to covermonastic needs,most of the residentmanagers of the farmswererelatedtooneanother,andsotheincomewewereabletoderivefromthemwasnegligible.AsthegreatyogiMilarepasaid:

Althoughthunder,lightning,andsoutherncloudsappear,theyappearfromtheskyitself;

althoughtheydisappear,theydisappearintotheverysamesky—whatnaturallyappearsdisappearsnaturallytoo.

Althoughrainbows,fog,andmorningmistappear,theyappearfromtheairitself;althoughtheydisappear,theydisappearintotheverysameair—whatnaturallyappearsdisappearsnaturallytoo.

That is exactly how it was. The labrangwas outwardly big but hollowwithin, like a Bönpo’s drum. Except while attending the Great PrayerFestivalsinLhasa,myuppergarmentalwaysborefiveorsixpatches,andmyother robes were also heavily patched all throughout my time at themonastery.Iwasforcedtorelymostlyontsampaandvegetablesformydailysustenance.Wheneversomeonepassingtheirgeshéexamsinvitedmetotheircelebratory feast or a monastic official made an offering required by hisstatus, or someone invited me to perform rituals at their home, I wouldexperienceecstaticjoyinanticipationofitthenightbefore.Iusedtosecretlysaveoneor two tamkar from thehonoraria received for theperformanceofrituals and send Lhabu,my close attendant, to the restaurants to buy somemomos during my stays in Lhasa. Sometimes I would smuggle in simpledishesfromfriendsinthetantriccollegeandeattheminsecrecywithoutmystewardnoticing.

Money was scarce but food was cheap in that period. The cost of onequarter of a dried sheep from Yardrok was three sho initially and later itincreasedtofive.Iusedtobuyandeatitprivately.Becauseofthepaucityofmylivelihood,IusedtoenvytheaffluenceofthetulkusofSeraandDrepungwhen attending theGreatPrayerFestival and subsequent sessions.Yet it isfittingthatIexperiencedabitofhardshipatthattime.AsBenGungyalsaid,“Beforemymouth found no food; now food doesn’t findmymouth.” Thefactthatmywelfareinthislifeisnototherthanitishasbeenduesolelytothegraceofmyspiritualmasters.

PREPARATIONSFORTHEGESHÉLHARAMDEGREE

That year during the summer session at Sangphu, I read and gave thetransmission ofEight Thousand Verse Perfection ofWisdom to a group ofeighty monks at the request of a monk from Dokhang House of ShartséCollege. As I had memorized the root text of Vasubandhu’s Treasury ofAbhidharma in previous years, I could recite it with total mastery. By

diligently studying it later alongwith the FirstDalai LamaGendunDrup’scommentary,IlluminationofthePathtoFreedom,andinvestigatingitcloselyusing the step-by-step account given in the commentaries of Sera MéGyalwangChöjéandChimJampalyang,Iwasabletoextractthemeaningofall eight chapters of the root text and commentary of theTreasury withouterror.

At that timeVenerableLodröChöphelofNyakréHouse, the incumbentabbotofShartséCollegewhoSerkongDorjéChangofGandenheldinhighesteemasoneofhismostlearneddisciples,wasveryfondofbothmyteacherandmyself.Becauseofthis,aftercarefulconsiderationhepromotedmeasacandidateforthegeshélharamexaminationduringtheGreatPrayerFestivaloftheearth-sheepyear(1919).ItisgenerallythetraditionofShartséCollegethatonecannottransferdirectlyfromAbhidharmaclasstoVinayaclassuntilonehasattainedtherankofgeshédoramorlingsé.78Makinganexceptioninmy case, he permittedme to transfer to theVinaya class during the rainy-seasonsessioninordertofacilitatemystudyofthesubject.

In addition to my complete memorization of the Versified Vinaya bySharchen Ngawang Tsultrim of Mé College of Sera, I studied pertinentsections of importance from the omniscient Tsonawa’s commentary on theVinaya and received teachings on them during the rainy-season period. Inaccordance with the ancient traditions of the monastery, I recited adissertation on an important chapter of the Vinayavastu at the commonassemblyandadissertationontheTreasuryofAbhidharma in theassemblyofShartséCollege.

I took great interest and joy in the melodious chanting of the ritualinvocation of the protector deities and in other uniquely stylized monasticchants and pursued their study and practice.Also I had been attending thescheduled annual sessions of the above-mentioned rituals regularly. At theinsistenceof the chorus and chanting experts, I compiled andwrote for thechant texts unique to the college a melody that differed from previouslyexistingmelodies.Mymelodywasclearerandmorepreciseand introducednewmusicalnotation.Ihandwrotethebookwithacompositionforthenoteswithinthecolophonattheendofthetext.

Beforethecommemorativefestivalofthetwenty-fifthofthetenthmonth,I recited thirty pages fromTsongkhapa’sEssence of Eloquence and sat forexamsinthemainassemblyhallasarequirementforthegeshédoramdegree.During the two-day debate session, scholars from both Shartsé and Jangtsécolleges put forth questions on various topics to me, and I answered wellenoughnottodisgracemystatusaslama.MypartneratthiseventwasGeshé

ChödenpaofTsawaHouseofJangtséCollege,alearnedscholarandamanofgood character. He was later appointed abbot of Jangtsé College by theThirteenthDalaiLama.Ontheverydayoftheconclusionofmydoramexam,agovernmentmessengerdispatchedfromthecourtofHisHolinesstheDalaiLamaattheNorbulingkaPalaceinLhasaarrivedwithanorderthatallthosetakingthegeshéexamsofthelharamandtsokramcategoriesshouldcometotheKalsangPalaceoftheNorbulingkaatsunriseintwodaystoappearbeforethe examboard to debate. The next daymy teacher,myself, andNgawangLosang left Ganden on horseback and arrived in Lhasa the same day.WewenttotheGakassemblycourtintheNorbulingkaPalaceatsunrisethenextday.

Until the previous year, candidates for the geshé lharam degree wereappointedby theabbotsof themonasteries,and itwasn’tcustomary for thegovernment to examine lharam candidates further. Quite unexpectedly, thegeshé candidates of the prior year had been examined at the Norbulingka.Following that debate examination, the abbots of the monasteries weresummonedandreprimandedforchoosingcandidateswhowerenotproperlyprepared. However, since that was the first debate examination that thegovernment held, the abbots were told that their candidates would beapprovedbutthatiffuturecandidatesdidnotmeetthehighstandardsofgeshéscholarship,notonlywouldtheybedisqualified,butnecessaryactionwouldbe taken against the abbots themselves. Because of this, I was tense andapprehensiveforthefirsttwodaysoftheexam.

The debate sessionswere held in the sunlight room of theNorbulingkaPalaceinthepresenceofthelordchamberlain,TenpaDargyé,andTsenshapRinpoché fromDeyangCollege ofDrepung, assistant tutor toHisHolinessthe Thirteenth Dalai Lama. Sometimes His Holiness himself observed thedebatesinconspicuouslyfrombehindadoorcurtaininaroomonthesecondfloor.Thegeshécandidateswerenotallowed todiscuss topicsof theirownchoosing when their turn to debate came up. Deyang Tsenshap Rinpochémonitoredthedebatesbyselectinglinesfromthetextsandbringinguppointsthat were difficult to interpret. Some geshés, unable to recall the assignedtopics,simplypacedbackandforthandwereforcedtoswitchtopics.Luckily,I encountered no such obstacles. Although at times I could not defend ascripturalpointwhenquestioned, Iwasnever leftutterly in thedarkdue tounfamiliaritywith the topics raisedandwasnot forced to remain silent andperplexed.

After the exam I returned to Ganden feeling anxious and dreading thegovernment’s announcement. The others in my group were Uchu Muchin

Sokpo Hothokthu of Gomang from Mongolia, Denma Tulku of Sera Jé,PomraRatakofSeraMé,andSamlingBatharofDokhangHouse.Theabovefourcolleaguesweredetainedor told to remain inLhasa for the timebeingandheardneithergoodnorbadnewsabout their exam results for amonth.Later,Hothokthuwasfinedtengoldsang,DenmaTulkuwasfinedfive,andPomraRatakandBatharofGandenShartséwerefinedonegoldsangeach,andtheywerebarelyallowedtoretaintheirgeshétitles.

Later,GeshéBatharcelebratedthecompletionofhisgeshéexaminationsand made his offerings to the monks during the second part of the wintersession.Imademygeshélharamcandidacyofferingsatthebeginningoftheeleventh month during the first part of the winter session. At the mainassembly I offered tea twice, a rice meal of pudding rich in butter andassorteddriedfruitandmonetarygiftsoftwotamforeachmonk.AtShartséCollege, inaddition to theofferingsof teaandrice,eachmonkwasofferedtwo tam issued by the Ganden Phodrang government and one antique tamcointogetherwithaplainceremonialscarf.AsagifttotheShartséCollege,Ioffered a set of three brocade appliqué thangkas of the three deities oflongevityandapairofantiquecymbalsforusebythechantmasterduringtheannualpropitiationritual. Imadeofferings to themonksofDokhangHousethatweresimilartotheofferingsmadeinShartsé.Alargesilverbutterlampand four drimo79 brought from our dairy farm at Dechen Balamshar wereoffered as gifts to the house. Similar offerings were made at Samling,affiliatedwithDokhangHouse,withadonationofcapitalfortheirNewYearoffering fund. At Jangtsé College and at Serkong House and its branchSamlingMitsen,offeringsof teaand twosilver tamwerepresented toeachmonk.

IsatfordebatequestioningfortwodaysinthedebatecourtyardofShartséand attended all-night debate sessions at Dokhang and Sokpa houses ofShartsé and at Lubum, Gyalrong, and Trehor houses of Jangtsé. After theofferingsatGanden,onthewaytoLhasawemadetokenofferingsatChötriandSimkhangSharatTsalGungthang.On theeighthof the twelfthmonth,thegeshésdrewlotstodeterminethedatesoftheirexams.ThiswasdoneatDrepunginthepresenceofapersonalrepresentativeofHisHolinessandtwoabbotswhowouldmoderatetheexams.Myteacherwentonmybehalf,andthedateformyexaminationwassetforthesixthofthefirstmonth.

MYGESHÉLHARAMEXAMINATION

IwastotakemygeshélharamexaminationduringtheGreatPrayerFestival

inmynineteenthyear,theyearoftheearth-sheep(1919).Onthethirdofthefirstmonth,thedaywhenseatingarrangementsweremadefortheoccasion,IhadanaudiencewithHisHolinessattheNorbulingka.Ontheactualdayofmy examination, the sixth, I had to orally present dissertations on the fivetreatisesontheBuddha’sword80duringthethree“wet”sessions81andhadtoorallypresentonLogicandEpistemologyintheteachingcourtyardduringthemorningsession,onthetopicsofMiddleWayphilosophyandthePerfectionof Wisdom during the afternoon session, and on Vinaya and Abhidharmaduring the evening session. Although it would be difficult to say that myintentionswerebasedonpure renunciation, the enlightenedattitude, and soforth,mymotivationwasnotstainedbyhope,fear,orarrogance.ThusIwasabletorespondwithwhatIhonestlyknewtowhateverwasaskedanddidnotpretendthatIsawwhatIdidnotorknewwhatIdidnot.AlthoughmanygreatscholarsfromSeraandDrepunghurledprobingquestionsatme,atleastIdidnothavetoanswerwithmereguesses,liketakingmeasurementsinthedark.

OntheseventhIpresentedasumofmoneytotheofferingcommitteefora tea offering at the noon session and offered one tam to eachmonk. Therepresentatives ofGanden Shartsé and other houses, aswell as friends andclose associates, came in largenumbers andpresentedgifts and ceremonialscarvestocongratulatemeontheoccasionofbecomingalharamgeshé.Myteacher Geshé Sherap Rinpoché, other geshés, and many close friendsexpressed theirpleasureatmyperformance thepreviousday.Asmentionedearlier, sincemy labrangwasheavily indebtandwehadno resourceswithwhich to make offerings, we sold a butter lamp from the time of mypredecessor, some silver objects including a tea-offering set, a large goldamuletshrinebox,andsomerobes,theproceedsfromthesaleofwhichwasjust enough to cover the expenses for themoney, rice, and other offerings.The quantity of butter provided from our dairy farm at Dechen Balamsharwas almost sufficient, with some extra quantities borrowed from othersources, so we didn’t have to take out loans specifically for the geshéofferings.

I attended all the sessions without exception during the Great PrayerFestival and fulfilled what was required according to tradition. It wascustomary to confer the geshé degrees in grades and present awards tooutstandinggeshésduringaconvocationceremonyattheresidentialpalaceofHisHolinesstheDalaiLamainLhasafollowingthetorma-castingritual.82

The geshés had an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama andreceived theirgrades andawards.Thatyear, asHisHoliness theThirteenthDalaiLamawasengagedinacompletemeditationalretreatonVajrabhairava

attheNorbulingka,theabbotsandwegeshéswerereceivedbyHisHolinessin his room. At the palace court entrance, the chief secretary of the upperbranchofgovernment[consistingofmonasticofficials]readoutthenamesofthe geshés according to their grades. In the top category were ThuptenNyingpoofBuryatiafromHardongHouseofDrepungGomangandMinyakTashiTongdüofDrepungLoseling,who laterbecameNinety-FifthGandenThroneholder.InthesecondcategorywereGönpoTseringofMongoliafromHardongHouseofJéCollegeatSeraandTauTsewangGönpofromTrehorHouseofJangtséCollegeatGanden.InthethirdcategorywereDemoTulkuRinpochéfromLoselingCollegeandmyself.

Duringtheceremonywesatintheorderofourcategories,andtheotherswho weren’t placed in any particular category sat behind us in order ofmonastic seniority. As the Hothokthu83 did not attain a geshé degree withhonors,hewasseatedbehindusnearthedooronathronewithabackrest,towhichhewasentitledbyhis rank.Since thiswasunprecedented, it seemedstrange.Everyonewasservedteaandceremonialsweetrice,andtherankedgeshéswereawardedgifts.DemoRinpochéandIreceivedayellowrobe,anuppergarment,ayellowhat,aceremonialscarf,andtwoblocksofteaforourgeshécategory.Thuseverythingwentwellwithmygeshéexamination,andIdidnotneedtobedepressedorfeelembarrassedbydisappointingmylearnedmasters.

AtthispointIrealizedthataftersuchalengthypursuitofreligiousstudyandofcriticalreflectiononthemeaningofscriptureswithdedicatedeffort,ifIdidnotnaildowntheirapplicationthroughpractice,thenmydiligentstudyofscripturewouldhavebeenmerelyanintellectualexercisetomeettheneedsofthemoment,resultingonlyintemporarybenefit,andthatforgettingthemas the years passed,my educationwould evaporate like a rainbowbody oflight,only to remainahalf-remembereddream.After thecompletionof theexaminationactivitiesattheGreatPrayerFestival,Irestedforafewdaysinarelaxedstateofmind,likethepratyekabuddhasoftheHinayanatraditionwhosay,“Ihavecompletedmyworkandknowofnootherstateofexistencethanthis.”

Once again between the sessions of the Great Prayer Festival and theSubsequentPrayerSession, every day Iwent to theNorbulingka to requestinstructionfromGeshéSherapGyatso,whowaslivingtherewhileeditingaprintingoftheKangyur.WestudiedtheroottextMirrorofPoetics84andthemiddlechapterofitscommentary,MelodytoDelightSarasvatī.85Previouslywhen I had studied grammar and composition, I had always done theexercises in verse, so I was able to present my poetry exercises at the

appropriate sectionsdue to familiaritywithverse composition. I planned tostudythefirstandlastchaptersinorder,butthishadtobepostponedbecauseIneededtoattendtantriccollegesessionsanddiscourses.

ORDINATION,PRACTICE,STUDY,ANDMEMORIZATION

Theprenatalmonthswereaddedtomyage,86andinthesecondmonthoftheearth-sheep year (1919), in an assembly of ten monks at the NorbulingkaPalaceduring theSubsequentPrayerSession, I receivedfullordinationasabhikṣu from the great preceptor, holder of the Vinaya, perfect lord of theBuddha’steachings,mentionofwhosenameismeaningful,HisHolinesstheGreatThirteenthDalaiLamaJetsunNgawangLosangThuptenGyatsoJikdralWangchuk Choklé Nampar Gyalwai Dé Palsangpo, who acted as jointpreceptor and master.87 Deyang Tsenshap Rinpoché Tenzin Trinlé Özer88acted as the interviewing master,89 and Venerable Jampa Sönam, theKālacakramasterofNamgyalMonastery,actedastimekeeper.JangtséChöjéJampaChödrak fromTrehorHouseofDrepungLoseling andSharpaChöjéLosangGyaltsenfromLawaHouseofSeraJéCollege—bothofwhomlaterbecameGandenThroneholder—werealsopresent.

AtthispointIwouldliketomentionthefollowing.Fromthetimethatmyvenerable teacherarrivedat thehouseuntil I left tostudyat tantriccollege,the teacher was my constant residential companion. Daily I rose at aboutdawn, and after reciting the devotional practices of theHundredDeities ofTuṣitaandChantingtheNamesofMañjuśrīand theself-generationsādhanaofVajrabhairava,IwouldmemorizeaboutoneandahalffoliosofwhicheversectionofasubjectIwasonuntilmorningtea.Everydayaftermorningtea,Iwouldattendmorningandeveningdebatesandotherprayersessions,withoutmissing any, throughout the four seasons of Dharma instruction at themonastery.Iwoulddebateforlongperiodslateintotheeveninguntilafterteno’clock. I would always attend either the noon prayer session or the noondebatesession. Inbetween thesevarioussessionsmyteacherwould instructmeorIwouldpracticedebatewithmyclassmateNgawangLosang.Myearsand palms would become chapped and inflamed due to the extreme coldduringthewintersessions.Evenso,Ineverconsidereditahardshipandwasnotdespondentorreluctanttoattenddebatesessionseveryday.

WhileinLhasa,myteacherwouldgooutonalongcircumambulationofthe city during recess after themorning lessons.During this time I had theopportunitytoplayvariousgamesormakedrawings,behaviorsmoretypicalofmychildishage.Justbeforemyteachercompletedhiscircumambulation,a

nearby piece of furniture would always emit a creaking sound. If Iimmediatelyputawaymytoysandplaythingsandsatproperlyinthepretenseofstudy,myteacherwouldn’tscoldmewhenhearrived.Byrelyingonthatsound, Icouldplay totallyatease.Such instancesofbeingcaredforby theprotector with nameGyalchenDorjé duringmy childhood play, as if by alovingmother,aretoomanytocount.

DuringrecessatthemonasteryandwhileinLhasa,Irecitedtextsontherooffromeveninguntilelevenatnight.WheneverIomittedlines,unabletorememberthem,orrecitedthewordsofthetextsunclearlyduetosleepiness,my teacher would scold or beat me when I returned to my room. Untilstudents reach the advancedMiddleWay class, they are required to recitetextbooks by heart in front of the abbot during thewinter session. Two orthreeyearsinarowIwasawardedfirstplaceforrecitingonethousandfoliosfrom memory and received special ceremonial silk scarves for theachievement.

In addition to a set of the Narthang edition of the entire Kangyur, forseveralyearsacompletehandwrittencopyofaKangyurfromthelibraryofTengyé LingMonasterywas also kept inmy residence. This Kangyur hadbeengiventoGandenMonasterybythegovernmentafterthefallofTengyéLing Monastery during the conflict with the Chinese in Lhasa during thewater-rat year (1912). Soon after receiving the oral transmission on theKangyurat theageof thirteen, I readall thirteenvolumesonVinaya in theKangyur.As I found themvery fascinating, Iwenton togradually read theentireKangyurwithincreasingenthusiasm.Afterward,Ireadthecollectionofpraises and over half the sections on sutra, tantra, andmany aspects of thefieldofAbhidharmaintheTengyur.

Expectingthatmyteacherwouldscoldmeforreadingthem,Iwouldkeephalf a volumehidden in a cabinet next tomybed and read themwhenmyteacher went out sometimes during the day.Most of the time I read themsilentlybythelightofanoillamp,fortytofiftyfoliosatatime,sittingupinmybedatnightaftermydaily recitationof texts,whenmyteacherhad leftforhisroomtosleep.

AlsoatLhasaandatChusangRetreatHouse,wekeptavastcollectionofbookssuchasthecollectedworksandbiographiesofJéTsongkhapaandhischief disciples,90 the Dalai Lamas, the Paṇchen Lamas, and many otherlamas. There were also books on sutra, tantra, general knowledge, andcompendiaofmiscellaneousworks.IcansaythatthereisscarcelyanybookamongthosethatIhavenotread.Iwouldreadthemwheneveranopportunityarose,upuntilmydeparturetoChatrenginthewood-birdyear(1924).During

myyears in theKhamregion,aswell asafter I returned toCentralTibet, Icontinued to read and study the works and teachings of many lamas fromeverytraditionofTibetanBuddhism.ButasexplainedintheHundredVersesonWisdom:

Knowledgeremaininginthescriptures,mantrawithoutaccomplishment,andstudiesthataresoonforgottenwillallletyoudownatyourtimeofneed.91

Likeachildgazingatthesightsinatemple,anylastinglegacyofwhatIhadexperiencedwasnomorethanthehornsofarabbit.

AftertheSubsequentPrayerSession,IenrolledatGyütöTantricCollegeand then proceeded to Ütö Chuda to attend the spring session of tantriccollege. There I received the explanation and transmission of theGuhyasamāja with its four interwoven commentaries92 from the abbot,LosangTsöndrüofGyalrongHouseofSeraMéCollege.FromthereIwenttoGanden for thesummersessionandsuccessivelyattended the torma-castingritualinLhasa.FollowingthesessionatSera,thecollegewenttoDrakYerpatoobservethelatterpartoftherainyseason.Whileinsessionthere,thenewgeshés sat for examination in debate concerning tantric subjects and weretrainedindrawingmandaladiagramsforsevendays.Iattendedallof them,includingthethree-daydrawingofthegridforinspectionbytheabbotandthedean.Duringthis,theabbotandthedeanwouldtestthegeshésonthethree-dimensional mandalas of Guhyasamāja, Vajrabhairava, and Cakrasaṃvaraandtheirsymbolism.Theritualassistantsweretestedonthecolorformationsandthenovicesontheroottextsdealingwiththeproportionsofthemandalas.I sat in the front row,anddue to thekindnessof the lateNgakrampa Iwasabletorespondcorrectlytothequestionswhenthegeshéswereexaminedonthethree-dimensionalmandalas.

AtDrakYerpawecompletedthecoursesofstudyonthefourinterwovencommentariesonGuhyasamājaandontheCakrasaṃvaraRootTantraalongwithitscommentary,Tsongkhapa’sElucidationofAllHiddenPoints.Atthattime,Rikzin, ageshéandmypredecessor’snephewand representative, andtwomonksfromGyütöTantricCollegewhohadservedashisritualassistantsreturned from theThorgö regionofMongolia after several years.Theyhadbeen sent to Mongolia by the late Dzongsur Lekshé to perform religiousservicesand to raise funds.The labranghad takena large loan tocover theinitialprovisionsfor their journey.After the labranghadpaidback the loanand the intereston the loananddivided theremaining incomefromthe trip

amongthefourmembers,theprofitwasnegligible.Itwasmerelyenoughtostirupgossipabouttheirtrip.FromthatpointmyteacherandIturnedoverallaspectsofworldlyresponsibilityforthelabrangtoRikzin.AfterthesessionatYerpa,IattendedthetwoautumnsessionsinLhasa,thesubsequentsessionsatthePotala,thewintersessionatGanden,andasessionatDrepung.

WhenIreachedmytwentiethyear,theyearoftheiron-monkey(1920),IwenttoKyormolungtoattendatantric-collegesessionaftertheconclusionoftheGreatPrayerFestival.Inthepast,thetraditionofthetantriccollegewasthatlamaswhoheldtherankoftulkusinthegreatassemblyhadtoremainintheirseatsinorderofseniorityforthreedaysaftertheirenrollmentandhadtoattend all the prayer and study sessions just as any newly joined studentwould. After the third day they were required to make an elaborate teaoffering, called né-ja, similar to the administrators of the monastery, andpresentgiftsofmoneyto theassemblyofmonks.Once thiswasdone, theirseatswouldbemovedtothesectionofretiredmonasticadministrators,wherethey received the same privileges as the retired officials andwere excusedfromattendingsessions.Even thoughIhadearned thisprivilege, Iattendedall the sessions just like everybody else until I completed the full yearrequired,without looking foranyspecial treatment.Thispleased themonksgreatly, and later when other tulkus entered the college, they used mybehaviorasanexample,relatinghowinthepastTrijangTulkuhadfaithfullyattendedthesessions.

While attending the winter session for the tantric college at Ganden, Igaveanoral transmissionof the three-volumeMiktsemaCompendium93andtwovolumesof the tantricritualsofTashiLhunpoMonastery toagroupofthreehundredmonksofDokhangHouseat therequestofGeshéGendunofMili.

SinceIhadtoattendthemandatorysessionsfollowingmyenrollmentattantriccollegeandIwasreceivingteachingsatChusangwhennotattendingthesessions, Iwasunable tostaywithmy teacherallyear round.So in thelastyearsofhislifeuntilhepassedaway,hewouldstayatGandeneveryyearduring the rainy-season retreat and the winter session at the invitation ofmanyofhisdisciplesfrombothShartséandJangtsécolleges,andhewouldstayatmyLhasaresidenceduringthespringandautumn.

Inthespringofmytwenty-firstyear, theyearoftheiron-bird(1921),atChusang Hermitage, I gradually received from the supreme refuge KyabjéVajradhara Phabongkha the blessing of the four sindūra initiations94 ofVajrayoginī and its profound teaching on the generation and completionstages, teachings on the Thirteen Golden Dharmas of Sakya, the Thirteen

DivineVisionsofTakphu,thecycleofMañjuśrīteachings,theear-whisperedteachingsofLhodrak,andthepermissionofthefifteenVaiśravaṇas.

Fromthethirdoftheseventhmonthtothesixthoftheeighthmonth,wereceivedinitiationsintosixty-fiveofthemandalasuniquetothemahāsiddhaMitrayogin,whofullyrevealedonehundredandeightofthem.WereceivedtheinitiationsatTakdrakHermitage,attheholyfeetofthekindandgloriousTakdrakTritrulRinpoché,NgawangSungrapThuthopTenpaiGyaltsen,whowasnodifferentthanVajradhara,theteacherofthetantrashimself.Ireceivedthoseteachingstogetherwithacircleofaccomplisheddisciples,includingthesupremerefuge,thegloriousPhabongkhaVajradhara,theall-embracinglord,as well as the great Kangyurwa Losang Dönden, Khangsar Vajradhara ofGomang,DromoGeshéRinpoché,NgawangKalsang,ÖnGyalséRinpoché,Tsawa Öser Tulku, Tri Ngawang Norbu Rinpoché, Tridak Rinpoché ofGandenJangtsé,twenty-onereincarnatedlamas,andObomTokdenJamyangLodrö of Drakgyab alongwith ninety-seven geshés. Each daywe receivedoneinitiationofthelowerclassoftantrainthemorningandoneinitiationofthe higher class in the afternoon, making two initiations per day. Thepreparations for eachof the initiationsof all the four classesof tantrawereperformedprior toeachinitiation.Thuswecorrectlyobservedthe traditionsofpastsuccessivelineageswithoutnegligentlycuttingcorners.

That year, due to controversy over the selection of administrativemanagersatDrepungLoseling,outofignoranceafewinsolentmonksthattheadministrationcouldnotcontrolincitedalargenumberofmonkstogototheNorbulingkaPalace,wheretheyappealeddirectlytoHisHoliness,prostratingandcryingonthecourtplatformbelowhisresidence.Asthiswasaviolationof acceptable conduct, HisHolinesswas very displeasedwith the situationandissuedasummonsfortheprincipalinstigators.TherewastalkthatoneofthemknownasBeardedNyakréwas inhiding in theTölungarea, so somegovernment soldiers went to Taklung Drak Hermitage to search for him.Since they even ended up searching the placewherewewere gathered forteachings,therewasfearandsuspicionthatanyonewithabeardattendingthediscoursecouldbearrestedasasuspect.

At that time,during the recess, I received thepermission for themantraextraction(mantroddāra)ofVajrayoginīalongwithteachingsonthepeacefulandwrathfultormaofferingstoDharmarājainsixty-fourparts95directlyfromKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara.

PHABONGKHARINPOCHÉ’SEXTENSIVEDISCOURSEONTHESTAGESOF

THEPATH

After returning toChusang fromTakdrakHermitage, as requested byLadyYangzomTsering,wifeofMinisterLhalu,thesynthesisofallrefugeKyabjéPhabongkha,whowasinrealitythelordofsagesLosangVajradhara,96gaveanelaborate teachingbasedonhis experienceof the stagesof thepath thatcombinedtheWordsofMañjuśrīofthecentrallineageandtheQuickPathofthesouthernlineage97toanaudienceofthousandsofdisciples,mostlytulkusandgeshés,inthediscourseyardofChusang.Thediscoursewasgivenfromthe third day of the eighth month and lasted twenty-four days. At theconclusion of the discourse, Rinpoché conducted the ceremony to generatebodhicitta,combiningboththeaspiringandengagingbodhisattvavows.98

I was most fortunate to have had the opportunity to be among theaudience.GuruVajradhara taught in accordancewith the saying “Vast andprofoundfortheintelligent;easytograspandputintopracticeforthesimpleminded.” Thus due to his remarkable ability as a teacher, people of alldifferent levels could easily understand him according to their ownmentalcapacity.Ashisexplanationswerebasedonpersonalexperience,ratherthanbeing mere words, they were able to have an effect on the minds of thedisciples present. I am deeply grateful for the kindness he showed me byguidingmymind,whichatthetimeranuncontrolledlikeawildhorseinthehills,ontothetruepathofDharma.AlthoughthereisnowaythatIcouldfullyrepayhiskindness,IwillholditinthedeepestreverenceatopmyheadlikeacrownuntilIreachtheheartofenlightenment.

At that discourse, Dongong Tulku of Drakgyab had taken rough notes,which Kyabjé Vajradhara himself checked, edited, and corrected up to thepassageon invoking the fieldofmeritwithin themanualof thepreliminarypractices(sbyorchos).Attherequestofmanysincereindividuals,Icompiledtherestofthegoodpointsfromnotestakenatteachingsgivenonthestagesofthepathatvariousotheroccasions,addingtothemafewthingsIrememberedfrom his explanations that had not appeared in theworks of others. In thiswayIpreparedthenotesonthestagesofthepathknownasLiberationinthePalmofYourHand,whichisnowinprint.

BEDATULKU’SARRIVALFROMCHATRENG

ChagongBedaTulku99andLakakTulkuleftfromChatreng,butBedaandhisgroup sent a messenger ahead to seek permission from His Holiness theThirteenth Dalai Lama for them to proceed to Trijang Labrang at Lhasa

directly,as“abirdreturningtoitsnestandswordintoitssheath.”Theyhadtowait in Chamdo for over one month for the reply. Lakak Tulku, who leftearly, came to see me at Chusang and asked for my assistance for hisenrollment at Ganden with a teacher, which I arranged according to hisrequest.

MyarrivalatMindrölBridgeatthenortheastofLhasa’soutercircuitroadupon my return after the completion of the stages of the path discoursecoincided, like theanalogyof the turtleandtheyoke,100with thesurprisingandunexpectedarrivalinLhasaofBedaTulkuandhisgroup.TheyweremetbyGeshéDapönofPomraHouseofSeraMé. In response toBedaTulku’srequest,HisHolinesshadrepliedthat“TrijangTulkuhasbeenrecognizedinaccordance with my divination and has been enrolled at Ganden. Uponcompletionoftheactivitiesofageshélharamfollowingtheconclusionofhisstudies,heispresentlyenrolledinGyütöTantricCollege.YouarethereforenotauthorizedtoenterTrijangLabrangdirectly,butyoumayenteraseatoflearningaccordingtoyourmonasticaffiliation.”SothetulkuwasenrolledatMécollegeofSera.

Afterthetulkuhadpassedaway,arelativeofhis,ahumblegeshénamedYeshé,gavemesomedocuments,includingtheabove,whichwereresponsesto letters of petition submitted to His Holiness on various occasions. Hepresented me with these documents before returning to his birthplace,apologizingandaskingmyforgivenessformanyoftheirignorantactionsinthepast.

FURTHERTEACHINGSANDEMPOWERMENTS

Aftera fewdays’ recess, following thecompletionof thestagesof thepathdiscourse, once again in the assembly hall of Chusang, Kyabjé Vajradharagave initiation into the five-deity outer mandala of Cakrasaṃvara in theGhaṇṭāpādatradition,whicharetheinnermostsecretteachingsoftheultimatetantra.Thesearealsothemethodsespeciallysoughtafterbytheyoginīsandthepath traveledbymillionsofyogiswhohave attained the supreme state.After initiating us into theCakrasaṃvara bodymandala of theGhaṇṭāpādatradition,hegaveusacompleteexplanationofthegenerationandcompletionstagesforthebodymandala,alongwithacommentaryonthesixDharmasofNāropa. I had the good fortune to receive the teachingwith sixty others inattendance. After the regular sessions, a few of us received detailedinstructions on the physical practices of the six Dharmas in reconvenedsessionsatnight.Onetime,wewereallsittingincompletesilenceasLama

Rinpoché did the yoga practices in the vase-breathing position. Just then amonksittinginthebackrowbrokewindloudly,whichleftallofusdisciplesandthelamainastateoflaughter,breakingthecontinuityofthesession.

After theGreatPrayerFestival inmytwenty-secondyear, thewater-dogyear(1922),atthebehestofHisHolinesstheDalaiLama,KyabjéVajradharaPhabongkhagaveadiscourseandoralreadingoftheMiddle-LengthStagesofthePath101toanassemblyoffourthousanddisciples,myselfincluded,intheassembly hall of Meru Monastery in Lhasa. After the Subsequent PrayerSession,theAll-EmbracingLord,TakphuVajradharaLosangJampalTenpaiNgödrup,orPadmavajra,102visitedLhasafromKham.HestayedattheSouthCabinetMinistry,and Ihad thegreat fortuneofpaying respectsathis lotusfeet. At the request of the Fourth Sharpa Tulku, son of Prime MinisterShölkhangpa,TakphuVajradharagaveoverthirtyinitiationsontheprofoundteachings based on divine visions of his lineage to Kyabjé TakdrakVajradhara,TridakRinpochéofGanden,MokchokRinpochéofDrepung,andsoon.Togetherwithsevensupremebeings,thevesselofmyhopeswasfilledwiththeambrosiaofpeerlessblessings.

One day I invited Takphu Vajradhara to my house and received theCittamaṇi Tārā heart-absorption permission and the longevity initiation ofChimé Palter from the Thangthong ear-whispered tradition. TakphuVajradhara, like Takphu Tenpai Gyaltsen and Garwang Rinpoché, hadvisionary contact with deities and lamas in general and in particular withgoddessTārā,whoappeared tohimconstantly, revealingprophecies.Thereexists a “mother” volume and three “son” volumes that contain hisinconceivablesecretteachings.Ashewassuchagreatbeingandremainedintouchwithanoceanofmyriadmandalas,Irequestedhisprophecyregardingmyspecialkarmicdeityandthefuturecourseofmylife.HeconveyedthistoTārā andgaveme theprophecy in averseof eight lines.Providedwhathesaidwasnotariddle,itmadeforpeacefulsleep.

The great Kangyur Lama Rinpoché Losang Dönden, who was alwaysfondofme,onedaycametomyhouseandsaid,“Ifyouhavenotreceivedtheoral transmission reading of the collectedworks of Jé Tsongkhapa and hisspiritualsons,Iwillgiveittoyou.”Hetoldmethisoutofcompassionatecareandwithgreatpleasure,withoutneedingmetoaskorpresentofferingstohimtodoso.IreceivedtheentiretransmissionoftheworksofJéTsongkhapaandhisdisciplesattheresidenceoftheShedrafamily.BecauseIwaspooratthetime,Icouldofferhimonlythesumoffivedotsé.103AtalaterdateIreceivedtheoraltransmissionofthefive-volumecollectedworksofTakphuGarwangdirectly from Kangyur Rinpoché in Shidé Monastery’s nyungné chapel.

Around this time, in consultation with the supreme refuge Vajradhara, Istudied in detail the construction of the three-dimensional mandalas ofGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,andVajrabhairavaalongwithGandenJangtséTridakRinpoché,GomangMokchokRinpoché,TsonaGöntséRinpoché,andafewothertulkusandgeshésattheShesurfamilyresidenceinLhasa.

Inmy twenty-thirdyear, theyear of thewater-pig (1923), atChusang Ireceiveddirectly fromKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara theBariHundred,104theOceanofSādhanas,105theNarthangHundred,106permissionfortheeightymahāsiddhas,anexperientialcommentaryon thegenerationandcompletionstages according to the Sādhana Casket of Thirteen-Deity Vajrabhairava,instructionintheGuruPuja’sprofoundpath,mahāmudrāandguruyogabasedon the root textofmahāmudrā, teachingson the fullmeditational retreat ofsingle-deityVajrabhairava,andmanyotherteachingsandoraltransmissions.

FRUSTRATEDATTEMPTTOSOLVETHEESTATE’SPROBLEMS

Although,asstatedabove,wehadhandedresponsibilityforthelabrangovertoRikzin,withgreathopethathewouldstraightenthingsout,unfortunatelynotonlywasheincompetent,hewasfondofgambling.Thelabrangsufferedgreat losses due to this.Therewasn’t even a proper supply of food formyteacher and myself, as in the saying: “pieces of meat in exchange for thecarcass.”

MinisterKheméRinchenWangyalwasthemostinfluentialministerinthecabinetatthetime.Hopingthat,ifhewantedtoassistus,evenawordfromhimwouldhelp,IwentwithagifttovisithimatKunsangtséandinformhimof our situation. I had hoped that he would advise Rikzin to change hisattitudeandbehaviorandtolookaftertheinterestandaffairsofthelabranginapropermanner.Butapartfromofferingafewwordsofadvicetotheeffectthat I should talk toRikzinabout themattermyself, hedidnot takeupmyrequest. As they say, “I am my own protector. Who else could be myprotector?” If you can’tmanagebyyourself, dependingonothers is truly alastresort.JéBarawaGyaltsenPalsangsaid:

Relativesoughttoregardoneanotherequally,andyetthewealthyareattendedwithspecialconcernwhilethedestitutearedisparagedandsuffergreatly.Thelowareneglectedandthehigharesoughtout.Inthefaceofmisfortune,itishardforrelativestobesincere.

Findingthistobequitetrue,Igaveuphopingforrelieffromrelatives.

MEDITATIONRETREATS

After completion of the year’s session at the tantric college, I stayedpermanently at Chusang, where I spent most of my time attending all theteachings of Kyabjé Phabongkha Vajradhara. During recesses betweendiscourses, I performed the meditation retreats of the special deitiesVajrayoginī, single-deity and thirteen-deity Vajrabhairava, five-deityCakrasaṃvaraof theGhaṇṭāpāda tradition,SecretHayagrīva, and theGreatCompassionate One of the Lakṣmī tradition. In the course of working todevelopmymind to thebestofmyabilitybyengaging in the stagesof thepathmeditationinconjunctionwiththepreliminarypracticesofaccumulatingmerit and purifying negative karma, I was pulled away by activities anddistractionsbeyondmycontrol, suchasneeding tovisitChatreng. I think itwasmymanynonvirtuousactions inprevious lives thatpreventedme frombringingmywishes to fulfillment,causing the legaciesofmyexperienceofcontemplationandmeditationtoevaporatelikemistinthewinter.

4

I

TravelsandTravailsinKham

PREPARATIONSFORTHEJOURNEYTOCHATRENG

NMYTWENTY-FOURTHYEAR, theyearof thewood-rat (1924), Idecidedtotravel to Chatreng at the joint invitation of the monasteries and townsthere.AftertheGreatPrayerFestivalIsoughtresignationfromthetantric

college and withdrew my monastic seat cover. That day the supremeincarnationKyabjéLingRinpochéenrolledat the tantriccollegeandplacedhisseatcoverthere.Bythiscoincidenceweweretogetherforonesessionatthemorningassembly.

AftertheSubsequentPrayerSessionatTashiRapten,myLhasaresidence,IgavethereadingtransmissionofthecollectedworksofJéTsongkhapaandhisspiritualsonsattherequestofSamlingGeshéYöntenofDokhangHouseofShartsé.AtthattimeIwasreadingavolumeaday.Unlikesomeothers,itwasbeyondthecapacityofmytonguetoreadtwoorthreevolumesaday.

At this point once again Geshé Palchuk Dapön of Chatreng, who wasfromPomraHouseofSeraMé,andTrotiTsultrimappealedtoHisHolinessthroughMinisterTsarongDasangDradul,whomHisHolinessheldinregard,causing further trouble regardingmy visit to Kham. Being uncertain aboutentrustingtheaffairsofthelabrangtothemonastichouseduringthevisittoKham,Isoughttheprophecyoftheprotectorintrance.

AtChusangtherewasaverygoodmonklivingdedicatedlyinaccordancewith theadviceofLamaVajradhara.HewasknownasShidéTāLamaandhadresignedfromgovernmentservice.AsShukdenwouldrarelyenterhimintrance and only in strict secrecy, one day I invited him to our house. Theprophecythathedeliveredwhileintrancewasasfollows:

Thepreciousumbrella(HisHolinesstheDalaiLama)isthebestprotectionfromheat.

Thegoldenfishrelyonthesupportofthevastocean(themonastichouses).

Thewish-fulfillingvasehasmanyenemies(wrongpractices).

Thesun,friendofthelotus,neednotdoubtthemoon.(TheDalaiLamawillnotconsidertheother.)

IfyouholdthesoundoftheDharmaconch,theGandenoraltradition,withtheendlessknotthatisyoursecretheart,I,thespirit,willturnthewheelofassistancefortheconqueringvictorybannerofDharma(TrijangRinpoché).

Andeverythinghappenedinexactlythisway.Afterthat,attherequestofTrungsarRinpochéofKarzé,Trehor,Igavea

reading transmission of the collected works of Thuken Chökyi Nyima,including hismost exclusive sacredworks, to the all-pervadingmaster, thegreatKangyurwaLosangDönden,and toeightyother lamasandmonks.Atthe requestofnunTrinléDechenofPangda, Igave theblessingof the foursindūra initiations of Vajrayoginī and teachings on its generation andcompletion stages to a group of sixty monks and laypeople. This wasfollowedbyinitiationsintofive-deityCakrasaṃvaraandSecretHayagrīvaforagroupoftwohundredsincerepeople.

NearingthetimeofmydepartureforKham,IhadanaudiencewithHisHolinessattheNorbulingkatopaymydeepestrespectsathislotusfeet,andIreceivedmuch advice formy activities inKham.On theway up I hadmyfarewellaudiencewithLordKangyurwaLosangDönden,whowasresidingatthe Potala Palace to recite the extensive Pratimokṣa Sūtra at NamgyalMonastery during the rainy-season session at the holy command of HisHoliness.Thesynthesisofallrefuges,PhabongkhaVajradhara,wasgivingadiscourseonJéTsongkhapa’sGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePathattheLoselingCollegeofDrepung.HewasstayingintheKungarawaPalaceoftheDalaiLamas,andIhadanaudienceathisfeet.Withgreatfondnesshegaveme gifts andmuch advice, essence of nectar, on the need to propagate theGeluktraditioninKhaminapureform.

Because of the rather poor conduct of Rikzinmentioned above, and inorder to prevent further negligence in the maintenance of our labrang, werequested Dokhang House to look after our residence at Ganden and toadminister theaffairsofour farmatMaldroJarado,whichwehad takenonleasefromGandenLachi.107WelefttheaffairsofourlabranginLhasa,ourland on lease from Shartsé, Dechen Lamotsé, and our farms on lease inDeyangpa in the care of manager Rikzin. Of the three hundred tam forpaymentofpastdebts,wegavetwohundredtamtoDokhangHouseandonehundredtamtoRikzinandgavethemtheresponsibilitytoclearallthedebts.

KyabjéTrijangRinpochéinLhasabestowingempowermentsofVajrayoginī,1924

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

Later,onmyreturnfromKham,DokhangHouseinadditiontopayingallthedebtshadmanagedtoamassalargeamountofbarleyandmoney.Rikzin

had taken an additional loan on top of existing loans. Due to the death ofvarious managers of our labrang and continuous expenses for my geshéofferings and so on, and the lack of competent staff able to bear theresponsibility,weweresopoorincashandothermaterialpossessionsthatweran intogreatdifficultywhilepreparing forour trip toKham.Nevertheless,wewerejustabletomanagetomakeallofourarrangementsbytakingloansfrommypatrondisciples.AtthebeginningoftheseventhmonthwesetoutfromLhasa.

THEJOURNEYTOCHATRENG

Our party consisted of myself, attendant Lhabu, Ngakram Budor of GyütöTantricCollegefromMarkhamSeudruMonastery,ritualassistantPhukhangLosangTashiofGyütöTantricCollege,cookNamgyalDorjé, tailorTenzinLhawang,SönamWangdüandoneothertolookafterthehorsesandmules,andTendrongPalbarThokméandthreeotherescortsfromChatreng.Ontheway we spent two nights at Gungthang. There we invoked my birth deityDrakshulWangpo,hisattendantNyimaShönu,andsoonthroughanoracleintrance.AlthoughRikzinonlycamealongtoescortusforashortdistanceandwould not be accompanying us to Kham, Tsengö Nyima Shönu, the chiefattendant of Drakshul, advised him at length regarding his attention tomyfood andhealth and to journeys throughpaths, narrowpassages, and riversalongtheway.Thismadenosensetome,andIthoughtitludicrous.

Leaving there I spentonenight inDechenKharapOgongKotsangwithmymotherandsisterJampalChötso.ThenextdaywearrivedatGandenandspent a few days at leisure visiting my teacher Losang Tsultrim. Whilestaying there I gave an initiation into thirteen-deityVajrabhairava, togetherwithitspreparation,fortwodaysinthehallofDokhangHouse.Ialsomadeofferingsbefore thegoldenstupaof JéTsongkhapaandan incenseofferingon top ofWangkurHill.108At the invitation of ShartséCollege, I attendedtheir farewell reception forme, atwhich time the incumbent abbot,LosangKhyenrap of Phukhang, presented me with the symbolic mandala offeringalong with accompanying verses. He recited the following with thepresentationofthestupa:

Forinconceivablemillionsofeons,youremain,actingasastupa.

Itwaspatentlyobvious,whenherecitedthisverse,thatalthoughhewaswell

knownforhiscommandofphilosophy,helackedskillinliteraryarts.WhatwiththereputationofthepeoplefromChatrengfortheirundaunted

spiritandvigor in fightingand looting,and theexistenceof thefaction thatshowedmenofavor,everyonedoubtedmysafereturntoCentralTibetfromChatreng.Whatever the reason, soon after my departure fromGanden, theabbot [LosangKhyenrab] tookadvantageof the situation andcreatedmanyproblems, making accusations against Rikzin and the appointedrepresentatives of Dokhang House. It was just as the supreme refugeVajradharahadsaid:

Fromtheraincloudthatshouldprotectcomeshail,lightning,andthunderbolts.Themyriadraysofthesunonwhichweshouldrelyarelikeanooseofburninghellfire.

Aftercompletingmyactivitiesofpayingrespecttothesacredobjectsandvisitingfriendsandclassmates,ImadeofferingstothegoldenstupawiththemonetarygiftsIhadreceivedthere.Keepingaboutfifteensang insilver forexpenses,Iofferedtheresttomypreciousteacher.ThedayIleftGanden,myteacher,indeepgrief,tearsinhiseyes,gavemeagreatdealofspiritualandworldlyadviceonmycourseofactionahead,whichIcarriedintheinnermostdropofmyheart.Iwasforcedtoproceedwithdeepanguish,unabletobearourparting.

AfterspendingtwonightsattheestateofJaradoinMaldro,wewentontoRinchenLing,ÖzerGyang, Tsomorak,Ba Pass, andGyada in theKongporegion. Traveling through many hazardous and fearfully difficult passagesandbridgesbywayofTroPass,Lharigo,BendhaPass,NupgongPass,andAlarong,wearrivedinthetownofNgödroké.ThereIspentonenightatArik,hometownmonasteryof the lateNgakrampa, andmadeofferings there in atokenform.Thenextday Iwent tovisitAyikThango,Ngakrampa’shome,andpresentedgiftstohisrelatives.AttheinvitationofGyatsoLingLabrang,Istayedonenightatthemonastery.AsIhadreceivedmanyteachingfromthepredecessor of Gungtrul Rinpoché and his lineage, I made offering to hismemorial stupa. The present incarnation, Gyatso Ling Tulku, was residingthereand,beingyoung,wasatplay.

CrossingShargongPass,wearrivedatChakraPalbar.ThereattherequestofPalbarGeshéNgawangChöjor,atantricmasterofGyüméTantricCollege,andothersIgavefullordinationtoagroupoftenmonksofPalbarMonastery.Then in Dzitho after passing through Lhatsé and Shopado with its twomonasteriesNyinpaandSipa,IspentthreenightsatNyinpaattheirrequest.I

presidedovertheconsecrationofthenewlymadestatueofthefutureBuddha,Maitreya, along with the ritual assembly of the monastery. The ritualperformedwasbasedontheelaborateconsecrationritualCausingtheRainofGoodness to Fall.109 I also gave longevity initiations to the people of thatarea.

In between religious activities, I went to SipaMonastery and DraknakLabrang at their invitation, where I performed consecration rituals. Then IstayedatthehouseofPönyingTsang,apatronofmysuccessorinLhozong.There,attheinvitationofShitramMonastery,Iwentforabriefvisitandgaveashortteachingtothemonks.PassingthroughYidakPass,IcrossedthebigRight Foot Bridge over the GyalmoNgulchu River. Also crossing ChutsulPass, I arrived at Wako Mari. There we met with a messenger speciallydispatched fromKhyungpoTengchenby theministerial secretaryYuthokpaWangdü Norbu, who was the government’s representative of the northernprovinces, saying thathewascoming toWakoMaripersonally tomeetmeandthatIshouldwaitforhimthere.

AfteradayinMari,therepresentativearrivedwithhisentourage.Ispentawholedaywithhim,givinghimthe longevity initiation in the traditionofDrupgyal.Hegavemeageneroussumofmoneyasafarewellgift.Igavehima sum of money, including his gift and other offerings received on thejourney, requesting him to commission two pairs of gilded bronze tsiparheads110 toornamentpillarbannersthatIwouldpresenttoDokhangHouse.Thisministerialsecretary,inaccordancewiththewishesofHisHoliness,hadpreviously been in charge of the government project to restore the templecomplex at Sangphu in the earth-horse year (1918). I attended the summersessionthatyearandwentdailytothecourtyardtoengageinthedebatesforthe study of logical reasoning and scriptural doctrines. Seeing this, hewaspleasedwithme,andathisrequesttowriteacompletecatalogandhistoryofthe restoration to be inscribed on awall of the temple, Iwrote an openingverseofhomagetoHisHolinesswiththesyllablesofhisfullnameinterlacedinapoeticalcontext.

Friendwhobringsforthwordsofgreatfaithandanenticingfragrancetothelotusesofthesenses;

prophesiedbytheSage,abeaconofsamsaraandnirvana,arisingfromthemightyoceanofDharma;

fearless,withoutrival,lordofillumination,yourarmiesvictoriousoveralldemonsandopposition;

asunforhumankind,Iraiseyoutothecrownofmyhead.111

FromthereweproceededthroughPomdaDzogangofTsawaregionandsoon,andwespentonenightatthebaseofapasscalledJolaintheMarkhamarea.ThatnightIdreamedofsomeonelikemysister,DekyiYangchenoftheKunsangtsé family, dressed in fine clothes, wearing ornaments, anddisplayingmanyexpressionsofjoyandhappiness.InthisdreamsheledmeintoastupendousbuildinglikethatofthePotalaPalace.Insidealargetemplewithmanychapelswereobjectsofworship,statues,scriptures,andstupasandmanymonksmakingofferings.Even the staircases insidewere allmadeofgildedbronze.This lady ledme through the rooms andgaveme food.Thenextdaysomepeopleinthatareatoldmethattherewasalocaldeityknownas Tachangma who was the sister of Pawo Trobar. Later [in 1964] inDharamsala, when I met Tachangma in a trance through the medium ofNamgyalDölma,aladyfromKham,shesaid,“Whenyoucametoourtownpreviously, I indicated myself to you, meeting you in a dream. You mustrememberit!”Itwasquiteconvincing.

The next day we had to cross the great river Dzachu by a yak-skinropewaycalledSampaDreng,wherepeopleandanimalsweretiedtoaropeand slid across the river to the other side.As none of us had any previousexperience of using such means of travel, everyone was apprehensive, butwithout any mishap and after a safe journey, we arrived at Garthok inMarkham, where I stayed in the residence of Özer Monastery. As I hadknownthepreviousÖzerRinpochéintimatelyduringhisresidenceinLhasa,they extended warm hospitality to me during my stay in Markham. AfterdepartingGarthok, Ivisited the templeatLhadun thatcontaineda statueofVairocana. This stone statue is known to have been carved by theChineseprincessWenchengonherwaytoLhasa[towedKingSongtsenGampo].

On my arrival at Seudru Monastery, also in Markham, Gangkar LamaRinpochéKönchokChödrak,ahighlyaccomplishedbeing,cametogreetmeatthefootofthemonastery.ThereinthemonasteryIspentafewdaysinthenewlyconstructedroomsofthelabrang.GangkarRinpochépreviouslylivedatLoseling,Drepung, but as he had not studied for any length of time, hisscripturalknowledgewasnotadvanced.Yetsincehehadreachedahighlevelof insight, he possessed unobstructed clairvoyance and was a greatpractitioner who revealed many hidden religious objects such as statues inlakes, mountains, rocks, and so on. Still, he remained a simple monk,faithfully observing the rules of conduct of the fully ordainedmonkswhiledevelopingtheviewandpursuinghispracticeinthepurelineageoftheGeluktradition.AlthoughIhadnotmethiminperson,Iusedtoreceivemanylettersfrom him in Lhasa expressing his feeling that we had strong karmicconnectionsthroughmanyofourpastlives.

AtthemonasteryIgaveaninitiationintothirteen-deityVajrabhairavatothemonksand the initiationof theGreatCompassionateOne to thegeneralpublic. The Rinpoché gave me a bronze statue of one-face, two-armCakrasaṃvarawithconsortthathehadremovedfromarockhillonanislandinalakecalledBumtso.Ihavecarriedthestatuewithmetothisday.Thenwecrossed Drichu River through Gönsar Tengon Monastery in Gowo, andtraveling through theveryhazardouscliffpassageofTramkolam,arrivedatDzedzéMonastery.ThereIwenttomeetDranakLama,alsoknownasLamaChöphak, who had been among us when I received the oral transmissionreading of the Kangyur earlier in Lhasa. This lama, for reasons of spiritpossession or some other circumstances, performed chö rites112 after hisaudience of followers had gathered around in the darkness of night, duringwhich timemuch noise of conversations in Chinese and Tibetanwould beheardfrominvisiblebodies,andweaponswouldfireoffbythemselves.Manynoises, suchas criesofpain andagonyand soundsof coinsbeingcounted,filled the room.Becauseof suchdemonstrationsof supernatural powers, hegainedtherespectandadmirationofmanypeople,whowidelytalkedofhimasanemanationofPadmasambhava.

As people had tremendous faith in him, the lama’s activities increased,andlaterherecruitedpeopletofightinbattlesbetweenChineseandTibetansandbecameacommanderofhisfightingunit.Therewerealargenumberofsoldiers equipped with weapons both inside and outside the monastery. Inconsideration of our previousDharma relationship, I gave himmy opinionthat such behaviorwas not proper.To this he replied that hewas acting inaccordance with the wishes of His Holiness. He was going to ignore myadvicelikewindbehindtheearsandplacetheblameuponthelama.

AtthemonasteryIgavesometeachingstothemonks.TheninthetownofShokdrukDrodok, I spent one night at the home ofHisHoliness TsultrimGyatso, theNinthDalai Lama (1806–15).About fifty people on horsebackarrived there fromChatreng to escortme. I spent one night in theNenanghouseholdofChatreng,passingthroughRaktakMonasteryandothers.Therethe abbot of Samling Monastery in Chatreng, Geshé Losang Tharchin ofNyanangDrodru, and other officials of themonastery arrived to greetme.WhileIwasinGandenShartséandthisDrodruGeshéwasthechantmaster,heusedtoseekforgivenessonmybehalfwheneverIreceivedascoldingandpunishmentfrommyteacher.Aswewereveryfondofoneanother,wewereboth very happywhenwemet. The next day, on the third of the eleventhmonth,wearrivedatSamphelLingMonasteryinChatreng.Irestedforsometime to relax andmet a varietyof people,who although similar in externalappearancewereofdiversementalattitudesanddispositions.

TEACHINGSATCHATRENG

WhenIwastwenty-five,inthefirstmonthofthewood-oxyear(1925),Iwentdailytothediscourseyardduringthemonastery’sprayerceremony.Ithoughtthat itwouldnotbesuitable if, inaccordancewithancientcustom,IgaveadiscourseonĀryaśūra’sGarlandofBirthStories,duetothepoeticalnatureofthe text and becausemost of the population had not heard such a religiousdiscourseforaverylongtime.SoIexplainedincolloquialChatrengdialecttheSutraoftheWiseandtheFoolishforthesakeofitseasycomprehension,and becausemost people there had become so accustomed to a lifestyle oflootingovertheinterveningyearsthattheyhadgrownignorantofthelawofcause and effect.At the request of themonastery and the region, I gave aninitiation into theGreat Compassionate One of the Lakṣmī tradition in themonastery courtyard after the prayer festival. On the day of the initiation,duringthevaseinitiation,therewasasprinkleofrainandarainbowappeared.Itooktheseassignsthatthedeitiesandnāgaswerepleased.ThemonasterywasvirtuallydestroyedduetotherecentincursionsbytheChinesearmy,andits inhabitantswere scattered in themountains.Due to these circumstances,thevitalessenceoftheplaceandthegods,nāgas,andlocaldeitieshadwaned.Iconsecratedabouttwelvehundredearthvaseswiththemiktsema recitationand also performed the burial rites for the vases, distributing them in allcornersoftheregioninordertoreviveitsvitalenergy.

InthethirdmonthIgaveadiscourseontheQuickPathforfifteendaystoa group of two thousand people, includingmonks and others from variousparts of theChatreng region, in the assembly hall of themonastery.At theconclusion of the discourse, I gave the bodhisattva vows in the commondedicationofeveryone’svirtuesandgooddeeds toward thedevelopmentofthemindofgreatcompassion.AfterthatIgaveateachingonthesix-sessionguruyogaandthenaninitiationintothirteen-deityVajrabhairavafortwodaysto a group of five hundred monks who made a commitment to recite onehundred miktsemas daily. Then I gave an initiation into single-deityVajrabhairavatoagroupofforty-eightmonkswhocommittedtoperformingthe sādhana of self-generation daily, and to a group of sixty-three whocommitted themselves to completing a full meditational retreat ofVajrabhairava, I gave teachingson thegeneration and completion stages ofVajrabhairava on a retreat text for twelve days, all in accordance with thetraditionpracticedbyLamaVajradhara.

With plans tomake a new gilt image ofMaitreya Buddha as themainstatueinthemonastery,inthefourthmonthofthefollowingyearIsentmy

attendantLhabuwithsomeassistantstoLhasatobuynecessarymaterialsandornamental jewels for the image. Through Lhabu I sent offerings to HisHoliness the Dalai Lama, Kyabjé Phabongkha Rinpoché, Kangyur LamaRinpoché,my teacherLosangTsultrim,GeshéSherapRinpoché,andothersfromwhomIhadreceivedteachingsdirectly.ToKyabjéPhabongkhaIsentaletter in poetic composition requesting his prayers. I also sent a letter toDromo Geshé Rinpoché Ngawang Kalsang and a letter to the oracle ofShukden atDungkarMonastery inDromowith details of the situation andcircumstancesatChatreng,requestinghispredictionandguidanceintrance.

FIGHTING

In the previous year, prior tomy arrival inChatreng, itwas suspected thatChakshaTenpaandothersofhisclanhadassassinatedawell-knownfigureinthe region, Butsa Bugen, out of jealousy and resentment. On top of that,Tenpawasalsoaccusedofbeinganaccomplicetothetheftofalargesumofmoney from the treasury of themonastery.Anumber of influential leaderswho favored Bugen, including principal monks of the monastery andlaypeoplefromthe towns,causedmuchdisturbancebywayof“shaking themountainsandstirringupthelakes”inthenameofacommoncausewithagrudge at heart. They recruited a large contingent of fighters from amongtheir associates and supporters in various parts of the region includingGangkarLing,Dapa,Mewo,andMongra.Furthermore,aidedbytroopsunderthe Chinese commanding officer Ma of the Division 8 border force, theymadeplanstocaptureChakshaTenpaonchargesofbeinganaccomplicetothetheft.

While Chaksha Tenpa was staying in Dzedzé Monastery with a largeparty seeking the protection of the aforementionedDranakLamaChöphak,the militants of Chatreng were preparing to deploy for a confrontation.AlthoughItriedtoadvisethemagainstthisbyexplainingtheprosandconstothebestofmyability, justas it isn’t sure thatahorse’sgaitwillmatch thewishof the rider, a largenumberof fighters setoffwithout listening tomyadvicegivenoutofkindconcern.Theyweresetagainstacceptinganyadvicewhatsoeverandfollowedtheirownwishes.Withoutgivinganywarning,theyeven set fire at night to the residence in themonastery of twomonkswhowere supporters ofChakshaTenpa, killing them and keeping all this secretfromme.Theycommittedmanypervertedacts, evenkillingpeople in theirownhomes.AsShangshungChöwangDrakpasaid:

EvenIndracannotleadthosewithnosesofstoneoverstepsofstainlesscrystaltothenoblehallofvictory.113

There was nothing I could do but think to myself that a lama of thedegenerateage,suchasIam,endsupwithdiscipleslikethis.

DranakLamahad a strong forceof soldiers atDzedzé, so theChatrengfighterscouldnotenterthemonastery.Theykeptthemonasteryundersiegeformonthswithoutanyactualconfrontation.Duringtherainy-seasonretreatat the monastery, I did a meditation retreat on the Guhyasamāja ofAkṣobhyavajra.Whenitconcluded,therewasstillnopeaceduetotheunrestcausedbypartisanfighting.

TRAVELTOGANGKARLING

In compliance with an invitation from the monastery and the people ofGangkarLing,IwentwithasmallentouragetoGanglingTsothokPöntsangviaMongra. I spent fifteen days there and gave the initiation of five-deityCakrasaṃvara,theblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī,andbriefteachingsonthegenerationandcompletionstagesattherequestofafewearnest seekers.Gangling Sherap Tulku, a former classmate ofmine at themonastery,alsocametogreetme.

AtGanglingMonasteryIwasreceivedwithanelaboratereceptionbythemonks. There I gave an initiation intoGuhyasamājaAkṣobhyavajrawith apaintedmandala,completewithpreparation, to themonksandothers,aboutfour hundred in all. I also gave Great Compassionate One and longevityinitiations tomore thana thousandpeople.At the strong request and in thecompanyofSherapTulku,IthentraveledfortwodaystovisitBumzéBelséPön.His family had been one of the oldest patrons ofmy predecessor, theGandenThroneholder.IspentabouttendaysgivinginitiationsintotheGreatCompassionateOne and longevity tomembersof his estate andhis people.While there I also consecrated the family’s Kangyur temple and theirprotector chapel with the concise “horseback” consecration.114 In theirtreasure chamber, I performed the enhancement of prosperity ritual ofVaiśravaṇa.

OnthewaybackIvisitedapilgrimageplaceknownasProtectorsoftheThree Lineages115 at Gangkar. I did an additional retreat on five-deity

CakrasaṃvarathereatTsogoHermitage,recitingthemantrasofthedeityasmanytimesasIcouldforthreeweeks.Mystaytherewasverypleasantandpeaceful,asIheardnocontentiousconversation.

The reason Gangkar Lama Rinpoché of Seudru Monastery is calledGangkarLamaisthathispredecessorhadlivedatthisplaceforalongtimetopursue hismeditational practices.While at the hermitage I gave a long-lifeinitiation and permission for the Protectors of the Three Lineages to theresidentmonksandsomepilgrims.

ASSASSINATIONPLOT

While I stayed at this place, the personal attendant of Lama Chöphak ofDzedzéMonastery conspiredwith a party fromChatrengwho opposed thelamatokillhim.Theypaidoffapersonwhofoughtinthelama’scontingenttogoseethelamaatnightunderthepretextofseekingdivinationadviceforthelama’ssister,pretendingthatthelama’ssisterwasseriouslyill.Assoonashecalledat thedoor, theattendantopened thegate.Thepersonstabbed thelamawithapocketknifeandkilledhiminhisbed.Althoughthelamahadareputationforclairvoyanceandmiraculouspowers, thosepowers failedhimin his time of need. Just aswhenMaudgalyāyana could not remember anytricks, letaloneperformmiracles,whenassaultedbyparivrājakas,116sotoothislamacouldnotdemonstrateanyspecialqualities.

Thesupportersofthelamawerethusleftleaderless,likeacorpsewithoutitshead.Theirenemiescouldnotcopewith thesituationeither,as theyhadbeen in thebattle zone for so long.Mostof themdriftedback to theirownregions one after the other. As the fighting came to a standstill and noalternativecourseappearedfromeitherside,theyultimatelydecidedtosettlethematterbyatribunaldecision,andthesituationwasfinallyresolved.

RETURNTOCHATRENG

IleftNenangandvisitedtheSiwapönhouseholdontheway,givinglong-lifeinitiations and an oral transmission of themaṇi mantra to people who hadassembled there. After spending a few days at Gangkar LingMonastery, Ireturned to themonastery of Chatreng via theMewo region in the twelfthmonth.

Inmytwenty-sixthyear,theyearofthefire-tiger(1926),IcontinuedtheteachingofthepreviousyearontheSutraoftheWiseandtheFoolishduring

thediscoursesessionsoftheprayerfestivalatthemonastery.LowaGobaandsomeothersatthediscoursecommentedthatIwastellingworldlystoriesasIhadrunoutofreligioustopicstodiscuss.

That spring I did meditational retreats on Cakrasaṃvara of the LuipatraditionandonSarvavidVairocana.Duringtherainy-seasonretreatsessionIinitiated the monks into Cakrasaṃvara of the Luipa tradition and intoSarvavidwithpermissionsfortheRinjungHundred.

CONSTRUCTIONOFTHEMAITREYASTATUE

MyattendantLhabuandtherestreturnedfromLhasainthefourthmonthofthat year. Through Lhabu, I received letters from His Holiness the DalaiLama, Kyabjé Phabongkha, Geshé Sherap Rinpoché — both of the latterwritteninverse—andfrommyteacherandfriends.LhabualsobroughtwithhimvariousornamentaljewelsandprintedprayersforthestatueofMaitreyaBuddha.AlongwithLhabu,twomastercraftsmenfromDzachukharegionofChamdo district arrived. Onmy instructions, Lhabu on his way to CentralTibethadrequestedcabinetministerTrimönNorbuWangyal, thengovernorgeneralofChamdo’sDoméprovince,todispatchsomecraftsmentoconstructtheMaitreyastatue.Thusworkonthestatuewasbegun.

InconcertwithsomemastercraftsmenfromChatreng,theartisanserectedalarge,three-storystatueofMaitreyamadeofgildedcopperoveraperiodofthreemonths. In itwereplacedprintedprayersof thefouraspectsof relics,the five categories of great consecration, and soon, aswell as dharmakāyarelics, multiplying relics of the Tathāgata, and a statue of Jé Tsongkhapaconsecratedbyhimself,whichwasa treasuredrelicofLowerShedra.Otherrelics includedwereself-producedsacredpills fromtheentombedbodiesofmany Indian and Tibetan masters, printed diagrams of male and femaleyakṣas, treasure vases, and many other items that were accumulated withgreatcare.Thesewereproducedaccordingtoritual,andIpersonallyinstalledtherelicsinthestatueandplaceditintheinnertempleofthemainassemblyhall.Acatalogordescriptionof thebenefitsof constructing statues,payingrespects, and making offerings was inscribed on one wall of theMaitreyatemple. Also included in the inscription was a comprehensive list of thespecialprayersandrelicscontainedin thestatueaswellas thematerialandthecostofmakingthestatueinallstages.Ihadalsoprovidedacompletesetofwaterbowlsandbutter lamps for the thousandfoldofferings, largebutterlampsfordailyofferings,aswellasothersetsofwaterbowlsandimplementsinallsizesneededatthemonasteryformakingofferings.

After the completion of all these requirements, we performed theelaborateconsecrationritualCausingtheRainofGoodnesstoFallaccordingto thedeityVajrabhairava, complete in its stagesofpreparation, actual rite,andconclusion.Iparticipatedasthepresidingmasteralongwithtwentyothermonkswhohadcompleted theapproaching retreatofVajrabhairava.At thesection of the ritual for honoring the patrons, the staff of the committee incharge of making the statue and the senior members of the monastery’sgoverningbodyweregiventheeightauspicioussymbolsandsubstances.Theceremonywasconductedinarathergrandway.

AttheendofautumnIwenttoYangtengMonasteryattheirrequestandgaveadiscourseontheQuickPathfortendays.Ialsogaveaninitiationintothirteen-deity Vajrabhairava and many other initiations and permissions tothosewithearnestinterest.BeforereturningtoChatrengMonastery,IvisitedtownsandvillagesincludingSalhaDechentsanginthevicinityof theabovemonastery.IneachplaceIgavevariousteachingsinaccordwiththewishesofthepeople.Followingtheancientcustomofthemonastery,self-initiationofGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara, andVajrabhairavawith the offering of themandalaswereperformed in the styleofGyütöTantricCollege.Themusicandchantingmelodyof the rituals forpropitiatingprotectorsMahākāla andDharmarājawerealsodone in thestyleofGyütö.Themusic,chanting,andprayersforPaldenLhamo,Vaiśravaṇa,andSetrap117weredone in thestyleofGandenShartsé.

As themonasteryhadbeen indecline formanyyears, only a feweldermonksremained,andeventheycouldnotremembertheexactmelodiesofthechants,whichresultedinaseriousdeteriorationofmonasticactivities.Asthiswasthecase,IinvitedNgakrampaBuSönamofGyütöTantricCollegefromLura Monastery in Markham district. He and the incumbent abbot ofChatrengMonastery, Drodru Geshé Losang Tharchin, who was the formerchantmasterofShartséCollege,wereaskedtotrainsomefiftymonksinthemelodies of the various ritual prayers. Ngakrampa Bu Sönam and the twomastercraftsmenfromChamdowhohadbeeninvitedtoconstructtheimageofMaitreya returned to their respective places contentwith their paymentsandgifts.

Sincethecostumesfortheritualdanceontheoccasionofthewinterritualwereincompleteandmismatched,Irefurbishedallthecostumesinmatchingmaterial,havingmadeeffortstoobtainbrocadethepreviousyear.Inadditiontotheexistingdancesforthewinterritualintheeleventhmonth,IspeciallyinvitedonemonkfromÖzerMonastery inMarkhamto reinstitute the ritualdancesof“ācāryasandskeletons”accordingtothetraditionofTengyéLing

Monastery.Inthetwelfthmonth,onaninvitationfromtheregionofNangsang,Iwent

to Phelgyeling Monastery of Nangsang via Palshar and Gowo Palbarmonasteries.There I gave an initiation intoGuhyasamājaAkṣobhyavajra toanaudienceofsevenhundredmonks,andaGreatCompassionateOneandalong-life empowerment to a general audience. I presented gifts of clothingandmoneytothefamilymembersofmyesteemedteacherLosangTsultrim.

Inmytwenty-seventhyear,theyearofthefire-rabbit(1927),IreturnedtoChatreng Monastery for the New Year celebrations. During the prayerfestival,IgaveadiscourseontheSonTeachingsoftheBookofKadamfromthestart.Aftertheprayerfestival,attherequestoftheabbotGeshéDrodru,Igave a discourse on theGuru Puja to about eighty monks who made thecommitmenttoreciteitdaily.Thediscourselastedaboutfifteendays.

OVERCOMINGRITUALOBSTACLES

AccordingtoamessagefromGangkarLamaChödrakRinpoché,itwassaidthatsomeonewithharmfulintentinthetimeofmypredecessorhadburiedaritualobjectofblackmagiconamountainpeakinChatreng.Accordingtothephysicaldescriptionof the site, themountainwas shaped like adownward-facingfishwithastreamrunningfromitthatmergedatthemountain’sbaseintoa large river,on thebankofwhich liveda few lepers.Hesaid that theharmful items had been entrusted to nāgas who live in the mountain. Hestated inhismessage thathewouldbeable toexpose the items if the lamacould come personally to the site, but doing so was inconvenient due tocircumstances.Thusitwasofutmostimportancethataritualcounteragentbeproperlyproducedandburiedatthebaseofthemountain.Healsoindicatedinhis letter,witha senseofgreaturgency, that “thismountaincanbe seenfrom the seat in your room at the monastery.” Accordingly, ten monks,including the abbot Geshé Drodru, all of whom had completed a fullmeditational retreat on Vajrabhairava, properly produced the counteractingritual object. Later when Geshé Drodru and my attendant Ngakram Budorwenttothesitetoburythesubstancesofthecounteractingritualobject,theyfoundthatthesiteaccordedexactlywiththedescriptionofGangkarLamaineveryrespect.

In theeleventhmonthof thatyear,a loudsoundlike thatofcannonfirewasheard twice from the south sideof themonastery justbeforemidnight.Although Iwonderedwhat the soundmight have been, I later heard a roarbarelyrecognizableasthunder.Thesoundofthunderhadneverbeenheardin

thewinteratChatrengbefore,andIthereforehadsomeapprehensionaboutit.After investigation, we learned from the reports of people living in thevicinitywho hadwitnessed it that the lightning had struck the peak of themountainwherethetalismanwasburiedatthebase.

Later, soon after my return to Lhasa, I met a Nyingma lama namedTsewangGyaltsen, the resident lamaof theKashöpa family.This lama toldme that duringmy predecessor’s time, black-magic ritual objects had beenburied by others both in Kham and Central Tibet. “The one in Khamwasdestroyed,” he said, “as you caused lightning to strike the area twice. Theother is infrontofGanden,where there isanaturalspring.Thereyoumustperformariteforcounteractingblackmagic.”AsnooneinLhasaknewaboutthe events in Chatreng except myself and Lhabu, my suspicion that LamaTsewangGyaltsenhadclairvoyancewasconfirmed.Itseemsthecounteragentritualwasdoneproperly.

SHADYDEALINGS

WhileatChatreng,PalbarLagenChödrakandPalchukDampaChödrakcametotellmethatinconnectionwithmyreturnfromKhamtherewouldbegreatexpenses for making offerings at the three seats,118 at Gyütö and Gyümétantriccolleges,at the regionalhouses,andso forth,aswellasat theGreatPrayerFestivalinLhasa.TheysaidthattheofferingsthatIreceivedwhileinChatreng would not begin to suffice. The two of them decided to jointlydispatchamerchanttoChamdowithhorsesandmules.TheytoldmethatifIsentwhateveramountofmoneyIhadand joined in the tradingventure, thetwoofthemwouldassistmeandreturnthecapitaltogetherwithprofitstomytable without any involvement or work onmy part. Sakya Paṇḍita’s JewelTreasuryofWiseSayingssays:

Thepleasantspeechofcunningpeopleisfortheirownends,nottobepolite.Thelaughter-likehootingofanowldeliversabadomen;it’snotdoneoutofjoy.

Iacceptedthisofferwithoutrealizingthatitwasadeceptivescheme“toleadacalfwithtemptationofgreengrass.”Assumingthattheirofferofassistancewasgenuineandthattheytrulyintendedtohelpme,andbecausetheywereamongtheseniorandinfluentialmembersofthemonastery’sgoverningbody,Ibelievedtheirwords.

I made arrangements to supply themwith twenty mules complete withpacks and thirty thousand tamchen, a Chinese currency, which was all thecash that Iwas able togather.The twoof themmade apretenseof havinglargesumsofmoneyastheirinvestment,notmakingclearthepreciseamountof capital.Later,whenwegathered the funds on the eve of themerchants’departure, there were the following sums from the other parties in thethreewayventure inaddition tomyowncontribution: ten thousand tamchenfromthePalbarTsanghouseholdandonlythreethousandtamchen—andaperson called Dampa Tharchin to go on the trip with his horse — fromPalchukDampaChödrak.PalbarTsangalsosenttwentymuleswithpacksasa separate business undertaking along with a person called Tenzin as hisrepresentativeinourjointtradingventureandinhisownunrelatedbusiness.

Not only did they take for granted that any profit from their privatetransactionswouldbesolelytheirincome,butalsotheydemandedthatthenetprofitfromourjointventureshouldbeequallydividedamongthethreeofus,regardless of our respective contributions to the initial investment. Further,theydidnotofferanyinterestonourcapital.Itisquiteevidentthatthiswasadeceptive act with selfish motives, to make use of my investment to dobusinessinthenameofTrijangLabrangfortheirprivategain.Althoughthiswas the case, I went along with it, unable to withdraw from the venturebecauseofourcloseconnectionthroughreligiousandsecularrelationships.

VISITTOTREHOR

TheShitséGyapöntsangfamilyofTrehorandYatrukTsongpön,themanagerof Beri Monastery, were known to me through their previous religiouspatronageinLhasa.TheyhadwrittentomemanytimesrequestingthatIvisitthe Trehor area. That summer I left Chatreng Monastery with a smallentourageand traveled throughTongjungand thenomadiccolonyofGemoNgachu.InapartoftheLithangdistrictwetraveledthroughameadowareacalledDeshungNakhathang,whichwas swathed in a riotofwildflowers infull bloom. The people, horses, and pack animalswere transformed by thebrilliantcolorsoftheblossoms.Themeadow,whichwaslinedwithherdsofmigratingantelope,extendedfortwodays’journey.

Then through Tromthar and so forth, parts of Nyakrong district, wearrivedatTrehorBeri.There,on thebanksof theBeriRiver, themonksofBeri Monastery came to greet me headed by Getak Tulku. I arrived atYatruk’shouse inaceremonialprocession.At the requestof themonasteryand the two patrons, I gave a discourse on the Easy Path to about seven

hundredresidentmonksandothersgatheredtherefromvariousplaces.Overthe next month I also gave initiations into Guhyasamāja, Cakrasaṃvara,Vajrabhairava, Sarvavid, and the Great Compassionate One as well aspermissions for Mahākāla, Dharmarāja, Palden Lhamo, and Vaiśravaṇa, along-life empowerment for Amitāyus in the tradition of Machik DrupaiGyalmo,andotherteachingsthattheydesired.

Afterthat,attheinvitationofTrungsarRinpochéofTrehorKarzé,IwenttoTrungsarHermitageandtheregaveTrungsarRinpochéoraltransmissionofthecollectedworksofGyalwaEnsapaandKhedrupSangyéYeshéandoftheMiktsema Compendium. In the assembly hall of the hermitage, I gave aninitiation into Sarvavid to a large number of monks and laypeople. At therequest of the monastery, I paid a visit to the assembly hall and the threetemples, and I scattered flowers for their consecration. At the invitation ofKhangsar Kyabgön Tulku, I went to his labrang and returned to TrungsarHermitagethatafternoon.AtthattimeIwishedtogomeetDrakarRinpochéof Trehor, who was widely known for his knowledge, and the previousincarnation of Lamdrak, who lived like a realized yogi. However, DrakarTsang and the previous Khangsar, Losang Tsultrim, were exchangingcriticismswithoneanotherduetodifferencesofreligiousview,andLamdrakwas ill-favored by the patroness of Khangsar, whose power and influenceintimidated Trungsar Rinpoché, Gyapön Bu, and others, so it was notconvenientformetomeetthem.

AtempleknownasDéGönkhang,whichsatinafieldinfrontofKarzéMonastery,wasknowntohavebeenbuiltbyDrogönChögyalPhakpa119onhis return from China. Inside were sacred images of the eight deities ofPañjaranāthaMahākāla, eachone story tall, and Iwent topayavisit.OnceagainIreturnedtoBeriMonastery.

AtthatparticulartimeDargyéMonasteryinTrehorhadalargenumberofmonksandwasprosperous.Themonasterywasadministeredbymembersofa governing board, who were mostly of the merchant class and lackedreligious education. Because of this most of the monks there took greaterinterest in horses, swords, guns, and so on, and monks pursuing a correctcourseofreligiouspracticewerefewandhadnoinfluenceoverthereligiousand temporal affairs of themonastery.The father of theGyapöntsang clan,ChögyalGyalu,was a patron of themonastery, and he askedme to give adiscourseatthemonasteryonthestagesofthepath,towhichIagreed.Hedidthis with a good intention and motive, hoping to guide the monks onto apeacefulandpropercourse.Whenheconsultedthegoverningmembersaboutthediscourse,theytoldhimthatadiscourseonthestagesofthepathtakesa

long time, they had no time, and instead they requested initiation intoSarvavidVairocana,asalargenumberofmonksdiedofstrokeandtheyoftenhad to perform the ritual of Sarvavid for the deceased and their survivors.Gyalu, astonished and disappointed, requestedme to give an initiation intoSarvavidastheywished.

WhenthesupremeKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradharatraveledtoDakpoforthefirsttimetohearadiscourseonthestagesofthepathfromKyabjéJampalLhundrup,Gyaluhadprovidedallthehorsesandmulesandhadaccompaniedhim himself. He showed me a tooth that Dakpo Lama Rinpoché [JampalLhundrup]hadgivenhimthathadadistinct,self-producedimageoftheFour-ArmedAvalokiteśvaraonit.Gyaluhimselfengagedinvirtuouspracticesandrecited the manual of the preliminary practices120 every day. At Gyalu’srequest, I left for Dargyé Monastery from Beri and gave the initiation ofSarvavidtothemonksandpeopleofthearea,completewithpreparation,fortwodaysinatentonthefieldinfrontofthemonastery.AlthoughIcouldnotgiveadiscourseonthestagesofthepath,Igaveanelaborateintroductiontotheinitiation,andIvisitedthetemplesinthemonastery,scatteringflowersfortheirconsecration.

After that I left to visit the Shitsetsang estate, where I stayed for twoweeks.Thereweremanysacredobjects in the temple, includinga statueofAvalokiteśvara as the principal image and a set of the Kangyur.With theassistanceofthemonksofDargyéMonastery,Ididanelaborateconsecrationritual for three days. I also performed the prosperity-securing ritual ofVaiśravaṇainthefamilytreasury.AftergivingadiscourseontheSeven-PointMind Training and a long-life initiation to a large gathering, I began myreturntoChatreng.

OnthewayIspentonenightonaslopewithgreengrassandastream.ItwasarestfulplacesituatedonalowhillinupperTromkhok,whichispartofNyakrong. Gyapön Döndrup Namgyal, his son, and others includingTsongpönYatrukwere there to seeme off. At their request I gave a briefexplanationonthelongevitypracticeofAmitāyusbeforetheyreturned.Inthelateafternoonofthatday,ablackcloudsuddenlyformedandcausedaviolenthailstorm.Thehailwerethesizeofdriedapricots,anditwasasifearthandskywerebeingrentasunderbythe thunderandlightning.Wecouldseetheflashes of lightning even inside the tent, and there was a smell likegunpowder,asifathunderboltwereabouttofall.

IperformedtheburningritualofSur,madeofferingstolocalspirits,andoffered tea to the protector deities and sought their active assistance. I alsorecitedmantrasofprotectionfromlightningandhail,doingvisualizationsas

best as I could. As these were not effective, I hastily burned some freshhumanexcrementinthefire,andimmediatelytheskydirectlyabovebecameclear, like the opening of a skylight. The lightning and hail vanished andsunlightshonethrough.Aroundaboutthemiddleofthatnight,thehorsesandmules suddenly became alarmed for no apparent reason, broke away fromtheir ropes, and straying to the four directions, could not be gathered untilsunrisenextmorning.

Later, when I arrived in Lithang, some older people informed me thatowing to a certain local Bönpo spirit, lightning struck in 1567 when HisHoliness theThirdDalaiLama,SönamGyatso,cameto thearea.Theyalsotoldmethattheweatherhadbecomeveryturbulentwhenmypredecessorhadvisitedtheplaceaswell.

VISITTOANOMADICCOMMUNITY

When I arrived at a place in Lithang called BumNyakthang, a vast greenprairie,all thenomadiccommunitiesunder the jurisdictionofYönruPön,aleaderfromtheWashulYönrudistrictofLithang,hadgatheredthere.Geluk,Sakya,Nyingma,andothermonksofYönrudistrictwerealsocelebratinganannual religious festivalcalled theYönruSession there, in individualgroupassembly tents, each doing rituals of their own tradition.As I happened toarriveon thisoccasion,TromthokTulku, the incumbentabbotof theGelukmonastery of Rabgyé Ling, came to see me along with officials from themonastery. They told me that my predecessor also came there on thisoccasion and stayed at leisure, giving them religious discourses. They alsosaid there were many monks and older laypeople who had seen mypredecessor,and,occasionedbytheunarrangedspontaneityofmyownvisit,theyinsistedthatIstaythereuntil theconclusionof thesession.AlthoughIcouldnotstaylongthere,IparticipatedintheGeluksessions,knownastheGarchenSession,forabouttwoweeks.

There were five hundred monks to whom I gave a discourse on JéTsongkhapa’sSongofSpiritualExperience, an initiation intoCakrasaṃvaraaccording to the system of Luipa together with its preparation, as well aspermission for Jé Rinpoché as the triple deity.121 The monks made ritualofferingstothemandalasofGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,Vajrabhairava,andSarvavidforfivedayseach,andIattendedtheritualofferingtothemandalaofCakrasaṃvaraforoneday.Thestyleoftheirritualwasalmostthesameasthat of Gyümé Tantric College. There were a pair of brocade ornamentalhangingdecorations thatmypredecessorhadpresented to themonastery, in

addition towhich I alsomade anoffering for the entire daywithmonetarygifts.

TheGelukmonasteryhadfourverylargetentsthatcouldcomfortablyseatfivehundredmonks.Eachtentwasabouttwostorieshighandsupportedbyfour tall poles, and each tent was decorated inside with excellent religiousbanners. The abbot and the incarnate lamas sat on thrones made of grassbundles stacked on top of each other and coveredwithwoolen drapes andwovencarpets.Itseemedquiteimpressiveanddignified.AlthoughIwasatanomadic monastery, meat was not allowed in accord with a good customestablishedbypreviousmasters.Only tsampa, rice,meltedbutter,andotherdairyproductsweregivenasofferings,whichIfoundadmirable.

AttheinvitationoftheSakyaandNyingmagroupsnearby,Iwenttovisit,makeofferings,andgiveteachingstothem.DuringmystayIwasinvitedbythenomadiccommunitieslivinginthevicinity.EachdayIvisitedfifteentotwenty tent dwellings, performed consecrations, and gave teachings as theywished. The nomads gave me many horses, and I ended up with about ahundredofthem.Becausewewerestayinginopenfields, itwasdifficult tokeepthehorsestogetherastheykeptreturningtotheirpreviousowners.Isoldthe horses to the nomads and offered the money from their sale as anendowmentforannualofferingsoffoodandmoneyatRabgyéLing.

LITHANGMONASTERY

ThenattheinsistentinvitationofLithangMonastery,whoseabbotandafewof themonasticofficialshadcomespecially to seeme, I arrivedatLithangThupchenChökhorMonasteryinaprocessiononhorsebackaccompaniedbythe leadersof themonasteryanda largenumberof itsmonks.There in thecourtyardofthemainassemblyhall,attherequestofthemonastery,IgaveanextensiveinitiationintotheLakṣmīsystemoftheGreatCompassionateOnetogetherwithitspreparationandanAmitāyuslong-lifeinitiationaccordingtothesystemofMachikDrupaiGyalmo toabout three thousandmonksandalarge number of local people. Then in the old assembly hall, I gave adiscourseontheQuickPathandaninitiationintosingle-deityVajrabhairavatoaboutfivehundredincarnatelamasandmonks,includingTsatakRinpochéand Gosap Rinpoché. In the temple of Thupchen I gave full ordination toaboutthirtymonks,includingYongyaTulku.AtthisordinationIactedasthepreceptor,TsatakRinpochéwastheritualmaster,andGosapRinpochéactedas the interviewing master. At Tsosum House I gave permission for Six-ArmedMahākālaaswellasthelongevitypracticeaccordingtothesystemof

MachikDrupaiGyalmo,andIgavepermissionforJéRinpochéasthetripledeitytoGosapTulkuandmembersofhislabrang.InadditionItriedtofulfillthe wishes of many others with a variety of teachings at their individualrequest. Iofferedfoodandmoney to themainassemblyandpresentedgiftsandfundstothemonastery.

At the invitationofmembersof the familyofHisHoliness theSeventhDalaiLamaKalsangGyatso,whowasfromthetownofLithang,IwentthereforadayandperformedritualsofpurificationandconsecrationfortheimageofHisHoliness theDalaiLamaandother representationsof theholybody,speech,andmind.Ialsogaveashortteachingtothemembersofthefamily.At the invitation of the Otok leader of the Lithang nomadic tribes, I wentthere to do the rituals for securing prosperity, consecration, and to give avariety of teachings. These included a permission for Avalokiteśvara andinitiation into long-lifepractice to the leader,Achö,membersofhis family,hispeople,monksofOtokMonastery,andmanyothers.

ThenomadicpeopleofWashulYönruandOtokSumpahadgreatfaithinreligion, and thereweremanypeoplewhohad recited the six-syllablemaṇimantra and themiktsema prayer a hundredmillion times each.At that timetherewerealsomanypeoplewhopledgedtorecite themaṇi,miktsema,andthe Prayer of Samantabhadra a hundred million times each and do thenyungnéfastingriteahundredtimes.Likethesteadyflowofastream,manyfamiliescameforthese,whichwasreallysomethingmeaningful.Iheardthatit was the custom of the nomads to offer a feast of meat from speciallyslaughteredanimalstolamaswhomtheyhadinvited.SoImadeitknowntoanyonewhocametoinvitemethatIwouldacceptonlyvegetarianfoodandthatnomeatdishesshouldbeserved.IvisitedmanynomadiccommunitiesinOtok,where Idid rituals forpurificationandconsecrationandgavevarioustypesofteachings.

PILGRIMAGETOKAMPO

AftercompletionofmyactivitiesinLithang,ImadeapilgrimagetoKampo,aholyplaceofCakrasaṃvara,onthewayback.KampowastheplacewheretheFirstKarmapa,DüsumKhyenpa,spentalongtimeandachievedinsights.In later timeshis religious traditioncame tobeknownasKamtsangKagyüafterthatplace.IstayedontheupperfloorofNegoMonastery,andthereIdidtheapproaching-retreatrecitationoftheCakrasaṃvaradeityforoneweekandtheelaborateconsecrationofCakrasaṃvaraforthreedays.Igaveaninitiationinto five-deity Cakrasaṃvara according to the Ghaṇṭāpāda tradition to the

fifty residentmonksof thatplace. I returnedall theofferingsofmoneyandobjects received at the initiation, keeping only a small thangka ofCakrasaṃvara for thesakeofauspiciousness. Ihad itwithme latereven inLhasaasanobjectofveneration.

Imadeofferings to themonksandonedayvisitedtheactualpilgrimagespotsituatedintheupperpartofKampo.Therewasalargerockwithaself-emerged image of the letter ka. The name of the place, Kampo, wasdesignatedbasedonthisholyrock.Imade tsokofferingsthere.OnthewaytherewasatemplethathadadisplayofthearmsandarmoroftheheroesofthelegendaryKingGesarofLing,suchastheswordcalledYasiKardrenthathadbelonged toGyatsaShalkar.At theKampopilgrimage site therewas alarge snowmountainwhere the principal Cakrasaṃvara deity abides and arowofsmallersnowmountainsfortheretinuedeities.Assoonasyouarriveatthisplace,themindbecomesclearandpeaceful.

Ihadintendedtostaythereinleisure,butamessengerdispatchedbythefamilies of Palbar and Dampa arrived unexpectedly from Chatreng. Themessage said that our merchants, along with the pack animals andmerchandise, had been robbed by a banditmilitia that had lain inwait forthematUpperandLowerBumpa.Fourpeople—Palbar’snephewTenzin,DampaChödrak’s nephewTharchin, one of Palbar’smule herders, andmymuleherder—wereallkilledontheirreturnfromChamdoasthemerchantstraveled throughanarrow trail near a towncalledTarkha, prior to crossingKhangtsekPassintheregionofUpperBumpa.Thebanditsmadeoffwithallthemerchandise,includingtheanimals.Thisbeingthesituation,themessagestatedthatIshouldreturnimmediatelyasretaliationwasinevitable.

AVERTINGRETALIATION

WhenIarrivedatChatreng,PalbarChödrakandDampaChödrakstatedmanyreasons for reprisal. In response to this I told them that as my name wasinvolved in this three-way venture, I strongly objected to plans to enactvengeanceandmadeitcleartothemthatIhadtakenavowtodropthismattertotally. I told them that the first thing I had done upon my arrival at themonasterywastogivemanyteachingsonsutraandtantraincompliancewithmypositionasalama,andthattointheendengageinretaliationbeforemyreturn toCentralTibetwasofnouse toeithermyreputationoractivities. IsaidthatIhadgivenupanygraspingatthepeople,things,andanimalstakenbythebanditsandthatIwasdeterminednottofightandstronglyobjectedtofighting.

Furthermore,uponlaterinvestigation,IdiscoveredthatpreviouslyPalbarThokmé was a leader of the fighters from Chatreng when they fought thebattlewithDranakLamaatDzedzéMonastery.Onthatoccasionmanyarms,ammunition, and large quantities of food provisions were taken from thepeople of Bumpa. Palbar Thokmé became sick and died in the war zonewithouthavingmadeanyarrangementtorepaythem,sotherewasnooneleftwiththeresponsibilityfortheirrepayment.Sothereasonfortherobberybythe people of Bumpa was the relentless grudge that they held against thePalbarclan.TheyhadtakenitforgrantedthatthecaravanwasaPalbarfamilybusinessventurebecauseamemberofPalbar’sgroupwasamongthetraders,andsotheiractwasnotanintentionalaffronttomeordonewithknowledgeofmypartnershipinthebusiness.

Thus it was decided that the war on the people of Bumpa would bepostponed and that we wouldmeet in person for talks. Tendrong SamphelTenzin represented thePalbarclan,Chödrakhimself stood forDampatsang,and our secretary Gönpo and Ngakram Budor were dispatched fordiscussions. Sangden, awell-known figure andmanager for Jema Lama ofUpperGönsarMonastery inGowo, near theBumpa region, came to act asintermediaryatthetalks,whichwereheldatGoworong.

ThepeopleofBumpa,withoutconsideringourconcernsoroureffortstoavoidthehardshipanddevastationofconflict,stirredupfurtherconfusionoutof spite, as a result ofwhich the talks lasted about threemonths andneverclearly settled the dispute. In the end the Bumpas compensated us with asmall sum of cash, a few aged mules, and some clothing and objects ofvaryingvalue,claimingtheywereofmuchhighervaluethantheywere,foreachof thepeoplekilled.Mostof thecashwascountedascredit forPalbarandDampatsang’s two casualties, their bulletproof amulet boxes,meteoritevajras,weapons,andvariousotherthingsthattheyhadmadeclaimoflosing.Althoughtheremainderofthesmallsumofcash,clothing,andmiscellaneousthings was supposed to have been divided according to the share of theoriginalinvestmentofcapitalwhenthecaravanwasdispatched,itwasinsteaddivided into three equal portions, and I received only a small amount.“Liberation and cyclic existence are of one taste,” as the saying goes.Wesuffered losses one on top of the other, from both within and without. AsDharmarakṣita,Atiśa’sguru,said:

WhenIamdupedbyothers’treachery,thisisthewheelweaponofthewrongsIhavedoneturnedbackonmeformyvanityandselfishgreed.122

Asstated,I,amanofsmallmind,insteadofquietlyabstaining,followedthe influence of others without restraint, blazing with greed. Theconsequences of such acts fall upon oneself. But I have no regrets and amfullysatisfied that I refrained fromparticipating in the illdeedofaconflictinvolvingmurder.Although itwas their heartfelt desire to accomplish theirownbenefit,theotherslosttwooftheirkeypeopleandsufferedotherlossesagainsttheirwishes,likearainofunpleasantness.Asthemaximsays,“Onehundredunwantedthingsforasinglewishfulfilled.”

APLOTAGAINSTME

At that timeBeda Tsultrim, uncle of the aforementionedBeda Troti TulkuwhohadenrolledinPomraHouseatSeraMé,arrivedfromLhasa.Heheldameeting consisting of prominent persons, both monks and laypeople, fromUpperChatrengunderthepretextofcollectingdonationsintheChatrengareato cover the expense of offerings and feasts on the occasion of the tulku’sgeshégraduationceremony,usingitasacovertotransform“thesoundofanarrowintothesoundofaflute.”Theymetformanydaysintheoldmanager’soffice,outwardlyholdingdiscussionsabout theaffairsof theofferingwhileinternallyconspiringwithsomeofthetulku’srelativesandprominentpeopleclosely connected with him to mount a secret surprise attack in order toassault,capture,assassinate,rob,ordowhatevertheycouldtous.

IntheirdiscussionstheyconsultedTendrongSamphelTenzin,whowasarelative of the tulku. He told them that they should try to capture the keyperson,me,first.WhetherornotthepeopleofChatrengwouldriseinsupportofTrijangwasunknown,butiftheydidriseup,SamphelTenzinwouldstopthemintheassumedguiseofbeingnonpartisan.Itwouldnotbeproperifheinvolved himself directly, he said, as he had a patronage relationship withTrijangLabrang.Inactuality—asintheexpression“Dogscollaboratewithfoxes” — it became apparent that they were about to launch a graveundertaking, at which point some of the people at the meeting, who wereunbiasedandmenofdiscrimination,walkedout.ThiswasconfidedtomebyTsakhaLagen,BaliKhedrup,andothersofUpperChatrengwhowereloyalandfaithfultome.

Aswewerefewinnumber,wesoughtthehelpofsomemonkswhomwetrusted,underthepretextoftheirassistinguswithourpreparationstoreturntoCentralTibet.Welockedthedoorsofourresidenceontopoftheassemblyhallwithadditionaldoorblocks. Inmy roomwemadeahidingplace to fitonepersonbehindmybed,betweenthewallandthehangings.Themonksof

Dargyé Ling and others in the vicinity, as well as monks from withinChatrengMonasterydevotedtome,assuredmyattendantsthatiftheycoulddefend us for a short while, themonkswould be prepared to come to ourdefense.My attendantsmade preparations formy temporary protection.Asfor myself, I prayed to the Triple Gem, requested the assistance of theprotectors,andentrustedmyselftothetruthofkarma,theresultsofwhichareinevitableoncecommittedandcannotarisefromactionsnotcommitted.

Withnoalternativebut towait for theresultsofwhateverkarmawas instore,wehadtoendureunderthesecircumstancesforonemonth.Withoutourknowledge,ironbarsatthegatewerebrokenanddoorblocksdisappeared.Inthisstateofforebodingdoomofadisasterthatcouldhappenatanytimeoverthe next ten days, one day just after nine in the evening, someone abruptlyknockedon thedoorofourhorsestable,callingus fromoutside.Whenourattendants apprehensively replied to the person, they discovered it wasWangyal, the brother of Samphel Tenzin. Wangyal had married into thefamilyofPalbarChödrak.HecametoannouncethatSamphelTenzinhadjustsufferedaseriousstrokeandwasafflictedwithanunbearableheadache,asifhisheadwereabouttosplitopen.HecametoaskthatblessedsubstancesbeburnedandalsotoaskthatIcometotheirhousetodoritualsofadmonitionandexpulsionofinterference.Iwasunabletoturndownhisrequest,becauseoftheclosepatronagerelationshipbetweenmyselfandSamphelTenzin,soIsentrelicsandsoonandhadtopromisetogotherethefollowingday.

NgakramBudor andother attendants suspected that itwas aduplicitousscheme,but judgingbyWangyal’sphysicalandverbaldemeanor, I thoughtthesituationwasprobablytrueandwasextremelypleased,unabletodisguisethesmileinmyheart.DespitetheteachingsonmindtrainingIhadreceivedatthefeetofmylamasmanytimes,Iwasunabletousetheexperiencetobenefitmy mind, and instead I simply felt relief at the hope of escaping mortaldanger.AsGungthangJampalyanghassaid:

Religiouswhenwarmedbythesun,withafullstomach;worldlywhenconfrontedwithdifficultcircumstances.

Althoughitwasmostdifficultformetobestowtheblessingofinitiationandsuchonsomeonewithadegeneratewordofhonor,thenextdayIwenttoTendrong Samphel’s housewith a few ofmy attendants, outwardly for thesakeofreligiouspatronageconnections.Wewenttherefearingitmightbearuse and with other such feelings of hope and trepidation.When I arrivedTenzinwasbedridden,andhetoldmethatbecauseIhadpreventedthemfromretaliatingagainstthepeopleofBumpaandthebanditshadnotpaidenough

torecompensethedamageandloss,hehadinhisannoyancesomecriticismstolevelagainstme,butinthedepthsofhisheart,hesaid,therecouldneverbeanysignificantchangeinhisrespectforandfaithinme.Healsosaidthatifhis criticism had in any way offended the Dharma protectors, who areuncompromising,hedeclaredhisfaultswithremorseandvowednottorepeatsuch actions. He requested permission for Jé Rinpoché as the triple deity,whichhesaid thata lamain theGorongareaforetoldhemustreceivefromme.Unabletobeartheweightofguilt,heinsistedthatIgivethepermissionrightthen.Iunderstoodthathewashopingtorecoverfromhissickness,likethe retractionofamagicspell to its source,by receiving the initiation fromme under the pretext of repenting his concealed wrongdoings. Judging thesincerity of his repentance, I accepted his plea for remission and gave theinitiationtoaccordwithhisneed.AsthegreatRaLotsāwasaid:

Youoffergoldlikeamandala,andIexplainYamārilikeVajrabhairava.

Signsofimprovementinhisconditionappearedthefollowingday,andhewasable towalkwithin thenext twentydays.Despitehis recovery,heandPalbarChödrakagaincontinuedtodiscusstheirpreviousschemestorobus.They did this while having a meal of meat and broth on the roof of theirhouse.ThereafterTenzinsufferedanotherseriousstrokeandlosthisspeech.Hedied thatnightandearlynextmorningsomeonewassent tofetchmetothehouse. Iperformed the ritual for transferring theconsciousnessandsaidprayersofdedicationtothebestofmyability.

Likethecollapseofthesupportingpole,theevilplansof[theuncle]TrotiandhisgroupvanishedfollowingthedeathofSamphelTenzin.Justbeforehesuffered the stroke, I dreamed that a person killed a large yak, which wasindicativeoftheaccomplishmentofwrathfulassistancebytheprotectoralliedwith me from long ago. It was not only in this particular instance, butwhenever Idreamedof thekillingofyaks, sheep, andother livinganimals,thedeathofapersonwithpervertedintentionssoonoccurred,eitherdirectlyorindirectly.Thishashappenedonnumerousoccasions.

ATCHAKRATEMPLE

Attheconclusionoftheprayerfestivalinmytwenty-eighthyear,theyearoftheearth-dragon(1928), Ivisitedvarioushouseholdsat the invitationof thetowns ofRigang andChakragang,which are parts of Trengshok district of

Chatreng.WhilethereIgaveteachingsaccordingtothewishesofthepeople.I spent a few days at Chakra Temple, a pilgrimage place where the SixthKarmapaThongwaDöndenresidedforawinter.HereonecouldseeabodhitreegrownfromarosarybeadplantedbytheKarmapaandasacredimageofThongwaDönden. I gave a long-life initiation and oral transmission of thesix-syllablemantratothegeneralpopulation.

InthispartofChatrengtheKarmaKagyülineagehadbeenprevalent,andtherewereremainsofmanyKagyütemplesalloverthearea.Eachtownhadadescendant in the line of ngakpas, tantric ritualists, called Anyé whoperformed ritual services such as the thread-cross rites123 and so forth. ThepeopletheremadeofferingsonthetenthofeachmonthtoGuruRinpochéandmade propitiatory offerings in allegiance to protectors such as BernakMahākāla(anoath-boundprotectorofTsurphu),ShingkyongTrakshé,TashiTseringma,andothers.

Allthengakpasfromtheupperandlowerregionsgatheredandrequestedinitiationsandoraltransmissions.InthetempleatChakra,attheirrequest,Igave permission for the wrathful and peaceful aspects of Guru Rinpochéaccording to the SecondDalai LamaGendunGyatso’swritings concerningthepracticeofmind-sealdeities.PermissionsforLekden,BernakMahākāla,Trakshé,andTseringChengaweregivenaccordingtotheRinjungHundred.WhenIgave theblessingofGuruRinpoché, I receivedabouquetofwhite,eight-petalled lotusblossoms froma family calledPadma inChakra. I tookthis as a spontaneous and impromptu sign of the auspiciousness of theoccasion.

Thatnightinmydreamapersondressedinblackcameandspoketomeabout theneed to renovate the temple.Understanding thisas theprotector’surgingordirection, thenextday Imadeapersonal request to thepeopleofChakra to reconstruct the temple with special chambers to be built above.Theyrebuiltthetempleinthefollowingyear,butmanyyearspassedwithoutthe chambers being constructed. Later, in the wood-horse year (1954), thespecial rooms were built, and I stayed in them the following year when IvisitedChakraTempleforonenightonmyreturntoChatrengfrommyvisitto China. Although this was no more than mere coincidence, the peoplebelieved that I had told them to build the roomswith knowledge of futureevents. I feel thatmost prophecies seemingly foretoldwith clairvoyancebylamaslikemyselfarelikethesaying“Acredulousdisciplemakesafallaciouslama.”

VISITINGMYPREDECESSOR’SBIRTHPLACE

Then Iwent toUpper andLowerRakpo and for health reasons spent threedaysatahotspringinUpperRakpo.Attherequestofthepeople,IcomposedahistoryofTashiTempleofUpperRakpowithanexplanationofthebenefitsof circumambulating it. I visited the three towns of Dongsum at theirinvitationandinparticularstayedforoneweekintheRikngaTempleintheDongsum region, the birthplace ofmy predecessor, Throneholder JangchubChöphel.Ipresentedasetoftenthangkasofthethousandbuddhas,mountedonbrocade, to the regional institute. I gavepublic initiations into theGreatCompassionate One and long-life practice. Then I visited the home of mypredecessoratChusangGön,whereIdidaconsecrationritualandpresentedgiftsofclothingandmanyotherthingstothemembersofthefamily.

IvisitedalltheplacesintheupperandlowerregionsofChatreng,withoutconsideration of difficulty or hardship, in order to give teachings and doritualsattherequestofpeopleonvariousoccasionstosatisfytheirwishes—withtheexceptionofallthefamiliesinChagongshok,whoweresupportersofTrotiTulku, and a few families in the townofSöpa andPalgé,whodidn’tinvitemebecauseoftheirstrongbias.AsStaffofWisdom124says:

Whatcanawashermandoinacityofnakedpeople?

There would have been no benefit or purpose to my staying there. As theGarlandofBirthStoriessays:

Whereverpeoplebecomeenvious,theyalwaysresentthefortuneofothers.Withhostilemindstheybecomedisingenuous.ItisthenIleaveforaplacemoretomyliking.

OBSTACLESTOMYRETURNTOLHASA

AsIhavesaid,IdecidedtoreturntoCentralTibetthesameyear.InaletterreceivedfromGongkarLamaRinpochéofSeudruMonastery,Iwastoldthattherewould be serious obstacles if Iwere unable to leaveChatreng by thefifteenth of the fourth month. But because I had to visit the families inChakragang,Rakpo,andDongsum,andbecauseof insufficientpreparationsfor the journey, my departure was postponed. That summer the Chatreng

monkswhohadgonetostudyinLhasaandmerchantswhohadbeentoLhasathepreviousyearreachedGarthokinMarkhamdistrictatthebeginningofthefourthmonthontheirreturn.AtMarkham,somelocalcitizens,becausetheyboreagrudgeagainstChatrengduetoapriorconflict,useditasanexcusetocharge the travelers from Chatreng with tax evasion. These people fromMarkham challenged them with a court case before Shelkar Lingpa, thecommander in chief of theMarkhamborder security force.Themonks andfellowtravelers,includingthesonofDrodokChödrak,werestopped,placedunderarrest,andtheiranimalsandgoodswereseized.

While the casewas pending,PalbarChödrak, out of firm loyalty to thelateSamphel,plannedtoobstructourjourneytoLhasa.Withmaliciousintent,headvisedShewaPhaktrukandothermonks,thefamiliesofthetraders,andDrodokChödrak,whowasveryinfluentialinDrodokarea,thatiftheycouldcauseadelayinourjourneytoLhasa,itwouldbeofgreathelpingettingthegovernorandcommandingofficerofMarkhamtoreleasethemonksandthegoods.Likewindinthefoldsofpaper,125DrodokChödrakandothers,actingon the advice they received, insisted that I postponemydeparture toLhasauntiltheirlegalcasewassettled.IdidnotagreetopostponeourjourneyandtoldthemthatitwasmyfirmdecisiontoleaveforCentralTibetandthatIhadalsosentalettertoHisHolinessinthecapital.

PalbarLagenandDrodokChödrakalliedtorecruitsomearmedmenandpreparedtorobusinambushsomewhereintheDrodokarea.Amonkwithagoiter named Palgé Gyakser Yapa, an uncle of Troti Tulku, claimed thatpeopleshouldseeforthemselvesifhewouldletthepartyofTrijangLabrangsafely pursue their journey to Lhasa. This monk had previously receivedteachingsonthestagesofthepathandinitiationsintoVajrabhairavatogetherwithitscommentariesfromme.Hehadeventakenthecommitmenttodothefullretreatofthedeity.Yapalatersufferedaninfectionofthegoiterandlonglingeredinalimbobetweenlifeanddeath.AlthoughhelatersentalettertoLhasaseekingmyforgiveness,hediedwithoutanybenefit.

As Imentionedabove,perilconfrontedus fromeveryside.LutakTashiTsongpön, Nenang Phuntsok Dargyé, Shap Gyatso Nyima, and otherinfluentialpeopleofferedtoescortusuptoMarkhamwithathousandarmedhorsemen,sayingitwasbettertotravelstraightthroughDrodok.Althoughwecouldhavetraveledwithoutanyfeariftheyhadescortedus,theywouldhavedoubtlessly suffered tremendous casualties in conflicts on their return.Therefore we made plans to leave via Nangsang.We sent a messenger insecrettoNangsangMonastery,andinreplytheysaidthattheywouldtakefullresponsibility forour safetyand thatwemustcome in thatdirection, sowe

confirmedourdecision.DrodokChödrak,havinglearnedofourplan,sentawarningmessage to

NangsangMonasterysayingthathehadrequestedmetostayforsometimeinorder to secure the releaseof thedetainedmonksandmerchantsand that ifthe monastery arranged to take us through Nangsang, even if the lamasucceeded indecampingvia their region, theactwouldbecomeacause forcontention.Inreply,thepeopleofNangsangsaidthatwhateverresponsetheopposition may plan, they would take full responsibility for my journey.Thus, although we were leaving from Nangsang, the situation remainedintractablydifficult,andthethreatoffuturedisputesloomed.

AlthoughwehadalreadyplansinplacetodepartChatrengonthethirdofthesixthmonth,theexactrouteofourjourneywasnotfinalizeduntilthedaybefore.Onthatday,indesperation,Iperformedthedough-balldivination,126andinconnectionwiththeritualofpropitiationandtheprayertoinvoketheactionsoftheprotectors,Iaskedafterthebestroute:Drodok,Nangsang,andLithang,assomehadsuggested,orviaGyalthang.ItcameoutthatGyalthangwas the better route, and we made final arrangements among ourselves insecrecy, outwardly indicating thatwewould departChatreng heading norththroughDrodok.

Onthemorningofthethird,anadvancepartyconsistingofmuledriversleftbythemaingateofthemonastery,headingsouthoutofChatrenginthedirectionofGyalthang.Untilthispoint,nooneknewofoursecretplan,andso some of our travel companions — monks and people coming toaccompany us for a short distance to see us off — had already left forShokdruk Drodok and had to return to Gyalthang. That day, after ourdeparture from Samphel Ling Monastery of Chatreng, when I and othermembers of our group reached the other side of the bridge in front of themonastery,asIreflectedonthehardshipIhadundergoneonaccountof thevariousharmfulactsthathadfloutedmygoodintentions,Ifeltlikeaprisonerbeingliberatedfromadarkprisoncell.

Although I thought tomyself that Iwould not return to that place everagain,inretrospectIrememberedthatIhadleftmymonasticseatcoverandpandit’shatonmythroneintheassemblyhallofthemonastery.Itthereforeoccurred tome that Imighthave to return to the scene, like the expressionsays,“toseethebadomenandsmellthebadodoragain.”Later,whenIwasfifty-fiveyearsold,inthewood-sheepyear(1955),IcametoChatrengagainon my return from China and visited the Geluk monasteries in Lithang,Chatreng,Ba,andsoforthasHisHoliness’srepresentativetosouthernKham.AtthattimeIrecognizedthatmyleavingofthingsbehindhadbeenakarmic

sign,foritisdifficulttoseverthetiessecuredbythethreadofgoodandbadkarma, no matter how hard one tries. Further, as I joined the line ofincarnations of Throneholder Jangchup Chöphel by coincidence, from myside I triedmybest toact inways thatwould furtherdevelopwhathadnotdegeneratedandthatwouldrestorewhathad,byanymeans,forthebenefitofthemonasteryandpeopleofChatreng,regardlessofthephysicalandmentalhardshipinvolved.

The majority of monks and laypeople were very faithful, loyal, andgenuinelyrespectedandmaintainedgoodrelationswithme.Nonetheless,asThukenChökyiNyimasaid:

Harassmentinreturnforreligiousteachings,harminreturnforkindness,deceptioninreturnfortrust:itisdifficulttoremainwiththepeopleofdegeneratetimes.

ChöjéSurkharwaLekshéTsölsaid:

Though I have benefitted beings with great fairness, withoutdiscriminatingwhether their status is high or low,many havecausedmegreatanguish,ungratefullyreturningdustforflour.

As recounted here, some people and their followers, to say nothing ofrepayingthekindnessoftheteacher,attemptedonvariousoccasionstoharmme with both thought and deed, as if crushing sesame seeds on the head.However,bythecompassionofthelamasandtheTripleGem,thepowerofthe truth of cause and effect, and the ever-attentive actions of the protectorwith the nameDorjé, who from long ago has always been withme like ashadowwith the body, I escaped the narrow ravines of all the obstructingcircumstances,likethemoonemergingfromclouds.

THEJOURNEYBEGINS

We spent the night following our departure fromChatrengMonastery at atemple called Tashi in Upper Rakpo. Then, traveling through Wangshö,Gumnak,andsoon,IarrivedatSumtsenLingMonasteryofGyalthangtoagrand reception held by the present and former abbots, tulkus, monasticadministrators, andmonks.At themonastery I stayed in a room above theassemblyhallthatoverlookedthecourtyard.Igaveacommentarialdiscourse

on theQuick Path and initiation into thirteen-deity Vajrabhairava to abouttwo thousandmonks in the assembly hall. I also visited the eight regionalhouses,includingChatrengHouse,attheirinvitation,andgaveteachingsandperformed consecration rituals according to their wishes. I stayed there foraboutthreeweeks.

A few times during the visit I met the previous Lhakhar Rinpoché ofGyalthangTongwa,whowasinhissixties.WhenIfirstmethim,hetestedmebyaskingmanyquestionsregardingsutraandtantra.HewaspleasedwhenIwasabletorespondtohisquestionswithoutbeingshortofreplyandcametohearmydiscourseonthestagesofthepath.Also,everyyearuntilhepassedaway,hesentmeletterswithgiftsofgoldthroughtravelersfromKham.Laterin Lhasa, Phabongkha Vajradhara told me that while Lhakhar Rinpochéstudied in themonastery, theywere inseniorand juniorclassesand thathewasverylearned.IalsovisitedPanglungLabrang,KangyurTsang,andotherlabrangsattheirinvitation.

Gyalthang Sumtsen Lingwas established at the time of the FifthDalaiLama (1617–82). Due to the patron-priest relationship between successiveDalaiLamasandemperorsofChina,manydecreesissuedbyGushriTenzin,DesiSangyéGyatso,andtheDalaiLamas,printedonyellowbrocade,hungfrom the largepillars likedecorativebanners.127As for the ritual traditionsand chant melodies, each of the eight houses had its own style, and theassemblyhallwasknowntohaveitsownaswell.Attheirinsistentrequesttoenrollmyself in themonastery, I registeredmyname in theirbook. Imadetoken offeringswith gifts ofmoney to the assembly hall and to the houseswithwhichIwasaffiliated.

AfterleavingGyalthangthroughtheupperandlowerRongpavalleys,wedescendedasteepmountainoustrackforaday,approachingthebankoftheDrichu River. After the descent we arrived at Dapthang, a portage on theDrichu.There,onaraftmadeoflogslashedtogetherandwithoutanyrailing,we crossed the broad riverwith great trepidation.Then proceeding for twodaysonaveryroughtrailalongtheriver,wearrivedatthetownofKongtséRakorPomtséRak,whereShalngo lived.128Thenon the roadup,wewerewellreceivedbythepreviousTrathangTulkuatShipalHermitage.

Thenextday,wearrivedatJölDöndrupLingMonasterytoareceptionbythe tulkusandadministratorsand spenta fewdaysatLudrupLabrang.Thepredecessorof thecurrentLudrupTulkuwasthenayouthofsevenoreightyears. I gave an initiation into the five-deity Cakrasaṃvara to TrathangRinpoché and the entire assembly of lamas and monks. At Dechen LingMonastery inJöl, I stayedatSamdongLabrangfor threedaysandgave the

permission for JéRinpoché as the triple deity, a long-life initiation, and soforth to the monks as needed. The previous Samdong had been a goodDharmafriendwithwhomIhadreceivedmanyteachingstogetherinLhasa.Afterreturningtohisnativetown,hewaskilledbybulletsfiredfromaforestbya fewpeople in theareawhilehewasgivinga long-life initiation to thetownspeople.

AfterpassingthroughatowncalledJöldongandcrossingasmallpass,wespent a fewdays at a lake calledKamkha.There themonksofSeudru andGangkar Lamatsang monasteries came to greet me. The escorts fromChatreng returned through Nangsang. We arrived via Tsa Pass at DranakMonastery,whereIgaveteachingsandoraltransmissionsofJéTsongkhapa’sFoundationofAllGoodQualitiestoNyiraTulkuandthemonks.Again,viathe townsofChusumdoandKhawoButsa,wearrivedatSeudruMonasteryandstayedmorethantendays.

MEETINGWITHGANGKARLAMARINPOCHÉ

While there, Lamatsang extendedwarm hospitality to all of us with lavishfeasts. Because of our very close association with Lama Rinpoché and hislabrang,Ifeltquiteathome,likebeinginmyownhouse.Inarelaxedstate,Igave an initiation into the Great Compassionate One to the monks andlaypeople there and an initiation into thirteen-deity Vajrabhairava to themonks. One day Lamatsang presented me with a long-life prayer andelaborateofferings.

On this occasion, Lama saw me as Guru Padmasambhava in a vision.Then Lama also remembered his birth at one time as the great translatorVairocana and our connection through several successive lives. He relatedthistoNgakramBudorandothers.Althoughvariousreflectionscanappeartothevisionofayogin,duetoourclosebondandconnections,andhisstrongliking forme, the things thatappeared tohimmayhavebeen reflected inapuremanner.Formyself,Idonothaveevenawhiffofsuchinstinctsandamnothingmorethanmypresentstate.Ididnotfeeltheleastpride,evenasifinadream,onaccountofLama’svision.I,too,presentedalong-lifeceremonywithofferingstoLama.

WhileIhadbeeninChatreng,commanderShelkarLingpahaddispatchedfive hundred soldiers of theDrashi armed forces unit and regional recruitsfromtheninesectorsofMarkhamdistrictwiththeintentionofseizingthesaltflats atTsakhaLho,whichwereunderLama’s jurisdiction.Lamatsangwassurroundedbysoldiersinasurpriseattack,andshotswerefiredfromcannons

and guns. Following a prophetic dream, Lama had taken relic pills called“bulletproofimmortalironpillsfromJakhyungDrakarDzong”justbeforetheforcesarrived.Heopenedthehiddentreasureboxandgaveonepilleachtoseven specially selected monks. Arming the monks with only swords, heinstructed them todrive the enemyaway, up to the stupa at the foot of themonastery, which was halfway up the hill, a point from where the monksweretoldtoreturnwithoutgoingbeyond.Whenthemonkschargedatthemas instructed, the largecontingentof enemy forcesweredrivenaway likeaherd of sheep chased by a wolf. The soldiers were forced to flee, leavingbehindweapons,rations,andsoon.AnartilleryshellthatthesoldiersfiredatLama inhis roomdidnot explode.The eighteen-inch shellwas there tobeseen.

Amedicinalodorpermeatedtheroomwherethetreasureboxcontainingtheironpillswaskept.OnedayLamaletusviewthetreasureboxandopenedittogiveeachofusan“ironpill.”Thecontainerlookedasifitweremadeofclay,wassixinchesinheightandoneandahalfwide,withavarietyofself-emerged imagesofdeitieson its sides. Inside itwas filled to thebrimwithpills. Lama gave a large amount of pills to about twenty members of ourgroup, including the escorts from Chatreng. The pills within the boximmediatelymultiplied,leavingtheboxsofullagainthattheLamahadtoputtheoverflowingpillsaway insmallpackages. Itwasutterlyconvincingandextraordinary.

BeforeIdeparted,IaskedLamatoperformadivinationfortheactivitiesofmybody,speech,andmind.Lamatoldmeofadreamhehadthepreviouseveninginwhichafewpeoplewerehurriedlymakinganewthroneinfrontofa large old throne in a spacious hall. Then a majestic monk official whoresembled the lordchamberlaincame into theroom,and thepeoplemakingthe throne grew quiet. Someone in red garments, seemingly the official’sattendant,destroyedthenewthronecompletely,sweptawayitsremains,andexpelledallthepeoplefromthehall.Lamasaid,“Itiscertainthatnoexternalinterfering forces will affect your life or activities. I will guarantee thatShukdenwilltakecareofeverything.”Hetoldmethiswithgreatconfidenceandassurance.

LaterduringtheGreatPrayerFestivalinLhasa,inthewater-monkeyyear(1932), Palchuk Dapön Geshé of Chatreng, who was one of the principalsupportersofTrotiTulku,sufferedsicknessanddied.SevendayslaterTrotiTulkuhimselfbecameillandpassedaway.Beforethat,manypeopleinKhamwho had caused me harm also died under a variety of unpleasantcircumstances.

Incidentally, when Gangkar Lama Rinpoché was consulted for thediscoveryofnewincarnationsof lamasor lostobjects,hewouldsometimesexaminehisdreams,andatothershewouldgo intocontemplationwithhiseyeshalf-closedandimmediatelypointoutclearlythedirectionoftheplace,town, village, or gate of a house and the family and its name. Everythinghappenedexactlyaccordingtohisprophecy.Ihavepersonallyexperienceditseveral times.Also,onmyfirst journey toChatreng,Lama’shairwasgrey,yetwhenImethimlateronmyreturn,hishairwasblack.

LamahadgreatdevotionforHisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLamaandhadsaidthataslongasHisHolinesslived,hetoowouldlive.Later,assoonasheheardthenewsofHisHoliness’spassing,hesaidthatitwasalsotimefor theoldmonktodepart.He tookuponhimselfamildwaterdisease,andjust before he died he called his attendants into his presence, where theyrecitedtheHeartSutratogether.Hepassedintothestateofpeaceattheendof the recitation of the mantra in the text, following his utterance of thesyllablephat ina loudvoice.Heconvincedothersbyclearlydemonstratinghisachievementofinsight.Lama’sdailypracticeconsistedoftheGuruPuja,Vajrabhairava, SecretHayagrīva, chö “accomplished in one sitting,”129 andtheprotectorSetrap.Hepracticednodeitiesorprotectorsapartfromthese.

LASTPHASEOFTRAVELHOME

After leaving from Seudru Monastery, I arrived at Garthok via Lhadun,GoshöPomdatsang,andsooninMarkham.ThereIvisitedthegovernor,TaijiDrungkhorPelshiwa, in thedistrictheadquartersathis invitation. Igave theblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginītosomeofthemonksofÖserMonastery, the governor, and hiswife and gave an initiation into theGreatCompassionateOne to the general public. Then at the request of thecommanderShelkarLingpa,Iwenttoarmyheadquartersandgavealong-lifeinitiationtohimandmembersofhisfamily.

Öser Monastery had been moved from its original location and newlyconstructed in the upper region ofGarthok. Iwas invited and performed abrief consecration ritual there. Then at the invitation of Khyungbum LuMonastery, Igave themonksan initiation into thirteen-deityVajrabhairava.Along the way I spent a night at Ribur Monastery, where I gavemiscellaneous teachings and answered some questions and enquiriesregarding the construction of a three-dimensionalmandala ofGuhyasamājathatwasunderpreparation.

IstayedatChaknaMutikMonasteryforsomedays,where there liveda

monk who had been master of ritual dance at Tengyé Ling Monastery inLhasa.IwastoldaboutthegoodritualperformanceofthedeitiesMahākāla,Dharmarāja, and Palden Lhamo and of the Black Hat dance in which themonkstrained.Theyperformedthedancesforme,whichwerejustthesameasthedancesofDemoIhadpreviouslyseenatTengyéLing.

AftercrossingtheDzachuRiveratSampaDreng,IpassedthroughRongDukda, Dzogang Sang-ngak Ling, Uyak, Lur Monastery, Kochen Thang,PangdaMonastery,WakoMari,ShapyéBridge,LhozongShitramMonastery,DzithoMonastery,ShodoMonastery,PotiMonastery,andLhatséMonastery.Aftergivinginitiationandavarietyofteachingsinthemonasteriesandtownsalongthelongroute,IarrivedinChakraPalbardistrict.Thereattherequestof the tantric adeptNgawangChöjor ofGyüméTantricCollege, I gave anexplanatory reading of Tsongkhapa’s Song of Spiritual Experience to themonks.

AtthatmonasterytherewasanoracledeitycalledGönpoTseduNakpo.The oracle spoke through an entranced medium, whom Ngawang Chöjorbrought to see me.We conducted rites to invoke the oracle and to inducetrance.At thebeginningof the trance, themediumhelda largedruminhislefthandandadrumstickinhisright,participatingintheinvocationritualbybeatingthedrum.Whenthedeityenteredthemedium,thedrumstoodalonenexttotheseat,andthedeitymadepropheciesregardingthedevelopmentofcircumstances while beating the drum. I thought what he said was quitereliable and convincing. His prophecies regarding some of my futureactivitiesprovedaccurate.

Crossing Shargong Pass, I arrived at Arik Monastery. There I met therelativesof thelateNgakrampaandgavethempresents.OurcookNamgyalDorjéhadprecededusonthejourneyandhaddiedafterfallingfromacliffearlyonemorningbetweenAlachakGongandDothuk.Ispentonenightthereto cremate his body and performed the transference of consciousness andofferedprayers.HavingcrossedNupgongPassviaLharigo,KongpoGyada,andsoon,IarrivedatÖzerGyang,wheresomemonksrepresentingDokhangHouseandSamlingHousehadcomefromGandentogreetme.

IspentonenightatTsunmoTsalMonastery,whereDokhangHousehadmade arrangements for my stay. There I made offerings before the stupacontainingtheholybodyofDulzinDrakpaGyaltsen.130Notonlyhaditbeenlong known that the body of Dulzin Rinpoché was at Tsunmo TsalMonastery, but itwas reputed that at some point in time,when the templehousing the stupa required renovation and the monastery invited thepredecessor of the current Gyalsé Tulku of Lhopa House at Ganden and

GeshéChödrakofDokhangHousetoperformtheconstructionritual,131afterthestupawasdismantled,theentirebodywasfoundinexcellentconditioninaboxinsidethevasestructureofthestupa.Quitealotofhairhadgrownonitshead;thebodyhadremainedinanuprightposition,wrappedintwosetsofmonasticrobes—anoldandanewset—andanoldwoodenmonk’steacupfilled with dried fruit still sat in his lap. The fragrant scent of pure moraldisciplinepermeatedtheentireplace.132IhadheardofthispreviouslywhileatGandenfromGeshéChödrakhimself.

ARRIVALHOME

I postponed my visit to Ganden for some time in order to prepare theofferingsthatIwouldmakeonmyreturntothemonastery.Atthebeginningofthetenthmonth,IarrivedsafelyinLhasaatmyresidence,wheremyeyestookintheambrosialsightofthemandalaofthebodiesofmyteacherwhosekindnessisbeyondmeasure,GeshéSherapRinpoché,andothers.Wereunitedwith many a tashi delek,133 and while enjoying this great happiness, weexchanged news of our lives continuously for days and nights. I met withmanycloseassociatesandfriendswhocametocalluponmyreturn.

In accordance with ancient custom, I went to pay my respects to HisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLamainthesunlightroomoftheNorbulingkaPalace. In a private audience in the JangchupGakhyil chamber on the topfloor,Ipaidmyrespectswith thecrownofmyheadatHisHoliness’s lotusfeet,atwhichall thecelestialandothersupremeheadsofworldlyexistencepaid tribute with their glowing crown jewel. I made symbolic mandalaofferingsofbody, speech,andmindaswellasofferingonegoldsang, fivethousandChinesesilverdollars,andsomegoods indigenous to theprovinceofKham.HisHoliness askedmany questions about the situation inKham,andIanswereddirectlyandfrankly,withoutanypretense.

Afterward I went to Chusang Hermitage to be present at the feet ofKyabjé Phabongkha Vajradhara. Upon seeing the mandala of his face,meaningful to behold and like the jewel of supreme equanimity polished ahundredtimes,Iprostratedbeforehim,bowingthehighestpartofmybody.Ialso made clouds of offerings of gold, silver, and other objects to mysatisfactionandthenhadthepleasureofspeakingfondlywithhimforagreatlengthof time.ThegloriousChonéLamaRinpochéLosangGyatsoTrinpalSangpowasalsostayingatChusang,soIpaidmyrespectstohimandaskedpermissiontoattendallhisfuturediscourses.

IntheeleventhmonthIwenttoGanden,whereImettheincumbentabbot

of Shartsé College, Losang Dargyé, and other administrators who came togreetmeatawelcomereceptioninBönpoGönsar134at thefootofGanden.After traveling throughNyakrongPass, I dismounted at themarket ground,wheremonksofShartséhadformedaceremonialreceptionline.TheabbotsofShartséandJangtsécollegesandincarnatelamas,holdingburningincensesticks in their hands, led the procession to the assembly hall of DokhangHouse,wheretheyhadarrangedareceptionwithstackedceremonialcookies.ThereIacceptedscarvesandgiftspresentedtomebythemainadministratorsof themonastery, thecolleges, thehouses, the regional affiliates, andmanyother groups and individuals. In celebration and thanksgiving for our safereturnfromourvisittoKham,freeoftragedy,andasatokenofmygratitudeand appreciation, I made offerings of tea and shethuk pudding.135 I alsooffered one sang, five sho, and one khal136 of barley grain to each of themonksandestablishedacapitalfundtogiveonetamtoeachmonkannuallyas an offering to the general assembly of GandenMonastery. At Shartsé Imade offerings of tea, shethuk, three sang, and one khal of barley to eachmonk.To themonastery, I presented longwoven yellow carpetswith lotusdesigns for each of the eighteen long rows of seats in the assembly hall,several handwoven square cushion covers with red woolen borders for theseatsof the rankingmonasticadministrators, andacapital fund togiveonetamtoeachmonkannually.AtJangtséIofferedtea,shethuk,andthreesangto the monks and established a capital fund to offer one tam annually. AtDokhangHouseIofferedtea,shethuk,threesang,andonekhalofbarley.Asa general offering to the house, I offered banners made of fine Russianbrocade with gilded bronze tsipar ornamental heads for each of the fourpillars, two large triangularmulticoloredbanners, a victorybannermadeofchanden (brocadewith lotusdesignsmanufacturedinBenares, India),andacapitalfundtoofferonetamannuallytoeachmonk.Totheregionalaffiliatesof Dokhang, Samling, and Serkong houses, I offered tea, money, and anannualpledge.

I made offerings of tea and money at Sang-ngak Khar Monastery atDechenonmyway fromGanden toGongkotsang,where Imetandofferedgifts to my mother and other family members. At Chötri and Simsharmonasteries at Gungthang, I made “daylong” offerings and monetaryofferings.Ialsomadeathanksgivingofferingandpresentedatokensumasiscustomarytoeachofmybirthdeities,DrakshulWangpoandNyimaShönu,andtheirretinuesthroughtheirmediumsintranceandthereafterreturnedtomyresidenceinLhasa.

5

I

APeriodofGainandLoss

CAREDFORWHILEILLBYTRIDAKRINPOCHÉ

NMYTWENTY-NINTHYEAR,theyearoftheearth-snake(1929),IofferedteaandthreeshotothemonksattheGreatPrayerFestival.AfterthefestivalImade offerings to the assemblies of Drepung and Sera monasteries, to

Gyütö andGyümé tantric colleges, and to themonks and nuns atChusangHermitage. At Gyütö Tantric College I presented 150 sets of five-buddha-familyheaddresses,whichweremadespeciallytoordertomatchandcoatedwithChineselacquer.

ThatyearatChusang,atthefeetofKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara,IhadthegoodfortunetoreceiveoralteachingsontheGuruPujaandmahāmudrābased on the great commentary on the Guru Puja and the root text ofmahāmudrā,aswellasateachingonthegenerationandcompletionstagesofthirteen-deityVajrabhairavaonceagain,alongwithmanyotherdiscourses.

In my thirtieth year, the year of the iron-horse (1930), a senior staffmember of theGungthang estate,MakdrungKalsang, established the ritualofferingandpracticeofVajrabhairavaand restored thepracticeof the five-deity Cakrasaṃvara at Chötri Monastery. In order to undertake theseactivities, he asked that I give initiations into the deities. Although I wassuffering discomfort from a kidney ailment at that time, at MakdrungKalsang’swish,IwenttoGungthangandgavetheinitiations,afterwhichmycondition becameworse.After crossing theBrahmāputra bothways duringthejourney,myconditionbecamequiteserious,andlaterIsufferedakidneyinfectionandswellingintheleg.Iwasbedridden,unabletoleavemyroom,until the beginning of the eleventh month and suffered a great deal ofdifficulty.

At this time Tridak Rinpoché of Ganden Jangtsé visited me often andperformedmany rituals to avert the circumstances ofmy sickness, such aspurificationandnāgarituals.HealsogavemepermissionforthepracticeofStripedGaruḍaandadvisedmetodoamantrarecitationretreatforthatdeity.Aftercompletingtheretreataccordingtohisadvice,Idreamedonenightthat

Itransformedintoastripedgaruḍathesizeofasheepandlandedontheroofofmyhouse. I alsodreamedofaplatterwithmany frogson it.Theplatterwascoveredwithacloth,theendsofwhichIheldtightlybeneaththeplatterwithmylefthand.Themovementof thefrogsontheplatter liftedtheclothcover,andwhenIpeeredintotheplatterbyliftingoneendofthecloth,twofrogs leapedout,and therestof thembecamesoftandmushy.Theskinsoftheirbacksstuck to theclothcover,andIcouldseefreshredsoreson theirbacks. I interpreted this dream as pacification of the affliction caused byspirits.IreceivedtreatmentbothfromDr.JikméofShelkarandKalsang-la,ateacher of medicine at the Chakpori Medical College, and recoveredgradually,ignoringthebeckoningofthelordofdeath.

TridakRinpoché, the incarnationofTridakpoNgawangTashi,waswelleducated in both sutra and tantra. Not only was he well versed in poetry,literature, and Sanskrit, hewas also proficient in the ritual activities of thefourclassesoftantraandinthediagramsandcolorsofthemandalas,andhewasabletopaintthangkasonhisown.Rinpochéhadreceivedmanyteachingsand initiations from Serkong Dorjé Chang and Kyabjé PhabongkhaVajradhara.Hewasnotarrogantandneverboastedabouthisknowledge;nordidheactasordinarylamasdo,advertisingthelittleknowledgetheyhavetoothers as if waving a flag. His demeanor was like a flame kindled in acontainer.

Since Rinpoché and I were the disciples of the same lama, we wereintimatelyconnected.Though Iknew thatRinpochéhad received importantsecret oral teachings fromSerkongDorjéChang, as theproverb says, “Theold ladyofLhasadoesn’tgo tosee theBuddha inLhasa.”137SoalthoughIhadintendedtoreceivesuchteachingsfromRinpoché,hepassedawaybeforeIcoulddoso.Igreatlyregrettedit,butitwastoolate.

THEARRIVALOFPALDENTSERING

MyattendantLhabu’sfather,TashiDöndrup,wholookedafterourdairyfarmatDechenwithgreatloyaltyanddedication,passedawayafterasicknessinthe earth-snake year (1929). It was his wish that his youngest son, PaldenTsering, join the service of our labrang, so that autumn Palden arrived inLhasawithanescort.ItaughtPaldenhowtoreadandsoonaftersenthimtotheschoolinLhasarunbyDr.RikzinLhundrupofNyakrongSharandlookedafterhimfromhischildhood.Asitissaid:

Unspoiledalthoughinthemidstofcomfort,

notwantingtorunawaywhentimesarehard,carryingouteverytaskgiven,easyordifficult:thisistheepitomeofalovingservant.

SoitiswithPalden,whohasserved,andcontinuestoserve,asmypersonalattendantwith loyalty and dedication,while ignoring any difficulties of hisbody,speech,andmind.Heisthesolesupportingcaneonwhichthisoldmanrestshishand.

Inmythirty-firstyear,theyearoftheiron-sheep(1931),Iattendedmostof the teachings given by Lama Vajradhara at either Chusang or TashiChöling Hermitage. In Lhasa, from assistant tutor Kyabjé TakdrakVajradhara,IreceivedinitiationsintoVajrabhairavaaccordingtothesystemofJñānapādaandLokeśvaraaccordingtothesystemofAtiśa.IalsoreceivedteachingsonVajrabhairavabasedonthetextsofRaandPal,andmanyoraltransmissions, such as the practice manual of great Four-Faced Mahākālabasedontherootandexplanatoryteachingtexts.Attheendofthatautumn,two representatives of the monastery and the people of Chatreng, PhagéLosangYeshéofUpperChagongandPawoButsaGelongTenpaNamgyalofTrengshok,arrivedtoinvitemetocometoChatrengforareturnvisit.

THEPASSINGOFTHEGANDENTHRONEHOLDERANDGESHÉ

NGAWANGLOSANG

In my thirty-second year, the year of the water-monkey (1932), Chinesesoldiers infiltrated through the Ba area of Kham, and the Tibetan bordersecurity forces, not able to hold them back, lost territory all theway up toBum Lakha in Markham. Because the imminent threat of war spreadthroughoutthecountry,ourowngovernmentwasforcedtoacquireweaponsfromtheBritish.IspentmostofthesummeratChusang,receivingteachingson the various ritual ceremonies of Vajrabhairava, and many others, fromKyabjéLamaVajradhara.InbetweentheteachingsIdidseveralmeditationalretreatsonvariousdeities.

That year, in the twelfthmonth, theNinety-FirstGandenThroneholder,LosangGyaltsenofLawaHouseofSeraJé,passedaway.AlthoughIhadn’tyetbeencalledforbythethroneholder’smanagerandstaff,ofhisownaccordHisHoliness theDalaiLamadispatchedahorsegroomerfromNorbulingkaas amessenger to fetchme.When I arrived there, I was instructed by hisattendant, Thupten Kunphel, that the throneholder had passed away thepreviousdayandthatIshouldassistintheritualbathingofhisbodyaswell

as in the cremation and so forth. I immediately proceeded to PhurchokLabrang,where the throneholderhadbeenstaying,and found that the ritualmasterfromNamgyalMonastery,Sönam-la,wasalreadythere.HisHolinesshadinstructedhimthatheandTrijangTulkushoulddowhatwasneededandthatPhurchokTulkuRinpochéshouldpaycarefulattentiontotheproceduresin order to acquire personal experience for his future use. In retrospect, Irealized that this was done for a very special reason: His Holiness hadforeseenwithhisclairvoyancethatPhurchokRinpochéandothers,includingmyself,wouldalsohavetoattendtotheserviceofHisHoliness’sbodywhenHisHoliness’sthoughtspassedintothestateofpeacethefollowingyear.

In accordwith His Holiness’s wishes, we performed ritual bathing andself-initiation until the body of the Ganden Throneholder was ready to becremated.ThenIpresidedoverthecremationritualaccordingtothewritingsof Thuken Chökyi Nyima at Phabongkha Hermitage. Phurchok Rinpochécametoobservetheritualbathingandsuchthroughouttheprocedure.

Inmy thirty-third year, the year of thewater-bird (1933),HisHolinesspaidavisittoGandenMonasteryduringthespecialsessionatTaktséaftertheannualGreatPrayerFestivalinLhasa.NotdaringtostayinLhasaduringhisvisit, I immediately left for Ganden and proceeded to participate in theVajrabhairava ritual offeringsorganizedbyShartséCollege. I had aprivateaudience with His Holiness in the Clear Light Chamber138 at the GandenThroneholder’s living quarters. There His Holiness conveyed his esteemedregardstome,andIansweredhisquestionsconcerningtheritualsessionsthatGandencelebratedinaccordancewithancientcustom.AfterHisHolinessleftGanden,IreturnedtoLhasa.

WhenIhaddepartedforGanden,myformerclassmate,GeshéNgawangLosangofPhukhangHouse,whose scholarshipwas recognized in the threeseats of learning,was sickwith a fever atmyhouse inLhasa.When I hadstudiedat themonastery,hehadbeenmydebatepartner,andhehadbeenaveryclosefriendformanyyears.HepassedawaybeforemyreturntoLhasa,andIhadtremendousregretatnothavingbeenabletoseehimatthetimeofhisdeath.Imadeextensiveofferingsonhisbehalf.

At theendof summer, I invitedKyabjéPhabongkha tomy residenceatChusang, and we were in the process of receiving permission for theseventeen emanations of Four-Faced Mahākāla139 when a messengerspeciallydispatchedfromthestableoftheNorbulingkaPalacearrivedwithamessagethatIshouldreporttothesunlightroomattheNorbulingkaearlythenextmorning.IwenttotheNorbulingkaandreceivedthroughKunphel-latheholycommand,asperalettersubmittedtoHisHolinessbythemonasteryand

peopleofChatrengrequestinghisconsentandpermissiontograntmealeaveofabsence,thatIshouldleaveimmediatelyforChatreng.ThereIshouldgiveadviceandcounseltothepeopletoserveandsupporttheDharmaandsecularaffairs.IwasalsotoldtosendreportstoHisHolinessintheeventofpossibleschemes for Chinese invasion. I received extensive instructions on otheraspectsofmyactivitiesthere.

Because pack and transportation animals had not been prepared for ourimmediatedeparture,Isoughtandreceivedpermissiontoleavepromptlythefollowingyear.ThethreepermissionsforthecycleofFour-FacedMahākālaandthesecretteachingofMahākālathatIhadnotreceivedwerelatergiventomebyKyabjéSimokRinpochéofNalendraMonasteryinPhenpodistrict.Inpreparation formy trip toKham, I sentLosangYeshé,oneof thedelegatesfromChatreng,toIndiaandinstructedhimtobuysuppliesthere.

THEPASSINGOFHISHOLINESSTHETHIRTEENTHDALAILAMA

In 1933, on the thirtieth of the tenth Tibetan month, His Holiness theThirteenthDalaiLamapassedhisthoughtsintothestateofpeace.PhurchokJamgön Rinpoché, assistant tutor Takdrak Vajradhara, assistant tutorGyalwangTulkuofKongpoHouseofSeraMé,KyabjéLingRinpoché,andmyself, along with the master of chant and the ritual master of NamgyalMonastery,tendedtotheritualproceduresforthebathingandpreservationofhisbody.IhadtopostponemyjourneytoKham.ThebodyofHisHolinesswas takento theSishiPalbarChamber in the top-floorsunlightroomin theNorbulingkaPalace,andwestartedtheritualfortheconsecrationofhisbody,whichincludedbathinghisbodyandeveryweekchangingthesaltcrystalsinwhichitwaskept.

Over the following days an investigation into the causes andcircumstances of His Holiness’s sickness and its outcomewas held by theNational Assembly in the Norbulingka Palace. His Holiness’s attendants,includingThuptenKunphelandhisphysicianJampa-la,werequestionedbytheNationalAssemblyaboutthecircumstancesofhisdeathandthetreatmentof his illness. After this interrogation they were put under arrest andimprisoned.ThuptenKunphelwassent toKongpoandtheothers tovariousplacesofexile.

In the twelfthmonth, theholybodyofHisHolinesswasbrought to theGandenNangsalChamber in the eastwingof thePotalaPalace.From thenon,everydayforayearandahalfuntilprayersandrelicscouldbeplacedinanewly constructed golden stupa, I tended the ritual procedures of making

offeringsbeforehisbody.Thenewlyappointedregent,RadrengRinpoché,140andPrimeMinisterYapshiLangdunGungKungaWangchukalsochargeduswith the responsibility of drawing up plans and measurements for thememorialstupaaswellasgatheringtheprayersandmaterialstobeinsertedinit.

Whenwemadethediagramsfortheproportionsofthestupaoncloth,welaid the cloth in the vast courtyard ofDeyang Shar on the east side of thePotala. We made the size of the stupa two arm lengths’ larger than HisHoliness the FifthDalai Lama’smemorial stupa, the SoleOrnament of theWorld.TheevergreentreetrunkthatarrivedfromRadrengMonasteryforthecentralwoodensupportwasexactlythesamesizeasthemeasurementinourplan, reaching from the top of the stupa to the lotus seat of the vase,141without so much as an inch difference. It was an amazing occurrence ofunplannedauspiciousness.Ingeneral,thelengthofthewoodensupportforastupashouldextendfromthetoptothelotuspetalsatthebase,butwhenthewoodensupportisconjoinedwithamandalaaccordingtotheTwoStainlessCycles,142themandaladiagramistobeplacedatthebaseofthevaseandthewoodensupportsecurelyplantedthere.Itwasthissystemthatweusedonthatoccasion.

WhileengagedinserviceofHisHoliness’sbodyduringmythirty-fourthyear,theyearofthewood-dog(1934),ourmanagerRikzinsuddenlysufferedastrokeandpassedaway.MyattendantLhabuandIwereforcedtoassumeresponsibility formaking offerings and other activities following his death.As mentioned earlier, due to lack of sufficient knowledge, ability, andsuccess, therewas a shortage of grain and other necessities at our labrang.Sometimes wewere even forced to borrow from neighbors when our ownsuppliesfromourvillagefarmestatesdidnotcomeintime.Withoursupplyofbutterdepletedpriortotheendoftheyear,wehadtotakeadvancesuppliesfromdairyfarms.Asourcellarstoreroomsonlycontaineddriedyakdung,143empty leather cases used for packing butter, and emptywooden boxes,wesufferedgreathardshipforafewmonthsduetotheshortageofnecessities.AsLhabuandIlackedthecompetence“tosacrificeahundredinanticipationofgainingathousand,”weweren’tfittomanageanything.YetbytheblessingsandgraceoftheTripleRefuge,thestatusofourfinancialresourcesimprovedyearbyyear,andprosperitybegantoreturn.Wewereabletomakeofferingsto theobjectsof refugeand themonks toourhearts’content, as ifdrawingwaterfromawellwhosevolumeonlyseemstoincrease.

RegentRadrengRinpochéatShidéMonastery,1937©FREDERICKSPENCER-CHAPMAN,PITTRIVERSMUSEUM,UNIVERSITYOFOXFORD;1998.131.516

Thatyear the financeminister,LungsharDorjéTsegyal,and thecabinetministerTrimönNorbuWangyalcameintoconflictoveradisagreementwithrespect to governmental power and authority, which led to unrest due tofactionaldisputesamongthemonasticandlaygovernmentofficialsasthetwosolicited supporters.Lungsharwas arrested, andon the eighthof the fourthmonth,bothhiseyesweregougedoutattheShölCourthearingatthebaseofthePotala.Hewassentencedto life inprison,andsomeofhisfriendswereexiledtodistantestatesinvariousdistricts.

BothLungsharandKunphel-lawerewellknownandpowerfulduetothespecialregardthatHisHolinesshadhadforthem.Kunphel-lawassomeonewhosemoodsallgovernmentofficials,whetherhigh,medium,orlow,hadtopay attention to. Although hewas someonewhosewords even the variouspolitical officeshad to take special noticeof, as it says in theVinaya, “Allcompoundedthingsaresubjecttodecline,ruin,dispersion,andchange.”Bothmen, alongwith their associates and relatives, suffered sudden tremendouschange.Havingseenthehappinessandsufferingofcyclicexistenceandthatprosperity and adversity flicker like lightning, I felt sorrow, and myrenunciationincreased.

WhilecomingtothePotalaeverydaytoperformtheritualofconsecratingthe body and changing the salt once a week, in the autumn we began toarrange theprayers and relics tobe inserted into statues and stupas.Mastercraftsmenconstructedthewoodenstructuresthatwouldformthebaseofthegoldenreliquary.

Concerning the placement of mantras inside the mausoleum: amongexisting blockprints of protective spells, the ones that contained thewidestvarietyofmantraswerefromtheblocksmadeduringthetimeofDesiSangyéGyatso. First we placed in their appropriate places, without error, the fivetypesofgreatdhāraṇī,printedatthedhāraṇīprinterbehindtherearexitofthePotala known asKagyama, into the places indicated for the upper,middle,and lowerdhāraṇī,anddiagramsofmaleandfemaleyakṣas, inaccordwiththe thought of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama’s Sun Dispelling Errors in thePlacementofDhāraṇī144andChangkya’sCrystalMirror.145

WeplacedonboardswithinthebaseofthestupatreasurevasesrelatedtoYellowJambhala,WhiteJambhala,Vaiśravaṇa,Vasudhārā,Pṛthivīdevatī,andthe five buddha families aswritten in the catalog of SoleOrnament of theWorld—theGreatFifthDalaiLama’sGoldenStupa.

At the four corners and in the center of the lion-throne portion of thestupa, we placed box representations of Six-Arm Mahākāla, Dharmarāja,Palden Lhamo, Yakṣa Chamdral, and the five emanations of NechungDharmarāja. Inside of each we placed life-stone and life-force diagramsupportsforeachprotector;representationsofbody,speech,mind,qualities,activity, and so on; outer, inner, and secret representations; thread-crosssupports and the various substances; andmantras and petitions to establishandconsecrateitasstatedinthevariousmanuals.

Within thesunandmoonornamentsat thepinnacleof thereliquary,wedrew themiktsema diagram for pacification, increase, and subjugation; thediagramforgatheringdisciples;thediagramofSitātapatrāforprotectingthe

country;thesādhanaofJetsunKurukulle,firstamongthegreatredgoddessesamong the ThirteenGoldenDharmas of glorious Sakya;Flow of the RiverGanges: Instructions on the Key Points to Conquer the Three Realms byTsarchen;146 the diagram that grants one power as taught in Dakpo TashiNamgyal’sSourceofSiddhi;147thediagramforcontrollingthethreerealms;and the diagram for accomplishing all aims. We drew a large Gaṇeśa aswrittenintheWish-FulfillingTree148 in themannerofMahāraktaGaṇapati,the seconddeityof initiation, to accomplish the four activitiesof the secretessence diagram. For each of the diagrams of initiation, we stacked threediagramsoneontopoftheother.Forthethirddeityofinitiation,thewrathfulKakchöl, we drew mother and father diagrams as written in Kāmarāja’sBlazingJewelSādhana.149Ninediagramsofthesun,moon,andsoon,whichfallonthevitalplaces,werestackedaboveandbelow.

Thedrawingsurfaces, thesubstancestobeapplied, thetimetodrawthediagrams, the accomplishment, and soonwere carriedout according to theunerringarrangementfoundintheGreatFifthDalaiLama’sBouquetofRedUtpalas: Instructions toUndo theKnotsof theDifficultPointsof theThreeCyclesofRedOnes150andHooktoSummontheThreeRealms:IlluminationofDiagrams.151The“requestingtostay”ritualsarerecordedinthecatalogoftheThirteenthDalaiLama’sGreatGoldenStupa,GrantingAllGoodnessandHappiness.

In order to collect the materials to be inserted into the reliquary,approximatelyfiftysacredcasesthatwerethepropertyofthegovernmentandthatcontainedself-producedrelicsofgreatrealizedbeingsfromancientIndiaand Tibet, including their clothes, hair, bones, ashes, and many otherwondrous and inconceivably precious relics, were opened in the GandenYangtsé Chamber of the Potala Palace in the presence of Regent RadrengRinpoché, Prime Minister Yapshi Langdun Gung Kunga Wangchuk,152CabinetMinisterTrimön,theoverseerofthereliquaryproject,fourmonasticgovernmental secretaries from theUpperDepartment, and those of uswhowereengagedintheritualservicesofHisHoliness’sbody.

Aportionofeachrelicwasmadeready,presented,andinsertedinto theappropriateplacesinthevarioussectionsofthestructureofthestupa.Eachofus who were engaged in service to His Holiness’s body were fortunate toobtain as a gift some small bits of relics. Later, as Iwillmention below, Icametoacquireindisputablyauthenticrelicsfromvariousmonasteriesduringmyextensivepilgrimage toholyplacesofCentralTibet suchas thedistrictLhokha.Iretainedthesewithgreatcare,astheywerethemostextraordinaryjewels,onesthatonecannotobtainonanyplaneofexistence.Ibroughtthem

withmeduringmyflight fromTibet to India toseekasylumin theTibetanRoyalYearof2086, theearth-pigyear,1959.Except forasmallportionofthe relics formy labrang, I presented the bulk of them toHisHoliness theFourteenthDalaiLama,withacompletecatalogandinlabeledpackages,fortheir perpetual use as objects in relation to which beings may accumulatemerit.

We frequently changed the salt around thebodyofHisHoliness.Whenthemoistureofthebodyhadnearlydriedupandthebodybecamemoreandmore skeletal as the flesh reduced, a self-emerged image ofAvalokiteśvarathree inches in height, with head, hands, and feet, as well as a lotus seat,appearedveryclearlyonthesurfaceofhisbackatthethirteenthvertebra.Thesightofthisfilledmewithgreatadmirationandprofoundfaith.

Inthethirdmonthofmythirty-fifthyear,theyearofthewood-pig(1935),wecompletedtheintermentofmaterialsinallpartsofthestupaexceptforthevasestructure.WeplacedritualprayersofSitātapatrāandmiktsemaintothegildedvictorybannersontheroofofthetemplethatwouldhousethestupa,placed rituals of Palden Lhamo, Chamsing, and others into variousadornmentsofthestupa,andplacedprotectivespellsintothejeweltopofthegiltroof.

On an auspicious day in the month of Buddha Śākyamuni’senlightenment, thebodyofHisHolinesswasadornedwith the threesetsofmonasticrobes,crownedwith thediademof thefivebuddhafamilies in theaspectofanenjoymentbody,andplacedinsidethestupa’svasecompartment.The government celebrated this occasion with elaborate ceremonies.Following this the extensive consecration ritual of Śrī Vajrabhairava wasperformedoverthreedays,presidedoverbyRadrengRinpochéandattendedby the entire assembly of Namgyal Monastery. I also attended the entiresession.

To celebrate the successful completion of construction of the DalaiLama’s Great Golden Stupa, Granting All Goodness and Happiness, thegovernment arranged an elaborate feast of ceremonial cookies in the SishiPhuntsokHallof thePotalaPalace.There,MinisterTrimön, theoverseerofthestupaproject,theoverseerofconstruction,thecraftsmen,andthoseofuswho attended to His Holiness’s body were honored with gifts bestowedaccordingly. I was given a complete set of robes, consisting of upper andlowermonasticgarments,avest,ordination robes,amonastichat,monasticboots,aswellasacaseoftea,brocadeandsilkcloth,anhonorarium,andaceremonialscarf.Iconsidereditagreathonorandthehighestgoodfortunetoparticipate in the noble task of serving for one and a half years with

dedicationanddevotion:fromtheverystartoftheritualservicetotheritualpreparationofthebodyallthewayuptothecompletionoftheGreatGoldenStupaanditsfoundation,withsacredmaterialplacedinsideandsealedwitharitualofconsecration.

During the rainy-season retreat, Iwent toGanden, andat the requestofPhara House of Ganden Jangtsé, I gave an initiation into AkṣobhyavajraGuhyasamāja with its preparatory rite to a large number of monks fromShartsé and Jangtsé colleges in the Jangtsé assembly hall. I attended thenewly established ritual offering toGuhyasamāja at PharaHouse for sevendays.

SinceImyselfwasunabletogotoChatreng,PawoButsaGelongTenpaNamgyal,who had been sent as a representative of themonastery to inviteme,waspreparing to return toChatreng. Iwanted tosendwithhima largeappliqué thangka as anoffering to themonastery.Alongwith the funds forour travel expenses that themonastery had sent, donations for the thangkawere also offered bymembers of theChatreng community living inLhasa.Our labrang also provided food, drink, and so on for the group of mastercraftsmen invited to create the thangka.The appliqué thangka, three storieshigh,wasmadeofgoodbrocadeand illustrated thecelestialhostofTuṣita,with Jé Tsongkhapa and his two disciples emerging from the heart ofMaitreya.Thetwopreviousgreatthroneholdersweredepictedonthetop,andonthebottomweretheprotectorsDharmarājaandTrinléGyalpo.153

THEDEATHOFLOSANGTSULTRIM

Inmy thirty-sixthyear, theyearof the fire-rat (1936),myesteemed teacherand preciousmentorLosangTsultrim,whowas then sixty-seven years old,becameslightlyillatthebeginningofthesecondmonth.Despiterelyingonevery possible method of treatment from the physician Jikmé of Shelkar,employingritualofferings,andperformingserviceandcaretothebestofmyability,his thoughtspassed into thesphereofpeace in the lateafternoononthefifteenthof thesecondmonth.Mymindwas tormentedwithunbearablegrief, but as there was nothing I could do about it, I fortified myself andattendedpersonallytohisbody,includingtheritualbathing.

Fromthe timeIwasa tendersproutat theageofsevennotonlydidheextend to me great kindness, with untiring care in providing to me thereligious instruction that has enabled this donkey to enter the ranks ofhumans,hetookprincipalresponsibilityandgavevaluableadviceonsecularmattersfollowingthedeathsof themanagersofour labrangandduringthat

critical,mostdifficultphasewhereintheresponsibilitiesoftheadministrationofthelabranghadfallentome.Evengiveneonstheextentofthekindnesshebestowedcouldnotbemeasured.Althoughitwasdifficulttoproperlyrelyonmy precious teacher as a spiritual friend, having been in constantcompanionship with him at all times, I was not the cause of anydisappointment and disgust by my teacher. As the importance of properlyrelying on the spiritual friend is such that even the slightestmistake or actdone properly can determine ruin or success, I declared openly withrepentanceinthepresenceofhisbodyanymistakesanddownfallsthatmayhaveoccurred.

Myteacher’sbodywastakentoChusangHermitage,wheretogetherwitha few ritual assistants from theGyütöTantricCollege, I crematedhisbodywith the ritual fire offering. Each week thereafter I made offerings at theGreatPrayerFestivalandthesubsequentsession,atGyütöandGyümétantriccolleges,atthethreemonasticseats,atthethreecentersofDharma,154andatothersacredplacesfortheperpetualaccomplishmentofhiswishes.

My late teacherwasborn intoa familycalled Jarshing in theNangsangregionofDoméprovinceintheiron-horseyearofthefifteenthrabjungcycle.HeenrolledinShartséCollegeatGanden,andhavingbecomeatopscholaruponcompletionofextensivestudyofthefivetreatises,hesatforhisgeshélharam examinations, receiving second position with honors. At that time,when the abbot of Shartsé, Losang Khyenrap of Phukhang House, hadresignedhisabbotshipandwaslivingalone,andthefollowingabbot,LodroChöphelofNyakréHouse,hadpassedawayinthefifthyearofhisabbotship,HisHoliness called “LosangTsultrim, tutor to TrijangTulku,” by name toappearforadebateexaminationandwasonthevergeofappointinghimtheabbot.Atthisjuncture,throughDeyangTsenshapRinpoché,assistanttutortoHis Holiness, and others, my teacher requested His Holiness that he beexcused from this appointment due to his poor eyesight and lack ofadministrativeknowledgeandskill.Wereitanyoneelse,anappointmentwithspecial regardbyHisHolinesswouldbeconsidered theultimateattainmentand would have been happily accepted without hesitation. My teacher,however,wassomeonewhodidnotlikeoccupyingahighpostandcouldnotsleep for days out of worry and concern, due to which he suffered fromnervous tension in his chest and back and often shed tears. Nyitso GeshéTrinléofChatrenghadtocomforthim.

Generallywithregardtohisdailydeedsandactivities,heroseearlyinthemorningandpracticedtheGuruPuja,thesix-sessionguruyoga,thesādhanasofVajrabhairavaandMedicineBuddha,aswellasvariousotherprayers.He

continuouslyrecitedthemiktsema,themantraofMaitreya,andthemantraofAvalokiteśvaraexceptwhileteachingorstudying.Heneversatidleorpassedtimewithgossip.DuringhisstayinGanden,manystudentsfrombothShartséandJangtsécametostudywithhimeverydayandhetaughtthemwithoutanyreluctance. Many among his students became good scholars who in turntaughtothers.Tothisdaytherearemanygeshéswhodescendinhis lineoflearning.AssuchheperformedanimmenseservicetotheDharmaandleftagreatlegacy.

Hisstyleofteachingwassuchthathedidnotgiveunnecessarilyextensivecommentaries and instead provided concise explanations on the difficultpoints inamannereasy tocomprehend.Forexample,with reference tomylessons,whenIstudiedthePerfectionofWisdomatagetwelveandthirteen,myenthusiasmandcomprehensionweresmall inscopedue tomyage.Butwiththeexceptionofthegreatertopic,Tsongkhapa’sEssenceofEloquence,Iwasabletodevelopagoodgeneralunderstandingoftheothersubjects,suchas going for refuge, generating bodhicitta, and theBuddha’s turning of thewheelofDharma.Thiswasaftermyteacherwentoverthetextwithmeonceand taught me the points of debate for a penetrating understanding of themeaning.Likechasingahundredbirdswithoneslingshot,Ihadagoodbasicknowledge of the topics in all stages and could reconstruct them in theirproperorder.

Twoyearsaftermy teacherpassedaway, in thehopeofdiscoveringhisincarnation,whomIintendedtopersonallytakecareofwithoutthepublicityofanofficialtitleofincarnationandenrollhimforstudyasanordinarymonktorepayhiskindness,IconsultedSengéGangiLamainPhenpodistrict.Hehad done the hundred thousandmantra recitations retreat of the sādhana ofYudrönmaandwassomeoneKyabjéPhabongkhaheldinhighregard.Basedonhismirrordivination,hesentthisreplyinversetomyquestionsregardingtheincarnationofmyteacher:

Onthefullmoonday,drawnuponthelight-raypathemanatedfromtheheartofthecelestialMaitreya,henowdwellsintheheavenofTuṣitawithintheentourageofAjitaDeva.

Although I did notmake anymention of the time ofmy teacher’s passingaway inmy letterasking forhisprediction,his replystated thatmy teacherpassedawayatthefullmoonandwasreborninthecelestialrealmofTuṣita.Though I had no further hope of discovering his incarnation,my faith andconvictioninmyteacherincreased.

InthethirdmonthIwenttoGandentomakeofferingsformyteacher,andthere,at the requestofGeshéNgawangTashiofLhopaHouse inShartsé, IgavetoalargeaudienceincludingtheabbotsofShartséandJangtsé,aswellas tulkus and monks, an initiation into sixty-two-deity CakrasaṃvaraaccordingtothesystemofMahāsiddhaLuipa.ThatsummerIbeganworkona project tomake a decorative bejeweled appliqué drapery ofmulticoloredbrocade illustrating the thirty-fivebuddhasof confession and a depictionoftheprotectorSetraptobehungabovethemainentrancetotheassemblyhall.Thislargedecorativedraperywastobehungonspecialoccasionsonallfouroftheinnersidesoftheclerestoryofthehall,includingthebalcony.Twelvepillar banners made of Varanasi brocade with appliqué tsipar heads andtwelvesmallhangingsof triangularshapewerealsofabricatedforDokhangHouse.IwenttoGandenandpresentedthehangingstoShartséandDokhang,alongwithteaandmoneyofferings,duringthefestivaloflights.IalsomadeofferingsatJangtséandestablishedacapitalfundforannualofferingsofonetamtoeachmonk.

Inmythirty-seventhyear,theyearofthefire-ox(1937),Imadeofferingsat the Great Prayer Festival to amass merit for the accomplishment of thewishesofmy late teacher and to eliminate theobstacles ofmy twelve-yearcycle. Imade offerings atGyütöTantricCollege on the anniversary of thepassingawayofmylateteacheranddonatedacapitalfundtoofferonetameveryyearonthefifteenthofthesecondmonth.

At the request of Lady Yangzom Tsering of the aristocratic family ofLhaluGatsal,IconstructedashrineattheLhalufamilytemplefortheinner,outer,andsecretobjectsrelatedtotheactivitiesoftheholybody,speech,andmindof the femaleprotectorgoddessPaldenLhamoMaksorma,who is theaspectofBuddha’sactivitiesforsentientbeings.Theywereconstructedintheprotector chamber of the family according to authoritative sources, such astheritualmanualofthegoddessandthewritingsoftheFifthDalaiLamaandThukenRinpoché.Iperformedtheritualforsevendays.

TANTRICTEACHINGSFROMKYABJÉPHABONGKHARINPOCHÉ

In the assembly hall of Chusang Retreat House, I received from KyabjéPhabongkhaVajradharaadetailedexplanationofCandrakīrti’sBrightLamp(Pradīpoddyotana) on the completion stage of Guhyasamāja, the secretinstructionthatisthebest,thesublime,theultimatepinnacleoftheessenceofall classes of tantra,which liberates disciples of sharp faculties fromcyclicexistenceanddelivers themonto thegroundof immutableenlightenment in

this very life. When we reached the explanation of the illusory body, wearrangedextensiveofferingsoftormaandtsokonthealtarandofferedouter,inner, and secret suchness to Lama Vajradhara conceived as the principaldeityofthemandala.Thenwemadetherequesttoimparttheteachingontheillusory body. All this was done according to the traditions of the tantricmonastery, and theofferingswerewell arranged.At thispoint I recited thefollowingspontaneoussongofjoy:

DechenNyingpo,embodimentofallguru-buddhas,lucidlyproclaimsanunendingDharmamelody,theteachingsoftheGloriousGuhyasamāja,thepeakofallthetantras.Whatdelight,thisfortunethatevenBrahmāandIndradonotattain!

KyabjéPhabongkhaRinpochéALEXANDRADAVID-NÉEL©VILLEDEDIGNE-LES-BAINS

Althoughlackingtheeaseofamelodiousvoice,helpme,vajrabrothersofpurepledgesandbonds,toofferasacloudofpraisethatpleasestheincomparableguru,thisspontaneoussongofjoyoverflowingfromourrapturousdelight.

Thoughpoorinthemovementsgainedbyskillandpractice,yetbythepowerofLamaAkṣobhyavajra’sblessing,letusperformthejoyfuldanceofthefortunateonesontheswiftpathofthepeerlessgreatsecret.

Withtheworldofexistenceandappearanceasmyriadpuremandalas,andtheinnatetonesoftheinandoutbreathsarisingassecretmantra,thearmyofthehorsesofthemanifestedwheelsofthethreerealmsareharnessedonthepathofdualabandonment.Itakejoyinsuch

skill!155

Theclearlightofonetastewiththerealmofelaborationspacifiedandtheprimordialandinnatesmilingyouth,agreatcloudofillusionwithfivelightraysreleasedunhindered,adancerfillingthevastmandalasofspace.

Thoughappearingasabouquetofenlightenedattributes,itisofthenatureofexaltedwisdom;thoughexistingasunobstructedexaltedwisdom,itpossessestheappearanceoftheformbody;thejoyofthestageofunion,onetasteappearingasmany:IyearntodwellinthepurerealmofAkaniṣṭha.

ItissaidthatbythekindnessofthesiddhaIndrabodhi,manybeingsfindfreedomwithoutrelentlesshardship.Ema!Havingmetsuchanexcellentandprofoundpath,Oḍḍiyānamustbelikethis,Ithink.

Withthearmorandpowerofpatiencetofreeallmotherlivingbeings,mayweengagethemeaningofthetantras,

garlandofconsonantsimbuedwiththelettera,156andmaywethoroughlyremoveallstainsoferroneouslyclingingtodualityandsingthejoyoussongofalilamo.157

Having been offered such a song, the incomparable precious guruexpressed his great pleasure. Yet the fact that I lack the good fortune tomaterializeanyofmyaspirationsduetobeingwhollyentangledindistractionis certainly a result arising in accordance with unwholesome actions Iperformedinpriorlives.

PILGRIMAGETOSOUTHERNDISTRICT

That autumn, along with Lhabu and a few others, I left Lhasa, passingthroughGanden,MaldroKatsal,Gyeteng,ChekaMonastery,Pangsa,RinchenLing Monastery, and Ruthok Monastery. Crossing Takar Pass, we visitedÖlkhaDzingchiandSamling,andcrossingGyalongPasswevisitedChökhorGyal,LhamoLhatso,GyalLhathok,thegreattempleofDaklhaGampo,andSanglungRetreat. On theway backwewent byÖlkhaChusang, Chölung,Gyasok, Lhading, andNyima Ling.We passed a few days at the Shöl hotspringsinÖlkha.

Although there were inconceivable objects of worship at DaklhaGampo,158thestatuesappearedtobeneglected,whichwasutterlydepressing.I had an audience with Daklha Gampo Rinpoché, and thinking to takeadvantageof theopportunity,questionedhimregardingmahāmudrāand thesix Dharmas of Nāropa. Perhaps he was shy. At any rate, I didn’t receivesatisfyingreplies.

We passed overKhartak Pass and visited SangriKhangmar,Densathel,andÖnNgariMonastery.WearrivedatTsethanghavingtakentheNyangpoferry across the Tsangpo River. We visited Ngachö Monastery, GandenChökhor, Namgyal Temple, the congregation at Nedong Tsé, BentsangMonastery, the chapel at Tradruk, Riwo Chöling, Yumbu Lagang, LharuMenpaiGyalpo,oneofthethreesacredshrinesofYarlung,TakchenBumpa,TashiChödé,RechungCave,Thangpoché,Songtsen’stomb,thesacredshrineofMenla Rinchen Dawa at ChenyéMonastery, the famed sacred statue ofTönpa Tsenlek at Rigang, Chongyé Riwo Dechen, Gönthang Bumoché,Tsenthang-yuTemple,SheldrakCave,andJasaTemple.

AtSheldrak,whenImadeofferingsbeforethestatueofPadmasambhava,

it appeared tome as if the statue became increasinglymagnificent, as if itwereGuruRinpochéinperson.Itseemedasifhiseyesweremovingandhewas about to speak. He did not do so, despite my earnest hopes, butextraordinarily on that day, an inexpressibly joyful awareness of emptinesswithout referencepointor reasonarosewithinme. Iunderstood this tobeasignofhavingbeenblessedbyOrgyen,thesecondBuddha.

At most of the above-mentioned monasteries, I gave various teachingsaccording to particular requests and stayed for a few days at the Kheméestate.AtRiwoChöling,IofferedinitiationintoAkṣobhyavajraGuhyasamājaas requested by the monks. Then, on the return journey, we crossed theTsangpoRiverby ferryand took in the sacred sightsofSamyé.Thereafter,visitingthepilgrimagesitesinupperandlowerChimphuandYamalung,wemadethousandfoldofferings,ahundredlamps,tsok,andfoodforthemonksastheoccasionscalledforandaswewereable.Ihavenotmentionedherethehistoryof theoriginof theaboveplacesandwondrousaccountsofsomeofthespecialobjects,as theyarefoundin thebiographiesandhistoriesandinKhyentsé’sPilgrimageGuide.159

AftercrossingGökarPasswearrivedbackatourresidenceinLhasa.ThatyearIwenttoGandenduringthewintersessionandmadeofferingstoShartséCollege, onwhich occasion I presented toShartsé four pillar banners to behungonthefourfrontpillarsoftheassemblyhall.ThebannersweremadeofbrocadewithdragondesignsnewlymanufacturedinChinaandwereattachedtogildedtsiparheads.

STAGESOFTHEPATHTEACHINGSFROMKYABJÉPHABONGKHARINPOCHÉ

Inmy thirty-eighth year, the year of the earth-tiger (1938), I requested thesole refuge of all beings, including celestial beings, the great PhabongkhaVajradhara,tograciouslyconsenttogivingadiscourseontheGreatTreatiseontheStagesof thePathwiththefourannotations160atGandenMonasterythatsummer.ArrivingatGandenaheadoftime,Imadeproperarrangementsfor his stay and set up a tent on Tsangthok, the green field at the foot ofGanden, for a reception ceremony in honor of my refuge and protectorVajradharaandhisentourage.

Upon the arrival of the party to Tsangthok, I presented scarves andsymbolicofferingsof theholybody, speech, andmind toLamaVajradharaand provided necessary services for the overnight stay. The next morning,

whenKyabjé Vajradhara and his retinue arrived at Ganden, the incumbentabbotofShartsé,SongRinpochéLosangTsöndrü,myself,andotherincarnatelamas and monastic administrators, holding incense in our hands, led theprocession from the spring, escortingGuruVajradhara to his throne in theassembly hall ofDokhangHouse for an elaborate reception ceremonywithstacked ceremonial cookies. After the attendants, the abbot of Shartsé, andothers,includingthemonasticofficials,hadsettledintotherowsofseats,tea,ceremonial rice, cookies, and assorted dried fruit were offered. Followingthis,theofficialsofShartséandDokhangHouseandIpresentedscarvesandholyobjectstoGuruVajradhara.

After the ceremony, Guru Vajradhara graciously came to stay at myresidenceabovetheassemblyhallofDokhangHouse,ashadbeenarranged.Themembers of my labrang and I shifted quarters to the residence of theDokhangHousedisciplinarian.WeattendedtoanyneedoffoodanddrinkforKyabjé Vajradhara and his attendants for a few days. Then until theconclusionofthediscourse,forreasonsofhishealthanddiet,wesuppliedhispersonalattendantswithstaplefoods,suchasbutter,barleyflour,wheatflour,tea,andsoforth,sothattheydidnotneedtopurchaseitfromthemarketandofferedthesumsofcashneededtopurchasefreshvegetablesdaily.

On the third day of the fifth month, an auspicious day of harmoniousconjunction between the stars and the planets, the embodiment of all thevictoriousones,preciousguruof thebeingsof the three realms,entered thegreatassemblyhallofShartsé,ThösamNorbuling,tothetuneofceremonialmusic,precededbyincenseholders,andplacedhislotusfeetontheteachingthrone,themandalaofhismagnificentfacesmiling—thesightofwhichwasmeaningfultobehold.

The discourse was given to an assembly of two thousand disciples,including the incumbent and formerabbotsofShartséand Jangtsécolleges,tulkus,monastic administrators, andmonks. In addition, in attendancewereDrakri Rinpoché of Sera Jé, Sharpa Rinpoché of SeraMé Kongpo House,GeshéJampaThayéofSeraJéTsawaHouse,whowasthefirstgreatfounderoftheDialecticInstituteinChamdowhenitwasnewlyestablished,andmanyother well-known holders of the Dharma, tulkus, and geshés from Sera,Drepung,Lhasa,andotherplacesandhermitsfromvarioushermitages.

HebegantodeliverhisdiscourseonthepathpioneeredbythevanguardIndianmastersNāgārjuna andAsaṅga, a synthesis of the essence of all theteachings of the victorious ones, the only path of fortunate beings, whichpossessesfourpreeminentqualitiesandthreefeaturesthatdistinguishitaboveothers, JéTsongkhapa’sGreat Treatise on the Stages of thePath,Lamp of

ThreeWorlds,withthefourannotationsandwithexperiential teachingsthatdetailed the ways of putting his explanation into practice, drawn fromPaṇchen LosangYeshé’sQuick Path teaching on the stages of the path toenlightenment.

On the first day of the discourse, for reasons of auspiciousness, ourprecious guru recited three times the first few pages of theGreat Treatise,followingwhich I recited themonce. Imadeofferings to the assembly thatday.Fromthatdayon,inthebeginningperiodoftheteaching,twosessionswerehelddailyfromafternoonuntildusk.Inthelaterperiodoftheteaching,nearingthesummersession,itwasnecessarytoholdanextrateachingsessioneachmorning.Thepreciousgurutaughtwithoutanysignoffatigueandwithgreat pleasure and joy, upholding the deeds of compassion without theslightestreluctance.Imadeanofferingofteaatthediscourseonceeachday,exceptonoccasionswhenotherssponsoredtea.

Before the discourse was completed, we suspended teachings on thefourteenthdayofthesixthmonthinordertocelebratethesixty-firstbirthdayofthesynthesisofallrefuges,oursupremeguideandkingofDharma,GuruVajradhara, with a long-life offering and the Halting the Ḍākinī’s Escortritual161madeinconjunctionwithatsokofferingoftheGuruPuja.Wemadethese auspicious offerings so that the lama would endure for eons like anindestructiblevajra.Weextensivelyarrangedthousandsofthefivefoldcloudsofofferings.162

Onthethirteenthwepreparedfortheceremonyforgeneratingbodhicitta,andonthemorningofthefourteenth,ourgurugraciouslyconferreduponusthebodhisattvavowsinthemannerofholdingtheaspirationandtheengagingbodhicittasimultaneously,asisdoneinŚāntideva’ssystem.Thereafter,ontheoccasionofofferingalong-lifeceremonyaccompaniedwithaGuruPujaofthe profound path, I made, without any miserliness, elaborate offerings offoodandmoneytotheassembly.Incongruencewithmyabilityandsenseofdevotion,Imadephysicalofferings to thegreatGuruVajradhara,poeticallypraisedhissupremequalities,andoffereduptheentireuniversesymbolicallywith an elaborate description to request that his life remain steadfast to theendsoftime.Heeasedmymind,sayingthathewasgreatlypleasedwiththemeaningof theversesdescribing themandalaand later requestedacopyofmycomposition,whichIprovided.

The Dharma discourse continued the following day, lasting until thenineteenth,onwhichday,forthepurposeofauspiciouslyclosingtheevent,Ipresentedamandalawiththerepresentationsofbody,speech,andmindandasmall honorarium, and offered tea andmoney to the assembly.As a fitting

conclusion to the Dharma teaching, with quotes from scripture, such as “Ihaveshownyouthepathtoliberation,butyoushouldknowthatliberationisinthepalmofyourhands,”thepreciousgurutoldthosewhohadreceivedtheteachings that itwasnot enough tomerely listen to thembut that listening,contemplation,andmeditationshouldbeharmoniouslyemployed insupportof one another.Otherwise, ifwhat one learns is not put into practice, thenreligious people run the risk of being possessed by demons, like celestialbeingsfallingintodevilishstates.AsinthisversefromEssenceoftheMiddleWay:

Bytheriverofthespeechmorepowerfulthansandalwood,thefireofmentalafflictionstormentingbeingsispacified.163

So did he exhort his disciples at length and in great detail, satisfying theirhearts.

AsthepreciousguruheldKhangsarRinpochéofGomangandmyselfinhighestregardamonghisdisciples,hetoldtheassemblybytheway,“Thereisnodoubtthattheirbeneficialactivitieswillexpandandincreaseiftheyhavelong lives.”DakpoLamaRinpoché said, “The sonwill be greater than thefather, the nephew greater than the son, and the cousin greater than thenephew.TheywillbeasprophesiedbyLamaRinpoché; thereforeeveryoneshouldearnestlyprayforthem.”Asmentionedabove,manyqualifiedlamas,tulkus, and geshés such as Drakri Rinpoché, who were quite capable ofupholdingandpropagatingtheteachings,weresittingnearby.Ifeltquiteshyaboutreceivingsuchhonorandpraiseamidsuchanassembly.

Afterwardthepreciousguruspentafewdaysinleisureinbetweengoingto Wangkur Hill to make incense offerings and relax. Once, as wecircumambulatedthecircuitpatharoundGanden,heconfidedinmehisgreatpleasure at having had the opportunity to teach the stages of the path, theessence of Jé Tsongkhapa’s teachings, at his own seat of learning,which Itookasatreasureofnectartomyears.

On themorningof thedayhe leftGandenheplaceduponmyhead thepandithatthathehadwornandpresentedmeacopyoftheGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePath,thefirstthreepagesofwhichwerewritteningoldink.Placingabellandvajrainmyhands,hegavemeasetofsilvervictoryandaction vases filled with consecrated substances, a golden image of Tārā, awooden teacup thatGuruVajradhara himself had used filledwith preciousstones of turquoise, coral, and so forth, and yellow brocade with the eight

auspicious symbols. With regard to Dharma, he advised me to uphold,preserve, and propagate the sutra and tantra teachings of MañjunāthaTsongkhapa,andIwasveryfortunate tohavereceivedmuchsincereadvicefrommyguru.

At that time I thought that for someone such asmyself, of little naturalandacquiredknowledge,deeplymiredinunendingdistractions,anddeprivedofinnerexperience,itwouldbeverydifficulttofindthemeanstoservetheDharma. Nevertheless, due to the wish of the guru and auspiciousconnections, Ihad togivemanydiscourses,principallyon the stagesof thepath, in theguiseof thefather-lama’sspeechafter the lamahadpassed intothestateofpeace.Havingtogivedryexplanationswithouttheconfidenceofanypracticewaslikethemaxim“thedonkeymeasuringthehourofdawninthe absence of a rooster.” I interpreted the lama’s regard for me as anindicationofmypresentrole.

Thereafter, the great Guru Vajradhara was invited to Sang-ngakMonastery of Dechen to give a stages of the path discourse, and Iaccompanied him. An annual festival of the monastery and the town ofDechencoincided,andritualdanceswerepresented.Ienjoyedthespectacle.There were no inauspicious omens ormishaps throughout the discourse; itwas supremely successful, which I took to be a consequence of virtuouskarma.

JOURNEYTODUNGKARMONASTERY,INDIA,ANDNEPAL

From the time of the death of ourmanager Rikzin to this time of writing,LhabuandIhaveassumedfullresponsibilityforourlabranginamannerlikea self-contained jewel. At that time, we retainedMuli Losang Döndrup ofDokhang as an assistant manager. Later, since the labrang of DungkarMonastery in Upper Dromo had repeatedly invited me and others toconsecrateandpresentdhāraṇīprayersandrelicstothestupacontainingtheembalmed body of Dromo Geshé Rinpoché Ngawang Kalsang, who hadpassed away the previous year, Lhabu, Phuntsok, Venerable KalsangWangyal ofNamgyalMonastery, and I departedLhasa in the tenthmonth.WecrossedGampaPass,passing throughPaldi,Nakartsé,Ralung,Gyantsé,and Phakri, finally arriving at Dungkar Monastery. There I interred thedhāraṇīinthestupabutpostponedtheconsecrationuntilaftertheNewYearholiday.

Having come as far as Dromo, and seeing that it would be greatlymeritorious if we made a pilgrimage to India and Nepal, we set out for

KalimpongonmulesandhorsebackbywayofDzalepPass,Rongling,andsoon.WepassedafewdaysinDromoLabrangofTharpaChölingMonasteryinKalimpong.Then,withtheassistanceofaninterpreter,wevisitedBodhgaya,Vulture Peak,Nālandā,Kuśinagar, Śrāvastī,Varanasi, andLumbini, and inNepalthethreestupasofSvayambunāth,Boudhanath,andNamoBuddha164andotherholyplaces.WhenwevisitedthestupaatNamoBuddha,wehiredataxiandrodeuptothebaseofthehill.Butonthereturntripthetaxibrokedown,andwehadtoreturnonfootandsodidnotarriveatourquartersneartheBodhanāthstupauntileleveno’clockatnight.Itwasquiteadifficulttrip.Ateachplaceofpilgrimagewemadeofferingstothebestofourabilitiesinordertoaccumulatemerit.

While I was staying at the Mahabodhi Guest House in Bodhgaya, aLadakhi monk by the name of Ngawang Samten had made secretarrangements to buy a piece of property on which to construct a Tibetantempleandaskedme todo thegroundconsecration.As themainstupaandthesurroundingsiteswereundertheadministrationofJvakiRāja,aHindu,Idiscreetly performed the ground consecration on the site of the presentTibetan temple, Ganden Phelgyé Ling. On the fifteenth of the eleventhTibetan month, during the late afternoon moonrise, I performed the ritualseekingpermissionfromthefieldprotectorsanddeitiesoftheareatousethesite and to request them to accept, protect, and bless the site in connectionwith thepracticeofVajrabhairava. Ialsoperformeda ritualplacingasmallearthvaseintheground.

InordertooffergoldpainttotheVajraSeatattheMahābodhiTemple,165JvakiRāja’spermissionhadtobesought,soIwenttomeetandpresentsomegiftstohim.Hewassittingonaleopardskinthathadaheadandfourpaws.WhenIpresentedhimwithaceremonialscarf,hegavemeahandblessing,placing his hand on my head. He was so pleased with me that he evenprovidedmewithanelephantandprovidedhorsesformyattendantswhenwewent to thecharnelgroundatSitavana. Ihadnever traveledonanelephantbefore,andthoughitwaspleasurableatfirst,itsoonturnedtomisery,astherough and jarring motion of the animal made me feel quite dizzy andnauseous.

IgaveabriefdiscourseandanoraltransmissionofTsongkhapa’sPraisetotheBuddha,hisPraisetoDependentArising,the“threesetsofprayers,”166andotherstoalargenumberofTibetanpilgrimsinfrontoftheBodhiTree.At the time India was still under British rule, and the country was not asdevelopedasitisnow.Astherewerenomotorroadsfromrailwayjunctionsto the places of pilgrimage, it was necessary to travel either via horse and

carriageoronfoot.

KyabjéTrijangRinpochégivingteachingsinfrontoftheBodhiTreeatBodhgayain1938duringhispilgrimagetoIndia

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

AfterthepilgrimagewereturnedtoKalimpong,whereintheopenareainfront of Tharpa Chöling Monastery, I granted initiation into the GreatCompassionate One to a mixed crowd of over one thousand monks andlaypeopleasrequestedbyaTibetansocialgroup.IalsomadeshortvisitstoCalcuttaandDarjeelingtoseeandenjoythebenefitsofthoseplaces.Ontheway to Darjeeling I took up an invitation to Ganden Chöling, the oldmonasteryinGhoom,andgaveashortdiscoursethere.InDarjeelingIgavealong-lifeinitiationtoalargenumberofpeopleatthehomeofLekdenBabu,

whohadpreviouslyservedHisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLama.In my thirty-ninth year, I celebrated the New Year of the earth-rabbit

(1939)atTashiChölingMonasteryinKurseong,Darjeeling.Onthefirstdayof the new year I composed a propitiation ritual for the local protector ofKurseongattherequestofthepatrons.WereturnedtoDungkarMonasteryinDromoviaKalimpong,Rongling,DzalepPass,andsoon.Istayedthereforthree and a half months. After passing three days in performance of theelaborate consecration ritual for the memorial stupa, I spent fifteen daysteaching a commentary on the Quick Path, along with a ceremony forgeneratingbodhicitta,toagroupofovertwohundredmonksandlaypeopleintheassemblyhallofthemonasteryasrequestedbythemonasticcommunityand long-time patrons of the monastery, such as Phajo Dönyö of theGalingang Bönpotsang family. I gave initiations into Guhyasamāja,Vajrabhairava, five-deity Cakrasaṃvara in the tradition of Ghaṇṭāpāda, theGreatCompassionateOne,andpermission topracticeprotectordeities suchas Mahākāla and Dharmarāja. I offered the blessing of the four sindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginīandanexperientialexplanationofitsgenerationandcompletionstagesandgaveadiscourseontheGuruPuja.

WeleftDromoandstayedatthehouseofTsechö,amerchantchieffromthe Pangda family at Phakri. While there I visited the monasteries ofDrakthok Gang, which the Gyütö Tantric College ran, Richung PothoMonastery, which was run by Ganden Shartsé, and the upper and lowermonasteries of Tashi Lhunpo, spending one day at each monastery givingshort discourses. In the courtyard of the Pangda home, I bestowed upon alargegatheringan initiation into theGreatCompassionateOneaccording tothe system of Bhikṣuṇī Lakṣmī. Then, for the benefit of my health, themerchant Tsechö arranged for me to spend two weeks at the Khambu hotspringsinPhakri,whereImetNgaksurTaLamaRinpochéofTashiLhunpo,whohadalsogonethere.

On thewayback, I spent adayat amonastery calledKhambu thathadbeenestablishedbyNgakchenDamchöYarphel.Perusingsomeofthemanytexts there, I came across in one of the volumes a page containing ahandwritten prophecy. Although I do not recall the exact words, it said inessence:

AvalokiteśvarawillappearwiththenameofThupa.AllhisdeedsandconductwillbeequaltoRāhula’s.LightningwillstriketheministerGarwa.

Andsoon,concludingwith:

Intheyearofthebird,everyactwillbecomplete.

Whenanalyzed,itisclearthatthetextreferstothegreatdignityandbearingof the late ThirteenthDalai Lama and to the punishment that befell DemoRinpoché.TheturmoilcausedbytheChinesearmyduringthewater-ratyearand His Holiness’s passing away for the benefit of others in the bird yearwereclearlypredictedtherein.

TOSAKYA,TASHILHUNPO,ANDBACKTOLHASA

Thenwe set out fromPhakri to visit the sacredplaces inTsang.Visiting anunnery founded byRaDharmaSengé in a place calledTratsangdo,DotraMonastery, Chilung, and so on along the way, we arrived at the gloriousSakya on the fifteenth day of the fifthmonth after crossingDrongdu Pass.Thatday,inthecityquartersadjacenttothegreattempleatSakya,mediumswereperformingtrancesinwhichlocaldeitiesenteredintothem,justastheydo in Lhasa during the universal incense-offering festival. Some of themediumswerethroughwithtrancesandhadjoinedthecelebrantsindulginginthedrinkingofbeer.TheSakyatownshipgraciouslymadearrangementsformetostayinthehouseofalayofficialandextendedtheirhospitality tous,appointing an official, Mr. Maja, to be our liaison, giving us tsampa andprovidingfoodforouranimals.

There were a variety of old handwritten texts in the room. Readingthroughthem,IdiscoveredsomeexplanationsofLogicandEpistemology,thePerfectionofWisdom,andMadhyamakaphilosophymeant for recitation inthe assembly hall by degree candidates, and collections of concludingauspicious verses recited by examination proctors. Except for minordifferences in composition, style, and length, they were very similar tocorresponding literature in the three great Geluk seats of learning andreminiscent of the style used by geshés at the Great Prayer Festival. ItoccurredtomethatJéTsongkhapaandhisdisciplesstudiedatSakya,andthatthetraditionofthestudyoflogicthatexistedatSakyaalsobecameprevalentwithinourGeluktradition.

As there were too many bedbugs in the room, I had to stay in a tentpitchedonagreenlawnbyastream.Atthattime,inordertomeetwiththeincumbentof theSakyathrone,DakchenRinpochéofPhuntsokPhodrang,Ihad to follow his schedule and meet him during the daily morning teaceremony. I went to his private chambers and paid my respects withprostrations. When I asked a few questions regarding the practices of the

ThirteenGoldenDharmas of Sakya and the three cycles of red ones,167 hesimplytoldmetoconsultthetutortohistwosonsanddidnotimpartanyin-depthadvice.Iwasgivenalargeamountofrelicpills,includinganectarpill.WhenIvisited the temples in thesurroundingcomplex, the tutor tohis twosonswassenttoactasmyguide.Atleisure,wevisitedthestatueofMañjuśrīwitheyesthatfollowyou,thefar-resoundingwhiteconchofDharma,andtheBlack Skin Mask Guardian in the Gorum protector chamber.168 I madeextensiveofferingsandpresentedteaandmoneytothemonks.ThetutorandIhaddiscussionsoveravarietyof topics.Heseemedwellversed instudiesconcerningsutrabutdidnotseemtohavebeentoofamiliarwiththeGoldenDharmasorwiththePathandFruit(lam’bras)oralinstructionsofSakya.

FromSakyawevisitedtheprotectorchapelofPaldenLhamoatSamlingandKhauDrakzong,apilgrimagesiteofFour-FacedMahākāla.WecrossedAtroPassandvisitedtheregionofCharong,followedbyvisitsalongthewaytoLhunpoTséMonastery,thegreatMaitreyastatueatTrophu,andGangchenChöphelMonastery,arrivingintheendattheillustriousNarthangMonastery.Ivisitedmostofthesacredimagesthere.InonetempleIsawoneofthetworeplicasoftheBodhgayatemplefinelycraftedoutofsandalwoodduringtheera of Chomden Rikral (1227–1305). I found that the actual details of thestupa and the Bodhi Tree and such were exactly as they are now, whichdeepened my conviction in Bodhgaya as a sacred place. Though I reallywantedtovisitthehermitageofJangchenandthetempleatShalu,theyhadtobeputoffduetolackoftime.

WhenwearrivedattheseatofTashiLhunpoinupperTsang,amonasticofficial who would act as a guide was placed at our disposal by theadministrationofthemonastery.TheyalsoprovideduswithlargequantitiesofprovisionsandarrangedaccommodationsforourpartyatPhendéKhangsarat the labrang of the tutor Lochen Rinpoché.169 At that time the supremerefugeKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara,endowedwithgreatcompassionthatleadsallbeingstopeace,wasperformingareadingandgivinganexplanationof theGreat Treatise on the Stages of the Path to more than a thousanddisciplesatDechenPhodrangpalaceatthespecialinvitationofTashiLhunpoMonastery.Ihadthegoodfortuneofbeingabletotouchmyheadtothedustof the feet of that kind, incomparable father lama and was buoyed by hisexpressionofpleasure,likethatofafatherreunitedwithhisson.Thoughtheall-seeingPaṇchenLamahadnot returnedfromChinaandMongolia, inhisabsence I presented the symbolic universe and representations of the holybody,speech,andmindalongwithaceremonialscarfandgiftsasarrivalanddeparture tributes during the tea ceremony sessions in accordance withancientcustom.

In theKadamchamberof thepalaceofGyaltsenThönpo,DzasakLamaLosangRinchenofKyapyingsatbeforetheseatofPaṇchenRinpoché.Iwasseatedinhispresence,andtea,ceremonialrice,cookies,andahighstackofgifts of sacred relics, handmade clay votive statues, incense, and woolenmaterial for an upper garmentwere presented tome.An inner roomof thechambershadanexclusiveprotectorchapelandatextoftheMiraculousBookofGanden.170 The roomwas blessed with the presence of a succession ofPaṇchenLamas,beginningwithPaṇchenLosangChögyen(1570–1662),Asthe room had become blessed by their great works for the benefit of theBuddhist teaching,withgreat joy anddevotion, Imade strong requests andoffereddedicatedprayersinconnectionwiththeseven-limbpractice.

ThenIvisited thememorial stupasof thePaṇchen lineage, thestatueofMaitreya, and most of the other temples. I made offerings to the varioushousesandamassedheapsofmeritbyofferingteaandmoneytothemonksinthe assembly hall of Tashi Lhunpo. I also had the great fortune, in thepresenceoftheofficialKyapyingDzasakandthechiefsecretary,ofviewingthe sacred relics ofTashiLhunpo in their relic box.One day I respectfullyofferedteaandmoneytotheassemblyofdisciplesatthediscourseinDechenPhodrang, and I presented the representations of the three holy objects andgiftstoGuruVajradhara.Iattendedonesessionofthediscourseforreasonsofauspiciousness,andIamdeeplyindebtedtohimforhiskindnessinsharingthenectarofhisspeech,whichisevermeaningful.

WhilestayingatTashiLhunpo,manyofthediscipleswhowereattendingthediscourse,includingalargenumberofmonks,cametoseeme,andIhadtogivereadingsandexplanationsoftheHundredDeitiesofTuṣitaandotherworks,oneaftertheother,accordingtotheirrequests.LochenRinpoché,thepredecessor to the current incarnation, was then a young lama, and on hisrequestIconferredthepermissionofJéRinpochéasthetripledeity.

We departed Tashi Lhunpo and visited Panam GadongMonastery andPögangInstituteatGyantsé.Atboththeseplaceswesawmanyoftheirsacredobjects, such as a thangka of the Hevajra mandala that had belonged toNāropa,garmentsofthegreatKashmiripaṇḍita,171andSanskrittexts.Igavea long-life initiation to the local people at the invitation ofKashö estate ofKharkha.WhilestayingatSerchokinGyantsé,ImadealeisurelyvisittothesacredsitesofPalkhorChödéandgaveateachingontheHundredDeitiesofTuṣita atShinéMonastery.Along theway I amassedmerit byoffering tea,money, and so on at Ralung Nunnery, Pökya Hermitage, and most of theothermonasteriesandsacredplaces.

Having traversed Kharöl Pass, Nakartsé, and so on, we crossed the

Tsangpo River at Nyasok and spent one night at Nyethang.172 There wevisitedandpaidrespectstotheTārātemple,whereintheprincipalstatuewasthe“Tārāwhospoke,”andsawthestupathatLordAtiśahadcarriedwithhimatalltimes.

We arrived back in Lhasa at the end of the sixthmonth. That fall, thesupremePhabongkhaVajradhara,havingcometothetantriccollegeofSeraMonastery,taughtAśvaghoṣa’sFiftyVersesonGuruDevotionandbestowedaninitiationintoAkṣobhyavajraGuhyasamāja.WhenheconferredinitiationintoVajrapāṇiMahācakraatHardongHouseofSeraJé,Itooreceivedafloodofinitiationblessingsintothecoreofmyheart.

Thegreatfourteenthincarnation,oursupremerefugeandprotectorofthelandofsnows, theNobleHolderof theWhiteLotuswhohasmanifested intheplayofbenefittingallbeings,wasinprocessionfromAmdo,andontheoccasionofhislotusfeetgracingthegroundofthecapitalcity,Lhasa,attheend of the eighthmonth (earlyOctober 1939), I joined the tulkus of Sera,Drepung,andGandeninagrandgovernmentreceptionontheplainofGangtöDögu. Seeing the mandala of his face endowed with the major and minormarks of enlightenmentwhile paying respects to him, I attained the nectarthatleadstoliberation.

TheNyethangstatuesofTārāandŚākyamuni(left)andAtiśa(right),1950©HUGHRICHARDSON,PITTRIVERSMUSEUM,UNIVERSITYOFOXFORD;2001.59.2.70.1AND

2001.59.13.64.1

RECEIVINGANDGIVINGFURTHERTEACHINGS

In the spring of my fortieth year, the year of the iron-dragon (1940), Ireceived the following initiations at the feet of the all-embracing lord of ahundredbuddha families, the tutorTakdrakVajradhara, at theNorbulingka:five-deityVimaloṣṇīṣa,five-deityViśuddhaprabhā,AmitāyusinthesystemofMachikDrupgyal,manypeacefulandwrathfuldeities,theninewhitedeities,andGongkhukmaofRechung.And at the feet of the supreme refuge,LingRinpochéVajradhara,IalsoreceivedinstructiononOceanofAttainmentsoftheGenerationStageofGuhyasamāja.173Intherainy-seasonsessionIwenttoGanden,whereattherequestofPharaTulkuofGandenJangtsé,Igaveanexperiential discourse on theGuru Puja andmahāmudrā to an audience offormerandcurrentabbotsofJangtséandShartsécolleges,tulkus,andmonks,morethanfivehundredinnumber,inthePharaHouseassemblyhall.

One day during the following winter, my root guru, PhabongkhaVajradhara,sentamessagetoLhasaviahisattendantNamdak-lathathewasgoingtogiveadetaileddiscourseonthegenerationandcompletionstagesofCittamaṇiTārā, that itwouldbebest if I came as such teachingswouldbedifficult to receive later, and that I could stayat the retreat residenceofhislabrang. I left for Tashi Chöling Hermitage immediately, where I receivedinstructions on the root text of the sādhanas of Cittamaṇi Tārā, which is adivine vision of Takphu Vajradhara, with detailed instruction on both thegeneration and completion stages, associated activities, and the rite forbringing rain based on commentarial texts on generation and completioncomposedbythatlama.

At the conclusion of the teachings, I received oral instructions on thecomplete ritual practices related to Shukden, and saying “For the sake ofauspiciousness,” he gave me transmission of oral advice with detailedteachings on the methods for gaining longevity through reliance on vajrarecitationofwindinconnectionwiththelongevitydeityWhiteHeruka.AsImentioned above, had Guru Vajradhara not called me for these profoundteachings, I would have been deprived of them because I was involved inprayer services in Lhasa. The kindness shown tome by the father lama inholdingmewithhisropeofcompassionisasweightyasthemassofMountMeru.

The previous year, Kyabjé Vajradhara had started having ominousdreams, and his tense looks indicated that he wished to depart to anotherplace. So as soon as his teaching concluded, we senior incarnate lamas,including Ling Rinpoché, Demo Rinpoché, Drakri Rinpoché, Sharpa

Rinpoché, andothers, discussed amongourselves the ideaof askinghim toacceptalong-lifeoffering.Onceitwassettled,anelaboratelong-lifeofferingofWhiteHerukawithritualinvocationandbanishmentofḍākinīescortswasmade togetherwith all the lamas, geshés, and residentmonks of the TashiChölingHermitageinitsassemblyhall.Conjoinedwiththeofferingwereourrequests that his body, speech, and mind remain steadfast like anindestructible vajra throughout existence, glowing with the light of theblessings of benefit and joy, like the great life-sustaining vitality thatpreservesthepreciousDharmaingeneralandinitsparticulars.Herepliedtoourprayer,saying,“Whateverobstacles theremayhavebeenmustcertainlyvanishduetotheḍākinīlong-lifeofferingmadebythisassemblyofmanyofmygreatdisciples,”andthatVajradharahimselfwillconsider this tobe thecase. His good reply seems to have been interpretable, with the motive tosootheourminds.

Onthemorningofthefirstdayofthefirstmonthofmyforty-firstyear,the year of the iron-snake (1941), I recited upon invitation the mandaladescriptionandoffered theeightauspicioussymbolsandsubstancesaswellas reciting inaugural words of truth at the private ceremony for theinauguration as regent of Tutor TakdrakVajradhara. This took place at hisLhasa residence, Kunsang Phodrang, prior to the actual ceremony ofinvestiture to the seat of regency in the Potala Palace in place of RegentRadrengRinpoché,whohad resigned as regent in the twelfthmonth of thepreviousyear.Iperformedmydutiesattheceremonysatisfactorily.

ThatyearKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradharamadeofferingstotheassemblyat the Great Prayer Festival. I, too, made offerings, and coincidentally webothhadanaudiencewithHisHoliness theDalaiLamaonthesamedaytopresenthimhisshareofofferings.IwassupposedtosittothefrontofGuruVajradharaaccording to thehierarchyofmyrankasTsokchenTulku,but Iattemptedtomovetoaseatbehindhim.However,VajradharatoldmetositwhereIwasbecausetherearealwaysexceptionstotherule,andsoIsattherefeelingveryuncomfortableandnervousthroughouttheceremony.

WhentheGreatPrayerFestivalconcluded,Ithought,“ItisnotrightthatonthetenthofeachmonthanimaginedimageofguruCakrasaṃvaraismyobjectofworshipwhentherealguruisphysicallyherenearme,workingforthebenefitofsentientbeings.Itwillbemoremeaningfultomakeofferingstothe root guru who is the embodiment of all refuges, whose presencerepresents the mandala of the vajra body, with all the bodily elementscomplete in the nature of ḍākas and ḍākinīs,who is someone towhom theofferingscanactuallybemadeandbywhomtheycanactuallybeconsumed.”

Soonthetwenty-fifthofthefirstmonth,Iinvitedmyonlysourceofhopeandrefuge,GuruVajradhara,andhis retinue tomyhouseforafeast inorder toaccumulate merit. With great pleasure, he stayed in leisure, satisfying theparty,which relishedmyriad sublime flavors of nectar speech that radiatedforthastheholyDharma,eachpartofeverywordbeingnobleinmeaning.Atone point he commented that “If His Holiness the present Dalai Lamaencounters no obstacle to his life, he will rival Kalsang Gyatso, the GreatSeventhDalaiLama.Shouldyoubecalledupontoservehim,youmustservehim to the best of your ability.” This seems to have been spoken as aprophecy,giventhatIlaterwascalledupontoservehimasanassistanttutorand then tutor, a service that I have continued to perform thesemany longyears.

RegentTakdrakVajradhara,Lhasa,November9,1950GETTYIMAGES

AsLadyYangzomTseringofLhaluGatsalhouseholdhadalong-standingrequest forKyabjéVajradhara to install outer, inner, and secret statues andthe thread-cross abode of Shukden in their protector chapel, Vajradharainstructedmetomakereadyarrangementsforinstallationofthethreadcross.SoIgatheredthenecessaryitemsinadvanceandcompletedthepreparations.Thatyear,justaftertheGreatPrayerFestival,KyabjéVajradhara,alongwitheightmonksfromTashiChölingandmyselfasassistant,performedelaboraterituals at LhaluGatsal for three days. On that occasion, I received the lifeentrustment for Shukden together with Finance Minister Lhalu GyurméTsewangDorjéandhiswife.

On the eve of Guru Vajradhara’s departure from Lhalu to bestowteachings on the stages of the path at Dakpo Shedrup Ling by way ofChaksamTsechu,Iofferedhimmybrocademonk’srobeembroideredwithaflowerdesignmotif,strungwithanetofsmallpearls,andaceremonialscarftogetherwithmandalaoffering.Theseofferingsweremadeprimarilyforhimto live a long life as a protector of the teachings and all beings, such asmyself, and also to offer thanks to him in advance for the composition ofShukdenthread-crossritualsofprovidingabase,satisfying,andrepelling,aswellasritualsofthesameprotectoronthetormaofexpelling,fireoffering,andincreasingwealth.Hesaidthatthiswouldbedifficultforhimtodoandthat based on my understanding and notes, I should compile the texts. Hegavemeinstructionsonhowtocomposethetexts,tellingmetocompiletheritualwith the necessary supplements from other relevant ritual sources. Inessence, he said that it was up to me to complete his work regarding thisprotector of Dharma, and therefore he was charging me with thatresponsibility.Mythoughtatthetimewasthathewastellingmethisbecausehehadlittle timefor theworkhimselfduetohisbusyschedule.LittledidIrealize thathewasconveying tomehis implicitwish that I finishhis life’swork. It was just aswhen, though the Buddha said that, if requested threetimes,“Tathāgatas, if theysowish,canremainforeonsandeons,”Ānanda,obscuredby evil influences, failed to request him to stay.How I regret notaskinghimtolivelonger.

APPOINTMENTASASSISTANTTUTORANDTHEPASSINGOFPHABONGKHARINPOCHÉ

TheverynextdayIreceivedasummonsfromtheofficeoftheNorbulingkaPalace saying that Trijang Tulku and Sera Mé Gyalrong Geshé KhyenrapGyatsoshouldcometothepalace.Whenwearrivedweweretoldthroughthe

lordchamberlainthatthepreciousregenthadappointedmeanassistanttutorinplaceofLingRinpoché,whohadbeenpromotedtothepositionoftutortoHisHoliness theDalai Lama, and that SeraMéGyalrongGeshéKhyenrapGyatsowouldassumetheroleofadjuncttutor.Andthatgiventhesechangesintitle,fromthattimeonitwouldbeappropriateforTrijangTulkutositatthe head of the row of seniormonastic officials of the government, as hadLingRinpochébeforehim,andforGeshéKhyenrapGyatsotositamongtheranksofadjuncttutors,inorderofseniority.

Onanauspiciousday,IappearedforanaudiencebeforeHisHolinesstheDalaiLamaand the regent.Subsequently,on the fifteenthdayof the fourthmonth, during the daily morning tea session in the sunlight room of theNorbulingkaPalace,GeshéKhyenrapGyatsoandIpresentedtoHisHolinessandtheregentsilkscarvesandofferingsoftheholybody,speech,andmindandothergifts,alongwithtokenofferingsoffundsforriceandtea.Followingthe audience,we sat in our designated seats for the tea session.That day Ireceived well-wishers who came to offer their congratulations. Every daythereafterIfulfilledmyobligationtoattendthedailyteasessionsandspecialgovernmentfunctions,justasallgovernmentofficialsmust.

Afterseveraldayshadpassed,atthebehestofthepreciousregent,Iwasasked to instructHisHoliness in reading cursive and printed letters and totrain him in memorization of daily prayers and religious recitations, onaccountoftheincreasingofficialdutiesofthepreciousregent,andtoalsodosowheneverKyabjéLingRinpochéwasunavailable.Onanauspiciousday,with a ceremonial scarf and ritual offerings of the holy body, speech, andmindinhand,IbowedatthefeetofHisHolinessandbeganhislessonwithanauspiciousverse.Fromthenon Icame toservehimwhenever therewastime in themorning and sometimes in the evening between visits from thetwotutors.Ishiftedmypermanentresidencetoaroomintheassistanttutors’quarters.

HisHolinessseemedabitshyonmyfirstvisit,ashispersonalattendantshad apparently mentioned that Trijang Tulku had a short temper. On theadviceof thepreciousregent, formypart Imaintainedaseriousexpressionand did not smile. Because His Holiness was so young, when he did notproperly attend to his dailymemorization of texts, I would scold his elderbrotherLosangSamtenwithagravecountenance,chidinghimfordistractinghis younger brother. This much always sufficed, so I never had to utterunpleasantwordstoHisHoliness.

The all-embracing lord of all mandalas and buddha families, KyabjéPhabongkha Vajradhara, set out from the Lhalu household, stopped off to

giveaDharmadiscourseatChaksamTsechuMonasteryinChushul,andthenpressedontoDakpoShedrupLing,whereattheconclusionofhisdiscourseontheGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePath,hepassedintothesphereofpeaceduringtheeveningofthefirstdayofthesixthmonth.Thenewsofhispassing came like a thorn in my ear; it was like the sudden, unbiddenlightningstrikeofpastdeedstohavetosuffer themisfortuneandsorrowofbeingpartedfrommypeerless,kindlama.Tormentedbyunbearablegrief,IprayedfortheaccomplishmentofhiswishesandmadeasmanyofferingsasIcouldattheTsuklakhangandelsewhereinLhasa.

At the request of Trinlé Dargyé, my guru’s nephew, I went to TashiChölingHermitagetodoadivinationtodeterminewhetherthepreciousbodywould be preserved intact or cremated. Seeing the hermitage and hisresidence overcast by a grey pall and bare and his room vacant of hispresence,tearsstreamedfrommyeyes.Inthisstateofmourning,IperformedthedivinationbeforethesacredstatueofDakpoLamaRinpoché,174and theresultwastocremate.ThereforeIsentLosangChöphel,theseniorresidentofTashiChöling,toDakpowithcarefulinstructionsonhowtoservehisbody.

MISCELLANEOUSDUTIESANDTEACHINGS

Atthewishofourrefugeandprotectortheregent,Iservedafewyearsinamanagerial capacity, alongwith theadjunct tutor fromSeraMé,overseeingthecarvingofneweditionsandreprintingattheShölprintingpressinLhasaof rare texts from various places in Tibet, such as the collected works ofThukenChökyiNyima,GungthangTenpaiDronmé,andJéSherapGyatso.175Ialsooversaw thecompletionof twogreatbrocadeappliqués sponsoredbythe government that would be displayed on the annual day of processionduring the Subsequent Prayer Session and thatwere beingmade to replacetwoolderones,whichwerewornoutaftermanyyearsofuse.Idrewthegridsfor thebodiesof thedeities,performedtheritualofgeneratingtheartistsasdeities, and visited the workshop daily as the actual production was beingcarried out to carefully check proportions of the likenesses, correcting anymistakes.

Overthecourseofthatyear,thenumberofmyrelativesandassociationsincreased. EvenAniYangzom,who had been somean tomymother, nowmadeashowofrespecttowardmeandexpressedaffectionformymother.Assomeoneoncesaidinhomagetomoney,“Here’stheuncleIneverhad!Ibowtoyou,Obundleofmoney!”Suchwerethoseapparentfriendsandkinsmen.Thetendencytogravitatetowardthosewhoareupandtoneglectthosewho

aredownisthenaturaldispositionofordinaryfolk,asJamgönSakyaPaṇḍitawrote:

Whenyouarewealthy,everyoneisyourfriend,butifyouarepoor,allbecomeyourenemies.Ajeweledislebringspeoplefromafar,buteveryoneleavesadried-uplake.176

Onthetenthdayof thefirstmonthofmyforty-secondyear, theyearofthe water-horse (1942), Regent Takdrak Rinpoché, acting as preceptor andmaster,conferredprenovitiateandnovicevowsonHisHolinessattheLhasaTsuklakhangTemple.Attheceremony,Imadetherequesttotheassemblyofmonksforpermissiontoconfertheordination.

Immediately following theSubsequentPrayerSession, I gave initiationsof Guhyasamāja, Cakrasaṃvara, and Vajrabhairava, complete with theirpreparation rituals, to a gathering of more than two thousand in theChanglochenassemblyhallof theGyüméTantricCollege inLhasa.PresentwereallthemonksfromGyüméandanassemblywhohadjoinedthemfromGyütöTantricCollegeandthethreeseatsoflearning.ThiswasattherequestofagroupofnewmonksfromtheGyüméTantricCollegewhohadreceivedtheir full ordination, for it was the custom for groups of new bhikṣus atGyumétopoolfundstomakeofferings,presentobjectstothemonastery,andsponsorreligiousteachingsandinitiations.

Duringtherainy-seasonretreat,atthecommandofthepreciousregent,IworkedondetailedcatalogsofIndianandTibetanpanditswhoseworkscamefromalloverTibet,China,andMongoliaandwerekeptattheDruzinpalaceof theNorbulingka.Ireviewedthepreviouscatalogsof thehandwrittenandprinted texts and prepared new catalogs of the new acquisitions of largecollectionsofworksoflamasandmiscellaneoustexts.Asidefromcomposingcatalogsforthecollectedworksofthevariouslamas,Ispentmorethantwomonths doing the same for miscellaneous other works, such as lists ofteachings received, philosophical works (on Logic and Epistemology,Madhyamaka,PerfectionofWisdom,Vinaya,Abhidharma,andsoon),sutra-leveltextsonthestagesofthepath,mindtraining,andsoon,worksontantrasuchasritualsandguidebooksonthevariouscollectionsoftheoldandnewtranslations of tantras, as well as works of biography, religious history,historyofTibet,grammar,poetry,medicine,andastrology.

In the eighth month, I presided over the elaborate consecration of thememorial stupa containing the bone relics of Kyabjé Vajradhara at TashiChöling. The manager Trinlé Dargyé bore the burden of constructing the

stupa, and over the course of performing the three-day consecration ofVajrabhairava together with the resident hermitmonks of Tashi Chöling, Itook every care, in the capacity of vajra master, to complete the ritualsuccessfully without any negligence. During the passage for honoring thesponsors at the end of the consecration, I recalled the guru’s kindness andtook up the song called “Elegy for aChildWandering on the Plain” as anappeal for thequick returnof thesupremeemanation.Asectionof the roottextofKālacakratantrathatembracesthequalitiesofthegurusays:

Virtuesaccumulatedforthedeadbytherelativeswhosurvivewillripenlikeacalfthatfollowsitsmotherwherevershegoes.

Likewise,iffaithfuldisciplesobserveandmakeofferingsonthedeceasedguru’smonthlyandyearlyanniversaries,hiswisheswillbeperfectlymet,andhisdiscipleswillfollowinhisfootsteps.

Geshé Potowa said, “I commemorated the lateDromtönpa’s death nineteentimes. I expect to meet him in the next life.” So I offered a fund to theassembledmonksofTashiChölingtoperformasaregularmemorialritualaGuruPuja and tsok inassociationwithself-initiation intoCakrasaṃvaraonthefirstofeverymontheveryyearthereafter.

At the end of autumn that year, as requested by Khenchen Dönpalwa(a.k.a. Tashi Lingpa Khyenrap Wangchuk), I gave an explanation of theQuickPathandtheWordsofMañjuśrīaccompaniedbyapujaforgeneratingbodhicittatoacrowdofthreethousandmonksandlamasintheassemblyhallofMeruMonasteryinLhasa.

In the third month of my forty-third year, the year of the water-sheep(1943), at the requestofTrinléDargyé,managerofPhabongkhaLabrang, IgaveanexperientialexplanationoftheQuickPathandtheWordsofMañjuśrīover the course of a month to a gathering of three thousand monks andlaypeopleintheassemblyhallofMeruMonastery,concludingwithapujaforgeneratingbodhicittaintheMerucourtyard.Followingthat,asrequestedbyTrimön Chözé Thupten Deshek, the incumbent chant master of NamgyalMonastery, andKalsangWangyal, the ritualmaster, I taught theEasy PathforfifteendaystoagatheringofmorethansevenhundredmonksintheSang-ngakGatsalassemblyhallofNamgyalMonastery,attheconclusionofwhichIofferedinitiationsintoCakrasaṃvara,Vajrabhairava,Guhyasamāja,andthe

Great Compassionate One, with permission to practice Mahākāla,Dharmarāja, Palden Lhamo,Kubera, Four-FacedMahākāla, Chamsing, andsoon.

During the rainy-season retreat, I completed my duties as the residentabbot,andafteritsconclusionIwenttoYaphuRatsakMonasteryinKyishö,where I spent threedaysmakingextensiveofferings in connectionwith theself-initiationritualsinthepresenceoftheVajrayoginīstatuethatglowswiththelightofblessings.ThisstatuewastheprincipalobjectofmeditationofthegreatpanditNāropa.Imadeadonationtothecommunityofmonksthereandalso left themfunds,asking that theyperformtheofferingsof the tenthandtwenty-fifthofthemonth.AttherequestofnunKhyenrapLhamo,Igavetheblessing of the four sindūra initiations of Vajrayoginī to a gathering of ahundredmonksandnuns.

AtthattimeIhadafewvivid,gooddreams,butIcannotrememberthemnow. In general,when Iwas young, and sometimeswhen Iwas older, too,variousandsundryindistinctpropheticversesofvariouslengthwerespokentome,orshownwrittenonscrolls,byallsortsofdeities,lamas,andordinaryfolk inmy dreams. If the following day I let slip talk of the prophecies, Iwould immediately forget them. But if I didn’t speak of them, I wouldn’tforget them, and they would later come true, just as they did for the pig-headedfortuneteller.177Thataftersometimethesedreamswouldcomeonlyrarely is, I feel, because I am saturated like drenched earth with offerings,whichactsasanobstacletosuchdreams.

PILGRIMAGETOPHENPO

Intheautumn,withthepermissionofHisHolinessandthepreciousregent,Iwent on apilgrimage to thePhenpo area,whichhasbeenblessedbymanyrealized Kadampa masters. I left with a small entourage, including myattendants Lhabu and Palden, and Ngakram Tsultrim Dargyé from TrehorHouse of Gyümé Tantric College.We crossed Gola Pass into Phenpo andvisited such places asLangthang, themonastery ofGeshéLangriThangpa;Nalendra, the monastery of omniscient Rongtönpa; the reliquary stupa ofPatsapLotsāwa;GyalTemple,whichwasbuiltbyNanamDorjéWangchuk,an incarnation of Maitreya; Thangsak Ganden Chökhor; and the reliquarystupaofGeshéSharawa.

Sinceitwaswellknownthat,givenPatsap’sconnectionwithtranslatingthe Long Life Sutra (Aparimitāyurjñānasūtra), if one circumambulatesPatsap’s stupa, hindrances to one’s life would be eliminated, many people

wereon thecircumambulationcircuit. I accumulatedamoderatenumberofcircumambulations in appreciation of his propagation of the profound viewwith his translation of Candrakīrti’s Entrance to the Middle Way and hiscontributiontothedisseminationofthePrāsaṅgikaview.178

Previously I had heard fromKyabjé PhabongkhaVajradhara that whenSimok Rinpoché Jampa Kunga Tenzin — holder of the treasury of ear-whisperedlineageofthehighlysecretinstructionsoftheSakyas—firstpaida visit to Chusang Retreat House, though he knew that Simok Rinpochécarried thepersonal instructionson thepermissions and transmissionof theseventeenemanationsofFour-FacedMahākāla,KyabjéPhabongkhadidnotpay much attention to him, being doubtful due to underestimating thequalities of that great person. On the eve of Simok Rinpoché’s departure,PhabongkhaVajradhara dreamed of a formidable oldmanwithwhite hair,moustache,andbeardsittingona largethrone.ThisoldmanlookedgreatlydispleasedwithhimforneglectingtoreceivetheoralteachingsofFour-FacedMahākāla. So the very next day Vajradhara requested full initiation,transmission,andoralteachings,eventuallyreceivingthem.BecauseIheardofthisincidentfromGuruVajradharahimself,IhadgreatrespectandfaithinSimokRinpoché.

As Rinpoché permanently resided in Phenpo, I had not previously methim, but at that time I had the good fortune of actually looking upon hisgoldenfacewhenIvisitedhimathishouseatNalendra,whereImadehimatoken offering and requested him to give me the profound teachings. Hepromisedtodosowithgreatpleasureandshoweredmewithgiftsoffood.

Atthesametime,IvisitedChogyéLabrangattheirinvitationandmetthepresentChogyéTrichenRinpoché.AtThangsakGandenChökhorMonasteryI offered the sangha a reading transmission of theFoundation of AllGoodQualities. There I was able to view an Indian text of Candrakīrti’sBrightLamp commentaryon the fivestagesof theGuhyasamājacompletionstage.ThiswasthetextusedbythepanditCandrakīrtihimself.

KyabjéSimokRinpochéofPhenpoNalendraCOURTESYOFWWW.NALANDRA.ORG

Although the Khamlung Tulku prior to the current one, who was areincarnationofThroneholderJampalTsultrimandwasmyelderbrotherbythesamefather,hadalreadypassedaway,sincehislabranghadinvitedme,Iwent to Khamlung Hermitage, the monastery of the great GeshéKhamlungpa.179 I stayed for three days and visited the memorial stupa ofKhamlungpa. Itwas impossible tovisit someof themonastic seatsofotherKadammasters, such asNeusurpa, because theywere in remotemountainsandcaves.

As I had been invited by the family of Lhading in Upper Uru county,passingthroughJeriTaktséinLowerPhenpo,IreachedthetownofLhading.Asithappenedtobethetenthofthemonth,Imadeanofferingoftsokalongwith the self-initiation into Vajrayoginī together with the members of theLhading family. At the request of the host, Rimshi Sönam Tsering, I sang“SongofthePlayfulBumblebee”:

UpintheheavenlyrealmofKhecaraAkaniṣṭha,amidadisplayoftenmillioninconceivableillusorynets,thequeenoftheConqueror’sconsorts,withherextraordinaryyouthful

charm,guidesthefortunatetoKhecaraparadise.

Inthecityofḍākinīs,theerealmofthesixty-four,180themostbeautifulqueen,Caṇḍālī,withdelightfulsmile,gracefulandlithe,dancesplayfullylikealightningflash,presentingashowofthejoyfullyinnateevaṃ.

Amidtheeightpetalsoftheheart(citta)atthecentralchannel(avadhūti),

clear-lightRatīofthegreatemptiness,devoidofallfabrication,teasesseductivelywithheryouthofillusoryform,alightrayoffive

colors,presentingashowoftheinconceivablestageofunion.

Aho!Delightfulisthisprofoundquickpathtotheultimatesecrets.Joyfulisthisassemblyofmasteranddiscipleswithpurebonds.Inthisgloriousofferingfeastunifyingjoyanddelight,weestablishacomingtogetherthatwillneverbeparted.

IspentafewdaysandgavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī to the members of the family and monks from the nearbymonasteries. I also gave the permission for Avalokiteśvara, a long-lifeempowerment, and so on, to the locals. To the sangha of ThangkyaMonastery, I offered at their request the great initiation into thirteen-deityVajrabhairava.

On the way home from Lhading, I consecrated the temple at PhakmoChödé as requested by the sangha. Passing through Dromtö thereafter, IarrivedbackinLhasa.AsImentionedabove,Ispreadcloudsofofferingstovarious sacred places of pilgrimage and to monasteries to the best of myability.

6

I

BlackCloudsontheHorizon

TRAVELSTOKUNDELINGANDTÖLUNG

N THE FOURTH MONTH of my forty-fourth year, the year of the wood-monkey(1944),IgaveteachingsontheGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePath to over one thousand disciples in the assembly hall of Kundeling

Monastery for one month at the request of Kundeling Tatsak HothokthuRinpoché.

InthesummerMinisterTaijiShenkhaGyurméSönamTopgyérequestedme to give initiations into Guhyasamaja, Cakrasaṃvara, and Vajrabhairavaforthebenefitofhislateson,DechenGawaiWangchuk.Igavetheinitiationstoabout threethousanddisciplesforfivedaysin theassemblyhallofMeruMonasteryinLhasa.

Intheeighthmonth,IwenttothehotspringsinTölungforthesakeofmyhealth.Atthattime,themonksoftheGyüméTantricCollegehappenedtobeobserving the late summer retreat in the nearby Chumik Valley, so at theinvitationoftheabbotsandadministratorsofthemonastery,Istoppedbythemonasteryalongtheway.Iofferedthemonksareadingtransmissionoftwoof the three textbookson the five stagesofGuhyasamāja that areunique toGyümé.ThesethreearerenownedastheThreeStonesPassedfromHandtoHand.181Ipresentedtheassemblywithmanydonations.

I spent two weeks at the hot springs, where I met some people fromTölungRakor,thebirthplaceofmypredecessor,andIgavethemsomesmallgifts.

SoonaftermyreturnfromTölung,attherequestofMrs.TseringDrölkarof the Bayer family, who were staying in the Mentö household, over thecourse of just a month I gave personal instructions on theQuick Path inconnection with the Words of Mañjuśrī, along with offerings and theceremony for generating bodhicitta to a gathering of around twenty-sevenhundredintheassemblyhallofLhasa’sShidéMonastery.Theassemblywascomprisedoftulkusandgeshésfromthethreemonasticseats,theirstudents,and monks from the Gyütö and Gyümé tantric colleges as well as retreat

centers.I sent four large pillar banners ofmulticolored brocade appliqué in the

takshun design, with large dragons, accompanied with appliqué forms oftsipar heads to be hung on the four tall pillars in the assembly hall ofmymonastery in Chatreng and sent a complete set of the Kangyur alongwithcoverstoDongsumRikngaHouse.

ADISPUTEBREAKSOUT

Ifonedoesnotavertprideinone’sreputation,attire,pedigree,andstatus,itisdifficultforarivertoflowupwardonahillofarroganceunlessoneseeksoutadviceandteachingsfromthewise.

That winter, having invited a teacher from Lhasa’s Astro-MedicalInstitute—amonknamedPaldenGyaltsenwhohailedfromYangpacheninTölung — to my residential quarters above the Potala’s school ofadministration, I, togetherwithDzeméTulku ofGanden Shartsé, requestedinstruction on both Anubhūti’s Sarasvatī Grammar Treatise(Sarasvatīvyākaraṇa) and its commentaryHundred Rays of Light byGetséPaṇḍitaGyurméTsewangChokdrup, up to the section on the five types ofsandhi. We also studied the root text Ratnākara’s Prosody(Chandoratnākara), written by the pandit Ratnākaraśānti, and itscommentariesbyMinlingLochenandLamaLhaksam,uptopictureprosody(citrakavya).182Wewereunabletofullycompletethepictureprosodyportionduetotheproliferationofdistractionsbeyondourcontrol.

In the tenth month of that year, fighting broke out in connection withbarley debt due to a disagreement between the steward of senior secretaryChöphel Thupten’s Lhundrup Dzong estate in Phenpo and Sera Jé’s debtcollectors, and the steward died. The senior secretary filed a report of theincidentwiththeregent,acommissionofsixmonasticandlayofficialswasappointed,andhavingsummoned thechiefculprit,detailsbegan toemerge.The investigation of this incident took place around the time of the GreatPrayer Festival in Lhasa of the wood-bird year (1945), during whichTsemönlingHothokthuhadinvitedHisHolinesstopresideovertheassembly,asthiswasalsothetimeofTsemönling’sofferingforhisgeshéexamination.Therewas an incidentwhen the abbots andmonks of Sera’s Jé and tantriccollegesboycottedthesessionsforthreedaysduringthefestival.Anofficialorder setting out the grave consequences of their actions of contempt wasissuedby the ecclesiastical offices at thePotala.Only thenwas the festivalbarelyheldasusual.

AtthecompletionofthePrayerFestivalandSubsequentPrayerSession,whentheinvestigationconcluded,theabbotsofJéandNgakpacollegeswereexpelledalongwithafewoftheadministratorsanddebtcollectors,whowereexiled to confinement in farawaydistricts.On account of this,manyof themonks of Jé and Ngakpa colleges badmouthed the precious regent andaccruedheavykarmaduetotheactionsofafewbadindividuals.Inaddition,because of the expulsion of some officials who were close to RadrengRinpoché,itwasatimewhenbondsbetweenguruanddisciplewerebroken.Idislikedalltheseeventsverymuchandgaveveryfrankandhonestadviceinorder to prevent further hardship for Regent Takdrak’s treasurer, TenpaTharchin,butIcouldnotstopit.AsSakyaPaṇḍitasaysinhisJewelTreasuryofWiseSayings:

Howeveryoumaytrytoreverseawaterfall,youmustacceptthatitonlyflowsdownward.183

THERITUALTOTRANSFERLHAMO’SSHRINEATDREPUNG

In my forty-fifth year, the year of the wood-bird (1945), the governmentperformedextensive restorationof theGandenPhodrangPalaceatDrepungMonastery.When the preparations for the demolition of the rooms on theupper floor of thewestern complex of the palacewere ready, the protectorhouseofthesealedstatueofGotraLhamo(RaktamukhaDevī),whichiskeptinachamberofthepalace,hadtobemovedtemporarily.Thepreciousregenttold me that this protector is known to be very strict in her commands.Anyone who took even a mere scarf offered to the statue experiencedimmediate negative consequences.Therefore Iwas entrusted to oversee theproperritualperformancefortheremovalofthestatueduringtherenovationphase.

AftertheSubsequentPrayerSessioninLhasa,IleftforDrepungwiththepresidingmasterandchantmasterofNamgyalMonasteryasritualassistantsandmadepropitiatoryofferings toPaldenLhamofora fewdays.Thenightbeforemoving the chamber I dreamed Iwas in a huge assemblyhall filledwiththread-crosseffigiesandmanylargeoldandnewtormacakes.ItwassofullofheapsofvariousthingsthatIcouldfindnoplacetostep.AsIlookedforapath,ayoungladycameand,movingwithapleasinggait,showedmetheway.Itookthisdreamasasignthatthegoddesswaspleasedandthatitwastimetomovetheprotectorchapel.

The next morning during the actual transfer, we opened the protector

chamberinthepresenceofthemonk-officialsecretarywhowasrepresentingHis Holiness. At first the others hesitated to touch the sacred objects andwouldnotmovethem.AlthoughI lackconfidence in theviewofemptinessandanymeditativeinsight,sinceIhaddonetheapproachingretreatofPaldenLhamo,maintainingconfidence inmybeingameditationaldeityand in thedreamIhadhadthepreviousnight,Itookafewobjectsandsomescarvesandmoved them to the sunlight room of the palace, all the while reciting themantraofPaldenLhamo.

Afterward, everyone — the presiding and chant masters of NamgyalMonastery(myritualassistants),theoverseerofconstructionandhisstaff,aswellastherepresentativeofHisHoliness—movedthevariousobjects,suchas taxidermied animals, that had accumulated in large quantities over theyears. This took three days. We then moved the main image of PaldenLhamo, which was the size of a man and was made of silver, with arepresentation of the sea of blood and included her mule mount and thebackgroundfire,measuringonestoryinheight.Thetwoattendants,onewiththefaceofalionandtheotherwiththefaceofamakaraseamonster,wereeach the size of an eight-year-old child.As the statues had originally beenmadeindividually,itdidnotendupbeingdifficulttomovethem.

Oncewehadseparatedthemainbodyofthestatuefromtheseaofbloodandthemule,thestatuewasinvitedtooneoftheroomsintheeasternwingofthe palace. During the transfer I had the Namgyal monks do the elaborateinvocation of Palden Lhamo, with melodious chanting together with ritualmusic. I along with the overseer of the restoration, the senior secretaryNgawangSöpa,andtherepresentativeofHisHolinessledtheprocessionwithincenseinourhands.TheseniortulkusandsomeoftheoldergeshésfromthefourcollegesofDrepungcarried thestatue.Afterassembling thestatue,wemade a ritual of mending and restoration before the statue with extensivepropitiatoryandtsokofferings.

Wepriedopenalargeboxcontainingvariousthangkascrollpaintingsthathad been in the protector chapel. Inside we discovered an extremely oldpainting of Vajrabhairava with stacked heads that had been the personaldevotionalmeditationobjectofRaLotsāwaandwasinkeepingwiththeRaLotsāwaCollectiononVajrabhairava:OralTransmissionof theḌākinīs.184Therewas also a copy of a similar thangka that the FifthDalai Lama hadcommissioned from Sur Ngakchang Trinlé Namgyal (these being both theoriginalanditscopy)andapaintingoftheGuardianoftheTentinstandingposition that was the personal meditational object of Drogön ChögyalPhakpa.185 There were many wonderful historical paintings, including a

thangka of Rishi Viṣnu hand painted by Surchen Chöying Rangdrol.186Moreover, therewere several thangka images of Four-FacedMahākāla andtheTentGuardian thatwere thepersonalmeditationobjectsof someof thepriorSakyapatriarchs.

Inoneofthecabinetsforritualcakeofferings,thereweresomerequeststotheprotectorswritteninthehandofHisHolinessTsangyangGyatso187andreplies to a few of the questions that he presented to the protector LamoTsangpaonvariouspoliticalmatters.Italsocontainedseveralrollsoffloweryletters written to intimate friends in the manner of tantric conduct. Hishandwritingwasoffairquality,buttheverseshecomposedwereexcellent.

AtthesametimeasthepalaceatDrepungwasbeingrestored,thepalaceofHisHolinessatGephelHermitagewasalsotoberestored.SoIwenttothatmonastery one day and did the rituals for the transfer of those deities andnāgasandtheconsecrationritualforconstruction.Duringthesenotevenoneamongour staff,myself included, suffered any seriousmishap, and I creditthis success to the divine protection of the Three Jewels and the goddessprotector.

Later,whentherestorationofthepalaceatDrepungwascomplete,Iwentthere with the ritual assistants of Namgyal Monastery, and we moved thestatues, including that ofPaldenLhamo, and the sacredobjects back to theprotector chapel in the renovated palace and made extensive propitiatingofferings accompanied by tsok offerings over the course of seven days.Previously there had been no thread-cross abode of Palden Lhamo in theprotectorchamber,butasanewonehadbeencommanded,weconstructedacomplete,elegantthread-crossandperformedanextensiveritualforit.

That summer, in fulfillment of a request byKusho Tserap of NamgyalMonastery,withtheaimofsowingrootsofvirtueforhislatemotherPalkyi,Itaught theQuick Path and theWords of Mañjuśrī in association with itsexperiential commentary toanaudienceofmore thana thousand, includingtheentireassemblyofNamgyalMonastery,intheJaraklingkapark,wherethemonksofNamgyalMonasteryspendtheirannualpicnicattheconclusionofthe rainy-season retreats. At the end, on the day of the ceremony forgenerating bodhicitta, the Dharma protector of Lhasa’s Darpo Ling, LordChingkar, inhabitinghismediumproclaimed,“Your recentdiscourseon thestages of the path was excellent!” He also advised the administrators ofNamgyalMonastery, saying,“Beginningnextyear, thegeneralassemblyofNamgyal Monastery must take up the task of requesting teaching on thestagesofthepathandonthecommentariestothegenerationandcompletionstagesofGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,andVajrabhairavainturneveryyear,

withoutbreak.”That year, at the beginning of autumn, as requested by the previously

mentioned Mrs. Tsering Drölkar of the Bayer family, at Lhasa’s ShidéMonastery I extensively taught the profound path of Guru Puja andmahāmudrā combined, with its associated profound commentary, to morethan two thousandmonks from Sera, Drepung, and the Gyütö and Gyümétantric colleges who had previously received initiation into the deitiesGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,andVajrabhairava.

ANEWAPPOINTMENT

In thewinter, the precious regent appointedGyatso Ling Tulku ofGungruHouse of Gomang College as assistant tutor with the rank of seniorecclesiasticalsecretary,188andIwaspromotedtotherankofDarhan,whichrequired me to sit before officials with ranks of Dzasak, Ta Lama, andTaiji.189OntheoccasionofmyadvancementtothenewpositionofDarhan,Imade offerings to His Holiness and the regent in accordance with ancienttradition.

Inmy forty-sixthyear, theyearof the fire-dog (1946),during theGreatPrayer Festival, I invoked the divine presence of the Nechung protectorthrough hismedium in a trance at the temple in oldMeruMonastery. TheNechungoraclegavemeascarfwiththerepresentationsofthebody,speech,andmindandexpressedgreatpleasureandappreciationfor thediscourses Ihadbeengiving.HesaidthatitwasgreatthatIwaspropagatingtheprofoundand the vast nectar-like teachings of the incomparable leader and son ofŚuddhodana(i.e.,BuddhaŚākyamuni)atsuchacrucialtime.

His Holiness was to commence his dialectical studies at Drepung inaccordancewith tradition, but a private rehearsal ceremonywasheld in theGandenYangtséchamberofthePotalaPalace.ThiswaspresidedoverbyHisHolinessinthecenter,withRegentTakdrakRinpoché,TutorLingRinpoché,myself,GyatsoLing,andGeshéKhyenrapGyatsoofSeraMésittinginrowstotherightandleft.EveryonerecitedPraisetotheBuddhaandChantingtheNamesofMañjuśrī.

Because Gyatso Ling and Geshé Khyenrap Gyatso recited the texts atsuch disparate pitches, one high the other low, Ling Rinpoché burst intolaughter. This made His Holiness laugh, and I also began to laughuncontrollably, and the recitation was nearly interrupted. Though RegentRinpochéwore a serious expression on his face, I could not stop laughing,

evenoutoffear.Otherspresent,includingthechiefabbot,hischiefattendant,his assistant, the ritual assistant, and the lord chamberlain, all also laugheduncontrollably, like the maxim “one laughs if you look at someone elselaughing.”IlatertookthistobeasignHisHolinesswouldattainthepinnacleofscholarlystudies.

From that day forward, every day, in turn, we three serving scholarspresided over His Holiness’s dialectical study each afternoon, with theexception of break periods during special and scheduled governmentceremonies.Wewerealsopermittedleavesofabsenceinexceptionalcasestogiveteachings.

Regarding the reincarnationofmysole father inunrivaledkindness, thegreatPhabongkhaVajradhara:asthevisionsofNakshöTakphuRinpoché,thepredictions of the Panglung Gyalchen and Gadong oracles, and my ownrepeateddivinationswerefoundtobeinagreement,theyoungreincarnation,whohadtakenrebirthatDrigunginupperÜ,wasbroughttoTashiChölingMonasteryatthebeginningofthesecondmonthandformallyplaceduponthethroneofhis loftypredecessor. Iwaspresenton thatoccasionandattendedtheceremonyandmadeofferings.

At thebeginningof the thirdmonth, at the requestof agroupofnewlyordained monks of Gyümé Tantric College, I offered initiations intoGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,andVajrabhairavaalongwiththeirpreparatoryrites,andexplanationandtransmissionofAśvaghoṣa’sFiftyVersesonGuruDevotion,forfivedaystoalargenumberofmonks,primarilyfromGyütöandGyümé tantric colleges, in the Gyümé assembly hall. At the command ofRegentTakdrakVajradhara,Icompiledandeditedtherecitationtextsofthethreeobservancesof theVinayamonasticrulesofdisciplineandothersutraand tantra texts recitedby themonksofTakdrakHermitage. In particular Icompiled the ritualchantof theelaborateconsecration,Causing theRainofGoodness to Fall, in accordance with the tradition of the Gyümé TantricCollegeandtheself-andfront-generations,theconsecrationofthevase,andinitiationandfire-offeringritualsofGuhyasamājaLokeśvara.

Likewise, the monks of Gyümé Tantric College had requested that thepreciousregentrecompiletheirmanualforsubjugatingdemonsbasedontheDharmarājaritecomposedbyDrakarNgakrampa,190sincetherewerevariousreadings, notes, and emendations on handwritten copies that were morereliable.Sincehehadnofreetime,hetoldmetodoit.Ithereforeexaminedall the relevant materials, particularly chapters of Drakar Ngakram’s owncommentary,andcompiledareliablechantingritualforsubjugatingdemonscalledAYantraWallofVajraMountains.191

In early summer, to sow seeds of virtue on behalf of lay practitionerTsewangNorbuat therequestofMrs.LhamoTsering,wholivedbelowthemeatmarket inLhasa, Igaveadiscourseon theQuickPath for twenty-fivedaystooverthreethousand.Thisdiscoursewasgivenunderalargecanopyinthe Jarak picnic grounds of Namgyal Monastery. Following that, at therequestofNamgyalMonastery,Igavediscoursesforfifteendaysonthetwostagesofthirteen-deityVajrabhairavatooveronethousanddiscipleswhohadreceivedtheVajrabhairavainitiationandanexplanationoftheconstructionofthe three-dimensional mandala. Scattered throughout the discourse, I gaveexplanationsonthevisualizationofthefire-offeringritual,thesixty-four-parttorma offering, and the great torma ritual and their different traditions andmethods.IexplainedtheseasthoroughlyasImyselfhadlearnedthemfromoralteachingswithoutconcealinganything.

AlthoughNamgyalMonasterypreservedexcellent traditionsof the sandandclothmandalasforGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,andVajrabhairava,theydid not have a tradition of instruction for the creation of three-dimensionalmandalas.Therefore,inconsultationwithHisHoliness’schiefritualassistant,Losang Samten, and the presiding master, Tenpa Dargyé, I immediatelybeganfreshinstructionontheconstructionofthethree-dimensionalmandala.IappointedNgakrampaTsultrimDargyéofTrehorHouseofGyüméTantricCollegeastheprincipalinstructor.EightNamgyalmonks,includingtheritualmasterandthechantmaster,receivedthoroughtraining,andthenewmandalathattheyconstructedasaresultoftheirtrainingwasexcellent.

ILLNESSANDSCHISM

Iwassickfortwentydaysduringthesixthmonthofthatyearwithaseriousintestinalfever,afterwhichIwasveryillwithedema.ThoughIwasontheverge of death, I recovered under the treatment of doctorKhyenrapNorbu,seniorchairanddirectoroftheTibetangovernment’sAstro-MedicalInstitute,whowasamasterequaltothegreatYuthok,thekingofmedicine,192andthetreatment of His Holiness’s personal physician, Khenchung ThuptenLhundrup.MyrecoverywashelpedbymanyreligiousritualsandthecarethatItook,butIwasstillbarelyabletogooutsidebytheninthmonth.

That winter at the request of Chözé Ngawang Dorjé of Trehor ShitséGyapöntsang, who was a prominent student at Sera JéMonastery, and hisbrotherDöndrupNamgyal,IbegangivingadiscourseontheEasyPathtoagroupofaboutfiftypeople.InitiallyIheldthediscourseinmyquartersintheNorbulingkasummerpalaceuntiloneday the lordchamberlain,Khenchung

ThuptenLekmön,cametovisitmeandsaid:“TeachingthestagesofthepathtothemlikethathereintheNorbulingkaislikelockingthedoorafterlettingathiefin!Itwouldbebetterifyoustoppedforthetimebeing.”193 I thereforemoved tomy residence inLhasa and continued to teach there to about onehundred disciples. Since the protector and lord, the precious regent, couldhavehadno suchprejudice, ashe is agreatperson, it seems that thismusthave been due to the lord chamberlain’s own small and narrow-mindedassumption,causinghimtomistakehisownshadowforaspirit.

TheformerregentRadrengRinpochéandthe incumbentregentTakdrakRinpoché were undisputedly great beings with the highest attainments ofabandonmentandinsight.Butbuddhasandbodhisattvasappearaccordingtothe dispositions of their disciples, inwhatever illusory guisewill best tamethem—demonsanddevils,thepureandtheimpure,tamersandthosetobetamed.

Inmyforty-seventhyear,thefire-pigyear(1947),RadrengRinpochéandTakdrakRinpochécouldhavenopeacewithoneanotheronaccountof themany false rumors of dissension and the provocations of attendants. ForTakdrak Rinpoché there was Treasurer Tenpa Tharchin, ChamberlainThupten Lekmön, and Chairman Ngawang Namgyal. Among RadrengRinpoché’ssubordinates,therewashisbrothertheDzasak,NyungnéTulkuofShidé,andKhardoTulkuofSera Jé.AsSakyaPaṇḍita’sJewelTreasuryofWiseSayings(5.34)says:

Apersonwhoconstantlystrivesfordissensionwillsevereventhefirmestoffriends.Ifwaterflowscontinually,won’tevenrockssplitapart?

ItbecameapparentthatthesupportersofRadrengRinpochéwereplottingtoharmRegentTakdrakRinpoché,whichwasthefirststeptowardtheirowndemise. So, as soon as the meeting between the regent and his cabinetadjourned, the ministers Surkhang Wangchen Gelek and Lhalu TsewangDorjéwere dispatched toRadrengMonastery togetherwith a contingent ofsoldiersandleadersoftheDrashiarmybasetoarresttheformerregent.Theywere dispatched suddenly in the night of the twenty-third of the secondmonth.

I didnot hear of this newsuntil noon thenext day.At that time, Iwasliving at my residence in Lhasa and the cabinet minister Rampa ThuptenKunkhyensentasecretmessagetomesayingthatIhadbettergotothePotalarightaway.HealsosaidthatasheneededtostayatthePotalaforafewdays,

hewouldliketostayinmyquartersthere.IleftforthePotalaimmediately.Late that afternoon, at the order of the Tibetan cabinet, the Radreng

labrangandtheYapshiPhunkhangmansionweresealedandlockedup.TheformerandincumbentDzasakofRadrengandtheretiredministerGungTashiDorjé of Phunkhang, along with his son, were summoned to the Potala,where,strippedofrankandtitle,theywereimprisonedinSharchenChok,theGreatEasternTowerprison at thePotala.The followingday, thehomesofRadreng Labrang’s supporters—Khardo Tulku, Nyungné Tulku of Shidé,and the Sadutshang family of Trehor— were locked up, and Khardo andGyurméSadutshangwerealsoimprisonedinSharchenChok.NyungnéLamaescapedwhenarrestwasimminentandshothimself.

On the twenty-seventh day of the second month, having been broughtoverGolaPass ofPhenpo and across theTsesumplain at the foot ofSera,circledclockwisearoundthePotala,andinthroughtheeasterngateofShöl,RadrengRinpochéwasinternedinSharchenChok,whereheremainedunderheavy guard. Later Radreng Rinpoché was taken for interrogation at themeetingoftheNationalAssembly.FrommyquartersatthePotala,Isawhimtaken back and forth through the entrance with the three staircases atDeyangsharCourtyardundertightsecurity.Itmademedistraughttoseesuchagreat lamaand leaderwhopreviously traveledamidahostofprivateandgovernmentofficialsingreatgloryandpompnowlivinginadarkprisoncellwithoutevenoneattendant,surroundedbysoldiers,andhavingeverydaytogoforinterrogationattheNationalAssembly.Isensedhowtroubledhemusthavefelt,buttherewasnothingthatIcoulddo.

I heard that Radreng Rinpoché died in prison on the night of theseventeenthof the thirdmonth.The inquiry intohiscasehadconcluded thepreviousday,butthoseattendingthemeetingdisagreedastohissentence.Itisn’tclearwhetherRinpochédiedofhisownwillinanticipationofaseriouspunishmentorwhether therewereotherunexpected illcircumstances.Latermanyrumorscirculatedthathewaskilledsecretlybytheleadersoftheprisonguards.RadrengRinpoché’sbrothertheDzasakandKhardoTulkuwerekeptunderarrestinthenewprisonwithtworingsofsecurityinthebodyguardunitattheNorbulingka.Thetwoofthemwereimprisonedforlifewithmanacles,fetters, andwoodenyokes around their necks.All theothers involvedwerealso given heavy sentences by the National Assembly. Since ex-ministerPhunkhangandhisson,aswellasGyurméSadutshang,hadcloseconnectionswiththeRadrenglabrang,theywereinitiallysuspectedandkeptunderarrest.But later,as itbecameevident that theyhadnoinvolvement in the intrigue,their wealth and property were returned, and they were allowed to live in

peace.194AtthattimemostofthemonksofSeraJé,includingTsenyaTulku,were

conspiring to rise against the government. The monastic officials had noinfluenceinthematter,andtherewasmuchunrest.ThegovernmentsentthecabinetministerKashöpaChögyalNyima,GeneralDzasakKalsangTsultrim,monk-secretary Ngawang Namgyal, the finance minister Ngaphö NgawangJikmé, and Namling Paljor Jikmé to the Drashi military encampment, andwitharmedbattalionstheymarchedtoSeraJéandmadeashowofforce.Themonks of Sera surrendered, and the conflict was prevented from spreadingfurther.

At Radreng Monastery, attendants of the Radreng labrang killedseventeensoldiersthatwereguardingtheproperty.GeneralKalsangTsultrimandShakhapaLosalDöndrup,governorofthenorthernregion,werethereforedispatched toRadrengwith a large contingent of soldiers.They shelled theseat of Radreng and caused serious damage to the temples, images, andreligiousobjects.SoldierslootedthepropertyofRadrengLabrang,whichwascomparable to the treasuryofJambhala,godofwealth,and thegovernmentconfiscatedtherest,leavingnothingbehind.

Reflectingthatthejoysandsorrowsofsamsaraareunstable,changinginan instant, like a flicker of lightning, I was deeply moved to renounceforcefully all the meaningless activities of this life and withdraw into themountainslikeawoundeddeer, toliveinthemannerofāryaswiththefourqualities.195Icouldseetheneedtowholeheartedlydedicatemybody,speech,andmindtopractice,butbecauseofthefirmgripofmyattractiontothislife,Iwasnotabletosevermyselffromtheallureofdistractingactivities.

Due to the incidents related above, variousprejudiced rumors regardingtheprecious regent andRadrengRinpochéwere spreadbymany frombothfactions. However, there is no certainty with regard to the ordinaryperceptionsofdisciplesandthepoweroftheirkarma.AswithwhatbefelltheāryaMaudgalyāyana, the arhat Udāyin, and the great king Ralpachen, it isbest not to see faults in this situation and towithhold judgment.196 As the“Friendship”chaptersays:

Ifthosewhohavedonenowrongassociatewiththosewhohavecommittedevil,theyarousesuspicionofhavingdonewrong,andabadreputationwillaccrue.

Thosewhoassociatewiththosetheyoughtnotto

themselvesbecometaintedbytheothers’faults.Anarrow,putinaquivertaintedwithpoison,thoughnotstainedwithpoisonwillbecomeso.197

MañjunāthaSakyaPaṇḍitastated:

Noblebeingsacquirebadhabitswhentheybefriendthewicked.ThesweetwateroftheGangesbecomessaltywhenitreachestheocean.198

AsforLordRegentTakdrakVajradhara,he is indeedagreatwielderofthevajrapossessedof the threesetsofvows,a lord in theseaofmandalas,and he remains as the great turner of the wheel of holy Dharma. RadrengRinpoché,aswell,whilelivinginDakpoinhisyouth,plantedawoodenstakein the faceofa rockand left the impressionofhis footonastone thatwasmovedtothegreatchapelatRadreng,whereonecanexamineitforoneself.Hethereforeissomeonewhobearstruesignsofagreatbeing,too.

Ingeneral,duetothedegeneratedmeritoflivingbeings,theattendantsofbothTakdrakRinpochéandRadrengRinpochémentionedabove, and thosewho followed them, drunk onManmatha’swine,199 destroyed their presentandfuturehappiness.ManypeoplecreatedatremendousamountofnegativityagainsttheirgurusandtheThreeJewelsthroughtheirevildeeds.Thedeedsof these great lamas, who are protectors of beings in ordinary guise, wereinfluenced by bad attendants.When I reflect on this, I see the truth in theBuddha’s statement inmany sutras, motivated by the thought that keepinggoodorbadcompanydeterminesone’shappiness, thatonemustkeepgoodcompany.

THEFORMALENROLLMENTOFHISHOLINESSTHEFOURTEENTHDALAILAMA

ThatsummeronthegroundsofJaraklingka,attherequestofSöchöandothermembersof theSadutshang familyofTrehor, Igavediscourseson the roottextoftheGuruPujabasedonthelargemanualassociatedwiththepracticeauthoredbyKachenYeshéGyaltsen(1713–93)andadetailedinstructiononGanden Mahāmudrā based on the root text and commentary authored byPaṇchen Chögyen. Afterward, I received directly from Kumbum MinyakRinpoché200 oral transmission and explanation of theEssenceofEloquence

andClarifying the Intent of the Middle Way by Jé Tsongkhapa, Dose ofEmptiness: Opening the Eyes of the Fortunate by Khedrup Jé, thecommentary Meaningful to Behold: A Praise of Jé Tsongkhapa byGungthangpa, Hortön’sRays of the Sun Mind Training, Langri Thangpa’sEight Verses on Mind Training, and the Wheel of Sharp Weapons MindTraining.

That autumn I accompanied His Holiness the Dalai Lama to DrepungMonasteryinagrandprocessioninordertoformallycommencehisreligiousstudies and enrollment in the three seats of learning in accordance withancient tradition. I stayed in a room on the middle story of the palace atDrepung.As itwas tradition for the precious regent to appoint tutors fromeach of the seven colleges of the three seats, he added to our number byappointing as Tsenshap, in addition to we three existing assistant tutors,Geshé Losang Dönden from Gyalrong House of Loseling, Geshé ChöphelGawaofDeyangandGeshéNgödrupChoknyéfromHardongHouseofSeraJé,andThukséThuptenTopjorofSerkongHouseofGandenJangtsé.

During the actual ceremony, all the monastic and lay officials of thegovernmentandtheabbotsandtulkusof thethreemonasterieswerepresentin the courtyard of the palace. His Holiness, the regent, Kyabjé LingRinpoché,myself,andtherestofthesevenassistanttutorsrecitedtheversesofpraiseoftheSixOrnamentsandtheTwoExcellentOnesentitledEqualingSpace201andChantingtheNamesofMañjuśrīuptothepassagethatstates“...plantwellthevictorybanner.”Thenthepreciousregentrecitedafewlinesfrom the beginning of Maitreya’s Ornament of Realization, which HisHolinessandallofusrepeated.Theneachof thesevenassistant tutors,oneby one, offered debates on the subject of the Perfection ofWisdom toHisHoliness. I recited the verses of auspiciousness at the conclusion of theceremony. As is tradition, the ceremony ended with a grand feast ofceremonialcookies.

IthenaccompaniedHisHolinessaspartofhisentouragetoceremoniesinthe great assembly hall, the four colleges, Namgyal Monastery, TashiKhangsar, and Gephel Hermitage. After the ceremony at Drepung, HisHolinessvisitedNechungMonasteryandinvokedthegreatDharmarājaDorjéDrakden through the medium. In private, he showed His Holiness certainsacredobjects,includingtheSebakMukchungmask,whichIwasalsoabletoview.202 Thenwemade ourway through the foothills of thePariRange toSeraThekchenLingMonastery.ThereIstayedontheupperfloorofDenmaHousenearthebackdoorof themainprayerassemblyhall.AtSeraIagainaccompanied His Holiness to ceremonies held during visits to the great

assembly hall, the three colleges, andHardongHouse.HisHoliness visitedthePhabongkhaHermitage.203IsoughtpermissiontobeexcusedandwenttoTashi Chöling Hermitage to pay a visit to the incarnation of KyabjéVajradhara. I gave him a long-life empowerment and oral transmissions ofseveralbooks.After theceremoniesatSera,asHisHoliness returned to thePotalaPalace,Ididaswell.

Thegreattantricpractitionerandholderofthethreevows,GeshéLosangSamdrupRinpochéofGyalrong,hadmadeasetoftwo-story-highstatuesofJéTsongkhapaandhisspiritualsonsthatwastobeplacedintothechapelofGyümé Tantric College at Changlochen in Lhasa. At his express wish, Iperformed,togetherwiththemonksofGyüméTantricCollege,theelaborateritualofconsecrationinitsentirety,CausingtheRainofGoodnesstoFallinconnection with Guhyasamāja. On the concluding day, Geshé Rinpochéhimself, who was the patron on that occasion, and Taiji Shenkhawa, whosupervised the restoration, attended the consecration ritual. I recited thedescriptionsof the “Celebrationof theHosts” to thebest ofmyability andofferedtheeightauspicioussymbolsandtheeightsubstances.204

CATALOGINGRELIGIOUSTEXTS

At the end of the fall, afterHisHoliness had settled himself at the Potala,refugeandprotectorthepreciousregenttoldmetocompletethecatalogingofallthereligioustextsbelongingtothevariousDalaiLamasthatarekeptintheupperand lower librariesof thePotala.TsawaTritrulofSeraMéhadbeenasked to catalog this large collection during the time of the previousDalaiLama,butthetaskhadbeenleftunfinished.SoIandtheotherassistanttutorsaccordinglyproceededtocarefullyexaminethetextsandcompletethetaskascommanded. Fifteen monks fromNamgyalMonastery assisted us to movenearly three thousand volumes that were housed in the library atop thenorthern wing of the central tower of the Red Palace and to unwrap andrewrapthebooksinclothcovers.

IntheSasumChamberinthePotala,weassistanttutorscarefullycheckedthebooksagainstthepreviouscatalog,checkedtheorderoftheirpages,andmade new catalogs.Among the bookswere a copy of theRatnakūṭa Sutrathathadbelonged to JetsunMilarepa’s family andabookwithhandwrittennotations from Omniscient Butön himself. There were also handwrittencopies of texts belonging tomanywell-knownmasters and realized beingssuch as Khedrup Norsang Gyatso and Shalu Lochen Chökyong Sangpo.Thesebookscontainedmanypersonalnotesbythesemasters.At theendof

one of the books belonging to the Fifth Dalai Lama, the Dalai Lama hadwritten,“I, thecrazy tantricpractitionerofSahor,put this intopractice,andmanysignsofaccomplishmenthaveoccurred.”

ThereweremanyotherwritingsoftheFifthDalaiLamaaswellasofDesiSangyé Gyatso and their commentaries. There were the teachings of theBuddha,thetreatisesonsutraandtantrathatunraveltheintentionbehindtheBuddha’s words authored by scholars of every sectarian and philosophicalaffiliation,thehistoriesofkingdomsandreligion,andmanyworksonaspectsof knowledge shared by Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. In short, theextentandvarietyofthecollectionwasinconceivable.

AmongthecollectionweresomanyexceedinglyraretextsthatIhadnoteven heard the names of, let alone seen. At that time I did not have anopportunity to look at them at leisure. Immediately afterward we alsocataloged the many books that were housed in the sunlight room, GandenNangsal,intheeasternwingofthePotala.Therewerealsomanybooksinthelibrary on the lower level. Although we were asked to catalog them laterwhenwehadtime,theyremaineduncataloged.

AtthebeginningofthethirdmonthaftertheSubsequentPrayerSessioninmyforty-eighthyear, theyearof theearth-rat (1948), Igave initiations intoGuhyasamāja, Vajrabhairava, and Cakrasaṃvara, along with preparations,overaperiodoffivedaysattherequestoftheincumbentabbotoftheGyütöTantric College, Minyak Kyorpön Losang Yönten of Drepung Loseling.Thesewereattendedbyaboutfourthousanddisciples,primarilymonksfromGyütöTantricCollege,andtookplaceinRamoché,theGyütöassemblyhallinLhasa.

AttherequestofamonasticgovernmentofficialnamedLosangGyaltsen,toplantrootsofmeritforthelatecabinetscribeEdrungTashiTsering,IgavetheinitiationoftheGreatCompassionateOne.Atthattime,theprecioustulkuwhowasthesupremeincarnationofmysolerefugeandfriendwithoutequal,PhabongkhaVajradhara,also received initiation into themandalaofhighestyogatantrafortheveryfirsttime.

ThemonksofDakpoShedrupLingMonasteryintheeastcametoofferanelaborate long-life ceremony on the occasion of the completion of theceremony for His Holiness’s enrollment at the seats of learning. At therequest of their monastic administrators, at Shidé I gave an audience ofaround five hundred disciples, primarilymonks fromDakpoShedrupLing,theinitiationintotheGreatCompassionateOne.Afterward,attherequestofHis Holiness’s personal attendant, the monk-secretary Tsidrung LosangKalsang,inordertoplantrootsofmeritforhislatebrotherKaldenTsering,I

gavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginīandaneight-day discourse on its two stages to a gathering of over three hundred atTsemönlingMonasteryinLhasa.

That year the government successfully completed the restoration of theassemblyhallatGanden.TheritualassistantsfromNamgyalMonasteryandIaccompanied Regent Takdrak Rinpoché to perform the elaborate ritual ofconsecration,whichwedidoveraperiodofthreedays.Asthepreciousregentwasphysicallyexhaustedandunabletocompletetherepairingfire-offeringsfor pacification and increase, I performed them. In celebration of the fullrestoration of the great hall, I offered tea, sweet rice, and money to theassembly.AfterthepreciousregenthadleftforLhasa,attherequestofTaijiShenkhaGyurméSönamTopgyé,whooversaw the restoration, Iofferedaninitiation of Life-Sustaining Jé Tsongkhapa to the monks of Shartsé andJangtséand theentire teamof constructionworkers and their leaders in thecourtyardoftheassemblyhall.

ThemonksofGyütöTantricCollegearetrainedinthedimensionsofthemandalas for Guhyasamāja, Cakrasaṃvara, and Vajrabhairava during theirannual stayatDrakYerpa toobserve the rainy-season retreat.Although theabbotandchantmasterwouldadministerexamsonthesubject,astheyonlygaveoralexamsonthethree-dimensionalmandala,theirwayoftrainingwasineffective. Without explicitly seeing and becoming familiar with themandalas inpractice, itwillbedifficult for the less-sharp student tomasterthem as written. As a result of discussing this with the abbot, lamas, andadministrators,practicalinstructioninthree-dimensionalmandalaswasnewlyinstituted and undertaken every year thereafter. Around that time, togetherwith His Holiness, I received the entire collection of initiations from thesealed, secret visionary revelations of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama fromRegentTakdrakVajradharaintheDruzinpalaceoftheNorbulingka.

Myforty-ninthyearcameintheyearoftheearth-ox(1949).Thatspring,in the templeofGyüméTantricCollegeat the requestof agroupofnewlyordainedGyümémonks,IgaveinitiationsintoGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,and Vajrabhairava, permission for the collected mantras of Guhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara, and Vajrabhairava, and permissions for Mahākāla,Dharmarāja,PaldenLhamo,andVaiśravaṇatoavastaudienceofmonksfromGyütöandGyümétantriccollegesandtulkusandmonksfromthethreeseatsoflearning.Ialsoofferedtheinitiationintosingle-deityVajrabhairavatooverathousanddiscipleswhohadthecommitmenttorecitethesādhanaofsingle-deityVajrabhairava.

KyabjéTrijangRinpochéinfrontofhisLhasaresidence,1949COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

OBSTACLESTOHEALTH

Thinking of planting roots of virtue to counteract the bad astrologicalcircumstancesofmyforty-ninthyearand tosupport thoseconnected tome,living and dead, in the month of Vaiśākha,205 I sent my attendant Paldentogetherwithanassistanttobuildupmymeritbymakingcloudsofofferingsatthevariousshrinesandholyplacesinthesouth,suchasÖlkha,Samyé,andTradruk. At that time I gradually led His Holiness through the two maintopicsofTibetangrammar.206

Inthefifthmonth,toplantrootsofmeritforthelateLosangDolmaattherequest of the family ofSönamRinchenwho lived in JetiLing inLhasa, Igave permissions for the deities expounded in the Rinjung Hundred to anaudience of more than one thousand disciples, principally monks andincarnate lamasof the threeseatsof learning, in theassemblyhallofShidéMonastery.

While residing in the Norbulingka Palace during the rainy season, Isufferedgreatlyfromdysenteryfromthetwenty-fifthofthesixthmonthwitharelapseoftheoldintestinalfever.Nonethelessonthesecondoftheseventhmonth, as all government officials were required to attend the openingceremony of the Shotön, or “yogurt,” summer folk-opera festival at theNorbulingka, I went to attend it for one hour. Because of this, I hadexcruciatingstomachpainthateveningandfrequentdiarrhea.Iwassoweakthat I fainted and fell before reachingmybed.MyattendantPaldenburnedtsampamixedwiththewind-disordermedicineAgar35andappliedittomyhead,face,andpalms,thankstowhichIjustsurvived.Earlythenextmorningwe asked for the senior director of the Tibetan Astro-Medical Institute,KhyenrapNorbu,andtheyoungervicechair,ThuptenLhundrup.Whentheyanalyzedmyurineandpulse,allsignsindicatedthattherewasnohopethatIwould survive.The twodoctorswould leave theShotön festival in turns tovisit andadministermedicine.Thanks to their careful treatment, andby theforceofmanyprayerssaidtoeliminatebadcircumstances,andalsobecausemy fortune to receive undeserved offerings that turn the heads of [i.e.,deceive] the faithful like a whirling firebrand had not depleted, the painlessened,andIimprovedslightly.

On the afternoon of the following day, the fourth, Jampa Chösang, achamberattendantwithinHisHoliness’spersonalstaff,andPhalhaThuptenÖden, the lord chamberlain at the Potala, requested that those who werepracticing carrying His Holiness’s palanquin bring over a sedan chair thattheyusedtorehearsewith.IwascarriedonthisfromtheNorbulingkatomyhouse in Lhasa. After the diarrhea had stopped, I was sick for a period ofthreemonthswithedema.

Ihadtheheadsforahalf-story-highstatueofAmitāyusandforlife-sizestatues of White Tārā and Uṣṇīṣavijayā made in bronze by the excellentcraftsmen in Lhasawith the intention of sending them tomymonastery inChatreng, where the bodies would be made. I duly sent the gilded bronzeheads, together with ornaments and dhāraṇī prayers for the interior, withKham-boundtravelerswhodeliveredthemtomymonasteryinChatreng.ThemonasteryhadthebodiesmadeandbuiltatempletoAmitāyustotherightof

theassemblyhalljustasIhadinstructed.

RENEWINGTHEPROTECTORSUPPORTSUBSTANCESINTHEPOTALA

That winter while residing at the Potala, at the request of His Holiness torenewintheirentiretytheouter,inner,andsecretrepresentationsofthemostsecretDharmarājaBlackPoisonMountain,Irubbedinthesubstancesontheshroud of the previous Dalai Lama in accordance with ancient ritualinstructions.Onawrathfuldayofculminationofstarsandplanets,stateartistUdrungPaljorGyalpogeneratedhimselfasadeity.TheartisthadpreviouslyreceivedVajrabhairavainitiationandhadmaintaineddailyrecitationandself-generation practice of the deity. After drawing the preliminary mantradiagramontheshroud,Idrewthemantrasyllablesattheplacesofthesensefaculties andat theheart.With the additionofvarious colors, apaintingofDharmarājawascompleted.

As clearly explained in the sealed teachings of the compendiums, IgatheredmetalnameboardswithlifemantrasandthemantrawheelsofYamaandYamāriwrittenonthemassupportsofhisspeechandaskull-ornamentedmacecarvedfromteakwithaphurbadaggeratitshandleasthesupportofhismind.Ametaltridentdecoratedwithblackbannersbearingmantraswasthesupport for the consortCāmuṇḍā.Double-edged steel swordswith scorpionhilts tempered inbloodandpoisonweresupports for the retinueofrākṣasademons.Abowmadefromthehornofanuncastratedoxtogetherwithabow-stringmadeofsinewscutwithaswordwerethesupportforViṣṇu.Figurinesof a buffalo and a black long-haired yak wearing around their necksnameplatesmadeofthewoodofmaletreesinscribedwithmantrasweretheoutersupports.Blackbannerswithmantrasandfiguresdrawnonthemwithweapon-spilledblood,sindūra, lotusblood,ghivaṃbile, andmuskwere theinnersupports.Theskullsofamanandwomanwhosefamilylinehadbeenbroken,ontheupperpartofwhichthefacesofYamaandYamārihadself-manifestedinrelief,madeclearbytheapplicationofcolor,andthathadthebodyofwrathfulDharmarājadrawnona shroudplacedat theirunionwerethesecretsupports.Ithengatheredtheritualsubstancesandthedhāraṇīsandmantrasforinsertion.Wecorrectlyperformedsādhanastogeneratethedeityandtorequesthimtoremainattheendofthefullcompletionofthesupports.Having gathered these support substances, we placed them, excluding thestatuesandthangkas,inaseriesofboxesassupportvessels,andweinstalledtheboxesintheroomsandlivingquartersofHisHolinessinthePotala.

ThismostsecretDharmarāja,whoisagreatprotectoroftheteachingsof

Mañjunātha Tsongkhapa, is exceedinglymysterious and fierce, and on thatoccasion various signs of the oath-bound protector appeared, variouseruptions of turmoil. For example, at the beginning of the process whencollectingthesupportsubstances, thumpingandscrapingsoundswereheardatnightintheroomwhereIwasstaying.ThedaywhenIpresentedapaintingof Dharmarāja to His Holiness to inspect, his chief attendant207 KhyenrapTenzinwassuddenlystruckwithaseizure.AndoncewhenIwasleavingmyhouseinLhasa,thehorseonwhichIwasridingthrewmeoff.

AndjustwhenIhadcompletedthat,HisHolinessrequestedthatIrenewtheritualsupportsforPaldenLhamo.Withrespect toher images, Iwasnotasked to renew the painting of Lhamo, as the existing one had been thesupport of thedeity for successiveDalaiLamas andhad spokendirectly toHisHoliness.

Icorrectlygathered thesubstancesas taught inHisHoliness theSecondDalaiLamaGendunGyatso’sPresentationoftheThreeActsofLhamo208andin the manual of His Holiness the Great Fifth Dalai Lama’s sealed secretvisionaryrevelations.TheTantraofḌākinīMechéBarma209writteningoldservedasthesupportofherspeech.Amirrorwithbhyōḥwrittenonitwasthesupport of her mind. A sandalwood vajra club ornamented with a blackbanner bearing mantras, and the skull of an illegitimate child filled withcharmed substances— various types of blood and medicinal offerings—were the support for her activity. A raven figurine made from black clothstuffedwithmedicinalgrainandhumanskinonwhichaconsecratedpictureof PaldenLhamo’s body had been drawnwere the outer support. The fauxcorpseof abastardchildmadeofblackclothwas the inner support— thiswas stuffedwith a piece of burntwood used in a cremation and a life-treetrident smearedwithpoisonousblood.Thesehadbeenwrapped in a corpseshroud around which the long mantras of calling, expelling, and slayingLhamohadbeenwrittenoutinweapon-spilledblood.ThefauxcorpsehaditsheartstuffedwithleavesthathadnotbeenblowntothegroundbythewindandhadthemantraofPaldenLhamowrittenononesideandtheimageofherbodydrawnontheotherforuseasdhāraṇī,andtheseweresmearedwiththejuices of sexual union. The body was filled with various types of blood,grains,andmantraswithinterwoventext,andthewholewasdrapedinablackcoat.Avictorybannerwasplacedinitshand,andapeacockfeathercrestsetuponthehead.

One secret support was a representation of the heart of a bastard childwhosethreechannelshadnotdeteriorated.Theheartwasstuffedwithpebblesdrawn from the depths of Divine Lhamo Lake in Chökhorgyal and never

exposedtothesky,andphavaṃstones210uponwhichbhyōḥwaswrittenwithlotusblood.Anothersecretsupportwasanarrowshaftmadeofastalkofwildbamboowith seven segments, grown at Draknakpo and decoratedwith theunsingedfeatherofacrow.Atthemiddleofthearrowwasthestackedseven-part bhyōḥ mantra. From the base of the feather upward was drawn thetutelary deity, her mantras of calling, expelling, and slaying, along withinterwoven text, and the arrowwas tippedwith ametal arrowhead that hadbeenpreviouslytemperedinpoisonousblood.Wealsogatheredsuchthingsastigerclothandleopardcloth,amodesthairbraid,211blackbannersbearingmantras,mirrors,decorativeridingtassels,aswellasflat-bladedswordsandritualdaggers,agoldensunandsilvermoonfashionedbythecraftsmeninasinglesitting,aweaponballmadeofthread,212fatalredcurses,213andblackandwhitedicestones.214

After having well produced and consecrated the substances and placedtheminahardblack lacquerboxwithdrawingsoffearsomeweaponson it,wedistributedtheboxesinfrontoftheimagesofPaldenLhamointheroomsandlivingquartersinthePotala.

At that time,HisHoliness and I received initiation into seventeen-deitySitātapatrābasedonthemanualbyKyishöpa215fromKyabjéLingRinpochéin the Jangchup Gakhyil quarters on the upper floor of the NorbulingkaPalace.

Inmyfiftiethyear,theyearoftheiron-tiger(1950),asIwasrequestedtoplant roots ofmerit on behalf of the late Tsamkhung nun Phuntsok, in thespringoftheyearatLhasa’sTsamkhungNunneryIgavethegreatinitiationintoGhaṇṭāpāda’sfive-deityCakrasaṃvaraandGhaṇṭāpāda’sbodymandala,anexplanationofthegenerationandcompletionstagesofGhaṇṭāpāda’sbodymandalabasedon experience, theblessingof the four sindūra initiationsofVajrayoginī,andanexplanationofitsgenerationandcompletionstagesbasedonexperiencetoanaudienceofalittlemorethanonehundreddisciples.

AsrequestedbytheabbotofSeraJé,ThuptenSamtenofTrehorHouse,during the summer retreat in the Khenyen College assembly hall, I gaveteachings basedonmy experience on the stages of the path using theEasyPath,theQuickPath,andtheWordsofMañjuśrī.IalsogaveteachingsontheSeven-PointMindTrainingandthesix-sessionguruyogaforoveronemonthto about five thousanddisciples, including themonks from the Jé,Mé, andNgakpa colleges of Sera aswell asmanymonkswho cameback and fortheachdayfromLhasaandDrepungintheirferventquestforteachings.Inthemiddleof thatseaofscholarswhoknewthese lengthy textsby thehundredwithout needing to rely on others, I couldn’t help but feel like a donkey

disguisedinleopardskin.Amongthose listening to the teachingsat that timewasoneof themost

well-knownamongthegreatmastersof thethreeseats,GeshéYeshéLodenofDrepungLoseling.Oneday,aftertheteachingonthestagesofthepath,hecametovisitmetoexpresshispleasureinthediscourse.Hetoldme,“Yourrecent discoursewas not only excellent because of your explanation of thewordsbutwasgreatlybeneficialintermsoftheirapplication.”Iappreciatedhiscomments,butIthoughttomyself,“LittledoesherealizethatIlackanypersonal experience and thatmyexplanationsof the teachingswere like anactor’sspeech,narrationsoftheteachingswithoutanyconviction.”Throughthe incomparable kindness of the father lama, I was merely repeating histeachingsasifIwereconveyingmessages.

ARRIVALOFCOMMUNISTCHINESEANDHISHOLINESS’S

ENTHRONEMENT

That summer brought several ominous occurrences. A comet appeared andcould be seen at dawn in the skies over BumpaMountain to the south ofLhasa.OnedayataboutnineintheeveningwhileIwasteachingthestagesofthepathatSera,weheardanoise from the sky likegunfire that seemed tocomefrom theareasouthofuswhere theDrashimilitaryencampmentwassituated.Justafterwardastrongandlongearthquakestruck,andthebellsonthegildedroofornamentsonthetopfloorofSeraJéassemblyhallcouldbeheard ringingby themselves.As Iwas livingon the top floor, Iwasat firstquite alarmed.But then I recalled that if I had not committed the causes, Iwould not meet the consequences, and that the results of actions alreadycommittedareunavoidable.ThusImaintainedmycomposure.ThesoundofgunfirefromtheskyandtheearthquakeoccurredinregionsalloverTibetatthesametime.ItookthisasanominoussignportendingtheimminentarrivalofthepoisonouswaveofthebarbaricRedChinese.

WiththepureintentiontobeofhelpandservicetoBuddhism,BeriGetakTulkuRinpochéofTrehorwenttoChamdowithstainlessfaithanddevotionto mediate between Tibet and China and to take measures to prevent thedeceitful settlement of Chinese troops in Tibet. That great Rinpoché hadpreviously received many teachings of sutra and tantra directly from thesupremepresence ofRegentTakdrakRinpoché.As he and I shared a deepbond of friendship as teacher and disciple in the past, each of us showedauthenticfaithandaffectiontoother.Hehopedtodowhateverhecouldtobeof benefit.Although I had no concernwhatsoever that hewould harmfully

betrayus,likeakarmicobstaclesharedbyagroup,GetakTulkucameunderthesuspicionofhisowngovernmentduetotheactionsofcertainindividualswhowere seeing ghosts in their own shadows, and hewas held for a longtime in Chamdo and ended up dying there in custody, some say frompoisoning.Iwasgreatlydistraughtwithsorrowwhenhecouldnotreturn,buttherewasnothingIcoulddo.

On the eighth of the ninth month, the Communist Chinese Armyunexpectedly marched into Chamdo. The Tibetan soldiers stationed therewereunabletodefenditandlostground.TheChinesearrestedalargenumberof civilian and military leaders, including Minister Ngaphö, the governorgeneral ofDomé region, and his staff at DuguMonastery. Because of thisgrim situation, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Regent Rinpoché, and thecabinetandthesecretariat216invokedthegreatNechungDharmarājaandtheDharma protector of Gadong in a trance of their mediums in the sunlightroomattheNorbulingka.

TheGadongoraclemade fullprostrationsbeforeHisHolinessand said,“ThetimehascomeforYourHolinesstoassumetheburdenofgoverningtheland of snows.” His Holiness received again a similar prophetic statementfromNechung. Immediately afterward, the cabinet, the secretariat, and theTibetan National Assembly formally requested His Holiness to assumereligiousandtemporalpowers,andHisHolinessgrantedhissupremeconsent.Ontheseventhdayofthetenthmonth,RegentTakdrakRinpochéabdicatedthe highest office, and on the eighth day (November 17, 1950), the goldenwheelof religiousand temporal rule in the landofTibetwasplaced inHisHoliness’shands.Hisenthronementwascelebratedatanelaborateceremonyheld in the Sishi Phuntsok hall of the great Potala Palace. That day, everyprisoner serving time in prisons throughout the entire country of Tibet—including Radreng Dzasak, Khardo Tulku, Tsenya Tulku, and MinisterKashöpa—weresimultaneouslypardonedandfreed.

FLIGHTTODROMOANDTHESEVENTEEN-POINTAGREEMENT

Following this, on about the tenth of the eleventh month, His HolinessrespondedtotheincreasedChinesepresencebyappointingtheecclesiasticalsecretaryLosangTashiandthefinancesecretaryTsewangRabtenofDekhar(Lukhangwa) as deputy prime ministers. His Holiness, the former regentTakdrakVajradhara,TutorLingRinpoché,thecabinetministers,andasmallretinueofmonasticandsecularmembersoftheupperandlowerdepartmentsofthegovernmentleftthePotala,secretlystoppingattheNorbulingkabefore

ridingtotheregionofDromo.ItraveledinHisHoliness’sparty,alongwithLhabu, Palden, Gyümé Ngakram Tsultrim Dargyé of Trehor, and a smallnumberofservants.WedepartedLhasaearlyinthemorningandstoppedforthe night atNyethang Tashigang.Among the statues in the Tārā temple atNyethang,IsawthestatueofTārāthatwasthetutelarydeitystatueofLordAtiśa that spoke, and I alsogot to see thememorial stupaofSerlingpa thatAtiśaalwayscarriedwithhim.217

ThenextmorningwearrivedatLowerJang,wherethemonksofthethreeseatswhohadbeenattendingtheJangwintersession218werewaitingontheroadside,astheyhadheardthatHisHolinessandhisentouragewerecoming.BecauseHisHolinesswasdisguisedinordinaryclothes,hepassedthemonksunnoticed. It was heartbreakingwhenKyabjé Ling Rinpoché and I arrivedthere,themonkssurroundedusonallsides,throwingscarvesandmoneyleftandright.Openlyweeping,theyheldontothereinsofourhorsesandwouldnot letusgo.We talkedwith them, reassuring them that theywould seeusagainbeforelong.Weleftthemoneythatthemonkshadthrowntouswhereitfellontheroadside,sothepeopleinthevillagesnearbyshouldhavefoundsomerichpickings.

That nightwe stayed in a village inChushul.Manymonksof thegreatmonasterieshadfollowedus there.SettingoutfromChaksamferry landing,we saw the shrines of the siddha Thangtong Gyalpo at the hermitage ofChuwori. Then passing through the Gampa Pass, Yardrok, Kharo Pass,Ralung,Gyantsé, Phakri, and so on,we arrived inChubi inLowerDromo,whereHisHoliness stayed at the residence of the governor ofDromo.MyretinueandIalongwithmembersofHisHoliness’sfamily—hismother,hisbrotherTaktserRinpoché,andsoon—weredistributedtosleepontheupperandlowerfloorsofahouseholdcalledChubiLabrang.ItwasdecidedthatHisHoliness and his entourage would stay in Dromo, given the circumstancesbothdomesticallyandabroad.FromDromo,both thenegotiationsforpeacetalkswiththeChineseandtheappealtoothercountriesforsupportcouldbecarriedout.Lhabu,TsultrimDargyé,andIremainedthere,butasPaldenhadneverbeenonapilgrimagetothesacredplacesinIndiaandNepal,IsenthimtoIndiawiththemerchantLosangYeshéashisassistant.SinceIgavehimafair amount of money with which to make clouds of offerings at the holyplaces,extensiveofferingsweremadethere.

OnNewYear’sDayof the iron-rabbityear (1951),when I turned fifty-one,HisHoliness,TutorLingRinpoché,andI,alongwiththeritualassistantsof Namgyal Monastery, made offerings to Palden Lhamo. The cabinetministersandothergovernmentofficialsheldabriefNewYearceremonyat

theofficeofthegovernorandpresentedscarvestotheformerregent,TakdrakVajradhara,whowasstayingat Jema inLowerDromo.On the thirddayoftheNewYear, aftermaking offerings to the protectors, I accompaniedHisHolinessonavisittotheKagyümonasteryinLowerDromo.Afterspendingtwodaysthere,HisHolinessandtheentourageshiftedresidencetoDungkarMonastery in Upper Dromo, where I stayed in the quarters of BöntsangNgawangTsöndrüatDungkarMonastery.

HisHolinessupgradedmyposition,elevatingmyDarhanrankofassistanttutorsothatIwouldsitinfrontofthecabinetatceremonies,asitwouldbeinappropriate for me to be seated behind the lay ministers. His Holinessreceivedmeinaudienceandheldabriefceremonywithaceremonialscarftomarktheoccasion.

As Khyenrap Wangchuk of Tashi Ling, who was an acting monasticcabinet minister, had asked that I plant roots of virtue for his brother, thetreasurer Gyaltsen Namgyal, I gave a discourse on the stages of the pathaccording to the Quick Path and concluded with a bodhicitta-generatingceremony to about three hundred disciples in the assembly hall of TashiChölingHermitage atDungkarMonastery inUpperDromo.As I had closeguru-discipleconnectionswiththeGalingGangBönpotsangfamilysincethetimeoftheirgrandfatherPhaDönyö,attheirrequestIwenttotheirhouseholdandperformedaprosperityritualandgavelong-lifeinitiations,stayingtherefor a few days. Because of my past guru-disciple connections with thepreviousandthemostwell-knownDromoGeshéRinpochéNgawangKalsangandwiththemonksofDungkarMonastery,Imadeofferingstothemonksoffood andmoney and gave four tsipar ornamentsmade of brocade appliquéwithbannersforthetallpillarsoftheassemblyhall.

KyabjéTrijangRinpochéonamuleenroutetoDromo,1950COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

On theeighthdayof the thirdmonth,during the traditionalgovernmenttormaofferingoftheeighth,myattendantPaldenjoinedthemonasticserviceof the government. While residing in Dromo, His Holiness observed anapproaching retreat on the root mantra of single-deity Vajrabhairava, anapproachingretreatoftheGreatCompassionateOneaccordingtotheLakṣmītradition,andaretreatontheinnersādhanaofDharmarāja,forwhichIservedashisassistant.

Onthatoccasion,NgaphöNgawangJikmé,whowasacabinetministeratthetime,DzasakKheméSönamWangdü,monasticsecretaryThuptenTendar(Khendrung Lhautara), junior monastic secretary Thupten Lekmön, andothers were sent to China as representatives of the Tibetan government.Coerced by the Chinese, the team signed the so-called Seventeen-PointAgreement.219NgaphöandafewofhisstaffmembersreturnedtoTibetfromChina via Kham, while Dzasak Khemé and Thupten Tendar returned toDromo viaHongKong and India.At the very same timeZhang Jingwu, arepresentative of the Red Chinese that had been sent to Tibet fromChina,arrived inDromo alongwithAloButang.TheymetwithHisHoliness anddiscussed “the peaceful liberation of Tibet” and their plans to improve thelandandthelivesofthepeopleofTibet.Makingmanysweetpromises,theyinsistedthatHisHolinessandgovernmentofficialsimmediatelyreturntothecapitalinLhasa.Havingconsideredthesituation,HisHolinessleftDromoat

thebeginningofthefifthmonth.

RELIGIOUSACTIVITIESAFTERRETURNINGTOLHASA

HisHolinesstraveledthroughPhakri,Gyantsé,Nakartsé,Yardrok,Samding,TaklungMonastery,Paldi,Nyasok,SéChökhorYangtsé,andNyethangRatö,andwasreceivedbyareceptionpartyatTsakgurPark.Then,havingvisitedTakdrakHermitageandotherplacesalongtheway,hewasreceivedwithanofficialgovernmentreceptionatKyitsalLuding.FromthereHisHolinessandentourage traveled in an elaborate, traditional procession to touch his footonceagaintothegroundsoftheKalsangPhodrangPalace,Norbulingka.Tofulfill the request of monks of Nenying Monastery, Shiné Monastery inGyantsé, and Chökhor Yangtsé, I offered summary discourses on assortedtopics.IpaidmyrespectstoformerregentTakdrakVajradhara,whohadleftDromoaheadofusandwasstayingathishermitage.

AfterwearrivedinLhasa,attheinvitationofthejewelerKalsangandhisdaughter,thenunNgawangChözinofGomangKhangsarinLhasa,IwenttoNechungriNunnery fora fewdays togive thenuns thegreat initiation intoGhaṇṭāpāda’s five-deity Cakrasaṃvara and the blessing of the four sindūrainitiations ofVajrayoginī to help establish the practice ofVajrayoginī self-initiation at the nunnery. As I had been invited to visit the quarters of themonksofSamlingdormitoryinPomborHouseatSera,Iwentthereandmadeofferings and gave them somemoney to put toward their annual picnic tomark the end of the rainy season. Then as Phara Choktrul Rinpoché hadinvitedme,IwenttoGandenandgavethegreatinitiationintoGuhyasamājaAkṣobhyavajraalongwithitspreparatoryriteinPharaHouseoveraperiodofthree days to a large gathering of masters and lamas of both Jangtsé andShartsécolleges.

KyabjéTrijangRinpochéandlabrangstaffathisLhasaresidence,1951.FromlefttorightarehisseniorattendantLhabu,managerLosangDöndrup,

personalattendantKungoPaldenTsering,andmerchant/attendantLosangYeshé.

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

Withmerchants returning toKham, I sentgildedbronzeheads for threestatues that I was having erected at Samling Monastery in Chatreng— astatueofMañjunāthaTsongkhapaoneandahalf storieshighandstatuesofGyaltsap andKhedrup thatwould be a little larger than life-sized—alongwith various printed dhāraṇīs to fill them. I had the heads of the statuesproduced in Lhasa because of superior craftsmanship there. ThemonasteryitselfhadthebodiesbuiltandconstructedthetemplejustasIhadrequested.

Inthethirdmonthofmyfifty-secondyear,thewater-dragonyear(1952),His Holiness received the Kālacakra initiation from his tutor Kyabjé LingRinpochéintheceremonialhallofthePotala,andIreceiveditagainaswell.Fromthetenthofthefourthmonth,overaperiodofninedays,Igavealargeaudience of earnest recipients the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginīanditsmantraextractionalongwithateachingonitstwostages.This teaching, given at the request of Dawa Dargyé, a staff member atKundeling Labrang, was given according to practice of the Great SecretExplication for Disciples.220 Sometime later, at the behest of Kyabjé Ling

Rinpoché,Iofferedthegreat initiationintosixty-two-deityCakrasaṃvarainthetraditionofLuipaalongwithitspreparatoryrite.

TofulfilltherequestofBayerTseringDrolkar,thewifeofMr.Mentöpa,Igave the great initiation into five-deity Cakrasaṃvara according to theexternalmandala in the traditionofGhaṇṭāpāda, thegreat initiation into thebodymandala, instruction in the twostagesofGhaṇṭāpāda’sbodymandala,along with experiential teachings on the six Dharmas of Nāropa. Theseteachings took place over a period of about twenty days, beginning on thetenth day of the fifthmonth, in the assembly hall of ShidéMonastery, andwereattendedbyanaudienceofnearlyathousanddisciplesthatweremostlytulkusandgeshés.

Aftertherainy-seasonretreatattheNorbulingkaPalace,Iwenttothehotsprings in Tölung. On the way, since Gyümé Tantric College was in themiddleoftheirDharmasessionwhileobservingalaterrainy-seasonretreatatChumikValley,Ispentthreedaysthereandmadeofferingstotheassembly.Themonkswerepracticing themelodies and rhythmsof the tantric collegechants, and Iwent briefly to the individual regional houses, as they invitedme. I also visited the nearby small huts where figures such as KunkhyenJamyangShepaandLongdölLamaRinpochéhadlived.

Thereafter I spent a fortnight at thehot springs formyhealth. It just sohappened that the director of the Astro-Medical Institute, Dr. KhyenrapNorbu,andChögönRinpochéofDechenChökhorMonasteryintheGongkarTruldruktraditionwerethereatthesametime.Weallkneweachotherquitewell.ChögönRinpochéhadavastandprofoundknowledgeofbothreligiousand secular matters and was quite articulate. The director of the Astro-Medical Institute, too,wasquitewellversed in the tenartsandsciences,221with aknowledge like thegreat statesmanDesiSangyéGyatso,222 andwasalsolearnedinhistory.Becauseoftheirstimulatingconversations,IenjoyedmyvisittothehotspringssomuchthatIdidn’tknowwherethetimewent.

Afterthatencounteratthehotsprings,attherequestofDingkhaRinpochéofTölung, Iwent toDingkhaMonastery and gave the blessing of the foursindūra initiations of Vajrayoginī. Then, at the invitation of ChusangMonastery,themonasticseatestablishedbythevenerableDromtsunSherjungLodrö, who was a direct disciple of Jé Rinpoché, I offered initiations intothirteen-deityVajrabhairava,Sarvavid,andsoon.IthenwentbacktoLhasa.

Duringthissameperiod,tosupportthewishesofHisHoliness,Ioversawthe production of new thangka paintings of single-deity Vajrabhairava, thefive emanations of Nechung Dharmarāja, and Shukden in his five aspects.Since the painter, Udrung Paljor Gyalpo, had previously received the

initiationofVajrabhairava,Igavehimthepermissionsofthefiveemanationsof Nechung. I generated him as a deity, and the painting materials andequipmentwereblessed.Theblessedsolutionswereappliedtothecanvases,and the mantras were written according to the manuals and texts of theindividual deities. On the backs of the thangkas of the five emanations ofNechung andShukden, I drew the life-forcewheel andwrote the life-forcemantraswithwishes and prayers on a daywhen the eight classes of spiritswere active.223 When these were fully completed, the thangkas wereconsecrated.

7

I

ToChinaandBack

MYAPPOINTMENTASJUNIORTUTOR

NMYFIFTY-THIRDYEAR, theyearof thewater-snake(1953),at therequestof Chözé Gyatruk of Meru Monastery I offered initiations intoGhaṇṭāpāda’s five-deity Cakrasaṃvara and thirteen-deity Vajrabhairava

along with its preparatory rites to an audience of a little more than onethousand in Meru’s assembly hall. Over the summer, at the wish of HisHoliness,thegovernmentexpandedthenorthernsectionoftheShölKangyurprintingpressatthebaseofthePotalaHillandconstructedanewtempletoenshrinethenewlymadestatuesofVajrabhairava,Kālacakra,PaldenLhamo,andEkajaṭī, eachofwhichwere three storieshigh. I took responsibility foroverseeing the process at every step along the way, from blessing thematerials, guiding the craftsmen to visualize themselves as the deities, andlaying out measurements for the statues, to inspecting the designs andinserting the dhāraṇīs and relics inside the statues. AfterwardHisHolinessattendedtheconsecrationofthestatuesforthreedaysandgavehisblessingswiththeritualtossingofgrains.

I had a one-and-a-half-story appliqué thangka of Dharmarāja and hisconsort in union as its principal figure, surrounded by Jé Rinpoché,Vajrabhairava,Karmarāja,andShukden,sewnfrompiecesoffinebrocade.IhadthissenttoSamphelLingMonasteryinChatrengtobedisplayedduringthecelebrationattheconclusionofthegutorritual.224

In the fall, at the request of Geshé Yeshé Gyatso of Gungru House ofGomang College of Drepung, over a period of twenty-three days in theassembly hall ofGomangCollege, I offered teachings on the stages of thepathbasedontheEasyPath,theQuickPath,andtheWordsofMañjuśrītoanaudienceof nearly four thousand, comprisedprincipally ofmonks from thethreeseats,exemplifiedbypresentandformerabbotsandtulkus.Ifeltlikeaparrot reciting themaṇi as I gave dry explanations amid a sea of eruditemasters. The incarnation of Kyabjé Phabongkha Vajradhara himself alsoattendedtoreceivetheteachingonthestagesofthepathforthefirsttime.At

the request of Ön Gyalsé Choktrul Rinpoché, I also offered the samegatheringpermissionforWhiteMañjuśrīaccordingtothesystemofMati.225

AtthebeginningofthetenthmonthcabinetministerSurkhangWangchenGelekandmonksecretaryChöphelThuptencametovisitmeinmyquartersin the Norbulingka. Representing the cabinet and the secretariat of thegovernment,theytoldmethatmydutiesofofferingreligiousinstructionstoHisHolinessalongsideKyabjéLingRinpochéhadbeenwellperformedandthatIwastobecommendedforit.Further,asHisHolinesswastoreceivefullordination the following year, Ling Rinpoché would be promoted to thepositionofseniortutorandIshouldacceptthepositionofjuniortutor.Theytoldmethatattherecommendationofthecabinetandotherdepartments,HisHolinesshadgivenhisapprovalandthatIshouldsoonfollowthenecessaryceremonialprocedurestoassumethisroleinordertoofferHisHolinesstheentire vast and profound teachings of sutra and tantra in the manner of“pouring from one vessel to another.” They then presented me with aceremonial scarf and the representations of enlightened body, speech, andmind.

TheOrnamentofRealizationsaysoftutors:

Amindundauntedandsoforth,teachingthelackofanatureandsoon,castingoffallthatopposesit,thismakesforaconsummatetutor.226

AlthoughIdidnotpossessevenahundredthofahairbreadthoftheinnerandexternalqualitiesofatutorasexpressedinthisverse,Igatheredupcouragetojointheranksofthefearlesslionslikeanageddogandacceptedtheoffer.

WithoutdelayIacceptedthescarfsymbolicoftheorderedchangeinpostandhadapropitiousinauguralmeetingwithHisHoliness.OntheactualdayofassumingthepostImadeathousandofferings227atLhasa’sTsuklakhang,Ramoché,andtheAvalokiteśvaratempleinthePotalaPalace.Aftervisitingthe sacred images, I went to the Norbulingka Palace, where I prostratedbeforeHisHoliness in the JangchupGakhyil chamber on the top floor andpresentedhimwitha scarfand the representationsof thebody, speech, andmind.HisHolinessinturngavemeascarfwiththethreerepresentationsandasacredstatueofMañjuśrīmadeofbronze.Inconnectionwiththisexchange,IgaveareadingtransmissionofFiftyVersesonGuruDevotionalongwithabrief introductory discourse that began with the benefits of developingbodhicitta.Afterward abanquetof ceremonial cookies tomark apropitious

beginning was arranged by the government in the ceremonial hall of thesunlightroom.Imadeprostrationswiththedeepestreverencetothesupremeleader of all beings in saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, whowas seatedmagnificentlyglowinglikeamillionsunsonathroneoffearlesslions.Ithenpresentedhimwithascarfwiththethreerepresentationsandgifts.Thegovernment,aswell,presentedinvaluablegiftstome,andinaccordancewithtradition,Iacceptedscarvesfromthecabinetministers,thelordchamberlain,andothermonkandlayofficials,fromthehighestdowntothesixthrank(letsenpa).

After the ceremonies in the Norbulingka Palace, I returned to myresidence in Lhasa, where government officials of various ranks,representatives from the three seats, their colleges and labrangs, andmanyotherswithwhomIhadreligiousandsecularconnectionscameinalonglinebearinggifts.

Dagyab228 Chetsang Hothokthu first came to Lhasa that year. After hewent to have an audience with His Holiness at the Potala, he came tomyquarters,whereIgreetedhimandpaidmyrespects.Thatwinter,IservedasassistanttoHisHolinessasheobservedtheapproximationretreatofthemindmandalaofBuddhaKālacakraalongwiththerepairingritualfireoffering.

THEDALAILAMATAKESFULLORDINATION

Inmyfifty-fourthyear,thewood-horseyear(1954),HisHolinesswastotakefull ordination as a bhikṣu at Lhasa’s Tsuklakhang during the festival thatcommemorates the Buddha’s performance of miracles in India. DagyabChetsangHothokthuRinpochéhad also requested thatHisHolinesspresideover the prayer sessions at the same time. To attend these two events,HisHoliness traveledina largeceremonialprocession,aswasthecustom,fromthegreatpalacetotheGandenYangtséchambersonthetopfloorofLhasa’sTsuklakhang. Ialso tookupresidence in thequartersatop the temple in theNangsiguestroom.

On the fifteenth of the first month, before the sacred Jowo Śākyamunistatue, His Holiness received his full ordination directly from the SharpaChöjé, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché, who acted as both preceptor and master,attendedbytheincumbentGandenThroneholderThuptenKungaofSeraJé,who acted as recorder of time, and myself, who acted as the interviewingmaster. FormerGandenThroneholderMinyakTashiTongdü fromDrepungLoseling, the Jangtsé Chöjé, and the various adjunct tutors filled out therequired assembly of ten fully ordained monks. By purely receiving thepreceptsandvowsofafullyordainedbhikṣu,whicharethebasisoftraining,

amid an assembly of ten fully ordained monks by means of the “currentexcellentandfaultlessrite,”hepreservedthetraditionofthegreatceremonythatinvestsoneasthecrownjewelofallbearersoftheVinaya.

As the interviewingmaster, it fell tome toaskHisHolinessa seriesofquestions, such as “Are you not a non-Buddhist?” “Are you not a thief?”“Have you not killed your father?” and so forth. I felt extremelyuncomfortable asking such questions to His Holiness, who is the supremeleaderof the religiousand temporalaffairsofTibet, the landofsnows.Butsince this was conducted according to the ancient traditions of monasticdiscipline,Imusteredthecourageandputthesequestionstohim.

Thatdayduring theauspiciousofferingofafeastofceremonialcookiesthat had been arranged by the governmentwithin the vast courtyard of theTsuklakhang, I was asked to recite the treatise for the symbolic mandalaofferingoftheuniversetoHisHoliness.InthistreatiseIreciteddescriptionsofthesupremequalitiesoftheenlightenedbody,speech,mind,andactivitiesof His Holiness as well as the history of monastic vows in Tibet downthroughtheages,thefundamentalimportanceoftheVinayatotheteachingsof theBuddha, and how themonastic discipline serves as both teacher andteaching.Fromthefollowingday,whenthegeneralpopulationofLhasa,highandlowgovernmentofficials,thelabrangofTashiLhunpo,andsoonmadeelaboratetraditionalofferingsoneaftertheother,Ialsorecitedexplanationoftheritualmandalaasrequested.

After the Subsequent Prayer Session, at the request of Lady LosangPaldröntosowrootsofvirtueonbehalfofherlatehusbandRimshiChabpel,Ioffered in Lhasa’s Meru assembly hall the blessing of the four sindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginīandanexperientialdiscoursebasedonthemanualStaircase of Pure Vaiḍūrya229 and ShaluKhenchen’sQuick Path to AttainKhecara230 toanaudienceofnearlyfourhundred, includingthe incarnationofthesupremerefugePhabongkhaRinpoché,DagyabHothokthu,andDromoGeshé Rinpoché. Following that, at the request of the monks of DakpoShedrubLingMonasterywhohadcometomakecongratulatoryofferingstoHisHoliness,IgaveadiscourseontheHundredDeitiesofTuṣitatotheentireassemblyofmonksinEvaṃHallonthetopfloorofLhasa’sTsuklakhang.

Onthefifteenthofthefourthmonth,Iconferrednoviceordinationontheincarnation of the supreme refuge Kyabjé Phabongkha Vajradhara andbestowedonhimthenameNgawangLosangTrinléTenzin.

TRAVELINGTOCHINA

Ithappened thatameetingcalled theNationalPeople’sCongresswas tobeconvened in Beijing.231 The Chinese representative in Tibet Zhang Jingwuandamemberofhisstaff,BapaPhuntsokWangyal,cametovisitmeseveraltimes to invite me to attend the conference to represent the monasticpopulation in Tibet along with representatives from the three provinces ofTibet:CentralTibet,Kham, andAmdo.However, I declined the invitation.AftertheybroughtthesituationtoHisHoliness’sattentionandpressuredhim,he told me, “This time you should accept it.” Because I wanted to avoidcausing him trouble, I could not refuse. Thereafter it was decided that HisHoliness,oursupremerefugeandlord,theall-seeingPaṇchenRinpoché,wetutors, the cabinet minister Ngaphö Ngawang Jikmé, His Holiness’s sisterTseringDrölma, andDzasakTrethong of Tashi LhunpoLabrangwould gofromCentralTibet.

His Holiness, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché, Gyalwang Karmapa Rinpoché,Mindröling Chung Rinpoché, and the cabinet along with a retinue ofgovernment officials set out from the capital on the tenth day of the fifthTibetanmonth. I set outwithmy assistantsLhabu, Palden,LosangSherap,Losang Yeshé, and Namdröl at the same time. On the way, His HolinesskindlymadeapilgrimagetoGandenNamparGyalwaiLingatMountDrok.Onthatoccasionmylabrangofferedcloudsofofferingsatthesacredobjects,andIofferedthegatheringassembledinthegreathall tea,sweetrice,andasumofmoneyforeachmonk,andIestablishedafundforannualmonetaryofferings. I invited His Holiness to preside over the prayer session on thegolden throne of Lama Tsongkhapa, and with the recitation of treatises aswellasanexplanationoftheritualmandala,IofferedascloudsofofferingswhateveractualgoodsIhad.

The high-ranking and seniormembers of the entourage traveled by carfromGandenup to thebaseofKongpo’sBaPass, and the rest traveledonhorseback.SincethehighwayuptoPowoTramohadnotyetbeenfinished,theentire retinue rodeonhorseback throughKongpoGyada,Ngaphö,Drul,Shokha, Nyangtri, Demo, and Lunang and eventually arrived in PowoTongyuk.Onthewaywetraveledthroughextremelythickjungle,wherethebranchesof the treesweresodensely interwoventhatonecouldnotsee theskyand the terrainwasvery rough.Notonlydidweneed to traversemanypasses,ravines,andriverseachday,wewerecaughtoffguardbyunusuallystrongsummerrainstorms,thelikesofwhichhadnotbeenseenbefore.Mostof us had towalk on foot up and down the hills.Wewere terrified of thepossibility of boulders hurtling down on us in landslides or of fallingthousands of feet into deep gorges. We had to make our way falteringlyacross makeshift wooden bridges built over torrents swollen by the heavy

rains,theirsprayfillingtheair.AsJéLhodrakMarpasaid:232

Neverwasthereanendtoprecipicesandrivers,neveranexitfromdensejungle.WhenIrecallthesefearfulroads,mybreathandheartstilltrembletothisday.

Marpawas speakingof thenotorious trails andcoursesofTsari,233 but ourpathswereevenmoredangerousanddifficult.Foramonthitwasexhausting,bothphysicallyandmentally,agreattribulation.

AtPowoTramosomeChinesemotorvehiclesweretheretomeetus,andItraveledwiththeentourageinthese.Fortheovernightstopovers,theChineseprovidedpooraccommodationinshabbytents,andweweregivenclearteatodrinkandhadourmealsinthekitchenalongsideChineseroadworkers.Therearelinesfromtantrictrainingthatsay,“Brahmans,outcasts,anddogs—allareseenas inseparable,manifestedasone.”So in thisobservanceofsacredpracticeofhighestyogatantra,weallateourmealsfromthesamecontainers.

FromTramo I sent home thehorses,mules, and someof the attendantsthatwehadbroughtwithus fromLhasa, and their return journeywasevenmorefraughtwithdifficulty.WewentonthroughTsawagangandDrakgyabKyilthang and reached Jampaling Monastery in Chamdo district. Asarrangementshadbeenmadeformystay,IspentonenightattheresidenceofShiwalha,where because ofmy past guru-disciple connectionwithShisangRinpochéinLhasa,Iwasgivenawarmreception.

FromtherewecrossedthegreatriverviaKamthokportageinDergéandcrossing over a high-altitude pass in Dergé called Tro Pass, traveling viaYilhung,DargyéMonasteryinTrehor,KarzéMonastery,andTauMonastery,wearrivedatDartsedo.AtDargyéMonastery Imet thegreatmasterGeshéJampaKhedrupRinpoché,whohadestablishedadialecticsinstituteatDargyéMonasteryandhadmadethemonksveryconscientiousandpeacefulintheirconduct by propagating teachings on the stages of the path. At BeriMonastery, I met the incarnation of Getak Tulku and Shitsé Gyapöntsangtogetherwith themembers of his labrang andmany other past patrons anddisciples.Theygaveme a lot of provisions for the journey, but Iwas onlyabletocarrytwobagsoftsampa.

Although Karzé Monastery had arranged accommodations for HisHoliness’sstay,theChineserepresentativeZhangJingwuordered,“YoumuststayinthequarterspreparedforyoubytheChinese.”AsHisHolinesshadtostay in theChineseheadquarters, Ialsohadnochoicebut tostay there too.

Döndrup Namgyal of the Gyapöntsang family along with his son and thelearnedGyapönChözéNgawangDorjécametovisitmethere.LakakTulkuandsomerepresentativesofthemonasteryandregionofChatrenghadcometo Karzé to meet me and had been waiting for us for one month. As theChinese guardswouldnot allow them in to visitme, Iwent out to the tentwheretheywerestayingtomeetandconversewiththemforanhour.

FromDartsedo,IdispatchedmytravelingcompanionsLosangYeshéandNamdröl toChatrengviaLithang for the timebeing.MypersonalattendantLhabualongwithPaldenandLosangSherapaccompaniedmetoChina.AfterDartsedowecrossedthehighpassofErlangandarrivedinthefirstChinesetown calledYa’an.As I had been traveling all day inmotor vehicles sincePowoTramo,Isufferedheadachesandnausea,eatinglessandlesseachday.AsMuliKyabgönTulkuandtheMulitribalkingwithhisretinuewerethere,they came to visit me. At last we arrived in Chengdu, from where HisHoliness and a fewmembersof the entourage, including tutorKyabjéLingRinpoché and myself with Lhabu, went to Xian by airplane. All-seeingPaṇchenRinpochéhadgonetoXianfromTsangviathenorthernroad,andsothe spiritual father and son234 met each other there. I went alongwithHisHoliness to visit the pilgrimage site of the temple wherein Lhasa’s JowoRinpochéhadpreviouslybeenkept,whereonecansee theempty throneonwhich the Jowo sat. Next we went to Beijing by train. In Beijing, HisHoliness,TutorLingRinpoché,andmyselfstayedinthevisitors’residencescalledYikezhao.

KyabjéTrijangRinpochéreceivingIndianPrimeMinisterNehruatBeijing

airportin1954,flankedbyministersSurkhang,Ngaphö,andNeshar,withPaṇchenRinpoché’sfatherandattendantPaldenTseringbehindthem

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

WITHINCHINA

Asthecongresswastocommenceshortly,afterjusttwodayswithnotimetorestwewererequiredtoattendthesmallpreliminarycommitteemeetingandthen the actualNational People’sCongress,which held two sessions a dayover a period of a month. It was quite a strain due to our inability tounderstandChinese,thenatureofthepolitics,andsoon.Eachdaywhenthemeetingadjourned,HisHolinessandPaṇchenRinpochéwereinvitedtotourdifferent industrial plants and to watch films and stage shows, on whichoccasionswewererequiredtogoalongwiththem.Inshort,thefactthatwewerealwaysrequiredtobeonthemovefromsixinthemorninguntiltenoreleven at night,with no time to rest, except duringmeal times,made it anexceedinglystressfulordeal.

One fortunate thing that happened during that time was that the greatLharamGeshéSherapGyatso ofLubum,whowas secondonly to youthfulMañjuśrīinhisdiscernmentofthetenartsandsciencesandwasoverflowingwith kindness, had come to the congress, andwewere able to share sometime with one another on several occasions. As I had not seen GeshéRinpochéformanyyears,webothfeltacombinationofsadnessandjoy,likeareunionofthedead.Weexchangednewsoftheinterveningyears,andIhadthegreatopportunitytoaskhimquestionsandseekhisadvice.Iofferedhimtwothousanddayangcoins.235

Once the Chinese asked me to broadcast a message to Lhasa over theradioaboutmy impressionsof theprogress in the regionofChinaandhowthemasseswerefreeandhappy,andhowtheChinesehadonlyuncontrivedgoodwill toward thepeopleofTibet. I preparedadraftof themessageas IsawfitinthecircumstancesandgaveittotheChinese,astheyhaddemandedtoreviewit.Ihadtoaccepttheireditsandchangesandwastoldtoreaditastheyhadwrittenit.InLhasa,manylaymenandmonksfromallwalksoflife,notknowingthatIwasunderthedominionofChinesedevils,thinking,“Heprotectsandsupports theChinesewithflattery,”spokedisparaginglyofme,like the illusionofseeingasnowmountainasblue.ButhowcouldIblamethem?Theyweren’tpsychic,afterall.

Since thememoir authored byHis Holiness,My Land andMy People,clearlycovers theproceedingsof thecongress, the rightsof thepeople,and

themeetingsbetweenHisHolinessandMaoZedongonvariousoccasions,Ineedn’telaborateonthemhere.AsforthehospitalityoftheChineseintermsofaccommodationsandfood, theymadeagreateffort to impressusduringtheearlystagesoftheirdeception.

IthenaccompaniedHisHolinessonhisvisitstothegreatcitiesofChina:Tianjin,Nanjing,Hangzhou,Shanghai,andsoon.Wewererequiredtotourmanyindustrialplantsinthosecitiesandfoundnochancetorelaxandrest.

ARRANGINGAVISITTOKHAM

When we arrived in Shanghai, His Holiness received invitations from themonasteriesofBa,Lithang,Gyalthang,236andothermonasteriesinsouthernKham.ButtheChineseobjectedtoacceptingtheinvitations,sayingthattherewerenomotorableroadstosouthernKhamfromChina.Therefore,TsurphuKarmapa Rinpoché, the Mindröling regent Chung Rinpoché, and I weredispatched to visit the monasteries of our respective religious traditions insouthernKham—Dergé,Nyakrong,andsoon—aspersonalemissariesofHisHoliness.MonasticofficialNgöshiwaThuptenSamchok,physicianmonkLodenChödrak,andDzeméRinpoché,representativeofthethreeseats,weresentasmyguidesandassistants.AswewerethefirsttobeleavingChinaforTibet — bearing portraits of His Holiness, his letters, and funds to makeofferingsatthemonasteries—Irequestedpermissiontoleaveearlyandleftwithmy attendantsLhabu,Palden, andLosangSherap.On the day I left, IhadanaudiencewithHisHolinesstotakemyleave.AsIwastotravelagreatdistanceforalongtime,IsawthatHisHolinesswassad.IalsofeltquitesadtotakeleaveofHisHoliness,asIhadbeenwithhimforalongtime.Atthesametime,IfeltagreatrelieftobefreefromChina.HisHolinesswouldvisitTsongönprovince,TashiKhyil,andKumbumandarriveinChamdothroughChengduandDartsedo.Iwasto joinhisentourageinChamdoaftervisitingLithang,Chatreng,Ba,andsoon.

ThetwotutorsinfrontoftheFoxiangGe(PavilionoftheBuddha’sFragrance)attheYiheyuan(SummerPalace)inBeijing,1954

COURTESYOFYONGZINLINGTSANGLABRANG

IthenwenttoBeijing,whereIspentafewdaysattheBureauoftheDalaiLama.KarmapaRinpoché,MindrölingChungRinpoché,and Iwent tovisittheall-seeingPaṇchenRinpoché,whowasstayinginBeijing,andreceivehisblessing. At that time there was a Chinese man in Beijing named YangDaguan who had received initiation into Kālacakra from the previousPaṇchenRinpochéandtheinitiationsoftheMitraHundred,237theVajrāvalī,

and soon fromNgakchenRinpoché.AshewasanobservantBuddhist andrequested, I secretly gave the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginītoagroupofabouttenChinesemenandwomenwhopracticedVajrayoginī. The important points of the visualization were translated intoChinese and explained. When we made offerings at the conclusion of theblessing,theChinesemelodiouslychantedtheofferinganddedicationprayerscomposed by Lama Vajradhara using Chinese phonetics. The main tsokofferingwaspresentedbytwoChinesewomen,andtheyrecitedtheversesbyheart.238YangDaguanplacedsomeofferingsof incenseand flowersbeforemeandsaid,“In thepast,when Ipossessedgreatwealth, IwasapatronofNgakchen Rinpoché of Tashi Lhunpo. I requested the Mitra Hundred andmadeagreatoffering.Nowadays,sincemywealthisdiminished,Iamunabletomakesuchgreatofferings.”

FromBeijing, I traveledwithKarmapaRinpochéandothers inagroup.TravelingfourorfivedaysbyboatuptheYangtzeRiverfromacitycalledHankoutoChongqing,andbytraininstagesfromChongqingtoChengduandYangan,wearrivedbackinTibetatDartsedo.RepresentativesofChatreng’slayandordainedpopulationswerethereinYanganandDartsedo,alongwithmyattendantsLosangYeshéandNamdröl, to receiveus. Igavea long-lifeinitiation and brief teachings on the Foundation of All Good Qualities atNgachöMonasteryinDartsedo.

AtDartsedoIcelebratedTibetanNewYearofthewood-sheep(1955),myfifty-fifth year. At the request of Gyapön Döndrup Namgyal and ChözéNgawangDorjé,IofferedpermissionforAvalokiteśvaraWhoLiberatesfromAllLowerRealms239 toaboutahundredmonksand laypeople inDartsedo.When we arrived in Minyak, Karmapa Rinpoché and his retinue went toDergé, andMindrölingChungRinpochéwent to theNyakrong.My retinueand Iwent toBa andLithang.As therewerenomotorable roads from thatpointon,wetraveledsolelyonhorsebackfromtheretoChamdo.

There was a monastery called Kyilek in Minyak. According to oralaccounts,mypredecessorvisitedthemonasteryandgaveteachingsthereforafewmonths.At the requestof the administratorsof themonastery, I paid abrief visit to make a token offering and give a teaching. From MinyakRangakha, my attendants and I, Dzemé Rinpoché, the monk officialrepresenting the government, and the physician monk traveled on horsesprovidedbythepeopleofChatreng.InadditiontotheTibetanmembersoftheentourage,twentyorsoChineseofficersandsoldiersjoinedus,ostensiblyforour“security”butactuallytospyonmyactivities.Wedidnotwanttobringthem,buttheyinsisted.

WecrossedtheNyakchuRiver,andaswegraduallymadeourwaytowardLithang,we visited the family ofOtokSumpa andmonasteries on thewayandspentanightcamping in theplainson theborderofLithang.Since theembodimentofsutraandtantraSongRinpochéofGandenShartséhadbeenstayinginChatrengforafewyearsinmystead,heandLakakTulkucametogreetmewith a large number of horsemen on behalf of themonastics andlaypeopleofChatreng.Thefollowingday,travelingtogetherwiththeescortfromChatreng,IarrivedatthegreatLithangMonastery.Iwasreceivedatareceptioninatentsetupatthebaseofanearbymountain.Alltheincarnatelamas and administrators in their best robes met us, and when we arrivedtogetheratThupchenChökhorLing,thegreatmonasteryofLithang,thelineofescortsstretchedoutlikeagoldenthread.

Arrangements had beenmade forme to stay on the top floor of ShiwaHouse, where I spent a few days and presented the offerings from HisHolinesstoaboutthreethousandmonksalongwithaportraitofHisHolinessfor theirveneration. I alsomademyownofferings to themonksandat theThupchentemple.AttherequestofthemonasteryIgavetheinitiationoftheGreatCompassionateOne in the Lakṣmī tradition and an oral transmissionand explanationof theFoundationofAllGoodQualities to themonks andothersinthecourtyardoftheassemblyhallofthemonastery.Attheirrequest,I visited various houses, including Chatreng House, and the family of theSeventh Dalai Lama in the main town of Lithang and performedconsecrationsandgaveteachingsaccordingto theirwishes.Onthefifteenthofthefirstmonth,theyhadmadeexcellentofferings[ofbuttersculptures]forthePrayerFestivalatthemonastery;Imadededicationprayersalongwiththeofferings,whichwerelikeamassofclouds.

From Lithang we crossed Drakar Pass and, passing through Tsosum,offered whatever Dharma teachings and consecrations were requested atvariousmonasteries,suchasJajaNunnery.AnescortarrivedfromYangtengMonastery in Dap, so we proceeded to the monastery. There I presentedofferings from the government and from myself. At the request of themonastery, I gave a permission of AvalokiteśvaraWho Liberates fromAllLowerRealmsandtheoraltransmissionandexplanationoftheFoundationofAllGoodQualities to themonksandlocalpeople.AsDzeméRinpochéhadnotseenthemonksandhisparentsandfamilyformanyyears,theywerealloverjoyedwhenfinallyreunitedthere.IalsometsomeprominentcitizensofDap, including Salha Dechen Chözin, with whom I shared a patron-priestrelationshipduringmypreviousvisittoKham,aswellassomeotherseniorswithwhomIhadrelations.

Along the way Pangphuk and Drukshö Monasteries, which had beenplaces of practice for the First Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa, offered us areception,soIvisitedeachplace.WhenIaskedanagedabbotfromPangphukMonasteryabouttheirreligioustraditionsinthemonasteryandwhetherornottheykeptupthe“fivesetsoffive”thathadbeentheprincipalpracticeoftheJé DüsumKhyenpa, the omniscient one of the past, present, and future, itseemed that he had no knowledge of the five sets. I advised him that theyshouldupholdtheirowntraditionsandthattheyshouldliveuptothenameofJé Düsum Khyenpa. I was not sure whether he liked this, but I was verysincereinmyadvice.

ARETURNVISITTOCHATRENG

ThenaftercrossingPaldéPass,wecametoUpperChatreng,wherewespenttwodays inChagongat thewishesofmerchantLosangYeshéathishome,calledThangtengPhakgetsang.IfulfilledthewishesofalargegatheringwithaDharmateaching.

There,GongtsenKarmaTsering,thewrathfulspiritthatwasalocalgodinChagong,suddenlypossessedanoraclewhosenameinthelocaldialectwasMoma.Hesaid,“Welldone!”andexpressedhowthankfulhewas,howhappyhewas formyrecentvisit to the region.When Iwas first recognizedasanincarnatelamaandlaterwhenIcametostayinChatreng,thegodsandmenofChagongdidn’t acceptmy recognition at all.Now, although I cannot becertainwhetherIwillachievemyaimsinthenextlife,andIplaylikeachildatlifewiththetitleof“tutortotheDalaiLama,”adonkeydrapedinaleopardskin,allthepeopleandthelocaldeitiesexaltandpayrespectstome.Astheysay,“Birdsflocktotheprosperous,butwhenyouaredestitute,yourownsonrunsaway.”Gods,spirits,andmenallactthesame,itseemstome,soIfindthisquitehumorous.

WhileIwasatThangtengPhakgetsang,ImetmyveryclosefriendDrodruGeshéTenzinTrinlé,whowasverylearnedandwasintheclassbelowmineat the monastery.We then traveled through Palgé, Sölwa, andmany othertowns,andIstoppedbrieflyatthefullreceptionofSamphelLingMonasteryat Ngechi Teng. Upon my arrival, the monks provided a grand feast ofceremonialcookiesatwhichSongRinpoché,LakakTulku,andtheabbotandadministrators of the monastery presented scarves to me. During theceremony,ChaklekGeshéofYarlamgangandButsaNakgaGeshéperformedwhatiscalled“thedialogueoftheceremonialfeast”perfectlyinthemannerasitisdoneinCentralTibet.

OverthefifteendaysthatIstayedinmyownroomonthetopflooroftheassembly hall of themonastery, Imade offerings of funds on behalf of thegovernment to over a thousand monks and presented a portrait of HisHolinesstothemonastery.Wealsoofferedteaandfundsfromourownstoresto the monks. At the request of the monastery and surrounding regions, IofferedtheinitiationintotheGreatCompassionateOneandanexplanationoftheFoundationofAllGoodQualitiestoamassiveaudienceoflaypeopleandmonks.

In order to check the quality of the rituals of propitiations and themelodiesoftheprayersthatIhadrestoredandintroducedduringmypreviousvisitmanyyearsago,Isummonedagroupofaboutfiftychantersanddancersto the receptionhall.Oneday Ihad themperformthe ritualdance,andoneday I had them perform the torma-casting ritual. On that day I had put ondisplaythebrocadeappliquéthangkaoftheHundredDeitiesofTuṣitathatIhadpreviouslysentfromLhasaandtheappliquéthangkaofDharmarājathatis set out during the common sādhana, the torma-casting ritual, andenthronementceremonies,andItossedflowerstoblessthem.

OnseparatedaysIvisitedthenewlyconstructedtemplesofAmitāyusandJé Tsongkhapa and did the rituals of purification and consecration at each.TheyhadestablishedstudiesindialecticsatthetempleofJéTsongkhapa,andthirtymonkswhowerestudyingelementarydialecticsdebatedforme.Theyweredoingquitewell,consideringtheywereonlybeginners.Onedayagroupof monks that Lakak Rinpoché had organized to perform the monthlyappropriateofferingstoShukdenperformedtheavertingritual togetherwithitsaccompanyingdanceforme.

On another day, some of the principalmonks and lay leaders from thefour districts ofChatreng gathered in the reception hall to repent, from thebottom of their hearts, for breaching the guru-disciple relationship whileobscured by partisanship and ignorance beforewhen Iwas first recognizedand when I lived in Chatreng. They asked forgiveness and promised thathenceforth theywould heedmy advice concerningwhat to do andwhat toavoid. Asking that I love them like a mother loves a troubled child, theyferventlybeggedmetoaccepttheirapologyandcarefortheminalloftheirfuturelives.

In response I told them, “While it is true that each of you, layman andmonkalike,havedirectlyor indirectly entertained treacherous thoughts andactions in the past, not only have most of the principal offenders alreadypassed,andthefewthatarestillalivehadachangeofheart,sinceIpersonallybear the title ‘lama,’ it would go against my religious principles to hold a

grudgeandrefusetoaccepttheapologyofmyadversarieswhentheyhopetomakeamends.Since‘rejectingtheapologiesofthosewhohavewrongedone’contradictsthebodhisattvatraining,andallofyouhaverestoredyourvowstoperfect purity, like the sun emerging from behind the clouds, none of youneedhaveanyfurthermisgivings.”Iadvisedeveryonetoliveinharmony:themonkstoobservethemonasticdisciplineandworktoincreasetheirspiritualactivities and the laypeople in the community touphold thenoble idealsofhumanconduct.

Anumberofvillageshadurgedme tovisit,butbecause Ineeded tobeabletomeetHisHolinessinChamdo,Ididn’thavemuchtime,andsoIgaveuptheideaofvisitingeachplaceindividually.Iarrangedtomeetthepeoplefrom Trengshok at Chakragang, those from Rakshok at Rakmé, and thosefromDongsumatRikngaTemple.After leaving themonastery, IspentonenightatChakragangTempleandgavea long-life initiationand teachings tothe people from Trengshok. There I made offerings to and consecrated astatue of Karmapa TongwaDönden.240 Havingmet the people of northernDongsum in the house of the Gongsum Shangmé family, I taught themDharma.Afterthat,IspentonenightinRikngaTempleinDongsum,whereIalsogavepermission topracticeAvalokiteśvaraand taughtDharma.Then IspentonenightatRakméTempleandgaveteachingstothepeopleofUpperandLowerRakpo.

AsIwasreturningfromRakméIspentonenightinthehouseofthePalriYangdar family, where I met Gyalthang Abo Tulku Rinpoché, who hadreceived many teachings from Kyabjé Vajradhara and myself. Havingreturnedtohishometown,hehadbeengivingextensive teachings includingthoseonJéTsongkhapa’sThreePrincipalAspectsofthePath.ThisRinpochéhadcomethereespecially tomeetme,andweperformedthetenth-daytsoktogether.

Over theperiodwhen I stayed inChatreng,manyofmy closest friendstraveled over long distances to visit me: for example, Venerable SherapRinpochécamefromGangkarLing;GeshéTenzinChöphel,withwhomIhadstudiedunderthesameteacherbeforeatthemonastery,camefromMili;GyalKhangtsé Tulku and ChangowaGeshéGyaltsen, whowas the student whoserved our precious teacher, came from Nangsang; and Lawa GeshéKhunawa,tutortoChamdoShiwalha,camefromKongrak.

THEJOURNEYFROMCHATRENGTOCHAMDO

Mili Kyabgön Choktrul Rinpoché sent attendants bearing gifts and mules

completewithsaddles.SoonafterthatIleftChatrengwithanescortofmonksand laymen on horseback. After crossing theMakphak pass, we spent onenight at Shokdruk Raktak Monastery where I gave a permission ofAvalokiteśvaraandteachings,andIconsecratedthenewtemplededicatedtoJé Tsongkhapa. Then I visited Tongjung and Takshö and stayed in DatakPakthangatthefoothillofthesnowboundKaburregion,thepilgrimagesiteofHerukaCakrasaṃvara.Thenextmorning, at their invitation, I visitedNegoMonastery,where Imade offerings to themonks and gave a permission ofFour-ArmedAvalokiteśvaratoanaudienceofmanymonksandlaypeopleintheirassemblyhall.

Although I was unable to travel to the pilgrimage places due to heavysnowfall, I sentmonasticofficialSamchokandPalden todo soand tovisitPhawang Karlep, Kambur Drak, and so on to make offerings there. NegoMonasteryofferedmeanantiquethangkaasanobjectofveneration,whichIaccepted. I gave them back the money and goods they offered me andsuppliedthemwithfundsformakingofferingstoCakrasaṃvaraonthetenthofthemonth.

AtTakpakThang,at the requestofGyalthangAboRinpoché, Igaveaninitiation of Cakrasaṃvara body mandala combined with the preparationritual in one day to Rinpoché himself along with Dzemé Rinpoché andYangtengKhyenrapTulku.ThepeopleofRuregionwerelineduptoreceiveusaswepassedthroughGemoRuthokandsoon,andmostoftheleadersofthemonasteryanditssurroundingarea,theabbots,monks,reincarnatelamasofChödéMonastery, and sooncame toescortus asweapproachedLakhaHermitageinBa.ThenthemonksofChödéLhundrupRabteninBaescortedus to the monastery, filing in a long line, and we stayed there in LakhaLabrang.AtChödéMonasteryIofferedHisHoliness’sletter,photographsofhim as objects of veneration, and monetary offerings on behalf of thegovernment, and I made my personal offerings. At the request of themonastery and the local population, in the great field in front of the newlyerectedlargeBuddhatemple,Igaveanaudienceofmonks,lamas,andlocalpeopletheinitiationintotheGreatCompassionateOne.

AfterstoppingofftoteachandperformaconsecrationatBawaGyashokHouse at their request, we arrived at the great Drichu River via ChisungGang. Having crossed the river on a log raft I met an escort of horsemenwaiting on the bank, including Adruk, the treasurer of Gangkar Lama’shousehold,andothers.WethenpassedthroughthevillageofTarkha,thespotwhere our trader with horses and mules bearing merchandise were robbedtogetherwiththoseofthePalbarTsangandDampaTsanghouseholds.After

crossingKhangtsekPassand traveling throughUpperBumpa,wearrivedatNyagoMonastery inBum.There,upon request, Igavea long-life initiationandteachings,includingtheoraltransmissionofthemaṇimantra.

AftercrossingthepassintoLowerBumpaandpassinginstagesthroughavalleycalledGönang,wearrivedatGangkarLabrangatSeudruMonastery,where we were very well received and looked after for the three days wespent there. I taught Dharma to a large gathering of monks and laypeoplefromthemonasteryanditssurroundingarea,includinggivingpermissiontopractice Avalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All Lower Realms andperformedtheconsecrationriteofCausingtheRainofGoodnesstoFallforthememorial stupaof the lateGangkarLamaRinpoché,whichcontainshisfully preserved body that produces relics spontaneously. There is also atreasureboxtherecontainingwhatarecalled“immortalironpills”thatalwaysmiraculously replenished.Therewerealwayspills in theboxuntil the lamapassedhisthoughtsintopeace,andthereaftertheygraduallydiminisheduntilthe treasureboxwasempty.Justbefore thegreat lamapassedaway,for thesakeofothersherevealedanewtreasurevesselofironpills,shapedlikeanegg,buthadnotopenedit.WhenIheldthevesselinmyhandandshookit,itsoundedlikethereweremanypills inside.Theattendantsof thelamaaskedmetoopenit,butIcouldnottellthetopfromthebottom.Baffled,Icouldn’tfigureouthowtoopenit.

At Lhadun in Markham I visited the magnificent stone image ofVairocana reputed to have been carved by the Chinese queen.241 PassingthroughGushöPangda and soon,we stoppedbyGarthokÖserMonastery,RiburMonastery,KyungbumLuraMonastery,andothersat their invitation.Ateachmonastery Imadeofferingsandgave teachings,oral transmissions,andinitiationstosatisfytheirrequest.AttheinsistenceofDrakpaTulkuandthedenizensofLuraMonastery,Istayedtherefor threedays.Onedaytheyput on a performance of the propitiatory ritual dance of the SevenBlazingBrothers thatwas said to be identical to theDemoGucham ritual dance atTengyéLing inLhasa.Themoveswithwhich thesevenbrothersof savagespiritPawoTrobarofLaokblazedwithahundredexpressionsofwrathweremagnificentandfullofenergy,andindeedtheyseemedremarkablylikethoseusedintheritualdanceatTengyéLing.

After a long journey, we reached the border of Drakgyab region.DrakgyabLabrang had sent a senior staffmember to receiveme there andassist uson theway.Excellent arrangementshadbeenmade at everyplacewherewestopped. Iwas invitedby thehermitsofSakarHermitage tovisitthem,andalthoughthemonasterywasoutofourwayandwouldtakealong

time to visit, because ofmy spiritual friendshipwithLamaArapRinpochéthroughourcorrespondencewhenhewasstillalive,Iwenttheredisregardingtheinconvenience.IgaveateachingontheFoundationofAllGoodQualitiesto the monks. They had recently established dialectical studies, and thestudentsengagedindebatewerequitegood.

The day that I arrived at Bugön Monastery in Drakgyab, having beenreceived by a great array of members from the labrang, a receptioncommittee,andalonglineofmonkscladinyellow,IwashousedinDagyabHothokthu Rinpoché’s quarters atop the assembly hall, where I stayed forfourorfivedays.Igavethefullassemblyofmonksthegreat initiationintothirteen-deityVajrabhairavaandgavethelocalpublicpermissiontopracticeAvalokiteśvaraWhoLiberatesfromAllLowerRealms.

One day I visited the historically renowned Jamdun Temple to makeelaborateofferingsanddoabriefconsecrationritual.TheprincipalimageatJamdunTemplewasawonderfulstoneimageofMaitreyaandhisretinuethathademergedfromthegroundup.WhileIwasstayingatBugönMonastery,aformerclassmateofminenamedGeshéBuChögyalcamefromhishermitageto visit me. At the beginning of our meeting he assumed a very humbleattitude and showed me much respect, but as we had long been spiritualfriends,onceIspokecasuallywithhimaboutourexperiencesintheolddays,thegeshéalsobegantospeakfreelywithmeaboutthetimeswehadsharedandanynewshehadtooffer,justashehadwhenwewereinschooltogether.Igavehimandafewotherearnestpractitionersanoutlineofthemainpoints,without detailed explanation, of theHundred Deities of Tuṣita. Given theseason overwhich I stayed, hardly any vegetableswere available. So eachday Drakgyab Labrang served me a tray with a variety of unique dishespreparedfromthesametypeofmeat,andIatelikethekingofLanka.242

From Drakgyab I reached the border of Chamdo, where ShiwalhaRinpoché,whowasthegeneralmanagerofChamdo,monasticofficialSönamGyaltsen,whowas theelderbrotherofPhakchenRinpoché, andothershadcometoreceiveusthere.Wespentanight there,ashadbeenarranged,andthe next morning we went on to Chamdo Chökhor Jampaling Monastery,wherewestoppedbriefly foranelaborate receptionundera tent.Afterwardwe proceeded to the monastery on horseback in procession with manyprominentmembersofthemonasteryandtheregion.Justontheothersideofthe bridge over the Dzachu River, there stood arranged in a line a vastwelcomingpartycomprisedofmilitaryandcivilianmasses,students,quiteafewTibetanofficersandsoldierswhohadbeencapturedbytheChinesewhenChamdo fell, aswell as government officials, abbots and representatives of

thethreeseats,andpublicrepresentativeswhohadallcometheretoreceiveHisHolinessashetraveledbacktoLhasa.Afterarrivingatthemonastery,IwasmadetofeelquiteathomeintheresidenceofShiwalha.

HisHoliness’sarrivalwasbrieflydelayedbecausethemotorrouteintheareaofDartsedohadbeendamagedbyanearthquake,andsothelargecrowdwas left waiting. In the meantime, at the heartfelt request of ShiwalhaRinpoché,Igaveadiscourseoverthecourseoffourteendaysonthestagesofthe path based on the Easy Path in the great assembly hall of ChamdoMonastery. The gathering numbered more than one thousand, includingmonks already living in Chamdo and those gathered there to receive andwelcomeHisHoliness.

Oneday,attheinvitationofTsenyiMonastery,IgaveadiscourseinonesessiononthefirstfewfoliosoftheGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePathtothemonksinthedebatecourtyard.Thenthestudentsassembledingroupsaccording toclass level andbegan todebate.Thanks to thekindnessof thegreat virtuous friend, Geshé Jampa Thayé Rinpoché, complete with themandalaoftheoceanoflearning,thedialecticalstudieswereexcellent,equaltotheessenceofdialecticalstudiesinSeraJéMonastery.

REUNITINGWITHHISHOLINESSANDRETURNINGTOLHASA

WhenHisHolinessarrivedinChamdo,Iwenttotheothersideofthebridgeacross theDzachuRiver togreethim.When I sawhisgoldencountenance,exceedinglymeaningfultobeholdandradiatingwithtenthousandvirtuesandgoodnesses,heregardedmewithunrestrainedwarmthandgladness.Shortlyafterward,whenhehadsettledinhisquarters,Iwenttomeethiminpersonashehadrequested.HesharedwithmeingreatdetailgeneralandspecificnewsofhistriptodifferentregionsofChina,hisstayinthejurisdictionofDomé,howMaoZedong’swayofspeakingwhenhemetwithhimmadeitclearhistrueintentionsregardingTibet,andmanyotherthingsthatImustkeepsecretwithintheinnermostcoreofmyheart.Itoogavehimareportofmytravelstothe different regions ofKham. This opportunity to pass the time at leisurewithhimrefreshed the lotusofmyheartwith therainofgreatpleasureanddevotion, thus the petals of fortune unfolded. ShiwalhaRinpoché’s labrangtookverygoodcareofusthroughoutourstayinChamdo.

IgaveRinpochéaloneallthepermissionsoftheseventeenemanationsofFour-Faced Mahākāla except for Secret Accomplishment and BlackBrahman,243therebyfulfillinghiswishes.BeforeItookmyleave,hegavemeasetof two ritualvases and innerofferingcupscompletewith support and

manyotherritualobjectsmadeofgildedsilver.I left Chamdo with His Holiness and met Khargo Tulku, the general

managerofDrakgyabMonastery,andothersatKyilthang in the territoryofDrakgyab.TravelinginstagesviaPangdainTsawa,overthegreatbridgeontheGyamoRiverandsoon,wecametoPowoTramo.Aheavyrainhadfallenthemorning of the daywe left Tramo, and boulders had spilled down themountainsideandblocked the road,holdingusup forquite some time.Theboulderswereeventuallyclearedawayso that themotorvehiclescould justsqueezethrough.

Lateintheafternoonjustasthesunwassetting,wecametoaplacewhereawaterfallfromanoverhangingridgeofthemountaincamedowninaviolenttorrent and had washed out one of the corner supports of the bridge weneeded to cross. It was much too dangerous to cross the bridge in ourvehicles, so His Holiness, Tutor Ling Rinpoché, myself, and a few othermembersof theentouragefirstcrossedthebridgeonfoot,andthenthecarsweredrivenacrossonebyone.Justasoneof thevehicleswascrossing thebridge, itgaveouta loudcrackingsoundas thetimbersplintered.Althoughthebridgecollapsedinhalfandplummeteddowntheravine,noonewashurt,but the restofourentourageand luggagewere lefton theother sideof theriver.The restofuswhohadmade itacrosspiled into the fewvehicleswehad and traveled down the winding road through the night, terrified ofgushing cataracts, precipices, and deep ravines, until we arrived at a placecalledLunanginKongpoaroundmidnight.

There,withoutanybeddingwhatsoever,LosangSherapandmyselfspentacoldnight inacloth tent.Mr.Mentöpaandafewgovernmentofficialsofthe fourth rankhadcome there fromLhasa to receiveus. Ibarelyslept thatnightduetoanxiousworryaboutthoseleftbehind.ThatnightChineseroadworkersputabridgeacross theriversuspendedontwologsboundtogetherwith ropes. His Holiness’s chamber attendant and a few members of hiskitchenstaffthencrossedthebridge.Paldenalsojoinedthem,atgreatrisktohimself, out of concern formy safety and came in a jeep to joinme at thebreakofdawn.LhabuandLosangYeshéwereleftbehindandwereunabletocatchupwithusuntilwearrivedatDakpaMonasteryinMaldro.

MakingourwayinstagesalongtheroadthroughplacesinKongpo,suchas Demo, Nyangtri, and Gyada, we crossed Ba Pass to arrive at DakpaMonasteryinthedistrictofMaldro,wheremembersofNamgyalMonastery’sPhendéLekshéLingwhohadpreparedlodgingsforHisHolinessawaitedus.There we were received by the estate manager of Maldro Jarado andLhakchungfromourhouseinLhasa.

AtthefootofGandenIlunchedtogetherwithHisHoliness’sentourageina meadow as lush and green as a parrot’s wings outstretched, where thegoverning body of Drok Riwoché Ganden Nampar Gyalwai Ling hadprepared an elaborate reception in a tent. After meeting with the abbots,incarnatelamas,andmonasticadministrators,IwentontothetempleatTsalGungthang,mybirthplace.Everygovernmentofficial,ofhigh,middling,andlower ranks, lay and ordained, and a great number of abbots and incarnatelamas from the seats ofSera andDrepungmonasteries had arrived there togreetHisHoliness.Thegovernmentofferedanelaboratewelcomingfeastofcookiesinthetemple,andGungthangLabrangofferedaseparatefeastinthesunlightroomatopthetemple.I,too,remainedatGungthangforthreedays,awaitingtheastrologicallyauspiciousdayforthepartytotraveltoLhasa.

Around the thirteenth day of the fifth month, His Holiness traveled bysedan chair from Gungthang to the Norbulingka Kalsang Palace with anelaborate, traditional procession of riders on horseback. Since it rainedheavilythatdayfromthemomenttheprocessiondepartedGungthanguntilitreached theNorbulingka, the sedanchairhad tobedrapedwitha rainproofcover, and all the members of the entourage had to wear red woolen raincapesovertheirbestceremonialattire.Itoccurredtomanyofusthatthiswasnot a good omen. After the reception ceremony upon our arrival at theNorbulingka,IreturnedtomyhouseinLhasa,whereoverthecourseofmanydayspatronsandstudentsofalllevelswithwhomIborereligiousandsecularconnectionsvisited,andIacceptedtheirofferings,whichwereasabundantasthecloudformations.

8

T

StormCloudsGathering

CHINESEAPPOINTMENTSANDMYMOTHER’SPASSING

HATYEAR,theChineseaskedmetobetheprincipaloftheLhasamiddleschool. I declined, citing my lack of experience of the moderneducational system so that my services would be of no benefit. The

ChineseappealedtoHisHoliness,andIwasforcedtoaccepttheposition.Iwouldgotovisittheschoolonceaweektooffermythoughtsandadvicetotheteachersandstudents.

In the fall, as requestedbyPhakchenHothokthuofChamdo, I gave thecompletepermissionoftheRinjungHundredpracticeintheassemblyhallofShidéMonastery to a gathering of over three thousand including PhakchenRinpoché, Dagyab Hothokthu, the incarnation of Kyabjé PhabongkhaVajradhara, as well as to many lamas, geshés, and monks of the threemonasteriesandothers.AsgiftsformysafereturnfromChina,Imademanyofferingsandmonetarydonationsforannualofferings to the threeseatsandthe two tantric colleges. I presented Shartsé College ofGanden eight largedecorativebannersmadeofVaranasibrocadefortheeighttallpillarsintheirassembly hall and presented Dokhang House four large pillar banners ofJapanesebrocadeandavictorybanneralongwiththreetriangularbanners.

In my fifty-sixth year, the year of the fire-monkey (1956), my motherTseringDrölmapassedawayat thevenerableageof eighty-twoafterbeingtreated for a sudden illness that lasted a few days. I had visited her oftenbefore and at the time of her death on the twelfth day of the first month,givingheradviceonvirtuousthoughts.AfterwardIwhisperedthenamesofthe tathāgatasandvarious typesofprofounddhāraṇīandmantras inherearand then performed with care the ritual for transference of consciousness.Althoughmymotherdidnotknowmanydifferentpractices,shewaskindatheart, regularly recited the six-syllable mantra, and made great efforts toperform virtuous practiceswith her body and speech by doing prostrationsandmakingofferingsattheinnerandoutercourtsoftheTsuklakhangandbycircumambulatingLhasa’scircularpath.Soshesufferednoteventheslightest

painfromhersicknessnorexperiencedanyhopesorfearsbasedonclingingwhenshediedbutpassedfromlifepeacefullyinhersleepjustasalampdiesoutwhen its fuel is exhausted. Since Lhasa’sGreat Prayer Festivalwas insessionatthetime,Imadeofferingsonthefifteenthofthemonthandmadeofferingsatvariousmonasterieseachweekthereafter.

An official calledMarshalChenYi came fromChina to inaugurate thePreparatoryCommittee for theAutonomousRegion of Tibet thatwould becomprised of fifty-one representatives drawn from three areas: thegovernment,TashiLhunpo,andthethreeregionsincludingChamdo.Again,Iwas required to join thatcommitteeagainstmywill.And,again,althoughIhadnodesiretodoso,Iwasforcedtoacceptthetitleofdirectorinanofficecalled theBureau ofReligiousAffairs.However,when the bureau actuallybeganitswork,nomatterwhatsuggestionsImade,sittingattheheadatthetable,theydidnotinfluencematters.Allthemajordecisionswereinevitablymade according to thewishes ofHuiKhochang, the Chinesemember.Myappointment to the position of principal at the middle school was also inrealitydevoidofanypower.MybeingpowerlesswhileforcedagainstmywilltobearemptyciviliantitlesthatIhadnoappetiteforwaspunishmentvisiteduponmeduetopastacts,suchasgivingDharmatalksthatweremerewordsdeliveredwithouthavingpracticedthemmyself—agranddancetoallurethefaithful into thedramaof theeightworldlyconcerns.AsMañjunāthaSakyaPaṇḍitasaidinhisJewelTreasuryofWiseSayings(8.29):

Ifamonkeydidnotdance,woulditstillbeleashedattheneck?

Andalso(6.36):

Becausetheparrotspeaks,heisputinacage,whilethemutebirdfliesfree.

WhenthesemeetingsactuallybeganinthefourthTibetanmonth,bothHisHolinesstheDalaiLamaandtheall-seeingPaṇchenRinpochéwererequiredtoattendtheminfull,andagreatmanyrepresentativesfromtheprovincesofChina,Amdo,InnerMongolia,andfromKhamanditsregionsattended.Theassemblywas convenedwith a great celebration, and afterwardmany dayswerepassedwiththedistractingtumult.

InthesixthmonthattherequestofthemonkGendunChöyang,afamilymemberofRongDekyi,IgaveoverthecourseofafewdaysinitiationintoCittamaṇiTārāaccordingtotheclosetransmissionlineagestemmingfromthe

divine visions of Takphu Vajradhara and gave an explanation of the twostages to nearly one thousand disciples, lamas, reincarnatemasters, geshés,and so on in Shidé assembly hall. After that, at the request of DagyabHothokthuRinpoché,atShidémonasticcollegeIofferedanaudienceofmorethan one thousand the great initiation of SecretHayagrīva in theKyergangtradition alongwith its preparatory practices.Right after that I offered in aseries: permissions to practice the Surka Cycle of sādhanas, the eightymahāsiddhas,andthedeitiesofthesādhanacyclestaughtbyGyalwaGendunGyatso;fourtransmissionsandtheirblessingsincludingthedistantlineageofthelong-lifeinitiationofAmitāyus,twocloselineagesofDrigungChödrak’svision, and the exclusive long-life empowerment for Amitāyus as a singledeity with a single vase in the tradition of Machik Drupai Gyalmo; andpermission for Bhagavan Samayavajra along with permissions for thecollectedmantrasofGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,andVajrabhairava.

VISITTORADRENG

Intheeighthmonth,attheinvitationofRadrengLabrang,HisHoliness,TutorLing Rinpoché, and myself traveled to Radreng Gephel Ling with a smallentourage,proceedingfromtheNorbulingkaalongthenorthernmotorroadsthroughTölungandDamshung.HisHolinesspresidedoverthefullritualofconsecrationinthemaintemple,whichweperformedoverathree-dayperiod.There we saw sacred relics such as the statue of Jowo Jampal Dorjé, thereliquary stupa of Atiśa, his monastic robes and saṅghāṭi,244 his personalvolumesof Indian texts,Dromtönpa’spersonal copyof theEightThousandVerse Perfection of Wisdom, the statue of “left-leaning” Atiśa, and thethangkaofVajrabhairava thatwasGuruDharmarakṣita’sprincipalobjectofmeditation.

The room I stayed inwas the room inwhich I had previously receivednoviceordination.AmongthemanytextshousedintheroomIfoundahand-copied commentary on Asaṅga’s Compendium of Abhidharma that thevenerableRendawahadcomposedattherequestofJéTsongkhapahimself245andavolumeofvariouscollectedteachingsofRendawa.Asthecommentaryon theCompendiumwas exceedinglydetailed, I fell asleepover itwithmyhead swimming. The next day among the texts I found a few handwrittenletters exchangedbetween JéTsongkhapaandRendawaonmattersof sutraandtantraingeneralandontheviewofemptinessinparticular.TheseletterswereseparatefromtheonesfoundinthecollectedworksofJéTsongkhapa.Iwantedtotranscribethembutfoundnotime,andsoIwantedtoborrowthem

and take them to Lhasa, but we were constantly distracted and the timepassed. It was unfortunate, but it could not be helped. At Yangön RetreatMonastery,thesitewherethenoblelordhadcomposedtheGreatTreatiseonthe Stages of the Path, His Holiness and we his entourage read aloud theGreatTreatise,dividingitssectionsamongus.

Earlier when the prior regent Radreng Rinpoché and his followers fellfrompower in theyearof the fire-pig (1947), soldiershadpeeled thesilvercoveringthereliquarystupaandhadpriedthejewelornamentsfromthestupaand statues. They had been pockmarked with bullet holes. A three-dimensional mandala of Guhyasamāja had been smashed to pieces withcudgels likeanearthenclod.WhenIsawthemoundsofruinsandsoon—evidence of themanywicked, nearly inexpiable acts,more degenerate thanthoseof thedegenerateera, thathadbeencarriedout—and thought aboutthis special, sacred place that is the headwaters of the Kadam teachingshaving fallen into this stateofdeterioration, Iwas strickenwithgrief.WithKyabjé Ling Rinpoché acting as the preceptor and I as the master, thesupremeincarnationofRadrengRinpochéreceivednoviceordination.

Onthereturnjourney,attherequestoftherenownedGyüméMonastery,treasury of the profound tantras,whichwas observing the late rainy-seasonretreat in the valley of Chumik in Tölung, His Holiness stopped there tocreateaDharmaconnectionwiththemonks.Bytravelingtheretogetherwithhim, I was able to see the sacred thangkas of Jé Sherap Sengé246 that JéTsongkhapa had given him. Followingmy return fromTölung, Iwent andparticipated in the annual consecration rituals at the invitation of GandenShartsé.OnedayIofferedanexplanationoftheHundredDeitiesofTuṣitatomostofthemonksofShartséandJangtséinthedebatecourtyardofShartsé.

CELEBRATINGTHEBUDDHAJAYANTIINBODHGAYA

Thatyear(1956),HisHolinessandtheall-seeingPaṇchenRinpochéwereoneafter the other both extended invitations to the festival that theMahabodhiSociety in India had organized to commemorate the two thousand fivehundredthanniversaryof themahāparinirvāṇa, or passing, ofLordBuddha(according to theTheravāda tradition).Although theyboth reallywanted toattend,theChinese,usingvariousexcuses,indicatedthatitwouldn’tbegoodforHisHolinesstogoandaskedthathesendarepresentativeinstead.

His Holiness appointed me to the task, with Dzasak Khemé SönamWangdüandmonkofficialNgöshiwaThuptenSamchokasassistantliaisonsandRinchenSadutshangasourinterpreter.247Onthedaythatwevisitedhim

to take our leave for the trip to India, Zhang Jingwu, the ChineserepresentativeinLhasa,cametoinformHisHoliness thathehadreceivedatelegramfromChinasayingthatitwasallrightforhimtoattendthereligiousfestival in India. It had suddenly been resolved. I was told that it wasnecessary that I still accompany him in his entourage, and soon after HisHoliness,KyabjéLingRinpoché,myself,cabinetministerNgaphö,andsoonleftLhasawithasmallentourage.

WetraveledalongtheÜ-TsangmotorroadthroughTölungandUyuktoTashiLhunpoMonastery,whereafterhavingmetwiththeall-seeingPaṇchenRinpoché,wepassedonenight.

Lord Chamberlain Phalha Thupten Öden had earnestly requested thatKyabjé Ling Rinpoché and myself spend a night at Paljor Lhundrup, hisfamily estate inGyantsé. So as soon aswe finished paying our respects toPaṇchenRinpochéatTashiLhunpo,wesetoutforPaljorLhunpo,arrivingateleveno’clock thatnight.Although Ihadgone thatway toGyantsébefore,duetotheblacknessofthatmoonlessnight,Icouldn’tmakeouttheroad.NotonlydidKyabjéLingRinpochéandhisentouragenotknowtheway,neitherdidtheChinesedriver!Becauseweweregoingalongbasedonguesswork,wewereallterrifiedofplummetingovertheedgeofacliff—weallgotalittletasteofthefirstnobletruth,thetruthofsuffering!

Wewent fromGyantsé to Jema inLowerDromo in one day. The nextmorning we joined the entourage of His Holiness at Nathu Pass. The twosupremevictors,spiritual fatherandson, traveled inasinglegroup.SeveralChineseofficers and soldiers came toaccompany themup to the topof thepass.Beyonditatthefrontier,theyweregreetedbyanIndianguardofhonorand the representative of the Indian government. Passing Tsogo Lake wereachedGangtok,thecapitalofSikkim,wherewewerereceivedinthepalaceofthemaharaja.

Thenextmorningbefore dawnwe left for the airport inSiliguri by carandboarded a special plane.That eveningwe toucheddown in the capital,New Delhi, where we were received by a large welcoming committee —including the vice president,248 Prime Minister Nehru, members of thediplomaticcorps,andleadersofthedelegationswhohadcometoattendthecelebrations.HisHoliness and his entourage stayed atHyderabadHouse, aguesthouse for important foreign dignitaries. Tutor Ling Rinpoché and IstayedintheroomsadjacenttoHisHoliness’ssuite.

The followingmorning Iwent togetherwithHisHoliness and PaṇchenRinpochétovisitRajGhat,thememorialplacewhereMahatmaGandhiwascremated. Over the next several days I was a part of the entourage that

participatedintheceremoniesoftheBuddhaJayanti.Mykindspiritualfriend,that fearless lion-like exponent of the teachings, Geshé Sherap Gyatso ofLubum,whohadalsocomefromChinaasoneofthedelegatestotheJayanti,wasstayingat theAshokaHotel inDelhi.Iwent topaymyrespects tohimand he contented my heart with a stream of his ever-nourishing words ofwisdom.

After the great Jayanti ceremonies were completed, I accompanied HisHolinessaswetouredthemajorsitesofBuddhistpilgrimageastheguestsofthe government of India. We visited sites such as Bodhgaya, Varanasi,Nālandā,Kushinagar,Lumbini,Vulture Peak, Sanchi, and theAjanta cavesand Nagarjunakonda in South India, cities such as Bombay, Mysore,Bangalore,andCalcutta,andwetouredsomemajorindustrialplants.WhenIvisited holy sites like Nālandā, I thought about how the compassionateBuddhaandtheSixOrnamentsandTwoExcellentOnes249haddonethisandthat at this specific place, and remembering the stories of their lives, wasfilledwithfaith.Iwasalsohappytohavebeenabletogotothoseplaces,butsince little more than ruins remain of them now, I felt sad. Reflecting onimpermanence,Iwastornbetweenequalfeelingsoffaith,joy,andmourning.

EarlierinChinaandnowinIndiawetouredmanyindustrialfactories.AsIwatchedmolten iron and copper, cascading like rivers, being poured intomoldsandpressedoutandbeatenbymassivemachines, Iwas remindedofthetormentsofthehellrealms,andahealthysenseofurgencywouldwellupinme.Nevertheless,afterafewdays thescattered thoughtsofonewhohasgrowncallous toDharmawould return anew.The fact that Iwasunable towholly ridmyself of thehabitual undercurrent of thoughtsgovernedby thethree poisons indicates just how ingrained are the predispositions to badbehaviorIhaveacquiredthroughpriorlifetimes.

HisHolinesstheDalaiLama,thetwotutors,andtherestoftheofficialentourageatHyderabadHouseinNewDelhi,India,1956

COURTESYOFOFFICEOFHISHOLINESSTHEDALAILAMA

FEARSANDCONFLICTUPONRETURNINGTOTIBET

AfterstayinginKalimpongforseveraldaysgivingDharmadiscoursesandsoon,HisHolinesswent toGangtok.PrimeMinisterDekharTsewangRabten(Lukhangwa), deputy cabinet minister Yuthok Tashi Döndrup, and monkofficialNgawangDöndruphadarrivedtherefromLhasaunderthepretenseofescorting His Holiness back to Tibet, but in fact they had come first andforemost toreport tohimabout thedeterioratingconditionsandtheforcefuloccupation by the Chinese. As they implored him that it would be best toremainwithinIndia,abouthalfamonthpassedwithoutresolvingtheissueofwhether to return or to stay. I stayed in Kalimpong at the house of theSadutshangfamily.

All-seeing Paṇchen Rinpoché and his entourage had already leftKalimpong forTsang aheadofus.As soon as it hadbeendecided thatHisHolinesswouldreturntoTibet,IreportedtoGangtokandwealldepartedasagroup.When we reached the top of Nathu Pass and I saw the flag of theChineseofficersandsoldierswhohadcometoreceiveus,Ifeltgreatsorrowandtrepidation,likesomeonebeingreturnedtoprison.

TravelinginstagesontheroadthroughDromoandPhakriwearrivedinGyantsé.Itsohappenedthatthenewyearofthefire-bird(1957)camewhenwe were in Gyantsé, so His Holiness and the entourage spent a few daysthere. It was arranged that Iwould stay at ShinéMonastery. I fulfilled thewishes of Shiné and Rikha250 monasteries with teachings on theHundredDeitiesofTuṣitaandtheFoundationofAllGoodQualities,amongothers.Onthe twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, Shiné Monastery performed atorma-casting ritual dance for His Holiness. I thought it was a goodpresentationandnotperformedmerelytosatisfytheshopkeepers.TherewasaNewYearcelebrationwithceremonialcookiesarrangedbythegovernment.Atthecelebration,DzeméRinpochéofShartséandRatöKhyonglaRinpochéperformedthereligiousdialogues.

FollowingNewYear’s,HisHoliness traveled to theheadquartersof theSamdrupTsédistrictviaPanam,wherewealsostayed.Thepopulationofthethirteen counties under the administration of theTsang central government,both the upper and lower classes, offered a long-life ceremony for HisHoliness,andHisHolinessofferedthepublicDharmateachingsinthedistrictassemblyhall.

MovingtothegreatDharmaseatofTashiLhunpo,HisHolinessreunitedwith the all-seeing Paṇchen Rinpoché. He visited temples, made offerings,and consecrated images. After delivering Dharma teachings in the greatassembly halls at Tashi Lhunpo and the Dechen Phodrang Palace, I wasfortunatetotraveltogetherwithHisHolinessashetouredNgorEvaṃChödé,PalNarthang,Shalu,andRithilandthetempleofShaluGyangong,theplacewhereMañjunāthaSakyaPaṇḍitatookhisvowsoffullordinationbeforetheKashmiripaṇḍita.251Iwasquitefortunatetohavehadthatopportunity.

All throughout the time that His Holiness stayed at Tashi Lhunpo, theadministration of Tashi Lhunpo had arranged for me to stay at PontsangDrangkhang,whichwasthehomeofthetutorLhopaTulkuRinpoché.KyabjéLingRinpochéandIhadanaudiencewiththeall-seeingPaṇchenRinpoché.We offered him gifts and money during a visit filled with cordialconversation. Afterward, I also visited tutor Ngulchu Rinpoché, who hadinvitedmebecauseinthepasthereceivedfrommetheoral transmissionof

thecollectedworksofJéTsongkhapaandhistwodisciples.The two supreme victors, spiritual father and son, inwardly shared the

sameviewofthingsandwereinfactquiteclosetooneanother,harboringnoteventheleastbitoftensionbetweenthem.Sincethiswasthecase,withthehope of further strengthening goodwill between the Ganden Phodranggovernment and Tashi Lhunpo — a profound connection based on pure,unsullied vows— I expressedmy sincere, unvarnishedopinion tomanyofthe key figures on the staff ofTashiLhunpo on various occasions, such aswhenPaṇchenRinpochéfirstcametoLhasafromAmdoandduringthisvisit.Butitwasasintheproverb“ProfoundDharmabringspowerfulevils.”252Ontheonehand,theChinesewereusingvariousdeceitfulmeanstosowdissentinTibet, andon the other hand, someofficials both in the government andTashiLhunpo,theirmindsinfluencedbydevils,wereeagertocauseschismsbetween the two lamas. The situation was fraught. It seemed as thoughKhardoRikzinChökyiDorjé’sprophecyhadcometopass:

TheskeinofwoolofÜandTsanghasbeenshreddedbyinsectsovermanyyearsandruined.Still,inhopesofweavingfine,smoothcloth,youwearyourselvesoutsearchingforaweaver.

DepartingShigatsébywayoftheTakferry,IaccompaniedHisHolinesson a tour ofmonasteries he had been invited to, such as Ganden ChökhorMonasteryinShang,DechenRabgyéLing,ThuptenSerdokchenMonastery,the seat of PaṇchenShākyaChokden, andYangchenMonastery inTölung,untilhislotusfeetonceagaingracedthegroundsoftheNorbulingkaPalaceinLhasa.

AttherequestofDripTsechokLingLabrang,overthecourseofatleasttwenty-fivedaysduringthefourthmonth,ItaughttherootversesoftheGuruPujaandKachenYeshéGyaltsen’sgreatinstructionmanualonit,alongwithinstructions based on the root commentary on Ganden Mahāmudrā byPaṇchenLosangChögyen.253Theaudienceofaroundeighthundredincludedlamas, reincarnatemasters, and geshéswho had come fromSera,Drepung,and Lhasa, such as Dagyab Rinpoché and the incarnation of KyabjéPhabongkhaRinpoché.Thediscoursesowedrootsofvirtuewithmeaningfulexposition.

VISITSTOTSURPHUANDYERPA

At the invitation of Tsurphu Karmapa Rinpoché, supreme holder of thelineageofsiddhas,HisHolinessvisitedTsurphuMonasteryinTölung.TutorLing Rinpoché and I accompanied His Holiness, and we were all wellreceived.ThereIsawsuchthingsasthecentralstatuecalledtheGreatSagethat Ornaments theWorld, which wasmiraculously erected by the SecondKarmapaKarmaPakshi,andthememorialstupaoftheFirstKarmapaDüsumKhyenpacalledTashiÖbar.

Onthetenthdayofthefifthmonth,weexperiencedthespectaclethatwasthefestivalfamedastheTsurphuSummerDances.Itincludedtheritualdanceof theeightaspectsofGuruRinpoché,performedwithgracefulandrelaxedmovements,andKarmapaRinpochéhimselfledtheritualdanceoftheḍākasand ḍākīnis. One day while we were there, when the great relic boxes ofTsurphuLabrangwereopenedforHisHolinesstosee,IwasluckyenoughtoseethevariousrelicsofthegoldenlineageofKagyügurusandofmanyotherIndianandTibetanpaṇḍitsandsiddhas, theblackhatwithgoldenornamentonthefront,andsoon.

WhentheFifthKarmapaDeshinShekpa(1384–1415)traveledtoChinatoperformfuneralritesonbehalfoftheYongleemperor(1360–1424),fromthefifthdayuntil thenineteenthof the thirdmonthof the fire-pigyear (1407),peoplewitnessedrainbow-tingedcloudsinvariousshapes,suchaselephantsand lions, in the sky and sawbuddhas, bodhisattvas, and celestial offeringsamong the clouds. On the final day a golden light spread from the westthroughout the entire Chinese empire. I was shown the large silk scroll,mentioned in Pawo Tsuklak Trengwa’s religious history, on which, at theordersoftheYongleemperor,themanywondersthatappearedwerecapturedeachday inpaintings accompaniedby inscriptions inTibetan,Chinese, andUyghur scripts. It was an excellent piece of art in the ancient Chinesetradition. Themiraculous signs and good omens that appeared at that timefilledmewithawonderfuljoythatincreasedmyfaithandbelief.

TheSixteenthKarmapaRangjungRikpéDorjéatTsurphuMonastery,1946©HUGHRICHARDSON,PITTRIVERSMUSEUM,UNIVERSITYOFOXFORD;2001.59.7.36.1

On the way back from Tsurphu, I accompanied His Holiness when hestoppedbyNenangMonasteryattheinvitationofPawoRinpoché.WevisitedthememorialstupasofTokdenDrakpaSengé(1283–1349)254andothersandthenreturnedtoLhasa.

In the eighth month, after the rainy-season retreat at the NorbulingkaPalace,HisHolinessvisitedtheholysiteofDrakYerpaandstayedonthetopflooroftheassemblyhallofGandenSang-ngakYangtséatYerpaMonastery.Ialsoroomedthereandsaw,amongotherthings,LordAtiśa’splatethatborean image of himself that he had drawn. At the time the monks of GyütöTantricCollege,theassemblyofthosewhopracticethesecrettantra,wereinthe middle of their later rainy-season retreat. Together with the entireassemblyofmonks,IparticipatedintheGuhyasamājaritualofconsecrationfor three days. His Holiness presided over this ritual of causing extensiveblessingsofvajrawisdom todescendonbehalfof theworld and the living

beings supportedwithin it.We also visited andmade offerings to the largeMaitreyastatuethatMatönChökyiJungnéerectedintheMaitreyatemple,thestatueofAvalokiteśvarathatRigzinKumaramadeinSongtsenCave,astatueofVairocanadatingbacktothetimeofKingSongtsenGampo,theprotectorchapelofPaldenLhamo,thecaveinwhichLhalungPaldor255practiced,theTendrelPhukCaveofAtiśa,andthetempleofPrinceGungriGungtsen.Tsokofferings were made in the room, called Moon Cave, of OrgyenPadmasambhava,thesecondBuddha.

AtthejointrequestofGyütöTantricCollegeandYerpaMonastery,HisHoliness,himselfanemanationofDromtönpa,readAtiśa’sLamponthePathtoEnlightenmentasanoraltransmissiontoagreatcrowdofpeoplegatheredon the slopes of Yerpa Lhari Nyingpo. I was delighted and extremelyfortunatetohavebeentogetherwithHisHolinesswhenhegracedtheDharmaandlivingbeingswithgreathappinessandbenefitontheverysameholyspotwhereearlierLordAtiśaandhisspiritualsonshadlitthelampoftheKadamsevenfolddivinityandteaching.256

AfterHisHoliness completed his activities atYerpa,we stopped off atGarpaHermitageonthewaybacktoLhasaattherequestoftheall-embracinglordofahundredbuddhafamilies,KyabjéLingVajradhara.Passingjustthreeor four days there receiving offerings of long-life prayers and consecratingimages,HisHolinessleftaheadofus.Rinpochésaidtome,“Stayandrelaxforafewdays.”Sotogetherwepassedsometimerelaxingandhavingdeepand wide-ranging discussions with one another and then returned to theNorbulingka.

After that,at the requestofLadyDorjéYudrönofYuthokKyitsal,overthecourseofamonthintheassemblyhallofLhasa’sShidéMonastery,toanaudienceofmorethanfourthousandordainedsanghamembers,chiefamongwhomwerenearlyfiftyincarnatelamasofvariousranks,suchasthesupremeincarnation of Kyabjé Phabongkha Vajradhara, Dagyab Hothokthu, andChamdoPhakchenHothokthu,andmanywell-knowngeshésliketheformerSeraJéabbotTsangpaThapkhé,Igavethelastteachingsonthestagesofthepath I would give in Tibet. I explained, based on personal experience, theQuickPathandtheEasyPath,theWordsofMañjuśrīaccording toboth thecentralandsouthernlineages,andLiberationinthePalmofYourHandbasedon my notes. In addition I taught the Seven-Point Mind Training and thesections from thestagesof thepathonequalizingandexchangingselfwithothers,concludingwiththeritualtodevelopbodhicitta.

After that, at the request of the exponent of the vast scriptures GeshéUgyenTsetenfromSeraJé’sTrehorHouse,IwenttoSeraandinthedebate

courtyard of Trehor House offered an extensive teaching on theHundredDeities of Tuṣita to a large group of monks that included the supremeincarnationofRadrengRinpoché,incumbentandretiredabbotsoftheJé,Mé,andNgakpacolleges,andotherlamasandgeshés.

Inmyfifty-eighthyear,theyearoftheearth-dog(1958),attherequestofthesupremeincarnationofKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara,IgaveteachingsonthecloselineageofthecycleofMañjuśrīteachingsthatwastransmittedtoJé Tsongkhapa byMañjuśrī himself, the ThirteenGoldenDharmas lineageexclusive to the Sakya tradition, the permissions of the Thirteen DivineVisions of Takphu, and oral transmissions of the above teachings to anexclusive group of monks and lamas including the supreme incarnation ofKyabjéPhabongkhaathisresidenceinLhasa.

HISHOLINESS’SGESHÉEXAMINATIONS

Duringthesixthmonth,IwentalongwithHisHoliness,oursupremerefugeand protector, when he made the trip to Drepung Monastery, as he wasrequiredbycustomtovisitthethreeseatsuponthesuccessfulcompletionofhisintensivestudyofthefivegreattreatises.257IstayedwithHisHolinessontheupperfloorsofKungarawaPalace,ashadbeenarranged.

HisHolinessstoodforhisgeshéexaminationinthemaincourtyardofthegreatassemblyhallamidanocean-likeassemblyofintelligentandspirituallyliberatedmonks,precededbyrecitationoftheversesofhomageandhisinitialdissertation.AfterrespondingfirmlyandwithouthesitationtothechallengesregardingthethornierpointsofthefivegreattreatisesthatweremountedbytheabbotsofDrepungandhigh-rankinggeshéswhowerewellversedintheartofdialectics,HisHolinesspresentedchallengestotheabbotsofGomangand Loseling, shining a light of eloquent explanation that delighted thelearned.On the samevisit, he attendedagrand feastof ceremonial cookiesthatthegoverningbodyofDrepungofferedinthegreatassemblyhall,forgedaDharmaconnectionwiththewholeassemblybyteachingthemDharma,andconsecrated and purified the four cardinal points of the circumambulationcircuit while circumambulating Drepung with his full entourage. TutorKyabjé Ling Rinpoché, who was Sharpa Chöjé, and his labrang madeofferingsoffoodandfundstothemonksinDrepung’sassemblyhall,andHisHolinesswasinvitedtoblesstheoccasionwithhispresence.

Iwasvery fortunate toaccompanyHisHoliness tovariouscelebrations,aswhenhetaughtDharmaintheSang-ngakGatsalassemblyhallofNamgyalMonastery at the request of theNamgyalmonks.At the end of the official

functions at Drepung, the government also made elaborate and generousofferings of food and funds in the assembly hall during the religiousceremoniesconnectedwiththeexamination.

Afterward,HisHoliness visitedNechungMonastery,whichwas on thewayback.ThegreatDharmarāja,throughhismediumintrance,cametothestaircaseunderthewesterngate,respectfullybowedtoHisHoliness,andledhim by the hand to the assembly hall,where he respectfully offered him aseat. There the monastery offered a feast of ceremonial cookies, and theDharma protector showed us treasured ritual objects, like the SebakMukchungmask.ThentheoraclesummonedthecabinetministerstojoinHisHoliness, Tutor Ling Rinpoché, and myself and offered propheciesconcerningreligiousandpoliticallife,sayingthingslike,“Thereisthedangerthata timemaycomewhenwearewithouta leader!”Whenhemade theseprophecies,IandeveryoneelsefearedthattheyforetoldcircumstanceshostiletoHisHoliness’slife.Later,afterwehadcometoIndia,weunderstoodthatitmusthavereferredtoourcountryofTibetbeingleftprotectorless.

Then I accompanied His Holiness to the great center of learning SeraMonastery,wherehestoodforhisgeshéexamination,taughttheDharma,andwasofferedagreat feastofceremonialcookies.ThegovernmentalsomadeanofferingoffundsequaltowhattheyhaddoneatDrepung.WhilestayingatDenmaHouseoverthecourseofourvisittoSera,Ipaidavisittothesupremeincarnationofmysupremerefuge,PhabongkhaVajradhara,andwesharedaleisurelyvisit.Later, thesupreme lordofvictorssuccessfullycompletedhisofficialfunctionsatSeraandreturnedtotheNorbulingkaPalace.

IntheeighthmonthwhenHisHolinessonceagaintraveledtoGanden,hetraveledbycarfromLhasatoTsangthok,intheGandenfoothills.Ontheway,he briefly stopped at Sang-ngak Khar Monastery at Dechen to pray forassistancebeforetheprincipalimageofthemonastery,aSix-ArmMahākālastatue that was consecrated by Khedrup Jé. His Holiness traveled fromTsangthok toDrokRiwochéGandenNamparGyalwaiLing inanelaborate,traditional procession of riders on horseback. I once again stayed at myresidenceabovetheassemblyhallofDokhangHouse.

HisHolinesshadcompletedenrollmentceremoniesatDrepungandSeraduring the fire-pig year (1947), but the initial enrollment ceremonies atGanden remained to be done. So enrollment ceremonies and geshéexamination tookplaceon that sameoccasion.HisHolinessvisitedeachofthecollegesandattendedagrandfeastofceremonialcookies.High-rankingscholars graciously presented challenges regarding the five treatises in thedebate courtyard. As part of his examination, His Holiness presented

challenges to the abbots of the colleges and then in turn responded to thequestionstheyputforward.HeforgedaDharmaconnectionwitheachcollegebygivingaDharmadiscourse.Thegovernmentofferedelaborateofferingsonthisauspiciousoccasionateachofthecolleges,andheattendedagrandfeastof ceremonial cookies that the governing body of Ganden offered in themonastery’s great assembly hall. He forged a Dharma connection with thewholeassemblybyteachingDharma,andhestoodforhisgeshéexaminationin themonastery’s great debate courtyard, just as he had done at Sera andDrebung. The labrang of the Ganden Throneholder offered a feast ofceremonial cookies in Yangpachen Temple, and the government offered athousandfold offering and an elaborate tsok at Ganden’s sacred shrines,beginningwiththegreatgoldenstupaofLamaMañjunāthaTsongkhapa.

Over thecourseof twoor threedays,amassiveassemblypresidedoverbyHisHoliness that included the incumbentGandenThroneholderThuptenKunga,SharpaChöjéLingRinpoché,myself,theritualassistantsofNamgyalMonastery, theabbotsofShartséandJangtsécolleges, incarnate lamas,andgeshés performed an elaborate purification ritual together with tsok in theDharmarāja chapel as part of a consecration ritual associated withVajrabhairava.Duringthattime,myownlabrangofferedteaandsweetricetotheocean-likeassemblyofintelligentandspirituallyliberatedmonksgatheredinthemainassemblyhallofGanden,themostpotentplaceofmeritforgodsand men. Each monk was offered fifteen sang in silver and a ceremonialscarf, and a fund of silver sang for annual offerings to the monks wasestablished.

On the same occasion, I invited the great being who embodies thewisdom, compassion, and power of the entire sea of spiritual guidesthroughoutthetendirections,thesupremeall-knowingandall-seeinglordofvictors, to sit atop the golden throne of the Mañjunātha king of DharmaTsongkhapa.IbeganbydescribingthegreatqualitiesofHisHoliness’sbody,speech,andmindand thenrecited themandala treatiseandmadeextensive,substantial clouds of offerings to the extent of my merit, giving whateveractual money I had available. After the session in the assembly hallconcluded, I graciously accepted gifts of appreciation for a job well done,whichwasofferedbythegovernmentinthequartersabovetheassemblyhallwithafeastofceremonialcookies.

One day, walking in an elaborate traditional procession with the fullentourage,HisHolinessconsecratedandpurified the fourcardinalpointsofthecircumambulationcircuitandchantedprayersthere.Stoppingattheedgeof the spring by the assembly hall, we chanted the prayers Eastern Snow

Mountain258andSacredGround,apraiseofGandenbyHisHolinessKalsangGyatso.259 Because Eastern Snow Mountain wasn’t among the traditionalrecitations atNamgyalMonastery andbecauseof the clamorandchatterofthecrowdofpeoplewhohadgatheredtocatchaglimpseofHisHolinessthatday,someconfusionarosehalfway through theprayer.AlthoughIbegan togrowanxiousthatthechanterswouldaltogetherlosethethreadoftheprayerin front of the crowd, the strength of the voices of thosemonkswhowereskilledatchantdominatedwithalightandmelodioustonethatconcealedtheunderlyingdiscord,andwesuccessfullymadeittotheendoftheprayer.

Oneday,IaccompaniedHisHoliness,whowasmountedonawhiteyak,as he rode with a small entourage to the top of Wangkur Hill. There weperformedanextensiveincenseoffering260andpraisestothelocalmountaindeities.261LookingdownfromthetopofthehillatGandenspreadoutbelow,I thought of the kindness of our spiritual father Jé Tsongkhapa and hisdescendantsandofmytimeinthemonasterystudyingandtakingpartintheDharmaassembly.Iwasovercomewithwistfulnessandjoyinequalmeasure.

Onceduringourvisit,themonasteryopenedasealedchestofsacredrelicshoused in the Throneholder’s residence and showed us Jé Rinpoché’s veryownuppergarment,hissetofthreemonasticrobes,andmanyotherimportantrelics,andsmallportionsofthemweregiventous.

PORTENTSOFTROUBLE

While stayingatGanden,HisHolinesscamedownwitha serious intestinalfever for a few days, which caused everyone a great deal of concern andworry. However, the great being was fortified by his skill in cultivatingspiritualprotection,andthanksalsotothemedicinehewasgiven,itdidnotworsenandherecoveredfully.

After the functions at Ganden were concluded, on the way home HisHolinessstoppedatTsalGungthang,wherehestayedonthetopfloorofthetemple.TutorKyabjéLingRinpochéandIstayedintheroomsonthewesternside of the upper floor, which had in the past beenmy late father’s livingquarters.AfterattendingagrandfeastofceremonialcookiesthatGungthangLabranghadoffered,HisHolinesssettledinthegardencottageandsaidtotheofficialsofKunsangtsé,“Pleasebringmesometextstoread.”HavingnottheslightestnotionwhatbooksGungthangLabrangheld, theyaskedme. In theend we brought him the handwritten five-volume set of the teachings ofDrogönShangYudrakpa262 thatwasinacollectionofancientvolumeskept

inacabinetintheviewingroomontopofthetemple.When I went to get the texts, my younger brother Tsipön Tsewang

Döndrup came along. Having a bit of fun with him, I said, “You’re notcapableofreadingeverythingwritteninTibetan.”

“WhatTibetanistherethatIcannotread?!”hedemanded.I showed him a handwritten analysis of the Perfection ofWisdom that

containedanabundanceofabbreviationswhereinfourorfivesyllableswerecondensed into one. He was unable to read it and shook his head inconsternation.

REFLECTIONSONIMPERMANENCE

AsHisHoliness relishedexamining thecollected teachingsofLamaShang,Zhang Jingwu, the Chinese representative in Lhasa, informed him via thecabinet of the great number of casualties inNyemo left by a confrontationbetween the Chushi Gangdrukmilitia and Chinese forces. He said that theDalaiLamaandtheregionalgovernmentmustensurethatsuchattackswouldcease, for if they did not, the Chinese would suppress them violently. HisHoliness could not bear the news and was deeply troubled by it. Thefollowingday,hereturnedtotheNorbulingkadeepinthought.

Thatwinter,asrequestedbyRabjampaLosangWangdenandothersfromSera’sNgakpaCollege,IvisitedNgakpaCollegeandgaveagatheringofatleast two thousand — largely monks from Sera — initiations intoAkṣobhyavajra in the Ārya tradition of Guhyasamāja, thirteen-deityVajrabhairava, five-deity Cakrasaṃvara, and Sarvavid along with theirpreparatorypractices.IalsoofferedpermissionsforthecollectedmantrasofGuhyasamāja,Cakrasaṃvara,andVajrabhairava.Myvisit toSeracoincidedwithofferingsthattheincarnationofDromoGeshéRinpochéwasmakingtomarkhisgeshéexaminations.Athisinvitation,Istayedathislabrangfortwodays.IalsowenttotheresidenceofthereincarnationofmysupremerefugePhabongkha Vajradhara and had a pleasant visit with him. While there IofferedprayersforthelonglifeofhistutorGyalrongKhentrulRinpoché,whowasunwell.

Manytimesovertheyearsuptothatpoint,atthethreeseats,atGyütöandGyümé tantriccolleges,andatMeruandShidémonasteries inLhasa, Ihadtaught and propagated sutra and tantra teachings, transmissions, andinitiations—chiefamongthemthestagesonthepathtoenlightenment—togatheringsofoneor two thousandandat timesup to fouror five thousand,

chieflymonks from the area or visiting fromall over.Among the disciplestherewereanywherebetweentwentyandthirty,sometimesevenuptosixtyorseventy, incarnate lamasofvariousranksaswellasmanygeshésheadedby the incumbentand retiredabbotsof the threeseats,andmanyacclaimedscholars in the audiences assembled. But inside I knew I was a charlatan,hardenedtotheDharma,ahypocritewhosedeedsdidnotcorrespondwithhiswords.AsPaṇchenLosangChökyiGyaltsensaid:

TeachingDharmatheyareskilledinchangingthemindsofothers,butthedryleatheroftheirownmindsremainshard.TeacherswhoexpoundlikeperformersactingoutacharactermayfindtheypossessnogenuineDharma.

Evenso, justas longagoawickedmanwhohadkilledhisownmotherentered the Buddha’s teaching, studied the scriptures, and led disciples toattain liberation by teaching Dharma disguised as a monk in a farawayland,263 in the hope that one amongmymany students would take up thegreatresponsibilityofupholdingandpreservingtheteachingsoftheBuddha,Ialsodidmyutmosttopasson,asbestIcould,whatfewdropsofthenectarofteachings,whicheasilyshowthepathtofreedomandomniscience,thatmyspiritualfathers,kindguruswhoembodiedallthebuddhas,haddepositedinmyearsandheart.Butlikeaherdofdrunkenelephantsrampagingthroughagarden of lotuses, the barbaric Red Chinese, messengers of the devil,destroyedeverylastsignofgoodnessinthereligionandpeopleofthelandofTibet,suchthatitwasimpossibleeventocatchsightofsomeonedressedasamonk throughout the three provinces. Many great and promising lamas,incarnate masters, and geshés were crushed beneath the anvil of Chineseoppression.AfewamongthatsmallnumberwhofollowedHisHoliness,ourgreatrefugeandprotector,intoexileinIndiaalsopassedaway,whileotherscould not live up to the expectations of the monastic vows. As ĀcāryaVasubandhuwrote:

Whenlatentafflictionshavenotbeeneliminated,andonedwellsclosetotheirobjectwithwrongandmisdirectedattention,thecausesforthoseafflictionstomanifestarecomplete.

WhenIreflectonthesedashedhopes,Ifeelthatmywork,likeasandcastlebuiltbyachild,hasleftnotrace,andIamsaddened.ButwhatcouldIdo?

HISHOLINESS’SFINALEXAMINATIONS

Aswastradition,onthefirstdayofthefirstmonthofmyfifty-ninthyear,theyearoftheearth-pig(1959),Iparticipatedintheatonementritualandofferingin the bedchamber of His Holiness’s quarters at the Potala in front of theimageofPaldenLhamothathadspoken.Earlythatmorning,IalsoattendedspecialNewYear’sDaytormaofferingtothisdeityontheroofofthePotala,andIattendedvariousotherceremoniesthroughouttheday.AlightsnowfallonthemorningofNewYear’sDayseemedtobeaninauspiciousindicationof the general disruption of religious and secular life during that time ofupheaval.

Thatyear,tomarkhissuccessfulcompletionofintensivestudyofthefivegreat treatises, His Holiness ceremonially traveled to the complex on theupper floors of the Lhasa Tsuklakhang in preparation for the final geshéexamination by scholars of the highest standing, which would take placeduringtheGreatPrayerFestival.

ThethirteenthdayoftheGreatPrayerFestival,thedayofHisHoliness’sactualgeshéexamination for the rankof lharam, includedanearlymorningassemblywithcommunalteaandoralexaminationintheteachingcourtyard,a midday assembly with tea, an oral examination during a dry afternoonassembly, and an evening session with more debating. During each of theassemblies with tea, His Holiness would give explanations on the greattreatisesandofferversesofhomage.Nearly thirty thousandmonks,arrayedlike garlands of amber or like a vast field of marigolds, attended theexaminationsbetweenthemorningandafternoonassembliesandthelengthyeveningsession.

Among the masses of great learned propounders of philosophy weregeshésof the three seats as full of confidence asDignāga andDharmakīrti,andtheymountedchallengesregardingthethornierpointsofthetreatisesonlogicandepistemologyintheteachingcourtyardduringthemorning.Intheafternoonsession,theydebatedMadhyamakaandthePerfectionofWisdom,and in the eveningVinaya andAbhidharma. The lotus of faith and respectbloomedinthediscerningwhowitnessedhimrespondingfreelyandwithouthesitation to the logical and scriptural challenges offered. I felt deeplyfortunate to witness the wondrous spectacle, watching him wither thecreeping vine of audacity in those who were so arrogantly proud of theirlearning and trample the hooded snake of pride underfoot. During theafternoon oral examination, the great Dharmarāja from Nechung, againthroughhismediumintrance,examinedHisHoliness,takingupthetopicof

thefournobletruths,andofferedhimcongratulations.On the fourteenth, in the great courtyard of the Tsuklakhang, the

government offered His Holiness an elaborate grand feast of ceremonialcookiesandagreatquantityofofferingsofsuchvalueandwealthaswoulddiminish even Vaiśravaṇa’s haughtiness to celebrate the successfulcompletionof the ceremonies for his geshé examination.At the same time,theSharpaChöjéKyabjéLingRinpoché,myself,andtheassistanttutorswerealso each given fine gifts as a reward for successfully managing HisHoliness’seducation.

DuringtheannualinvocationoftheNechungoracleatLhasa’soldMeruMonastery on the twelfth day of the first month, as well as during theadditional invocation in theGandenYangtséchamberon theupper leveloftheTsuklakhangontheseventeenth,theDharmaprotectorspoke,saying,“I,the formless spirit,will attempt to build a bridge over the fordlessChineseriver.”At the timewe took the statement tomean thathewould search forsomemeansofrestoringandnormalizingthedeterioratingrelationsbetweenChinaandTibet.Butlookingbackonitlater,Iwasconvincedthatitwashissolemn, unbreakable pledge that allowedHisHoliness and his hundredfoldentourage to simply walk out of the city without the slightest opposition,despite every strategic passage fromLhasa being surrounded by permanentunitsofChinesetroops.

AsthePrayerFestivalneareditsconclusion,HisHolinesspresidedoveramiddayassembly,aswastradition.Similartothesystemoforalexaminationsthat some schools use nowadays, after I had recited a number of differentversesthatappearamongthefivegreattreatises,HisHolinessexplainedthemeaning of the verses, using dialectical supports to establish his reasons.Afterthenoontimeassembly,hegaveabriefdiscourseandengagedindebatebeforemanyscholarsinthecourtyardoftheTsuklakhang.

OnedayamessagecamefromtheChineseofficialsthattherewouldbeatheatrical performance at the Siling Puwu PLA military encampment thateveningand thatTutorLingRinpoché,myself, andmembersof thecabinetmustattend.Priortothat,wehadreceivedreportsfromKhamandAmdothatmanyprominentlamasandleadershadbeenarrested,sentenced,andhauledawaywhentheyhadacceptedinvitationstosuchmeetingsandevents.Withthoughtscirclingaroundinmymind,Iattendedinastateofterror,thinkingthattheChinesewoulddeceptivelyusethatnighttolureusintoatrap.Suchanxietiesrevealthesenseofself-preservationthatlingersafteremptytalkoftheprofoundviewandtrainingthemindisfinished.Infact,theChinesewerejustusingitasatestrunfortheirlaterintriguetoinviteHisHoliness.Andso

wewerereceivedwithcordialhospitalityintheformoffood,drink,andsoonandwereallowedtoleaveamidashowofsmilesandpleasantries.

AsmembersoftheSangha,monksareworthyofrespectandserviceandare the supreme objects to make offerings to and by which to accumulatemerit.Motivatedtogathermeritfromthepracticeofgiving,Ihadeveryyearforseveralyearsbeenmakingofferingsoftea,ricemeal,money,andcapitalfundsatthePrayerFestival.ImadeofferingsatthisPrayerFestivalaswell,butthiswasthelasttimeIgatheredmeritatsuchaneventinTibet.

IsummonedPanglungChöjē,amediumofShukden,thechiefprotector,who has long looked over me, to my house and invoked the protector intrance to inquire aboutwhat future courseof action shouldbe taken. InhisprophecyhesaidthatthewickeddesignsoftheRedChinese,enemiesoftheBuddha’steaching,wouldsoonbecomeclear,andthatitwasthusimperativethatHisHolinessandallofussecretlydepart for India.Hesaid that itwasabsolutely unacceptable for me in particular to remain in Tibet, and that Imust findsomemeansof leaving.Healsosaid that itwas imperative that IurgeHisHolinesstogo,thatwemustgo,andthattherewoulddefinitelybean occasion on which we could leave. I nevertheless remained indecisive.WhenHisHolinesshadnotyetmadeuphismindwhether tostayor leave,howcouldIthinkofleavingmyself?

At the conclusion of the Prayer Festival and after the procession ofMaitreya,264IaccompaniedHisHolinesswhenhetraveledfromLhasatotheKalsang Palace at Norbulingka in a grand procession with an ocean-likeentourage.

9

T

TheStormBreaks

TIBETANUPRISING

HECHINESEMILITARYheadquarters inLhasahadextendedan invitationtoHisHoliness, the supreme lordof victors, his two tutors, and somehigh-rankinggovernmentofficials,chiefamongwhomwerethecurrent

cabinetministers,toattendatheatricalshowattheChinesearmycampontheeveningofMarch10,1959,accordingtotheWesterncalendar—thefirstdayofthesecondmonthoftheearth-pigyearaccordingtotheTibetancalendar.Phuntsok Tashi Taklha, commander of His Holiness’s bodyguards, wassummoned to the Chinese military camp and told that only one or twobodyguardscouldaccompanyHisHolinessandtheyshouldbeunarmed.Thetwo tutors and the cabinet ministers were to come by themselves, withouttheir staffandattendants. Judgingfromwhat theysaidandall theiractions,theirdeceitfulplanwasevident.BecauseofthestrengthoftheRedChineseforces,HisHolinesshadlittlechoicebutassenttoattendingtheshow.

In general the Tibetans hated the conduct of the Chinese, but theyparticularlydislikedthisinvitationforHisHolinesstovisittheChinesecamp.It had never happened in the eight years since the Chinese had arrived inLhasa. Add to this the demand that His Holiness’s bodyguard should beunarmed and that the government officials should come without theirattendants,andthefact that itwasclear theChineseweretransportinglargeunits of military personnel to Lhasa from different parts of the country atnight and amassing their forces at the encampment, it was no surprise theTibetans’resentmentreachedabreakingpoint.

When the news ofHisHoliness’s visit to the campbecame known, thelamasandmonksofthethreemonasteriesandothermonasticestablishments,monksandlayofficialsof thegovernment,andseveral tensof thousandsofmenandwomen,eachontheirownbutasifwithasinglemind,throngedthemaingateattheouterwalloftheNorbulingkaonMarch10.TheyblockedtheroadsandchantedtheirrequestforHisHolinesstopostponehisvisit,astheycouldnotbeartheresponsibilityforHisHolinessattendingtheshow.

On his way to the Norbulingka from Lhasa to join His Holiness’sentourage, the cabinet minister Sampho Tsewang Rikzin was struck in theheadwitharockandhadtoturnbackwhenthecrowdstonedthecarhewasriding in because the driver was Chinese. Then the brother of ChamdoPhakpalha,amonkofficialnamedSönamGyaltsen,whoduetohisyoungageoften associated with the Chinese officials, came to Norbulingka on thisparticulardaywearingaChinesedustmaskandChineseclothing.Thethrong,incensedbyhisdemeanorandsuspiciousbehavior,stoppedhimat themaingateoftheNorbulingkaandpeltedhimwithstones,tragicallykillinghim.AtthatpointHisHolinessdelayedhistriptothemilitarycamp.

Thecrowdmarched through thestreetsofLhasachanting“WeTibetansare free and independent!” More than a thousand people from among thegeneral population of the three provinces volunteered to form amilitia andstand guard along the inner and outerwalls of theNorbulingka, the PotalaPalace, theLhasaTsuklakhang,and soonusing theirownsuppliesofarmsand ammunition. An additional regiment of guards drafted from the crowdwere stationed at Shapten Khang, the prayer hall in the Norbulingka.ThousandsofLhasa’swomenmarchedthroughthestreets inprotestagainsttheRedChinese,chanting,“ChineseleaveTibet!”

On theeighthday, theChinese firedshotskilling twomonks just to thenorthof theNorbulingkaand fired twocannon shots in thedirectionof thepalace.AsHisHolinessmadeveryclear inhismemoirs, the situationgrewextremelymenacing.Iandotherslikemyselfwhodonothavethewisdomtoseeallthingsasillusionswerefilledwithfear.

DIVINATIONSANDADECISIONTOFLEE

Duetothesecircumstances,thecabinetandvariousgovernmentdepartmentsrepeatedly asked His Holiness to leave for some suitable foreign countrywherehislifewouldnotbeindanger.AdivinationwasperformedinfrontofthespeakingimageofPaldenLhamo,andstatementsfromtheNechungandGadongoracleswere sought, and all unanimously agreed thatHisHolinessshouldleaveimmediately.AtthewishofHisHoliness,IsecretlydispatchedRatöChubarRinpoché toPanglungHermitage to request a prediction fromShukden.265 The Dharma protector’s reply came, “You must leaveimmediately. Ifyou takeasouthwesterly route,youhavemyassurance thatneitheryourselfnoranyoneinyourretinuewillcometoanyharm.Someonebearing the name Dorjé must travel at the head of the victor’s party,confidentlywieldingthissword.”HethenfacedthedirectionofRamagangto

thesouthwest,loosedanarrow,andperformedaritualdance,gesturingwiththesword.

Since the prophetic statements were in unanimous agreement, at nineo’clockintheeveningontheeighthdayofthesecondTibetanmonth(March17), the dignitaries of the Yabshi family, such as the great mother of thevictor, set out ahead, after which His Holiness and a small entouragedeparted.After that,TutorKyabjéLingRinpoché,myself,cabinetministersSurkhangWangchenGelek,NesharThuptenTharpa,andShenkhawaGyurméSönamTopgyal,andHisHoliness’sprincipalattendant,stewardinchief,andritualassistanttookoffournormalofficialattireanddressedasservantsandlaymen.WewentfromtheNorbulingkaallthewaytotheRamagangferryattheKyichuRivertothesouthwestofLhasa.Afterexitingtheferry,wealllefttogetheronhorsesthathadalreadybeenfittedwithharnessesandsoon.Myattendants Lhabu, Jamyang Tashi, Norbu Chöphel, Namdröl, and SönamTenzin,whomIhadsecretlydispatched toRamagangon the farsideof theKyichu thepreviousday,werewaitingforus there.Palden,LosangSherap,andLosangYeshécamealongwithmeatnight.

WhenweleftNorbulingkaPalace,wehidinalargetruckcoveredwithatarpaulinanddroveoutthemaingatewithoutanyoftheguardsaskingwhowas inside.Untilwefinallycrossed thesmallsandypassaboveNeuDzongafterreachingthefarsideoftheKyichu,wecouldclearlyseethelightsoftheChinese military encampment that was at Northölingka to the west ofNorbulingka. The moon seemed to be shining brighter than usual, and wewere afraid that the Chinese would notice us and come pursue us at anymoment.HavinghadthefortunetomakeitacrosstheKyichu,wenowmadeour way clinging to the hope that we could escape safely, like huntsmanGönpo Dorjé’s black deer.266 The echoes of discourses that I wouldthunderouslyproclaimfromathrone,myheadheldhigh—emptytalkaboutmindtraining,tellingothershowtobringhardshipontothepathwhenIhadyettoencounteranyhardshipmyself—fadedanddesertedme.

WhenwereachedthetopofthepassatNeuDzong,themoonsetanditbecamepitchdark.WerelaxedalittlewhenwewerepastthedangersoftheChinesemilitarycamp,butweweretravelingintotaldarkness,andaswedidnot dare shine any lights, our party became quite dispersed. Somewent onaheadwhileotherswere leftbehind. IworriedendlesslywhenmyattendantLhabugotlost,fellbehind,andcouldn’tcatchuptousuntilnineo’clockthefollowing night, not knowing whether he had fallen into the hands of theChinese.

As I had only dressed lightly for thewalk from theNorbulingka to the

river,nowbecauseoftheicywindsIfeltnauseouswhileridingandvomited,andmyliverbecameupset.WhenwearrivedattheNamgyalGangEstateofTsemönling,Iputonaratherdirtywoolengownthattheestatemanagergaveme,andafterrestingbrieflyanddrinkingafewcupsofboiledwater,Ifeltalittlebetter.

BeforeJéPass, themanagerofTakdrakLabrangwaswaitingforus.HehadjustbiddenfarewelltoHisHolinessandofferedhimameal.Aftertakingsome food and drink there,we crossed JéPass and at sunset arrived at theBentsaferryonthesandbankattheconjunctionoftheTsangpoandKyichurivers.Given thehighwinds, itwasquitedifficult for the ferry tocross theriver and come back, sowewaited for a long time on the near side of thecrossinginthemiddleofasandstormthatwhippedsandatusthatstunglikearrows.WemadeitacrossjustbeforedarkandstayedthenightontheupperfloorofRawaméMonastery,wherewemetHisHoliness.

Whenwe left theNorbulingka, other than thehope that noharmwouldcometoHisHoliness,ashewassoverypreciousandimportant,andthehopethat we would escape with our lives, we gave no thought to carrying anypossessions with us. I left carrying nothing more than the robes I waswearing,mybookofdailyprayers,andaboxofsacredrelics.Myattendantsbrought nothingmore than amulet boxes for protection against weapons, ahand gun, a few bits of food and drink for the immediate future, and theclothes on their backs. It wasn’t just us who left in this way. The cabinetministerswhotraveledwithusatthetimeandthemanyTibetanswhocameafter us— lay and ordained, high and low— all left behind, like dreams,everything they owned and everyone they held dear. As Jé Sakya Paṇḍitasaid:

Thoughtheignorantmayamasswealth,theybenefitlittlefromit.Thoughawish-grantingcowmayhavemilk,thecalfrarelydrinksit.267

Onewould think that the experienceofbeing forced against ourwill toleavebehindall thingsandeveryone thatweholdmostdear—friendsandrelatives,servantsandassociates,students,teachers,andpatrons—wouldbeavividdemonstrationoftherealityofimpermanence,thateverythingislikeadream,andinducepeopletopracticemoreurgently.ButthestrengthofbadhabitscultivatedovermanylifetimesissuchthatafterwearrivedinIndia,thecallousedmind that chases after illusions gradually reverted to squanderingawaythislifeonemptypursuitsforthislifealone.

AfterthatwelodgedforthenightatDophüChökhorMonasteryinDölinthe Kyidé Shöl area. The following day I visited the shrine there of theprotectorGyalchen to seekhisdivineaid.Thateveningwearrived inYoruDranangatDrathangMonastery, foundedbyDrapaNgönshé.268TutorLingRinpoché and I stayed the night there with cabinet ministers Surkhangwa,Shenkhawa,andNesharwa.Forsecurityreasons,HisHolinesswentontotheGyangoGyalsangestateinupperDranang.

LONGTREKTHROUGHTHEMOUNTAINS

Thefollowingday,travelingbywayofthemainroad,wereachedperhapsthemost outstanding Nyingma monastery in Central Tibet, MindrölingMonastery in Drachi. This monastery was founded by the great treasurerevealerGyurméDorjé,atantricyogiwithoutrival.ThemonksofMindrölingupheld pure monastic discipline, beginning with practice of the threefoundations,269and,betweentheNyingmaschool’straditionsofscriptureandtreasure,focusedprincipallyontheoraltraditionofthescriptures.Theyalsopreserved the practice of pure revelations of the great treasure revealerhimself. The monks who peacefully greeted us were wearing the yellowmonastic robes and holding religious banners in their hands, but all of us,master and servant alike,werewearing chubas as if combining the taste ofnirvanaandsamsara,andthereforeIfeltslightlyuncomfortable.

The Mindröling regent, Chung Rinpoché, offered us lunch and anexcellentreception.Afterwetouredthemonastery’sgroupofsacredchapels,includingaverymagnificentprotectorchapel,TutorKyabjéLingRinpochéandIhadaleisurelyprivatemeetingwithChungRinpochéinhisquartersontheupperfloor.SincewehadalreadybeenveryclosewithChungRinpochéand thoughtwellofhim,we toldhimindetailabout thesituation inLhasa,insistingthatitwasunsafeforhimtoremaininthemonasteryandurginghimto leave.ChungRinpoché,however,said thathisdeparturewould leave themonasterymorevulnerable toharm,and sohehadnowish to leave.Therewasnothingwecoulddo.

WeleftMindrölinglateintheafternoonandspentthenightattheMöndroestate in the upper region of the southern district. From there we took anincredibly long path overDuchi Pass to reachChenyéMonastery inUpperChongyé.Wemadeofferingsandprayedbeforetheirbeautifulcentralimageof theMedicine Buddha Ratnacandra. The nextmorningwewent to RiwoDechenMonasteryinChongyé.

Wehadplannedtostaythenightthere,asHisHolinessandhisentourage

hadarrivedatthemonasteryadayaheadofusandhadplannedtospendanextradaytheretorestandrecuperate.However,theRedChinesehadopenedfirewithheavyartilleryinLhasaonthetenthoftheTibetanmonth,andtheNorbulingka, the Potala Palace, and areas all over Lhasa had been heavilydamaged, andmanywere lives lost. The Tibetan armywas unable to holdtheirpositions,sociviliansbothlayandordainedhadnootherchoicebuttorun for their lives, fleeing tooutlying regions inanyway theycould.UponhearingofthegravesituationinLhasa,fearingforHisHoliness’ssafety,thepartysetoutagainimmediately.

Traveling by way of Dönkar Pass in Upper Chongyé, they went toThösamDargyé LingMonastery in the Upper Chödegong of Yarlung.Wealsopushedon to reach there.All thehorses andpeople inourgroupwereabsolutelyexhaustedwhenwefinallyarrived,havingjustmadethetwo-dayjourneyfromChenyéinasingleday.Neverthelesswerestedcomfortably,asifinourownhomes,thankstothegreathospitalityofLingLabrang,whowastheproprietorofthatmonastery.

Thenextday,travelingbywayofthegreatpasscalledYartöDraklathatskirts Mount Yarlha Shampo, we stayed in a little village calledEchudogyang, where both the people and the place were utterlyimpoverished. The local inhabitants’ subsistencemust have been driven bytheresultsofheavynegativeactscommittedinpreviouslives.Icouldhardlybeartobethereforevenoneday.

ThefollowingdayaftercrossingShopoTakPass,wearrivedatKhartengMonastery in west Shopo, which was run by Dedruk Labrang, and on theseventeenth His Holiness reached the fort of Lhuntsé Dzong in Nyal. IattendedabriefauspiciousceremonywheretheentireentouragegatheredinthegreathallofthefortandHisHolinessdeclaredaprovisionalgovernmentforTibet.TutorLingRinpochéofferedanexplanationoftheritualmandala,and I presented the eight auspicious symbols and substances, with versesdescribingtheirsignificance.Assoonastheceremonyended,IwentwithHisHolinesstoDreulhaMonastery,wherehestayedforthenight.

Then, traveling in stages,wewent to JoraMonastery inNyal and, aftercrossingKarpoPass,GöntséMonasteryinTsona.ThedaywereachedTsona,when we were in a curve of the hill at Gorpola, a plane flew over us.Althoughwecouldnottellwhichcountryitwasfrom,itworriedusgreatlyaswesuspectedthatwewerebeingpursuedbytheChinese.

At Tsonawe rejoinedDagyab ChetsangHothokthu, his attendants, andKhenchungTara,whohadleftthecapitalafterus.AccordingtoTara’sreport,from 2:00 a.m. on the tenth of the Tibetanmonth until 6:00 the following

evening,theNorbulingkahadbeenundercontinuousartilleryfire,andgiventhe thousandsof rounds thatwerefired, theouterand innerprecinctsof theNorbulingka and His Holiness’s personal residence within the innermostprecinct of the palace were severely damaged. The Potala Palace had alsosustaineddamagefromcannonfire,andthemedicalcollegeDrophenRikchéLing on the Chakpori hill was totally destroyed.We were apprised of thegrave events, the details of which His Holiness has written about in hismemoirs.270

Traveling byway of Pö Pass fromTsona,we arrived in a place calledMangma.As Ihavepreviouslystated,when traversingsuchhighpasseswewerewhippedbycoldwindsand tormentedbysnows.ThepathdownfromPöPasswas quite difficult to traverse that day, because itwas precipitous,long,andmuddy,soIwentdownridingonayakborrowedfromalocaldairyfarm.AtMangma,HisHolinesswasnotfeelingwell,sowestoppedthereforthe day. There, a large group of people from Chatreng who had come toescortHisHolinessandmyselfwerereadytoturnback,andIgaveprotectivetalismans.

CROSSINGINTOINDIA

On the twenty-secondwearrivedat the Indianborder townofChudangmo,where we were received by representatives of the Indian government andprovidedwithmilitarybodyguards.Weweregivenaccommodationintents.At this point, having escaped the threat of Chinese attack, my mind wasreleasedfromthetightbondageofthenooseofchildishself-cherishing.

WesetoffonthelongjourneytothetempleofGongsumChöten,whichresembledtheBoudhanathstupainNepal,spendingnightsalongthewayinthe villages of Sharti, Lungla, and Thonglek. On the twenty-eighth, HisHolinessarrivedatthemonasteryinTawang,andTutorLingRinpochéandIstayedforafewdaysinahouseinthevillagebelowthemonastery,whereanoldDharmafriend,TsonaGöntséRinpoché,cametomeetuswithprovisionsof food.After leavingTawang,wepassed through thevillages of Jang andSengé Dzong and then crossed Sera Pass and went through a town calledDum in Dirang and a village called Rawang. On the fourth of the thirdTibetan month, we reached Bomdila, where we stayed in municipalcommittee houses organized by the Indian government. The Indiangovernment representative in charge ofBomdila town invitedHisHolinessandtheentouragetoateareception,towhichIalsowent.

Traveling from Tsona to this place, we had suffered a great deal of

hardship,forthejourneyhadtakenusontreacherouspathsoverhighpasses,through deep gorges, and through thick jungle, and when riding, I had tomount and dismount whatever creature bore me. But despite the physicaldifficultiesandexhaustion,Iinwardlyfeltacontinuoussenseofjoyandreliefthat enabledme to tolerate the hardships anddifficultieswith relative ease.Here Iwas able to tolerate hardship in away that I had never experiencedbeforeinmyreligiouspractice.

After threedaysinBomdila,agroupthat includedTutorLingRinpochéandmyselfsetout inadvance ina jeepprovidedby theIndiangovernment.We drove down very steep and dangerous roads through a village calledChaku and a town calledTakma,which is part ofKhelong, and eventuallyarrivedinPhuthelonthetenth.TherewehadbreakfastwithHisHolinessinthegovernmentguesthouseandtraveledontoTezpurinShillong,wherewestayed in a hilltop guesthouse. The deputy prime minister Dekharwa, thedeputy cabinet minister Yuthokpa, the royal secretary to the maharaja ofSikkim,andtheIndianpoliticalofficerinSikkimhadcomefromKalimpongtowelcomeHisHoliness.

After lunchwe left for the trainstation inTezpurandboardeda specialtrainsentbytheIndiangovernmenttotakeHisHolinessandhisentouragetoSiliguri,wherewearrivedat11:00onthemorningoftheeleventh.Thereonagreen lawn His Holiness was greeted by a large crowd, including localofficials and dignitaries such as the maharaja of Sikkim, Tibetans fromKalimpong and Darjeeling, and many Indians. Thousands of people hadgathered there like bumblebees in a lotus field, buzzing with words ofsympathyforTibetandtocheerHisHoliness.

Then,progressingthroughVaranasi,Lucknow,Dehradun,andsoon,wearrived in Mussoorie on April 20, which was the thirteenth of the thirdTibetanmonth.HisHolinessandthemembersoftheentouragestayedatBirlaHouse,asarrangedbythegovernmentofIndia.Withinafewdays,theprimeministerofIndia,PanditNehru,cametocallonHisHoliness.Wetutors,thecabinet minister, and other officials greeted him and saw him off on hisdeparture.

SUBJECTSOFCHINESEPROPAGANDA

AfterHisHoliness’sdeparturefromLhasa,theChineseCommunistsbrandedthechiefmembersofthecabinet,meinparticular,as“reactionaryleaders.”Iwas publicly accused of fomenting rebellion by plotting with ChushiGangdrukguerillas.They said thatHisHoliness had been abducted against

hiswillandthatwehadsecretlyplottedwithforeignimperialistpowers.Theyalsopubliclydenouncedme,sayingthatthepublichadbeendeceivedbythepretenseofreligion,andmadeupanendlesslistoffabricatedstoriesagainstme,claimingthatIhadengagedinsexualassaultofwomenandsoon.TheyevenputonaplayaboutallthisinLhasaandplasteredaportraitofmeasamonsterwithmanyheadsandhandsinthepublicmarketplace.Portrayalsofmeasadeadlytoxinwerebroadcastrepeatedlyontheradio,asIlaterlearnedfrompeoplewhoarrivedfromLhasa.

AstheWheelofSharpWeaponsMindTraining(verse17)says:

Whenothersassailmewithexaggerationordenigration,itistheweaponofmyownevildeedsturneduponmefordisparagingtheholybeings.FromnowonIwillnotmalignotherswithscathingwords.

Withoutquestion,itwasmyownpriornegativeactionsthatbroughttheseresults.However, the immediate reasonswere as follows. In the past I hadoften taught and spread the Dharma all over Tibet and had religiousconnections with many influential and ordinary people from all the threeprovinces. So the Communist Chinese had appointed me principal of theLhasa middle school in Tibet, to the Preparatory Committee for theAutonomous Region of Tibet, and as director of the Bureau of ReligiousAffairs, hoping that I would be their hook to win favor with the people.Because I would not enact their policies, the Red Chinese bore an intensehatredofme.IhavenottheslightestdoubtthathadIstayedbehindinTibetunderCommunistrule,Iwouldhaveundergoneallsortsof terrible tortures.BythegraceoftheThreeJewelsandtheprotectors,andthroughthekindnessofHisHoliness, our great refuge and protector,who has heldmewith theropeofhiscompassion,IwasabletocometoIndiaandenjoythefreedomtospeakandactasIwish.

AlthoughIamfreefromtheterroroftheRedChineseforthetimebeing,thereisnomeansbywhichIcanturnbacktheemissaryofthesouth—theonewhowieldsaclubandwhosemightdevoursthethreeworlds271—whoseappointed hour I cannot know. It is true I control whether I go to theunbearableprisonof lowerrebirths,butwhenIexaminethepresentstateofmyownobstinatehabitsofbody,speech,andmind, thefuturedoesn’t lookpromising.

10

D

EarlyYearsofExile

TRAVELSTONEPALANDNORTHINDIA

URING OUR STAY inMussoorie, other than the small numberwho hadalready immigrated to India that came to our residence for audienceswithHisHoliness,visitsfromTibetanswereveryrare,sincethosewho

hadjustarriveddidnotknowthelanguageorhowtogetaround.Sincewetoodidnotknowthecountry,distractionsassociatedwiththehustleandbustleofthe many things to be done naturally ceased, and we were free to focusinsteadondailyrecitationsandreligiouspractice.Weobservedthedisciplineofrenunciates,settingourselvesapartfromworldlyactivity.

AtthebeginningofthetenthTibetanmonth,myattendantsandItraveledtoNepalattheinvitationofMongolianLamaGuruDeva,directorofGandenChöphelLingTibetanmonasteryinNepal,toconsecratethemonastery.Overthecourseofthreedays,accompaniedbyeightmonksfromthecommunitiesofGyütöandGyümétantriccolleges,IperformedanextensiveconsecrationritualassociatedwithVajrabhairavaand,duringthesameperiod,gavealong-lifeempowermentandpermission topracticeAvalokiteśvaraWhoLiberatesfromAllLowerRealms to a large gathering of the lay andordained in theassemblyhallofthemonastery.

ThetwotutorsattendingtheDalaiLama’sfirstteachinginexileinMussoorie,1960

COURTESYOFTIBETDOCUMENTATIONPROJECT

AttherequestofamonknamedTashiofZanskar,Ladakh,overtwodaysI gave the Cakrasaṃvara body-mandala initiation in the tradition ofMahāsiddha Ghaṇṭāpāda, with its preparatory rite, to a few disciples,including Dagyab Chetsang Rinpoché, Drukpa Tsechu Tulku, and DzeméRinpoché. I conferred the vows of novice ordination on around twentymonastic candidates from the area and gave some of the monks life-entrustmentpermissionforShukdenandotherrelatedpractices.

Ivisitedthevariousplacesofpilgrimageinthevicinity,principalamongwhichwereNepal’sthreestupas,andmadethethousandfoldofferingasmanytimesasIwasable.

OnthewaybackfromNepal,IvisitedKalimpongattherequestofoneofmy patrons, Gyurmé Sadutshang. I was received by a welcoming partycomprised ofKalimpong’sTharpaChölingMonastery, someTibetan socialgroups, government officials, and a few reincarnate lamas that had beenwaitingtogreetmeatajunctiondesignatedasSeventhMile.IstayedattheSadutshang household. At the request of the monks of Tharpa ChölingMonastery Igave thegreat initiation into solitaryheroVajrabhairavaat themonastery.At theSadutshanghouse,Ifulfilledthehopesandwishesofmypatron,givingquite a largegroupof earnestpractitionerswhateverDharmathey wished, including the blessing of the four sindūra initiations of

VajrayoginīandpermissionfortheThreeWrathfulFormsCombined.272AnoldfriendandbenefactorofminewhowaslivinginKurseong,Jampal

SamphelfromAmdo,askedthatIcometoseehimashewasseriouslyillandonthevergeofdeath,soIwentthere.OnthewayIpaidabriefvisit totheassembly ofSamtenChölingMonastery inGhoom,Darjeeling, as they hadrequested, and then spent one day in Kurseong, where I gave a long-lifeempowermenttomypatron.

I then tooka trainbywayofSiliguri toBodhgaya tocoincidewithHisHoliness’svisitthere.ItookpartintheceremonythatHisHolinessledtherefor the first time to confer the vows of full ordination on a large group ofnovicemonks.After Ihadmadeofferingsandvisitedvarious sacredplacesaround Bodhgaya, Varanasi, and so on, I returned to Mussoorie for theTibetanNewYear.

RESIDENCESINDHARAMSALAANDSONADA

InthethirdTibetanmonthofmysixtiethyear,theyearoftheiron-rat(1960),astheIndiangovernmenthadsuggestedthatHisHolinessandhisentouragemovetomaketheirresidenceinDharamsala,HimachalPradesh,IalsomovedwithmyattendantstoNowrojeeHouseinDharamsala.273

AtthecommandofHisHoliness,overthecourseofmanydaysIprovideddetailed instruction in the basic model for the Tibetan language, ThönmiSambhota’sThirty Verses and Introduction toMorphology, to a group thatincluded Dagyab Hothokthu Rinpoché, Paṇchen Ötrul, Panglung Tulku ofSeraMé,LhakharTulku,YerpaTsenshapTulkuofSeraMé,ChötseTulku,Samdhong Tulku of Loseling, Yiga Tulku, Shakhor Khentrul, NyakréKhentrul, Geshé Jampal Sengé of Sera Mé, and Geshé Tenpai Gyaltsen.During the course I had each of themwrite grammatical compositions andtestedthemregularlyoneachsegmentofgrammar.

Overfourdays,beginningontheninthdayoftheeighthTibetanmonth,Ioffered His Holiness and a small entourage initiation into outer five-deityCakrasaṃvara according to Ghaṇṭāpāda, the great initiation into the bodymandalainGhaṇṭāpāda’stradition,alongwiththeblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginīinsuccession.

Iwent toSonadaat theappealofMrs.SherpaPhurbuLhamo,whohadofferedmeviaLadakhLamaNgawangSamten,formerabbotoftheTibetanmonasteryinBodhgaya,atwo-storyhousesituatednexttothetempleintheSonada district of Darjeeling to sow roots of virtue on behalf of her late

husband,KodéSubhedar.DuringmyvisitthereIgaveavastassemblyoflayandordainedpeoplethegreatinitiationintotheBhikṣuṇīLakṣmītraditionoftheGreatCompassionateOne and the long-life empowerment according toThangthongear-whisperedtradition.

DuringthattimethemonksofDromoDungkarMonasteryinvitedmetoSamten ChölingMonastery in Ghoom, so I went there. I stayed for sevendays,giving the entire communityofmonks thegreat initiation into single-deityVajrabhairavaandgaveafewgroupsofthreemonksthelife-entrustinginitiation andpermission topractice theprotectorShukden. Iwent toTashiChölingMonasteryinKurseongattherequestofpatronsthereandgavethelocal people permission to practiceAvalokiteśvaraWhoLiberates fromAllLowerRealmsandothermiscellaneousteachings.

AfterwardIwenttoKalimpongattheinvitationoftheSadutshangfamilyandgave thegreat initiation intofive-deityCakrasaṃvara in the traditionofGhaṇṭāpādaandtheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginīatTharpaChölingMonastery.At theresidenceofDromoRinpoché, Igaveanaudienceofaboutsixtymonks,includingthesupremeincarnationofKyabjéPhabongkha Vajradhara and Drakgyab Rinpoché of Sera Mé, the greatinitiation into the body mandala of Cakrasaṃvara in the tradition ofGhaṇṭāpāda.

At the request of the Friendship Society ofKalimpong, I gave a publiclong-lifeempowermentinthetraditionofMachikDrupgyalinafieldinfrontoftheSadutshanghouseandtaughtDharmatovariouspeoplefromallwalksoflife.IhadthechancetotwicemeetandspendapleasanttimewithTsurphuKarmapa Rinpoché while there. At the invitation of Khamtrul Rinpoché IperformedtheconsecrationfortheconstructionofSangdokPalriMonastery,whichwasinprocessatDorpininKalimpong.

Assoonasthisconcluded,onthenineteenthofthetenthTibetanmonth,Itraveled at the expresswishofHisHoliness to theDharma encampment atBuxa,inWestBengal,wherefifteenhundredmonksfromthethreeseatsandfromtheSakya,Nyingma,andKagyütraditionswhohadescapedfromTibetwere temporarily living. On the occasion of the festival of GandenNgamchö,274IreadthemonksanofficialletterfromHisHolinessandofferedtea and money to the monks on behalf of the government. On the sameoccasion, I myself also made clouds of offerings, both of teachings andmoney,totheassembly.

As I had been asked both publicly and privately, I gave the entireassemblyadiscourseontheGuruPuja,thegreatinitiationintothirteen-deityVajrabhairava, a long-life empowerment, permission to practice the Three

WrathfulFormsCombined,andgavethosewhohadmadethecommitmenttorecitethemantratheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī.Atthe residence of Song Rinpoché, I gave a group of around seven hundredmonks the common torma initiation into Cittamaṇi Tārā and the uniqueblessing of the four initiations into the body mandala. I conferred noviceordinationonKundorTulkuofChamdoand thevowsof full ordinationonaroundsixtymonkswhowished to receive them, includingDenmaTsenbarTulkuofSeraJé,andgavethemeachteachingstofulfilltheirwishes.

BuxaFortwasonceusedasaprisoncampwheretheBritishimprisonedmanypoliticalactivists,includingIndia’sfoundingfathersGandhiandNehru,duringIndia’sstruggleforindependencefromBritishrule.Itwasthereforeavery rough and isolatedplace.Yet despite theprimitivenature of theplaceand its inhabitants, the monks bore the fourfold temperament of āryas,275being content with a place to sleep, the bare necessities, and so on. I wascontinuallyimpressedwiththemthroughoutmystaythere.

AftermydutiesatBuxacametoanend,IwenttoCalcuttaforamedicalexamination,whereIstayedinthehouseofthePhunkhangfamily.IvisitedTutor Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché, who was receiving medical attention in thehospitalwhere Iwas undergoingmy exam.At the request of aMr. Jampawhohad longlived inCalcutta, Igave the long-lifeempowermentofWhiteTārā to an audience of around a hundred Tibetans. Gyalwang KarmapaRinpochéhadalsocometoCalcutta,sowewereonceagainabletomeetandspendsomepleasanttimetogether.Aftermymedicaltestsatthebighospitalwerefinished,IreturnedtoDharamsala.

BODHGAYAANDFURTHERTRAVELS

InthefirstTibetanmonthofmysixty-firstyear,theTibetanyearoftheiron-ox (1961), at His Holiness’s wish, I went to Bodhgaya to give DharmateachingsattheprayerfestivalcommemoratingthedisplayofmiraclesbytheBuddha.ThisfestivalwasorganizedandsponsoredbytheretiredabbotoftheBodhgaya monastery, Lama Ngawang Samten of Ladakh, and attended byfive hundredmonkswho had been brought to Bodhgaya fromBuxa and athousandmonkswhohadcome fromotherplaces.Everymorning from theeighthtothefifteenthoftheTibetanmonth,inkeepingwithtradition,Iwouldrecite Āryaśūra’s Garland of Birth Stories in front of the Bodhi Tree.Afterward I would give discourses on Jé Tsongkhapa’s Three PrincipalAspects of the Path, as requested by themonk official NgawangDöndrup,who was overseeing the prayer festival. At the request of the supreme

incarnationofKyabjéPhabongkhaRinpoché,Iofferedtheoral transmissionofŚāntideva’sGuidetotheBodhisattva’sWayofLife.

Intheafternoonduringthedryassembly,Iledthededicationprayersandrecited the Prayer for the Teachings to Flourish276 and Jé Tsongkhapa’sPrayerforRebirthinSukhāvatījustaswehaddonethemintheLhasaGreatPrayerFestival. In theafternoon,on theorderofHisHoliness, I supervisedthe examination of that year’s candidates for geshé lharampa. On thefifteenth,infrontoftheBodhiTree,Ipresidedoverthefortnightlyconfessionceremonyandconferredthebodhisattvavowstoalargecrowdofmonasticsand laypeople inconjunctionwith theceremony forgeneratingbodhicitta. Imadethousandfoldofferingsatthegreatstupa,offeredmoneytothemonks,andsoon,andhavingcompletedwellallmyauspiciousactivities,IreturnedtoDharamsala.

Over the course of ten days beginning on the eighth day of the fourthTibetanmonth, IgaveHisHoliness thecomplete setofpermissions for thedeitiesexplainedintheSurkaCycleofsādhanas.AfterthatIofferedagroupthat included Bakula Rinpoché from Ladakh the great initiations into five-deityCakrasaṃvaraandGhaṇṭāpāda’sbodymandala.

InthesixthTibetanmonth,IwentfromDharamsalatoDarjeeling,whereIstayedfortwomonthsinmyhouseinSonada.TutorKyabjéLingRinpoché,Dromo Geshé Rinpoché, Mindröling Trichen Rinpoché, and the supremeincarnation of Kyabjé Vajradhara Rinpoché came to visit me there. I onceagain called on Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché while he was staying at GhoomMonastery.IsponsoredconstructionofanewstatueofAvalokiteśvarafortheSonada temple, intowhichIplaceddhāraṇīandmanysacredrelics,suchaspiecesofclothingandhairfrommanygreatmastersofIndiaandTibet,andperformedtheritesofconsecrationand“openingtheeyes.”277Fortwodaysthere I gave an audience of around seven hundred lay and ordained peoplepermissiontopracticeAvalokiteśvaraLiberatingfromtheLowerRealmsandalong-lifeempowermentinthetraditionofMachikDrupgyal.

On the twenty-fifth dayof the eighthTibetanmonth,TsurphuKarmapaRinpoché, thecentralpoleof thepractice lineage,sentamessenger invitingmetoRumtekMonasteryinGangtok.AtRumtek,Ispentfivedaysmeetingwith Rinpoché every day to talk at leisure about our past and presentsituations.Wespokefreelywithoneanother,withoutanypretenseorartifice.

AftermakingofferingstothemonksatthatDharmainstitution,Iwenttothe Sadutshang house in Kalimpong. At the request of Sönam Chöphel ofLhasa, I gave a large group of earnest practitioners at Tharpa ChölingMonastery in Kalimpong the blessing of the four sindūra initiations of

Vajrayoginī, and at the request of the supreme incarnation of PhabongkhaVajradhara Rinpoché, I offered ninety monks, including Rinpoché himselfand Dromo Geshé Rinpoché, the great initiation into Cakrasaṃvara bodymandalainGhaṇṭāpāda’stradition.AssoonasIhadcompletedthose,attherequest of the supreme incarnation, I offered at the Sadutshang house anextensive and very detailed commentary on the generation and completionstages of the bodymandala in Ghaṇṭāpāda’s tradition to fifty-eight earnestdisciples who had pledged to practice self-generation daily, fulfilling theirwishes.

To sow roots of virtue on behalf of the lateKhangsarYeshéNyima ofChatrengandtofulfilltherequestoftheFriendshipSocietyofKalimpong,Itwice gave a group of about two thousand people permission to practiceAvalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All Lower Realms. At the request ofGyurméSadutshang,overthecourseofeightdaysbeginningonthetenthdayof the tenthmonth, I gave the initiation ofVajrayoginī and an experientialcommentary on the practice of its two stages to a group of 132 earnestdiscipleswhohadcommittedtopracticetheself-generationdailyandtodoaretreatonthepractice.

At the request of the British bhikṣu Sangharakshita, on the day of theGandenNgamchö festival, I gave a large crowd that included someGeluk,Kagyü, and Nyingma lamas and many devout lay and ordained men andwomenwhohadcometothefestivalalectureinthetownhallinKalimpongonthegreatvirtuesofthethreesecretsofJéTsongkhapaandageneralsurveyoftheuniquefeaturesofthestudyandpracticeoftheDharmaastaughtintheGeluktradition.

IntheeleventhTibetanmonth,afterIreturnedtoDharamsalaat thefeetof His Holiness, I gave the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginī to a smallgroup that includedLadyYuthokDorjéYudronandgavethegreatinitiationintoSecretHayagrīvaintheKyergangtraditiontoagroupthatincludedtheNechungmedium(TaLamaLosangJikmé).IbegantoprivatelygiveDzeméRinpochéofGandenShartsé anexplanationof theGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePathwiththefourannotations,whichwecontinuedwheneverwehadthechanceuntilwehadcompletedit.

Inthefirstmonthofmysixty-secondyear,theTibetanyearofthewater-tiger(1962),whenKyabjéSimokRinpochéofNalendracametoDharamsala,I visited him to paymy respects. Itwas a thoroughly enjoyable talk, and Itooktheessenceofhiswordsintomyheart.

TrijangRinpochéflankedbyDudjomRinpochéandKhamtrulRinpoché,withMinlingTrichenbehindhim,onthedayoftheGandenNgamchöfestivalat

theKalimpongtownhall,1961COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

WhenthesupremeincarnationofPhabongkhaRinpochéVajradharacametoDharamsalatoreceivefullordination,Iarrangedforhimandhisentouragetostayinmyhouseandcaredforalltheirneedsasusual.Iconferredlayandnovicevowsonthirty-sevenmonksfromtheroadworkerscampinChambadistrict. I gave Powo Sumzong Lama and Tö Shungru Lama the life-entrustinginitiationandpermissiontopracticetheprotectorShukden.IgaveShungru Lama an explanation of the central channel according to thecompletionstageofVajrayoginī. Igave thegreat initiation into single-deityVajrabhairava and permissions to practice Secret Hayagrīva andAvalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All Lower Realms, respectively, tomemberoftheAssemblyofPeople’sDeputiesSamkharwa,TsedrungJampaWangdü,andTöpaTamdrinTsering.

On theninth and tenthof the secondmonth, at the expresswishofHisHoliness,ourgreatandsupremerefugeandprotector,Igaveagroupofabouttwenty that includedHisHolinessandDagyabRinpoché thegreat initiationinto Cakrasaṃvara body mandala in Ghaṇṭāpāda’s tradition along with itspreparatoryandactualpracticesatHisHoliness’sresidence.

Overthecourseofseventeendaysbeginningontheeleventh,IgaveHisHoliness, Dagyab Rinpoché, Assistant Tutor Serkong Rinpoché, HisHoliness’s ritual assistant, and Dzemé Rinpoché an explanation of the

generation and completion stages of the Cakrasaṃvara body mandala andteachingsonthesixDharmasofNāropabasedonpersonalexperience.Afterthat,attherequestofMr.SamkharwafromChushur,Igaveagroupofaboutthirtylamasandmonks,includingKhensurNgawangDrakpaofSeraMé,thegreat initiation into single-deity Vajrabhairava, the blessing of the foursindūra initiations ofVajrayoginī, and teachings on theHundredDeities ofTuṣita.

I then conferred novice ordination vows on fourteen monks fromDalhousie, on four men from Zanskar, Ladakh, as well as on ChaknangLhawangTsering.

TEACHINGINSPITI

At the request of Kyil Monastery (a.k.a. Key Gompa) in Spiti, I leftDharamsalaonthethirddayofthesixthTibetanmonth(1962)andtraveledtoSpitiviaMandi,Kullu,Manali,RohtangPass,andChhatru.Westayedinthetown temple in a village calledLosel in the SpitiValley. FromChhatru toKyilMonastery,myattendantsandItraveledonhorsesprovidedbyLochenLabrang.AswearrivedatLoselajeepsuddenlyroundedthebend,alarmingthehorse Iwas ridingandforcingme todismount inahurry. Indoingso Isprainedmyrightankle,whichgrewquiteswollenandpainful.IhadtospendaweekinLoselreceivingtreatmentfromtheSpitidoctorTashiGönpo.InthemeantimeIgavelargenumbersoflocalpeopleoraltransmissionsofthesix-syllablemantra,refuge,andthePraisestoTārā.

Whenthepainhadsubsided,IdepartedLosel.SinceIcouldnotplacemyrightfootinthestirrup,eachdaywhileridingfromLoseltoKyilMonastery,Iwouldplacemyleftfootintothestirrupandfoldmyrightlegaroundthefrontofthesaddleandapersonnexttothehorsewouldsupportmyknee.Ridinglikethisinthepratyālīḍhastance278wastiresomeanduncomfortable.Atthevarious villageswe stopped at betweenChicham andKyil, I gave long-lifeinitiations,oraltransmissionsofrefuge,thesix-syllablemantra,andsoon.

OnthenineteenthIarrivedatKyilMonasteryNorbuGephelinSpiti,themonastery of Lochen Rinpoché Losang Palden Rinchen Gyatso, a tutor toPaṇchenLamaChökyiNyima (1883–1937) and an incarnation of the greattranslator Rinchen Sangpo (958–1055). There I gave the monks of Kyil,Drakar (Dhankar), and Takmo (Tabo) monasteries together with a largeaudience of lay and ordained people from the area an explanation of theFoundationofAllGoodQualities.Igavethemonksthegreatinitiationsintothirteen-deity Vajrabhairava and Akṣobhyavajra in the Ārya tradition of

GuhyasamājaandpermissionsforMedicineBuddha,Mahākāla,Dharmarāja,PaldenLhamo,Vaiśravaṇa,andChamsing.Iconferrednoviceordinationonabout ten monks. In the lush green field behind the monastery I gave anaudience of more than one thousand local people initiation into the GreatCompassionateOne, a long-life empowerment in the tradition ofDrupgyal,and oral transmissions of refuge and the six-syllable mantra. In LochenRinpoché’sprivatequarters,IgaveafewearnestdisciplestheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī.I thereforefulfilledthewishesofthepeople by giving the various teachings they had requested. SinceDr.TashiGönpo had treatedmy sprained ankle with a walnut treatment, after that Iluckilynolongerhadtorideinthepratyālīḍhastance.

Previously the monasteries had traditionally served alcohol at prayersessionsandduringprivate rituals in thehomesofpatrons.Alsoduring theannualwinterceremonies theyhadconsumedmeatdishesusingthemeatofsheep especially slaughtered for these occasions. The local people alsoslaughtered goats and sheep as sacrifices to local deities to ensure a goodharvest or to prevent epidemics. Since they were sure to experienceunbearable hardship in future lives as the fruit of suchmisguided customs,whichwere like those of tīrthikas orBönpos, I related stories of past livesfoundintheBuddha’sVinayateachingsandcitedpassagesfromthesutrastourge them todiscontinue thesepractices. I stronglyemphasized theviewoftheDharmaandtheadvantagesoffollowingit.

Eachofthemonasteriespledged,fromthenon,toobservetheruleagainstdrinkingalcohol,toprohibitacceptanceofmeatslaughteredintentionallyforritual purposes, and to properly observe the three foundations of monasticdiscipline. The local villages also promised to prohibit blood sacrifice onbehalfoftheirlocaldeitiesandtotakeupcustomsthatwereinkeepingwiththeDharma.Theyhavebeen following the goodpractices of observing theteachingstothisday,andIcontinuetorejoiceattheaccomplishmentofthisgooddeedofdiscontinuingthesenegativecustoms.

ThegeneralassemblyofSpiti’sKyilMonasterygavemeseventhousandIndian rupees as part of an offering formy long life,which I offered backwith an additional sum of five hundred rupees to use as a capital fund forobservanceof the annual rainy-season retreat at themonastery.On thewaybackfromKyilMonastery,wemadeourway toManalialong theroad thatpasses through Khurik, Kiamo, Losel, and Chhatru. There I gave a largecrowdoflocalsalong-lifeempowermentinthetraditionofDrupgyalandoraltransmissionsofrefugeandthesix-syllablemantra.

IonceagainreturnedtoDharamsalaviaKulu,arrivingonthetenthdayof

the seventh Tibetanmonth. As soon as I returned His Holiness paidme afriendlyvisit,comingtomyhousetoaskabouttheconditionofmyankle,thesituationinSpiti,andsoon.

Onthefifthdayoftheeighthmonth,IbegantoinstructDagyabRinpochéonthesecondchapterofDaṇḍin’sMirrorofPoetics.Onthefifteenth,TutorKyabjéLingRinpochévisitedmeatmyhomeandgavemeacopyoflineageprayers to my previous incarnations that he had composed, along with aceremonialscarfandsomemoneytostandinforamandalaoffering,andtoldmethatImusttrytolivealonglife.I,inturn,offeredhimascarfandsomemoneyasamandalaofferingandrequestedanoraltransmissionoftheprayer.

AttherequestofVenerableChödrakofNamgyalMonastery,IgaveoverthecourseoffourdaystoallthemonksofNamgyalalongwithsomegeshésand tulkus, includingDagyabRinpoché,AssistantTutorSerkongRinpoché,and Dzemé Rinpoché, an oral transmission of the ritual texts of Namgyal,whicharethesameasthetantricritualtextsatTashiLhunpo.Ithenofferedtheabbotandtwenty-onemonksfromGyüméTantricCollege,whohadcomespecially from Dalhousie,279 permissions for the collected mantras ofGuhyasamāja, Cakrasaṃvara, and Vajrabhairava, along with oraltransmissionsof the three-partDharmarāja ritualof the IronFortress,280 thewrathfulfireoffering,theGuhyasamājaself-generationandfront-generation,thegroundconsecration,thepeacefulfireoffering,andtheMagicalWheelofStacked Vajra Mountains,281 and a ritual for exorcising harmful spiritsperformedinconjunctionwithDharmarāja.AllofthesewereinthetraditionofGyümé.

On orders from His Holiness, two life-force wheels of the fivefoldDharmarāja,282 one depicting Trinlé Gyalpo and the other Yönten Gyalpo,weremade for theNechung andGadongmediums towear on their bodies,and Tutor Ling Rinpoché and I blessed and consecrated the wheels. Athangkaof thefivefoldDharmarāja,completewith the life-forcewheel,hadbeenmadeattheNorbulingkainLhasaforHisHolinesstokeepcloseatalltimes,butduetoitslargesizehecommissionedasmalleronethatwouldbemore portable. The canvas was prepared with a gesso made from sacredsubstances,suchastherelicsfromholypersonswhohadaspecialconnectionwiththefivefoldDharmarāja,likeGuruRinpoché,NgadakNyangral,283GuruChöwang,Longchenpa,andsoon,andthepaintswereblessed.Iguidedtheartist,TrinléWangyal,amonkfromNamgyalMonastery,togeneratehimselfas thedeityandpaint thecanvas.After that,once thesyllableson the threeplacesand themantrawheelwere inscribed in thecustomarymanner, IhadHisHoliness’s ritual assistant (Thupten Jamyang)draw the life-forcewheel

onthebackofthethangka.

PILGRIMAGE

OnthethirddayoftheeleventhTibetanmonth,ItraveledfromDharamsalatoBodhgaya.ImetSongRinpochéofGandenShartsé,whohappenedtobedoing the burial ritual with a few ritual assistants at the behest of thegovernment, and we talked freely. At the request of Trehor KangyurRinpoché of Drepung Loseling, I gave an audience of two hundred lamas,monks, and laypeople the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginīattheTibetanmonastery.Imadeofferingsoffoodforacompletedayatthemonasteryandthousandfoldofferingsatthegreatstupa.TofulfillarequestfromAmdoDrokpaJinpa,amonkat theTibetanmonastery,Ispenttwo days giving a crowd of four hundred—monks at the monastery andpilgrims from various places — an explanation of Kyabjé PhabongkhaVajradhara’s personal teachings on the Hundred Deities of Tuṣita andinstructioninthesix-sessionguruyoga.

I went to the sacred sites of Vulture’s Peak and Nālandā, attended areception given by the lamas and geshés at the Sanskrit University inVaranasi, and then went on to Sarnath, where I stayed at the MahabodhiGuestHouse.AttherequestofBhikṣuThuptenJungné,themanagerofDöguKyil TibetanMonastery, I consecrated the statues of the temples. I invitedTutorLingRinpochéandmadeanextensivethousandfoldofferinginfrontoftheDhamekStupabuiltbyKingAśoka.

AttherequestofGeshéKhyenrapSöpaofDrepungGowoandthebursaroftheJamyangKyilfamilyofLhasa,attheLadakhistudenthostelIgavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginītoagatheringofaroundtwo hundred, comprised of abbots, lamas, andmonks like Jampal Samphelfrom Gyalrong, former abbot of Drepung Loseling, Shakhor abbot PharaNyimaGyaltsen,aswellassomelaymenandwomen.

KyabjéSongRinpoché,1978,VajrapaniInstitute,CaliforniaLAMAYESHEWISDOMARCHIVE

I made a pilgrimage to Kushinagar and made offerings there. At therequestofPalchukGöbufromChatreng,Igavearoundfivehundredpeopleatthe Chinese temple in Sarnath a long-life empowerment and permission topractice Avalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All Lower Realms. At theTibetan monastery in Varanasi, there was a long-life ceremony with tsokofferings sponsored by the Tibetan government. Assistant Tutor SerkongRinpochéhadcometopresideovertheofferingformylonglife.Itwasquiteauspicious.

ORALTRANSMISSIONOFTHEWORKSOFJÉTSONGKHAPA

On the afternoonof thirddayof the firstmonthofmy sixty-thirdyear, theyear of the water-rabbit (1963), I left Varanasi. As soon as I arrived inDharamsala, I paid respects atHisHoliness’s lotus feet, and on the tenth IbegantogiveHisHolinessanoraltransmissionofthecollectedworksofourgentle protector, the great Tsongkhapa. For auspiciousness, I began byofferinganoraltransmissionoftheAbridgedStagesofthePath.SinceIhadalreadygivenhimanoraltransmissionoftheGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePathinLhasa,itwasn’tnecessarytoredoit.WespenteverydaywithoneanotherfromthatdayonwarddoingtheoraltransmissionwiththeexceptionofafewdayswhenHisHolinessorIhadofficialengagements.

Among the collected works, when doing the oral transmission of theHighwaytoEnlightenment284andExpositionontheRootTantricVows,285 Ialso interwove explanations of Candragomin’s Twenty Verses on theBodhisattvaVowroottext,versesontherootandsecondarytantricdownfalls,and Annotations to the Root Text on the Bodhisattva and Tantric Vowscomposed byPanglungLosangThukjé, thereby achieving twogoals at onetime.

Wesuspendedthetransmissiononthetwenty-secondandtwenty-thirdsothat I could offer the great initiation of Secret Hayagrīva along with itspreparatorypractices toeightmonks fromGyüméwhowereplanning todoanapproximationretreatofHayagrīvaandagroupofaboutfifty tulkusandmonks, including Rizong Rinpoché of Ladakh and the former abbot ofGyümé,whohadallcomefromDalhousie.

When I gave His Holiness the oral transmissions of Jé Tsongkhapa’sTwenty-One Short Works on Guhyasamāja,286 I also instructed him in therecitation ofSamayavajra and the fire offering ofVajraḍāka.As I gave theoral transmission of the Jeweled Box Sādhana of Thirteen-DeityVajrabhairava,Iofferedtormastotheenlightenedandworldlydeities.IgaveexperientialcommentariesonthetwostagesofVajrabhairavawithafourfoldexplanation from memory in accordance with the tradition of KyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara.WiththeexceptionofGoldenGarlandofEloquentExplanation and the Great Commentary on Fundamental Wisdom, IcompletedtheoraltransmissionsofthecollectedworksofJéTsongkhapaontheseventeenthdayofthethirdTibetanmonth.IthencontinuedwiththeoraltransmissionofsomeworksofNāgārjunaandhisspiritualsonscontainedinthe Tengyur — the Guhyasamāja Five Stages (Pañcakrama), CondensedSādhana(Piṇḍīkṛtasādhana),andMahāyogatantra,287Nāgabodhi’sStagesof

the Presentation (Samājasādhanavyavasthāli), Nāgārjuna’s Explanation ofBodhicitta (Bodhicittavivaraṇa),Nāgabodhi’sTwenty-VerseMandalaRitual(Maṇḍalopāyikāviṃśatividhi), and Rāhulaśrīmitra’s Illuminated UnionInitiationRitual(Yuganaddhaprakāśabhiṣekaprakriyā).

THEPASSINGOFKYABJÉSIMOKVAJRADHARA

Onthe twenty-fourthdayof the thirdTibetanmonth, Iwent tovisitKyabjéSimok Vajradhara, whose physical health seemed to be deteriorating, andrequestedhimtolivelonger.

I received a greatmany volumes of importantworks, like the completecollectedworksofGungthangTenpaiDrönmé,thatDromoGeshéRinpochéhadsentfromKalimpong.Iwasfortunatetoreceivethemandwasdelighted.

On the firstdayof the fourthmonth, Iconferred theone-dayMahayanavows on twenty-one ordained and lay people who were undertaking thenyungnéfastingpractice.

Doctor TashiGönpo came to visitme fromSpiti, and I sent a letter toKachenLogyal, theabbotofKyilMonastery,withhimwhenhe returned. Ialsosentacopyofaneffigyritualtextandaskedhimtodistributecopiesofitto thepeople in thearea. Ihadcomposed the ritual for theirbenefit so thatwhen theywanted to help the sick, they couldoffer an effigyof an animalmadeofdoughasa substitute for the lifeofa realanimal.The ritualcouldalsobeusedinlieuofactualanimalsacrificetoensureagoodharvest.

Atmiddayon the tenthof themonth,KyabjéSimokVajradhara, JetsunJampa Ngawang Kunga Tenzin Trinlé Palsangpo, having lived a long life,manifested his final act, like a butter lamp flickering out when its fuel isexhausted. When he had passed into Akaniṣṭha, land of ḍākinīs, I madeofferings tohisbody.AlongwithaVajrayoginīmandalaoffering, Iofferedprayers todedicatemerit for theperpetual accomplishmentofhiswishes topursue the enlightened activities of liberating beings. I also offered prayersthatImightbecaredforbyhimthroughoutallmyfuturelivesandcomposedaprayerfortheswiftreturnofhisincarnation.

SomethangkasthatIhadbeenforcedtoleavebehindduringtheturmoilin Lhasa had, after the passage of two years, come into the hands of thesupremeincarnationofDromoGeshéRinpoché,whohadbroughtthemwithhim to India. Among them was a thangka of wrathful Gyalchen with hisretinue that I had commissioned inDromoduring theyear of the iron-tiger(1950) that had yet to have the brocade border attached to it. The other

thangkas—ofVajrabhairavaandprotectorssuchasMahākāla,Dharmarāja,PaldenLhamo,andsoon—hadbeencommissionedduringthetimeofmypredecessor. I used to hang these thangkas during the annual great-tormaritual atmy house in Lhasa at the time of the solar equinox.When I onceagain received these thangkas intomyhands, I felt convinced that thiswassignificant indication of the omnipresence of the celestial assistance ofmyprotector, and so on the twenty-ninth of the fifthmonth, I made extensivepropitiatory offerings with tsok to the protector. On the very same day, apersoncamebytogivemetwofire-resistantstatuesofJéTsongkhapaandanold Ganden edition of the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path inexcellentcondition.Tomethiswasanexceedinglyauspiciouscoincidence!

On the fifteenth day of the seventhmonth I gaveHis Holiness an oraltransmission of the Bhikṣu Pratimokṣa Sutra. Following that I gave apermission of Palden Lhamo and oral transmission of Thuken’s thread-mandalaritualofPaldenLhamototheentireassemblyofmonksofNamgyalMonastery. Over the course of seven days, beginning on the eighteenth, Ipresided over a preliminary approximation retreat for the averting ritualassociatedwithPaldenLhamoundertakenbytheentireassemblyofNamgyalandwalkedthemthroughthestepsoftheaverting-ritualsādhana.Attheendweperformedthetorma-castingritual.

ATRIPTODALHOUSIE

AfterrepeatedrequestsfromthecombinedassembliesofGyütöandGyümétantric colleges, which had established themselves in Dalhousie, at HisHoliness’swish,IleftforDalhousieonthesixteenthdayoftheeighthmonth.Iarrivedtoanelaboratereceptionfromtulkusandmonksofthethreeseats,Gyütö and Gyümé tantric colleges, and other Tibetan traditions, lay andordained members of the public, and Tibetan students. Over the followingdaysIwenttovisitbothofthetantricmonasteriesinturn.AttheinvitationofthemonksofGandenShartsé,Iwenttowheretheirquarterswereandofferedtea and money to about ninety monks. I also presented a thangka of JéTsongkhapaandhistwodisciplestothemonastery.AfterthatIalsomadeabriefvisittoeachofthehouseswherethemonksfromDrepungLoselingandSeraJéwerestaying.

Atentwaserectedinanopenfieldbehindthelivingquarters,andonedayI gave an audience of around seven hundred— including the abbots anddisciplinarians of the two tantric colleges, the entire monastic assembly,TrehorGeshéKyorpönTsewangNorbuRinpochéofDrepung,theabbotsof

thethreeseats,students,aswellasamonasticassemblyoflamasfromotherreligioustraditions—thepreparatoryriteforinitiationintoAkṣobhyavajraintheĀryatraditionofGuhyasamājaononedayandgavetheactualinitiationthefollowingtwodays.IvisitedtheresidencewherethemonksfromGyütöTantricCollegewerestayingandcorrectedafewminormistakesinthethree-dimensionalmandalaofGuhyasamājathattheyhadbuilt.

At the invitation ofGyalwangKarmapaRinpoché in a letter and at theinvitationofMrs.FredaBedi,288Iwenttovisitthenunnerythathadjustbeenbuilt,whichwouldbechieflyof theKagyü tradition. Inconnectionwithanoral transmission of Śāntarakṣita’sOrnament of theMiddle Way, I gave ateachingtoremindTaklungMatrul,KhamtrulRinpoché,andthenunsoftheprecepts that theywere toobserve. Imadeanofferingoffunds to thenuns.Mrs. Bedi then took me to Kailash House to visit the newly establishedYoungLama’sHomeSchool.Asapartofmyofferingtotheschoolatlarge,Iremindedthemof theneedtoobserveproperconduct. Ialsovisitedeachofthe dorms for the boys and girls at the Tibetan government schools andadvised themof theneedforstudyandgoodbehavior. Igaveevery teacherandstudentasmalltokengift.

AtOaksKoti Imadeanextensiveofferingof funds toagroupofabout330monks from the three seats and otherBuddhist traditions and from thetwo tantric colleges. I gave the lay andordainedTibetangeneral public thepermission of Avalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All Lower Realms andlong-lifeempowermentinthetraditionofDrupgyal.Attherequestofthetwotantric colleges I gave the entire assembly permission for Six-ArmedMahākāla and Outer Dharmarāja. I repeatedly urged all the monks andlaypeopletorememberthekindnessofHisHoliness,andtoaccordinglytakecare inobservingreligiousandsecularduties inaccordancewith thewishesofHisHoliness.

Then, at a very wonderful, auspicious occasion, the lay and ordainedpopulationthatwerelivinginDalhousieofferedmea long-lifeceremonyinconjunctionwithaGuruPujaandtsokatOaksKoti.Iofferedthemoneytheyhadgivenmebacktotheminreturn.AfterfinishingmydutiesinDalhousie,IwentbacktoDharamsalaonthetwenty-eighthdayofthemonthfollowingawarmsend-offfromthelocalpeople.

During the ninth month, I participated in making and consecrating theprotectionrelics inHisHoliness’sresidence,presidedoverbyHisHoliness,forthesoldierswhovolunteeredtojoininthespecialunitoftheIndianarmyfor protection from being harmed byweapons. I also attended the hundredthousandtsokofferingtoGuruRinpochétobenefitthereligiousandsecular

affairsofTibet.

MEETINGOFALLTHEHEADSOFTHETIBETANRELIGIOUS

TRADITIONS

I took part in a five-day conference that was an ecumenical meeting ofreligious traditions, includingSakya,Geluk,Kagyü,Nyingma,andBön.Onthatoccasion,SakyaTrizinRinpoché,GyalwangKarmapaRinpoché,ChögönRinpoché of Druk Dechen Chökhor, Dudjom Rinpoché of the Nyingmatradition, Dilgo Khyentsé Rinpoché, and Kalu Rinpoché of the Kagyütradition, among others, came to visitme. Imyselfwent to have audienceswith Sakya Trizin Rinpoché and Gyalwang Karmapa Rinpoché. On thetwenty-eighth,when thewhole conference offeredHisHoliness a tsok andprayers for his long life, Dilgo Khyentsé Rinpoché recited the mandaladescription along with a history of the Nyingma lineage and the fivefoldauspiciousness.IalwaysthoughtIwastall,butnexttothetoweringgirthofDilgoKhyentséRinpochéI lookedsmall.Thedelegatesalsogaveme long-life offerings, and I returned all their offerings except for the scarf and thetoken mandala offering. I gave a dinner party to all the lamas and otherparticipantsofthemeeting.

Over the course of five days, beginning on the ninth day of the tenthmonth, I gaveHisHoliness an oral transmission of JéTsongkhapa’sGreatCommentary on Fundamental Wisdom and Golden Garland of EloquentExplanation.Followingthat,at therequestofPrimeMinisterDekharwaandSamten and Lodrö of Gyümé, I gave an audience of about 140 people—includingincarnatelamasandgeshéssuchasDagyabRinpochéandChogyéTrichen Rinpoché of Nalendra, the monks of Namgyal Monastery, andvariouslayandordainedpeople—theblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī.ThenovereightdaysIgavethosewhohadtakenanoathtopractice self-generation every day and to do a retreat on the practice anexperiential explanationof thegenerationandcompletion stagesalongwithpermissionsforthecollectedmantras.

When that had finished, I gave His Holiness, in sequence, practicalinstruction in the profound path ofGuruPuja, based on the root verses byPaṇchenChögyencombinedwiththegreatinstructionmanualonitwrittenbyYongzinYeshéGyaltsen,andpracticalinstructionintheGandenMahāmudrā,based on the root text by Paṇchen Chögyen combined withEver BrighterLamp, its autocommentary. In between sessions, I gave Losang Sönam ofDargyé Monastery in Trehor permission to practice Avalokiteśvara Who

LiberatesfromAllLowerRealms.Iconferredfullordinationonthreepeople,including Chatreng Jungné. I gave Chamdo Dotsé permission for WhiteMañjuśrī and an experiential teaching on the uncommon yoga of theinconceivability of Vajrayoginī. I conferred full ordination on five noviceswhowerestudentsofDrukpaTsechuTulkufromNepal.

SARNATH,BODHGAYA,ANDRETURNTODHARAMSALA

IleftDharamsalaonthethirddayoftheeleventhmonthandonthemorningofthefourtharrivedinSarnath,whereIstayedattheSangharamaguesthouse.Aftermakingofferingsandcircumambulatingthestupaforafewdays,IleftforBodhgaya.ThereImetTutorKyabjéLingVajradhara.Imademonetaryofferings to the monks there for a whole day and accumulated merit bymaking extensive thousandfold offerings at the stupa. At the wish of theLadakhi Losang Tashi, I consecrated the newly constructed Tibetanmonastery on the site where the Buddha had practiced austerities for sixyears.Onthetwenty-fifth,aspartofanofferingIsponsoredforallthemonksin Bodhgaya, I offered Tutor Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché a long-life ceremonywiththeHaltingtheḌākinī’sEscortritualalongwiththeGuruPujaandtsokoffering related toCakrasaṃvara, requesting thathis feet remain steadfastlyplantedinastateofwell-being.ThatafternoonIperformedtheself-initiationritualofVajrayoginīwithTutorLingRinpoché.After a long-life ceremonyon my behalf that Lama Ngawang Samten of Ladakh had sponsored, IreturnedtoSarnath.

The overseer of the Tibetan monastery, Thupten Jungné, offered me along-lifeceremonyaspartofaGuruPujawithtsokoffering.Imadeofferingsto the monks of the monastery and offered a fund for the construction ofstatues.Ithenfulfilledthewishesofvariouspeoplewhoaskedforteachings:Icomposedalineageprayerofmyrefugeandprotector,KyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara,at the requestofGyaraRinpochéofChamdo.At the requestofthewifeofMensurwa,Igavethegreatinitiationintofive-deityCakrasaṃvarain Ghaṇṭāpāda’s tradition, along with its preparatory practices, and theblessing of the four sindūra initiations of Vajrayoginī at the Tibetanmonastery in Sarnath to a crowd of lay and ordained people, includingincarnate masters and monks. I gave oral transmissions of many texts,including theHundred Deities of Tuṣita and Atiśa’s Lamp on the Path toEnlightenment at the requestof JinpaGyatsoofAmdo. Igave thecommontorma initiation and the exclusive body-mandala blessings of the fourinitiations of Cittamaṇi Tārā at the request of the monk Gyaltsen of

Ngamring.IgaveThuptenNgawang,theformermanagerofRatöMonastery,instructioninthesix-sessionguruyoga.AndIgavetheChamdomonkPhurtsépermission to practice Avalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All LowerRealms.

On the twenty-sixth of February, the thirteenth day of the first Tibetanmonth,inmysixty-fourthyear,theyearofthewood-dragon(1964),ItraveledfromSarnath toDharamsala.Since thepeopleofChatrenghadasked thatahistory of the region be written, I wrote a brief one even though I wasn’tcertainaboutmanydetails.

Over the courseof tendaysbeginningon the seconddayof the secondmonth,atHisHoliness’swish,IparticipatedinthepropitiationofthetwelvetenmatogetherwiththeentireassemblyofNamgyalMonastery.AfterwardIgavetheentireassemblyofNamgyalpermissionstopractice thesharedandexclusiveWhite Tārā and instruction in the long-life ritual associated withWhite Tārā. For two days, beginning on the twenty-second, I offered HisHoliness an oral transmission of the Eight Thousand Verse Perfection ofWisdom. As soon as that was completed, I began to give His Holiness anexplanation of theGreat Treatise on the Stages of the Path with the fourannotations.Weworkedthroughthetextgradually,andwhenwereachedthesection“HowtoTrainintheBodhisattvaDeedsinGeneral,”wetookabreak.

At the request of the attendant to the abbot of TöRuthokMonastery, Igave an audience of twenty-five people — eight monks from Ruthok,includingtheabbot,aswellassomemonkswhowere living inDharamsala— the great initiation into single-deity Vajrabhairava, with its preparatoryrite. I took the first snipofhair fromTsechokLingTulkuandgavehimanoraltransmissionreadingoftheHundredDeitiesofTuṣita.AttherequestofDrakpaAdrakofChatreng,Igavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsof Vajrayoginī. At the request of His Holiness’s ritual master, ThuptenSönam,IgavethepermissionofJéTsongkhapaasthetripledeitytothethreepersonal attendants of His Holiness and a few others. I gave innkeeperNgödrupandhiswife the long-lifeempowermentofWhiteTārāalongwithpermission for the Three Wrathful Forms Combined. I performed theobstacle-eliminatingritualofSecretHayagrīvaforsevendaysforthelonglifeofTutorKyabjéLingRinpoché.Thereweregoodindicationsthatobstaclestohiswell-beinghadbeeneliminated.

OntheseventeenthdayofthefifthmonthIbegantogiveHisHolinessthetransmissionandexplanationofhowtotraininthefinaltwoperfectionsthatmakeupthe latterhalfof theGreatTreatiseon theStagesof thePathwiththe four annotations.Wecontinuedeverydayuntil completionon the tenth

dayofthesixthmonth.I taught for two days on the root texts of the Thirty Verses and

Introduction toMorphology in conjunctionwith theWish-FulfillingTreeofEloquence289 for the abbots of the three seats who had come from Buxa.Althoughtheseabbots,beingnothingbutgeshésofthehighestrank,graspedthemeaningquickly,theyshowedlittleinterestindoingthewrittenexercises.SoIcouldn’t really tell if theyhadreached thepointofbeingable toapplywhattheyhadlearnedfromthetexts.BeforetheabbotofShartséreturnedtoBuxa,IgavehimathangkaoftheGuruPujameritfield,ahorizontalthangkaofthethirty-fivebuddhasofconfessioncompletewithbrocadeborder,aswellas many rolls of red, yellow, and blue Varanasi brocade for tantric deitycostumes.

Ipassedthreeweeksperformingtheritualsofpropitiationandinvocationfor celestial assistance of the protecting deities Palden Lhamo, the twelvetenma, fivefold Dharmarāja, and Shukden with the assembly of NamgyalMonastery.Theseritualsweredoneinaccumulativenumbersforthestrengthand success of religious and secular affairs. At the request of the formerminister Shenkhawa, over the course of three days beginning on thenineteenthdayof the tenthmonth I gave a largegroupof devoted studentsinstructionintheWheelofSharpWeaponsMindTraining.

BODHGAYA,SARNATH,ANDDELHI

Onthetwenty-ninthItraveledfromDharamsalatoBodhgaya,whereIspentone month performing virtuous activities in the form of prostrations andcircumambulations.At thewish ofMr. Jampa, amerchant fromCalcutta, Igaveanaudienceofaroundsixhundredpeoplea long-lifeempowerment inthetraditionofDrupgyalandthepermissionofAvalokiteśvaraWhoLiberatesfromAllLowerRealmsatthefootoftheBodhiTree.IinvitedTutorKyabjéLing Rinpoché to preside over offerings at the Tibetan Monastery inBodhgayaandoveranextensivethousandfoldofferingatthegreatstupa.

On the second first day of the eleventh month,290 I traveled fromBodhgayatoSarnath,whereIstayedattheTibetanmonastery.Ioffered101authentic sacred relics, such as pieces of clothing and hair taken from theBuddha after he passed away and from many great Indian and Tibetanmasters, tobeplaced in the interiorof thenewlybuilt statueofŚākyamunithat was to be the Tibetan monastery’s principal statue and performed theritualtoblessthedhāraṇītobeinserted.

Fromtheninth for twenty-twodays Igaveexperiential teachingson theEasyPathwiththenotesontheLiberationinthePalmofYourHandtotheabbotsofthethreeseatsandeighthundredincarnatelamas,geshés,students,and a few pilgrims who had come especially for the teachings at ShedrupDögu Khyil Monastery, the Tibetan monastery in Sarnath. This had beenrequested by theMongolian LamaGuruDeva and others, including PhakriJolak,SerkhangAma,andThuptenChöjor,theformermanagerofDrakgyabMonastery. As soon as that finished, at the request of the above-namedbenefactorsaswellasChamdoDotséandDampaLodröofTsawarong,IgaveinstructionsoverthecourseoffivedaysontheGuruPujabasedonKachenYeshéGyaltsen’sgreat instructionmanualon the root text,concludingwiththeceremonyforgeneratingbodhicitta.AlthoughIdidnothaveanypersonalexperience,Iraisedmyvoiceandgavetheseteachingslikeadonkeydonningthe skin of a leopard. Thinking how incredibly fortunate Iwas to have theopportunitytoexpoundlikeanactorthemethodsofthestagesofthepath—theessenceofallthepathsofthebuddhasofthepast,present,andfuture,andthebasisfortheBuddha’sturningofthewheelofDharma—toanassemblyofsuchdistinguishedmasters,Iacceptedthechallengeofdoingso.

At the request of Achen of Tsawarong, I gave the initiation of Life-SustainingJéTsongkhapaandthepermissiontopracticetheThreeWrathfulFormsCombined.

On the eleventh day of the twelfth month I traveled from Varanasi toDelhi.AttherequestofLamaLosangfromLadakh,Igavealargeaudienceatthe Ladakh Buddha Vihar the long-life empowerment of White Tārā andpermission to practice Avalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All LowerRealms.Ialsoperformedashortconsecrationinthetemple.

Ontheseventeenth,attheinvitationofmypatronGyurméSadutshang,ItraveledfromDelhitoSehore,Bhopal.There,atmysponsor’srequest,Igavea group of about ten people the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginī and gave an Amitāyus long-life initiation in the system ofDrupgyaltotheofficersandstaffoftheG.S.MandidipPaperMills.291

ENTHRONEMENTOFKYABJÉLINGRINPOCHÉANDTHEPASSINGOFLHABU

OntheninthofMarchinmysixty-fifthyear,thesixthdayofthefirstTibetanmonth of the year of the wood-snake (1965), I traveled from Sehore toDharamsala via Delhi. The supreme incarnation of Kyabjé Phabongkha

VajradharacametoDharamsalaformedicaltreatmentandtoreceivefurtherteachings.Hestayedwithmeasmyguestthroughouthisvisitasusual.

OnthetenthIvisitedHisHolinessinpersonanddelightedinseeinghisface,which clearly exhibited thewondrousmajor andminormarks. I tookpartinanelaboratelong-lifeceremonywiththeritualoffivesecretdeitiesofAmitāyus,whichwasamongthedivinevisionsofTakphu,with theHaltingthe Ḍākinī’s Escort ritual, all offered to His Holiness by the Tibetangovernment-in-exile.

TheceremonyinvestingTutorKyabjéLingRinpochéastheholderofthethrone of the second Buddha, Jé Tsongkhapa, was held in Bodhgaya.AlthoughonthatoccasionIhadofferedhimamandala,therepresentationsoftheholybody,speech,andmind,andthepandit’shatwithbrocadeflapsasanauspicioussign,aninauguralceremonyinthepresenceofHisHolinesswasheldinDharamsalaonthesixteenthtomakethisenthronementofficial.AftertheceremonyIpersonallywenttoseeKyabjéLingRinpochéandofferedhimasumofmoneyasatokenofthethreerepresentationsalongwithalongsilkscarfwith auspicious symbols and a volume ofKhedrup Jé’s biography ofTsongkhapa Entryway of Faith. The following day the supreme tutor andthroneholder came tomy home and offeredme a ceremonial scarf and thethreerepresentationsinreturn.

AttherequestofHisHoliness,overthecourseofthreedaysbeginningontheeighthdayofthesecondmonth,IofferedonthelawninfrontofMortimerHall292veryextensiveinstructionsontheSeven-PointMindTrainingandtheEightVersesonMindTraining,whereinmywordsbeliedmyownactions.Itwas a large public gathering— including the lay and ordained staff of ourowngovernment,abbots,incarnatemasters,andmonksfromthethreeseats,Gyütö and Gyümé tantric colleges, as well as various other religioustraditions,andlayandordainedpeoplelivinginDharamsala.

MyattendantLhabufellillwithacombinationofbilediseaseandsharpshooting pains around the twentieth. I requested the general assembly ofmonksatBuxa,bothShartséandJangtsécolleges,andGyütöandGyüméinDalhousietoholdprayersessionsonhisbehalf.

Onthetwenty-fourth,attherequestofthesupremeincarnationofKyabjéVajradharaRinpoché,Ibegantogiveagroupoftwelvemonks—includingRinpoché himself, Dagyab Rinpoché, Ratö Chubar Rinpoché, and DzeméRinpoché—permissionsforthecollectionsofdeitiesincludedinthefamedNarthangHundred,whichwaseditedandcompiledbyChimNamkhaDrakofNarthang, handed down from the glorious, incomparable Jowo Atiśa, andmade the heart practice of theKadam lamas. I gave twelve permissions on

thatdayandtwelvepermissionsonthetwenty-fifth.That eveningmy dear attendantLhabu,whowas upright by nature and

withoutanypretension,whohadbeenmyfriendandplaymatesinceIwastenyears old and he was nearly nine, who had patiently borne the burden ofstandingwithmethroughwhateverhappened,bothjoysandsorrows,untilhewas nearly sixty-six, andwhohad accomplishedwhateverwas entrusted tohimwithsingle-pointeddedication,began to irreversibly loseconsciousnessof the five senses despite medical treatment and prayers on his behalf. Iguided his mind toward virtuous thoughts and whispered the names ofbuddhas, dhāraṇīs, andmantras in his ear. Since he had always recited hisdaily prayers and had very few thoughts of attachment or anger, he passedawaypeacefully inavirtuous stateofmind,without the slightest feelingofhopeordoubt,ateleventhirtyatnight.Heembarkedonthatgreatpathcalleddeath reflecting on the impermanent nature of all compounded phenomena.AstheGarlandofBirthStoriessays:

Evenfriendstogetherforalongtimeareseparatedbydeath,therebybringinggreatsorrow.That,intheworld,iscertain.

Althoughmymind was tormented with grief, I performed the ritual oftransferenceof consciousness and saidwhateverprayers I knew.Everydayafterthatdayuntilthefullforty-ninedayshadpassed,Iperformedlastrites,such as the purification ritual, without fail. So there was a short recess ingiving the lamasand tulkuspermissions for theNarthangHundred.To sowrootsofvirtueonbehalfof thedeceased, Imademonetaryofferings tomysourcesofrefuge,HisHolinessbeingforemostofthese,tothemonksofthethree seats, those in Gyütö and Gyümé tantric colleges in Dalhousie, andthoselivinginBuxa.IalsohadofferingsmadeatthesacredsitesofIndiaandNepal.Onthetwenty-seventhhisbodywascrematedatthecremationground.

IgaveNgawangDrakpa,formerabbotofSeraMé,anoraltransmissionofvarious rituals I had composed in verse for Gyalchen Shukden — forestablishingsupports,thethread-crossritual,fireofferings,andsoon.

On the twenty-eighth day of the third month, at the request of DampaLodröofTsawarong,Iconferredtheone-dayMahayanavowsonaboutthreehundred people. At the beginning of the fourth month, Tutor Kyabjé LingRinpochétoldmethathewasplanningtoagaindoaretreatforGuhyasamājaAkṣobhyavajraandcametoaskthatIagainofferhimtheinitiation.So,overthe course of two days, I gave Rinpoché alone the great initiation into

Guhyasamājaalongwithitspreparatoryrite.Onthefifteenthofthefourthmonth,ontheforty-ninthdayafterLhabu’s

death,Imadeofferingsoffoodandtsokalldayto theNamgyalmonksandthelamasandgeshéswhowerelivinginDharamsalainanassemblypresidedover by His Holiness and Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché. From the next day IrepeatedlyperformedboneritualswithpiecesofthebonesofLadyYangzomTseringofLhalu,whichIhadearlierreceivedfromLhasa,andwiththeboneashes of the late Lhabu. Then I had votive tablet statues of Akṣobhya,Avalokiteśvara,andotherdeitiesmadewiththeremainingbonesmixedwithclay.

Igaveagroupofaroundseventylamas,geshés,andmonks—includingthirtymonkswhohad come fromBuxa— the blessing of the four sindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī.

Onthetwenty-fourthIresumedgivingtheremainingpermissionsfortheNarthangHundred to theabove-mentioned tulkusandgeshés.ThedayafterthatIbegantogivethepermissionsforthedeitiesinthefamedBariHundred,which was passed down from Lama Dorjé Denpa through Bari Lotsāwa,alongwithacompleteoraltransmissionoftheIndiansourcetexts.AlthoughthesupremeincarnationofKyabjéPhabongkhaRinpochéwantedmetogivethepermissionsfortheOceanofSādhanascontinuously,Ihadtopostponeittemporarily,astheIndiansourcetextswereunavailable.

OUTBREAKOFTHEINDO-PAKISTANIWAR

Onthethirddayofthesixthmonth,DagyabRinpochécametotakehisleavepriortohisdeparturetovisitaWestGermanuniversitythathadinvitedhim.Ioffered him a small departure gift and at hiswish composed the followingspiritualsongtopleasehismind:

Incomparablegreatmasterinwhomtheauspiciousknotofkarma,prayers,andvirtuousdeedshaslinkedtogethermanylives;sonofunsulliedvowswhohaslongbeennourishedbyDharma,thoughyoujourneycountlessleaguesandweareseparatedforeons,theforeverindeliblepictureofourwarmfriendship,placedundrawninmyheart,willbesurelyandvividlyrecalled.

Thebraveyounggaruḍason,hismentalpowersfullydeveloped,spreadshiswingstoroamoverthewideworld,

whilehisoldfatherinhopeliftshiseyelidstotheskiestoofferaprayerforsuccess,whichsoarsintotheair.

Thesightofsunandmooncirclingthefourcontinentsiswondrous,butthereisdangerinthevaporfromthemouthofperniciousRahu293Whenthestripedtigerwandersneartheedgeoftheforest,shemustbewarethehiddentrapsofŚavaripa.294

Inthehumanlandsthatresemblecelestialrealms,theappearancesofthislife’shappinessandwealtharelikeripplesonwater,moredeceptivethanamagician’sspell.Seethemasbeingemptyofanyessence.

Theever-turningwaterwheelofbusynessandtasksendlesslyloadsmoresufferingontoitself,andyetthedementedvainlycountsuchburdensasbadgesofhonor.Seethosefoolswhogototheirdeathsemptyhanded.

HavingwitnessedthewaysofthebarbarouslandsdevoidofDharma,whenIrecallthequalitiesoftheDharmalandofTibet,eventhesightofanoldTibetanwomanbeggingbytheroadsidefillsmyheartwithfondnessandjoy.

Ocuckoo,havingcircledthemedicinalforestsofsouthernMön,295swiftlyreturnandsingyoursweetsong.Thisolddecayingtree,fullofleavesbutfruitless,willwelcomeyouintheguiseofasaplingswayingunderitsyield.

Mydearfriend,thislittlesongtodispelyoursadnessisofferedasapartinggiftbythisoldlionlackingthetwo.296Maytheauspicioussongofourreunionarisefromthetreasureofyourmelodiousvoice,myfriend.

Ononeoccasion Iwrote a fewnotes to refreshmymemoryof the rootversesoftheSeven-PointMindTrainingbasedontheHortönNamkhaPal’scommentaryMindTrainingLikeRaysoftheSun.

OverthecourseofsevendaysItaughtthesixDharmasofNāropabasedon Endowed with Three Convictions297 and the commentary by NaktsangTenpaDargyé ofTrehor to the supreme incarnation ofKyabjéPhabongkha

Vajradhara, two of his attendants, and my own attendant Palden. At therequestoftheAmdoartistDorjé,IgavethirtydevoutpeopletheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī.Duringthesetimes,wheneverwewerefree,ImetwiththesupremeincarnationtogivehimasmuchpersonalinstructionasIcouldrememberhavingseenorheardat thefeetofhismostkind predecessor on the traditions of initiation, oral transmission, andexplanation.

One the morning of the sixth day of the seventh month, His Holinesscame to visit me. At his request I offered him an oral transmission of thesupplications toGuruRinpoché calledSwiftlyAccomplishingOne’sWishesandDispellingObstaclesonthePath.298ThatafternoonwhenHisHoliness,whohad leftona trip,wasnearingPathankot,Pakistan launched theattackthatbeganitswarwithIndia.Despitethedangerposedbypotentialairraids,His Holiness and his entourage were able to pass safely through the citywithoutincident.

Just before eleven o’clock on the night of the fourteenth, Pakistanlaunched an air raid, dropping bombs and firing on the military base nearDharamsala,killingtwovillagersandafewcowsandinjuringseveralpeople.Therewere further air raidsover thenext fewdays, andbombswere againdroppedonvillagesnearDharamsala.Duetotheemergency,nighttimeuseofelectricoranyotherformoflightwasbannedthroughoutKangradistrict.Thedistrictmagistrateorderedditchestobedugnearhousesasair-raidshelters,andpatrolswereestablishedtoenforcetheorderedblackouts.Wehadtoliveunderconsiderablementalstress.

A few days later, His Holiness’s elder brother Losang Samten arrivedfromDelhi andhada conferencewith theTibetan cabinetministers. ItwasdecidedthatthetwotutorsandHisHoliness’smothershouldgotoDelhiforthetimebeing.IadvisedthesupremeincarnationofPhabongkhaRinpochétostay inDharamsala and said that Iwould stay in touchwith him about hisplans. As traditional ritual implements I offered Rinpoché a vajra and bellwith silver handles, a silver grain container, a silver inner-offering cupcompletewiththebaseandcover,anivoryḍamaruhanddrumwithagoldensash,asilvernectarvase,threesilverbutterlampsfromlargetosmallinsize,andonethousandIndianrupees.

TutorKyabjéLingRinpochéandhisretinue,mytwoattendantsandI,andhisHoliness’smotherandhersmallentourageleftDharamsalabycaratsixinthe morning on the twenty-fifth. Given the wartime turmoil, we couldn’ttraveleasily.Weblewouta tireandhadto travel in thedarkwithoutusingtheheadlightsatall,soweendedupontheroaduntilatleastteno’clockthat

night. Accommodation had been arranged for us at Tibet House in Delhi,where it had been decidedKyabjéLingRinpoché and Iwould stay for thetimebeing.

TheincarnationofKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradharainthe1960sSOURCEUNKNOWN

Atthewishof thesupremeincarnationofDromoGeshéRinpoché,whohad plans to make new supplies of the precious pill known as “Dromopreciouspills,”Iofferedhimabout170kindsofmostreliableanddifficulttoobtain relics of self-produced pills, pieces of hair and cloth of theBuddha,Indianmasters,andTibetanmastersofalltraditions.

BeforelongtheIndo-PakistaniWarcametoanendandwewererelieved.Once, when Ganden Throneholder Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché, his labrangmanager Losang Lungrik, and I were relaxing together at Tibet House, it

suddenly struckme that Rinpoché lookedmuch older, and this song arosespontaneouslyfrommylips:299

Lotuspetalsofpastprayersmayhavebloomedbythethousands,butthefrostofwanderingaimlesslywithoutthoughtorpurposehasdestroyedthenourishmentofthegoodhoneyofenlightenment.Therefore,pleaselistentothepleasofthisignorantoldlion.

HavingunderstoodflawlesslyandpurelythetransmissionofLosang,whichistheveryessenceofthemightyBuddha’steachings,proclaimdowntheeonsthefar-reachingsongofyourexcellentdeeds,whichwillshowdisciplesintheirmanyformsthegreatpathofthe

victors.

Withalifereflectingtheinsightsofthefourtypesofāryas,builtonthepathofscriptureandreasoning,andofteachings

unassailablebyopponents,thelightofyourperfectedactivities,whichamazeallthebuddhas,letitshineasthepathdispellingthedarknessofdestructiveforces.

AtthesametimeIexpressedthistohislabrangmanager:300

Listentome,mywiseandbroad-mindedfriend.BycontinuingtolivethelifeoftheyouthSudhana,301ifyoukeeptheringoffaithunshakableatyourheart,itwillforeverbeheldbythehookofcompassionofthemasterofthe

threefamilies.

Withamindfocusedonasinglepoint,andwithpurethoughtanddeed,

devoteyourselfuntiringlytoyourkindlama,andwithoutsearchingamidthehillsandvalleys,thewish-grantingjewelwilldropintoyourhands.

On the twenty-sixth of the eighth month, His Holiness traveled fromMysoreinSouthIndiatoDelhi,andKyabjéLingRinpochéandIvisitedhimto seek his advice. He advised us that it would be best if we remained inplaces likeBodhgaya over thewinter.At the invitation ofLamaLosangofLadakhandothers,KyabjéLingRinpochéandIwenttotheLadakhBuddhaVihar one day. There we performed a consecration ceremony, and in the

afternoon the Ladakhi students put on a cultural performance of song anddance.

On the second day of the ninth month, His Holiness, we two tutors,EducationMinister Chagla,302 DromoGeshé Rinpoché, and Indira Gandhi,daughterofPanditNehru,werethechiefguestsattheopeningceremoniesforTibet House in Delhi. After His Holiness, we two tutors, and the ritualassistants fromNamgyalMonasterychantedprayersofauspiciousnessamidthe gathering ofmanydistinguished guests of all types,EducationMinisterChaglaofficiatedtheinaugurationceremony.

TibetHouseopeningceremonies,withspecialguestsM.C.ChaglaandIndiraGandhi,October26,1965COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

At my suggestion the supreme incarnation of Kyabjé PhabongkhaRinpochécametoDelhifromDharamsala.Athisrequest,overthecourseofeight days I gave Rinpoché himself, Dromo Rinpoché, Denma LochöRinpoché, and Rizong Rinpoché of Ladakh an explanation of JéTsongkhapa’sMiddle-LengthStagesofthePathpublishedwithheadingsthatI had compiled.With thehope that the supreme incarnationwouldperformdeedsthatwouldbeofgreatbenefit tobeingsinthefuture,Ipresentedhimwithacomplete setof the same relics that Ihadgiven toDromoRinpochéandanassortmentofpreciouspillsandadvisedhimthathemustcarryonthe

learned,disciplined,andcompassionatelife’sworkofhispredecessor.While inDelhi, I sawavastcollectionof religious textsatTibetHouse

that contained the collected works of Bodong Choklé Namgyal, ShuchenTsultrim Rinchen of Dergé, and many others.303 The staff of Tibet Housemademefeelquitecomfortableand relaxedduringmystay, thanks to theirgeneroushospitality.Onthetwenty-firstIwenttothepaperfactoryinSehore,Bhopal,attheinvitationofGyurméSadutshang.

Ganden Shartsé Monastery submitted a request to His Holiness fordivination regarding the activities of my body, speech, and mind. As theoutcomeofthedivinationwasapparentlyquitedisturbing,HisHolinesssentmealetterexhortingmetogenerateastrongintentiontolivealonglife.InresponsetohisletterIpresentedthefollowingreply:

Myriadmightyconquerors,inexpressiblebyspeech,massivecloudsofmiraculousdeeds,beyondtheimagination,thebeguilingdanceofanenlightenedbodythatisvisibletoall,anoceanofhappinessandwell-beingextendingbeyondoursight.304

Fromthewavesswollenbythecompassionofyourmind,thestreamofthenectarofyourwell-spokenwordsfallsontheoldcrownofthisignorantoldman,andIoverflowwiththeblissofthepacificationoffabrication.

Possessedbythedevilofdiscursivethought,Iperformthedanceofeverykindofevilconduct.Theirvividreverberationsleadmetoadreadfulabyss,whereIturnonceandknowinglyjumpin.305

Desirousofthewealthprovidedbythepatron,likepapercaughtinthewindatthepapermill,Iwanderonandon,appearingtobehappy,wastingtheopportunityandleisureaffordedme.

Fromyourperspectiveofexaltedwisdomofthepuredharmadhātu,inwhichallphenomenaarisesimultaneouslybutnot

indistinguishably,seeingthispieceofbrassdevoidofDharmaappearingasgold,youmustbethinkinghowallthingsareimputedbythought.

“Workhardtocreatetheconditionsforyourexcellenthumanformofgreatvaluetolivelong.”Yourweightycommand,ofessenceandmeaningful,itsprofoundimportisabsorbedinthecenterofmyheart.

OurDharmaland,ourhappycelestialrealm,isdestroyedbyferociousanti-Dharmaforces,andthoughIlongtowitnessonceagainthegreatpageantofDharma

andsecularrule,inwhichDharma,wealth,enjoyment,andliberationflourishes,306whatcanapowerlessordinarypersonlikemedo?

Protectorwhosemasteryofthetenpowersiscomplete,whenyouraisethemightyarmyofhundredsofpowerfulblessings,thefangsofthemightyLordofDeathwillsurelybeblunted.

Enduringfriend,byyoursteadfastnessIclaspyoufirmlyandforeverinmyheart.Withamindofsustainedunwaveringhope,protector,youwhofoiltransience,Imakethisrequest.

Howcouldsomeonelikeme,amereshadowofapreserveroftheteachings

whoonlypretendstounderstandtheirmeaning,honorablyservetheteachingsofMañjuśrīTsongkhapa,307thequintessenceoftheBuddhadharma?

PreservingexactlyasyouhaverealizedthemtheessentialpointsofthevastandprofoundteachingsoftheBuddha,bringingthemtobloomlikeawhitelotuswithahundredpetals,pleaseliberatealllivingbeingsfromtheoceanofsamsaraand

affliction.308

Indarkandterribletimessuchasthesewhenadversecircumstanceseverywherearise,whenmaliciouspeopleusethemachinationsofdeception,youdonthearmorofindefatigablepatience.

Whenfromthehiddenrealmsthebuddhasandbodhisattvas

praiseandexaltyouasalionofmen,apartfromignorant,stupidbeasts,whowithintelligencewouldnotrevereyou?

Kye!Kye!Greatprotector,treasureofcompassion,clearlyheldasanimageinthecenterofmyheart,seizewithyourironhookofcompassionthisdodderingoldmanwhomakesthissonorousplea.

Thoughthisprayerlacksthemusicofmelody,sweetnessoftone,andprofundityofwordandmeaning,withthecandorofonelongcaredforbyyourcompassion,Irespectfullyofferwhathasflowedfreelyfrommymind.

I gave a group of around sixty managers and laborers at the factory,includingGyurmé, long-life empowerment in the tradition ofDrupgyal andoral transmissionsof the fasting riteandGuide to theBodhisattva’sWayofLife.

I went from Bhopal to Bodhgaya, where I had an audience with HisHolinessandKyabjéLingRinpoché.IalsometDagyabRinpoché,whohadreturnedfromGermany.TosowrootsofvirtueonbehalfofthelateLhabu,Imadeextensivehundredfoldofferingsat thegreatstupaandmadecloudsofofferingsoffoodandmoneyforanentiredaytothemonkswhowerethere.

SakyaTrizinRinpochéandNyingmaDudjomRinpochécametovisitmeon different occasions. During our relaxed and very friendly conversation,Dudjom Rinpoché told me how a few of the nine volumes of NgadakNyangral’s treasure teachings called theEight Instructions: AGathering ofSugatas309 were kept at Nyangral’s home monastery of Mawo Chok inLhodrak,andthatthetreasureteachingonyellowparchmentseemedtobeinthe handwriting of Denma Tsemang.310When I asked him to describe thehandwriting,IfoundthatDudjomRinpoché’sdescriptionmatchedtwopiecesofhandwritingonyellowparchment thatwerekept in thegreat relicboxatthePotalaPalace.

On the third day of the eleventh month, I attended an auspiciousrestoration and purification ceremony to celebrate the completion of theextension and restoration of the assembly hall at the Tibetanmonastery inBodhgaya. When the Tibetan government made an extensive hundredfoldoffering at the great stupa for the general good of the Dharma and thegovernment, His Holiness presided along with Sakya Trizin Rinpoché,

DudjomRinpochéoftheNyingmatradition,DrukpaThukséandLamaKaluRinpochéoftheKagyütradition,wetwotutors,andothers.

Oneday,attheinvitationofanAmdomonknamedKelsang,whowastheproprietor of the monastery at the Śītavana cemetery, I went there, madeextensive offerings, and performed a propitiation ritual as well as aconsecration.IleftanewlyprintedvolumeaboutthefiveclassesoftantraintheShangpatraditionasarepresentationofspeechintheprotectorchapel.

ItraveledfromBodhgayatoSarnathandstayedthere.Withtheintentionof sowing roots of virtue on behalf of the late Lhabu, I made clouds ofofferings at the great stupa for an entire day, including a thousand butterlampsandsoonalongwithtsok,tothemonkswhowerealreadyinSarnathaswell as fifty-four members of the scholars seminar who had been selectedfrom among the learned masters of the three seats and from the Sakya,Nyingma, andKagyü traditions.This seminarwasorganizedand sponsoredbytheTibetangovernment.OnedayIaddressedthosemastersoftheclassics,impressing upon them that theymust take as their first priority the need toexplain skillfully the pure tradition of the teachings of the Buddha, sacredsource of inexhaustible benefit and happiness, unerringly, just as the greatSageintended,andinawaybefittingtheacuityofintelligentstudents.Whenthegeshés returned toBuxa, I sentShartséCollegeofGanden an excellentpairoflargeantiquecymbalsplayedverticallyandapairplayedhorizontally,andtoJangtséCollegeofGandenasetofantiqueuprightcymbals.

At the request of Rizong Rinpoché from Ladakh at various times, andwith personal hopes of strengthening the teachings and practice ofCakrasaṃvara in the tradition of Ghaṇṭāpāda, a path well traveled byinnumerablesiddhasofIndiaandTibet,Igavetheinitiationofthefive-deityCakrasaṃvaraoutermandalatothreehundreddisciples,includinglamasandmonks,attheTibetanmonasteryinSarnath.Atthisparticulartimeandplacethe teachings and practices of the body mandala of Cakrasaṃvara haddeclined. The supreme deity Heruka Cakrasaṃvara assured KyabjéPhabongkha, the sole refuge and inconceivably compassionate Vajradhara,thatup to the seventhgeneration, thegloriousCakrasaṃvarahimselfwouldpersonally care for his disciples. With the hope that this practice mightincrease,IalsogavetheinitiationofCakrasaṃvarabodymandalato250whohadthecommitmenttopracticetheyogaofthethreepurificationsandgaveteachings on the two stages of the body mandala to 194 who held thecommitment to do the elaborate sādhana daily. I gave the teachings forseventeen days in the undegenerated traditional manner of the suprememasters.At the endof this teaching, I gave an explanationof the exclusive

long-lifepracticeofWhiteHerukaattherequestofJinpaGyatso,anattendantatLingLabrang.WeperformedaGuruPujaandtsokofferinginconjunctionwith Cakrasaṃvara, sponsored jointly by Bakula Rinpoché and RizongRinpoché.

On behalf of all those connected to me, I again made extensivethousandfoldofferingsatthestupainSarnath,andtosowrootsofvirtueonbehalfofthelateLhabu,Iofferedtenthousandbutterlamps,therebyplantingtheseedofomniscientenlightenment.

FURTHERTEACHINGS

OnthetenthdayofthefirstTibetanmonthinmysixty-sixthyear,theyearofthefire-horse(March2,1966),IreturnedtoDharamsalafromVaranasi.Onthe twenty-seventh,Tutor andThroneholderKyabjéLingRinpoché stoppedbytovisitmeatmyhomeonhisreturnfromBodhgaya.ThenextdayIwenttovisitRinpochéinhishomeandpresentedhimwith,amongotherthings,asilverstatueofWhiteTārāforauspiciousness.

Over thecourseof sevendays,beginningon the firstdayof the secondmonth,HisHolinesspresidedover thewealth-generatingritualsattendedbytheassemblyofNamgyalmonks.KyabjéLingRinpochéand I attended therituals,whichwere sponsoredby theTibetangovernment for thebenefit oftheTibetansinexile.TheassemblyperformedtheVaiśravaṇaprosperityriteandconsecrationoftreasurevasesinconnectionwithWhiteJambhala,WhiteMahākāla,andVaiśravaṇa.

Onthetwenty-seventhIbegantogiveHisHolinessanoraltransmissionof Gyaltsap Jé’s commentary on the Perfection of Wisdom sutras entitledEssenceOrnament,311andfromthenon,wheneverHisHolinesshadabreakinhisschedule,myhealthpermitted,andthetimewasavailable,IcontinuedtoofferhimoraltransmissionofthecollectedworksofGyaltsapJé,forwhichIbearthetransmissionlineage.

Onthethirddayofthethirdmonth,ImetwithJamyang,thesonofDriwaBalsé. Driwa Balsé was a constituent of the territory of Gangkar Lama ofSeudruMonastery inMarkham, and he had escapedChinese oppression inKham.HedeliveredtomeaverydetailedaccountofthegeneralsituationinMarkhamandtoldmespecificallythattheincarnationofGangkarLamaandtreasurerAdruk had fled deep into the jungle during theChinese takeover.RatherthanfallintothehandsoftheRedChinese,thetulkuhadpassedawayof his ownwill when he was about to be captured, while Adruk had died

fightingthem.WhenIhadstayedinhismonastery, the tulkuhadbeenverydevoted tomeandwaswelldisciplined,buthehadnotseemedparticularlyaccomplished. However, willing his own passing at the criticalmoment ofcapturestruckmeasanamazingdemonstrationofaholyperson.

IgavetheGadongmediumandtwoofhisfamilymembersandthewifeofPrimeMinisterDekharwa(Lukhangwa)permissionfortheThreeWrathfulForms Combined. Former minister Shenkhawa came to clear up somequestions he had about combining the practice of the sevenfold cause-and-effect instruction with the practice of equalizing and exchanging self andothers,soIgavehimdetailedinstructions.

Overthecourseofthreedays,beginningonthetwelfthdayofthefourthmonth,IofferedexplanationandinstructionintheSeven-PointMindTrainingto a group of around a hundred, including the entire assembly ofNamgyalMonastery. The teaching was requested by Thupten Chöden of NamgyalMonastery to fulfill the dying wish of Namgyal’s late Venerable ThuptenChöyang.

At the beginning of the fifth month, at the request of Ratö KhyonglaRinpochéNgawangLosang,Igaveafewpeople,includingthetulkuhimselfandformerministerShenkhawa,thegreatinitiationintoCakrasaṃvarabodymandala inGhaṇṭāpāda’s tradition. On the nineteenth and twentieth, at therequestofthegeneralassemblyofNamgyalMonastery,Igaveanaudienceofmore than one hundred, including the Namgyal monks and other lamas,tulkus,andmonks, thegreat initiation intoCakrasaṃvara in the traditionofLuipaalongwithitspreparatorypractices.

11

I

DistantTravelsandTragicNews

FIRSTVISITTOSWITZERLAND

RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO visit Switzerland from Chözé Yugyal, amemberoftheSadutshangfamilyfromTrehor,whoinsistedthatI travelthereatonceformedicaltreatmentandthathewouldbearallofmytravel

expenses.SoIdecidedtogotoSwitzerland.Onthetwenty-secondofthefifthmonth,IhadanaudiencewithHisHolinesstotakemyleave.Onthetwenty-fourth Palden and I traveled from Dharamsala to Delhi. When I departedDelhionanAir India flightataroundeleveno’clock in themorningon thetwenty-seventh,therepresentativeandstafffromtheBureauofHisHolinesstheDalaiLamainDelhiaswellasthedirectorandstaffofTibetHousecametotheairporttoseemeoff.

I arrived at the airport in Geneva, Switzerland, at around five in theafternoon,whichwouldhavebeen aroundnine in the evening India time. Iwas personallywelcomed there byHisHoliness’s representative in EuropePhalha ThuptenÖden,312 HisHoliness’s elder brother Losang Samten, andmybenefactor,ChözéYugyal,whosehousewewentto.

SincethatnighthappenedtobeaSwissholiday,agreatcrowdofpeoplehadgatheredatLakeGeneva,andahugedisplayoffireworksweregoingoffin thesky.Seeing flowersofeverycolorappearand fall likesparkling rainfrom space really helped improve the way I visualized the emission anddissolutionoflightandthepurifyingrainofnectarduringmydailypractices.I gave Chözé Yugyal four thangkas as objects of veneration, including athangka depicting Sukhāvatī heaven. After a few days, we moved to Mr.Phalha’s apartment, as itwasmore spacious.DakpoBamchöRinpoché lefthis attendant Thupten with us to assist Palden with the daily work ofpreparing food and drink. He was very helpful throughout my stay inSwitzerland.

At the request of Ratö Khyongla Rinpoché, I gave him, BamchöRinpoché,RakraTulku,Mr.Phalha,andGeshéKhedrupThuptenofSeraMétheblessingof thefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī.Theysponsoreda

long-lifeceremonywithtsokofferingconjoinedwiththeCakrasaṃvararitual.At that time Khyongla asked me to record a spiritual song into a taperecorder,soIsangthefollowing:

InthisSwisscity,ameetingplaceofhappinessandjoy,asifBrahma,withamovementofhismind,hasplacedherethewondersofthecelestialrealmsonhigh,wemasteranddisciples,patronandteacherofunsulliedbond,enjoyfullythissecretgathering,anauspiciousfestival,bringingtogetherthesedelightfulfaces.

Lookingup,thekindrootandlineagelamas,theirdense,limitlesscloudsofcompassionateblessingsletfallthegentlerainofsupremeandordinarysiddhisofthemandalasofpeacefulandwrathfulmeditationdeities,andtheḍākasandḍākinīsofthethreeworldsperformtheirdance.Oh,sohappytohavethefortunetoenjoythewheelofsecret

offerings.

Iyearnthatinthesuccessionofourliveswewillbetogether,enjoyequalsharesofthenectaroftheMahayana,andintheAkaniṣṭharealmofeffortlesspleasure,togetherattainsupremeenlightenment.

Chözé Yugyal arranged for me to see a private doctor named Dr.Weisman for a physical examination. Over two days my body, urine andfeces,blood,andsoonwerecloselyexamined.Otherthanlowbloodpressureandhavingaminorintestinalworm,therewasnothingseriouslywrongwithme. The doctor prescribed some medicine and injections to strengthen mephysically and various other treatments. I did everything Iwas told.ChözéYugyalboreallofthecostsforthedoctor’svisitandmedicationshimself.

On the twenty-fourth day of the seventhmonth, I traveled by air fromGeneva to Zürich, where I stayed at the home of a Dutch woman, Mrs.Kalff,313whowas the sponsorofGeshéLosangChödrakofSeraMé.Mrs.KalfftookmetotheZürichZoologicalGarden,aplacewheretherewereallsortsofanimals,includingwildcarnivoresandeveryvarietyofbird.

I decided to visit each Tibetan resettlement area, not only because anumberofthemhadinvitedme,butbecauseIhopedthatvisitingeachplaceinpersonmighthelpinsomesmallwaytopreserveourcultureandreligion.

FirstIvisitedTibetanslivinginthesettlementsofOetwilandRütiandgaveteachingsandadvicetothem.IstayedatthehomeofGyaltsenNamdrölfromDrepungGomanginRikon.OnedayIwenttothesettlementinMünchwilen,gaveteachings,advice,andsoon,andreturnedtoRikon.

Mr.Phalhahadarrangedaget-togetherfortheTibetanboysandgirlsthata number ofwealthy families in Switzerland had adopted from theTibetanChildren’sVillageinDharamsala.WiththeexceptionofafewfamilieswhowereopposedtotheiradoptedchildrenhavingcontactwithTibetans,mostofthechildrencameoneatatimetoseemewiththeirSwissfamilies.Iofferedeachchildagiftandadvised themthat theyshouldnot forget theirheritageand so on. Most of the children did not speak Tibetan, let alone observeTibetan customs. They had to rely on physical gestures to try andcommunicatewithme,whichmademesad,buttherewasnothingIcoulddoaboutit.

One day I gave about sixty people— the Tibetans living in the Rikonresettlementareaalongwithsomewhohadcomefromothersettlements—the long-life empowerment ofWhiteTārā and recited oral transmissions oftheHundred Deities of Tuṣita,Praises to Tārā, the refuge prayer, and theprayerforthelonglifeofHisHoliness.IgavethemaDharmatalkontopicssuchasrefugeandkarmaandconveyedtheimportanceofabidingbythelawsofthehostcountry.Iadvisedthechildrentobefriendlyandbehavewell,thattheymust try theirbestnot togiveup theircultural traditions, suchas theirlanguage and religion, so that they could have both a secular and religiouseducation. The next day, Tibetans from the settlement inRikon gaveme along-lifeceremonyinconnectionwithaGuruPujaandtsok.Notonlydidthetwo responsible for the settlement, Dr. Peter Lindegger and his wife, wearTibetanclothing thewhole timeandparticipate inall thegatherings,buthealsoknewhowtospeakTibetanquitewell.

On the fourth day of the eighth month I traveled from Rikon to thesettlement area of Reitnau. After giving Dharma teachings and advice, ItraveledtoTrogen,wheretherewasaTibetanschool.314ThereIwasgreetedwithofferingspresentedintheTibetanstylebyareceptionpartythatlinedtheroadonthewaytotheYumbuLagangTibetanhome315comprisedofRakraRinpoché,316whowasoverseeingtheTibetanchildren,Söpal,317thedirectorof the village Arthur Bill,318 the staff of the Red Cross, and the Tibetanchildren.TherewitheveryonepresentweheldasmallreceptionwithteaandceremonialriceasatokenofTibetantradition.AfterwardIspentfivedaysatLuksung Ngön-ga, another of the Tibetan houses, where arrangements hadbeenmadeformystay.Whilethere,IwenttovisitArthurBillandpresented

himasmallgift.HeseemedtogenuinelycareaboutTibetansandexpressedhisgoodwillandsympathyforusinourconversation.

I left Trogen and spent one day in the Tibetan settlement inWaldstatt.WhenMrs.Schwarzenbach,amemberoftheRedCrosswhowasinchargeofalltenTibetansettlements,cametomeetmethere,Igavehergifts,thankedher profoundly for her excellent work on behalf of the settlements, andexpressedmyhopethatallfutureeffortswouldbeasgoodashers.

Thenextday I traveled toaTibetan settlement ina smallvillagecalledSamedannearthefootofasnowmountainwhereLamdrakTulkuofTrehor,amongothers,wasliving.Wewereexhaustedat theendofthedaybecausethe tripwasquite long,windingaroundmanymountainsand throughmanytunnels.IstayedatLamdrakTulku’shome.ThereImetLosangNyima, thenephewofGyüméChabrilTsultrimDargyéfromTrehor,withwhomIwasascloseasifwewerefamilyinTibet,andmyownnieceTashiDrölmaandherhusband and children. I gave around forty Tibetans, young and old, oraltransmissionsofquiteafewDharmatexts,includingChantingtheNamesofMañjuśrī,Praise of the Exalted,319Praises to Tārā, and the prayer for thelonglifeofHisHoliness,aswellasadviceonreligiousandsecularmatters.AnextensivetsokofferinginassociationwithaGuruPujawassponsoredbytheTibetancommunity.

OnedaywetookasmallelectrictrainthatwentstraightupthesideofamountainnearSamedan,320didsomesightseeingatthepeakofthemountain,and ate in a restaurant there. From Samedan I visited the four Tibetansettlements at Landquart, Buchen, Ebnat-Kappel, andUnterwasser one at atime,spendingadayateachsettlementgivingteachingsandadvicesimilartowhat I have mentioned above. In Unterwasser, at the request of GeshéKhenrabThuptenofSeraMé,whooversawagroupofmore than tenboysand girls, I gave an explanation and transmission of theFoundation of AllGood Qualities, and when I did the Guru Puja with tsok with them, thechildrencouldrecitetheGuruPujafluently.WhenIaskedthemtoenumeratethe eight freedoms and ten opportunities of a precious human life, the tenpositive and negative actions, the sevenfold causes leading to the result ofbodhicitta, and so on, the children answered correctly. Iwas delighted andthoughthowusefulitistohavegeshéfromoneofthegreatseatsoflearningasaheadmaster.

IreturnedtoYumbuLaganginTrogen,whereoverthecourseofaneight-daystay,IfulfilledeachandeveryrequestforDharmateaching.IgaveRakraTulku the permission for Jé Tsongkhapa as the triple deity and the life-entrusting initiation for Shukden. I gave about seventy people, including

studentsandstaffoftheTibetanschool,permissiontopracticeAvalokiteśvaraWhoLiberatesfromAllLowerRealms,thelong-lifeempowermentofWhiteTārā, and oral transmissions of a number of Dharma texts, including theHundredDeitiesofTuṣitaandChantingtheNamesofMañjuśrī,andadvisedthem on religious and secular activities. At the request of Chözé Yugyal Igavesevenpeople,includingMr.PhalhaandRakraTulku,thegreatinitiationintosingle-deityVajrabhairava.

One evening the students put on a play about the tale of Lha LamaJangchup Ö’s efforts to invite Atiśa to Tibet. It was well done and verymoving.

GERMANYANDENGLAND

I then went to a German region called Wahlwies, where twelve Tibetanchildren,theirreligiousteacherGyalsurTulkuofLoseling,andhouseparentLosangNamdröl and hiswifewere staying.321 I spent a day there, and thechildrenappearedtobequitegoodatdrawingandTibetanwriting.

Then,attheinvitationoftheheadmasterandthegeneralbodyofstudentsand teachersofTrisongNgön-gaTibetanHome inEngland,on the thirtiethPalden,Mr.Phalha,andIleftZürichtogetherbyair,landingattheairportintheEnglishcapital,London.GeshéTsultimGyeltsenofGandenShartséandretired government official Thupten Ngawang, who was overseeing thechildren,hadcome towelcomeme.We traveled togetherbycar toTrisongNgön-gaintheTibetanChildren’sVillage,whereIstayedfortendays.

I gave Geshé Gyeltsen, the headmaster, and the children the long-lifeempowerment ofWhiteTārā andoral transmissionsof someDharma texts,including the refuge prayer and Praises to Tārā. The students gave aperformanceofTibetan songsanddances.Themusicand theperformanceswereexcellentineveryrespect.

At the urging of the geshé and retired government official, one day ateight in the morning we boarded a small train and went sightseeing inLondon.Onemuseumhad a hugenumber of remarkablewax likenesses offamousleadersfromallover theworld—includingcurrent leaders like thequeenofEnglandandherministers,previouskingsandqueensofEngland,primeministersNehruandShastriofIndia,MaoZedongandZhouEnlaiofChina, and the American president, and a great number of artists andperformers fromthepastandpresent.We then tookanelevatorupa thirty-seven-storytowertoaviewingplatformfromwhichwecouldseethecityof

London.322Thecityappearedvast,reachingbeyondthehorizon.Thehousesand laneswerewell arranged, and themany low familyhouses looked likehusked rice spilled from a bag among the grass on a plain. I couldn’t getenoughofthatview.Whenwefinishedlooking,wewenttoahotelwherewestayedthenight.

Thefollowingdaywewenttoseealarge,magnificentChristianchurch,famed as the place where prayers and benedictions were offered when theEnglishmonarchswerecrowned.323 Inachurchasprominentand imposingasthat,allofthedetailscarvedinreliefinthebishop’spulpitandsoonaremostmajestic.Itseemedlikethepreachingandlisteningweredonewithgreatreverence. We went around to see a few other famous places and thenreturnedtotheTrisongNgön-gaTibetanhome.

Overthecourseofmystaythere,toawomanwhowasassistingRechungTulkunamedMarianneWinder,324afaithfulBuddhistwhodailyrecitedthemantra ofWhite Tārā, I gave a recitation transmission for the mantra andadvised her on what to visualize during prayers. I gave Geshé TsultimGyeltsen instruction in the Seven-Point Mind Training, and I gave someTibetans,includingthestaffandstudentsatTrisongNgön-ga,permissionstopracticeRedandYellowMañjuśrīandoral transmissionsof theGuruPuja,theHundredDeitiesofTuṣita,andsoon.

Onedaywewent to thecityofHastingsand to the seasidenearby.Wewalked on the long pier extending into the sea and visited shops andrestaurants.

Aftermyvisit toEnglandwas finished,DagyabChetsangHothokthu inBonn,Germany,invitedmetocomeseehim.WhenIarrivedattheairportinLondon on the eleventh day of the ninth month, Mr. Richardson,325 theformer British representative in Lhasa, came to meet me. We spent quitesometimehavingalengthydiscussioninTibetanbeforeIboardedtheplanethattookmetoCologne,Germany.

Dagyab Rinpoché came to welcome me with Phukhang Khentrul ofGanden Shartsé, Dza Rongphu Tulku, E Lama, and Pema Tsering of theNyingmatradition,andIspentafewdaysatDagyabRinpoché’shomenearBonn.While there, Khentrul and Dza Rongphu Tulku accompanied me tovisittheBonnZentralasienSeminar,326aninstitutefortheacademicstudyofCentral Asian,Mongolian, and Tibetan culture. At the department I met aprofessor of Indology named Hahn327 and an ecumenical religious studiesprofessor named Gustav Mensching. Because my visit coincided with thedirector of the department’s visit to Japan, we were looked after by Dr.Sagaster,328theassistantdirector,whoaskedusmanyquestions,suchaswhat

was the symbolism of the Buddhist depictions of the wheel of Dharma. Irepliedbyexplaininghowthehubthatholds thewheel, thespokesthatcut,and the rim that keeps the wheel together symbolize the three highertrainings.329 Then I was taken around to see a few libraries and variousdepartments.

A car and guide specially provided by the tourism department of theGerman government took me to see an old Christian abbey called MariaLaachinordertoshowmethetempleandthebuildingsinwhichthemonksengaged in various arts and crafts with which they earned their living. Ireturned home when it was just getting dark. The assistant director of theCentral Asian program, Dr. Sagaster, came to visit me again to ask somemore questions. He expressed how happy he was with my answers. I alsomadeaquickvisittoPhukhangKhentrul’shome.

At the invitation of the Kalmyk Mongolian monk Achunor and theMongolian community inMunich, on the sixteenth I flew by Lufthansa toMunich,where IwaswelcomedbyVenerableAchunor,PanglungTulkuofSeraMé,YerpaTsenshapTulkuofSeraMé,andaHungarianscholarnamedStephan Palos, the head of a Buddhist group who had faith in theteachings.330WeallwenttogethertotheMongoliantemple.Overthecourseof the seven days that I stayed there, at the invitation of Professor AntonSpitaler,whowastheheadofthedepartmentwherePanglungRinpochéandYerpaTsenshapwereworking,Iwenttotheuniversity.331HegavemesomereproductionsofsectionsfromveryoldTibetantextsunearthedatDunhuangand askedme a fewquestions aboutTibetanpolitical and religious history,whichIanswered.

WhentheopeningceremoniesforthemonasterythatVenerableAchunorhad founded were held, the minister from the welfare department of theGerman government and his colleagues, the Buddhist community,Mongolianslivinginthearea,andmanyotherforeignguestsattended.Duringthe ceremony I cut the ribbon after chanting some preliminary auspiciousversesalongwithLosangDargyéofGomangCollegeandPanglungTulku.Igaveabriefspeechaboutwhythefoundingofthemonasterywasimportant.Iplacedceremonialscarvesontheprincipalstatues,madeofferings,performedtheconsecration,andgavethemonasterythenameThekchenChöphelLing.

One day I went into the city ofMunich to the hugeGermanMuseum,where I saw a variety of things, including models of ships and airplanesillustrating the history of shipping and aviation.Therewere exhibits on thehistoricaldevelopmentofcoalmining,on thehistoryof scienceandatomicenergy,andonthepracticeofmedicineinthepastandpresent.Isawamodel

ofarocketwithfiguresofpeopleinsideandanexhibitonhowitislaunched,travelsinspace,andsoon.

The results of the dedicated efforts of individualswho had attained thefruit of patience through enduring great hardship and applied their humanintelligencetowardthedevelopmentofscienceandtechnologyiscomparableto thatof themiraclesof themahāsiddhasof thepast.Considering this, theachievementsofthoseofuswhostriveonthepathsofsutraandtantrataughtbytheBuddha—whounderstoodtheultimatenatureofthefournobletruthsand who possessed the threefold qualities of the tathāgatas with completecommand of all abandonments and insights— should be considerable.Yetpeople likemyself can showno suchaccomplishments.This isbecauseourintelligenceandefforts areweak. Just as ifone iswrongon the firstof themonth,onewillbewrongtothelastdayofthemonth,likewiseifonefailstoestablishtherootofthespiritualpath,gurudevotion,allsuccessivestagesofthe path will also fail. It is only due to our own faulty practice thatattainments do not occur. We should not project our own faults onto theDharma.

I went to see a church called Alte Peter, famous as one of the oldestChristianchurches.Onanotheroccasion Iwent toa showwithMr.Phalha,Panglung,andPaldenwhereonlytherichandfamousareallowedinandnoordinary people. The hall had five tiers of viewing galleries and wasindescribablywonderful.However,duetomyunfamiliaritywiththattypeofentertainment,Iwasunabletoreallyenjoytheshow.Attheinvitationofthewelfare department of the German government, I had a meeting with thedirectorandgeneralsecretary,afterwhichwewenttovisitamuseumthathadanexhibitionof Japanesepaintings, artifacts, and images aswell as agreatdealofAfricanartandobjectsondisplay.

On the twenty-second, the anniversary of the Buddha’s descent fromTrāyastriṃśaHeaven,weandtheMongolians,asagroup,performeda tsokoffering with a Cakrasaṃvara Guru Puja, which greatly delighted theMongolians. I offered detailed responses to questions that PemaTsering ofthe Nyingma tradition had asked about developing ultimate bodhicittaaccording to the Seven-Point Mind Training. He was satisfied with myanswers.

FRANCE,SWITZERLAND,ANDITALY

At the invitation of the supreme incarnation of Dakpo Bamchö Rinpoché,Jampa Gyatso, in France, I flew to Paris on the twenty-third. Bamchö

Rinpoché,formerabbotofGyüméNgawangLekdenofGomangCollege,andsomemembers of theFrenchMongolian community came towelcomeme,andItraveledwiththembacktoBamchöRinpoché’shome.AssoonasIgotthere,manymoreMongolianscametovisit.

ThefollowingdaytheformerGyüméabbotcametovisitme.Hewassoincrediblyknowledgeablewithregardtobothsutraandtantrathathiswordswere like the blossoming of a thousand-petalled lotus. Given his extensiveintellectandenthusiasm,wepassedanentiredaysharingouropinionswithoneanotheroneveryvarietyoftopic,fromtheglobalsituationingeneraltothereligiousandpoliticalaffairsofTibetinparticular.

BamchöRinpoché and his benefactor,AmaYvonneLaurence (ThuptenDrölkar),tookmetohavealookaroundamuseumnearParisthathadoncebeenthepalaceoftheroyalfamily.Thebuildingwasenormous,andtheoldfrescoes and paintings inside it were very elegant. In one of the manyapartments, the prior king’s extremely valuable antique furniture was ondisplay,aswellasArabianandJapanesepaintingsandvariouscommodities.Thereweresomanyroomsthatifoneweretolookcloselyateachone,onewouldn’tfinishlookingatthemintwooreventhreedays.

I took an elevator to the top of theEiffelTower, a very tall iron towerwitharestaurantontop.WhenIlookedoutatthecityIsawthatitstretchedon,beautifullyarrayed,withoutanyendinsight.

OnedayattheinvitationoftheFrenchprofessornamedStein332Ivisitedhim andwe discussed Tibetan history.Hewas quite enthusiastic about theepicsofGesar.

At the sincere request of Bamchö Rinpoché, Palden and I went withRinpochéhimself andMr.Phalha to thehousesonapieceof land thathadbeenacquiredforaTibetanmonasteryinasmalltowncalledLaChapelleonthe outskirts of Paris. Former Abbot Ngawang Lekden, Amdo Yönten,NgawangDrakpa,andJamyangMönlamwerealready living there. I stayedthere for five days. Together with five monks who were living there,includingtheformerabbot,andtheelderlywomanwhowastheirbenefactor,IofferedaGuruPujaandtsok.Attheformerabbot’ssincererequest,Igaveabrief explanation and oral transmission of the first few pages of theGreatTreatiseontheStagesofPathandabriefexplanationandoraltransmissionoftheFoundationofAllGoodQualities.

TwentyyoungTibetanboysandgirlswhowereinthevillageofBléneautostudyandtheirhostparents,ShödrungNorgyéandhiswife,cametohaveanaudiencewithme.Igavethemteachingsontherefugeprayer,theHundredDeities of Tuṣita,Praises to Tārā, and so on and advised them about the

importanceofmaintainingournationalheritage,havingfaithintheteachings,and behaving well. Afterward the students nicely performed some TibetanandFrenchsongsanddancesandreturnedtotheirvillagethatevening.

I once again visited BamchöRinpoché’s house in Paris and visited theGrévinMuseum.InthismuseumthereweremanystatuesofFrenchroyaltyaswell as contemporary leaders of various countries. This was similar to thewaxmuseuminLondon.TherewerealsomanymodelsdepictingtheFrenchRevolution,whenthepeopleroseagainstthelastkingofFrance.Themodelsshowedmany aspects of the revolution, including how themembers of theroyal family were put in prison. At another place, I was fascinated by thespecialeffectsachievedbycoloredlightsandmirrorsinwhichonecouldseeinfinitereflectionsofasinglehouseorperson.Thiswassimilartothelegendofthepalaceofthecannibalkingwithtennecks.333

Onthetwelfthdayofthetenthmonth,IflewfromParistoGeneva,whereI receivedmedical treatment over several days.Oneday Iwent to visit theUnitedNationscomplexthere.SurkhangLhawangTopgyalandLadyDekyiLhazé came to see me, and we discussed recent events in our lives. Theyconveyed to me the regrets of the former cabinet minister SurkhangWangchenGelekatnotbeingabletocometovisitmeduetosomeworkhewasdoinginanAmericanuniversity.SurkhangWangchenGelekisamanofgreat intellectwith avastknowledgeofboth religious andworldlymatters.HeshouldhaveservedHisHoliness,butduetotheslanderandliesofcertainpeoplewiththecharacterofhungryspirits,itwasimpossibletomakeuseofhisservices.AsSakyaPaṇḍitawrote inhisJewelTreasuryofWiseSayings(5.6):

Becausethethievescalleditadog,thebrahmanlostthegoathewasleading.

Ihadgreatregretsaboutthis,butIwaspowerlesstochangethesituation.Ireturnedto thesettlement inRikononceagain,whereat therequestof

Mr. Jacques Kuhn, the owner of a metalware factory, I performed a shortground ritual and consecration with auspicious verses at the site of theTibetanmonasterythatMr.Kuhnwishedtobuild.AttheinvitationoftheRedCross,IwenttotheirheadquartersinBern.ThereImetMrs.HeleneVischer,vice-president of the Swiss Red Cross, and enjoyed a banquet with her. IthankedMrs. Vischer and the Red Cross for all the help and aid they hadgiven to theTibetan refugees and theTibetan settlements in Switzerland. Irequested them tomake provision formoreTibetans in the future, and sheassuredmethattheywould.AfterthatIreturnedtoGenevaforafewdays.

On the ninth day of the eleventhmonth, I flew fromGeneva toRome,whereIwasmetattheairportbyGeshéJampalSengéofSeraMé,hisItalianstudents, and the Kagyü tulku Namkhai Norbu.334 I stayed at NamkhaiNorbu’shouseforthreedays.

InaccordancewithawishexpressedbyHisHolinessinaletter,IwenttomeetPope[PaulVI],headoftheCatholicChurch.WithmewereMr.Phalha,Palden, andNamkhaiNorbu,who translated.On one corner of theVaticancomplexwasthePope’smultistorypalace.Passingmanyguards,wereachedtheupperfloor,whereweweremetbysomeoneakintoalordchamberlain.WewereplacedinaroomforsometimeandthenwereescortedintomeetthePope,whowasstandingtheretoreceiveus.Ipresented thePopewithanangzö ceremonial scarf and a pair of antique cymbals.Whenwewere allseatedonchairs,I toldthePopethatIhadcomeupontheinstructionof theDalai Lama to extend his greetings to him. I expressed my thanks andappreciation for the aid given by various Christian organizations to theTibetanrefugeeswhohadhadtoescapefromtheirhomeland.IalsodescribedhowtheCommunistChinesehadviolentlyinvadedourhumblecountry,withits peace-loving people, and said that sincewe are the same in adhering toreligious principles, I am sure thatwe bothwould exert all efforts to bringpeaceandharmony to theworldbywayofour individual faiths.ThePopetoldmethathewaspleasedtoreceivetheDalaiLama’smessageofgreetingsand that he took a great interest in the affairs of the Dalai Lama and theTibetans.Hesaidthatiftherewereanythinghecoulddotopleaseask,andheaskedwhether therewereanythinghecoulddo formepersonally. I repliedthat I did not need any assistance but requested that he might considerprovidingsuitablematerialassistancetothereligiouspeopleofTibet.Wehadaverycordialmeeting that lastedalmostanhour.Hepresentedmewithanillustratedbookandagreetingcard forHisHolinessanda silvermedallionformyself.

RETURNTOINDIA:DHARAMSALAANDSARNATH

On themorning of the thirteenth day of the eleventhmonth, I left Italy byplane.AfterabriefstopoverinBeirut,wearrivedsafelyatNewDelhiairportat five o’clock in the afternoon, Indian standard time. I was met by HisHoliness’s elder brotherGyaloThondup, the representative and staff of theTibetanBureauinDelhi,andthedirectorandstaffofTibetHouse.IstayedatTibetHouse.

Constantlytraveling,IjourneyedthroughvariouscountriesinEurope.My

impression of these countries was that the West is very prosperous andextremelydeveloped;thecitiesandthetownsarecleanandwellplannedandfull of many great marvels. On the other hand, people there lack spiritualdepth; they are concerned with this life only and have a strong sense ofgraspingafterpermanenceinallthings.Theyarepreoccupiedwithindulgingin the mere illusion of joy and happiness. Therefore I did not feel fullysatisfied.

As it says in thesutras:“The final resultofaccumulation isexhaustion;beingsofhighstatusfall low.”Mightyandpowerfulkingsandqueensoncelivedingreatluxuryanddignityinpalacesandfortressesthatordinarybeingscouldnotevenstepinside.Nowsuchluxuriousplacesandroyalpalacesalongwithallthepersonalbelongingsofkingsandqueenshavebecomeobjectsforpublicviewing,andtheirgloryremainsonlyinname.WhenIsawthestatuesand heard the stories about the popular revolt against these powerful kingsandhowtheywereputintodarkprisonsandfinallydeniedeventherighttoown their lives, Iwas convinced that even thehighestmarvels in existencemustultimatelyfall.Suchaconvictionshouldhavebecomeadeeplyrootedrealization, but these were only temporary thoughts of renunciation. As JéMilarepasaid:

TrijangRinpochéandattendantPaldenTseringvisitwithPopePaulVIattheVatican,1966

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

Solidtreesandfirmhorns,ifimpacted,bendslightly,butatnotimedoesthisstubbornmindbend.

Thefactthatthecallousedmindstreamwillnotbendisduetothestrengthandstability of negative instincts ingrained from beginningless time.What elsecoulditbe?

I leftDelhi on the night of the fifteenth and arrived inDharamsala thefollowingday.ImmediatelyafterIarrived,HisHolinesscametocallonmeatmyhouse,soIhadthegreatfortuneandpleasureofseeingthemandalaofhisbodyandreceivingthenectarofhisspeech.OntheeighteenthIwenttopaymyrespectstoHisHolinessandpresentedhimwithsomegifts.IreportedtoHisHolinessaboutmyvisits to theTibetan settlementsand the situationofthe tulkus, geshés, and the Tibetan students in the West. I also gave His

Holiness a report on my visit with the Pope, and His Holiness was verypleased.

OnedayIgaveHisHoliness theexclusivepermissionofPaldenLhamoMaksorma from the collective permissions of theRinjungHundred.At theconclusionHisHolinessmadeatsokoffering.

On the twenty-seventh I left Dharamsala for the Tibetan monastery atSarnath.BeforeIwenttoSwitzerland,IhadaskedKheméSönamWangdüofKunsangtsé and Losang Sherap to manage and supervise the painting ofmurals of the thousand buddhas, the host of confessional buddhas, and thesixteenarhatsontheinnerwalls,andthefourguardiankingsonthewallsoftheentrance,oftheTibetanmonasteryShedrupDöguKhyil.ThiswasjointlysponsoredbyourlabrangandtheKunsangtséfamilyonbehalfofLhabuandmynephewTsipönTsewangDöndrupofKunsangtsé.Thepaintingswerehalfcompleted.Theywerebeingpaintedby theartistNgakramNgawangNorbuofGyüméTantricCollegeandhisassistants.IinstructedNgawangNorbuonafewcorrectionstothepaintingsofthesixteenarhatsandthefourguardiankings.

At the request of Sera Mé’s Pomra House, I started the procedure toprepareDrakpaSamdrup,sonofthelatemediumoftheprotectorofPanglungHermitage,toreceivetheprotectorintrance.Asthiswasthefirstattemptataninvocation,hedidnotgointotrance.IadvisedDrakpaSamdruptodotheinvocation frequently and todo the retreatof ahundred thousandmiktsemarecitations as well as the approaching retreat of Vajrabhairava and SecretHayagrīva.Ialsoadvisedhimtodoalotofpurification.

At the request of Döndrup Tsering from the Hayak Nyachok area ofChatreng, I gave a long-life initiation ofWhiteTārā to about four hundredlamas, monks, and religious and lay pilgrims. Baba Kalsang Lekshé washavingamaṇiwheelmade at theTibetanmonastery inSarnath, towhich Icontributedathousandrupees.AsIcouldnotgotoBodhgaya,IsentsumsofmoneyforofferingstoTutorKyabjéLingRinpoché,athousandfoldofferingstothestupa,andofferingstothemonks.

On the tenthdayof the twelfthmonth, Iperformed thesindūra ritualofVajrayoginītogetherwithatsokoffering.ThatdayIreceivedasmallbronzestatueofVajrayoginīmadeinancientChinasenttomebyKhatsarwaJampaSöpafromNepal.Itwasveryauspicious.

SangraTulkuofLoseling’sTrehorHouse came to seeme, and I sent athousand rupees with him to Buxa to the supreme incarnation of KyabjéPhabongkhatowardtheexpenseofhisgeshécelebrations.

KhatsarwaSönamChöphel returnedfromhisvisit toNepal.He toldme

that according to some people who had arrived in Nepal from Lhasa, theChinese red guards and the youths in Lhasa had rampaged the temples,destroying all the statues in the Ramoché Temple except in the TsepakLhakhang.Themainstatueof theBuddhaandofSongtsenGampowithhisqueens in the Tsuklakhang had been spared, but all other statues had beenbrokenandthrownintothestreetsofLhasa.Allthebookshadbeenburned—theShölKangyurPressandeventhebooksandstatuesinprivatechapelsinpeople’s homes were destroyed. The murals in the Tsuklakhang had beencovered in white paint. Due to this unprecedented tragedy, many peoplecommittedsuicide,throwingthemselvesintotheTsangpoRiver.Hearingthis,Iwasdespondent,thinkingofhowthelegaciesofthedeedsofgreatreligiouskingsof thepast, thosewhowere emanationsof theprotectorsof the threelineages,335 and the great translators had been brought to such a state ofdestruction. Their deeds, intended to last for eons, were demolished soquickly under these precipitous circumstances. Contemplating how thesituation had been caused by the actions of beings,my sorrowwas beyondmeasure.

Onbehalfofallthoselivingordeadwhohavehadconnectionswithme,Imade offerings before the sacred objects of refuge. I alsomade a daylongofferingoffoodtoseventylamasandmonksandthousandfoldofferingsandatsok offering conjoinedwith theCakrasaṃvaraGuruPujawere alsomade.The abbot and the chant master of Ganden Shartsé came from Buxa andpresentedmewith a long-life ceremony and giftsmarkingmy return fromSwitzerland.

OnFebruary11,1967, the seconddayof the firstTibetanmonthof thefire-sheep year, my sixty-seventh year, Venerable Thupten Jungné, themanager of theTibetanmonastery in Sarnath, sponsored an offering to theresidentandvisitingmonksandlamasofalltheTibetanreligioustraditions.The assembly of monks recited auspicious prayers for my long life inconjunctionwithaGuruPujaandtsokoffering.

ThechantmasterofShartséaskedmetoclarifyvariouspointsaboutthenewly made notation of the long and intermediate melodies for thepropitiation rituals and other prayers in the tradition exclusive to GandenShartséMonastery.As theoriginalnotationhadbeen left inTibet, theyhadmade new notation in Buxa. Previously, when I was studying in themonastery, I knew themelodiesverywell, but almost forty-eightyearshadpassedsincemygeshéexamination,soIhadforgottenmostofthem.Asfaras my recollected extended, I offered corrections. I also composed somepreludeversesforthenewnotationofthemelodies.

On the tenth, when the murals on the walls of the monastery werecompleted and the pillars and beams were freshly painted, I, along withTrehor Trungsar Rinpoché, Dromo Geshé Rinpoché, the senior and juniorRongtha Rinpoché of Sera Jé, and many other monks, performed a briefconsecrationritual.Onthatday,ourlabrangandtheKunsangtséfamilymadeajointofferingofawholeday’sfoodandfundsandaGuruPujawithatsokoffering to all themonks.We feasted and paid the seven artists, includingNgawang Norbu of the Gyümé Tantric College, Chatreng Rigang AgaJamyang,ThuptenTharpaofSeraMé,andtheirassistants.Wealsogavethemeachgifts.

RETURNTODHARAMSALA

On the thirteenth I left Sarnath for Dharamsala. One day I invited HisHolinessandhisritualassistantsandmadeofferingstothefrontandwrathfulfacesofthestatueofAvalokiteśvarathattheChinesehaddamagedinLhasaandthathadbeenbroughttoIndiaatgreatrisk.336

Beginning on the nineteenth, I presided for five days over specialofferings made to the twelve tenma goddesses, who are bound by oath toprotect Tibet. The entire assembly of Namgyal monks participated in theprayers offered for the benefit of the religious and secular affairs of Tibet.Dilgo Khyentsé Rinpoché of the Nyingma tradition also presided over theprayer.

The former cabinet minister Shenkhawa Gyurmé Sönam Topgyal wasveryoldandhadbecomeseriouslyill.BecauseIhadacloseconnectionwithhimasaDharmateacher, Icalledonhimto inquireabouthishealthand togivehiminstructionsonmindtraining.Heunderstoodthemverywell.

FollowingtheadviceoftheNechungoracle,HisHolinessperformedtheritualsoftheInnermostEssenceBladebasedinthetraditionofTertönSögyalLerab Lingpa’s Phurba Yangsap deity.337 His Holiness presided over theritual,anditwasattendedbyKyabjéLingRinpoché,DilgoKhyentsé,andtheassemblyofNamgyalmonks.Ialsoattendeditforfivedays.

Mrs.TsamchöDrölmaofLhasahadrequestedmetogivetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī,andIhadpromisedherIwoulddoso.Sherequestedthis inherwill,asIwasinSwitzerlandat thetimeofherpassing.Inordertosowrootsofvirtueonherbehalf,IgavetheblessingofVajrayoginīonthetenthofthesecondmonthtooverthreehundreddisciplesfrom Dalhousie, Mussoorie, and Dharamsala in the hall of the Tibetan

Children’sVillage.Wemadeofferingsattheconclusionoftheblessing.Fromthenextday,Igaveeightdaysofexperientialteachingsonthegenerationandcompletion stages of Vajrayoginī in accordance with the undergeneratedtraditions of the lamas of the past. These teachings were given to 304discipleswho, in addition to the commitment toperform the sādhanadaily,pledged to do the approaching retreat of 400,000mantra recitations. I gavethe lifeentrustmentofGyalchenShukden toTrehorGeshéTamdrinRaptenandGeshéNgawangDargyeyofSeraJé.IwenttotheTibetanTransitSchoolat their requestand,at the retreathouse inupperDharamsala,gave theoraltransmissionoftheprayersthatthestudentsrecitedaily.

At ameeting inBodhgaya in 1965, a resolutionhadbeenpassed at thewishesofHisHoliness to reconstruct inexile themonasticheadquarters foreachof the four traditions.Therehadbeennoplansyet to build theGelukmonastery,sothemonksinBuxaassembledanddecidedtogethertoconstructthemonastery.Theyappointedsixrepresentatives,oneeachfromthecollegesof Gomang, Loseling, Jé, Mé, Shartsé, and Jangtsé. These representativesthencametoDharamsalatoconveythedecisiontoHisHolinessthroughtheReligiousAffairsOfficeofHisHoliness.TheyvisitedThroneholderKyabjéLingRinpochéandmyselfandinformedusindetailofthesituation.Weeachdonatedathousandrupeestowardtheirimmediateexpenses.

On the twentieth day of the third month, the sacred statue ofAvalokiteśvara called Ārya Wati Sangpo of Kyirong was brought toDharamsala.ThisstatueisoneoffourstatuesofAvalokiteśvaraknownasthe“foursiblings”thatwereallself-generatedfromthetrunkofonesandalwoodtree.AnotherofthefouristheĀryaLokeśvarainatempleinthePotala.ThestatuewasbroughttoNepalbythemonksofDzongkarChödéandwaskeptin Nepal for a few years. When the statue arrived in Dharamsala, it wasreceivedwith aprocessionof incensebearers.HisHoliness, the two tutors,andthemonksofNamgyalMonasterythenmadeofferingsandperformedapurificationritualbeforethestatue.338

In addition to the pieces of the head of the statue ofAvalokiteśvara inLhasa thathadarrivedearlier,anotherwrathfulheadof thesamestatue, thesilver right foot of one of the fourMaitreya statues in the Jokhang, and apiece of thewooden central pole of theMaitreya statuewere also broughthere. In addition, His Holiness received the golden statue of GuhyasamājathatJéTsongkhapagavetoJetsunSherapSengéwhenhechargedhimwiththeresponsibilityforestablishingthestudyandpracticeoftantra.

One dayNgariRinpoché ofKyorlung came to seeme to askme somequestions regarding the Madhyamaka view. I was pleased with his keen

interestinMadhyamakaphilosophydespitehisyouth,andIrespondedtohisquestions directly and spontaneously. However, Rinpoché had beenexamining theMadhyamaka view for a few years, and he had come to theconclusionthatthatwhichisfoundbythereasoninganalyzingtheultimateisacoarsematerialformsubsumedunderthefirstofthefournobletruths!

One day Ta Lama Thupten Norsang, who wished to do anotherVajrayoginī retreat, asked me some questions on the practice of the threebodiesofabuddha.AthisrequestIalsogaveinstructionsonthemeditationoftheninemixingsofthecompletionstage.339

THEPASSINGOFTHEINCARNATIONOFKYABJÉPHABONGKHARINPOCHÉ

Ontheseventhof thefourthmonthIreceiveda telegramfromBuxasayingthatthesupremeincarnationofmyrefugeandprotector,KyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara,wascritically ill. Iwasdistressedandworriedand immediatelyaskedHisHoliness andKyabjéLingRinpoché fordivinations and for theirprayers.IsentsumsofmoneytothemonksofSeraMéinDalhousietorecitetheFortunateEonSutra(BhadrakalpikaSutra)andtoperformtheprayerstothesixteenarhatsasmanytimesasRinpoché’syears.

Onthethirteenth,ShenkhawaGyurméSönamTopgyal,whowasaformercabinetministerandaseniorofficialoftheTibetangovernment,passedawayattheageofseventy-two,andIofferedprayersforhim.Thelateministerhadreceived many teachings on sutra and tantra at the feet of PhabongkhaVajradhara, Khangsar Rinpoché of Gomang, Kangyur Lama RinpochéLosang Dönden, and many other great masters. He had managed therestorationundertakenbythegovernmentatSamyéTempleandtheassemblyhallofGanden.HewasaGelukpa in thepuresenseoffollowingtheviewsand practices of the virtuous tradition (dge lugs). He was a devotedpractitioner, well read in the vast scriptures, and deeply familiar with theteachingsof thestagesof thepath,such thatonewouldhesitate tospeak inhispresence.

At the instruction of His Holiness, the Religious Affairs Office of theCentralTibetanAdministrationaskedme toconfer theMahayanavows.SoonthefifteenthIgavethevowsinMortimerHall tothestaffoftheCentralTibetanAdministration,theNamgyalmonks,andalargecrowd.

OntheafternoonoftheseventeenthIreceivedatelegramfromKurseong,Darjeeling,with the news that the supreme incarnation had passed away at

nine-thirtyatnightonthesixteenthatahospital inKurseong,wherehehadbeentransportedfromBuxa.WhenIheardthatthemanifestationofhisthreesecretshadbeenabsorbedintothedharmadhātuattheyoungageoftwenty-six,itwasasifthesunhadsuddenlyvanishedfromthesky.Mysorrowwasunfathomable.IfeltasifIhadlostmyoneandonlybelovedchild.Hehadallthequalitiesoflearning,ethicaldiscipline,andcompassionandtheabilitytocarrytheresponsibilitiesofupholdingtheteachingsoftheGeluktradition.Hewas one of the best andmost promising of all the lamaswho had come toIndiaandwaspraisedbyallunbiasedandlearnedpeople.BothKyabjéLingRinpochéandIhadenthusiasticallygivenhiminitiations,oraltransmissions,explanations, and teachings on sutra and tantra in the hopes that hewouldbecomeapreeminentbeareroftheGeluklineage.

As soon as I received the telegram, I sent a message to Kyabjé LingRinpoché. I made offerings before the statue of Ārya Wati Sangpo andferventlyprayedfortheaccomplishmentofthepreciousincarnation’swishes.IsentonethousandrupeestolabrangmanagerTrinléDargyéforofferingsforthelateRinpochéandasatokenofcondolenceforTrinléDargyéalongwithacopyofaprayerIcomposedforthequickreturnofRinpoché’sincarnation.

LaterIgave the initiationofsingle-deityVajrabhairava toGeshéPaldenSengé of Loseling and to eight students of his who came from the Khunuarea.

Mongolian Lama Guru Deva was publishing the biography of JéTsongkhapa,340 and I contributed a thousand rupees for the printing of onbehalf of all those connected with me, both living and dead. I contributedanotherthousandrupeesonbehalfofthelateLhabu,andIpassedontwenty-eighthundredrupeesdonatedbythelateVenerableKangyurRinpoché.Ialsocomposedtheforewordandversesofdedicationforthebiography.

ToGeshéUgyenTesten,DzongtséTulku, andLodröTulku of Sera Jé,whoweregoingtothenewTibetanmonasteryinRikon,Switzerland,Igavegifts and adviceonproper conduct in both religious and secular contexts. Igave instruction toGeshéUgyenTesten on the diagrams of the earth deitySadak Toché for the site-consecration ritual of the monastery. I discussedwith Mongolian Lama Guru Deva about giving a thousand copies of thebiography of Jé Tsongkhapa to the committee for the reconstruction of acommonGelukmonastery,andLamaGuruDevaagreedtothisproposition.IpresentedagarmentmadeofyellowbrocadewithasilkscarftoLamaGuruDevaforthesuccessfulpublicationofthebiography.

IhadbeenrequestedtowriteacommentaryontheelaboratebiographicalpraisesfortheprotectorShukdenthatwascomposedbyKyabjéPhabongkha

Vajradhara. I had previously been asked to write this commentary by anumberofindividualsinLhasa,includingTrungsarRinpochéofTrehor, theresident master of Tashi Chöling Monastery Losang Chöphel, the scribeLosangDorjé, the lord and lady of LhaluGatsal, andmany others, and toprepare for writing the commentary, I had compiled notes from relevantbiographiesanddocuments.ButthencamemyescapefollowingtheChineseinvasion, and in those unforeseen circumstances, I left behind allmy notesand,with them, thehopeofcomposing the text. In themeantime,however,somepeoplewho had come fromLhasa broughtmemynotes aswell as athangka of Shukden that was one of the very old religious artifacts of ourlabrang.Iwasfullyconvincedthatthiswasduetothecelestialassistanceoftheprotectorhimself.WhenIreceivedfurtherrequestsfrommanyindividualssuch as Dagyab Hothokthu and Dromo Geshé Rinpoché, I composed thecommentaryMusictoPleasetheHostofOath-BoundProtectors.341

Ontheninthdayoftheseventhmonth,IfinishedgivingHisHolinesstheoral transmission of the collected works of Jé Tsongkhapa and his twodisciples.IalsogaveHisHolinesstheoraltransmissionoftheLaterTantraoftheRootTantraofGuhyasamāja.342

GyüméTantricCollegewasaskedbytheTibetangovernmenttoconstructathree-dimensionalmandalaofAvalokiteśvaraforanexhibitioninBombay.In order to do this, ritual master Denma Tsültrim Dönden of GyüméMonasteryaskedme toclarifysomepointson themandala,andIgavehimdetailedinstruction.

On the seventeenthdayof the second seventhmonth, the incarnationofLochenRinpochéofTashiLhunpocame toseemefromKyilMonastery inSpiti. He was six years old and came with his teacher, Kachen LosangGyaltsen,andtwentyothers.ThetulkuwasverylivelyandrecitedtheTibetanTrailblazertea-offeringversewithoutanyhesitationwhenteawasofferedtohim.343 On a subsequent day, I gave Lochen Tulku and his entourage andmany people from Spiti the initiation of Life-Sustaining Jé Tsongkhapa. Iconferredlayvowsonthetulkuandcutthefirstsnipofhishair.AfterwardIgavehimabronzestatueoftheBuddhaandavajraandbell.

TomarktheoccasionoftherecognitionceremonyfortheincarnationofPhara Rinpoché of Ganden Jangtsé, I sent a ceremonial scarf and a tokenoffering of funds for the symbolic offerings of body, speech, and mind toBuxa.DuringtheceremonywhenthescarfIhadsentwaspresentedtohim,herosefromhisthrone,placedthescarfaroundhisneck,andthenmadethreeprostrationsandjoinedhishandstogetherinreverence.Hethensatforsometimewithaseriousexpressiononhisface.Ilearnedofthisfromaletterfrom

Yeshé Tsewang of Phara Labrang in Buxa. The tulku’s predecessor was adevoteddiscipleofmine,soitcouldbethatsuchinstinctswereawakened.

In theeighthmonth,at therequestofTsechokLingTulkuandhismainattendant,Igavethepermissionofouter,inner,andsecretMañjuśrī,astaughtin thecycleofMañjuśrī teachings, toRinpochéandothers includingThepoTulku,LatiRinpoché,andmanygeshés.

NEWRESIDENCE

IwasgivenahouseonthepropertypurchasedbytheTibetangovernmentinthe mid-level of Dharamsala. Because there was a shortage of space forofficesandstaff,ItoldthemthatIdidnotneedtoshiftmyresidenceforthetimebeing.However,thecabinetministerforHomeAffairs,WangdüDorjé,andthechairmanoftheTibetanPeople’sDeputies,KalsangDradul,cametoseemeandinsistedthatImovetoGangchenKyishong.344Ithereforeagreedtomove.Asthetwenty-firstdayoftheeighthmonthwasanauspiciousday,IsentmyattendantPaldenwithathangkaof theGuruPujamerit fieldandatext of the Eight Thousand Verse Perfection of Wisdom Sutra to the newhouse. On the way he first encountered a person carrying milk andshepherdingaherdofwhitegoats.HethenmetapersonwhowasonhiswaytodelivercomplimentarycopiesofaWhiteTārā long-life ritual textsent tomefromBuxa.Sothesewereauspiciousencounters.

In themeantimeIvisitedKyabjéLingRinpochéathisrequestandgavehim explanations on, and the oral transmission of, the Guru Yoga ofVajrabhairava That Is a Treasury of Attainments and the related texts theWaystoAccomplishtheActivitiesofPacificationandIncrease,theMethodsforRestoringtheDegeneratedCommitmentsbyRelyingontheFiveBuddhaFamilies of Yamāntaka, and the Peaceful and Wrathful Protection ofMañjuśrī.AlloftheabovewerefromthesealedworksofThuken.345

On the auspicious day of the third of the ninth month, I moved fromNowrojee House. Upon departing the house, my neighbors, the monks ofNamgyalMonastery,presentedmewithscarvesandbidmefarewell.WhenIarrived at Tashi Rabten, my new residence at Gangchen Kyishong, I wasushered inby the staff of theTibetan secretariat and the abbot ofNamgyalMonastery,RatöRinpoché,allholdingburningincense.Aftersettlinginmyroom, the members of the council of ministers and the Religious Affairscouncilofferedmescarvesandrepresentationsoftheholybody,speech,andmind. They were followed by many individuals who came with house-warmingpresentstowishmewell.RatöRinpochéprivatelygavemealong-

lifeceremonywithaGuruPujaandtsokoffering.The following day at the request of Mr. Manithang, the bursar of the

Shedrafamily,andhiswife,IgavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginīandmadetsokofferings.IntheafternoonHisHolinesscametomyhouseforaleisurelyvisit.HedeclaredthatmyhousewascomfortableandstressedthatIshouldmakestrongintentionstolivealonglife.ItoldHisHolinessthatduetomydeep-seatedhabitfromtimeimmemorialofgraspingatpermanence,Ihopeandwillmyselftolivealongtimeeveninmydreams.

Following thewishesofRikyaTulkuofSera Jé, Igave themost secretHeartAbsorptionpermissionofCittamaṇiTārā,whichisonlygiventosinglerecipients.IalsogavetheoraltransmissionoftheDiamond-CutterSutraandtheHeartSutra.

Onthetwenty-thirdHisHolinesscametomyhousetotellmeabouthisvisittoThailand,wherehehadattendedaBuddhistconference.HetoldmeofhowthekingandthepeopletherehavegreatrespectforBuddhistmonks.HisHoliness also told me of how he was deeply impressed with the calm,peaceful, and sincere demeanor ofmanymonks of the Theravada traditionandwith their rigorousobservanceof theVinayamonasticrules.HerelatedhisdiscussionwiththemonvariousBuddhisttopics,includingconcentrationmeditation,penetrativeinsight,thethirty-sevenaspectsofenlightenment,andsoon.

TutorKyabjéLingRinpochévisitedmeonhiswaytoBodhgaya.IgavehimtheoraltransmissionofthemethodsforavertingfrostbythefourlettersrelyingonVajrabhairavaandperformedthepurificationritualoftheḌākinīsthatDispelObscurations.IsentLosangYeshétoBodhgayaonapilgrimagetomake twenty thousand butter-lamp offerings on behalf of the lateLhabuandanothertwentythousandonbehalfofallothersconnectedwithme.ItoldhimtodividetheofferingsbetweenBodhgayaandVaranasi.

Onthefourthdayof theeleventhmonth,basedontheroot textandHisHolinessKalsangGyatso’s commentary the Source of All Attainments,346 Itaught theHundred Deities of Tuṣita to Lati Rinpoché of Ganden Shartsé,ThepoTulku,andGeshéRaptenofSeraJé.

On the tenth day of the twelfth month, on the anniversary of theparinirvāṇa of Serkong Dorjé Chang, Assistant Tutor Serkong Rinpochérequested me to give the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginī.AthiswishIgavetheblessingstoRinpochéhimselfandotherlamas and geshés, including Ratö Rinpoché, to monks from Namgyal andDzongkarChödémonasteries,andtosomelaypractitioners,ahundredpeopleinall.Attheconclusionweofferedanextensivetsok.

OnFebruary29,1968,thefirstdayoftheTibetanearth-monkeyyearandmy sixty-eighth year, I paid my New Year’s respects at the feet of HisHoliness,andIattendedtheofferingstoPaldenLhamo.AftertheNewYearcelebration, I visited with His Holiness at his residence, and we discussedvarious topics. His Holiness asked in particular about whether nirvana isemptiness and about the distinction between the delusions that arise fromgrasping the I as self-sufficient substantially existent, asserted by the lowerschools of tenets, and the delusions arising from grasping the I as trulyexistent, asserted by the Prāsaṅgikas. According to the Prāsaṅgikas, alldelusionsaresimilartothatofthegraspingoftrueexistence,butifthatisthecase, then it is not possible to abandon even the coarse delusions by themethod ofmeditation on selflessness that accordswith the teachings of thelowertenets.

To these andmanyother questionsHisHoliness asked, I answered thattherearedifferencesofopinionas towhethernirvanaisemptiness,andthatthere are coarse and subtle differences between the above-mentioneddelusions.AccordingtothePrāsaṅgikas,coarsedelusionscanbesuppressedbymeditatingonselflessnessastaughtbythelowertenets,buttheycannotbeentirelyabandoned.ThatisthereasonfortheexplanationofthearhatfoundintheAbhidharma.Iofferedtheserepliesaccordingtowhatstruckmeatthetime,butIdonotknowwhethertheyservedanypurpose.

On the eleventhHisHoliness came tomyhouse and toldme about thediscoursehewasgoingtogiveontheGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePathbeginningon the fifteenthat the requestofHisHoliness’s ritual assistant. Iexpressed my profound gratitude for this kindness on behalf of theBuddhadharmaandforallbeings.InthisconnectionIpresentedHisHolinesswiththeoldGandeneditionof theGreatTreatiseontheStagesof thePaththatIhadreceivedinthewater-rabbityear,asmentionedabove,347togetherwithaceremonialscarfandatokensumforthethreerepresentations.OnthefirstpageofthetextIwrotethefollowing:

Thistextofthesupremepathofmillionsofbuddhasandbodhisattvas,withitscompletestages,tobecompletelytraveled,wellilluminedbytheconqueringLosang,treasureofwisdom,containingthefoursupremeandexcellentfeatures,isofferedbyanignorantonewithnoexcellentqualitiesofmind,butwithfirmfaithfromtimeimmemorial,tothegreatguideofsamsaraandnirvanasothathemayturnthewheeloftheMahayanaforaslongassamsaralasts.

On the fifteenth, at the request of the Religious Affairs Office, I gaveMahayana vows to seventy staff members of the Central TibetanAdministrationandothermonksandlaypeople.Onthetwenty-sixthIfinishedcompiling the outlines of the stages of the path to incorporate furthersubdivisions into the text of theMiddle-Length Stages of the Path by JéTsongkhapa.Ihadstartedtodothismanyyearsagoandhadputagreatdealofeffort into it.DenmaJampaChögyalstarted towrite themastercopyforpublication.

Onthefifthdayofthesecondmonth,theabbotanddisciplinarianaswellasthemonksoftheGyütöTantricCollegerecitedprayersformylonglifeinconnection with aGuru Puja and tsok offering. At the request of TrehorSamtenof theGyüméTantricCollege, Igaveexplanationson theexclusivepractice of the Hundred Deities of Tuṣita based on the recitation textcompiled byKyabjéVajradhara. I gave these teachings on the lawn ofmyhouse to about four hundred disciples, includingmonks fromNamgyal andDzongkarChödémonasteriesaswellasthemonksofthethreeseatsandthetwo tantric colleges in Dalhousie. On the first of the third month, at therequestofChogyéTrichenRinpochéofPhenpoNalendra,IbestowedaWhiteTārālong-lifeinitiationonRinpochéandhisentourage.

GeshéRapgyéofSeraJé’sTsangpaHousecametoseeme.Heconfidedthat he had been unable to accomplish śamatha despite applying himself tosingle-pointed concentration for over six months. He asked me for specialmethods to rein in the mind from habitual wandering. I instructed him toimaginethemindmixingwithordissolvingintotheobjectofconcentration.Ialsotoldhimthatitispossibletostabilizethemindbythinkingthatthemindabideswithintheobject.Ifthatdidnothelp,thenheshouldtakeabreakfrommeditation and instead engage in the practices of accumulating merit,purifyingmentalobstacles,andmakingrequeststothegurus.Helatertoldmethatmysuggestionshadbeenhelpful.

GandenShartséMonasteryhadwritten toThepoTulkuandother lamasand geshés in Dharamsala to arrange for a long-life offering to removeobstaclestomylongevity.Onthethird,theyorganizedalong-lifeceremonywith aGuru Puja and tsok offering. This was attended by all the ShartsémonksinDharamsala.

HISHOLINESSREQUESTSBODHISATTVAVOWS

Onthetwentieth,HisHoliness,TutorKyabjéLingRinpoché,andIattendedtheceremonycommemoratingthefoundingoftheTibetanChildren’sVillage

inDharamsala.There,inthecourseofourprivateconversations,HisHolinessraisedthetopicofthetwelvelinksofdependentoriginationastheyappearintheteachingsonthestagesofthepath.HisHolinesssaidthatitisnotpossibleto complete one full cycle of the twelve links in fewer than four or fivelives.348Hegavetheexampleofabeinginthebardodestinedforhellwhoistransferredbyforceofitsvirtuetothebardoofagod.Suchabeingdoesnottake birth in hell even though it had the establishing links of desire andcravingthatpropelleditintothehellbardo.Whenthebeingdoeslandinhellat somepoint in the future,does theearlieractivationofdesireandcravingsuffice,ormustthatseriesoflinksrepeatitself?Ifitdoessuffice,thenthefullcycle canbecompletedwithin fouror five lives. I toldHisHoliness that itseems that desire and cravingwould have to be activated again before thebeingisagainborninhell,sothecyclemaynotnecessarilybecompletedinfour or five lives. His Holiness also raised many issues regarding theCittamātraviewonexternalphenomena.

IntheeveningthechildrenpresentedaplayreenactingthestoryofAtiśabeing invited toTibet byLhaLamaYeshéÖ and his nephew JangchupÖ.Theplaywaswell performed. It had beendrawn from reliable sources andhadengagingnarration.

On the twelfthdayof the fourthmonth, a long-life ceremonyconjoinedwiththeritualofsixteenarhatswasofferedtomebythemonksofthethreeseatssettledinDalhousiealongwiththemonkswhohadcometoreceiveHisHoliness’s discourse on the stages of the path.The long-life ceremonywassponsored by the monks from Dalhousie, and I gave back to them theofferingstheymadetome.

His Holiness asked me to arrange for an elaborate offering for theoccasion for him to take the bodhisattva vows from me, and for theseofferings,hecontributedathousandrupees.Sincemyhousehadinsufficientspaceandinadequatefacilitiesinwhichtoarrangeextensiveofferings,Ihadthree hundred large torma offerings prepared with the best ingredients,includingthethreesweetsandclarifiedbutter.349Ialsofilledseveralbasketswithavarietyofthehighest-qualityfruit.

Onthethirteenth, theprescribedday,HisHolinesscametomyhouseateightinthemorningtotakethebodhisattvavows.Ihadrisenatdawnthatdayand had taken the aspiring and engaging bodhisattva vows myself inconjunction with the practice of the six preliminaries.350 After that, HisHoliness and I made offerings with the six preliminaries first, and then Ioffered His Holiness the aspiring and engaging bodhisattva vowssimultaneously according to the tradition of Śāntideva. His Holiness then

gavemeamonk’sbeggingbowlfilledwithfruitasatokenofbodhicitta,andwerecitedthe“OnthatdayinBodhgaya”versethreetimes351andtheGuideto theBodhisattva’sWayofLife.After following theuncorrupted traditionsestablishedbythelamasofthepastinthismanner,HisHolinessreturnedtohiscompoundandgavebodhisattvavowstothoseattendinghisdiscourseonthe stages of the path. Thus he planted the seeds of enlightenment in themindsofmany.

Ontheeighthdayofthefifthmonth,thepeopleofChatrengofferedmealong-lifeceremony.Attheirinvitation,theceremonywasconductedbySongRinpoché and Dzemé Rinpoché, among other lamas and monks. Later,following a unanimous decision by the people of Chatreng to form anassociation, I contributed two thousand rupees to the association’s generalfund.

Ontheeighthdayoftheseventhmonth(August31,1968),Iattendedthecelebration to mark the shifting of His Holiness’s residence from SwargAshram to Thekchen Chöling. I presented a scarf and the threerepresentations during the ceremony. The remaining faces of the LhasaLokeśvarastatueandtheKyirongstatueofĀryaWatiSangpowereinvitedtothe ceremonial hall in procession. Afterward, His Holiness, the two tutors,and the monks of Namgyal Monastery made offerings to the statue andperformed the rituals of purification and consecration. The auspiciousconfession ceremony was then held, after which the pages of the sutraPerfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines were distributed, sothattheentiretextcouldberecited.

Onthetwelfth,tenmonksfromtheGyüméTantricCollege,includingtheabbotandthedisciplinarianalongwithafewmonksofNamgyalMonastery,performedtheelaborateritualofconsecrationrelatedtoGuhyasamājainthenewpalace.Then tenmonks from theGyütöTantricCollege, including theabbotandthechantmasteralongwitheightNamgyalmonks,performedtheconsecration according to the Cakrasaṃvara ritual. On the day of theconsecration, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché presided over theGuhyasamāja ritual,and I presided over the Cakrasaṃvara ritual. At this time Denma JampaChögyalofSeraJéhadfinishedcopyingthetextoftheMiddle-LengthStagesofthePathwithmysupplementaryoutline.Onethousandcopiesof the textwereprintedat thepress inDharamsala.JampaChögyalwaswell rewardedforthework.

The incarnation of Muli Khentrul Thupten Lamsang of Shartsé wasbrought to see me by a disciple of his predecessor named Gendun. Thepredecessorhadbeen theabbotofRichungPothöMonastery inPhakri,and

hiseight-year-oldincarnationhadbeenborninBhutan.ItookthefirstsnipofhishairandgavehimthenameLosangDönyöPalden.

ThemonksofSeudruMonasteryand thepeopleofTsakhaLhopaaskedme to discover the reincarnation of Gangkar Lama Rinpoché KönchokChödrakofSeudruMonastery.Asdescribedabove,hispriorincarnationhaddiedfromillnessduringthewarwiththeChinese.IsoughtouthisincarnationnotsimplybecausetheyaskedmetobutalsobecauseIhadveryclosekarmicconnectionswiththetwopreviousincarnations.IthereforeaskedtheGadongoracle for predictions about the whereabouts of the incarnation on threeseparateoccasions,andall threepredictionswereunanimous.Eachtimetheoracle said the incarnationwould be found to the east ofDharamsala, bornamonghisowntownspeople.

MyowndivinationindicatedthattheboywascalledKarmaLhundrupandwasborntoamothernamedKalsangfromTsakhaLhopa.Shewasworkingataroadworkers’campinGangtok.IinstructedAphoWangden,anold-timeattendantofGangkarLama, to test theboy secretly.On themorningof thedayWangdenwas toarriveat thehouse, theboysaidavisitorwouldcomethatday.AfterWangdenarrivedatthehouse,theboyputasilverbutterlampand a set of seven water-offering bowls that belonged to the family intoWangden’sbag.This,andmanyothercircumstances,gaveconvincingproofthat thiswas the correct incarnation. I thereforemade a final determinationthattheboywasthetrueincarnationofGangkarLama.

12

K

PlantingRootsofVirtue

INVITATIONTOSWITZERLAND

YABJÉLINGRINPOCHÉandIhadreceivedrepeatedinvitationsfromMr.Kuhn, theownerof themetalware factoryatRikon inSwitzerland, toinaugurate and consecrate the newly constructed Tibetan monastery

there. Having received His Holiness’s consent to the trip, I visited HisHolinessonthetwenty-thirdtotakemyleave.AtthesametimeIpresentedHisHolinesswithacomplimentarycopyoftheMiddle-LengthStagesofthePathpublishedwiththeenhancedoutline.

On the twenty-fifth, I left Dharamsala with my attendants Palden andNorbuChöphel.WhenwereachedPathankot,KyabjéLingRinpochéandhisentourage had also arrived there.We left by train together and arrived thenext morning at the old Delhi railway station. There we were met by HisHoliness’s elder brotherGyaloThondup, the representative and the staff ofthe Bureau of the Dalai Lama in Delhi, the director and the staff of TibetHouse,andmanyotherTibetans.WestayedatTibetHouseandleftfromtheDelhi airport via Air France at ten in the evening on the twenty-seventh(September20,1968).

AfterbriefstopsatCairoandTelAviv, thecapitalsofEgyptandIsrael,respectively,wearrivedinParisatseveninthemorningonthetwenty-eighth.TherewechangedtoanotherplaneandflewtoZürich,Switzerland,wherewewerewelcomedby theTibetanrepresentativeMr.Phalha,Mr.Kuhn,GeshéUgyenTsetenofSeraJé,whowastheabbotofthenewmonastery,andmanyotherTibetans.AfterabriefrestintheVIPlounge,weleftforthemonasteryin Rikon, where we received a traditional ceremony of welcome beforesettlingintoourquarters.

On the first day of the eighth month,Mr. Kuhn invited all of us on asightseeing trip up the slopes ofMountRigi.We traveled to the top of themountaininalargeelectriccablecarthatcouldtransporttwentypeople.Werestedandhadameal inagrandrestaurant.After touringclockwisearoundthemountain,viewingthevastandpicturesqueSwisstownsspreadoutbelow

andthediverselandscape,wereturnedbycablecar.Then,whiletouringthesurrounding area, we visited a large Christian church where we sawmanypeople attending a religious service.352 That day we were out from abouteightinthemorningtotenatnight.Exceptforthestopsat themountaintopand in the church, we traveled in vehicles along winding roads for longdistances, which made me tired and nauseous. The kind and generoushospitalityofourpatronbecamemysuffering!

Theopeningceremonyofthemonasterytookplaceontheseventhdayoftheeighthmonthandwasattendedbymostof theTibetans in theareaandmanySwiss people carrying colorful banners.With people playingmusicalinstrumentsoneithersideoftheroad,KyabjéLingRinpoché,myself,andtheresident monks processed. All of us monks wore our three sets of yellowmonastic robes and walked slowly and peacefully in the manner of ĀryaAśvajit.353 When we reached the entrance of the monastery, Kyabjé LingRinpoché inaugurated the opening ceremony by cutting the ribbon. Aftertakingourseatsintheprayerhall,weperformedtheblessingofthesiteandthe facilities as well as invocation and purification rituals, the seven-limbprayer,andsoforth.WeallthenpresentedscarvestothemainBuddhaimage.PanglungTulkureadHisHoliness’smessageinGerman,andMr.Kuhngavean address about the monastery. I then spoke about Buddhism’s uniquequalities, its culture, and its extensive spread in Tibet. I emphasized howBuddhism in Tibet was genuine in its teachings and practice, no differentfromwhatwastaughtbytheBuddhahimself; itwasnotaspuriouscreationwithnoframework.Theceremonywasthenconcluded.

On the morning of the eighth, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché gave a long-lifeinitiation ofWhite Tārā, and I gave permission to practice AvalokiteśvaraWhoLiberates fromAll LowerRealms,with brief advice on religious andworldlymatters,tothepeople.Intheafternoon,theOfficeofTibethostedabanquetinhonoroftheKuhnfamily,Dr.Lindegger,andourselves,anditwasattendedbymanyguests.

At the wish of Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché, I gave him a teaching and oraltransmissionoftheGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePathinthelineageofKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara.KyabjéLingRinpoché toldme thathehadreceivedthelineageoftheteachingsfromHisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLamabuthadbeenveryyoungat thetime.Hehadnotbeenabletoreceivethecomplete teachings fromPhabongkhaVajradhara, so I fulfilledhiswishbygivinghimthisteaching.Beginningontheseventeenthdayoftheeighthmonth,IofferedthisteachingtoRinpochéalone.Indoingso,Ididnotbotherto repeat points or elaborate unnecessarily. It was a concise, symbolic

discoursemeanttotransmitthelineage.Iwaslikeafireflyinthepresenceofthebrilliantthousandraysofthesun.

LingRinpochéandTrijangRinpochéexchangingteachingsduringtheirvisitinSwitzerland,1968

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

AttherequestoftheTibetansettlementinRikon,KyabjéLingRinpochégave thepermissionofGreenTārā, and Igavea long-lifeempowermentofAmitāyus in thesystemofDrupgyal.On themorningof the twenty-third,adoctorgavemeacompletephysicalexam,testingmyheartinparticular.HetoldmeIhadnohealthproblems.

On the twenty-seventh, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché and I along with GeshéUgyenTsetenandthreemonksperformedtheritualofblessingtherelicsandtheprintedprayerstobeplacedinsidethemainstatueoftheBuddha.KyabjéLingRinpochéandIthencarefullyinsertedtherelicsandtheprayersintothestatue.

Onthetwenty-eighththedoctorcametoseemetoagaincheckmyhealth.He said that my blood pressure was only 100, which was below therecommendedpressureof140.Headvisedmetoincreasemyproteinintakeandtoincludemoremilk,yogurt,andvegetablesinmydiet.

At the invitationof thedirectorof thePestalozziChildren’sVillageandtheTibetanschoolinTrogen,KyabjéLingRinpochéandIvisitedthevillage

ontheseconddayoftheninthmonth.WhenwearrivedattheYumbuLagangTibetanhome,wewere receivedby theTibetan students,whoheld flowersand incense and religious banners. After a brief welcome ceremony in thechapel, we settled into our rooms. To fulfill an earlier request made byTrethongRakraTulku,IgaveRakraTulkuandMr.Phalhaaconciseteachingon the exclusive practice of the Hundred Deities of Tuṣita compiled byPhabongkhaVajradhara.

LingRinpochéandTrijangRinpochévisitingTibetanstudentsatTrogen,Switzerland,October23,1968

COURTESYOFYONGZINLINGTSANGLABRANG

Onthesixth,KyabjéLingRinpochégavethepermissionsofYellowandRed Mañjuśrī and of Green Tārā, and I gave the permission of WhiteSarasvatī, to theTibetan students ofYumbuLagang andLuksangNgön-gaalongwiththeirprincipal,TrethongRakraTulku,TrethongSöpal,theTibetanteacherShödrungRapgang,Mr.Phalha,andothers.AsIdidnothavethetextfor the permission of Sarasvatī, I recited the rituals of the self- and front-generations according to the system found in kriyā tantra. For the actualpermission, I followed the usual format for granting deity permissions, andduringtherecitationofthemantra,IsupplementeditwiththeemanationanddissolutionbasedonthediagramwheelofSarasvatī.ThusItriedtofollowtheprocedurecorrectly,inaccordancewithreliablesources,soasnottobelikethose who are careless and ignorant and, without any valid references,performtheriteshowevertheypleaseinordertodeceiveothers.

On the seventh, at the invitation of Arthur Bill, the director of thePestalozziChildren’sVillage,KyabjéLingRinpochéandIvisitedhimathishouse.Wepresentedhimwithtokengifts.Mr.Billhadagenuinesympathyand love for the Tibetans. He was not only concerned with reducing thetemporary difficulties of our people; he gave valuable suggestions andassistancetoaidtheTibetansoverthelongterm.HeaskedwhytheTibetansuse thesymbolof thedragononTibetan rugsandso forth. Inour replywetoldhimthatthisdesignwasauspicious,symbolizingprosperityandrenown,likethesoundofadragon’sroarreachingfarandbeyond.WeexplainedthattheTibetanuseofthesymboldiffersfromthatoftheChinese.

ThenextdayIgaveRakraTulkuthepermissionsofNīlagrīvaVajrapāṇi,FiveWrathfulGaruḍa,andVajrapāṇiMahācakra.

On themorning of the ninth, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché and I went to thevillagechapel,whereweperformedaconsecrationandmadeofferings.Intheafternoon we went to the monastery in Rikon. Professor Palos, who is aGerman citizen of Hungarian origin, repeatedly asked me to give him theprenovice, novice, and full ordination vows.After checking to seewhetherthere were any negative indications, I conferred ordination on him in thepresenceof fivemonks, includingGeshéUgyenTsetenandLodröTulku. IgavehimthenameTenzinChöphel.

Apart from the Tibetan children in the Swiss settlements and those atTrogen,theTibetanchildrenwhohavebeenadoptedintoSwissfamilieshaveforgotten their native language andwill soon forget their national heritage,despitetheirexcellentlivingconditions.Giventheseriousthreatthatmanyofthemwillbelost,Mr.Phalhahadpreviouslytriedtoarrangefortheseadoptedchildren to gather together at the annual commemoration of theMarch 10uprising, but so far his wishes had not been realized. Therefore, at Mr.Phalha’s suggestion, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché and I invited the children andtheir adopted families to a tea party at the Rikon monastery. About sixtychildrenandtheirfamiliesattendedtheparty,wheretea,cookies,fruitjuices,andothersnackswereserved.BothKyabjéLingRinpochéandIthankedtheparentsforcaringfortheirchildrenandaskedthemtomakeeffortstoensurethat thechildrendidnot forget theTibetan languageandcustoms.Wegavethechildrenadviceonhowtobehaveproperlyandonhowimportantitisforthem,asTibetans,toknowTibet’slanguageandcustoms.WeaskedthemtogatheratthemonasteryeachyearatHisHoliness’sbirthdaycelebrations.Weboth gave a token sum of a thousand Swiss francs toward their annualgatherings. Then Dr. Aeschimann, who was the first to adopt Tibetanchildren, announced to those present his full agreement to do this. The

children and the parents with their voices and gestures exhibited greatpleasureandenthusiasm.

The next day, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché and I hosted a dinner for themembersoftheKuhnfamily;Dr.Lindegger,presidentofthemonastery;Mrs.Vischer,vice-presidentoftheSwissRedCross;Mrs.ChödenBar,directoroftheTibetansettlements;andDr.Aeschimann.Inadditiontothosedignitaries,whoallplayedsignificantrolesonbehalfoftheTibetans,wealsoinvitedMr.Phalha and His Holiness’s elder brother Losang Samten. At the dinner wethanked everyone for their efforts and appealed to them to continue theirassistance.

On the fifteenth,KyabjéLingRinpochéand I, alongwithGeshéUgyenTseten and three other monks, performed the intermediate version of theconsecrationcalledSheavesofAuspiciousness354 afterdoing the sādhanaofsingle-deityVajrabhairava.Thiswas toconsecrate the templeaswellas thestatueof theBuddhaandsoforth.Supplementing theritualofconsecration,weperformedtheordinaryritualofpurificationandthesupramundaneritualof purification in an elaboratemanner.During the ritual of consecration, atthe section for honoring the patrons, the symbols of the eight auspicioussubstanceswerepassedaround to themembersof theKuhn familyandDr.Lindegger.

On the eighteenth, at the invitation of the Dzarong family and TrehorDraksé Tulku’s family, I went to Ebnat-Kappel with Palden and NorbuChöphel. Ienjoyedtheirgeneroushospitalityfor threedays.Onthe twenty-second, at the invitation of the Tsāriwa Phuntsok family, Kyabjé LingRinpochégavethepermissionoftheThreeWrathfulFormsCombined,andIgave anAmitāyus long-life initiation in the systemofDrupgyal, to about ahundred people at the Rikon temple. In the afternoon the Phuntsok familysponsoredaGuruPujawithatsokoffering,whicheveryoneattended.

At the invitation of twenty-one Tibetans who had recently arrived inSwitzerland,IwenttothesettlementinBauma.Iperformedpurificationandconsecration rituals in theirquartersandgavegeneral teachingsandadvice.FollowingthatIwenttoWaldandhadlunchatthehouseofTrehorLosangNyima and my niece Tashi Drölma. Then, at the invitation of DagyabRinpoché, ShakorKhentrul, andYiga Tulku, Iwent to Landquart, where Istayed for a week enjoying their generous hospitality. I gave experientialteachingsonthetwostagesofKurukulletoDagyabRinpochéaloneforthreedays. This teaching was based on the teachings of Dergé Shar Lama. Theother tulkuhadbrought a large tape recorder and askedme to record somespiritualsongs,soIrecitedwhatoccurredspontaneouslytome.

Mr.PhalhaandDr.LindeggerhadarrangedforPaldenandItostayinabig state-run hospital inWinterthur to rest and improve our health for twoweeks beginning the sixth day of the tenthmonth. The furnishings and thefacilities,suchas telephones,wereexcellent.Wewereexaminedbyvariousspecialists,andallpartsofourbodiesweretestedwithelectronicequipment.They also repeatedly tested our blood, urine, sputum, and so on. In themeantime,IsentNorbuChöpheltoBonnwithDagyabRinpochétodosomesightseeing.At the endof our hospital stay, on the twenty-sixth, thedoctortoldmethatIhadtuberculosisinasmallareaofmylungbutthatIhadnearlyrecoveredfromit.HeadvisedthatIshouldgetfurthertreatmentforitatthehospitalinWald.

Athisdirection,PaldenandIstayedinaprivateroomat thehospital inWald. Norbu Chöphel returned from Germany and stayed at the house ofLosangNyimaandmyniecenearthehospital.NorbuChöphelcametoseeusat the hospital frequently. The hospital, situated on a lush green hill, wasseveral stories high. The ground floor contained recreation facilities and atelevisionloungeforthepatients.Therewerealsolargegardensforwalksandoutings.Themealswerecleanandexcellent.Thedoctorsperformedmedicaltestswithx-raysandinjections.

Itooktwodays’leavefromthehospitalandwenttothemonasterytogivethe blessing of the four sindūra initiations of Vajrayoginī to twenty-onepeopleon the twenty-fifthdayof theeleventhmonthat the requestofRatöLosang Jamyang.The next day I gave the oral transmission of the texts ofCittamaṇiTārātoLodröTulku.Igaveinstructionsontheritualof“revivingthe lost vital life energy”355 to Geshé Ugyen Testen. In the afternoon Ireturned to the hospital.LodröTulku broughtme a book on the life of theBuddhacomposedby JampaKalsangGyatsoandprinted inChina,which Ireaddaily.On the fifthdayof the twelfthmonth,Dr.Barun, awell-knownpsychiatristwholivedinZürich,cametovisitme.Heaskedquestionsaboutthetransitionfromonelifetothenext,abouttheprocessofreincarnation,aswell as about the methods for attaining enlightenment and meditating onemptiness.Irespondedtoeachofhisquestions.Onthethirteenth,mydoctortold us that the tuberculosis in my lung had responded well and Palden’ssicknessinhisleftsidewascompletelycured.

On thesixteenth, I sentNewYeargreetingcards toHisHoliness,TutorLingRinpoché,SakyaTrichen,KarmapaRinpoché,andotherhighlamasaswellastooldTibetanacquaintances.Thecardshadacolorpicturedepictingthe life of Atiśa. On the back of the cards I wrote the following verse ofgreeting:

Inthegardenofthethousand-petalledlotusesofprosperity,themelodioussongofthestruttingcelestialpeacockringsoutfromtheTurquoiseLeafrealmofhappinesstoinvitetheguestsofthegoodnessofthethreeworlds.

WhenIleftthehospitalonthetwenty-fifth,IgaveasquareTibetancarpetandvariousdrawingsofyakstothedoctorwhowasprimarilyresponsibleformytreatment,astokenofmyappreciationforhisexcellentcare.HesaidthatbothPaldenandIhadnohealthproblems.RikzinJikméLingpasaid:

Exceptforthosewhoseethetruth,ofallthosecalledbhikṣus,brahmans,andlamas,therearenonewhoarenottiedandboundbytheeightworldlyconcerns,suchasgainandloss.

Bound tightly in this way by the eight worldly concerns, I received thedoctor’sassurancewithpleasureandsatisfaction.Weweregivenasupplyofmedicine to be taken regularly, andwe left the hospital. I then stayedwithLosangNyimaandTashiDrölmaandmadethetsokofferingof the twenty-fifthonthatday.Fromthere,wedepartedforRikonandstayedatthehomeofGyaltsenNamdröl.

ENGLANDANDFRANCE

AttheinsistentinvitationofÖzerNgawangandhiswife,whowerethehouseparents of the Tibetan house at the Pestalozzi Children’s Village inEngland,356andalsoGeshéTsultimGyeltsen,thereligiousinstructorthere,IleftZürich forLondonbyairon the twenty-ninthat eleven in themorning.When I arrived at London airport, some staff members of the UK TibetSociety,RechungTulkuandhiswife,ÖzerNgawang,andothersweretheretogreetme.WeallboardedatrainandarrivedattheTibetanhouseatfourintheafternoon.

In1969,mysixty-ninthyear,onthefirstdayofthefirstTibetanmonthintheearth-birdyear,allofus, including thestaffandstudentsof theTibetanhouse Trisong Ngön-ga, celebrated Tibetan New Year with the traditionalceremoniesintheprayerhall.Weallrecitedtheversesofrefuge,generatingthemindofenlightenment, theGanglomaprayer toMañjuśrī,and the long-life prayer for His Holiness. That day, many Tibetan boys and girls fromLondonandotherplacescame toseeme.Extendingmygreeting to them,I

advisedthemontheimportanceoffaithintheDharmaandofmaintainingourcustomsandourculturalheritage.

AftertheNewYear,IgavetheinitiationofCakrasaṃvarabodymandalato Geshé Tsultim Gyeltsen alone and the blessing of the four sindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginītoGeshé-la,ÖserNgawang,andhiswife.IgaveanAmitāyus long-life initiation in the system of Drupgyal and the oraltransmission of theAbridged Stages of the Path and the Song of SpiritualExperience to the staff and students. I told everyone there that they shouldmake efforts to increase their knowledge of both the religious andworldlyarenas and that they should observe good conduct in order to support theprestigeoftheTibetans.

OnedayIwastakentoHastings,wherewewalkedonthepierandvisitedtheshops,somerestaurants,andvariousamusementfacilities.

Ithrewadinnerforaboutfifteendignitaries,includingthechairmanofthePestalozzivillage,andexpressedmyappreciationfortheirpastassistanceandcare for the Tibetan children and requested their continued help. On thesixteenth I left TrisongNgön-ga andwent to London, where I stayed in ahotel. In London I visited the planetarium, where I watched a fascinatingshowabouttheplanetsandtheconstellationsaccompaniedbynarration.Theplanets and stars were projected on the ceiling of the dome and gave anillusion of the vast space at night. They showed the progression of a lunareclipseasifitwereactuallyhappening.

In the afternoon I gave instructions on how to practice single-pointedconcentrationtoaBritishfriendofRechungTulku.Iwentsightseeingarounda famousancient royalpalace [theTowerofLondon]wheremanypreciouscrownsoftheBritishrulersalongwithmanyregalvestmentswereondisplay.Inthepalacewasagardenwithavarietyofbirdsandanimals.

OntheeighteenthIwasinvitedbytheUKTibetSocietytoattendaMarch10commemorationorganizedbythesociety.Thiswasattendedbyovertwohundred British nationals and fifty Tibetans. At the meeting, I read HisHoliness’spersonalmessageandgaveabrieftalk,whichwastranslatedintoEnglish by Mrs. Rinchen Dolma Taring.357 The Tibetan children sang theTibetannationalanthemandperformedTibetansongsanddances,whichwasatokendemonstrationofourTibetanheritage.

OnthenineteenthIleftLondonbyairforParis,whereIwasmetbytheincarnationoftheMostVenerableDakpoBamchöJampalLhundrupGyatsoandShödrungNorgyéaswellassomeKalmykMongolians.IstayedatDakpoRinpoché’s house. There I met Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché, who was there formedical treatment. Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché and I exchanged news of recent

eventsanddiscussedthedateofourreturntoIndia.KyabjéLingRinpochéandIwereinvitedbytheMongoliancommunityto

theirNewYearcelebrations.Extendingourgreetingstothem,weexpressedourview that theyoungergenerationof thecommunityshouldpreserve theDharmaandmaintainthegoodcustomsandtraditionsoftheireldersandpastgenerations.ThenextmorningIescortedKyabjéLingRinpochétotheairportas he left for Switzerland. The next day I gave a brief teaching and oraltransmission of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path and the first fewpagesoftheGreatExpositionofSecretMantratoDakpoBamchöRinpoché,Thupten,NgawangDrakpa,andtheirtwolandladies.

One day I visited a museum presenting the history of humankind’sevolutionfrommonkeys.358Isawthegradualchangesinthebonestructure.TherewerealsoexhibitsofvarioustoolsfromtheStoneAge,throughhumanhistory,uptothemodernscientificinstruments.Agreatvarietyofcostumeswasalsoondisplay.

On the twenty-seventh, twentyTibetan studentsand theirhouseparents,ShödrungNorgyéandhiswife, invitedme tovisit them inBléneau; Iwentand spent one night there. I gave teachings and oral transmission of theHundredDeitiesofTuṣita and theGangloma prayer toMañjuśrī aswell asadvice to the students. The students performed some Tibetan songs anddances.TheirTibetanwriting,drawing,andconductwereexcellentineveryrespect.

RETURNTOINDIA

On leaving Paris, I traveled toGeneva,where I stayed at the home ofMr.Phalha. On the eleventh day of the second Tibetan month, I visited theTibetan settlement in Reitnau, spending a night there and giving teachingsand performing consecrations. En route, I stopped over at the settlement inOetweil amSee,where I gave thepermissionof theThreeWrathfulFormsCombined, before returning again to Rikon, where I stayed at GyaltsenNamdröl’s house. There Imet Tutor LingRinpoché, and on the thirteenth,KyabjéLingRinpochéleftforParisaheadofme,forfurthermedicaltests.IleftforParismyselfonthetwentiethfromtheZürichairportandmetupwithKyabjéLingRinpochéandhisentourageintheairportinParis.IsawDakpoBamchöRinpochétherebriefly,andatnineatnight,weflewoutofParisonanAirFranceflight.

Onthetwenty-firstwearrivedattheDelhiairportatnoon.Weweremet

by the officers and staff of theBureau ofHisHoliness inDelhi and TibetHouse, Bakula Rinpoché from Ladakh, NyakréKhentrul,Mongolian LamaGuruDeva,andothers.WestayedatTibetHouse.AttherequestofNyakréKhentrul,IgaveabriefteachingandoraltransmissionoftheAbridgedStagesofthePathandtheSongofSpiritualExperiencetoaboutahundredpeopleatTibetHouse.

Onthe twenty-thirdI leftDelhi forDharamsala,whereIsettled intomyhouse.SomedayslaterIwenttovisitHisHolinesswithsomeofferingstopayhimmyrespectsandhadthepleasureofreceivinghiswords.AttherequestofNepo Ngödrup I gave the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginītoalargegatheringinconnectionwiththetenth-dayofferingsinthethirdmonth.

I contributed five thousand rupees toward the silver statue ofAvalokiteśvaraandthegildedbronzestatuesofGuruRinpochéandBuddhaŚākyamunithatwerebeingcreatedatthewishofHisHoliness.HisHolinessplacedtheheadsofthestatueofAvalokiteśvaradestroyedbytheChineseinLhasainsidethenewsilverstatue.Idedicatedthiscontributiontothewelfareofallthebeingsconnectedwithme.

On the tenth day of the fourth month, His Holiness was to start hisdiscourseontheGreatExpositionontheStagesofTantratothemonksfromDharamsala as well as the Gyütö and Gyümé Tantric College monks andothers who came from different places. For this occasion I presented HisHoliness with a true Ganden edition of the text. The woodblocks of thisparticulartextweresponsoredbyPönShizom,whowasappointedgovernorof Lhokha Gongkar by Nedong Desi Drakpa Gyaltsen. Woodblocks weremade at the requests of Gyaltsap Jé, Tokden Jampal Gyatso, and SempaChenpoKunsangpa.Workonthewoodblocksbeganintheearth-pigyear,sixyears after the parinirvāṇa of JéTsongkhapa (1425).Thewoodblockswerepresented to Ganden during Gyaltsap Jé’s seventh year as GandenThroneholder. I presented a copy of the text toHisHoliness andwrote thefollowingversesonthefirstpageofthetext:

Thismeaningfulworkbringingjoytothefortunate,whichlaysoutthestagestobetraveledwithinthequickpathofextraordinaryyogicpracticeleadingtotheplaceoftheall-pervading,gloriousVajradhara,ispresentedtothesupremeguideofsamsaraandnirvanabyanoldmanwhosementalabilityisfartoolowtopracticetheunmistakenpathtoenlightenment,

sodifficulttoencounterevenwithinabillioneons.

On the twenty-fourth, seventy monks including the abbot and chantmaster of Gyütö Tantric College, who had come to attend His Holiness’sdiscourseontheGreatExpositionofSecretMantra,cameandpresentedmewith a scarf anda token sumofmoney to symbolize the enlightenedbody,speech,andmindandrecitedprayersformylonglife.Tofulfilltherequestsof both tantric monasteries, I gave the initiations of sixty-two-deityCakrasaṃvara in the tradition of themahāsiddha Luipa to over a thousandmonks,includingthemonksofthetantricmonasteriesandthethreeseatsaswellastomonksfromLadakh,Kinnaur,andSpiti.ThisinitiationwasgivenfortwodaysafterHisHoliness’sdiscourseontantrainthehalloftheTibetanChildren’sVillage.

Onthetwenty-ninthIgavethelifeentrustmentoftheprotectorShukdentotwomonksofSeraMéandonemonkfromGandenJangtséinconjunctionwithmymonthlypropitiationofferingtotheprotector.JustasIstartedtodothe propitiation rituals, the monk Losang Dorjé of Dromo, who had comefrom Gangtok, brought me the first copy of the commentary to thebiographical praise of the protector that I had composed. It was a veryauspiciouscoincidence.

On the first day of the fifthmonth, a hundredmonks from theGyüméTantric College came tomy house and offeredme a scarf and a sum as atoken of the three representations. They recited the prayers to the sixteenarhatsformylonglifeandaskedmetomakeastrongintentiontolivealonglife. I replied that Iwouldofferprayers to live longandadvised themonksthat theyshouldobservethetraditionsof the lineageof thegreatmastersoftantra.

On the ninth, I met the incarnation of Gangkar Lama of SeudruMonastery, who had come to Dharamsala once he had been recognizedbeyonddoubt.Thedayhecametoseeme, themonksofSeudruMonasteryinvoked the presence of theGadong oracle in a trance.Although the tulkuwasonlyfive,heshowednoapprehensionorshynessinthepresenceoftheoracle.Theoraclegavehimsipsofhisteaandascarfandthenpickedhimupto hold him in his lap, telling those present including Tārā Tulku, GeshéYeshéThupten,andothermonksofSeudruMonasterythattheyshouldseverall theirdoubts about the incarnationand shouldmakeefforts to ensure thetulku’slongevity.

DakpoBamchöhadcomefromFranceandwasstayinginDharamsala.AthisrequestIgavetheinitiationofCakrasaṃvarabodymandalafortwodays

toRinpoché,AssistantTutorSerkongRinpoché,andsevenothers.Beginningonthefirstdayofthesixthmonth,Ipresidedasvajramaster

over the fulfillment and confession ritual, togetherwith an accumulationoftsokofferings, to the fivefoldDharmarājaDorjéDrakdenwith theNechungmonks at their monastery. The rituals were made for seven days for thebenefit of the religious and secular affairs of Tibet at the wishes of HisHoliness.

On the fourth day of the sixth month, I gave novice ordination to aGermanman namedRoland and to six Tibetans. I gaveRoland the novicenameLosangKalden.WhenLosangKaldenleftforVaranasitostudyTibetanBuddhism,IgavehimacopyoftheFiftyVersesonVinayaonthevowsandconductofnovices.359FromthetenthIgaveexperientialteachingsonthetwostages ofVajrayoginī secretly toAssistantTutor SerkongRinpoché,DakpoBamchö Rinpoché, and Palden for seven days at the wish of the twoRinpochés.

Drakpa Samdrup was the son of the late Panglung Gyalchen Shukdenmedium, and at the urging of thosemonks fromPomraHouse of SeraMéwhowere caretakers of the protector, I invokedGyalchen inmy residenceseveral times in the hope that the protector would enter Drakpa Samdrup.There were a few signs that he had entered. After that I invited the localprotectorofPanglung,TsengöKhachéMarpo.Thesignsweremoreevidentthan before, but he did not stay long, probably because the oracle had notbeen trained. I left it at that for the timebeing. It seemed that theprotectorwouldappearwithfurtherpractice.

AttherequestofAssistantTutorSerkongRinpoché,IgaveaWhiteTārālong-life initiation to Rinpoché and his attendants. Then, in the afternoonsover a period of eight days, I gave an explanation of theMiddle-LengthStagesofthePathwithmyexpandedoutlinestoTsenshapRinpoché,DakpoBamchöRinpoché,RatöChubarRinpoché,ThepoTulkuofGandenShartsé,LatiRinpoché,andGeshéRapten—eightofthemalltogether.Asallofthemwere very learned, I did not bother to explain the textword byword, as Iwould for beginners. Instead I explained the main points briefly and gavedetailed instructions on meditation on certain points from my personalexperience.

Onthefourthdayoftheeighthmonth,IvisitedHisHolinessathisrequestto offer theWhiteHeruka long-life initiation according to the teachings ofMañjuśrī. From then on in the afternoons, over a period of fifteen days, IofferedtheexperientialteachingsandoraltransmissionoftheMiddle-LengthStages of Path, the Easy Path, the Words of Mañjuśrī according to the

southernlineage,andtheexplanationofthenotesonLiberationinthePalmof Your Hand simultaneously. After that I gave the initiation of the closelineage of longevity practice, the Vajra Life-Tree of Immortality, to HisHoliness.ThispracticewasgiventotheThirdDalaiLama,SönamGyatso,byDrupchenPaldenDorjé.

From the twenty-third, for three days, I completed the explanation andoral transmissionof theGreatTreatiseon theStagesof thePath that Ihadpreviously begun giving to Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché.360 Tutor Kyabjé LingRinpoché is amaster of all the teachings of sutra and tantra and remains ateachercontinuouslygivingteachings,whichhehasthoroughlyperceived,tohisdisciples,andwhenIgavehimthisexplanation,Iaddednothingnewtohisknowledge.Therefore, insteadofexplaining thewords, Iofferedhimanexplanationforthemethodsofmeditatingonthepointsoftheteachings.Withthisbriefexplanation,Imadeofferingstopleasehim.

AtthewishofAssistantTutorSerkongRinpoché,IgavethetransmissionoftwochaptersfromtheIronFortresscyclefoundwithinthesealedwritingsofPaṇchenChökyiGyaltsen,whichincludedtheritualofthesixty-four-parttormaofferingknownastheMagicalWheeloftheBlazingWeaponofDeath,andsoon,aswellasaworkcomposedbymyselfonasiteritualknownastheIron Fortress Sixty-Four-Part Ritual with Reliance upon ExternalDharmarāja,361togetherwiththerecitations.

MUSSOORIEANDDELHI

At the invitationof theCentralSchool forTibetansand theTibetanHomesFoundation,IleftDharamsalaforMussoorieontheseventhdayoftheninthmonth. The next day I arrived at theTibetanmonastery inMussoorie. Thefollowing morning, on the tenth, Sakya Dakchen Rinpoché of DrölmaPhodrangcametovisitmeandaskedmetocometovisitthecenterinRajpuronmyreturntoDharamsala.Intheafternoon,atthewishofGomoTulku,Igave the blessing of the four sindūra initiations of Vajrayoginī to about ahundredpeopleintheassemblyhallofthemonastery.ThenextdayIpaidavisittoDakchenRinpoché.AlthoughRinpochéwasveryyoung,hislearningand behavior revealed the true nature of this lineage inherited from KhönMañjuśrī.Iwasverypleasedandwasmovedwithrespect.362

Thereafter I gave a White Tārā long-life initiation and the oraltransmissionoftheThreePrincipalAspectsofthePathtotheboysandgirlsoftheschoolandthehomesaswellastoalargecrowdfromtheMussooriearea.AttheendIadvisedthestudentsontheimportanceoftheirreligiousand

secularstudies.Igavelay,prenovice,andnoviceordinationtosixty-twoboysandonegirlandpresidedoverthemonthlyconfessionceremony.EachdayIvisited the school and the homes and performed consecrations. On theseventeenthIleftMussoorieandwasseenoffbytheprincipalandthedirectorof theCentralSchool forTibetans and theTibetanHomesFoundation,Mr.andMrs.Taring,alongwiththeteachersandthestudents.

OnthewayIwenttoRajpurtovisittheSakyacenterasSakyaDakchenRinpochéhadrequested.Alltogethertherewereoverfiftymonksofallages.I presented a sum of money with which to make offerings to them. Iexpressedmyhopethat theywouldupholdthepureSakyatraditionofsutraandtantrawhilelivinginperfectharmony.OnthewaybackIspentonenightinahotelinAmbalaandarrivedinDharamsalathefollowingday.

Onthe twenty-eighthat thewishofAssistantTutorSerkongRinpochéIgaveRinpoché,hisattendants,andChoktengTaLamatheblessingofthefoursindūra initiations of Vajrayoginī and the oral transmission of thewrathfulfireofferingofVajrabhairavainthetraditionoftheGyüméTantricCollege,whichIhadcomposed,alongwiththeburialritual.

Onthefirstdayofthetenthmonth,Iparticipatedintheblessingsoftherelics and printed prayers that were to be placed in the statues of GuruRinpoché and Buddha Śākyamuni. This took place in His Holiness’sresidence. I gaveaWhiteTārā long-life initiationand theoral transmissionand some instructionson thepracticeof theMahākālaprayer composedbyKhedrup Jé, Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, to a few monks of Gyümé TantricCollege,includingtheabbotandthechantmaster.Ialsogaveinstructionsonthe five points of protection and repulsion by the ten wrathful deities andofferedinstructionsonthevisualizationoftheritualsofprotection,repulsion,anddestructiontoninemonksofGyütöTantricCollege,includingtheabbotandthechantmaster,whohadcometodosomeritualprayersforthesuccessofreligiousandsecularpursuits.

Atonepoint,IofferedHisHolinesstheinitiationofSecretHayagrīvainthe system of Kyergang based on the text by Gyal Khenchen DrakpaGyaltsen.363

BakulaRinpochéfromLadakhcametoseemeandinsistedthatIshouldattend the annual twenty-fifth day of the tenthmonth commemoration thatwastobeheldattheLadakhBuddhaViharinDelhiandwouldbesponsoredby the Geluk Buddhist Cultural Society.364 I left for Delhi on the twenty-second. At the meeting on the morning of the twenty-fifth, I delivered alecture on the principal deeds of Jé Tsongkhapa, such as his discourses,dialectics,andcompositions,andhispursuitofstudiesandlearning.Thiswas

translated into English by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa. At themeetingDr. SuniSahib and Dr. Rao asked me questions concerning the deeds of JéTsongkhapa,andIrepliedaccordingly.AttendingtheactualcelebrationoftheeventintheeveningwerethecabinetministerDr.KaranSingh,ambassadorsfromcountriessuchasSriLanka,aswellasbothforeignersandTibetans.Atthis largegatheringDr.Singh,BakulaRinpoché, andotherdignitariesgavetalks.IalsogaveatalkonthelifeofJéTsongkhapaandhowthefollowersofthe Geluk tradition combine study, contemplation, and meditation withscholarship, ethics, and compassion all as complementary to one anotherwithoutanycontradiction.ThiswasagaintranslatedintoEnglishbyLobsangLhalungpa.IleftforDharamsalaontheeveningofthetwenty-seventh.

AVERTINGHINDRANCESTOHISHOLINESS’SLONGLIFE

From thesixthof theeleventhmonth Igaveexperiential teachingsover thecourse of three days on theSeven-PointMindTraining to Barshi PhuntsokWangyal, the instructor of Tibetan medicine and astrology at the Astro-Medical Institute. Mr. Barshi had a profound and vast knowledge of thisscienceoflearning.

Attherequestofthenyungnéfastinggroup,IgaveaWhiteTārālong-lifeinitiation and oral transmission of the essence of dependent originationmantra toa largegatheringofpeople in theAvalokiteśvara temple inupperDharamsala.365Aspartofmyexplanationofthisfour-lineverse,whichstartswith the line“All thingsoriginate fromcauses,” Ipresented themeaningofthefournobletruthsinboththeirforward(evolution)andreverse(involution)order.Ialsoexplainedthemeaningofthesix-syllablemaṇimantra.

TrijangRinpochéblessingahospitalpatientinIndia,dateunknownCOURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

Onthenineteenth,HisHolinesscametovisitmeandgavemesomelong-life pills and other substances from his retreat practice of long-life WhiteHeruka. He related to me his auspicious dreams during his Vajrabhairavaretreat.HisHolinessdiscussedwithmesomepointsofinterpretationhewasnot clear about after reading Jé Tsongkhapa’s Great Commentary onFundamentalWisdom,ClarifyingtheIntentof theMiddleWay,andEssenceof Eloquence. I was deeplymovedwith faith and truly impressedwith hisunderstanding, which was a manifestation of the qualities of the suprememasters.

Onthetwenty-fifthdayoftheeleventhmonth,Igavetheblessingofthefour sindūra initiations of Vajrayoginī to Sherpa Karma Wangchuk, theDromo monk Chödar, and others. As His Holiness’s thirty-seventh year,considered year of obstacles, was approaching, I proceeded to perform thelong-liferetreatofWhiteTārāstartingonthefifthdayofthetwelfthmonth.On the eighth I attended the auspicious confession ceremony at thecompletionof thestatuesof theBuddhaandGuruRinpoché installedat theThekchenChölingtemple.IpresentedHisHolinesswith320differenttypesof sacred relics of Indian andTibetangreat realizedmasters.Asmentionedearlier, I had received some of these relics from the Tibetan government’srelics box when I was engaged in the task of making His Holiness the

ThirteenthDalaiLama’sgoldenmemorialstupa.OtherswererelicsIwasableto accumulate from most reliable sources during my pilgrimages to holyplaces.IpresentedthesetoHisHoliness inseparateyellowbrocadebagsofthe relics divided into Indian, Sakya, Geluk, Kagyü, andNyingma sourcesalongwithacatalogoftheircontents.

Beginning on the tenth, I attended the elaborate three-day consecrationperformed in conjunction with the Cakrasaṃvara ritual with thirty-twomonks, including the abbot and the chantmaster ofGyütöTantricCollege.ThiswaspresidedoverbyHisHoliness,andallstages—thepreparation,theactual consecration, and the conclusion — were performed in the mosteffectivemanner so that thewisdombeings shouldbecome indivisiblewiththe statues — the commitment beings.366 On the thirteenth, I invited themonks of Gyütö Tantric College to my house, where they performedpurificationandconsecration rituals. In theafternoon Igave instructionsonthe purpose and the significance of the mundane and supramundanepurification and elimination rituals of the elaborate consecration. I alsoexplained the meaning of the Iron Fortress of the sixty-four-part tormaoffering and the significance of the number of tormas in these ritualsaccordingtotheinstructionsandtraditionsofpastlamas.

Onthetwenty-third,TsurphuKarmapaRinpochéalongwiththeShamar,KathokSitu,DrungpaGyaltsab,andKongtrulRinpochés367cametovisitme,and I offered a dinner in their honor. Karmapa Rinpoché asked me tocompose a long-life prayer for His Holiness because His Holiness wasapproachinghisperilousthirty-seventhyear.AthiswishIcomposedaprayerin conjunction with supplications to the sixteen arhats. It was entitled theLong-LifePrayeroftheMelodiousWordsofTruth.368

In1970,theiron-dogyear,Ienteredmyseventiethyear.OntheninthdayofthefirstTibetanmonth(February13),Ipresidedoveralong-lifeceremonyof the five secret deities ofAmitāyuswith theHalting theḌākinī’s Escortritual offered to His Holiness by the staff of the Central TibetanAdministration, representatives of the four lineages, and the Assembly ofTibetan People’s Deputies. This long-life ritual was based on the divinevisionsofTakphuGarwang.369

Onthefifteenth,attherequestofKachenLosangGyaltsen,Icomposedabiographical supplication to Lochen Tulku of Tashi Lhunpo. I based thissupplicationonapreviouseditionofthebiographiesofthePaṇchenLamas.IpresentedthetexttoLochenTulkuwithascarf.

I gave the permission of Secret Hayagrīva and a distant lineage ofAmitāyuslong-liferitualtoRikyaRinpochéandhisattendantsfromSeraJé.

AttherequestofthemonkLosangDorjéofDungkarMonasteryinDromo,Igave the initiations of the Cakrasaṃvara body mandala in the Ghaṇṭāpādatradition toLosangDorjé,NgakramTseringWangdüofTashiLhunpo, andthe three others.AsLosangDorjéwas to do a retreat of theCakrasaṃvarabodymandala,Igavehimdetailedinstructionsontheretreatprocedure.

For some time I had been having persistent disturbing dreams due tocertainspirits.IthereforeaskedSongRinpochéandtwomonkswhohaddonetheretreatofHayagrīvatoperformremedialrituals.Ontheninthdayofthesecondmonth,afterthreedaysofrituals,aneffigywithvarioustypesofgiftswassentawaytopacifythespirits.IalsorecitedtheHeartSutramanytimesandmeditatedon theultimate lackof inherentexistenceof thedisturbancesandonhow theirnatureona relative level isas illusoryanddeceptiveasadream.As I did this contemplation to dissolve the effects of the harm,myunpleasantdreamsceased.

Over one hundred people from the Chatreng area were gathered inDharamsala for theKālacakra initiation tobegivenbyHisHolinessaroundthefifteenthdayofthesecondmonth.Attheirinsistence,theyofferedmealong-lifeceremony,whichwasperformedwithaGuruPujaandtsokofferingconductedbysomemonksandpresidedoverbySongRinpoché.Thegroupofferedme a sum of 2,100 rupees as a gift. I kept 600 rupees and offered1,500rupeestothegeneralfundof theChatrengassociation,supplementingthe2,000rupeesIhadgivenpreviously.370

AttherequestoftheKālacakrasponsorsAmdowaJinpaGyatsofromtheTibetanmonastery inBodhgayaandPashoThupten,KyabjéLingRinpochégave the permission to practice Avalokiteśvara Who Liberates from AllLowerRealmsonemorning,andthenIgavethepermissionofthetwenty-oneTārās in thesystemofAtiśa.Thesewereattendedbyover twenty thousandpeoplewho had come for theKālacakra initiation at theThekchenChölingtemple.

On the thirtieth, at the request of the nun Ngawang Paldrön, I gaveMahayanaone-daypreceptstoalargegatheringatthetemple.

SEARCHINGFORTHEREINCARNATIONOFKYABJÉPHABONGKHARINPOCHÉ

OntheeighthdayofthethirdmonthIinvokedtheprotectorShukdenthroughthemediumofLhokhaRiwoChölingMonasteryforpropheticadviceonthediscoveryof thenew incarnationof the late supreme incarnationofKyabjé

PhabongkhaVajradhara.Theprotectorsaidtheindicationswouldberevealedbutdidnotgivespecificdetails.EarlythenextdayIhadadreamofthelateregentTakdrakRinpoché sitting in a ceremonial hall floodedwith sunlight.HeseemedverypleasedtoseemeandadvisedmethatIwouldlivelongandworkfortheserviceoftheDharma.InmyreplyItoldhimthatduetomyoldageIdidnotholdoutmuchhopeofservingtheDharma.Ialsotoldhimthatthe late supreme incarnation passed away suddenly even though I had hadgreathopes inhim,ashehadacquired thequalitiesof learning, ethics, andcompassion. Other young incarnations have not become mature in theirlearning, and therefore the state of the upholders of the Geluk tradition isgrim. I told him this in great despair. In reply he said, “The verse of yourpoem—‘Themai-na-kamanifestedby themightof the tenforces’—wasexcellent.”HesaidthisemphaticallysothateveninthedreamIrepeatedtheline“Themanifestationofka-da-kabythemightofthetenforces”againandagain.Laterit turnedoutthatthesesyllablesformedpartofthenameofthenewincarnation’smother.

On the twenty-second I invoked Shukden through the medium of theGanden Chöphel Ling Tibetan monastery in Nepal. He said that theincarnation had been born the previous year and hewas nearly twenty-twomonthsold.Nowweknowthat thiscorrespondedtothedateof thebirthoftheyoungincarnation,whowasbornonthefourthdayoftheseventhmonthofthebirdyear.

Startingonthetwenty-third,IgaveexperientialteachingstoHisHolinessand Assistant Tutor Serkong Rinpoché on the generation and completionstagesofthecontrollingforceoftheJetsunKurukullebasedonthewritingsofDergéSharLamaKungaPalden.371Igavetheseteachinginthemannerofthe fourfold explanations in accordancewith the traditionsof the lamas.Atthesame timeIoffered themtheoral transmissionof theFlowof theRiverGanges on the permissions of the Thirteen Golden Dharmas of SakyaformulatedbyTakphuGarwangRinpoché.

Fromthethirddayofthefourthmonth,IstoppedreceivingvisitorssothatI could perform a retreat on the sixteen drops of theKadam lineage at theinstructionofHisHoliness.372SubsequentlyIdidaretreatontheWhiteTārālongevitypracticeforHisHoliness’slonglife.Iconcludedtheretreatsonthetwenty-fourthofthesecondfourthmonth.373

AtthewishofthemonkTenzinChöphelfromHungary,Igavehimandafewotherstheinitiationofsingle-deityVajrabhairavaandtheblessingofthefour sindūra initiations of Vajrayoginī. On the fifteenth day of the sixthmonth,IofferedtheinitiationofthesixteendropsoftheKadamlineagebased

onthewritingsofKachenYeshéGyaltsenandNgulchuDharmabhadra.Beginningon thesixteenth, Igaveexperiential teachings for sixdays to

Dzemé Rinpoché on the generation and completion stages of JetsunKurukulle based on the writing of Dergé Shar Lama. In this teaching Ifollowed the tradition of “letting go of mental fixation” and so forth.374Subsequently I gave Dzemé Rinpoché explanations on the followingteachings: the Amitāyus root text Life Accomplishment of Kurava by JéTsongkhapa,375 the Life Accomplishment in Verse by PhabongkhaVajradhara,376 the Amitāyus life accomplishment based on the twocommentaries by Jé Sherap Gyatso,377 meditation and recitation ofSamayavajra from Twenty-One Short Works on Guhyasamāja by JéTsongkhapa, teachings on the Vajraḍāka fire offering, teachings onAvalokiteśvara according to the Nyen Tsembu tradition378 by ChangkyaRölpaiDorjé,teachingsontheMitrayoginsystemofAvalokiteśvarausingtheThreeEssentialMoments explanationof JamyangShepa JikméWangpo,379aswellasteachingsontheblessingofspeechbyJéSherapGyatso.

At the request of theHungarianmonkTenzinChöphel and theGermanmonkLosangKalden,Ispoketothembeforetheyreturnedtotheircountriesontheneedtoregularlyapplytheopponentstothethreepoisons,onthewaytoexamineone’sbody,speech,andmind,aswellasonabriefintroductiontotheMiddleWayview.Thesewererecordedontape.

From the first day of the seventhmonth I gaveRatöChubarRinpoché,Dzemé Rinpoché, Lati Rinpoché, and my attendant Palden long-lifeinitiationswiththeblessingsofthefourinitiationsofthetwenty-threedeitiesofSecretWrathfulAmitāyusinthesystemofDrupgyal,theninereddeitiesintheVerySecretInstructionsofRechungpa,andninedeitiesofAmitāyus.

AttheinvitationofthecommanderandthetroopsofthedefensetrainingestablishmentinDehradun,IleftDharamsalaonthetwelfthdayoftheeighthmonth, and traveling by variousmodes of public transport, I arrived at thebasecampinChakratathenextday.Onthefifteenth,fourthousandTibetans,including the officers and the trainees of the 22ndEstablishment and somestudents,gatheredinthetrainingcamps.ThereIgavethemthepermissionofAvalokiteśvaraLiberatingfromAllLowerRealms.ThenextdayIgavethemanAmitāyuslong-lifeinitiationinthesystemofDrupgyal.

OnthefollowingdaysImetsomehigh-rankingIndianmilitaryadvisors.Ivisited thechapelsof the individualcompaniesandgave teachingsandoraltransmissions. I also visited the army school and the hospital and gaveappropriate teachings and advice. I left the establishment on the twentieth,andonmyreturntripIvisitedwithdisabledservicemenandwithsomewives

ofthepersonnelatthehandicraftunit.ThereIgaveteachingsandperformeda consecration and the like. Then, leaving via Saharanpur and so forth, IarrivedinDharamsalathefollowingday,onthetwenty-first.

MORETEACHINGSTOHISHOLINESS

Beginning on the first day of the ninth month, I offered His Holinessexperientialteachingsforthreedaysontheroottextofthe“closelineage”ofTakphu’s divine visions of the practice of Cittamaṇi Tārā combined withPhabongkhaVajradhara’swritingsonthegenerationandcompletionstagesofthe practice. I offered him experiential teachings on the two stages ofVajrayoginī using the Vajrayoginī sādhana called Quick Path to GreatBliss380asthebasetextandgivingoraltransmissionsofthecommentariesonthetwostagesbyTakphu,Ngulchu,andtheShaluTrisurLosangKhyenrap.With these four used for a single purpose, I gave the explanation frommemory. I offered these teachings for seven days with the wish to “cutfabrications” and “let go ofmental fixation” in accordancewith the Sakyatradition. IofferedHisHoliness thepermission for themantraextractionofVajrayoginīandtheoral transmissionCausing theRainofGoodness toFalland other ritual practices of Cittamaṇi Tārā. Following this, when KyabjéLing Rinpoché offered His Holiness the performance-tantra initiationVairocanaAbhisaṃbodhi,Ialsohadthegreatfortunetoattendtheinitiationtoenforcethefruitionofliberation.381

Iofferedacontributionoffivethousandrupeesandasetofgildedbronzestatues of Jé Tsongkhapa and hismain disciples completewith pandit hatsandrobesforthemainassemblyhallbeingconstructedatGandenMonastery.The statue of Jé Tsongkhapameasured two feet eight inches including thelotus seat, and the statues of the two disciplesmeasured two feet and fiveinchesincludingthecushions.

MongolianLamaGuruDevacame tovisitmeon the twenty-fourth.HehadjustreturnedfromatriptoUlanBator,wherehehadattendedareligiousconference. He gave me the collected works of Chahar Geshé LosangTsultrimintenvolumes,adefinitiveclarificationonthestagesofthepathbytheMongolianLosangDorjé,abookcomparingtheestablishmentofthetwotruths in the four tenetsschools,adefinitiveclarificationof theTreasuryofAbhidharmawrittenbyPaldenChöjé,biographiesofPaṇchenSönamDrakpaandShukdenwrittenbythehermitLhawangGyatsoandothers,andavolumeonthestagesof thepathbyThoyönLamaDöndrupGyaltsen.Healsogavemeapairof largeverticallyplayedcymbals. Iwasdelighted to receive the

invaluablebooks,morepreciousthangold.Bythistime,novicemonkThuptenPhelgyé[a.k.a.DrakpaSamdrup],the

son of the late medium of Panglung Hermitage, was reliably receivingShukdenandhisretinueintrance.Onthetwenty-sixthweinvokedShukden,Setrap,Chingkarwa, andYumar Tsengö in succession. I requested of themtheirdutifulprotection,boundthemtotheiroaths,andformallyacceptedthenewmedium in thepresenceof the incarnationofDromoGeshéRinpoché,RatöRinpoché,andothers.

EXCHANGINGTEACHINGSWITHKYABJÉLINGRINPOCHÉIN

BODHGAYA

On the fourth of the tenth month I left for Bodhgaya. On the sixth TutorKyabjéLingRinpoché’slabrangsponsoredalong-lifeceremonyforme.Thiswas held in the assembly hall of the Tibetan monastery, and the monksperformed the tsokoffering ritual.At the ceremony,KyabjéLingRinpochépresentedmewith the eight auspicious symbols and substances alongwithmelodious,descriptiveverses.

In fulfillment of my previous request, the incomparable and dauntlessmaster of the profound meaning of secret tantra, Tutor Kyabjé LingVajradhara, on the eighth began givingme alone teachings on and the oraltransmissionofJéTsongkhapa’sGreatExpositionofSecretMantra.Hegavemetheteachingseverydayfromtwointheafternoonuntillateintheeveningwithoutanybreaks.Rememberingtheessentialbenefitsofmakingofferingsto the Three Refuges, I made daily offerings of over ten thousand butterlamps at the stupa. On the fifteenth Imade offerings to themonks for theentiredayandcontributedathousandrupeesforthenewmuralsontheinnerwallsof themonastery’sassemblyhall. In theafternoonI requestedKyabjéLing Rinpoché to preside over the thousandfold offerings I made at theMahābodhi stupaonbehalfofall thoseconnectedwithme,both livinganddead.The teachingon theGreatExpositionof SecretMantra concludedonthe sixteenth.Maintaining the form of even a mere human being becomesverymeaningfulwhenthatformbecomesthevessel inwhichtoreceivethenectar of the great secret teaching that is the life-sustaining essence ofpeerlessliberation.

Thenextdayat the requestof themonkTsöndrüGyatsoof theTibetanmonasteryinBodhgaya,IgavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī to fiftymonks.On the eighteenth and nineteenth, I offered the

initiations of the single-deity and thirteen-deity Vajrabhairava in the cloth-drawnmandalatoKyabjéLingRinpochéalone.AsKyabjéLingRinpochéisamasterof the twenty innerandouterqualitiesof avajramaster, Ididnotbother to give elaborate explanations of the initiations and offered theinitiationinabriefmanner.

Onthetwentieth,IinvitedKyabjéLingRinpochétopresideoveralong-lifeceremonyinconjunctionwithatsokofferingconductedbythemonksintheassemblyhallof themonastery. Imadesincere requests toKyabjéLingRinpoché to firmly plant his feet on the ground throughout existence andmadesomematerialofferings.Onthetwenty-first,atthewishofKyabjéLingRinpoché and the request of the monks, I gave teachings and the oraltransmissionoftheHundredDeitiesofTuṣitaandtheFoundationofAllGoodQualitiestoovertwohundreddisciples.

The following day I departed for Varanasi. On the twenty-fifth, at therequest of Ama Mikmar Drölma, I gave the blessing of the four sindūrainitiations of Vajrayoginī at the Tibetan monastery to over two hundreddisciples, including tulkus and geshéswhowere students at the Institute ofHigher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath. In the evening Imade the thousandfoldofferingat theholy stupa.Thenextday Igave theoral transmissionofmycommentary to the biographical praises of Shukden to Song Rinpoché,Assistant Tutor SerkongRinpoché,ChamdoGyaraRinpoché, andDoboomTulku of Trehor’s Dargyé Monastery. On the eighth day of the eleventhmonth,IreturnedfromVaranasitoDharamsalaviaDelhi.

HISHOLINESS’SRETREAT

To avert any obstacles toHisHoliness’s long life during his thirty-seventhyear, Idida retreatof the thirty-threepeacefuldeitiesof innerAmitāyus inthe system of Drupgyal beginning on the twenty-seventh of the eleventhmonth.DuringthistimeIdidnotreceiveanyvisitors.

On the tenth day of the twelfth month, His Holiness sent me a letterinforming me of his wish to do daily practice of the completion stage inconjunction with the yoga of inner heat (caṇḍālī, Tib. tumo) in the sixDharmasofNāropa,andhesentme1,125rupeesforofferingsonthetenthofeverywaxing andwaningmoon from that day forward, for threeyears andthree halfmonths.He toldme to have a special lunchwith thismoney onthose offering days. In response to his great regard for me, which is likeseeingaclodofearthasgold,Icomposedthefollowingpoems.

Thewish-grantingjewelofthethreerealmshasseenthislumpofbrassasgold,andwhenthiscompassionateletterofgenerosityarrived,joy,faith,andreverenceallstrovetosurpasseachotherwithinme.

Ifthisrottenolddogisgrantedaholidayforawhilebythemessengersofdeathfromthesouth,thetenth-daymealsgrantedtomeforthreeyearswillbedevouredwithtongue-smackingrelish.

Innerheat’sshortavowelisthecornerstoneofthecompletionstage,thementalsustenanceofthesiddhasofIndiaandTibet,andthehooktogatheremptinessandwindinthecentralchannel.Yourembarkingonsuchapracticeisthewayofsupremebeings.

TheinnerwomanRatiplayswithinthecentralchannel,andwiththelightning-flashmovementofhernoose,allproliferationisatonceboundwithinthedharmadhātu.Suchaperformancestrikesmeastrulywondrous.

Thisprofoundyogaofthecompletionstageisweighteddownbytheessenceofblissandemptiness.Ifsustainedinawell-balancedway,withoutlaxityorintensitybutconsistently,itwilldefinitelybringresults.

Thesebeautifulwords,thoughcolorfulasarainbow,arenotfounduponexamination;theyareinnatureemptiness.Thislifewastedindeceptionandsuperficialactivitymovesmetosorrow.

In1971,theTibetaniron-pigyear,Iturnedseventy-one.OnthesecondofMarch, the sixth day of the first Tibetanmonth, I performed the amendingritual fireofferingson thesuccessfulcompletionof the long-life retreat.OnthethirteenththeministersandthestaffoftheCentralTibetanAdministrationas well as the Tibetan People’s Deputies offered an elaborate long-lifeceremonywiththeritualofWhiteTārātoHisHolinessinordertopacifyandeliminate the obstacles to his thirty-seventh year. After attending theceremony, I visited His Holiness at his residence and paid my New Yearrespectstohim.

NyakréHouseofGandenShartséMonasteryhadpreviouslyrequestedmetocomposenewritualsofpropitiating,wealthgathering,andtsokofferingtotheirprotectorRedSpearVaiśravaṇaandhisretinue.382Thishadbeenputoffforseveralyears,butnow,duetodefinitiveindicationsinmydreamsoftheprotector’s wish that I quickly write the rituals, I composed the rituals ofpropitiation and wealth gathering. I compiled the tsok offering from thewritingsofThukenandsentthetextstoNyakréHouse.

ThepoTulku,LatiRinpoché,andothersresidinginDharamsalareceivedaletterfromGandenShartséMonasteryaskingthemtomakearrangementstoofferme a long-life ceremony. Therefore, on the fourth day of the secondmonth, forty tulkus and geshés, includingThepoTulku andLatiRinpoché,and other Shartsé monks on break from the Institute of Higher TibetanStudies in Sarnath, offeredme aGuru Puja with tsok offering and recitedprayersformylonglife.

AtthewishofAssistantTutorSerkongRinpoché,Igavetheinitiationofthefive-deityCakrasaṃvaratoaselectgroupofnineteentulkusandgeshés,including Lochen Tulku, beginning on the nineteenth. At the request ofMongolianLamaGuruDeva,IgaveexperientialteachingsontheEasyPathtoseventeenseniortulkusandgeshés.Asthisgroupwasalreadywellversedintheteachingsandwaslearned,Ididnotelaborateonthegeneralpointsofthe teachings and gave instead a rather extensive discourse to drawmeditational experience from visualizations. To conclude I performed theceremony for generating bodhicitta. Lama Guru Deva sponsored a tsokofferingand,asanofferingforthebodhicittaceremony,presentedmeacopyoftheGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePathwritteningold.

Onthetenthdayofthethirdmonth,IgavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginī toBarshiJampaTenkyongbeforeheemigrated toCanada.Followingthat,forfourdaysIgaveexperientialteachingsonthesixDharmasofNāropa,basedonthewritingsofTrehorNaktsang,tothemonkLosangDorjé of DungkarMonastery in Dromo. On the second day of thefourthmonth,attherequestofAssistantTutorSerkongRinpoché,IgavethepermissionsofGaruḍaandofWhiteTārāEndowedwithNineLineages383toa few tulkus. This was followed by teachings on Samayavajra from JéTsongkhapa’sTwenty-OneShortWorksonGuhyasamāja and the ritual fireofferingsofVajraḍāka.

JamgönSakyaDakchenRinpochécametoDharamsalatoofferalong-lifeceremonytoHisHoliness.Duringhisstay,wecalledoneachother.IalsometChogyéTrichenRinpochéofNalendraandquestionedhimaboutthecustomofpreliminarymeditationretreatsaspreparationforconferringinitiationsof

the Compendium of All Tantras.384 Rinpoché told me that when theinitiationsof theVajrāvalī andMitraHundred are conferred separately, themandalatheyhaveincommondoesnotsufficetohaveonegeneralinitiation.Hesaidthatthereareelaborateandabbreviatedmethodsofdoingtheretreatsofthedeities,andtheycanbeperformedeitherindividuallyorbycombininggroupsofdeities.

Inthefifthmonth,IgavethepermissiontopracticeAvalokiteśvaraWhoLiberates fromAll Lower Realms at NamgyalMonastery to the abbot, thechant master, and the monks. I gave the permission of [an aspect ofAvalokiteśvaracalledthe]BlackLiberatingStandingLiontoThubtenYesheofSeraJé’sTsawaHouse,hisAmericanstudentLosangChökyi,andothers.AttherequestofThepoTulku,IgaveapermissionofFour-FacedMahākālaTimeofApproximation.385

On the eighth of the seventh month, at the wish of Assistant TutorSerkongRinpoché, I gave thepermissionof JéRinpoché as the tripledeityandteachingsontheHundredDeitiesofTuṣitabasedonthecommentarybytheSeventhDalaiLamaKalsangGyatso,SourceofAllAttainments,tothirtytulkusandgeshés.Inthedaysfollowing,atthewishofHisHoliness,Igavevarious long-life initiations to His Holiness, Shakor Khentrul NyimaGyaltsen,theabbotandchantmasterofNamgyalMonastery,AssistantTutorSerkong Rinpoché, and other tulkus and geshés including hermits and thesenior monks of Namgyal Monastery. These initiations included thepreparation and initiation of the thirty-three peaceful deities of innerAmitāyus in the Drupgyal system, which was passed fromMachik DrupaiGyalmo to Rechungpa. This initiation, in conjunction with the long-lifeempowerment, comes from the rituals of Amitāyus explained in the BlueBookofSynonymsoftheCakrasaṃvaraexplanatorytantras.386

Other initiations were the long-life empowerment in conjunction withblessingof the four initiationsof the twenty-threewrathfuldeitiesofSecretAmitāyus,theninereddeitiesofExtremelySecretAmitāyusofRechung,thelong-life empowerment of nine white deities of Amitāyus, the long-lifeempowermentinconjunctionwiththeblessingsofthefourinitiationsoftheexclusive one deity and one vase of Red Amitāyus, and the permission ofSamayavajraandconsortasexplainedinGuhyasamāja.Eachdayaftergivingthe long-lifeempowerment Igave teachingsonand theoral transmissionoftheroottextoftheWheelofSharpWeaponsMindTraining.AsDzaPaltrulsaid:

ThesedayswhenIgiveteachings,

itisanexperienceofnarratingmyownfaults,likeaghosthypnotizedbyamantra.Howshamefulisthat!

ThisishowIalsofelt.At thewishofHisHolinessIalsogave thepreparationand initiationof

thethirty-sevendeitiesoftherootSarvavidtantraderivingfromtheritualthatremoves negativities calledVictorious over the Three Realms, which is thesecondsectionoftheyogatantraCompendiumofReality (Tattvasaṃgraha).ThisinitiationwasgiveninaccordancewithIlluminatingtheMeaningoftheSarvavid Tantra387 byDulzinDrakpaGyaltsen andwas attended by sevenhundred people, including His Holiness, various tulkus and geshés, theNamgyal monks, and other monks and laypeople from Dharamsala andelsewhere.

AttherequestofthenunLosangWangmo,amemberofthestaffoftheTibetanChildren’sVillage,Igavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsof Vajrayoginī to three hundred disciples, including lamas, monks, andlaypeople,intheAvalokiteśvaratempleinupperDharamsala.

OnedayIofferedtheoraltransmissionofGuhyasamājatextssuchastheVajra Garland Tantra (Vajrāmālātantra), Explanation of the Intention(Sandhivyākaraṇa),theVajraWisdomCompendium(Vajrajñānasamuccaya),and the Tantra Requested by the Four Goddesses(Caturdevīparipṛcchātantra).

Ontheseventeenthdayoftheeighthmonth,KyabjéLingRinpochéandI,aspartofatsok,madeextensiveofferingstofivehundredmonks,includingthemonksofGyütöandGyümétantriccollegeswhohadcometoreceivehisHoliness’s teachingsonfour interwovencommentarieson theGuhyasamājaRoot Tantra.388 On this occasion I made material offerings dedicated withprayers that thepresenceofHisHoliness’s three secrets389 be as solid as avajraandthatnonegativecircumstancesariseinhisobstacleyear.

After His Holiness’s discourse, at the request of Jangchup Gyaltsen ofMarkham, I gave the initiation of the sixty-two deity Cakrasaṃvara in thesystem of the mahāsiddha Luipa. This was attended by His Holiness andseven hundred others, mostly monks, including the monks of Gyütö andGyümé tantriccolleges.During the initiation Igave fullexplanationsof thestagesoftheinitiation,eventhoughIdonothaveeventhecompletequalitiesofadiscipleletalonethequalitiesofavajramaster.Inthispresentdegenerateage,Iamsimplylookeduptoasamasterlikeanomadwhoreachesthefrontrow because he is chased by dogs. I merely followed the traditions of the

lineageofkindlamas.

13

I

TwilightYears

VISITTOTHETIBETANSETTLEMENTSINSOUTHERNINDIA

N RESPONSE TO repeated invitations for some years by the nun GyaltsenPalmo from the settlement in Mysore and various invitations from themonasteriesandotherTibetansettlements,IleftDharamsalaonthefourth

dayoftheninthmonth.IflewfromDelhitoBangalore,whereIwasmetattheairportbytheheadof thesettlement inMundgodandbytheabbotsandadministrators of the Sakya, Geluk, Kagyü, and Nyingma monasteries,including the major monasteries of Sera, Drepung, and Ganden. I spent anightinagovernmentcircuithouseinBangalore.Thenextmorning,whenIarrived at the Mysore settlement, I was greeted by the ordained and laymembersofthecommunities.ItwasarrangedformetostayinHisHoliness’sresidence.

At the request of the Jé and Mé colleges, I gave teachings at SeraMonasteryontheThreePrincipalAspectsofthePath.Then,attherequestofthe nun Gyaltsen Palmo, I gave the complete initiation of single-deityVajrabhairava.OnthethirteenthIofferedtea,bread,andfiverupeestoeachof theSeramonks togetherwith a ceremonial scarf. I offeredone thousandrupeestotheconstructionofanewassemblyhall.

OnthatdayIinvokedprotectorsShukden,Setrap,andYumarTsengöintrances throughthenewPanglungmedium,ThuptenPhelgyé,atwhich timetheprotectorgavepropheticadviceforabriefmoment.Onthefourteenth,IvisitedandmadeofferingsattheNyingmamonasteryNamdröling,theSakyamonastery,andtheGelukmonasteryThekchenChöling.AteachmonasteryIgaveteachingsandperformedconsecrations.Ialsovisitedtheadministrativeofficesofthesettlementaswellasthehospitalandtheschoolandperformedconsecrations.Onthesixteenth,IgavethepermissionoftheThreeWrathfulForms Combined and the Amitāyus long-life initiation in the system ofDrupgyal to a largegatheringofmonks and laypeople at the request of thesettlement. These were given in the spacious green field in front of HisHoliness’s residence, and afterward I advised everyone to carry out their

religiousandseculardutiesinaccordwiththewishesofHisHoliness.The next day I visited the settlement in Hunsur and gave the oral

transmission of the refuge verse, the Praises to Tārā, and His Holiness’slong-life prayer to about eight hundred Tibetans who had come to thesettlement from Gangtok. On the way I visited the future site of theheadquarters for theAssociationfor thePreservationof theGelukTraditionaswellassettlements5and6andperformedconsecrations.

OntheeighteenthIgaveprenoviceandnoviceordinationstoeighty-threeyoung monks of Sera Jé and Sera Mé. The following day the Sera Lachiadministrations and the settlements offered me a long-life ceremony withGuruPujaandtsokofferingsconductedbythemonks.IntheafternoonattherequestofSeraJé,IgavethepermissionofLion-FacedḌākinītothemonks.

OnthetwentiethIleftBylakuppebycarforMundgodandspentonenightinaguesthouseatShomogang.ThenextdaywhenIarrivedatthesettlementinMundgod, Iwas receivedby theGanden,Drepung,Sakya,andNyingmaabbots and monks and by the officers and members of the settlementcommunity. I stayed inHisHoliness’s residence.On the twenty-second,ontheoccasionofLordBuddha’sdescentfromthecelestialrealms,Iperformedthe consecration of the statues of Jé Tsongkhapa and disciples that I hadpreviouslyoffered to thegreat assemblyofGandenMonastery.The statueswere placed in a small chapel until the completion of the assembly hall. Ioffered seventeen thangkas completewith brocade borders and colored silktassels toGandenShartsé.Thethangkasincludedadepictionof theBuddhasurroundedbythesixteenarhatsandasetofChineseembroideredthangkasdepictingthelivesofthePaṇchenLamas.

Inthefollowingday,attherequestoftheadministrationsofDrepungandGanden, I gave teachings based on the root text of theHundredDeities ofTuṣita in the assembly hall of Ganden Jangtsé Monastery. I gave thepermissionofLion-FacedḌākinīand teachingson thesix-sessionguruyogatothemonksinthedebateyardofDrepungLoseling.Tosixty-fivenovicesofGandenandDrepungIgaveprenoviceandnoviceordination.AttherequestofGandenShartséIgavethepermissionofJéRinpochéasthetripledeitytothemonksofGandenandDrepung.IvisitedDrepungGomangandperformedconsecrations and gave the oral transmissions of the Praise of DependentArising.At the request ofGanden Jangtsé, I gave thepermissionofPaldenLhamoMaksorma.Iofferedtea,bread,andfiverupeeseachwithscarvestotheDrepung,Ganden,Sakya,andNyingmamonks.

Onthethirtieththemonasteriesandthesettlementsofferedmealong-lifeceremonywithaGuruPujaandtsokoffering.Onthefirstofthetenthmonth,

I visited the retirement home, the hospital, the handicraft center, and theschools of the settlements. At each place I performed consecrations andofferedwordsof advice.On the second, at the request of the settlements, Igave the permission of the Three Wrathful Forms Combined and theAmitāyuslong-lifeinitiationinthesystemofDrupgyaltoalargegatheringoftulkus, monks, and the public in the open area of the palace compound. IadvisedeveryonethatintheirdailyactivitiestheyshouldneverdoanythingtounderminethewishesofHisHoliness.

On the third I leftMundgod andwent toHubli andBangaloreby train.FromBangaloreIflewtoDelhi.InDelhiIstayedatthehouseofMongolianLamaGuruDeva.Ontheeighth,attherequestofAmaChözom,proprietoroftheYorkHotel,Igavealong-lifeinitiationofWhiteTārātoalargegatheringofmonksandlaypeopleattheLadakhBuddhaVihar.OnthetenthIleftDelhiforDharamsala,andonthefourteenthIpaidmyrespectstoHisHoliness.

INDO-PAKISTANICONFLICT

In the afternoonof the sixteenth, a border conflict brokeout between IndiaandPakistan,andforafewdayseveryonelivedinastateofanxiety.Onthenight of the twentieth, having just drafted a letter to the manager ofPhabongkha Labrang, Trinlé Dargyé, about the final determination for therecognitionoftheincarnation,IdreamedofmyrefugeandprotectorKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara.Hewassittingonaloftythrone,andthebenefactorLadyLhaluLhachamYangzomTsering390presentedhimwitha scarf inanelaborate ceremony. Lama Vajradhara wore a ceremonial brocade gown,whichheshowedtomeholdingitupbythecollar.Proudlyhetoldmethathewasdressedupforhisbirthdaycelebration.

Dagyab Hothokthu Rinpoché came to Dharamsala from Germany andstayed at our house.At his request, beginning on the eighteenth day of theeleventhmonth,IgavefifteendaysofteachingsontheMiddle-LengthStagesof the Path to Rinpoché and others, including Sera Jé Khamlung Tulku,GönsarTulku,TrehorThuptenTulku,SeraMéSharpaTulku,SeraJéTrehorGeshé Ngawang Dargyey, Loseling Jangmar Tulku, and Ganden ShartséGeshé Asong. Then I gave the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginī to Rinpoché and a few others. Again I gave initiation of thesixteen drops of the Kadam lineage to twenty-nine tulkus and geshésincluding Rinpoché, Loseling Denma Lochö Rinpoché, and Ratö ChubarRinpoché. I gave the oral transmission of the commentary to the praise ofShukdentoninetulkusandgeshés,includingRinpochéhimself.ToRinpoché

alone, I taughton the long-lifepracticeofAmitāyusbasedon thefollowingfourcommentaries:theroottextbyJéRinpoché,along-lifepracticecompiledbyPhabongkhaVajradhara,andtwocommentarialtextsofthepracticefromthecollectedworksof JéSherapGyatso.391After these teachingsRinpochéreturnedtoGermany.

TheTibetanwater-birdyear,1972,wasmyseventy-secondyear.Onthemorning of February 15, the first day of the Tibetan year, I offered HisHoliness the substances of longevity frommyWhite Tārā long-life retreat.During the Annual Prayer Festival at the Thekchen Chöling temple, in themorningdiscourseonthetenth,IfulfilledtheinstructionsofHisHolinessbyexplaining the reasons for and the benefits ofMahayanamind training, themethods for practicing of the six perfections, and the way they should bepracticedwhenfollowinginthefootstepsofthepastbuddhas,inconjunctionwiththeoralteachingsonthestagesofthepath.IcoveredthesetopicsinmyprefatorycommentstoadiscourseontheGarlandofBirthStories—thepastlives of the Buddha— in accord with the traditions of past masters. Thisdiscoursewasattendedbyalargenumberofmonksandlaypeople.Duringthenoonteasession,I ledtheprayersofrefugeandbodhicitta.Intheafternoondry assembly, I led the dedication prayers and recited the Prayer for theTeachingstoFlourishandthePrayerforRebirthinSukhāvatīinaccordancewiththetradition.OnthetwelfthImadeofferingsoftea,amealofrice,andmoneyto550monksattendingtheprayerfestival,thusaccumulatingmerit.

Onthefifteenth,HisHolinesspresidedover thesessions,andIattendedthem all from early morning throughout the day, including the confessionceremony.Whileattendingthesessions,Ireflectedonthegreatqualitiesandachievements of both the Buddha and Mañjuśrī Lama Tsongkhapa, and Iofferedsincereprayerstothebestofmyability.

Onthesixthdayofthesecondmonth,attherequestofYangdharChözinof Chatreng, Galu Losang Gyaltsen, and Töpa Kako Tashi, I gave thepermission of AvalokiteśvaraWho Liberates from All Lower Realms to alarge number of monks and laypeople who had come to receive HisHoliness’s teachings on the stages of the path at the Thekchen Chölingtemple. At the request of the Lhasa nun Thupten Chödrön and YangdharChözin of Chatreng, I gave the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginītosixhundredmonastics,includingabbotsandex-abbotsofthethree seats and the two tantricmonasteries, and to tulkus and two hundredlaypeople.Thefollowingday,IgaveexperientialteachingsonthetwostagesofVajrayoginītosixhundreddiscipleswhopledgedtoperformtheretreatofthe deity in addition to upholding a daily sādhana commitment. I gave

teachings for seven days with four explanations, as is done in the Sakyatradition.Attheconclusionofthisdiscourse,forauspiciousreasons,Igaveanexplanation and oral transmission of the long-life practice byway of vajrarecitationwithbreathyoga.

Isent three thousandrupees through theformerchantmasterofGandenJangtsé, who was returning to Mundgod, as a contribution to new statuesbeing made, and an excellent pair of antique cymbals to be presented toJangtséCollege.Startingthethirteenthdayofthethirdmonth,attherequestofthetwotantricmonasteries,IgaveteachingsonthesixDharmasofNāropabasedonthecommentaryofJéTsongkhapaentitledEndowedwiththeThreeConvictionsandtheteachingsofTrehorNaktsangTenpaDargyéalongwithphysical exercise yogas to 715 people, including abbots, masters, seniorgeshés, and residentmonks fromDharamsala as well as tulkus andmonksfrom other places. Although I lacked the confidence of having validexperienceofthem,Ideliveredtheoralteachingsofthecompassionatelamaslikeamessenger.Asthereweremanylearnedgeshésandhermitspresent, Iheld the hope that they would preserve and make the teachings knownthroughfurtherexplanationsandpractice.

Afterward,tothesamegroup,Igavethepermissionsofthedeitiesfromthe close lineage of the cycle of Mañjuśrī teachings that Lama Umapatransmitted to Jé Tsongkhapa and the permission of the thirteen aspects ofSix-ArmedMahākāla.Ialsogavetheoraltransmissionofthefollowing:theLuipatraditionofCakrasaṃvara’sself-andfront-generation,initiationritual,site ritual, and ritual fire offerings,GyüméTantricCollege’smanual of theIron Fortress ritual, its supplement, and the eight major explanations, theMagicalWheel of StackedVajrasMountain for dispelling spirits, the ritualfire offering of the force of Vajrabhairava, Gyütö Tantric College’ssupplement to theconsecrationritual inconjunctionwithCakrasaṃvaraandGuhyasamāja, Thuken’s self- and front-generation of SecretHayagrīva, thepropitiation of Hayagrīva, its spirit-dispelling ritual, Throneholder TenpaRapgyé’sWhiteMahākālatreasure-vaseritual,andteachingsonFiftyVersesonGuruDevotion,theTwentyVersesontheBodhisattvaVow,andversesontherootandsecondarytantricdownfalls.

Tothreehundreddisciples,includingtheabovegroup,Igavethecommontormainitiationanduncommonbody-mandalainitiationofCittamaṇiTārāattherequestofDrakgyabNgawangTsephel.AfterthisIgavethepermissionofthemantraextractionofVajrayoginītoforty-sixtulkusandmonks.

CONFIRMINGTHERECOGNITIONOFTHETHIRDPHABONGKHA

RINPOCHÉ

OntheeighthImailedTrinléDargyé,themanagerofPhabongkhaLabrang,the unanimous determinations along with the questions regarding theincarnation of the late supreme incarnation of Kyabjé PhabongkhaVajradhara. The results of His Holiness and Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché’sdivinationsaswellasmyowndivinationsanddreamsandthepredictionsofthe Gadong oracle and Shukden all agreed on the same candidate, SönamGyatso. He was born in Darjeeling to Drölkar and Tsewang Norbu. TheparentsrantheLhasaRestaurantatShipalDorainDarjeeling.Togetherwitha letter and so on, I sent a sum of money as a token of the threerepresentationsandaverseofauspiciousness.

On the second day of the fifth month, Khemé Sönam Wangdü of theKunsangtséfamilyfellillforafewdays.Allthemembersofourlabrangdidtheirbesttoprovidemedicaltreatmentforhimandmakereligiousofferings.Despite our efforts, he passed away in dignity. He had reached the age ofseventy-three and had been sickwith various illnesses.When his conditionbecameacute,Ivisitedhim,instructedhimtoreflectonvirtuoustopics,andrecited sacred mantras into his ear. After he had passed away, I offeredprayersonhisbehalf.AsIamtheonlysurvivingmemberoftheKunsangtséfamilyanddescendentoftheGungthangestate,Ididallthethingsthatwerenecessary anddisposedof all his belongings for virtuouspurposes,wastingnothing.

Starting on the third day of the sixth month, I did a retreat onGuhyasamāja in the Mañjuvajra system of Jñānapāda at the wish of HisHoliness.Isawnovisitorsduringtheretreat.

OnthetenthIreceivedaletterfromTrinléDargyéinwhichhesaidthatalthough the incarnation was only thirty-four months old, his bearing wasdignified during the recognition ceremony atwhich robeswere put on himand a long-life ceremony offered. Trinlé Dargyé also mentioned that theincarnationwasrelaxedandsmilingwithhim,asifhehadknownhimashismanagerforalongtime.Theseseemedlikeclearindicationsofinstinctsfromhis predecessor. TrinléDargyéwas very pleasedwith howwell everythingwentduringtheceremonies,andhesentmephotosoftheincarnation.Iwasnaturallyfilledwithjoyandfeltrelievedofagreatburdenofresponsibility.

Onthetwenty-eighthdayoftheseventhmonth,Ifinishedmyretreatanddidthecompensatingritualfireoffering.Fromthetwelfthdayof theeighthmonth,IdidaretreatofJinasāgaraAvalokiteśvara,whichisamongtheonehundred special mandalas of the mahāsiddha Mitrayogin. Upon the

conclusionoftheretreatIdidtheritualfireoffering.Oneday,attherequestofBarkhamShodoDragomTulku,Igavehimthe

lifeentrustmentof theprotectorShukdenandoral transmissionof the ritualpractices of the protector. Dragom Tulku’s predecessor was not only aDharmafriendbutwasalsoresponsibleforrequestingmanyoftheritualsoftheprotectorinwriting.Shukdenwashismainprotector.IalsolentDragomTulkumy notes on the special points of the visualizations for the Shukdenretreat.

OnthefourthofthetenthmonthIgaveprenoviceandnoviceordinationsto Nadia from France and gave her the ordination name Losang Chödrön.Beginningon the fifteenth, I offeredHisHoliness a numberof permissionsstarting with the common torma initiation and the exclusive body-mandalainitiation ofCittamaṇiTārā togetherwith themost secretHeartAbsorptionpermission. I went on to offer him the permissions of the seventeenemanations of Four-Faced Mahākāla Robber of Strength392 in order,including Split Faces, Striking theVital Point, and SecretAccomplishmentbutexcludingEntrustedBlackBrahman.393

BODHGAYAANDSARNATH

Onthe twenty-first, I leftDharamsalaforBodhgayawithPaldenandNorbuChöphel. The illuminator of the practice lineage, Gyalwang KarmapaRinpoché,wasalsoinBodhgaya.Becauseofourcloseconnections,wewereverypleasedtoseeeachotherandvisitedoneanotherseveraltimes.

Fromtheninthoftheeleventhmonth,attherequestofChatrengJungné,Igave the permission of Avalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All LowerRealms,andat the requestsof theShedra familybursarMr.Manithangandhiswife,IgavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginīto150peopleintheassemblyhalloftheTibetanmonastery.Alsoattherequestof themonkTsöndrüGyatso of the Tibetanmonastery, I gave experientialteachingsonthetwostagesofVajrayoginītoninety-onedisciples,whotookthecommitmenttodotheretreatofthedeity.

On the morning of the seventeenth, the incarnation of PhabongkhaRinpoché and Trinlé Dargyé showed up from Darjeeling to meet me. Ireceivedtheminmyquarters.ThatdayitsohappenedthatIwastogivetheinitiationof long-lifedeityWhiteHeruka fromthe teachingsofMañjuśrī toSera Jé Rikya Tulku, the abbot of the monastery in Tawang in the Mönregion.TheincarnationandTrinléDargyéalsoattendedtheinitiation.WhenI

was seven years old, Kyabjé Phabongkha Vajradhara was staying in ourhermitageatChusang.AttherequestofthelatekindNgakrampa,hegavethecompletesetofpermissionsofthecycleofMañjuśrīteachings,andIreceivedtheseasmyfirstteachingsfromhim.ThecoincidencethatIwastogivetheWhiteHeruka long-life initiationwhen Imet the young incarnation for thefirst timefelt likeanauspicious indicationof thecontinuousgoldensamayabondwithmymostkindlama,whocompassionatelycaresformethroughoutmy successive lives.Notonly that,HerukaCakrasaṃvarawas theprincipalpracticedeityofKyabjéPhabongkhaRinpoché.

OntheeighteenthIpaidmyrespectstothefeetofKyabjéLingRinpoché,who arrived in Bodhgaya after showering a rain of profound, vast, andmagnificentteachingsonthefortunatedisciplesintheMysoreareainSouthIndia. On the twenty-second, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché’s labrang sponsored along-lifeceremony forme.Thiswasdone inconjunctionwithaGuruPujaand tsokofferingconductedbybothmonks resident inBodhgayaand thosewho had gathered from various places. During the ceremony Kyabjé LingRinpochépresentedtheeightauspicioussymbolsandsubstancestome,thusmakingfirmthevajra-pillaroflife.Afterward,ItookthefirstsnipofhairoftheyoungincarnationandbestowedonhimthenameLosangThuptenTrinléKunkhyapwithascarf.AttherequestofKyabjéLingRinpochéIofferedhimexperiential teachings on the profound path of theGuru Puja based on theroot text andKachenYeshéGyaltsen’s commentary, teaching continuouslyuntilIhadcompletedtheexplanation.InthiswayImadeofferingsofpracticetothelama.Onthetwenty-fourthourlabrangsponsoredalong-lifeceremonyinconjunctionwithaGuruPujaandtsokofferingtoKyabjéLingRinpoché,so that his feet might be firmly planted in the nature of indestructibility.During the ritualsconductedby themonks, Ipresented theeightauspicioussymbolsandsubstancestoRinpochéfollowedbymaterialofferings.

Onthetwenty-fifthIgavethefirstteachingsoftheTibetanalphabettotheincarnation.Alongwithascarfandthethreerepresentations,Ipresentedthefollowingverse,whichIwrotespontaneously:

TheyoungsunthatwasthesupremeincarnationofDechenNyingpo,themostincomparablespiritualfather,hassetinthecelestialsphere,buttheenchantingsmileonthebeautifulfaceofthenewmoonofhisreincarnationappearingovertheeasternmountainofthefortunatemakesthisdayahappyone.

Byhearing,contemplating,andmeditatingupon

thegreatoceanofsutraandtantraliterature,byholdingthewonderfulqualitiesoflearning,ethics,andcompassion,byperformingwonderfuldeedsofpreserving,developing,andpropagatingtheteachingsoftheconquerorLosang,Iprayandyearnthatyouemulatethelifeoftheformerincarnation.

ThenextdaythemonkTsöndrüGyatso,whowasthedisciplinarianoftheTibetan monastery, sponsored a long-life ceremony in conjunction with aGuruPujaandtsokofferingtoTutorLingRinpochéandmyself.

At the feet of Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché I received teachings on theDharmarāja sixteen-point IronFortress ritual,ground ritual, and supplementinthetraditionofGyütöTantricCollegeandtheIronFortressoftheMagicalWheelof theTormaRitualofVajrabhairavacomposed in threepartsby thepredecessorofKyabjéLingRinpoché.AsIhadalreadystudiedthediagramsof collected mantras, Rinpoché proceeded with the textual explanationswithout practical demonstration of the diagram lines. This was veryconvenient,asRinpochéwasverybusyandhisdiscipleindolent,caughtupindistractingactivities.AtthewishofKyabjéRinpochéIofferedexplanationson the root text of the Self-Accomplishment of the Peaceful and WrathfulMañjuśrī, the Vajra Words by Jé Tsongkhapa, and the commentary byJamyang Shepa, theWish Fulfilling Hope of the Fortunate. Then, for thebenefit of all beings, especially those connected with me, I made athousandfoldofferingat the stupa,presentedanall-day foodofferingat themonastery, and donated a thousand rupees toward the rainy-season retreat.WhilestayinginBodhgaya,Iofferedovertenthousandbutterlamps.

On the twenty-ninth I left Bodhgaya for Varanasi and stayed at GuruDeva’s residence at the Chinese temple in Sarnath, where I met theincarnationofKyabjéPhabongkhaVajradhara.Fortwodays,manyteachersandstudentsfromtheInstituteofHigherTibetanStudiescametovisitme,asdidtheincarnationofDergéDzokchenPemaRikzin.394Onthefourthofthetwelfthmonth, at the request of a disciple from Phakri living in Bhutan, IgaveaWhiteTārālong-lifeinitiationtothreehundredmonksandlaypeopleat the Tibetan monastery. On the seventh, the incarnation of KyabjéVajradharawentback toKalimpong. I presentedRinpochéwith a thousandrupees, a ceremonial scarf, and a token sum of the three representations. IgavegiftstothemanageraswellastotheattendantsandparentsofRinpochéandadvised them regardinghis education andproper care.On the eighth, Imade daylong offerings to all themonks and thousandfold offerings at thestupa.Igaveprenoviceandnoviceordinationstothestudentsoftheinstitute.

At the requestofAshéYangkyi, themistressof the lateKing JikméSengéWangchuk of Bhutan, I gave a long-life initiation of White Tārā to fivehundredpeople. Igave thepermissionofSecretHayagrīvaaccording to theKyergangtraditiontoYangkyiandmembersofherfamily.

Lati Rinpoché came to see me. He had sponsored the teachings onNāgārjuna’s six treatises on reasoning and Āryadeva’s Four Hundred(Catuḥśataka)givenbyHisHolinessinMundgod.LatiRinpochébroughtmealetterfromGandenShartséwiththepicturesofthegildedbronzestatueoftheBuddhathatIhadhadmadeandpresentedtoShartsétobetheirprincipalstatueinthecollege’sassemblyhall.Thestatueisfourfeetwideatthebaseof the lotusseat,and itwasmadewell,as Ihadhoped.Thestatuecontainsmany rareandprecious relics, includingpiecesofclothesandhairofmanyIndianandTibetanmasters,aswellasprintedprayers.

AttherequestoftheGelukStudentsAssociationoftheInstituteofHigherTibetanStudies,startingthefirstdayofthesecondtwelfthmonthItaughtforthreedaysonJéTsongkhapa’sThreePrincipalAspectsofthePathandgavethe permission of Avalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All Lower Realms.This was attended by four hundred monks, including the geshés, students,tulkus, and other monks who had gathered there, as well as two hundredlaypeople.

ShakabpaWangchukDedencame tovisitme,andhe leftwithme threevolumesofhiswritingsonthepoliticalhistoryofTibetandaskedmetogooverthemandgivemysuggestionsandcomments.HetoldmethatthelibraryinPatnacontainedahistoryofGandenShartsé.Asthistextwasverydifficultto obtain in India, I dispatchedSokpaAchokTulku andThuptenGönpoofShartsé tocopy themanuscript.On the tenth,at the invitationofSamdhongRinpochéofDrepung’sTsawaHouse,theprincipaloftheinstitute,Iwenttohis residence andgavehim the life entrustment ofShukden in themorningandmadetsokofferingsintheafternoon.ThatdayImadeofferingsofteaandmoneytoalltheteachersandstudentsofthefourtraditionsattheinstitute.IreceivedthecopyofthehistoryofShartséinkhyukTibetanscriptbyAchokandThuptenGönpo.

On the fifteenth Iwent to thebanksof theGangesRiverandreleasedalargequantityoffishtosavetheirlivesfromfishermananddedicatedprayersfortheenlightenmentofthesecreatures.AsstreamsofpilgrimscametovisitmewithoutanybreakduringmystayinBodhgayaandSarnath, itwasverydistractingand tiredmeout.On the twentieth, I leftbynight train forNewDelhiandstayedatGuruDeva’shouse.

OnMarch5,1973,thefirstdayoftheTibetanwater-oxyear,myseventy-

third year, the representative, director, and the staff of the Bureau of HisHoliness in Delhi and Tibet House, as well as many Tibetans staying atLadakhBuddhaVihar,cametogivemeNewYeargreetings.

With the help ofBakulaRinpoché ofLadakh, Iwent to theWellingtonHospital for amedical check-up. After the doctors had carefully examinedme,theytoldmethatmyhealthwasgood.Onthenightoftheninth,IleftforDharamsalaby train and arrived atmyhouse,TashiRabten.The followingdayKyabjéLingRinpochéandhisentouragearrivedfromBodhgaya,andhecalledonmeonhiswayhome.WeofferedeachotherNewYearscarvesandhadlunchtogether.OnedayIwenttopaymyrespectstoHisHoliness,andIjoyfullytooktheessenceofhiswordsintomyheart.

TEACHINGSANDRETREATINDHARAMSALA

WhenthemonksofGyütöTantricCollegearrivedfromDalhousietoattendtheAnnualPrayerFestival,Irequestedthemtomakepropitiationofferingstoall the protectors and made offerings to the protectors for an entire day. Iattended one session of prayer with them, when the monks chanted thepropitiation ofMahākāla andDharmarāja. It seemed their chantingmelodywassomewhatdifferent fromwhen IhadattendedGyütöTantricCollege. Ican’t say whether my recollection was mistaken or whether this slightdiscrepancywasbecausetherewerenowfewerseniormonksthantherehadbeenbefore.

AttherequestofAssistantTutorSerkongRinpoché,Igavehimteachingsonthe“threeessentialmoments”intheMitrayoginsystemofAvalokiteśvara.IgaveprenoviceandnoviceordinationstotheyoungincarnationofGangkarLama Rinpoché and five novices of Gyütö Tantric College, bestowing thename Losang Könchok Tenzin on the incarnation. Gyütö Tantric Collegesponsored a long-life ceremony in conjunction with aGuru Puja and tsokofferingandtheHaltingtheḌākinī’sEscortritualforKyabjéLingRinpochéandmyselfattheNyungnétempleinupperDharamsala.Theblessingsofthemonksstrengthenedourtreeoflife.

On the first of the second month I gave the permission of the ThreeWrathfulFormsCombinedtoChoktengThuptenNorsangandothers.Igavethe permission of Siṃhanāda Avalokiteśvara and an Amitāyus long-lifeinitiationinthesystemofDrupgyal.

DromoGeshéRinpochéofferedmethecompletesetoftheLhasaeditionoftheKangyurprintedonhigh-qualityTibetanpaper.IsentNorbuChöpheltoGhoomMonasteryinDarjeelingtoreceivethegift.Hethenconveyedthe

settomyhouseinMundgodbeforereturningtoDharamsala.TheupholderoftheNyingmatraditionDilgoKhyentséRinpochécameto

DharamsalatoconductthefullconsecrationattheThekchenChölingtemple.Duringhisvisithecalledonme,bringingwithhimtheyoungincarnationofDergé Dzongsar Khyentsé Rinpoché. As Dilgo Khyentsé Rinpoché and Ikneweachotherwell,wehadaverypleasanttimetogether.

Onmyseventy-secondbirthday,onthetwelfthdayofthethirdmonth,395DzeméRinpochécametoDharamsalafromDalhousie.Inordertoeliminatethenegativecircumstancesofmydifficultseventy-thirdyear,healongwithalarge number of tulkus andmonks offeredme a long-life ceremonywith aHalting theḌākinī’sEscort ritual inconjunctionwithaGuruPujaand tsokoffering. Because of the bond of our stainless guru-disciple relationship, itwasverybeneficial.

KyabjéTrijangRinpochégivingteachingsattheTibetanChildren’sVillage,Dharamsala,mid1970s

ALEXANDERBERZIN

Ontheseventeenth,attherequestofAssistantTutorSerkongRinpoché,I

gave the long-life initiation of five-deityAmitāyus in theMañjuśrī lineagefrom Jé Tsongkhapa, the distant lineage of the long-life initiation ofAmitāyus, and teachings on the practice of Avalokiteśvara in the NyenTsembu tradition. These were attended by twenty-five tulkus and geshés,including Serkong Rinpoché, the former abbot of Gyümé Tantric CollegeSamten Chöphel, Ratö Chubar Rinpoché, Denma Lochö Rinpoché, LatiRinpoché, Dzemé Rinpoché, Lochen Tulku, Śrī Chusang Tulku, GeshéRapten,KangyurwaLosangThupten,GeshéNgawangDargyey, andGeshéRikzinTenpa.

On the tenthof the fourthmonth,with instructions fromHisHoliness, Ibegan the retreat of the protector Time of Approximation,396 one of theseventeen emanations of Four-FacedMahākāla Robber of Strength.Duringthe retreat I didnot receive anyvisitors.That night in adream Iwas in anunfamiliar room.Suddenly theplacebecamefilledwithmanypeople.Thenanoldmanclaimingtobe thekingofMuli,397withabeardandmoustacheanddressedinabluebrocaderobe,cameintotheroom.Igavehimachairtositon,butinsteadhesatonathincushioninfrontofmeandappearedtobeverypleasedwithme.Afterward,someoneliketheheadlamaofMulicameintotheroomandsatonthechair.StillinmydreamIvaguelywonderedwhythekingofMuliwaswearingachuparobesincehewasamonkandsoon.Ithought thesedreamsmightbean indicationof theestablishmentofacloselinkwithMahākāla.

At the conclusion on my retreats on the emanations of Four-FacedMahākāla called Time of Approximation, Time of Accomplishment, andSecretAccomplishment,IperformedelaboratepropitiationwithofferingsoftsokandritualtormaofferingswiththemonksofNamgyalMonastery.Neartheconclusionoftheretreats,Ialsohadafewdreamsofmyclosenesstotheprotectors.Withinthesameretreatboundaries,Istartedthelong-liferetreatofWhiteTārāforthelongevityofKyabjéLingRinpoché.Ontheconclusionofthe retreat on the seventeenth, I went to visit Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché andpresentedhimwiththeblessedsubstancesoflongevitywithferventrequeststhathefirmlyplanthisfeettoextendhislife.ThenIwenttopaymyrespectstoHisHoliness and reported to him about the successful conclusion of theFour-FacedMahākālaretreats.

Igavea long-life initiation toShödrungNorgyéandhiswife, thehouseparents to Tibetan students in the school in Bléneau, France, and to Mrs.PasangLhamofromBombay.IgavethepermissionoftheAdhipatiLordsoftheCemeterytoSeraJéLawudoTulku,histeacherThubtenYeshe,andtheirWestern students ThubtenDönyö andThubtenNgawang.398 I gave the life

entrustmentofShukdentothreeofthem,excludingThubtenNgawang.OntheeighthoftheseventhmonthIofferedHisHolinesspermissionof

the very sensitive Stacked Faces, Striking the Vital Point, SecretAccomplishment,andBlackBrahmanfromamongtheseventeenemanationsof Four-Faced Mahākāla. At the end a tsok offering was made. On thefourteenth of the ninthmonth, I gave the permission of JéRinpoché as thetripledeitytotheincarnationofGeshéJampaKhedrupofDargyéMonasteryinTrehor,LosangTenzin,andGeshéRapten.ToTsetenPhuntsok,thebursaroftheMarlamfamily,andfourothersIgavenoviceordinations.

Gyütö Tantric College had made a statue of Lord Akṣobhyavajra399 inplaceoftheformerstatueinRamochéTempleinLhasathatwasdestroyedbythe Red Chinese. The new statue was made in Nepal and brought to theThekchenChölingtempleinDharamsala.At theirrequest,IgavethemfiftydifferenttypesofsacredrelicsofIndianandTibetanmastersofalltraditionstobeputintothestatue.Onthenineteenth,KyabjéLingRinpochéandmyselfalong with the abbot and chant master and forty monks of Gyütö TantricCollegeblessed theprayers and relics andplaced them inside the statue. InconjunctionwiththeoccasionoftheBuddha’sdescentfromthedevarealms,themonksperformedtheelaborateritualofconsecrationofthestatuebywayof Vajrabhairava complete in all three stages — preliminary, actual, andconcluding. On the day of the actual consecration, Kyabjé Ling Rinpochépresided over the rituals, and I attended the sessions for the entire day,engaging in the combined practice of self- and front-generation in themorning and continuing on to the conclusion of the ritual. His Holinessattendedtheritualfromtheinvitationofwisdomdeitiesoftheconsecrationtotheconclusionoftheinitiationsofthedeities.

SARNATH

On the twenty-ninth I left Dharamsala for Sarnath with Palden, NorbuChöphel,JamyangTashi,andSönamTenzin,arrivingthereontheeveningofthe thirtieth. Starting on the eighth day of the tenth month, I gave thepreparation and the actual initiation of five-deity Cakrasaṃvara on twoconsecutivedaysat therequestofTauLosangJampa.Thiswasattendedbyseven hundred monks, including forty abbots and tulkus, at the Tibetanmonastery.Onthetenth,attherequestofthenunNamgyalChözomonbehalfofher latehusband theprimeminister,andalsoat theadditional requestofNgawang Tenzin, a former chef in the kitchen ofHisHoliness, I gave theblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginīwiththecommitmentto

practice the Vajrayoginī sādhana daily. This was concluded with elaboratetsokofferings.

Onthefollowingday,IbeganexperientialteachingsfrommemoryonthebasicsādhanaofVajrayoginī.Theteachinglastedfourdaysandwasattendedby670people,monasticandlay,includingtulkus,withthecommitmenttodotheretreatofVajrayoginī.IgavetheteachingsinaccordancewiththeSakyamethodof teaching, fullyexplaining theoral teachingsand the traditionsofthelamasinhopesthatitwouldfurtherthecontinuityoftheteachings.

DuringtheinitiationIdidnotfeelwellduetothecold,andasIcontinuedteachingdespitediscomfort,Ibecameseriouslyill.AftertheteachingIhadtoundergomedical treatmentand stoppedseeingpeople fora fewdays. IhadplannedtoleaveforMysoreandMundgodontheseconddayoftheeleventhmonth,andtrainticketshadbeenbought,butbecauseofmyhealthandalsobecauseofanationwidemass-transitstrikeinIndia,IremainedinSarnathandrested.

On theninthdayof the twelfthmonth, theyoung incarnationofSeraJéDenma Tengyé Rinpoché came to meet me for the first time. I gave himprenovice and novice ordinations and the name Losang Thupten Gyaltsen.Theincarnationrevealedclearinstinctsfromhispredecessor.OnthefifteenthIwenttothebankoftheGangestoreleasefish,followinginthefootstepsofthemerchant’ssonJalavāhana.400Onbehalfofallthoseconnectedwithme,bothlivinganddead,IsentfourthousandrupeesthroughTashiGyaltsen,themanagerofSamtenLingMonastery,toofferfreshcoatsofwhitewashtothethree stupas in Nepal and to make thousandfold offerings there. On thetwenty-third,IleftSarnathforDharamsala.

RETURNTOSOUTHINDIA

Theyear1974wasmyseventy-fourthyear.OnFebruary22,thefirstdayofthe wood-tiger year, I attended the New Year celebration at ThekchenChölingandvisitedHisHolinessathisresidencetopaymyrespects.Onthetwenty-fifth, Geshé Tamdrin Rapten sponsored a Guru Puja with tsokofferinginconjunctionwithCakrasaṃvara thatwasattendedbythehermitsliving in the hills of Dharamsala. I appreciated the simple offerings madewithout unnecessary elaborations or false pretenses. On the twenty-ninth,TutorKyabjéLingRinpoché arrived fromMundgod and came to visitme.Weofferedeachother scarves for theNewYear.After that IdidGyalsongeffigyritualsofHayagrīvaatRatöRinpoché’shouseforhiswell-being.401

Onthefifteenthofthesecondmonth,Igavelong-lifeinitiationsofWhiteTārātoRikyaRinpoché,hisattendants,andSwissnunAnneAnsermet.402 IgaveoraltransmissionsanduncommonteachingsofbodhicittagenerationtoDenma Lochö Rinpoché. On the eleventh day of the fourth month, at HisHoliness’s instruction, Assistant Tutor Serkong Rinpoché along with theNamgyalmonksperformed the long-life ritual inconjunctionwith thedeityWhiteHeruka forme.Theprivate secretary, theKungoTara,presentedmewithascarfandgifts.

On the ninth day of the sixthmonth, I gave the following teachings toSerkongRinpochéandDenmaLochöRinpoché:theLifeAccomplishmentofKurava by Jé Tsongkhapa, the Guru Yoga of Vajrabhairava That Is aTreasury ofAttainments:TheWay toAccomplish the SecondaryLimbs, thePeacefulandWrathfulProtectionofMañjuśrī,andMethodsforRestoringtheDegenerated Commitments by Relying on the Five Buddha Families ofYamāntaka. On the night of the tenth, I dreamed of His Holiness theThirteenthDalaiLama.Onthewaytomyhouse,hedidnottakeanynoticeofthehorsesandcowsthatweretherebuttoyedwithalargeblackmonkeywithhis rosarywhile themonkey remained indifferent.Then amonkbodyguardliftedup thedoorcurtain forhim toenter,andIgreetedhim.Lookingverypleased,hegavemeascarfofthehighestquality403andaplatebearingtwored tormas, which I received with respect. Then, among the gifts of HisHoliness,anattendantplacedbeforemearoundmetalplatebearingacarcassoffreshmeat.WhenIhadthisdream,Iwascomposingthewealth-generatingrituals of one of the five emanations of Shukden. I interpreted this as anindicationthattheprotectorwaspleased.

Ontheeighteenthdayoftheeighthmonth,IwenttoseeHisHolinessonhisreturnfromSwitzerland,wherehehadbeenformedicaltreatment,topaymyrespectsand to takemyleave,as Iwasgoing toMysoreandMundgod.His Holiness told me of his medical checks and described his successfulactivitiesduringhisvisittotheWest.

IleftDharamsalaonthethirddayoftheninthmonthandstayedatNyakréKhentrul Ngawang Gelek’s house in Delhi. The next morning I flew toBangalore, arrivingatnoon. Iwasgreeted inBylakuppe,Karnataka,by theSeraMonastery abbots,LamaGuruDeva, and theheadof the settlement. Iwent to the new monastery of Tashi Lhunpo and officiated at its openingceremony.Forthreedaysbeginningontheeighth,IperformedwiththeTashiLhunpo monks the full ritual of consecration in conjunction withVajrabhairavaaccordingtothetraditionofTashiLhunpo’stantriccollege.Atthe conclusion of the consecration, the eight auspicious symbols and

substances were presented to Lama Guru Deva and other patrons of themonastery.Imadeofferingsofteaandfundstothemonksandpresentedthemonasterywithathousandrupees.

On the morning of the eleventh, the monastery offered me a long-lifeceremony. I gave the initiation of thirteen-deity Vajrabhairava to a largenumber of monks, including the monks of Tashi Lhunpo, Gyümé TantricCollege,andSera,withthepreparationononedayandtheactualinitiationonthe day following. On the thirteenth, at their invitation, I went to GyüméTantric College in Hunsur, where I stayed in His Holiness’s residence. Iaccepted the invitation of the settlement of the people from Chatreng andvisited them and gave them words of advice and then returned to theresidence. The nextmorning I gave the oral transmission of thePraises toTārā, themaṇimantra, andHisHoliness’s long-lifeprayer to thepeopleofthesettlementinHunsur.IvisitedDzongkarChödéMonasteryandperformedabriefconsecration.

Onthemorningofthefifteenth,IgavethepermissionofJéRinpochéasthetripledeitytothemonksofGyüméTantricCollegeandadvisedthemthattheyshouldpreservethepast traditionsofstudyof thetantric teachingsandritualmethods. Ihadpreviouslyofferedacontributionofa thousandrupeesfor the reconstruction of theirmonastery, and this time Imadeofferings oftea, bread, and five rupees with a scarf to each of the monks. After I leftHunsur,IvisitedThekchenChölingMonasteryinsettlementnumber2,whichwasonmyway,andperformedpurificationandconsecrationritualsthere.

IwasreceivedbythemonksatSeraMonasterywithagrandceremonialwelcome, and I stayed in the library of Jé College. Beginning on theseventeenth,attherequestsofSeraJéDenmaGeshéNgawangLekden,IgaveexperientialteachingsontheroottextoftheprofoundpathoftheGuruPujawith the commentary by Kachen Yeshé Gyaltsen to about eight hundredmonks,includingthemonksofSera,GyüméTantricCollege,andotherswhohadcomefromMundgodespeciallyfortheteachings.IgavetheteachingsintheassemblyhallofSera.ItsaysinStaffofWisdom:

Somevolunteertopreach,whileothersaccomplishthroughsilence.Thewaterlilybearsnofruit,butthewalnutbearsbothflowerandfruit.404

I,whoamlikethewaterlilyandplayedthepartofaspeaker,gaveteachingscontinuouslyforsixdaysfromoneintheafternoonuntilsixintheevening.On the morning of the eighteenth, the Sera administration with the Geluk

Association and Geshé Lekden offered me a sutra-tradition long-lifeceremony, which was attended by all themonks. I had previously given acontributionofathousandrupeesforthereconstructionoftheassemblyhall.OnthisoccasionIofferedtea,bread,fiverupees,andascarf toeachof themonks.Onthemorningofthetwenty-second,IgaveoraltransmissionofthePraisestoTārā,Samayavajra,andsoon,toallthepeopleofthenewandoldsettlements.Onthetwenty-third,attherequestofSeraJéMonastery,IgavethepermissionofYakṣaYamayamī,405 andat the requestofSamlhoGeshéLosang,IgaveoraltransmissionoftheOrnamentofRealizationandEnteringthe Middle Way. I told the monks that they themselves should becomeornamentsof the teachings throughthepathofstudyandpractice.Thenextday at the invitation of Sera Mé, I attended a ceremony in their library.ArrangementsweremadebyPomraHouseformetoinvokethepresenceofShukden and his retinue through themedium. Atmy insistent requests forpropheticadvice,theprotectorgaveafewpredictions.Onthetwenty-fifth,Ileft Sera and performed consecrations in the new office complex of thesettlementandinthetempleofsettlementnumber1.

IleftbytrainfromMysoreandarrivedinHublithenextday,whereIwasreceivedbytheabbotsofGandenandDrepungmonasteriesandtheheadofthe settlement, T. C. Tethong. I spent the night in a guesthouse. The nextmorningI left forMundgodbycar.ThereIwasreceivedwithaceremonialwelcomebyabbots,tulkus,monks,thelaypopulace,andschoolchildren.FirstI went to the general assembly hall of Ganden, where there was a briefceremonywithteaandrice.TheadministrationsofGandenMonasteryanditscolleges, Shartsé and Jangtsé, presented me with scarves and the threerepresentations.ThenIproceededtomynewhouse,PhuntsokRapten.TheretheadministrationsofGanden,Drepung,andtheothermonasteriesaswellasmanyindividualscametogivemehousewarmingscarvesandgiftstopleaseaworldlybeing.

Ashadbeenrequested,ShartséMonasteryhadtakenfullresponsibilityforthe construction of our house. The monastery had appointed Geshé JampaRapjorofNyakréHousetooverseethis,andhewenttoagreatdealoftroubleand did his utmost tomake the house excellent both in appearance and indurability. Iwas verypleasedwith the house.Although I amquite old andexperiencing the suffering of aging,my disciples and patronswith genuineconcern for the future had conveyed their hopes through Palden and othermembers of the labrang thatwebuild a house inMundgod at a convenientlocation,nearGandenMonastery.Everyonespokeinfavorofthissuggestion.Asformyself,suchahousewouldbebutaguesthouseforanovernightstay,butbecauseIcouldseevariousreasonsandpurposesforit,Itransgressedand

turned the wheel of holding to true existence, erroneously clinging to theappearancesofthislife.AsJéKharakGomchungsaid:

Buildingthewallsofsamsara’sprisonratherthaninhabitingamountainretreatisamistake.

TeachingtheDharmabeforecrowdsofdisciplesratherthanreflectingonthetruthinsolitudeisamistake.406

Nāgārjunasaid:

Somefoolsforgetaboutdeathandbusythemselveswithmanyworks.AretheynotdeceivedbyMāra?407

As stated by these masters, this clearly revealed my hypocrisy, thecontradictionbetweenwhatIteachandwhatIdo.

Onthethirddayof the tenthmonth, themembersofmylabranginvitedDzeméRinpochéandsomeothermonksandsponsoredalong-lifeceremonyin conjunction with aGuru Puja and tsok offering for my longevity. Thepeople of Chatreng also gave donations for the long-life ceremony andofferedgifts.On the sameday theadministrationsofGandenandDrepung,Shartsé and Jangtsé, and the abbots of Sera’s Jé and Mé colleges camespeciallyandgavemehousewarminggifts.

One day I invoked the presence of the peaceful emanation of Shukden,who commendedme formy efforts to further the excellent traditions of JéTsongkhapathroughmyteachingsbylivingalonglife.Ontheninth,Imadeofferingsoftea,ceremonialrice,andthreerupeeswithascarftoeachofthemonks ofGanden and to the tulkus andmonks of Serawho had come forreligious discourse. I invited Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché to preside over theoffering, and in conjunction with a Guru Puja and tsok offering, I madededicatedrequestsforKyabjéLingRinpochétolivetotheendoftheeon.Imadeofferingsofgiftsandpresentationsoftheeightauspicioussymbolsandsubstancestohim.AfterwardKyabjéLingRinpochéandhisattendantscametomy house and gaveme housewarming gifts, andwe had lunch together.AboutthistimeImadeofferingsoftea,bread,andthreerupeestoeachoftheJangtsémonksandgavealargethangkaofJéTsongkhapawithhistwomaindisciples,completewithbrocadebordersandsilkcovers,tothemonastery.

AtShartséImadesimilarofferingsandpresentedasetofninethangkasoftheBuddha, theSixOrnaments,and theTwoExcellentOnes.The thangkaswereframedinantiqueRussianbrocadethathadoncebeentheouterlayerof

a ceremonial gownbelonging toHisHoliness theThirteenthDalaiLama. Ihadreceivedit throughamerchantwhobroughtitfromLhasa.Thethangkasetwascompletedwithsilkcoversandapairofsilverknobsforeach.Ialsooffered five volumes of the collected works of Paṇchen Losang ChökyiGyaltsen and twopairs of antique cymbals.ToDokhangHouse I offered apair of antique cymbals. At the Drepung assembly hall, I made similarofferingsofteaandsoforthandalsogaveacontributionofathousandrupeesfor thereconstructionof theassemblyhall.At theSakyamonastery,Imadesimilarofferingsofteaandsoforthtosixtymonks,andIgavetwohundredrupeestothemonastery,andIdidthesamefortheNyingmamonasteryanditsthirtymonks.

On themorningof thesixteenth, Iwent toDrepungMonasteryandwasgivenaceremonialwelcomebythemonksofGomangandLoselingcolleges.IwenttotheassemblyhallofGomang,wheretheadministrationofDrepungandthetwocollegespresentedmewithscarvesandthethreerepresentationsduring a ceremonywith tea and rice.After that, in the debate courtyard ofLoseling, I attended a long-life ceremony in conjunctionwith aGuru PujaandtsokofferingsponsoredbyLingLabrang.KyabjéLingRinpochépresidedover the ceremony,whichwas attended by the entire assembly ofDrepungandbymonksofSerawhohadcometoattendtheteachingsonthestagesofthepath.KyabjéLingRinpochépresented theeightauspicioussymbolsandsubstancestomeandrecitedtheversesofauspiciousness.Thusthepremisethatallcompositephenomenaareimpermanentasexplainedintheteachingswasmadeinsignificant.AfterthatIwenttotheLingLabrangandpresentedhousewarminggifts toKyabjéLingRinpochéandhis attendants athisnewresidence.Thelabrangserveduslunch.

On the eighth day of the eleventh month, Ganden and Drepungmonasteries along with the Sakya and Nyingma monks and the people ofMundgod settlement made a long-life offering in conjunction with aGuruPuja and tsok offering to Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché andmyself in the debatecourtyardofLoseling.Thiswasattendedbythemonksthereandothers.Onthe seventeenth, at the request of the administrationofDrepung, I gave thepermissionofVajravidāraṇatothemonksandalargenumberofsettlers.Atthe request of LoselingCollege, I gave teachings on theSeven-PointMindTraining. The next day Loseling College made a long-life offering inconjunctionwithaGuruPujaandtsokofferingtoKyabjéLingRinpochéandmyself.At the request ofShartsé and Jangtsé colleges, I gave initiationsofGuhyasamāja in the Ārya system of Akṣobhya and of thirteen-deityVajrabhairavaforthreedaysstartingonthetwentieth.Thesewereattendedbyover a thousand monks from Drepung, Ganden, and Sera. On the twenty-

third,theadministrationofGandenMonasteryofferedasutra-traditionlong-lifeofferingceremonytoKyabjéLingRinpochéandmyself.Thatafternoon,KyabjéLingRinpoché and I alongwith the abbots of Shartsé and Jangtsé,tulkus,geshés, andothersperformed the short ritualof consecration for theassemblyhallandthesacredstatues.

On the twenty-fifth, at the request of the mendicant Sönam LosangTharchinofChatrengtoaccumulatepositiverootsofvirtueonbehalfofthelate Losang Bumkyi, I gave the blessing of the four sindūra initiations ofVajrayoginī to those who had attended the initiations of Guhyasamāja andVajrabhairavaearlier.Thenextdayat therequestofAphoSöpaThokméofChatreng, I gave the permission of Medicine Buddha and the initiation ofLife-SustainingJéTsongkhapatoalargenumberofmonksandlaypeopleonbehalfofthelatebhikṣuGeshéGyaltsen.

OnthefirstdayofthetwelfthmonththeAssociationforthePreservationoftheGelukTraditionawardedcertificatesofgeshélharamandngakramtoKyabjéLingRinpoché,myself,andotherswhohadtakentheexaminationsinTibet and later in India. The ceremony was held in the assembly hall ofGandenandwasattendedbytheabbotsandmonksofthethreeseatsandthetwo tantric colleges.SamdhongRinpochégave theopening speech, and theabbotofNamgyalMonastery,SamtenChöphel,gaveanintroductoryspeech.ThenKyabjéLingRinpochéandIwereeachgiventhecertificateandagoldmedal with the highest quality scarves. The other geshés were givencertificates and flower garlands with scarves. After that Kyabjé LingRinpoché and I sat on thrones and were given congratulatory scarves byvarious institutions and individuals. The ceremony concluded with thechanting of verses of auspiciousness. On the third, the Association for thePreservationoftheGelukTraditiongaveKyabjéLingRinpochéandmyselfasutra-traditionlong-lifeceremonyintheassemblyhallofGanden.

Onthemorningoftheeighth,attherequestofGomangCollege,KyabjéLingRinpochéandI,alongwiththeirabbots,tulkus,andgeshés,performedabriefconsecrationoftheirassemblyhall.Intheafternoon,atthewishofthelocal drama troupe, we attended an opera depicting the life story of KingSudhana. This was performed in the open area in front of His Holiness’sresidence. We watched the performance for two hours and presented thedance troupewith gifts.Watching the performancemademe recall a verseformtheGarlandofBirthStories,andIevenmutteredthewordsoftheverse:

Alas,thisworldistransient.Itwillnotremain.Itwillnotbringjoy.

Eventhewondersofthekumudalilywillbecomejustamemory.408

ThiswasnotthefirstoccasionthatIhadrecalledtheverse.IthadoftencometomymindwhenIattendedgovernmentceremoniesandoperaperformancesin theNorbulingka during the four-dayShotön summer festival as assistanttutorandlaterastutor,andIdidnotenjoytheperformancesverymuch.409

Shartsé and Jangtsé colleges held a debate contest session for two dayswheremost of thedebateswereon theAbhidharma.Sincemanyyears hadpassed since I took the examination, I could no longer rememberenumerationsintheAbhidharma.AsstatedinGuidetotheBodhisattva’sWayofLife(5.25):

Whateverhasbeenlearned,contemplated,andmeditateduponbyonewholacksawareness,likewaterinaleakypot,willnotbeheldbythememory.

Asmostofthetopicshadbeenstolenbythethiefofforgetfulness,Iwasnotable to judge the quality of the debaters’ erudition. I gave gifts to youngnovices of the two colleges who had memorized either the Ornament ofRealization or Entering the Middle Way or both and advised them of theimportance of putting effort into their studies.On the fifteenth, I gave pre-novice and novice ordinations to fifty youngmonks of Shartsé and JangtséincludingPharaTulku.

Onthemorningof theeighth,I leftMundgodbycarforBelgaum,fromwhereIflewtoDelhi.ThereIstayedatLamaGuruDeva’shouse.

RETURNTODHARAMSALA

In1975Iwasseventy-five.OnFebruary11,thefirstdayoftheTibetanyear,I performed a token New Year ceremony. The directors and staff of theBureauofHisHolinessandofTibetHousecametoofferNewYeargreetingstome.Onthesixth,IleftDelhi,andthefollowingdayIarrivedatmyhouseinDharamsala.ThenextdayIvisitedHisHolinessandpaidmyrespects tohim.Onthethirddayofthesecondmonth,KyabjéLingRinpochéreturnedtoDharamsala from Bodhgaya and on the way he came to my house. WeexchangedNewYeargreetings.

Onthefourth,attherequestofMrs.PasangLhamotosowrootsofvirtue

onbehalfofherlatehusband,KarmaWangchuk,Igavetheinitiationoffive-deity Cakrasaṃvara with the preparation on two consecutive days at theThekchenChölingtemple.Thiswasattendedby650disciples,includingtheabbots of the three seats, the two tantric monasteries, Tashi LhunpoMonastery, tulkus, geshés, hermits, the resident monks, laypeople ofDharamsala,andotherswhocamefromvariousplaces.ThefollowingdayIgave the initiation of Cakrasaṃvara body mandala to 560 of the above-mentioned discipleswho committed to perform daily the yoga of the threepurifications. Beginning on the eighth I gave twelve days of experientialteachingsonthegenerationandcompletionstagesoftheCakrasaṃvarabodymandalato183discipleswhodailyrecitedthefullsādhanaofthedeity.Thiswas given at the Library of TibetanWorks andArchives. Following this Igaveteachingsonthelong-lifepracticewithrelianceonvajrarecitationwithbreathyogainconjunctionwiththeyogaoftheWhiteHerukalongevitydeity.

AUTHOR’SCOLOPHON

PaṇchenLosangChökyiGyaltsensaid:

Teachingotherswhilenotpracticingoneselfisshamefulinthepresenceofthosewitheyesofwisdom.However,theteachingsoftheTathāgata,justbytransmission,aresaidbythepeerlessTeacherhimselftobemeaningful.

As stated by the Paṇchen Lama, I accomplished the virtuous deed ofdisseminatingthemeaningfulteachingsofthecompassionatespiritualfatherso others could receive the nectar. Also Āryadeva’sFour Hundred Versesstates:

Ifbyhavinganunstablemindoneissaidtobemad,thenhowcouldawiseonesaythatanyoneinthisworldisnotmad?

AlthoughIamawarethatIdonotpossessevenafractionofthequalitiesoflearning and practice required for others to regardme as their lama,manypeople, mistaking copper for gold, have shown me esteem, respect, andveneration.Due to this, likeacrazypersonwithanunnaturalstateofmind,thenatureofmylifeistheplayofthemereformofalamainthisdegenerate

time,asstatedbytheomniscientLongchenpa:

Notrealizingthatgatheringsandcrowdsofpeoplearejustthedevilsofdeceptivedistraction,youmaythinktogiveadvice,teachtheDharma,andworkforothers,butaskyourself,“Willtheytrulybenefitbysuchbehavior?”

Furthermore,KadamGeshéShawoGangpasaid:

Benotlikethosewho,whilelackinghigherqualitieswithintheirmindstreams,aspiretobeothers’masters....

Benotlikethosewho,whiletheirteachingsarehigh,havelowrealization.410

Mylifehasnotbeenbeyondwhatthesemastershaverelated.Ithasbeenastoryof a life setwithin the sceneof an illusoryplay that accordswith thenormsofneithertheDharmanortheworld.Ihavenothingtopresenthereinwriting aboutmy life like the biographies ofmasters that inspire faith andadmiration.Despite this,manyhaveaskedme towrite thestoryofmy life,especiallyDagyabRinpoché,whoinaletterandwhenwemetinpersontoldmetimeaftertimethatIshouldquicklyfinishwritingmyautobiography,ashewishedtopublishitandtranslateitintoEnglish.Ialsowrotethinkingthatin the future,whenever anyonewished to discussmy life, thisworkwouldhelpeliminatespeculationsbasedonfabricationsandfalseassumptions.Ialsofeltthatwritingthestoryofmylifecandidlywouldnotbeimproper,tellingofthe alternating waves of positive and negative karma in the ocean of thisdeceptivelifelikethebiographiesofotherswhoarecomparabletomyself.

Being in the lineage of theGandenThroneholder JangchupChöphel bymerechance,I,LosangYeshéTenzinGyatso,completedthisautobiographyin my seventy-fifth year in 1975, covering the story of my life up to thesecondmonthof thewood-rabbityear.HereinIhavewritten theaccountofmy life as far as I can remember it, supplementedbyPalden’s diaryof theeventsofmylifeuptotheunforgettablehappeningsin1959inLhasa.Iwasnotabletowriteinmuchdetailasalothasbeenforgotten.Ihaveeliminatedhere accounts of unnecessary distracting activities sincemy arrival in Indiaandhavepresentedanaccountofsuitablelength.Thusmanyyearsofmylifehavepassed,butastheTibetanmasterMiphamstates:

Compositephenomenaareliketheplayoftheseductivemaidoflightning.

Happinessandsufferingarethewheelsofachariot.Ihaveseenthestrangeandwondrousexpressionsofsamsara,butunyieldingkarmaismyshare.

Allcompositephenomenapossessthenatureoftransienceandaresubjecttodestruction, while all places, possessions, and our own bodies, broughttogetherbycontaminatedsamsara,areinthenatureofsuffering.Thiscanbedirectlyseenandexperienced,astaughtinthegreatscriptures.However,thisspoiled andwildmind, clinging to reality andpermanence,with its playofdeceptionandguile,immersesitselfonlyinactionsthatsnatchawaytheverylife of liberation and does not move at all to take the upward steps to thewisdomthatthinksaboutthenextlife.This,Ithink,istheproliferationofmyshareofpowerfulimprintsofprevioushabituationwithbadkarma.

Inthedelightfulunexaminedcityofdeceptionarethethousandillusorydramasoftheeightworldlyconcernsofthislife.Tolookatthesewonders,transformingincessantlylikelightning,grandfathermustmanifestfourfaces,Ithink.

Maygoodnessprevail!

W

Translator’sColophon

ITH INEFFABLE GRATITUDE for the threefold kindness of LamaVajradhara,whosenameIfinddifficult toexpressyetmentionforapurpose,KyabjéVajradharaJetsunLosangYeshéTenzinGyatso,the

third incarnation of Throneholder Jangchup Chöphel, the translation of hisesteemedautobiographyTheMagicalPlayofIllusionwascompletedon theauspicious occasion of the tenth day of the first seventhmonth of the fire-horseyearinthesixteenthrabjungcycle,theroyalyearofTibet2113,Fridaythe fifteenth of August, 1986, on the thirty-ninth anniversary of India’sIndependenceDay.

The translation was completed in the very room of the late KyabjéVajradhara,wherehecompletedthewritingoftheautobiographyinTibetan,at his residenceTashiRapten, atGangchenKyishong,Dharamsala,Kangradistrict,HimachalPradesh, India.A tsok offering of the tenthwasmade todedicate the merits of this translation for the perpetual accomplishment ofKyabjéVajradhara’swishes.

May everyone share and be benefitted by the boundless wisdom andcompassionofKyabjéTrijangVajradhara.

T

Epilogue

HE ACTIVITIES of enlightened beings are beyond the scope of ordinarybeings, therefore any attempt to summarize their lives is fraughtwithlimitations.Whatordinarybeingsperceive isamerereflectionof their

karma and does not truly represent such an enlightened being’s activities.Nevertheless, the life that Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché displayed can becharacterizedastheclosesttotheactionsofafullyenlightenedbeingthatanyordinarybeingwilleverwitness.With that inmind, Iwillpresentevents inthewaythatthefullyenlightenedKyabjéTrijangVajradhararevealedthemtotheordinarybeingsofthisworld.

THEFINALSIXYEARSOFRINPOCHÉ’SLIFE

AsKyabjéRinpochéadvancedinyears,hisactivitieslessened,andhespentmore and more time absorbed in meditation. Nevertheless he continued togivenumerous teachings tomany fortunatedisciples.Here Ipresentamereportionofhisenlightenedactivitiesduringthesixandahalfyearspriortohispassing.

In1975,whenKyabjéRinpochéwasseventy-fiveyearsold,hegavetheCakrasaṃvarafive-deityandbody-mandalainitiationstoabout650disciplesin the Thekchen Chöling temple in Dharamsala. Afterward he gave anexperiential commentary on the generation and completion stages of theCakrasaṃvarabodymandalatoabout180disciplesattheLibraryofTibetanWorks andArchives.He gave theMañjuvajra initiation ofGuhyasamāja inthe tradition of Jñānapada to our great refuge and protector, theFourteenthDalai Lama, as well as the great initiation of nine-deity JinasāgaraAvalokiteśvara.At theGandenassemblyhall,hegaveacommentaryonthestagesofthepathaccordingtoLiberationinthePalmofYourHandtomorethanathousandmonasticsandabouteighthundredlaypeople.

In1976,KyabjéRinpoché’sseventy-sixthyear,hegaveacommentaryontheHundredDeitiesofTuṣitatomorethanonehundredwhoassembledinthe

nunnery in Dharamsala. In Delhi, he gave the blessing of the four sindūrainitiations of Vajrayoginī as well as the commentary on its generation andcompletion stages to about two hundred disciples who assembled in thetemple built by theGyakarKhampa, Indians of Tibetan origin.AtGandenShartséhegavetheMañjuvajrainitiationofGuhyasamājaandsoforth.

In1977,KyabjéRinpoché’s seventy-seventhyear,hegave the initiationof five-deity Cakrasaṃvara in the tradition of Mahāsiddha Ghaṇṭāpāda aswellastheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiationsofVajrayoginīandsoforthinGandenThekchokLinginManali,inKulluValley,toabouttwohundreddisciples.Tomorethantwothousandordainedandlaydiscipleshegavethepermission of Avalokiteśvara and so forth. He gave a commentary on theThreePrincipalAspectsofthePath toavastnumberofdisciplesinSangyéChölingMonasteryinShimla.AtGandenMonasteryhegaveacommentaryon theWheelofSharpWeaponsMindTraining aswell as the initiationsoffive-deityCakrasaṃvaraandthebodymandalainthetraditionofMahāsiddhaGhaṇṭāpādaandacommentaryonthegenerationandcompletionstagesofthebodymandala.

In 1978, Kyabjé Rinpoché’s seventy-eighth year, he conferred noviceordination vows on twenty-five disciples at SeraMonastery. At the Kagyümonastery of Drukpa Thugsé Rinpoché in Darjeeling, he gave a readingtransmission of Atiśa’s Lamp on the Path to Enlightenment. At SamtenChöling in Darjeeling, he conferred novice vows on about thirty newlyordainedyoungmonks.InKalimponghegavetheblessingofthefoursindūrainitiations of Vajrayoginī to about three hundred disciples as well as acommentaryonitsgenerationandcompletionstages.IntheassemblyhallatGandenMonasteryhegaveanexperientialcommentaryonthestagesof thepath by combining the Easy Path and the Quick Path to more than twothousand disciples. At the residence of Phuntsok Rapten, to his faithfuldisciples Dzemé Rinpoché and Kachen Söpa of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery,Kyabjé Vajradhara gave the reading transmission of the sections of hiscollected works that had been published. In the assembly hall at GandenShartsé, he gave thirteen of the seventeen permissions of Four-FacedMahākāla.

In 1979, Rinpoché’s seventy-ninth year, he gave a commentary on JéTsongkhapa’s Middle-Length Stages of the Path to a vast assembly ofdisciplesatSeraMonastery.

In 1980, Rinpoché’s eightieth year, he gave a commentary on theHundred Deities of Tuṣita to a vast assembly of disciples at the Sera Jéassemblyhall,andattheSeraMéassemblyhall,hegavethepermissionsof

thesixteenarhatsandWhiteMañjuśrī.In 1981, Rinpoché’s eighty-first year, he gave a commentary on the

Praise of Avalokiteśvara411 as well as a profound commentary on theessential definitive meaning concerning the composition on theGanglomaprayer toMañjuśrī to about eighteenhundred students.For this teachinghemerely gave a general outline of themain sections. Because hismindwascompletely filled with love, compassion, and bodhicitta, he was able toestablishcountlessfortunatedisciplesonthepathtoenlightenment.

THESPECIALQUALITIESOFKYABJÉTRIJANGRINPOCHÉ

Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché had forsaken all inferior motivations. He hadovercome any sense of self-cherishing, and his great compassion was freefrom the defects of lassitude and agitation. He also accomplished therealizationofblissandemptinessthroughthecompletionstageandmasteredthemeditationsforcausingthewindstoenter,abide,anddissolvewithinthecentral channel. Furthermore, when Trijang Rinpoché was twenty-five, hetraveledtoanamazingplaceinChatreng,theabodeofAvalokiteśvaracalledProtectorsoftheThreeLineagesatGangkar(GangkarRiksumGönpo).Eachyear,on the fifteenthdayof the fourthmonth (Vaiśākha),aspringofwaterspontaneously emerged. During his visit, again and again, the sounds ofvarious musical instruments could be heard. Also, on the tenth day of thetwelfth month during the special month of Cakrasaṃvara and Vajrayoginīcalled Puṣya— a time when the ḍākinīs congregate— Trijang Rinpochéperformedself-initiationinthesindūramandalaofVajrayoginīandperformedanextensivetsokoffering,andwhileinastateofmeditation,hecompletelystopped breathing, during which time his attendants and disciples made asmany prostrations and supplications as possible. When he commencedbreathingagain,heimmediatelybegansingingsongsofspiritualrealizations,oneofwhichbegan:

ThepowerfulconquerorJéLosangdwellsinthepureDharmalandofGanden,inseparablefromthekindŚrīCakrasaṃvara—DechenNyingpo—whoremainsonanthersoftheeight-petalledlotusofmyheart.

Thiswasaclearindicationthathehadmasteredtherealizationoftheexaltedwisdom of bliss and emptiness by causing the winds to enter, abide, anddissolvewithinthecentralchannel.Later,whenhewastwenty-seven,hesang

more songs of spiritual realization while presenting a tsok offering inconjunction with Cakrasaṃvara at Kampo Mountain — a sacred site ofHerukaCakrasaṃvarainDoméKampo—atwhichtimethesoundofḍākasandḍākinīssingingspontaneousvajrasongsarosetogetherwiththesoundofinstruments.

Concerninghisgoodqualitiesoftraininginwisdom,hehadthewisdomthat realizes theultimatemodeof existenceof allphenomena, conventionalwisdom such as the knowledge of the five sciences, and wisdomunderstandingthevariouswaysofbenefitinglivingbeingsaccordingtotheirvariousdispositions.Hehadalso fullymastered thewisdomsofexplaining,debating, and composing as well as the profound, clear, great, and quickwisdoms.Hehadbothinnateandacquiredwisdomduetohisvastexperienceinlistening,contemplating,andmeditating.Inshort,hewastheembodimentof wisdom that is matched only by fully enlightened beings revealing theaspect of great scholars. He had absolutely perfect reliance upon his ownspiritualmastersthroughhisrealizationoftheproperwaytorelyuponone’sguruaspresentedinsuchtextsas theMarvelousArraySutraand theGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePath.TrijangRinpochéhimselfhadsaidthathehad one hundred root gurus but that, among his root gurus, KyabjéPhabongkhawashisprimaryguru.ThisissimilartothewayinwhichAtiśaheldSerlingpaashisprimaryguruoutofhis157gurus.

With regard to his studies of sutra and tantra, he had grasped all theteachingsoftheConquerorembodiedinscriptureandrealization.Seeingthegreat importance of hearing many teachings, he studied the great texts,debatedtheirmeaning,andeliminateduncertaintieswherebyhecametograspthetrueintentofthescripturesofsutraandtantra.Throughcombiningview,meditation,andaction—orinotherwords,thethreehighertrainings—hestudiedatGandenShartséMonastery,wherehe received thehighestdegreeavailable,thatofalharamgeshé.AfterwardhewenttoGyütöTantricCollegeand studied the four classes of tantra in general and highest yoga tantra inparticular.Amongthehighestyogatantricpractices,hemasteredtherootandexplanatory tantras of Guhyasamāja and the commentaries composed byTibetanandIndianmasters.

AdrawingoftheBuddhathatTrijangRinpochésketchedonthespotattherequestofavisitorfromSouthAfrica

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

Concerning the way he attained the state of an unparalleled scholar ofexplanation,debate,andcomposition,hisqualitiesofexplanationarewithoutcompareandarefreefromallfaults;hewasanoutstandingdebater,andhisteachingsperfectlyrevealthetrueintentofthegreatscriptures,suchasthosecomposedbyNāgārjuna,Āryadeva,Candrakīrti,Asaṅga,andothers.Aboveall, he was the foremost exponent of the profound teachings of LamaTsongkhapa and his disciples.Whatever he taughtwas supremely effectivefor the mind, and were you to ask his disciples, they would all leave hisdiscourseshavingreceivedexactlywhatwasneededtotransformtheirminds.He always acted in the most humble manner, free of any pretense orarrogance. Although he never revealed any of his realizations or goodqualities,oneonlyneededtolistentohisprofoundexpositionstoimmediatelyunderstandthedepthofhisknowledgeandrealization.

Some of his more well-known disciples include His Holiness theFourteenth Dalai Lama, Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché, Drepung Gomang

Kangyurwa Chenpo Losang Dönden, Kumbum Minyak Rinpoché, KyabjéSimokRinpoché,DrupwangGeshéLosangSamdrupRinpoché,RatöChubarRinpoché, Gashar Song Rinpoché, Gashar Dzemé Rinpoché, the SecondPhabongkha Rinpoché, Sera Mé Gyalrong Khentrul, Sera Mé DagyabRinpoché,AssistantTutorSerkongRinpoché,andcountlessotherlamasandgeshéstoomanytomention,“likethehostofstarsinthesky,”aswesayinTibetan.

AsforTrijangRinpoché’swritings,hiscollectedworksfilleightvolumesand cover a wide variety of topics, such as the stages of the path,commentariesandsādhanasonboththeactiontantrapracticeofWhiteTārāWish-FulfillingWheelandthehighestyogatantrapracticeofCittamaṇiTārā,variousDharma protectors, the practices of Cakrasaṃvara, andmany otherminordomainsofknowledge.Heisknownforhisspontaneouscompositionofbrilliantpoeticversesonanytopic.

With regard tohismoraldiscipline,he saw thatmaintainingpuremoraldiscipline is extremely important and is the foundation of all paths toenlightenment.Heperfectlymaintained theprātimokṣavows as set forth intheVinaya,thebodhisattvavowsandconductassetforthinsuchtextsastheGuide to theBodhisattva’sWayofLife, and the tantricvowsas set forth insuch texts as Jé Tsongkhapa’s Cluster of Attainments. Thus, without anysenseofself-concern,hemaintainedthethreesetsofvows,therebysettingaperfectexampleforhisfaithfuldisciplestoemulate.Dedicatinghisentirelifeto others,Kyabjé TrijangRinpoché lived and breathed the peerless path toenlightenment as revealed by all the previous enlightened beings, notwaveringevenforaninstant.

To give a few examples of his magical powers,412 in 1958, when myparentswerereturningtoLhasaaftermyfatherhadcompletedhistourofdutyas the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Bureau of theDalaiLamainBeijing,mysistermaderequeststoKyabjéTrijangRinpochéfor divinations and prayers. Trijang Rinpoché responded by indicating thattherewouldbesomeobstaclesonthedaythepartyreachedLhasa.Inordertoaverthindrances,TrijangRinpochésuggestedhavinganumberofsixty-four-part torma rituals performed in conjunctionwith the protector Dharmarāja.MysisterinvitedagroupofmonksfromGyüméTantricCollegetoperformtheritualoffering.Ofcourse,onthedaytheyapproachedLhasa,astheywerecrossing the narrow Kuru Bridge on the outskirts of Lhasa, passing motorvehiclesstartledthehorses,causingthemtobecomefrantic.Apartfromafewminor injuries, the party made it safely to the Rampa House. My familymembers were extraordinarily grateful to Trijang Rinpoché for his

compassionate advice and display of his foreknowledge that guided themhomesafelythatday.

Another fascinating story is told by the father of Lama Kunga, thenoblemanTsipönShuguba,inhisbookInthePresenceofMyEnemies.WhenLamaKungawasfirstborn,hewasonthebrinkofdeath,sohisfatherinvitedTrijang Rinpoché to come to their home and say prayers on behalf of hisailing son. It seemed certain that the tiny infant that was to become LamaKunga would pass from this world at any moment. Before beginning theritual,TrijangRinpochésaid,“Ifyougivemeyourson,Iwillsavehislife.”Itseemed as though Rinpoché may have just been joking, but after a fewmomentsofintensemeditation,thechildbegantoexhibitsignsofacompleterecovery.AfterwardRinpochéstronglysuggestedthatthefathersendtheboyto be a monk at any monastery, it didn’t matter which tradition. KyabjéTrijang Rinpoché gave this boy his name Losang Kunga Gyurmé. LamaKungatothisdaylivesasthespiritualdirectorofNgorEwamChödenSakyaCenterinKensington,California.

Some of Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché’s previous lives include BuddhaŚākyamuni’scharioteerCandaka,ArhatMadhughoṣa,Candrakīrti,Atiśa,theEighth Karmapa Mikyö Dorjé, and many others.413 There were manyprophecies made about Trijang Rinpoché stating that he was in fact anemanationofPadmasambhava,JéTsongkhapa,Atiśa,andothers.

KYABJÉTRIJANGRINPOCHÉ’SPASSING

Just as the Buddha’s final teaching to his disciples was to reveal theimportanceofrealizingdeathandimpermanence,duringthelastseveralyearsofhis life,KyabjéTrijangRinpoché revealed the aspectof approachinghisparinirvāṇa.Hewas spendingmore andmore time in a state ofmeditationwhilehisdisciplesfromvariousmonasteriesofferedprayersandrequestsforhislonglife.

ThelabranghadpurchasedtrainticketsonOctober10,1981,forhimandhis entourage to travel fromDharamsala toGandenShartsé inSouth India.RinpochéhadbeengoingtoSouthIndiaforthewinterforseveralyears,andthis year was no exception. They were to depart November 15. Despitecontractingan illnessonOctober23,TrijangRinpochédecidedtomake thetripasplanned.HetoldhisattendantsthatiftherewereanyspecialritualsthatneededtobedonethattheyshouldbedoneatGandenMonasteryaftertheirarrival.

On November 3, 1981, Ling Rinpoché came to Kyabjé TrijangRinpoché’sresidenceandmadeprayersandrequestsforKyabjéRinpochénottopassintothesphereofnirvana.Atthistime,thetwotutorsmadeplanstotraveltoGandentogether.OnNovember5,TrijangRinpochéstated,“Imustleave for Ganden on November 15.” This carried a special significancebecause JangchupChöphel, the first incarnation in the lineof thosebearingthenameTrijangRinpoché,alsowenttoTuṣita(Tibetan:Ganden)atthetimeofhispassing;thereforethisstatementindicatedthatourrootguru,theThirdTrijangRinpoché,wasalsodefinitelygoingtothepurelandofTuṣita.

On themorning ofNovember 5,HisHoliness theDalai Lama had justreturnedfromSikkim.HecameimmediatelytoKyabjéRinpoché’sresidenceand requested him to remain in thisworld for thewelfare of living beings.Soonafterthis,TrijangRinpochéreported,“Mylegisswellingupabit,”atwhichtimehisattendantsexaminedhislegandthephysicianYeshéDöndengave him some medicine. Rinpoché’s disciples inquired as to which ritualwould be best to perform for his health, at which point Trijang Rinpochéreplied,“UntilnowIhaven’texperiencedanyseriousillness;yetatthistimetherearenospecialritualstobedone,sincethereisn’tmuchhopethatIwillremainintheworldmuchlonger.”HealsoadvisedKungoPaldenTsering,hislifelongattendant, tonot consult other lamas aboutperformingmore ritualsforhislonglife.

However, Kungo Palden was quite concerned and had prayers andextensiveofferingsmadeatSera,Drepung,Ganden,andsoforthforTrijangRinpoché’s long life, including a recitation of the Kangyur. Kungo Paldenalsomadeextensiveprayersofhisown,performingalltherequestsperfectly,afterwhich hemade the obligatory request for Rinpoché’s quick return byasking, “However, in case you have completed your work here, will youpleasereturntousquicklyinthemostauspiciousaspect?”

TrijangRinpochétoldhisdisciples,“WhetherIgetwellornot,wemusttraveltoGandenduringtheninthmonth.Rinpochélatersaid,“IhadavisionofTuṣita that is theresultof thevirtuousactionsperformed inmypreviouslives.Youmust stopmakingofferings formy long life andmakeofferingsinsteadformyrebirthinTuṣita.”OnNovember9,theGandenThroneholderKyabjéLingRinpochéonceagainreturnedandrequestedTrijangRinpochétoremain in thisworld.Despite his disciples’ best efforts, themerit of livingbeings in this world was not sufficient to maintain the presence ofCakrasaṃvara’s supreme emanation body. That same morning, Rinpochéasked when the study session was to begin at Ganden, and his attendantreplied that he wasn’t certain. After some consideration, Trijang Rinpoché

said,“Ithinkitisstartingtoday.”Thesewerehislastwords.ThepreviousTrijangRinpoché,GandenThroneholderLosangTsultrim,

as Rinpoché narrates at the outset of his memoir, would circumambulateGandenMonasteryduringhisfinaldays.Onhisfinalday,asheapproachedthe throne room of Jé Tsongkhapa, he paused to sit on a chair. Afterconversingwithhisattendant,hefacedthewesternskyand,laughingallthewhile,said,“Ganden,Ganden,Ganden...,”andpassedaway.Likethis,allthreeincarnationsbearingthenameTrijangRinpochépassedintothesphereofpeacewiththeirmindsfocusedonGanden.

Therefore, at nine-thirty in themorningonNovember9, theomniscientmind of Kyabjé Trijang Vajradhara was withdrawn into the sphere of thedharmakāya.However,KyabjéRinpochéhadyettorevealhisfinalteaching.To display to theworld and his faithful disciples theway inwhich a fullyenlightened being passes from this world, for the next two days hisconsciousness remained in single-pointedmeditationon clear light of deathabsorbed inseparably with the omniscient mind of all the buddhas. HisHolinesstheDalaiLamacameimmediatelyuponhispassingandperformedaGuruPujaandprayerstoCakrasaṃvara.

News of Kyabjé Rinpoché’s parinirvāṇa spread quickly throughout theTibetancommunity,sendinghisdisciples intoastateofshock.GenLosangChöpheltoldmethatwhenheheardofKyabjéRinpoché’spassing,hefeltasthoughhishearthadbeenrippedoutandhecouldnoteatorsleepforseveraldays.Hetoldmethepassingofhismotherandfathercouldnotcomparetothe loss he felt upon the passing of Kyabjé Trijang Vajradhara. By teno’clock, disciples started gathering around Kyabjé Rinpoché’s residence tooffer theirprayers andexpress their faith anddevotionwhile focusing theirminds single-pointedly on Rinpoché’s private quarters. The Tibetan peopledescribedithashavingtheirmostpreciousjewelstolenbyathieforthemoonturningblack.Tomarkthisgreattragedy,allthegovernmentofficesremainedclosed.Duringthistime,HisHolinessinstructedhisprivatesecretarytoofferhis services in any way possible, such as assisting with the cremationceremonyandsoforth.AllthemonasteriesthroughoutIndia,Nepal,Bhutan,andLadakhheldspecialservicesinhonorofhispassing.

KyabjéRinpoché’smind remainedabsorbed in theclear light,whilehisbody sustained without any signs of deterioration, until ten in morning onNovember 11. While Kyabjé Rinpoché was absorbed in the clear light ofdeath,theweatherhadbeencalmandserene.However,assoonashepassedfrom the clear light of death, a heavy rain and a powerful wind arose. Amagicalpresenceseemedtofilltheair,someofthechildrenfromtheTibetan

Children’sVillagereportedseeingvisions,andthesurroundingareahadtheauraofbeingbathedinrainbowlight.

At four-thirty on the morning of thirteenth, the Ganden ThroneholderKyabjé Ling Rinpoché came to oversee the preparations for the cremationrituals.Onthefourteenth,variouslamasandofficialsaswellasallthemonksandlaypeopletransportedhisholybodytothecremationsite.Theentirepathfrom the Tibetan’s Children Village to the cremation site was lined withschoolchildren. Upon reaching the site, the Ganden Shartsé abbot LatiRinpoché presided as the ritualmaster of the cremation ceremony.On thisparticularmorning,themoonappearedlargerthanusual,aswaswitnessedbyallpresent,whointerpreteditasthemooncomingclosertotheearthtopayits final respects to Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché. Numerous auspicious signsoccurred,suchaswhenthefirewaslit, thesmokeappearedintheaspectofthe eight auspicious symbols. Also, when the ritual was begun, two largevultures circumambulated the cremation site counterclockwise, speciallysignifyingTrijangRinpoché’spracticeofCakrasaṃvara.

During the ritual, five-colored rainbow light appeared around theresidences of both Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché and Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché.WhentheholybodyofKyabjéTrijangVajradharawascremated,thesmokewenttowardthenortheast,andthebannercoveringthecremationsiteflewoffto the east.When thehearthwasopened, two small footprintsheading eastwererevealedintheashes.

LatiRinpochédescribesthismiraculousoccurrencethattookplaceduringthecremationsite.414KyabjéTrijangRinpoché’scremationstupawaslitbyayoungboy at theTibetanChildren’sVillage.This boyhad recently arrivedfrom Tibet and had not received any teachings from Kyabjé TrijangRinpoché. As the pyre was lit, white smoke arose in the northeasterlydirection.Right then, thewind liftedup in the samedirection the skirtof ayellow parasol that was placed above the stupa. As the ritual offeringsproceeded, Lati Rinpoché witnessed some self-emerging relics beingproducedonasilverplatteronwhichasmallstatueoftheBuddhawasplacedinanticipationofsuchrareoccurrences.LatiRinpoché,asthepresidingvajramaster,placedthisstatueonthemainaltarinfrontofthestupaontheadviceofRatöChubarRinpoché,whohad instructedhim tobeon the lookout forsuchrelics.TherelicsslowlystartedtoemergeasLatiRinpochéwatchedinamazement.Therelicsconsistedofonelargeandmanytinycrystal-likeballs.As this phenomenon was unfolding, Lati Rinpoché recalls telling RatöRinpoché’sattendantNgawangGendunabout it.NgawangGenduntold thistoa fewwhowere there.Soon,manydevoteeswhoattended thecremation

ceremonywitnessedthismiracleunfoldingandconvergedatthealtartoviewthem. Suddenly, the relics began to disappear before Lati Rinpoché’s eyes,and he quickly tried to rescue them from the silver platter. Lati RinpochéregrettedtellingGendun,asthisprocessshouldhavebeenlefttocompleteitscoursewithoutsomanypeoplewatching.

Everymorningforseveraldays,manyofthehighestlamasoftheGeluktradition made offerings in front of the cremation site and made prayers.When the cremation site was opened, his body had shrunk to one cubit inheight,whilehistorsoandheartremainedundamagedbythefire.TherewasalsooneBuddhastatueplacedonaplatter,andwithinitwasonelargeself-emergingrelic.Hisasheswereput inaspecialurn,wrapped in ritualattire,andacrownofthefivebuddhafamilieswasplaceduponit.

After the cremation, as the party proceeded to Rinpoché’s residence atGangchenKyishong,twobigvultureswereonceagaincircumambulatinghisresidence.Themainentrancetohisresidenceoverflowedwithavastcrowdof devotees, including the highest lamas and government officials togetherwithavastassemblyofmonkswhohadgatheredtheretowelcomehisholyrelics.Whenhisholyrelicsarrivedathisresidence,KungoPaldenofferedthethree supports of enlightened body, speech, and mind, after which all thedevoteesmadearequesttoHisHolinesstheDalaiLamatocomposeaprayerfor the quick return ofKyabjéRinpoché. The labrang prepared a vast tsokofferingwhereall the tulkus,geshés,monks,andso forthgathered tomakeofferings and pay their respects to the holy relics of Kyabjé TrijangVajradhara.

Onthetwenty-seconddayoftheninthTibetanmonth,duringthespecialoccasionofBuddha’sDescentfromthePureLand,avastassemblyofmanythousandsofdisciples consistingof high lamas fromnumerousmonasteriesgathered to perform vast offerings presided over by Ganden ThroneholderKyabjéLingRinpoché.

THESEARCHFORHISREINCARNATION

In1980,TrijangRinpochéhadadvisedKungoPaldenonwhatdotowithhisrelics to help them to locate his reincarnation, and he also gave him someletters and a diary. Concerning his reincarnation, Rinpoché said that theyshould look in northeastern India to see if there were any special boys aspossiblecandidates.Healsoinformedhimofwhichoraclestoconsultforthesearch.

In the Tibetan year of the water-dog on New Year’s Day, at Ganden

Shartsé Monastery, the Setrap oracle put a white scarf on a pillar in theeasterndirectionandanother in thenortheasterndirection.Then,on July8,1983, Kungo Palden asked His Holiness, who said, “I believe he will bereborninnorthwesternIndia,thereforeyoushouldsearchforhisreincarnationthere.”

Then,bothLosangThuptenandSeraMéSharpaRinpochésentalettertoKungoPaldenand said that they feel thatKyabjéRinpochémayhavebeenreborn as the son of Phenpo Sönam Topgyal and Losang Drölma, whoworked in a carpet factory inDalhousie.The letter stated, “OnOctober15,theygavebirthtoaspecialchild.Youshouldexaminethisboy.”Fiveorsixyearspriortohispassing,whenSönamTopgyalhadanaudiencewithTrijangRinpoché, Rinpochémentioned that Drakri Rinpoché is being cared for bySera Mé Geshé Yeshé Wangchuk and is a very good tulku, and DrakriRinpoché,KhamlungRinpoché,andGasharPhukangKhenrapPaljorareallrelated.415KyabjéTrijangRinpochésaidcasuallytoSönamTopgyal,“Inmyfuture life, if I am born in your family lineage, wewill all have the samenameunderGungthangLabrang,andwewillallbe related.”KungoPaldenwaspresent,andhethoughtthatthefactthatRinpochéwasspeakinginthiswaymusthavesomesignificantmeaning.

As His Holiness felt certain that Trijang Rinpoché’s reincarnation hadbeen reborn in northwestern India, Kungo Palden, full of hope, went withJamyang Tashi to Dalhousie on May 8, 1983, and stayed with LosangThupten. They mentioned nothing about looking for Kyabjé Rinpoché’sreincarnation.Instead,theywenttovisitSönamTopgyalandengagedhimindiscussion about business, pretending that they were interested in buyingcarpets,allthewhilesecretlyexaminingthechild.Thechildwasveryfondofreligiousarticlesandhadaveryspecialdisposition.HealsowasquitefondofKungo Palden and of Jamyang Tashi, who had been one of TrijangRinpoché’s attendants from a young age. The child wasn’t very articulate,however, and therefore it was difficult to understand him. Nevertheless heseemed intent on speaking and hugged both Kungo Palden and JamyangTashiseveraltimes.HisparticularfondnessforJamyangTashimadeKungoPaldenveryhopefulthatitmightbethetruereincarnation.

Beginning from January 31, 1984, Shartsé Abbot Lati Rinpoché,Jangchup Tsultrim, Phukhang Geshé Tashi Norbu, and Ngakré PhuntsokTsultrim, together with Kungo Palden, traveled all throughout India andNepal searching for the correct reincarnation.When therewas an area theycould not get to, they sent correspondence by various means. They nextassembled thenamesof thebestof the544candidates,selectingfromthem

ninety-nine special children. Among them there were eight particularlyspecialchildrenwhosenameswerepresented toHisHoliness.HisHolinesssaid, “Now it is very important thatwenot only do a divinationbut that itshouldbedoneinthepresenceofKyabjéRinpoché’sholyrelicshousedinthesacred stupa atGandenMonastery.” Therefore,whenHisHolinesswent toMundgodinSouthIndiainDecember,hedidthedivinationinthepresenceofTrijangRinpoché’sholyrelics.Onthetwenty-third,hemadeallthenecessarypreparations.Onthetwenty-fourth,heperformedtheactualdivination,anditcameoutthatthechildfromDalhousiewasthebestcandidate.Basedonthisoutcome, they did another divination as towhen they shouldmake contactwiththetulku,andthedecisionwastowait.Therefore,theysuspendedtheirinquiry temporarily. On April 4, 1985, Kungo Palden again asked HisHolinessaboutthereincarnation,andHisHolinesssaidheshoulddoanotherdivinationinthepresenceoftheAvalokiteśvaracalledtheĀryaWatiSangpoof Kyirong. His Holiness performed the divination on April 22, alongsideShartséAbbotLatiRinpochéandKungoPalden,andtheresultwasthatitwasnowtimetoconfirmthereincarnationandthatthesonofSönamTopgyalandLosang Drölma is the unmistaken reincarnation of Kyabjé TrijangVajradhara.

On April 23, 1985, Gyatso Tsering, director of the Library of TibetanWorksandArchivesandadevoteddiscipleofKyabjéTrijangRinpoché,senta letter from Dharamsala to Sharpa Tulku, who was translating for TārāRinpochéinHawaii,describingthesituationinDharamsala:416

EarlyonthemorningofApril22,HisHolinesstheDalaiLamaretreated intomeditation concentrating on the namemantra ofKyabjé Trijang Vajradhara. When he was finished, KungoPaldenandLatiRinpochéwerecalledtoHisHoliness’sprivateresidence, and in their presence the necessary rituals wereperformed under the benign presence of the ĀryaAvalokiteśvara [statue]. There, His Holiness gave the verdictthatSönamTopgyal’schildwasthetruereincarnationofKyabjéTrijangVajradhara.Withabeamingexpressiononhisface,HisHoliness then charged Lati Rinpoché and Kungo Palden withresponsibilityofcaringforthechild.

Next,HisHoliness gave instructions concerningwhich ritual should beperformedtoremoveobstaclesandcreatefavorableconditions.Afterthis, itwasannouncedon theTibetan-languagechannelofAll-IndiaRadio that theunmistakenreincarnationofKyabjéTrijangVajradharahadbeendiscovered.

Everyonewasecstatic.AsGyatsoTseringwrote:

Thenewsspreadlikewildfire,bringingjoyeverywhere—youshouldhaveseenthejoyburstinginKungoPalden’sface.Thatevening he treated the residence of Trijang Labrang to anextravagant meal amid much talk of Kyabjé Rinpoché’samazing deeds and exemplary life. The chanting was mostboisterous.Theywentupthemountainthatevening,performingprayers and rituals all night, and endedwith an early-morningincenseritual.

Now everyone’s attention is focused onDalhousie. SönamTopgyal’sfamilyhasbecomefamousovernight,andrightnowthis is themost talked-about subject inDharamsala.Topgyal’sother child in Sursok school has also become the object ofattention.

Inaweek’s time,onanauspiciousday,KungoPaldenandLati Rinpoché will be leaving for Dalhousie to seek formalpermission from his parents and to present offerings to thesupreme incarnation of Kyabjé Trijang Vajradhara. They willthenreturn toDharamsala,make thenecessarypreparations—whichKungoPaldensayswill takeaboutamonth—andthenescort the supreme incarnation to Dharamsala fromDalhousieamidceremonialprocession.

OnMay17,1985,inDalhousie,theincarnationofKyabjéRinpochéwasdressedintheattireofafolloweroftheBuddha,andeverythingwentwithoutincident. The party accompanying the incarnation left Dalhousie, andpreparationsweremadeatTilokpur,notfarfromDharamsala,towelcomethesupremeincarnation.FortwodaysthepartystayedattheIndiangovernmentguesthouse in Kangra while they prepared for two groups to proceed toDharamsala. Rinpoché’s incarnation was first brought to the branch ofGandenShartséMonasteryinDharamsalaforawelcomereception.ThenonJune 10, an auspicious day, Rinpoché was received by the Tibetangovernment,bythemonksofSera,Ganden,andDrepung,aswellasbythemonks of Gyütö and Gyümé tantric colleges. They then proceeded to theTashiRaptenresidenceatGangchenKyishong,wheretheyperformedavastceremonyamidvariousofferingsandperfectlyenthronedhimasthesupremeincarnationofKyabjéTrijangVajradhara.

AmongthemanyindicationsthatthischildwasthecorrectreincarnationwashisreactiononfirstencounteringhisformerattendantsKungoPaldenand

JamyangTashi— his great happiness atmeeting them, as though reunitedafteralongseparation.Hewasalsoveryfondofvajras,bells,andotherritualitems,justasthepreviousTrijangRinpochéwas.

Many people said that Tsering Gyurmé (the birth name of TrijangRinpoché’sincarnation)wasobviouslysomeoneveryspecialandmustbetheincarnation of a high lama.Therefore, the former abbot ofRatöMonasteryinvited him to his residence for an examination, at which time TseringGyurméidentifiedmanyphotosofvariouslamasthattheabbotshowedhim.WhileRinpoché’sincarnationwaslookingatthesephotos,hepointedtothephotoofthepreviousTrijangRinpochéandsaid,“Thisisaphotoofme!”

Rinpoché’s incarnationwouldoftendrinka lotofmilk,somuchso thathisparentssaid,“Itwillbehardtocoverourexpensesifyoukeepdrinkingsomuchmilk.”

Rinpochéreassuredthem,“Don’tworryIhavelotsofcows.”His fatherTopgyalhadanewpairof shoes thathedidn’tusuallywear,

savingthemforspecialoccasions.Rinpochétoldhim,“Nowitistimetowearyourspecialshoes.”

His father replied, “I need to save them. I don’t have another pair thisnice.”

Tothis,Rinpochésaid,“Don’tworry!Paldenwillbuyyouanotherpair.”Also,Rinpochéwas always talking about going toDharamsala.Kyabjé

RinpochéhadauniquewayofcallingforPalden,andtheincarnationdidsoin exactly the same way. Also, when they arrived in Dharamsala, he tookcharge of all of the previous TrijangRinpoché’s belongings just as if theywerehisown.

OnJuly1,1986,Rinpoché’s incarnationhadhis firstaudiencewithHisHolinesstheDalaiLama.Atthishair-cuttingceremony,HisHolinessrecitedthe Hundred Deities of Tuṣita, named Rinpoché Tenzin Losang YeshéGyatso,andgavehimasacredstatueofBuddha.

OnJuly14,RinpochéwasinvitedtoGandenMonastery.Onhisway,hetraveledthroughDelhi,Poona,andHubli,andonJuly21,averyauspiciousday,hearrivedinMundgod,SouthIndia,andwaswelcomedatthePhuntsokRapten residence atGandenShartsé,where theyhad a vast celebration andenthronedhimasthesupremeincarnationofKyabjéTrijangVajradhara.

Later,in1987,HisHolinessgavetheempowermentofLife-SustainingJéRinpoché,whichRinpochéattended.

OnFebruary22,1988,hewasreceivedasanofficialmemberofGandenShartséamidtheentireassemblyofmonks,andthenextdaytherewasavast

celebration in honor of his official enrollment at Ganden Shartsé. As acomponent of that celebration, Shartsé’s Dokhang House as well as themonks of DrepungMonastery partook in the Great Prayer Festival, whichRinpoché attended. This event was sponsored by Trijang Labrang, and atokenmonetaryofferingwasmadetoallthemonks.

RinpochévisitedthemonasteriesofGandenJangtséandSera,GyütöandGyümé tantric colleges, Tashi Lhunpo, Gyümé Tantric College in Hunsur,DzongkarChödé,DrepungMonasteryinMundgod,theSakyamonastery,andthe Nyingma monastery Taklung Chödé, where he made vast offerings tothese respective monasteries and their resident monks while visiting all oftheir respective temples. When he arrived in Dharamsala after havingcompletedallreligiousobligations,hehadanaudiencewithHisHoliness.

Today Trijang Choktrul Rinpoché resides in Vermont as the spiritualdirector of the Trijang Buddhist Institute, where he continues his studieswhileprovidingteachingsandguidancetohisdisciples.

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Appendix:TheIncarnationLineageofKyabjéTrijangRinpoché417

Buddha’scharioteerCandakaArhatMadhughoṣaKuśalaRasadharaMasterVimalaśrīCandrakīrti(600–ca.650)BodhisattvaDharmamitraŚāntarakṣita(eighthcentury)AtiśaDīpaṃkaraŚrīijñāna(980–1054)GeshéLangriThangpa(Kadam)(1054–1123)LotsāwaJampalDorjé(Sakya)(1485–1533)ChöjéMönlamPalwa(earlyGandenThroneholder)(1414–91)ChöjéLodröPalsangKarmapaMikyöDorjé(Kagyü)(1507–54)SurchenChöyingRangdröl(Nyingma)(1604–69)TheFirstTrijangRinpoché,TriJangchupChöphel(1756–1838)TheSecondTrijangRinpoché,TriTsultrimPalden(1839–99)TheThirdTrijangRinpoché,TrijangLosangYeshéTenzinGyatso(1901–81)

Notes

1. The reference is to a saying of Sakya Paṇḍita about how when a wise personspeaks,noonelistens,butwhenamonkeydances,everybodylooks.

2. The Ganden Throneholder, or Ganden Tripa, is the highest lama in the Geluktradition,holdingthethroneofitsfounder,Tsongkhapa(1357–1419).

3. GungthangKönchokTenpaiDrönmé(1762–1823)wasoneofTibet’sgreatliteraryfigures,withavastanddiversebodyofwork.HewasespeciallyrenownedinhishomeregionofAmdo.

4. The autobiography of Doring Tenzin Paljor (b. 1760), a Tibetan civil servant,includesabiographyofhisfather,DoringPaṇḍitaNgödrupRapten(1721–92).

5. PossiblyBka’blonrtogsbrjod,anautobiographicalworkbyscholarandpoliticalleaderDokharwaTseringWangyal(1697–1763).

6. Thethreepoisonsaredesire,hatred,andignorance.Theeightworldlyconcernsareworldly motivations that undermine the practice of Dharma. They are concernsabout(1–2)gainandloss, (3–4)pleasureandpain, (5–6)praiseandblame,(7–8)fameanddisrepute.

7. “Thesupremeāryawithalotusinthehand”isanepithetforAvalokiteśvara,andtheentirephraseisinreferencetohimastheprotectorofTibet.

8. Lama Shang Yudrakpa Tsöndrü Drakpa (1122–93) founded Tsal GungthangMonasteryin1175justnorthofLhasaandruledoverCentralTibetforanumberofyears.TheTsalpaKagyütraditionnolongerexistsasadistinctschool.

9. KingLhasang, a.k.a.LajangKhan,was aMongol rulerwho held dominion overTibet between the Fifth and the Seventh Dalai Lamas in the early eighteenthcentury.

10. DzamlingCheguWangdü(1855–1919)wasthethirty-eighthpatriarchofPhuntsokPhodrang. The Sakya Phuntsok Phodrang supplies one of the patriarchs of theSakyaschool,whiletheothercomesfromDrölmaPhodrang.Inthepast,thesetwopatriarchsalternatedasheadsoftheSakyaschool,anduntil2017,thatappointmentwas for life. Now the throneholder position is appointed every three years fromamongqualifiedmembersofthetwoPhodrangs.ThefirsttobeenthronedunderthenewsystemisthesonofthepreviousSakyaTrizin.

11. Tsa-tsaaresmallclayimagesofenlightenedbeings.

12. Thedayofthethird-quartermoon.Oneofthetwotshesbcu,orhalf-moondays,inamonth;theyaretreatedasauspiciousdaysintheTibetancalendar.

13. SngagsramspaRgyudstodBlobzangbstandar.ThetitleNgakrampaindicatesthatLosang Tendar was a tantric graduate, i.e., a Geluk geshé who earned a tantricdegreefromeitherofthetwoGeluktantriccollegesofLhasa—GyütöandGyumé.

14. GandenisnotonlythenameofGandenMonasterybutisthenameofMaitreya’spureland(Sanskrit:Tuṣita),whereLamaTsongkhapaissaidtoreside.

15. OneofthetwoprincipalstateoraclesofTibet,theotherbeingtheNechungoracle.16. TheFifthLingRinpochéLosangLungtokTenzinTrinlé(1856–1902),atutortothe

ThirteenthDalaiLama.

17. Ofbody,speech,mind,qualities,andactivities.

18. The Great Prayer Festival (smon lam chen mo) was initiated by Tsongkhapa in1409 to commemorateBuddhaŚākyamuni’s victory over five rival teacherswhochallenged him in a contest of supernatural feats. Celebrated in Lhasa in theJokhang Temple complex, the festival takes place over two weeks during thewaxingmoonofthefirstTibetanmonth.ThefestivalfocusesaroundthechantingofpraisestotheBuddhaandothergreatmastersbylargecongregationsofmonksfrom all over Tibet. It is during theGreat Prayer Festival that the geshé lharamcandidatesofthatyearsitfortheirfinalexaminations.

19. SamlingMitsenisagroupofChatrengmonksatSera,DokhangHousewasthelatethroneholder’shouseatGanden,andShartséCollegeiswherethelatethroneholderhadstudied.

20. TheBookofKadamconsistsoftwodistinctvolumes,theFatherTeachingsandtheSonTeachings.TheSonTeachings isacollectionof twenty-twostories,narratedby Atiśa, relating the past lives of his student, the Kadam school founderDromtönpa (1005–64). The stories are reminiscent of the well-known Jātakas,which chronicle the past lives of the Buddha. For more, see the introduction toThupten Jinpa, trans., The Book of Kadam: The Core Texts (Boston: Wisdom,2008).

21. The First Paṇchen Lama Losang Chökyi Gyaltsen (1567–1662) was tutor to theFifthDalaiLama,andKachenwasalsobornin thesixteenthcentury.Thetext inquestionislikelytheLamrimkhridyigzhalshesmanngag.

22. The“pig-headedfortuneteller”wasacharlatanpsychicwhoworeapig’sheadandwouldpredictthefuture.Ofcourse,someofwhathesaidturnedouttobetrue.

23. This is the incarnation of Ngawang Losang Trinlé Rapgyé, the Ninth DemoRinpoché (1855–99),whowaschargedwithplottingagainst theThirteenthDalaiLama.SeeTseponW.D.Shakabpa,Tibet:APoliticalHistory (NewHaven,CT:YaleUniversityPress,1967),194–96.

24. TheuppertantriccollegeofGyütö,establishedin1474byJetsunKungaDöndrup(1419–86),isoneoftwomajortantriccollegesoftheGeluktradition.Gyümé,thelowertantriccollege,wasestablishedin1433byKungaDöndrup’steacherJetsunSherapSengé(1383–1445).Thecollegesarecalled“upper”and“lower”basedontheirrelativelocations.

25. Rinpochécontracted tuberculosisat ayoungageaftergettinghisgeshé lharampadegreeinexileatthemonasticencampmentatBuxa,WestBengal.Seechapter11.

26. Radreng (or Reting) is the first monastery of the Kadam school founded byDromtönpa, thechiefTibetandiscipleofAtiśa. In1738, theSeventhDalaiLamaoffered this monastery to his teacher, Ganden Throneholder Ngawang Chokden.Since then, the reincarnations of Ngawang Chokden have been called RadrengTulku.

27. Aredceremonialrobemadeofwoolwith“crow’seye”designsonthebackwornbyhigh-rankinglamasandabbotswhileridinghorsesinceremonialprocessions.

28. Typically,suchofferingsconsistofamandalabasesymbolizingtheofferingoftheuniverse,astatuetorepresenttheBuddha’sbody,atexttorepresenthisspeech,andastupatorepresenthismind.Sometimesasmallsumofmoneyisputinaspeciallyfolded envelope, called shokchak, with “Token offering of mandala with body,speech,andmind”writteninthefrontinornatedrutsascript.

29. The “three representations” are the representations of body, speech, and minddescribedintheprecedingnote.

30. Aformerkalönof thecouncilofministers, thekashak.TheaccountofShedrawacanbefoundinShakabpa,Tibet:APoliticalHistory,208.

31. TheDriméKundendramaisaTibetanretellingofthepopularViśvantaraJātaka,the story of how the Buddha in his past life as Prince Viśvantara perfected hispracticeofgenerositybygivingawaythenational treasury, thenhischildren,andfinallyhisowneyes.

32. LosangGyaltsen(b.1840)servedasGandenThroneholder forsevenyears in thefirstdecadeofthetwentiethcenturyandwaselectedbytheNationalAssemblytoruleintheabsenceofHisHoliness.

33. ’Jam dbyangs chos skor. This is a cycle of empowerments that TsongkhapareceiveddirectlyfromthebodhisattvaMañjuśrī.

34. Ratö,foundedin1205,wasasmallbutrenownedmonasteryinChushurknownasthecenterfortraininginlogicinTibet.

35. ThedebatemanualscalledCollectedTopics(bsdusgrwa)areusedasintroductorytextbooksinGelukmonasteries,andtheyusuallybeginwithbasicargumentsabouttheclassificationofcolors.Learninghowtoapplysimplelogicalreasoningtothesecategoriespreparesonetostudymoredifficultissues.

36. Khangsar Dorjé Chang Ngawang Thupten Chökyi Wangchuk (ca. 1888–1941).PhabongkhaandKhangsarare togethercalled thesunandmoonof theBuddha’steachings.

37. Duringthissessionanewmonasticdisciplinarian(dgebskos)isinauguratedfromamong the scholarly members of the monastery to ensure strict enforcement ofmonasticdisciplineaswellasthestudycurriculum.

38.Drangngeslegsbshadsnyingpo,hereafterreferredtoastheEssenceofEloquence.

39. TheMarvelousArraySutra(Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra)narratesthestoryofSudhana,whoreceivesteachingsfromfifty-twodifferentmastersinhisquestforenlightenment.Thissutraillustratesmanytypesofgurudevotion.

40. Ceremonialcookiesinfestiveshapesmadeofdoughanddeep-friedinbutteroroil.

41. The Dharma masters (chos rje) Sharpa Chöjé and Jangtsé Chöjé represent thepenultimate stations of ecclesiastical authority in theGeluk order.Only someoneholding one of these two positions may ascend the Ganden throne. AscensionalternatesbetweentheSharpaChöjéandJangtséChöjé.

42. The First Jamyang Shepa, Ngawang Tsöndrü (1648–1721), was the founder ofTashi Khyil Monastery and composed the textbooks for Drepung Gomang andGandenShartsé.

43. LianyuwasthelastQingambanstationedinLhasa,apositionheheldfrom1906–12.AmbansoperatedasQingimperialresidentsinprotectorateregionsoftheQingstate.

44. Tibethadacomplexsystemofcurrency in the firsthalfof the twentiethcentury,with themost common coins called the sho (zho), sang (srang), and tam (tam).Thesewere composed of variousmetals depending on theminting,with shiftingdenominationsthatincreasedovertheperiod.Tibetalsohadpapercurrencystartingfrom1913,alsousingtamandsangdenominations.Ingeneral,tenshowasworthonesang,andfiftysangmadeadotsé(rdotshad).Goldsang,issuedbetween1918and1921,wereworthtwentysang.Thevalueofthetam,tamdo(tamrdo),tangka,ortamkar(tamdkar),themostcommonandlongstandingformofcoinage,ishardtopinpointrelativetothesang,astherewereseveralvarieties.Whenthesangcoin,orngulsang(dngulsrang),firstappearedin1909,itwasworthaboutsevensilvertam,butthefinaltamkar,issuedin1953–54fordistributiontomonks,wasvaluedatfivesang.

45. Awooden board coveredwith fine dust particleswould have been used by eachstudentasablackboardforthispractice.

46. Snatshogsyum.ThisdeityistheconsortofKālacakraandisparticularlyassociatedwiththepowertowardoffsickness.

47. A popular verse of praise for Tsongkhapa, which begins with the wordsmikmétsewai(“Immeasurablecompassion...”)andsoiscalledthemiktsemaforshort.

48. Skt. Devīkoṭī. A form of Palden Lhamo (Skt. Śrīdevī), the principal protectorgoddessofTibet.

49. AnotherprotectorgoddessofTibetwhohailsfromKongpo,wheresheencounteredPadmasambhavaashetraveledtoTibet,swearinganoathtoprotectthecountryandits religious practitioners from then on. According to lore, this goddess is anincarnationofChinnamuṇḍāVajravārāhī.

50.Bstanmabcugnyis.ThesearetwelvefemalespiritsofTibetthatPadmasambhavasubjugatedandconvertedtoprotectorsoftheBuddhistteachings.

51.WhentheeighteenthinfantrydivisionoftheQingdynasty’sarmyinvadedTibet.

52. The nationalist revolution against the reign of the emperor of theManchu Qingdynasty.

53. Lhababsduschen.OneofthefourmajorBuddhistholidayscelebratedinTibetanculture.ItcommemoratestheBuddha’sreturnfromTuṣitaheavenafterjourneyingtheretoteachDharmatohisdeceasedmother.

54.Dga’ldanlngamchod.AfestivaloflightscommemoratingJéTsongkhapa.

55. Readingout theentireBuddhistcanonis traditionalmeansofdispellingobstaclesandgatheringmerit.

56. Tshogsmchod. Here this refers to the great offering ceremony performed in thewaningfortnightofthesecondTibetanmonth.

57. AsubjectinPerfectionofWisdomstudies.

58. Srimnan. “Demons” (sri) here are interfering spirits that are ritually summonedandthenburiedduringthisrite.

59. A“birthdeity”isalocalgodorspiritwhofollowsyoufromonelifetothenext.Ifyoumakeofferings toyourbirthdeity,heorshewillprovideyouwithfavorableconditions.

60. These two open the list of topics treated inMaitreya’sOrnament of Realization(Abhisamayālaṃkāra).

61. A vast collection of teachings covering the history and activities of the DharmakingSongtsenGampoaswellasnumeroussādhanasanddiscoursesonthepracticeofAvalokiteśvaraandhissix-syllablemantra.

62. AtitledenotingonewhohasreceivedtransmissionoftheteachingsoftheBuddhaintheirentirety.

63. This indicatesan intensiveperiodofstudy thatcovered ina fewmonthsmaterialthatwouldtypicallytakeaboutayear.

64. According to theBlueAnnals, the siddha Tsembupa (tshem bu pa) received thelineageoftheGreatCompassionateOnefromthegoddessNairātmyāandpracticedonMountYeru(g.yasru).

65. TheTibetanRdorphreng encompasses theVajrāvalī descriptionof the forty-twomandalas by the twelfth-century Abhayākaragupta with the accompanyingNiṣpannayogāvalī, which describes how deities are added to these, and theJyotirmañjarīdescriptionofthefireofferingsforeachpractice.

66. Thefivesciencesarelanguage,crafts,medicine,logic,andDharma.

67. These are classical texts on Tibetan language by Thönmi Sambhota. The ThirtyVerses(Sumcupa)isaworkongrammar,andIntroductiontoMorphology(Rtagskyi’jugpa)isatextonTibetanwordforms.

68. Thesixsignsoflongevityareawiseman,water,acliff,acrane,atree,andadeer.The fourharmonious friends are froma story about an elephant,monkey, rabbit,andbird.

69.Rin ’byungbrgya rtsa.A collection of sādhanas compiled byTāranātha.Thoughcalled a “Hundred,” it containsmore than four hundred sādhanas, or ritual deitypractices.

70. Sbyorchosthubstanlhunpo’imzdesrgyan.

71. KyergangpaChökyiSengé (1143–1216)was a foundingmember of theShangpaKagyülineage.

72. Zabyedmkha’’gro,the“devouringḍāka,”oneofninepreliminarypracticesoftheGandenoraltradition.Inthispurificationrite,offeringsarepouredintoVajraḍāka’smouthintheformofsesameseedscastintoafire.

73.Dpungrgyan.Theidentityofthistextisuncertain.74. Theninth,nineteenth,andtwenty-ninthofthelunarmonth.

75. ’Phobadkarkhyungmda’’phen.

76. Atangisayak-skincontainerforstoringbutter.

77. Tshogslangs.Anexaminationwhereinthecandidatemuststand,debate,andreciteinthemonasticassembly.Itiscustomarythatthecandidatemakeanofferingtotheassemblyonsuchoccasions.

78.Doram(rdorams)isarankofgeshénotuniversallyacceptedbyallthreemonasticseats.Itissocalledbecausethedebateswereheldinfrontofalargestone(do)onwhichwas placed the throne of theDalai Lamas. The term lingsé (gling bsres),“mixingof thecommunities,”dates toa timewhencandidateswereexaminedbymorethanonecollegewithinthesamemonastery.

79. ’Brimo,thefemaleofaparticularspeciesofyak.

80. The five classical Indian books studied at the heart of the geshé curriculum areDharmakīrti’s Treatise of Valid Cognition (Pramāṇavārttika), Maitreya’sOrnamentofRealization(Abhisamayālaṃkāra),Candrakīrti’sEnteringtheMiddleWay (Madhyamakāvatāra), Guṇaprabha’s Vinaya Sutra, and Vasubandhu’sTreasuryofAbhidharma(Abhidharmakośa).

81. Thisreferstothoseprayersessionswhereteaisserved.

82. An important ceremony on the twenty-ninth day of the new year in which asacrificialcake(gtorma)isthrownintoabonfiretodispelobstacles.

83. UchuMuchinSokpoHothokthu,mentionedabove.“Hothokthu”isatitleforhighlamasbestowedbytheManchuemperor.

84. Daṇḍin’sKāvyādārśa,theprincipaltextonclassicalIndianpoeticsstudiedinTibet.

85. Snyan ngag me long gi rtsa ba dang dka’ ’grel dbyangs can dgyes glu. ThiscommentarywaswrittenbytheFifthDalaiLama,NgawangLosangGyatso.

86. Sometimes in Tibetan monastic culture the prenatal months of a person’s life(mngalsholgyizlaba)areaddedtotheirpostnatalageinordertoallowtheirfullordinationearlierthanwouldotherwisebepossible.

87. Full monastic ordination as a bhikṣu must be overseen by both a preceptor(upādhyāya)andamaster(ācārya).HisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLamafilledbothoftheserolesforTrijangRinpoché.

88. AssistanttutortoHisHolinessfromDeyangCollegeofDrepungMonastery.

89. Theinterviewingmaster(raho’nuśāsakācārya)asksaseriesofstandardquestionstovalidatetheordinand’scandidacyforordination.

90. Tsongkhapa’s collectedworks comprise eighteen volumes.Theworks of his twoprincipal disciples, Gyaltsap Darma Rinchen (1364–1432) and Khedrup Gelek

Palsangpo(1385–1438),compriseeightandtwelvevolumes,respectively.

91.Prajñāśataka(Shesrabbrgyapa),attributedtoNāgārjuna.

92. Of the four interwoven commentaries on Guhyasamāja, the first is Candrakīrti’sBright Lamp (Pradīpoddyotana), and the other three are commentaries byTsongkhapa on Candrakīrti’s text: general interlinear annotations, an analysis ofdifficult points called the Precious Sprout (Rin chen myu gu), and a summaryoutline.

93.Be’u bum. A collection compiled by Khyenrap Tenpa Chöphel of ritual textsassociatedwiththemiktsemaverse.

94. Sindura’idbangbzhibyinrlabs.

95.Drug bcu ma. The sixty-four-part torma-offering ritual made to the protectorDharmarājaandthefifteendirectionprotectors.

96.Blobzangthubdbangrdorje’chang.AnepithetofTsongkhapaLosangDrakpaasanembodimentofboththeBuddhaandVajradhara.

97. TheWordsofMañjuśrī,composedbytheFifthDalaiLama,isoneoftheso-calledeightgreattextsonthestagesofthepath(lamrim).TheQuickPath,anotheroftheeight,wascomposedby theSecondPaṇchenLamaasacommentaryon theFirstPaṇchenLama’sEasyPath.

98. These teachingsbecame thebasis for theverypopular text thatTrijangRinpochécompiled from notes taken on the occasion. The work is available in multipleEnglishtranslations,includingLiberationinthePalmofYourHand,translatedbyMichaelRichards(Boston:Wisdom,1991).

99. TherivalcandidatefortheTrijangRinpochéreincarnationfromChatreng.

100. This is in reference to the famous analogy used to exemplify the difficulty inobtainingrebirthasahumanbeing:thechancethatablindturtlethatresidesonthebottomofagreatoceanandsurfacesonlyonceeveryhundredyearswillpokeitsheadthroughagoldenyokefloatingrandomlyuponthesurface.

101. This textwascomposedbyTsongkhapa. It isalmosthalf the lengthof theGreatExpositionontheStagesofthePathandfocusesmoreonthepracticalapplicationofthestagesofthepath.

102. Padmavajrawashissecret,tantricname.

103.Rdotshad.Seenote44above.

104.Ba ri brgya rtsa. A set of one hundred initiations collected by Bari LotsāwaRinchenDrak(1040–1111),theSecondSakyaTrizin.

105.Grub thabs rgyamtsho.A set of initiations collected byKunkhyen PemaKarpo(1527–92),theFourthGyalwangDrukpa.

106.Nar thang brgya rtsa. A set of one hundred initiations collected by the KadammasterChimNamkhaDrak(1210–85),theseventhabbotofNarthangMonastery.

107. ThemainadministrativebodyofGandenMonastery.

108. AhilltopatGandenwhereprayerflagsarehungandincenseisburned.

109.Rabgnasdgelegschar’bebs.

110. Atsiparisanimaginaryanimalusedinvariousdecorations,especiallyincolorfulbrocadebannershungonthepillarsinsidetemples.

111. The syllables of the full name of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Ngawang LosangThuptenGyatsoJikdralWangchukChokléNamgyalDé,arewovenintothepoem.Theverse is taking thesunasametaphor.Thesun isknownas the friendof thelotus;itisabeacon,andinVedicmythitarosefromtheocean.

112.Gcod, literally “cutting through,” a practice lineage originating with the femalepractitionerMachikLabdrön(1055–1143),whointurnextracteditfromateachinginthePerfectionofWisdomsutras.

113. ThisisinreferencetotheTibetancustomofplacingringsinthenosesoflivestockto lead them. If you are not receptive (i.e.,madeof stone), higher beings cannotpossiblyleadyou.

114.Rtathogma.Aconsecrationceremonysobrief,itissaidtobepossibletoperformit without getting off your horse. The full consecration takes three days withelaboraterituals.

115.Rigsgsummgonpo—thatis,Avalokiteśvara,Vajrapāṇi,andMañjuśrī.

116.Kunturgyu,wanderingascetics.TrijangRinpochéisreferringtothestoryofoneofBuddha’s chief disciples. Maudgalyāyana was widely known to possesssupernatural powers, butwhen hewas under attack by his assailants, his powersfailed him, and he was beaten to death. Buddha later revealed that thedisappearanceofhispowersathismomentofneedwasakarmicresultofthinkingaboutbeatinghisparentsinapreviouslife.

117.Mgonpobsekhrab,themainprotectorofGandenShartsé,isalsoassociatedwithSangphu Monastery. Sangphu and Shartsé recognize Setrap as an emanation ofBuddhaAmitābha.

118. Thatis,Sera,Ganden,andDrepungmonasteries.

119. DrogönChögyalPhakpa(1235–80)wasthefifthpatriarchoftheSakyaschoolofTibetanBuddhismandthenephewofSakyaPaṇḍita.HeisknownfordevelopinganalliancewithKublaiKhanoftheYuandynasty.

120. Jampal Lhundrup’sPreliminary Practices: A Necklace for the Fortunate (Sbyorchosskalbzangmgrinrgyan).

121.Rjerigsgsumspyisgrub.

122.WheelofSharpWeaponsMindTraining(Blosbyongmtshoncha’khorlo),v.42.

123. A thread cross, in its simplest form, is two crossed sticks woven together withthread.Threadcrossesactascontainersforritualsubstancesoreffigiesofvictimsinritestodispelharm.

124.Prajñādaṇḍa (Shes rab sdong po). This is a collection of sayings attributed toNāgārjuna.

125. Anidiomaticphraseindicatingaconspiracybehindevents.

126. Adough-balldivinationisperformedbyplacingvariousanswerstoaquestionthatyou ask of a certain protector or other enlightened being inside dough balls,typically three.Afterapreparatory ritual, thedoughballsareswirledaround inacupuntilone“leaps”fromthecup, thusrevealing thecorrectanswer through theblessingoftheparticularenlightenedbeing.

127. GushriTenzinChögyal(1582–1655)wasaMongolkhanwhopatronizedtheDalaiLamas. Desi Sangyé Gyatso (1653–1705) was the regent of Tibet during theinterregnumafterthepassingoftheFifthDalaiLama.ThetownofGyalthangwasrenamedShangri-labyChineseauthoritiesinthemid1990stoboosttourism.

128. Shalngo Sönam Chöphel (1595–1657), a chief minister of the Fifth Dalai LamawhohelpedestablishtheGandenPhodrang.

129.Gcodstanthoggcigma.

130. DulwaDzinpaDrakpaGyaltsen(1374–1434)wasaseniorandearlydiscipleofJéTsongkhapaandaspecialistinthemonasticdiscipline.

131. This refers toa ritual to request theholyessenceof religiousobjects todepart totheirrespectivepurelandssothatthedismantlingofasacredbuildingwillnotbeasacrilegiousact.

132. A sweet scent reminiscent of flowers is said to exude from the bodies of highlyrealized beingswho keep pure discipline, extending to the period inwhich theyremainabsorbedinclear-lightmeditationafterpassingaway.

133. AcommonTibetangreeting,whichmeans“Mayitbeauspiciousandgood!”

134. AlabrangofShartséCollege.

135. Ricepuddingcookedwithbutterandseveralkindsofdriedfruit.

136. Twentykilograms.

137. ThisisinreferencetotakingDharmaforgranted,likeapersonwholivesinLhasayetnevergoestoseetheBuddhaintheJokhangTemplethere.

138. TheÖsalBuk is theroomatGandenMonasterywhereLamaTsongkhapapassedawayandistheresidenceofallsubsequentGandenThroneholders.

139. JoonaRepokindlycompiledthislistoftheseventeenaspectsfromthetitlesofthepermissionsinthecollectedworksofPhabongkhaRinpoché:(1)MahākālaTimeofApproximation: Four-Faced Lord, Robber of Strength (Stobs ’phrog dbang pogdong bzhi pa bsnyen dus mgon po), (2) Uncommon Mahākāla Time ofApproximation (Bsnyen dus thun mong ma yin pa), (3) Mahākāla Time ofAccomplishment:MulticoloredFaces(Sgrubduskyimgonpozhalkhracan), (4)UncommonMahākālaTimeofAccomplishment(Sgrubdusthunmongmayinpa),(5)ŚrīMahākālawithaMaskinthelineageofPaṇḍitaBumtrakSumpa(Paṇḍita’bumphraggsumpanasbrgyudpa’idpalmgongdongbrnyancan),(6)CommonWhiteFive-DeityLongevity [Mahākāla] (Dkar po tshe ’phel lha lnga thunmongba), (7)UncommonWhiteLongevity [Mahākāla] (Dkarpo tshe ’phel thunmongmayinpa),(8)YellowFive-DeityFour-FacedŚrīMahākālaIncreasingMerit(Dpalmgonzhalbzhipaserpobsodnamsrgyasbyedlhalnga),(9)UncommonYellowFour-FacedŚrīMahākāla IncreasingMerit (Dpalmgonzhalbzhipaserpo rgyas

byedthunmongmayinpa),(10)Five-DeityFour-FacedŚrīMahākālaBringingAllunderHisPower(Dpalmgonzhalbzhipadbangsdudlhalnga),(11)Four-FacedŚrī Mahākāla, principal and fourfold retinue, called Destroying Obstacles (Dpalmgon zhal bzhi pa bgegs ’joms gtso ’khor lnga), (12) Utterly Fierce and SecretDisplayingAuspiciousness, or “SplitFaces” and “StackedFaces” (Shin tugnyancinggsangba shis bstanpa’amgdongbkasmadangbrtsegs zhalmargragspa),(13)ExtremelyFierceMahākālaStriking theVitalPointPracticedLike the InnerYama(Chesshintugnyanpananggshinrjeltarsgrubpagnaddbabkyimgonpo),(14)UtterlySecretandFierceCommander,theSecretAccomplishmentMahākāla(Ches shin tu gsang zhing bka’ gnyan pa gsang ’khrid), (15) Four-Faced ŚrīMahākālawiththeFaceofaGaruḍa,or“TheMahākālaGeneral”(Dpalmgonzhalbzhipakhyungzhalcannam,dmagdponmgonporgragspa),(16)Four-FacedŚrīMahākālaBlackLion(Dpalmgonzhalbzhipaseng+genagpo),(17)ŚrīMahākālaBlackBrahmanandtheSixButchers(Dpalmgonbramgzugsbshanpadrug).

140. JetsunThuptenJampalYeshéTenpaiGyaltsen(1912–42).

141. “The vase” refers to the bulbous portion of the structure,where the body ofHisHolinesswouldbehoused.

142. TheTwoStainlessCycles(drimedrnamgnyis)aretwocyclesofinstructionsgivenbytheBuddhaŚākyamunionhowtobuild,fill,andconsecratestupas.Regardlessoftheouterformofastupa,theinnerconsecrationisidenticalineverycasewhenbasedonthesetwocycles.

143. Driedyakdungwasusedasfuelforcooking.

144.Gzungs’bul’khrulspongnyinbyed.

145. Sheldkarmelong.Thatis,ChangkyaNgawangLosangChöden(1642–1714),Dpalrdo rje ’jigs byed kyi zhi ba’i sbyin sreg bya tshul gyi choga blo bzangdgongsrgyansheldkarmelong.

146.Khamsgsumdbangdubsduba’ignadyiggangga’ichurgyun.WecouldnotlocatethistitleamongTsarchen’scollectedworks.TsarchenLosalGyatso(1502–66)wasaSakyamasterandaprolificauthor.TheFifthDalaiLamawroteabiographyofhim,praisingthequalityofhiswriting.FormoreonTsarchen,seeCyrusStearns,Songof theRoad:ThePoeticTravel JournalofTsarchenLosalGyatso (Boston:Wisdom,2012).

147.Dngosgrub’byunggnas.

148.Rinchenljonshing.

149. Sgrubthabsnorbugsal’barma.

150.Dmarpo’khorgsumgyidka’gnadmdudgrolreggzigsutpaladmarpo’ichunpo.

151. ’Khorlo’igsalbyedkhamsgsumg’ugspa’ilcagskyu.

152. 1906–81.TheyoungerbrotherofHisHolinesstheThirteenthDalaiLama.

153. ThethangkareferredtodepictsanimagecommonintheGelukorder.Thefounderoftheorder,JéTsongkhapa,isdepictedflankedbyhistwochiefdisciples,GyaltsapJéandKhedrupJé,seatedonabillowingformationofwhiteclouds thatemanatefrom theheart ofMaitreya,who sits abovedelivering aDharmadiscourse to the

godsofTuṣita.

154. ThethreeancientdoctrinalcentersinTibet:SamyéMonastery,theJokhangTempleinLhasa,andTradrukTempleinYarlung.

155. RinpochéisexpressingthefivestagesoftheGuhyasamājacompletionstage.Thisverse is thebodyand speech isolation,whicharecountedasone stage.Thenextverse expresses mind isolation, clear light, and the illusory body, and that isfollowedbyaverseonthestageofunion.

156. This likely refers to the fact that allTibetanconsonantshave the lettera as theirdefaultvowelsound.

157. Here Trijang Rinpoché begins each couplet with the vowels represented in theTibetan alphabet (i, u, e, o, a), repeating the vowel a at the beginning of eachcoupletinthelastverse.

158. AsthemonasteryoftheKagyüforefatherGampopaSönamRinchen(1079–1153),Daklha Gampo is effectively the mother monastery of all the various Kagyülineages.

159.Dbusgtsanggnasyigngomtsharlungstonmelong,theguidetotheholyplacesofcentralTibet composed in the nineteenth century by JamyangKhyentséWangpo(1820–92).

160.Mchanbzhisbragsma;foursetsofannotationinterwovenintoTsongkhapa’stext—annotationsbyBasoLhawangChökyiGyaltsen(1537–1605),theFirstJamyangShepa(1648–1721),KharokKhenchenNgawangRapten(b.seventeenthcentury),andTratiGeshéRinchenDöndrupofSeraJé(b.seventeenthcentury).

161.Mkha’’grobsuzlog.

162. Thefivetypesofofferingsareflowers,incense,light,water,andritualcakes.

163.Madhyamakahṛdaya (Dbu ma snying po) by the Indian master Bhāviviveka. InSanskritBuddhistliterature,sandalwoodissaidtohavespecialcoolingpowers.

164. Namo Buddha is the location where, in a previous life during his career as abodhisattva, theBuddha is said tohave fedhisownbody toa tigress so that shecouldfeedherstarvingtigercubs.

165. TheseatonwhichtheBuddhasatandgainedenlightenmentundertheBodhiTree.

166. Threesetsofprayers,smonlamrnamgsum,arethePrayerofSamantabhadra,thePrayer to Be Born in the Coming of Maitreya, and chapter 10 ofGuide to theBodhisattva’sWayofLife.

167. The three “red ones” (dmarmo) referred to are the cycles of Vajrayoginī in thesystemofNāropa,VajrayoginīinthesystemofIndrabhūti,andVajrayoginīinthesystemofMaitripa—allderivedfromtheCakrasaṃvaratantras.Thethree“greatredones”(dmarchen)arethecycleofKurukullefromtheHevajraTantraandthecyclesofGreatRedGaṇapatiand thewrathfulKakchölKāmarājaon thebasisofCakrasaṃvara tantra. The three “minor red ones” (dmar chung) are KurukulleGarbhasuvarṇasūtraŚrī,RedVasudhārā,andthegoddessTinuma.Thesecomprisethe first nine of the Thirteen Golden Dharmas. The remaining four are BlueSiṃhamukha, Black Mañjuśrī, Vajragaruḍa, and the longevity practice of Red

Jambhala.

168. TheconchshellisbelievedtobefromthetimeofthehistoricalBuddha.TheBlackSkinMaskGuardianisaformofMahākāla.HisphysicalrepresentationintheformofadancemaskwashousedatGorum,Sakya’soriginaltemplefoundedbyKhönKönchokGyalpo(1034–1102).

169. The Lochen Rinpochés are said to be reincarnations of Lochen, or “greattranslator,” Rinchen Sangpo (958–1055). This particular incarnation, LosangPalden Rinchen Gyatso (dates unknown), had been tutor to the Ninth PaṇchenLamaChökyiNyima(1883–1937).

170.Dga’ldansprulpa’iglegsbam,a.k.a.theGandenEmanationScripture,istheroottext of the Geluk mahāmudrā oral lineage, which tradition says was a magicalrevealed book that Tsongkhapa passed to his disciple Tokden Jampal Gyatso.PaṇchenLosangChögyenreceivedtheorallineagefromhisteacher,butitissaidhealsohadaccesstothemysticalbookbeforeheputtheoralinstructionsdowninwriting.SeeJoonaRepo,“PhabongkhaDechenNyingpo:HisCollectedWorksandtheGuru-Deity-ProtectorTriad,”Revued’ÉtudesTibétaines33(October2015):5–72,esp.36–37.

171. ŚākyaŚrībhadra(1127–1225),anIndianscholarwhovisitedTibetatthebehestofTrophuLotsāwa,oversaw theconstructionof thegreatMaitreyastatueatTrophuMonastery,translatedmanySanskritworksintoTibetan,andfoundedanordinationlineage.

172. AfavoriteplaceofAtiśa,wherehespentthelastfewyearsofhislifeandpassedawayin1054.

173.Gsang’dusbskyedrimdngosgrubrgyamtsho,acommentaryonGuhyasamājabyTsongkhapa’sdiscipleKhedrupJéGelekPalsang(1385–1438).

174. Jampal Lhundrup (1845–1919) of Dakpo Shedrup Ling Monastery was one ofPhabongkhaRinpoché’s teachers.Aneighty-three-foliobiographyofhimappearsinPhabongkha’scollectedworks.

175. ThukenLosangChökyiNyima(1737–1802),GungthangKönchokTenpaiDrönmé(1762–1823), and JéSherapGyatso (1803–75)were all born inAmdo and spentmuchoftheirlivesthere.

176. Chapter4,verse10,ofSakyaPaṇḍita’sJewelTreasuryofWiseSayings.

177. Seenote22above.

178. PatsapNyimaDrak(b.1055)studiedwithIndianmasters inKashmir for twenty-threeyearsbeforereturningtoTibetandpopularizingthestudyofMadhyamakaviaCandrakīrti’sEntrancetotheMiddleWay(Madhyamakāvatāra)andClearWords(Prasannapadā),bothofwhichhetranslatedintoTibetan.

179. Khamlungpa Shākya Yönten (1025–1115) was one of the principal students ofDromtönpa.SeeThuptenJinpa,WisdomoftheKadamMasters (Boston:Wisdom,2013),72.

180. Thisreferstothecenterofthesixty-four-petalnavelcakra,andcaṇḍalīalludestothepracticeof“innerheat”(Tib.tumo).

181.Rdolagbrgyudmagsum.Theimageryhereisofworkerspassingbuildingstonesfrom hand to hand through a construction site. It refers to the fact that the textsweretransmittedthroughadirecttransmission.

182. Sgra’irimo,aformofSanskritpoetryinwhichthewordscanbearrangedonthepage in the form of an image. Minling Lochen is the great Nyingma polymathDharmaśrī (1654–1717/18).LamaLhaksammaybeLhaksamTenpaiGyaltsen, anineteenth-centuryabbotofPalpungMonastery.

183. Chapter3,verse1.

184.Rwa khridmkha ’gro snyanbrgyud. RaLotsāwaDorjéDrak (b. 1016), orRalo,introducedVajrabhairavatantratoTibet.Heisreputedtohavehadapenchantformagicalcombat.

185. OnChögyalPhakpa,seenote119above.GuardianoftheTent(gurgyimgonpo)isatwo-facedformofMahākālathatisacentralprotectordeityoftheSakyalineage.

186. Surchen(1604–69)wasanimportantholderofbothNyingmaandGeluklineages.Heandhisownteacher,KhöntönPaljorLhundup,werethemainearlyteachersoftheFifthDalaiLama.

187. TheSixthDalaiLama(1683–1706).

188.Khendé chekhak. Assistant tutors (mtshan zhabs) are the very best geshés whoserve as instructors and debate partners to the young Dalai Lama. Only one isselectedfromeachofthecollegesatthethreeseatsoflearning.

189. TheseareMongoliantitlesforhighgovernmentpositionsofthefourthlevel.

190. TheFirstDrakarNgakrampa,LosangTenpaRapgyé,wasbornintheseventeenthcenturyandhailedfromAmdo.

191.Rdorje’irirabbrtsegspa’i’phrul’khor.

192. YuthokYöntenGönpomergedIndicandindigenousTibetanmedicalpracticesintoa new edition of the Four Medical Tantras in the eleventh century and was aprolificauthorofmedical texts.Hewasadescendantofanotherphysicianof thesamenamewholivedinthetimeofKingTrisongDetsen.

193. BecauseoftheillfeelingsofSeraJémonkstowardthegovernmentduetotensionssurroundingtreatmentofthepreviousregent,RadrengRinpoché,itwasfearedthatsomeofthemonksmightharmTakdrakRinpoché.TrijangRinpochéissuggestingthelordchamberlainwasbeingoverlysuspicious.

194. TheSadutshang familywerenotpartof the rulingclassbuthadbecomewealthythrough trans-Himalayan trade. In an effort to redress the losses sustainedby thefamilyintheRadrengaffair,agovernmentpostwasofferedtothefamily.ThatpostwasfilledbyGyurmé’scousin,RinchenSadutshang,whosememoirisfoundinALifeUnforeseen(Somerville,MA:Wisdom,2016).

195. Thefourqualitiesarecontentmentwith(1)clothing,(2)shelter,and(3)foodand(4)enthusiasmforpracticeandmeditation.

196.Maudgalyāyana,althoughaclairvoyantdiscipleoftheBuddha,wasstonedtodeathbyamob.ArhatUdāyinwassometimespraisedbytheBuddhaforhisintelligence,

but he had a habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, which Buddhaexplainedwasahabitthatfollowedhimfrompriorlives.Ralpachen(806–38),alsoknown as Tri Tsukdetsen, was one of the three great Dharma kings of Tibet’simperial period. He was assassinated by ministers who placed his anti-BuddhistbrotherLangdarmaonthethrone.

197.CollectionofAphorisms(Udānavarga)25.9–10.

198. JewelTreasuryofWiseSayings4.41.

199.Manmatha,“churnerofhearts,”isanepithetofMāra,theincarnationoftemptationinBuddhism.

200. TheFourthKumbumMinyakRinpoché,NgawangLekshéGyatso,1902–58.

201.Mkha’ mnyam ma, by Tsongkhapa’s teacher Rendawa Shönu Lodrö. The SixOrnaments are Nāgārjuna, Asaṅga, Āryadeva, Vasubandhu, Dignāga, andDharmakīrti,andtheTwoExcellentOnesareGuṇaprabhaandŚākyaprabha.

202.Bse’bagsmugchung.

203. PhabongkhaHermitagesitson thesideofMountUduknorthwestofSera. ItwasoriginallythesiteofacastleofKingSongtsenGampobutwasearlyonconvertedtoamonastery.Tsongkhapaspenttimeatthemonasteryasahermit,afterwhichiteventuallybecameaGelukinstitution.

204.Withintheconsecrationritualisa“CelebrationoftheHosts,”wherethesponsorsoftheelaborateconsecrationareexaltedwithversesofpraisebythepresidingritualmaster.Theeightauspicioussignsarethelotus,parasol,wheel,banner,goldenfish,endless knot, vase, and conch. The eight substances are a mirror, yogurt, durvagrass,bilvafruit,aright-spiralingconch,ghivaṃbilemedicine,vermillionpowder,andwhitemustardseed.

205. Vaiśākha, the fourth month in the lunar calendar, is considered an extremelyauspiciousmonth,astheBuddha’sbirth,enlightenment,anddeathareheldtohavehappenedinthismonth.

206. LikelythetwoworksofThönmiSambhotamentionedabove.Seenote67.

207. Spyikhyabmkhanpo,thechiefmonasticofficialinthegovernment.

208. Lhamo’ilasgsumrnamgzhag.

209.Mkha’’gromamelce’barma’irgyud.

210. Possiblymeaningphawang,“bat.”AccordingtoDanMartin,“phawang longbuseemstohaveliteralmeaning‘bat’sanklebone.’Thisisastonesaidtoserveasasoulstoneofthebtsandemons.Myguessisit’sgalena(leadore).”

211.Ngotshabsnolba’iskra.Meaningobscure.

212.Mtshongru.

213.Byangdmar.Readasbyaddmar.

214. Shordedkarnag.

215. LikelyKyishöShapdrungNgawangTenzinTrinlé(1639–82).

216. Thecabinet(kashak)isthecouncilofministers(kalöns).Thesecretariat(drungtsi)is the secretarial and finance committee, consisting of four monastic secretaries(drung)andfourlayofficials(tsi).

217. Onpage152above,TrijangRinpochénarratesseeingthesameobjectsonanearliervisit.

218. Ljang dgun chos. For a full description of the Jang winter session, see GeshéLhundubSopa,LikeaWakingDream(Boston:Wisdom,2012),135–37.

219. The government of the People’s Republic of China holds the Seventeen-PointAgreement for thePeacefulLiberationofTibet to be a legally

binding document. Tibetans, however, hold that the document was signed underduress, and its contents have been repudiated many times by His Holiness theFourteenthDalaiLama.The document essentially states thatTibet acknowledgesthat it is a part of China and wishes to be under the control of the Communistgovernment.

220.Gsangchenslobbshad.TherearetwotraditionsfortransmittingtheSakyaschool’soral instructions on the Path and Fruit (lam ’bras): the explication for disciples(slobbshad),whichwasoriginallyasecretorallineage,andtheexplicationforthemasses(tshogsbshad).

221. ThetraditionallistoftenartsandsciencesisBuddhistphilosophy,logic,language,medicine,crafts,kāvyapoetics,prosody,lexicography,drama,andastronomyanddivination.

222. TrijangRinpochéherereferstothepolymathsovereignDesiSangyéGyatso(1653–1705)asBuddhasāra,aSanskritversionofhisname.

223. Thesediagrams,mantras, andprayers commit a protector togive assistance.Theeightclassesofspirits (sdebrgyad) are enumerated invariouswaysbut typicallyincludebeingssuchasmāras,tsendemons,nāgas,andyakṣas.

224. Thegutor(dgugtor)isaritualinconjunctionwithDharmarājathatlastsaboutoneweekand isgenerallyperformedat theendof theyear toovercomeobstacles.Acentral part of the ritual consists of throwing conical tormacakesmadeofbutterandbarleyflourintoamassivebonfire.

225. The practice ofWhiteMañjuśrī composed by Lalitavajra and passed down fromSasangMatiPaṇchen(SabzangMatipaṇchen,1294–1376).

226.Maitreya,Abhisamayālaṃkāra1.37.

227. An offering of torma, incense, butter lamps, bowls of grain, and so on, eachnumberingonethousand.

228.Brag gyab. In other contexts in this book, this name is rendered Drakgyab toconformwiththebook’sphoneticstyle,butthespellingherereflectsthepersonalpreferenceofthiscontemporaryfigure,whonowlivesinGermany.

229.Baiḍūryazhunma’ithemskas.Thevaiḍūryagem,sometimestranslatedaslapis,islikelyberyl.

230.Mkha’spyodsgrubpa’inyelam.ThegreatabbotofShaluindicatedhereislikely

TsarchenLosalGyatso.Seenote146above.

231. ThiswastobetheveryfirstmeetingoftheNationalPeople’sCongress.

232.Marpa Lotsāwa (1012–97), the first Tibetan master in the Kagyü lineage, madeseveraltripstoIndiainhiscareerasatranslatorbeforehebecameMilarepa’sguru.

233. TsariisapilgrimageplaceassociatedwiththedeityHerukaCakrasaṃvara,situatedneartheborderwithAssam,India.

234. This refers to the guru-disciple relationship that the Dalai Lamas and PaṇchenLamasareheldtohavesharedovermanylives.

235. ThesewereasilvercurrencyusedbythepreviousChineseregime.

236. That is, Ba ChödéMonastery, Lithang Thupchen Chökhor Ling, and GyalthangSumtsenLing.

237. The Mitra Hundred is a cycle of 108 tantric practices compiled by Mitrayogin(twelfth–thirteenthcentury).

238. During this portion of the tsok ritual, the main portion of the tsok offering ispresentedtothepresidinglama.

239. Spyan ras gzigs ngan song kun sgrol. A one-faced, two-armed aspect ofAvalokiteśvaraflankedbyTārāandEkajaṭīoriginatingfromtheIndianmahāsiddhaMitrayogin. In a vision,Mitrayoginwas told byAvalokiteśvara that anyonewhoreceivesthisempowermentwillnotbereborninthelowerrealmsintheirnextlife.

240. TheSixthKarmapa(1416–53).

241.WenchengGongzhu,theChinesebrideoftheSongtsenGampo(d.649),founderoftheTibetanempire.SheiscreditedinTibetanloreasoneoftheearliestpeopletobringBuddhismtoTibet.

242. ThisisareferencetoRāvaṇa,themythicalmeat-eatingdemonkingofŚrīLaṅka,whoistheantagonisttoKingRāmaintheIndianepictheRāmāyaṇa.

243.Gsang sgrub (Skt.Guhyasādhana) andBram ze nag po, a.k.a.Bram gzugs (Skt.Brahmarūpa).

244. The saṅghāṭi is a large robemade of a patchwork of thirty-two pieces of cloth,usually yellow in color, that isworn as amantle over ordinary robes on specialoccasions.

245.Rjebdagnyidchenpo,literally,“thelord,thegreatbeing.”RendawaShönuLodrö(1348–1413)wasTsongkhapa’sguru.

246. FounderofGyüméTantricCollege.

247. SadutshanggiveshisownaccountoftheseeventsinALifeUnforeseen,193–200.

248. SarvepalliRadhakrishnan,whoservedasvicepresidentofIndiafrom1952–62andaspresidentfrom1962–67.

249.Rgyan drugmchog gnyis. See note 201 above. In recent times,HisHoliness theDalaiLamahasexpandedthelisttoincludeseventeenmastersofNālandā.

250. RikhaGandenShedrupDargyéLing.Themonasterywasfoundedin theeleventh

centurybyGeshéRikharwa,astudentoftheKadampamasterPotowa.

251. ŚākyaŚrībhadra.Seenote171above.

252.Choszabbdudzab.Literally,“profoundDharma;profounddevil.”Thegistofthisproverbisthatprofoundevilfollowsprofoundgood,causingseverehindrances.

253. Drip Tsechok Ling Monastery was founded by Kachen (a.k.a. Yongzin) YeshéGyaltsen(1713–93),theauthorofthecommentarymentionedhere.

254. TheFirstShamarpa,reputedtobethefounderofNenangMonastery.

255. LhalungPalgyiDorjé,theninth-centurydiscipleofPadmasambhavawhoissaidtohaveassassinatedKingLangdarma.

256. ThesevenfolddivinityandteachingoftheKadamtraditionreferstothepracticeoffour meditational divinities (Buddha, Avalokiteśvara, Tārā, and Acala) and theteachingsofthethreebasketsofscripture(Vinaya,Abhidharma,andSutra).

257. Seenote80.

258. AprayeraboutthebeautyofGandenMonasterycomposedbytheFirstDalaiLamaGendunDrup(1391–1474).

259. Thatis,Gnassa’dzinma,bytheSeventhDalaiLama(1708–57).

260. Lha bsangs. A ritual in which juniper and other aromatic plants are burned toproduce smokeofferings to removeobstacleswhenbeginninganewendeavoraswellastoremoveobstaclestohealthandgoodfortune.

261.Dgralhadpangbstod.ThisisaveryoldTibetancustomofpraisinglocalgodsandprotectorsfromatoptheirmountainhomes.Onepraisesandmakessmokeofferingsto them in their primordial struggle against negative forces. The offerings aretypicallyaccompaniedbycriesofKyekyesoso!Lhagyalo!(“Sobeit!Thegodsarevictorious!).

262. Seenote8.

263. ThestoryofMahādevaappears,forinstance,inTārānātha’shistoryofBuddhisminIndia. For a book-length investigation of the many variations of the Mahādevalegend in Buddhist literature, see Jonathan Silk, Riven by Lust (Honolulu:UniversityofHawai‘iPress,2009).

264. In thisprocession, a statueofMaitreya, the futurebuddha, is carried through thestreetsofLhasaalongthecircumambulationcircuitaroundtheJokhangTempletocelebratehispendingarrivalintheworld.

265. Because of the critical gravity of the situation for the safety of His Holiness,TrijangRinpochésentRatöChubarRinpochétoPanglungHermitagetoconsulttheShukdenoracle.However,accordingtoHisHolinessinFreedominExile(London:HodderandStoughton,1990),149,theactualdecisionforHisHoliness’sdeparturewasmadeonthepredictionoftheNechungoracle,whowhileintrancedrewamapof the exact location for the escape party to ford the Tsangpo River at theRamagangferryonthenightofescape.

266. This reference is toa storyabout the famedTibetanyogiMilarepa.Ablackdeerpursued by a hunter finds safety by the side of the meditating yogi, who then

disarmsthehunterandsingsasongthatcauseshimtohaveachangeofheart.

267. JewelTreasuryofWiseSayings3.30.

268. DrapaNgönshé(1012–90)wasatreasurerevealerandbuilderoftemplesrenownedfor his revelation of the fourmedical tantras (rgyudbzhi) that form the basis ofTibetanmedicine.

269. These are the three practices fundamental to preserving Buddhist monasticdiscipline: twice-monthly confession andmending of vows, observing the rainy-seasonretreat,andreleasingrestrictionsattheendoftheretreat.

270. SeeMyLandandMyPeople (NewYork:PotalaCorporation, 1977), 206–8.HisHoliness the Dalai Lama remembers this news reaching him near ChenyéMonasteryvia a letter thatKhenchungTaradispatched fromRawaméMonasteryafterfleeingthebombardmentinLhasa.

271. Yama,theIndianpersonificationofdeath.Thethreeworldsarethethreerealmsofsamsaraintowhichbeingsmaybeborn.

272.Drag po gsum bsgril. Vajrapāni, Hayagrīva, andGaruḍa combined into a singledeity.VajrapāniistheprincipaldeityanddisplaysHayagrīva’s“horsehead”uponhis head. Above this appears Garuḍa. It is said that its practice can overcomeobstaclesfromalltypesofinterferingspirits.

273. This house, originally the home of theNowrojee family,was later purchased byLamaYeshe andLamaZopaRinpoché, two ofTrijangRinpoché’s students, andconvertedintoTushitaMeditationCentre.

274. AfestivaloflightstocommemoratethepassingofJéTsongkhapa.

275. The penetrative insight into the nature of reality that distinguishes āryas fromordinary beings induces a change in behavior and perspective. The fourfoldtemperament is contentment with simple food, clothing, dwelling place, andpossessions.

276.Bstan’barma,anoft-recitedprayertakenfromthesutras,withthelastverseaddedbyTibetans.

277. A ritual performed upon the completion of the consecration of a statue in aBuddhisttemple,inwhichtheeyesofthestatueareeitherpaintedontothestatueorablindfoldisremovedfromthem,symbolizingthepresenceofthedeityinhabitingthestatueitself.

278. The pratyālīḍha stance, with right leg bent and left extended, is found in thedepictionofwrathfuldeitiesinparticularinBuddhisticonography.

279. ThetwotantriccollegeshadbeenreestablishedinexileinDalhousie.

280. Lcags mkhar. A wrathful ritual that uses a torma constructed in the shape ofYama’s iron fortress, with nine or sixteen sides. It was instituted at Gyümé byLosangTenpaRabgyéinthelateseventeenthorearlyeighteenthcentury.

281.Rdorje’irirabbrtsegspa’i’khrul’khor.

282.Rgyal po sku lnga, “the king with five bodies.” The five emanations— Pehar,Gyajin,Mönbuputra,Shingjachen,andDralhaKyechikbu—correspondtothoseof

body, speech, mind, activity, and qualities. The five were originally tamed byPadmasambhavaasprotectorsofSamyéMonastery.

283. Nyangral Nyima Öser (1124–92). For more on the life of this pivotal figure inTibetan history, seeDanielHirshberg,Remembering theLotusBorn (Somerville,MA:Wisdom,2016).

284.Byang chub sems dpa’ tshul khrims kyi rnam bshad byang chub gzhung lam,Tsongkhapa’s commentary on the chapter on ethical discipline in Asaṅga’sBodhisattvabhūmi.Theworkcontainsaritualforconferringthebodhisattvavows.

285.Rtsaltunggirnambshad,a.k.a.ClusterofSiddhis(Gsangsngagskyitshulkhrimsrnambshaddngosgrubkyisnyema),acommentaryonthetantricvows.

286.Gsang’dusyigchungnyergcigsogs.

287. Nāgārjuna, Meditation on the Generation Stage of Glorious GuhyasamājaMahāyoga Tantra Related to the Sutra(Śrīguhyasamājamahāyogatantrotpādakramasādhanasūtramelāpaka).

288.Mrs.FredaBedi(néeHoulston,1911–77)wasaBritishwomanwhomarriedB.P.L.Bedi,anIndian,in1933andmovedtoIndiain1934.Mrs.Bediandherhusbandwere active in the Indian independence movement, and she served the Indiangovernmentinanumberofcapacitiesthroughoutherlife,primarilyintheareaofsocial welfare. In 1959 shewas tasked by Jawaharlal Nehru to help the Tibetanrefugeesthatwerestreamingintothecountry.Amongotherthings,shefoundedtheYoungLamasHomeSchool,whichwas responsible for the early education of anumber of well-known Tibetan lamas, including Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoché,AkongRinpoché,ThubtenZopaRinpoché,andChökyiNyimaRinpoché.Late inher life, Mrs. Bedi took śrāmaṇerikā ordination under the Sixteenth GyalwangKarmapaandthentraveledtoreceivefullbhikṣuṇīordinationinHongKong.SheisveryfondlyrememberedbythoseamongthefirstgenerationofTibetanrefugeesinIndiawhoknewher.

289. Legsbshadljondbang.AgrammartreatisebyYangchenDrupaiDorjé(1809–87)onThönmiSambhota’sThirtyVerses.

290. Sometimes months in the lunar calendar require an extra day added to staysynchronizedwiththemoonphases.

291. This was a private enterprise organized by Tibetans in exile in which thegovernmentinDharamsalainvested.SeeSadutshang,ALifeUnforeseen,241–48.

292. TheformersiteoftheTibetanexilegovernmentoppositethenewBhagsuHotel.

293. Sgracan. In traditional Indianastronomical lore,Rāhu isoneof thenineplanets,specificallyrelatedtothephenomenonofsolareclipses.Mythologicallyspeaking,Rāhu is the severed head of a demigod that swims through space, occasionallyswallowingthesun,whichthenreappearsintheskywhenitfallsthroughitsneck.

294. Śavaripa,oneoftheeighty-fourIndianmahāsiddhas,wasahunterbytrade.

295. TheMön valley straddles the border of Tibet and the Indian state of ArunachalPradesh.InTibetanliteratureitevokesawildandlushplace.

296.Gnyismedsengge.Thelionoftheanalogylacksthebeautifulmaneandferocious

claws of the Himalayan snow lion. This is a colloquial Tibetan way to refer tosomeonewholacksreasoningandlearning.

297. JéTsongkhapa’sYid ches gsum ldan. These six practices are inner heat, illusorybody,clearlight,dreamyoga,intermediatestate,andtransferenceofconsciousness.

298. TheBsampalhungrubandBarchadlamsel.

299. Literally,“frommysambhogacakra,”whichislocatedatthethroatandconnectedwithspeech.TrijangRinpochéusesapoeticconventionthatweavesthenamesofthepeoplehisversesrefertointotheversesthemselves.Heidentifiesthefirstversewith himself (Trijang) and the following two with Ling Rinpoché (ThuptenLungtokNamgyalTrinlé).

300. Hereagain,TrijangRinpochéweavesthenameLosangLungrikintoeachverse.

301. SudhanaisayouthfromtheMarvelousArraySutrarenownedforhisrelianceuponhisgurus.Seenote39.

302.M. C. Chagla (1900–81) was a prominent Indian statesman, well known for histime as chief justice of Bombay High Court, cabinet minister under Nehru, andmemberofthefirstIndiandelegationtotheUnitedNations.

303. Choklé Namgyal, a.k.a. Bodong Paṇchen (1375–1451), was a renowned scholarand siddha whose teachings survived as an independent lineage for a fewgenerations before being absorbed into the Sakya andGeluk lineages.Hewas ateachertoGendunDrup,theFirstDalaiLama.Hiscollectedworksaresaidtofillmorethanahundredvolumes.Shuchen(Zhuchen,1697–1774)wasamasteroftheSakyatraditionfromDergé.HeeditedtheTengyurthereandisregardedasamajorfigureinthetransmissionlineageofliteraryandgrammaticalarts.

304. Here Trijang Rinpoché weaves His Holiness’s proper name, Ngawang LosangYeshéTenzinGyatso,intohisverseofpraiseofthesame.

305. Into this self-deprecating verse about himself, TrijangRinpochéweaves his ownpropername,LosangYeshé.

306. Theseareelsewhereenumeratedasthe“fourprosperities”(phuntsogsdebzhi).

307. Tsongkhapa ishereaddressedasblogterrgyalba, literally, “conquerorwho is atreasuryofwisdom,”anepithetofTsongkhapaasanemanationofMañjuśrī.

308. Here again, into two verses about himself and His Holiness the Dalai Lama,respectively, Trijang Rinpoché weaves his own and the Dalai Lama’s propernames.

309.Bka’ brgyad bde gshegs ’dus pa, a diverse collection of practice texts centeredaround eight wrathful deities. It is Nyangral’s most extensive collection ofrediscoveredtreasuretexts.

310. Aninth-centurytranslatorknowntohaveproducedmanyoftheearliestcanonicaltranslations,andhisstyleofcalligraphyhasbeenhandeddowntothepresentday.Hewas said to be the chief scribe toPadmasambhava and to havewritten downmanyofhistreasureteachings.

311. GyaltsapDarmaRinchen,EssenceOrnament toHaribhadra’sClarificationof the

Meaningof theOrnamentofRealization.Shes rabkyipha rol tuphyinpa’imanngaggi bstan bcosmngonpar rtogs pa’i rgyangyi ’grel pa dongsal ba’i rnambshadsnyingpo’irgyan.

312. ThisisthesamePhalhaasthelordchamberlainmentionedabove.

313. Dora M. Kalff (1904–90), a Swiss woman of Dutch origin, well known as thefounder of Sandplay Therapy. Mrs. Kalff hosted Geshé Losang Chödrak in herhomeforeightyears,becameapractitionerofTibetanBuddhismandJapaneseZen,andformedfriendshipswithmanyTibetanlamasthroughoutherlife,includingHisHolinesstheFourteenthDalaiLama.

314. ThiswasthePestalozziChildren’sVillageinTrogen.

315. A private Swiss organization called the Association of Tibetan Homes (VereinTibeter Heimstätten), in cooperation with the Swiss Red Cross and theIntergovernmentalCommittee forEuropeanMigration, established a series of so-calledTibetanhomes(TibeterHeim)tohousegroupsofTibetanrefugeesarrivingin Switzerland to ease them into Swiss life. Tibetan homes were established inSamedaninthecantonofGraubünden;BuchenimPrättigau,Landquart,andIgisinthe canton of Graubünden; Waldstatt in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden;Wattwil,Lichtensteig,Ebnat-Kappel,Flawil,Rapperswil,andWilinthecantonofSt. Gallen; Münchwilen in the canton of Thurgau; and Rikon, Umgebung,Turbenthal,Bauma,Rüti,OetwilamSee,andHorgeninthecantonofZürich.

316. RakraThubtenChödhar(1925–2012).

317. TethongSöpal,thesisterofRakraRinpoché,whoalsoservedasahousemotherinPestalozziChildren’sVillage.

318. Arthur Bill (1916–2011) was director of the Pestalozzi Children’s Village inTrogenfrom1949to1972andworkedinmanyhumanitariancapacitiesthroughouthislife,includingworkforUNESCOandSwissHumanitarianAid.

319.Viśeṣastāva. This praise in verse of the qualities of the Buddha, attributed toUdbhaṭasiddhasvāmin,openstheTengyur.

320. Likely Blais da Muottas, which has a restaurant on its slopes accessed by afunicularrailway.

321.Wahlwies is the site of another Pestalozzi Children’s Village, where LosangNamdrölandhiswifewerehouseparents.

322. ThiswaspresumablyBTTower,knownthenasPostOfficeTower,whichopenedtothepublicin1966.

323.WestminsterAbbey.

324.MarianneWinder(1918–2001),ahistorianofmedicine,helpedRechungRinpochéJampal Kunsang to publish TibetanMedicine with the University of CaliforniaPressin1976.

325. Hugh Edward Richardson (1905–2000) represented the British in Gyantsé andLhasa from 1936–40 and again from 1946–50. Richardson was also an earlyWesternchroniclerofTibetanhistoryandadvocateforTibetanindependenceandself-determination.

326. SeminarfürSprachundKulturwissenschaftZentralasiensatRheinischenFriedrich-Wilhelms-UniversitätBonn.

327.MichaelHahn (1941–2014)wasaGerman Indologist andTibetologistwhomadehis career at Philipps-UniversitätMarburg.During this time period,Hahnwouldhave just been beginning a period of study underWaltherHeissig,whowas thedirectoroftheBonnprogram.

328. Klaus Sagaster is currently Professor Emeritus Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. He had a lengthy career as a Sinologist, Mongologist, andTibetologistinGermany.

329. Thatis,thehubsymbolizestraininginethicalconduct,whichsupportsalltheotherqualities.Thespokes,likethoseonchariotwheelswithbladesstickingoutofthem,cut, symbolizing the training in the wisdom that cuts through all the mentalafflictions. And the rim, which “holds in” or “gathers together” the wheel topreventitfromfallingapart,representsthetraininginconcentration,whichcollectsthemindandpreventsitfromwandering.

330. PaloswasatthistimeinvolvedwiththecommunityofLamaGovindacalledAryaMaitreyaMandala.

331. Ludwig-Maximilian-University,Munich(LMU).

332. Rolf Stein (1911–99) was a German-born French Sinologist and TibetologistknownforhisworkontheTibetanepicofGesar.

333. ThisisareferencetothedemonkingofLaṅka,Rāvaṇa,whointheRāmāyaṇaepicisdefeatedbyRāma.ThestoryofRāvaṇaappearsinmanyBuddhisttexts.Hewassaid to have ten heads that he cut off to propitiate Śiva, and his palace wasinconceivablylarge.

334. Fortherecord,NamkhaiNorbudoesnotconsiderhimselfaKagyülama.EducatedintheSakyatradition,heteachesanonsectarianDzokchenpractice.

335. Avalokiteśvara,Mañjuśrī,andVajrapāṇi.

336. This clay statueofĀryaLokeśvara, anAvalokiteśvarawith a thousandarmsandelevenfaces,wasoneofthestatuesintheTsuklakhangTempleandoneofthefourāryasiblingstatues(seenote338below).SomehistoriesreportthatKingSongtsenGampodissolvedintotheheartofthisstatueattheendofhislife.Thiswasoneofthemany sacred historical images theRedGuards destroyed during theCulturalRevolution in the1960s.Theabove-mentioned facesof this statuewere found intherubbleandweresmuggledoutofTibetandpresentedtoHisHoliness.

337. Aphurbaisaritualdagger,andthePhurbaYangsapdeityisthefocusofacycleofpractices.

338. Allfoursiblingstatuesarerenownedashavingself-arisenduringTibet’simperialperiod and were popular sites of pilgrimage. When deciding matters of greatimportance, His Holiness performs divinations before this sacred statue. Theremaining two siblings, Ārya Jamali (a.k.a. Seto Macchendranath) and ĀryaUkhang(a.k.a.RatoMacchendranath),arehousedinNepal—inKathmanduandPatan,respectively.

339. In the completion stage of tantra, basic-state experiences are “mixed” (bsre ba)withthethreeenlightenedbodiestobringoneclosertotheresultantstate.Therearethreecategoriesofexperience—sleep,death,andmeditativeexperience—eachdividedintothree,therebymakingninemixings.

340. This biography is the Jewel Garland Beautifying the Buddha’s Teachings (Thubbstanmdzespa’irgyangcigngomtsharnorbu’iphrengba)byGyalwangChöjéLosangTrinléNamgyal, a tutor toboth the tenth andeleventhDalaiLamas.Thebibliographic title for this volume published in Sarnath in 1967was ’Jam mgonchoskyirgyalpotsongkhapachenpo’irnamthar.

341. (Rdorjeshugsldangyigsanggsumrmaddubyungba’irtogsbrjod)damcanrgyamtshodgyespa’irolmo.

342. The Root Tantra of Guhyasamāja has seventeen chapters, with an eighteenthchapter,theLaterTantra,oftenclassifiedasadistinctwork.

343. This offering verse is a praise to Tsongkhapa and his two disciples that beginsGangscanshingrta’isrol’byedtsongkhapa.

344. GangchenKyishong(gangscanskyidgshongs)isbelowMcLeodGanj,wheretheDalai Lama currently lives, and above the Indian town of Dharamsala. It is thename given to the complex that includes the offices of the Central TibetanAdministration,theLibraryofTibetanWorksandArchives,andotherbuildings.

345. Thisisthe’Jigsbyedkyiblama’irnal’byordngosgrubgtermdzod/gshinrjerigslngalabrtennasnyamschaggsoba/’jamdpalzhidraggibsrungba/dusmin’chiba zhi ba/ blama’i rnal ’byor gyi sgo nas zhi rgyas kyi las sgrub tshul sogs ofThukenChökyiNyima.

346. SeventhDalaiLamaKalsangGyatso,SourceofAllAttainments:InstructionsontheHundredDeities of Tuṣita (Dga’ ldan lha brgya ma’i khrid yig dngos grub kun’byung).

347. Seepage268.

348. For a detailed presentation of the twelve links of dependent origination see HisHoliness the Dalai Lama, The Meaning of Life from a Buddhist Perspective(Boston:Wisdom,1992).

349. Thethreesweetsaresugar,molasses,andhoney.

350. Inotherwords,performing thepreliminary-practice ritualcalledNecklace for theFortunate(seenote120).Thesesixpreliminarypracticesare(1)cleaningtheroomand arranging symbols of the buddhas’ body, speech, and mind; (2) obtainingofferings honestly and arranging them beautifully; (3) sitting in the eightfoldposture of Vairocana and then taking refuge and generating bodhicitta; (4)visualizing the merit field; (5) performing the seven-limb prayer and offering amandala;and(6)makingfurtherprayersaccordingtotheoralinstructions.

351. “On thatday inBodhgaya,when thesun-likeMaitreya risesabove thehills,maythe lotus blossom ofmymind open, so that Imay satisfy the bee-like fortunateones.”

352. EinsiedelnAbbey,aBenedictinemonastery.

353. OneofBuddha’sfirstfivedisciples.

354.Bkrashissnyema,byChonéLamaDrakpaShedrup(1675–1748).

355.Bla’gugstshe’gugs.

356. InSedlescombe,Sussex,England.

357. ForMs.Taring’smemoir,writtenin1969,seeDaughterofTibet(Boston:Wisdom,1986). Taring was the first Tibetan woman to leave Tibet for an education inDarjeeling, in 1922. She was also the first director of the Tibetan HomesFoundationinMussoorie.

358. PresumablytheNationalMuseumofNaturalHistoryinParis.359. ’Dul ba lnga bcu pa. That is, the Śramaṇapañcāśatkārikāpadābhismaraṇa of

Kamalaśīla.

360. Seepages320–21above.

361.Damcanchosrgyalphyisgrublabrtennasgtorchendrugcupa’irnambzhagrdorjegnamlcags’barba’iphrengba.

362. Fromitsinception,leadershipoftheSakyalineagehasdescendedthroughmembersof theKhön family, and theKhön family in turn is said tohavedescended fromgods.ThefounderoftheSakyasectwasKhönKönchokGyalpo(1034–1102),saidtobeamanifestationofthebodhisattvaMañjuśrī.DakchenRinpochéhereisnottheDakchenRinpochéofPhuntsokPhodrangwhomigratedtoSeattlein1960buttheForty-FirstSakyaTrizin(b.1945)ofDrölmaPhodrang.

363. Born in Amdo in 1762, Gyal Khenchen Drakpa Gyaltsen was a student of theSecondJamyangShepaandstudiedatDrepungGomang.Hewasappointedabbotof Chökhor Gyal Monastery in 1786 and later sat on the throne of LabrangMonastery.Hediedin1836.

364.Dgelugsriggzhunggcesskyonglhantshogs.

365. Thismantra, actually a canonicalverse thatbeginsyedharmāhetuprabhavā, hassinceancienttimesfiguredprominentlyininscriptionsandelsewheretodistillthenatureoftheBuddha’steachings.Itisfrequentlyrecitedasadhāraṇī,especiallyinconjunction with consecration rituals. “All things originate from causes. TheTathāgata taught thesecauses.Alsothatwhichputsastopto thesecauses—thistoowastaughtbythegreatascetic.”

366. Inotherwordssothattheblissful,emptyessenceoftheenlighteneddeities—thewisdom beings (jñānasattva) — should come and inhabit the statues — thecommitmentbeings(samayasattva).

367. ThelastfourarethefourregentsbelowtheKarmapaintheKarmaKagyüclericalhierarchy.

368. Zhabsbrtansmontshigdrangsrongbdenpa’idbyangssnyan.

369. Takphu Garwang Chökyi Wangchuk dates from the eighteenth or nineteenthcentury.TrijangRinpochélaterarrangedthepublicationofacorpusofritualtextsbasedonGarwang’svisions.Sgrolma’ichosskor(NewDelhi:NgawangTopgyal,1975).Seealsopage78above.

370. Seepage317above.

371. KungaPaldenwasaSakyalamaofthenineteenthcentury.HistitleofSharLamacomes from his position atDergéMonastery,where therewas an eastern (shar)masterandawestern(nub)master.

372. Thesixteendrops, theheartpracticeof theBookofKadam,areameditation thatgoes from the broadest scope of the entire universe down through progressivelysmallerobjects,endingatthedropofgreatawakeningatthemeditator’sheart.Fora description of this practice, see Jinpa, Book of Kadam, especially KhenchenNyimaGyaltsen’sElucidationoftheHeart-DropPracticeonpages395–452.

373. ThisissomewhatequivalenttoaleapyearintheTibetancalendar.

374. Sems’dzingtongba.Thisisareferencetothecycleoftextsandpracticesbasedonthe root verse “Parting from the Four Attachments” attributed to the Sakyaforefather SachenKungaNyingpo (1092–1158): “If you are attached to this life,youarenotpracticingDharma.Ifyouareattachedtotherealmsofexistence,thereis no renunciation. If you are attached to your own interest, you do not havebodhicitta.Ifgraspingarises,youdonothavetheview.”

375. Sgra mi snyan gyi tshe grub. Kurava is the northern continent among the fourcontinentsofBuddhistcosmology.

376. Tshesgrubtshigsbcadma.

377. AkhuchingShesrabrgyamtsho,1803–75.

378.Gnyantshembupa’ilugs.Seenote64aboveandtheTshembupa’ilugskyispyanrasgzigskyidmarkhridinvolume3ofChangkya’scollectedworks.

379.Dongsum,bytheSecondJamyangShepa,KönchokJikméWangpo(1728–91).

380. PhabongkhaRinpoché’sNāromkha’spyodkyisgrubthabsthunminbdechennyelam.

381. ThisinitiationtookplaceNovember9–10,1970.TheMahāvairocanābhisaṃbodhiisperhapstheoldesttantrictextandisthemainpracticeoftheperformancetantra(caryātantra)class.Becauseofitsrarity,HisHolinesshadspeciallyrequestedLingRinpochétodotheretreatonthisdeitysothathecouldbestowthisinitiation.

382.Rnamsrasmdungdmar.

383. Sgroldkarbka’babsdguldan.

384.Rgyudsdekunbtus.CompiledbyLoterWangpo(1847–1914), this thirty-volumecompendium collects practices from all classes of tantra from all the Tibetanschools.Within the compendium,one finds suchcollections as theVajrāvalī andtheMitraHundredaswellasdepictionsof139differentmandalas.

385.Dpalmgonzhalsgrubdusmgonpo.

386. ’Khorlosdompa’ibshadrgyudmngonbrjod’bumpa.

387.Kunrigrnambshad,asurveyofpracticesrelatedtotheSarvadurgatipariśodhanaTantra.Dulzin(1374–1434)wasoneofTsongkhapa’sprimarydisciples.

388. Seenote92above.

389. The“threesecrets”refertohisbody,speech,andmind.

390. SeeJoonaRepo,“PhabongkhaandtheYoginī:TheLife,PatronageandDevotionoftheLhasaAristocrat,LadyLhaluLhachamYangdzomTsering,”JournaloftheOxfordCentreforBuddhistStudies9(November2015):109–42.

391. Onthesepractices,seeabove,page340.

392. Stobs’phrogdbangpo.

393.Bramzenagpomngagsgtad.

394. Pema Rikzin (1625–97) was the First Dzokchen Rinpoché, and this incarnationwouldhavebeentheseventh,bornin1964.

395. ThisisthesamelunardateashisdateofbirthbutnotthesameWesterncalendricaldate.ThiswouldbeMay12,1973,whereashewasbornApril30,1901.

396.Bsnyendusmgonpo,themostcommonlybestowedformofthisdeity.

397.Mule,aregionineasternTibet.

398. Lawudo Tulku is Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoché. Thubten Dönyö and ThubtenNgawangareItalianstudentsPieroCerriandClaudioCipullo.

399. Jobomibskyod rdo rje, the imageof theBuddhaas a child thatQueenBhṛkuṭībroughttoLhasafromNepalintheseventhcentury.

400.Khye’uchu ’bebs, the “water bringer,” a former birth of theBuddhawho in theSutraofGoldenLightsavestenthousandfishdisciplesfromdehydration.

401. Inaneffigyritualforhealthandlonglife,aneffigyofthepersonbeingtargetedbyspiritsisofferedupasasubstitute.

402. Anne Ansermet, daughter of the Swiss conductor Ernest Ansermet, wasinstrumentalinthefoundingofTharpaChoelinginLeMont-Pèlerininthe1970s,aDharma center centered around Geshé Tamdrin Rapten. It was renamed RabtenChoelingafterhispassingin1986.

403.Nang mdzod nyin mo bde legs. This ceremonial scarf comes from the ancientdynastiesofChinaandwouldcostapproximatelyUS$1,000today.

404. Nāgārjuna’sPrajñādaṇḍa,v.167.

405.Gnodsbyinlcamdral.

406. ForthefulltextofKharakGomchung’sadvice,seeThuptenJinpa,WisdomoftheKadamMasters(Boston:Wisdom,2013),99–108.

407. StaffofWisdom(Prajñādaṇḍa).

408. This is fromjātaka32ofĀryaśūra’scollection.Thekumuda lily isawhite lotus,buttheSanskritofthisversesuggeststhelineisreferringtoamagnificentfestivalnamedfortheflower.

409. Seepage185above,whereTrijangRinpochébecameseriouslyillwhileattendingtheShotönsummeroperaperformances.

410. For the full text of Shawo Gangpa’s advice, see Jinpa,Wisdom of the KadamMasters,92–98.

411. TheSeventhDalaiLama’s’Phagsbstod.

412. ThisstoryisfromSharpaTulku’sfirsthandexperience.

413. ForacompletelistofTrijangRinpoché’spreviouslivesseetheappendix.

414. The following account was related to Sharpa Tulku by Lati Rinpoché duringRinpoché’svisittoTushitaMahayanaMeditationCenterinNewDelhionAugust8,1989.

415. Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché, Drakri (Bari) Rinpoché, Khamlung Rinpoché, andPhukhang Rinpoché were close relatives, and their reincarnations were again allrelated, all born to the families of brothers in theNachuk household in Phenpo,Tibet.

416. Thefollowingletterhasbeenlightlyeditedfromtheoriginal.

417.ManywebsitesclaimthatthecurrentTrijangRinpochéistheeighteenth,butonlythelastthreeonthislistheldthetitleTrijangRinpoché,makingthecurrentTrijangRinpochéthefourth.

Glossary

Abhidharma. One of the fivemain subjects of themonastic curriculum, systematicallypresenting phenomena whose analysis and contemplation will bring one closer tonirvana.Alsoagenreoftextsonthistopic.

assistant tutor (Tib. tsenshap). Literally, an attendant to a lama who helps him in hisphilosophystudies.

Avalokiteśvara.KnownasChenrezik inTibetan, thisbodhisattva is themanifestationofthecompassionofallbuddhas.Commonaspectsincludethewhiteformwithonefaceand fourarmsand thewhite formwitheleven facesanda thousandarms. JinasāgaraAvalokiteśvara(Tib.GyalwaGyatso)isared,four-armedform.Avalokiteśvaraisthepatron deity of Tibet, and the Dalai Lamas are thought to be incarnations ofAvalokiteśvara.SeealsoGreatCompassionateOne;maṇi.

Avalokiteśvara Who Liberates from All Lower Realms (Tib. Chenrezik NgensongKundröl).Apracticeoftheone-face,two-armaspectofAvalokiteśvaraflankedbyTārāand Ekajaṭī originating from the Indian mahāsiddha Mitrayogin. In a vision ofAvalokiteśvara,Mitrayogin was told that anyone whomerely receives this initiationwillnotbereborninthelowerrealmsintheirnextlife,henceitsname.

bodhicitta. The intention to become enlightened for the welfare of all living beingsmotivatedbyloveandcompassionthatseesthesufferingnatureofsamsaraandseekstoliberatealllivingbeingsfromit.

bodhisattva. An individual who has generated bodhicitta and has entered the path toenlightenment.

Bodhi Tree. The tree in Bodhgaya, India, where Buddha attained enlightenment sometwenty-fivehundredyearsago.

body mandala. Tantric practice where one’s body is taken to be the mandala of theparticulartantra.

Cakrasaṃvara.SometimesreferredtoasHeruka,heisoneofthethreemaindeitiesoftheGeluktraditionutilizedtoattainrealizationsoftheclearlightandtransformattachmentintothepathtoenlightenment.

chantmaster (Tib.umzé).Monk trained inchanting techniquesandstyleswho leads theassemblyinritualchanting.Alamaumzécanalsorefertoadeputyabbot.

CittamaṇiTārā. A highest yoga tantra aspect of Green Tārā originating from a divinevisionofTakphuVajradhara.

clearlight(Tib.ösal).Alsotranslatedas“luminosity,”itreferstothedawn-likeluminousappearance occurring at the last stage of the death process before the consciousnessenters the intermediate state.A facsimile of this state for the purposes of practice isdesignatedtotheperiodofdreamlesssleep.

completion stage. The second of two stages of highest yoga tantra, following thegenerationstage.Thecompletionstage itselfhas fivestages: (1) speech isolation, (2)mentalisolation,(3)illusorybody,(4)clearlight,and(5)union.

cyclicexistence(Skt.saṃsāra).Theseriesofuncontrolledrebirthsbroughtaboutbykarmaandafflictiveemotions.ThepointofallBuddhistpracticeistobringanendtosamsaricrebirth.

dharmakāya.Atthelevelofthecompleteenlightenmentofabuddha,itreferstothebodyof enlightened qualities thatmake up the enlightenedmind, and to the ultimate-truthemptinessofthatmind.

Dharmarāja. (Tib. Chögyal; a.k.a. Kālarūpa).Wrathful oath-bound protector associatedwiththedeityVajrabhairava.Heisblackincolorwithasinglebuffalohead,twoarms,andanequallywrathfulfemalecompanion,bothsittingastrideabuffalo.

equalizing and exchanging self with others. An important Mahayana practice forgeneratingbodhicitta by transforming self-centeredness into amind cherishingothersandultimatelythefirmdeterminationtobecomeenlightenedforthewelfareofalllivingbeings.

emanationbody (Skt.nirmāṇakāya).Acoarseformbodyofanenlightenedbeingthat isemanatedforthewelfareofordinarybeings.

enjoymentbody (Skt.saṃbhogakāya).Thesubtlebodyofanenlightenedbeing thatcanonlybeperceivedbybodhisattvaswhohaveattainedthepathofseeing.

Entering the Middle Way (Skt. Madhyamakāvatāra). Candrakīrti’s seminal work onMadhyamakaphilosophypresentedaroundtheframeworkofthetenspirituallevelsofabodhisattva.

Essence of Eloquence Distinguishing the Definitive and Interpretive. Tsongkhapa’sphilosophicalmasterpieceofIndianphilosophicalsystems.Itisoftenreferredtoasthe“ironbow”becauseitissodifficulttocomprehend.

Fifty Verses on Guru Devotion (Skt. Gurupañcāśikā). A famous text by Aśvaghoṣacontainingtheproperattitudeandbehaviorthat thespiritualpractitionermustkeepinrelationtohisorherspiritualmaster.

five buddha families. The purified aspects of an enlightened being’s five aggregates.Consciousness manifests as Akṣobhya, discrimination as Amitābha, feeling asRatnasambhava,formasVairocana,andcompositionalfactorsasAmoghasiddhi.

FoundationofAllGoodQualities.AversetextbyTsongkhapacoveringthestagesofthepathofbothsutraandtantra.

fournobletruths.ThebasisofallBuddhistteachings.Theyare:(1)truesuffering,(2)trueorigin,(3)truepath,and(4)truecessation.

Ganden. The first monastery of the Geluk tradition built by Tsongkhapa. “Ganden” isTibetanforTuṣita,thenameofMaitreya’spureland.

GarlandofBirthStories(Skt.Jātakamālā).AseriesofstoriesbasedonthepreviouslivesofBuddhaŚākyamunicompiledbyĀryaśūra.

generationstage.Thefirstoftwostagesofhighestyogatantra,wherethemindispreparedfor thedissolutionof thewinds in thecentralchannelduring thecompletionstagebymimickingthedissolutionprocessatthetimeofdeath,bardo,andrebirth.

geshé(Skt.kalyāṇamitra).Literally“spiritualfriend.”OriginallyusedasageneraltitleforBuddhist teachersandmentors,but thesedays in theGeluk tradition it isadegreeor

titleawardedtomonkswhohavepassedarigorousexaminationoftheirstudies.Itisofvarying grades, the highest of which is lharampa, awarded to those who havesuccessfully sat in debate in all three monastic seats. Lower grades are karampa,tsokrampa,lingsé,anddorampa.

GreatCompassionateOne (Mahākaruṇika).Avalokiteśvarainhis thousand-arm,eleven-face form.This is thecentraldeity in thenyungnépurificationpractice thatdescendsfromthenunBhikṣuṇīLakṣmī(Tib.GelongmaPalmo).

GreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePath(Tib.LamrimChenmo).Tsongkhapa’smagnumopusdealingwiththestagesofthepathinsutra.

Guhyasamāja.OneofthethreemaindeitiesoftheGeluktradition,heisutilizedtoattaintheillusorybodyandtransformignoranceintothepathtoenlightenment.

Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (Skt. Bodhicaryāvatāra). Śāntideva’s eloquentversemasterpiecedealingwiththegenerationofbodhicittaandthepracticeofthesixperfections.

Guru Vajradhara (Tib. Lama Dorjé Chang). An epithet used for one’s teacher.Throughout this text Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché often uses it to refer to PhabongkhaRinpoché.Vajradhara is the enjoyment body ofBuddha Śākyamuni, his form as theteacherofBuddhisttantra.

Guru Puja (Tib. Lama Chöpa). Rite of offering and praise focused on the guru as thepersonificationofallthebuddhas,meditationdeities,ḍākinīs,andsoon.ThetextofthisnamewascomposedbytheFirstPaṇchenLamaLosangChökyiGyaltsen.

HeartSutra.OneofthemostconciseofthePerfectionofWisdomsutras.Itisoftenrecitedbeforespiritualteachings.

IronFortress.Atormausedinawrathfulritualconstructedin theshapeofYama’s ironfortressandwithnineorsixteensides.

JéRinpochéas the tripledeity.An aspect of TsongkhapawithMañjuśrī at his crown,Avalokiteśvaraathisthroat,andVajrapāṇiathisheart.

Jewel Treasury ofWise Sayings (Tib.SakyaLekshé). A famous text by Sakya Paṇḍita(1182–1251)focusingonbothworldlyandenlightenedadviceforliving.

Kangyur.TheTibetanBuddhistcanon,i.e.,thesutras,tantras,andVinayatextsofBuddhaŚākyamunitranslatedintoTibetanandpublishedin108volumes.

Kyabjé.Masterforrefugeandprotection.Atermofgreatrespectgiventohighlamas.labrang. Monastic household of a lama, managing his or her personal, business, and

religiousaffairsthroughamanagerandsupportstaff.Lamp on the Path to Enlightenment (Skt. Bodhipathapradīpa). The first text Atiśa

composed upon arriving in Tibet, laying out the entire path in forty-one verses. Itbecametheprototypeforallsubsequenttextsofitsgenre,suchasthePathandFruitintheSakyatradition,theKagyüOrnamentofPreciousLiberationofGampopa,andtheGelukstagesofthepathtexts.

lifeentrustment.Oftentakentomeanaritualwherebythepractitionerentruststheirlifetoaprotector,butaccordingtoHisHolinesstheDalaiLamashouldbethepracticeoftheprotectorentrustingitselftothepractitioner.

Madhyamaka.TheMiddleWayphilosophypropoundedbyNāgārjunaandelucidatedbyCandrakīrtiandothers.

maṇi.Themaṇimantraisthesix-syllablemantraofAvalokiteśvaraOṃmaṇipadmehūṃ.

māra. Obstacles to spiritual development, whether demons or other obstacles, such asdistractionsanddeath.

miktsema. A four-line verse that is used as a praise, request, and mantra centered onTsongkhapa.

Nāgārjuna. The first Madhyamaka philosopher, who is said to have traveled to thesubterraneanlandofthenāgastoobtainthePerfectionofWisdomsutras.

nāgas.A type of serpent spirit. There are numerous types of nāgas; some are benign orevenhelpfulwhileothersaremalignant.

Nechung. Themain protector, and counsel by way of oracle, for the Ganden PhodrangTibetangovernmentandtheDalaiLama.

ngakpa.Alaytantricyogi.OrnamentofRealization (Skt.Abhisamayālaṃkāra).A famousMahayana text thatwas

revealed to Asaṅga by BuddhaMaitreya revealing themeaning of the Perfection ofWisdomsutras.

PaldenLhamo (Skt.Śrīdevī).FemaleprotectordeityofTibetwithacloseconnection tothe first and subsequentDalai Lamas. She iswrathful in appearance, dark blue, andridingamule.

PerfectionofWisdom(Skt.prajñāpāramitā).Asatopicofmonasticcurriculum,itisthesystematic study of the Perfection of Wisdom sutras from the perspective of theirconcealed teachingson thepaths, levels,andpractices leadingto thegoalsofnirvanaandenlightenment.

Prāsaṅgika. Of the four Buddhist philosophical schools of India, the highest is theMadhyamaka school, and the Prāsaṅgika subschool is the highest within theMadhyamaka. It is called Prāsaṅgika “Consequentialist,” because it proceeds byexposingtheflawedconsequencesinthepositionsofotherschoolswithoutadvancinganyofitsown.

PrayerofSamantabhadra.Oftenused topray for thedeceased, this famousaspirationalprayerof thebodhisattvaSamantabhadra issometimescalled theKingofPrayers. ItsformaltitleisVowsofGoodConduct(Skt.Bhadracaryāpraṇidhāna).

Rinpoché.Atermofhighrespectmeaning“preciousone”bestowedbydisciples.Itmosttypicallyisappliedtoreincarnatedlamas.

sādhana.Aritualtextforgeneration-stagepracticefocusedonaparticulardeity.Samayavajra.AdeityoftheGuhyasamājatantrawiththespecialcapacitytopurifyone’s

brokenordefiledtantricvows.samsara.Seecyclicexistence.sevenfoldcause-and-effectinstruction.Amethodforgeneratingbodhicittabasedonthe

following six causes and one effect: (1) recognizing all beings as your mother, (2)remembering their kindness, (3)wishing to repay their kindness, and developing (4)affectionatelove,(5)greatcompassion,(6)theuniversalwish,and(7)bodhicitta.

Seven-PointMindTraining.A teaching brought toTibet byAtiśa andwritten downbyGeshé Chekawa. It is a series of one-line aphorisms divided into seven topics: (1)preliminaries,(2)mainpractice,(3)transformingadversity,(4)applyingtheteachingsto one’s entire life, (5) themeasure of having trained themind, (6) commitments oftrainingthemind,and(7)preceptsfortrainingthemind.

six-sessionguruyoga.Apracticeperformedsix timesadayfocusingonone’sguru.It is

thecommitmentofallhighestyogatantrapractitionersintheGeluktradition.sixty-four-parttormaritual.KnowninTibetanasdrukchuma,thispracticeinconjunction

with the Dharma protector Dharmarāja is used to accomplish various actions, mostnotablyovercomingobstaclesfromspirits.

sixperfections.Thebasis for allMahayanapractices, theyare: (1)generosity, (2)moraldiscipline,(3)patience,(4)joyouseffort,(5)concentration,and(6)wisdom.

six Dharmas of Nāropa. A series of completion-stage practices of highest yoga tantrataughtby the IndianmahāsiddhaNāropa: innerheat, illusorybody,clear light,dreamyoga,transferenceofconsciousness,andthebardo.

Song of Spiritual Experience. A verse-poem on the stages of the path written byTsongkhapabasedonhisownpersonalexperience.

stagesofthepath.KnownasthelamriminTibetan,thestagesofthepathprovidealltheBuddha’steachingsinsystematicorderintendedtobeputintopractice.

Sukhāvatī(Tib.Dewachen).ThepurelandofBuddhaAmitābha.SutraoftheWiseandtheFoolish.Afamoussutrathatexplainskarmaanditseffectsusing

stories.Tengyur.ThecollectedteachingsofIndianscholarsandsiddhastranslatedintoTibetanin

justover250volumes.thangka.Ascrollpaintingofreligioussignificance,usuallydepictingvariousenlightened

beings.threeprincipalaspectsof thepath. (1)Renunciation, (2)bodhicitta, and (3)emptiness,

centralpillarsofallMahayanateachingsandpractices.Tsongkhapawroteashortversetextbythisname.

threerepresentations. A buddha statue, scripture, and a stupa as representations of thebody, speech, and mind of the buddhas; traditional offering to a lama along with amandalathatsymbolizesanofferingoftheuniverse.

torma.Aritualcakethatisblessedandofferedtovariousmundaneandenlightenedbeings.tsokoffering(Skt.gaṇacakra).Atantricfeastinvolvingritualmusicandsacredsubstances

for invoking the blessing of the ḍākas and ḍākinīs and strengthening your tantriccommitments.

Tsongkhapa(1357–1419).GreatTibetanscholarandyogiwhofoundedtheGeluktraditionofTibetanBuddhism.

tulku.Literally“emanationbody,”referstotheincarnationofahighlyrealizedlama.IthasbecomeatitleforhighlamasandoriginatedwiththeFirstKarmapa,DusumKhyenpa.

twelvetenma.TwelvefemalespiritsofTibetwhoweresubjugatedbyPadmasambhavaandtransformedintoprotectorsoftheBuddhistteachings.

Vajrabhairava.AlsoreferredtoasYamantaka,heisoneofthethreeprincipaldeitiesofthe Geluk tradition. He is the wrathful manifestation of Mañjuśrī utilized by thepractitionertoovercomeobstaclestoenlightenmentandtransformangerintothepathtoenlightenment.

Vajrasattva. A white deity who embodies the purificatory powers of all enlightenedbeings.

Vajrayoginī.Althoughshe is the femalecounterpart toCakrasaṃvara, she isalsoaverypopulardeityinherownright,knownforbestowingattainmentsquicklyandassistingdevoteestoattainrebirthinherpureland.

Vinaya.ThemonasticdisciplineorcodesetdownbytheBuddhafortheordained,aswellasagenreoftextsintheBuddhistcanonthatelucidatestheserules,oftenwithelaboratestoriesabouttheBuddhaandhisdisciples.

Wheel of Sharp Weapons Mind Training. A mind-training (Tib. lojong) teachingpopularizedinTibetbyAtiśa,wholearneditfromhisSumatranguruDharmarakṣita.

yogaofthethreepurifications.ApracticeofCakrasaṃvarautilizedtopurifyone’sbody,speech,andmind.

Index

Note:Titlesofworksmaybelistedunderauthorname.

AAbhayākaragupta,55,402n65Abhidharma,57,65,68,72,160,240,314“ācāryasandskeletons”ritualdance,96accumulation,finalresultof,302–4AchenofTsawarong,275Achunor,297,298AdhipatiLordsoftheCemetery,363Adruk,215,289Aeschimann,Dr.,324Ajantacaves,226Akaniṣṭha,139AkhuTrinlé,23AkṣobhyavajraGuhyasamāja,91,92,96,128,139,141,152,238,262,269,

370Akṣobhyavajrastatue,363,420n399AlaNgodroké,58AlachakGong,120Alarong,85alcohol,262All-IndiaRadio,392AloButang,194AltePeterchurch(Munich),298AmaChözom,351AmaMikmarDrölma,343ambans,Qing,401n43Amdo,18,45,153,159,229,241AmdoDrokpaJinpa,264AmdoHouse,58,62

Amitābha,405n117Amitāyus,153,346–47

distantlineage,337,362fivesecretdeitiesof,275,337inner,346longevitypracticeof,101long-lifeempowerments,99,103,223,275,321,324,327,349–50,351,

360,414n291ninedeitiesof,340roottextsandcommentarieson,340,352statue,185–86templeof,213

analogieschasinghundredbirdswithoneslingshot,135drunkenelephants,239leadingcalfwithtemptationofgreengrass,98offeringgoldlikeamandala,109parrotrecitingmaṇimantra,199–200sesameseeds,crushingonhead,114turtleandyoke,77,404n100washermanincityofnakedpeople,111windinfoldsofpaper,112,405n125wish-grantingjewel,344

Ānanda,157AniYangzom,34,35,49,53,159animalsacrifice,prohibitionof,262,267AnnualPrayerFestival,352,360.SeealsoGreatPrayerFestivalAnsermet,Anne,365,420n402Anubhūti,SarasvatīGrammarTreatise,168AphoSöpaThokmé,370–71AphoWangden,318ArapRinpoché,216ArhatMadhughoṣa,385,397arhats,sixteen,28,304,308,316,331,337,350,381ArikMonastery,58,85–86,120Armlet,61ĀryaLokeśvarastatue,306,308,317,392,417n336Āryasiblingstatues,308,416n338,417n336ĀryatraditionofGuhyasamāja,54,238,262,269,370ĀryaWatiSangpoofKyirongstatue,307–8,309,317,391,417n338

Āryadeva,359,373,383,410n201āryas,fourqualities/fourfoldtemperamentof,178,257,282,410n195,

413n275Āryaśūra.SeeGarlandofBirthStories(Jātakamālā,Āryaśūra)Asaṅga,143,383,410n201

Bodhisattvabhūmi,414n284CompendiumofAbhidharma,224

AshéYangkyi,358–59Aśoka,264Asong,GandenShartséGeshé,352AssemblyofPeople’sDeputies,260,337,344AssociationforthePreservationoftheGelukTradition,350,371AssociationofTibetanHomes,416n315astrology,47,58,59,160,402n45Astro-MedicalInstitute(Lhasa),168,175,185,196,335Aśvaghoṣa.SeeFiftyVersesonGuruDevotionAśvajit,320,418n353Atiśa,2,106,153,191,276,382,385,397,408n172

inBookofKadam,400n20caveof,232LamponthePathtoEnlightenment,232,272,380playabout,295,316relicsof,223,231statue,“left-leaning,”223systemof,125,338

AtroPass,150Avalokiteśvara,405n115

epithetof,17,399n7imageofonbodyofThirteenthDalaiLama,132Jinasāgara,355,379inMaṇiKabum,402n61mantraof,61permissionsgiven,103,165,214,380Potalatempleof,200Siṃhanāda,360statuesof,100,232,258,306,329–30,417n336teachingson,340,362“threeessentialmoments,”360three-dimensionalmandalaof,311yogaof,54

SeealsoGreatCompassionateOneAvalokiteśvaratemple(Dharmasala),335–36,347AvalokiteśvaraWhoLiberatesfromAllLowerRealms,412n239

inBodhgaya,338,356atChakratabasecamp,340inDartsedo,210inDelhi,275inDharamsala,260,271,274,352inKalimpong,259atNamgyal,346inNepal,254publicpermission,217,269inSarnath,265,272,359atSeudru,216inSonada,258inSwitzerland,295,320atTashiChöling,256atYangteng,211

AyikThangofamily,58,86

BBa,125,210BaChödéMonastery,25,207,209,215BaPass,85,204,219BabaKalsangLekshé,304–5BakulaRinpoché,258,329,334,335,360BaliKhedrup,107BapaApho,34BapaPhuntsokWangyal,203BarawaGyaltsenPalsang,79–80BariHundred,79,278,404n104BariLotsāwaRinchenDrak(secondSakyaTrizin),278,404n104BarkhamShodoDragomTulku,355BarshiPhuntsokWangyal,335,345Barun,Dr.,326BasoChökyiGyaltsen,FirstJamyangShepa,407n160BawaGyashokHouse,215Bayerfamily,167,172BeardedNyakré,75BedaMonastery,25

BedaTrotiTsultrim,81,107,109BedaTulku.SeeChagongBedaTulkuBedi,Freda,269,414n288BenGungyal,64BendhaPass,85BentsangMonastery,140Bentseferry,246BeriGetakTulkuRinpoché,190BeriMonastery,98–99,205BernakMahākāla,110Bhāvaviveka.SeeEssenceoftheMiddleWay(Bhāvaviveka)BhikṣuPratimokṣaSutra,268BhikṣuṇīLakṣmītradition.SeeLakṣmītraditionBhṛkuṭī,Queen,420n399Bill,Arthur,294,323,416n318BirlaHouse,251BlackGaruḍa,61BlackHatdance,119BlackLiberatingStandingLion,346blackmagic,ritualcounteragentto,96–97BlackSkinMaskGuardian(mask),150,408n168blissandemptiness,344,381,382BlueBookofSynonyms,346Bodhgaya

Jayanticelebrationin,225–27offeringsin,313ordinationin,254–55pilgrimageto,146–48,264reconstructionresolutionin,307sacrednessof,151teachingsin,257–58,271–72,342–43,356–58virtuousactivitiesin,274,286

BodhiTree,147,148,151,257,258,274,408n165bodhicitta,135,201

ceremoniesgenerating,76,143,148,161,162,167–68,172,192–93,233,258,274,345

ofTrijangRinpoché,381ultimate,299

Bomdila,250Böntradition,101,270

BonnZentralasienSeminar,297BönpoGönsar,121,406n134BöntsangNgawangTsöndrü,192BookofKadam,28,32–33,54,96,400n20,419n372Boudhanāth,146,250BramāputraRiver,123breathyoga,352,373Britisharmy,2,38,125BuChögyal,Geshé,217BuSönam,Ngakrampa,95BuddhaŚākyamuni,410n205

festivalsof,50,133,201,225–27,257,299,350,390,402n53fiveemanationsof,23,400n17GreatPrayerFestivaland,400n18onkeepinggoodcompany,179pastlivesof,262praiseof,294,416n319relicsof,94sacredsitesof,146,271,408nn164–65statuesof,274,305,324,329,334,336,359TrijangRinpoché’sdrawingof,383whiteconchof,150,408n168

BugönMonastery,216–17BuldüVajradharaJetsunLosangYeshéTenpaiGylatsen,54–55,56,58,62BumLakha,125BumNyakthang,101–2Bumpa,105–6,108,215BumpaMountain,189BumtsoLake,88BumzéBelséPön,92Butön,181ButsaBugen,91ButsaNakgaGeshé,212Buxaencampment,256–57,305,307

CCakrasaṃvara,155

body-mandalainitiation,215,254,256,259,260,288,290,327,331,337,373

consecrationrituals,317,336

drawing,50explanatorytantras,346generationandcompletionstageof,172,261,373holysiteof(Kampo),104–5,382initiationsgiven,99,102,160,162,167,173,182,183,290initiationsreceived,54,55–56mandalaof,73,79,102mantrapermissions,223,238,263prayers,atTrijangRinpoché’spassing,387retreats,80,92,93self-andfront-generationof,354self-initiationof,95,161signsofpracticeof,388,389sixty-two-deityinitiation,136,196,330,348statueof,88three“redones”in,408n167TrijangRinpochéasemanationof,9tsokofferingof,271

Cakrasaṃvara,five-deityinitiation,380inChatreng,82atChötriMonastery,123inDharamsala,255,258,345,372–73,379inGangkarLing,92atJölDöndrupLing,116atMeruMonastery,199atNechungriNunnery,194atNgakpaCollege,238received,58,77inSarnath,272,288,363–64atShidé,196atTashiChöling,148atTharpaChöling,256atTsamkhungNunnery,188–89

CakrasaṃvaraRootTantra,61,73Calcutta,148,257calligraphystudies,53–54Cāmuṇḍa,186–87Candaka,385,397Caṇḍālī,165,409n180Candrakīrti,383,385,397

BrightLamp(Pradīpoddyotana),137,164,404n92ClearWords(Prasannapadā),409n178EnteringtheMiddleWay(Madhyamakāvatāra),32,41,163,367,372,

403n80,409n178Candrogomin.SeeTwentyVersesontheBodhisattvaVowCausingtheRainofGoodnesstoFall,86,95,174,181,216,341“CelebrationoftheHosts,”181,410n204CentralSchoolforTibetans,333CentralTibetanAdministration(CRA),3–4,309,314–15,337,344,417–

18n344Cerri,Piero,420n398Chagla,M.C.,283,415n302Chagong,acceptancein,211–13ChagongBedaTrotitsangfamily,24ChagongBedaTulku,76–77,107,111,112,118,404n99Chagongshok,111ChaharGeshéLosangTsultrim,collectedworksof,341ChakPass,32ChaklekGeshéofYarlamgang,212ChaknaMutikMonastery,119ChaknangLhawangTsering,261ChakporiMedicalCollege,124ChakraPalbardistrict,119–20ChakraTemple,110Chakragang,110,112ChakragangTemple,213,214Chakratabasecamp,340Chaksamferrylanding,192ChaksamTsechuMonastery,157,158ChakshaTenpa,91Chamdo,94,142,190,204–5,209,210,217–18ChamdoChökhorJampalingMonastery,204–5,217ChamdoDotsé,271,274ChamdoGyaraRinpoché,343ChamdoMonastery,218ChamdoPhakchenHothokthu,232–33ChamdoShiwalha.SeeShiwalhaRinpochéChamsing,133,162,262Changkhyimpa,38,39ChangkyaNagwangLosangChöden,CrystalMirror,131

ChangkyaRölpaiDorjé,340ChangowaGeshéGyaltsen,214chanting,skillof,6,22,59,60,65–66ChantingtheNamesofMañjuśrī,31,71,173,180,294,295Charongregion,150Chatreng,24,80,81,249

departingfrom,obstaclesto,110–15exilecommunityof,317,338,366,369,370–71fightingin,91–92historyof,compositionof,272invitationtoreturnto,125,127plotagainstTrijangRinpochéin,107–9reputationofpeopleof,85,89secondvisitto,114,211–14visitto,11,84–89,93,110

ChatrengHouse,115,211ChatrengJungné,271,356ChatrengMonastery,21,24,25,95–96,98,107,115,168ChatrengNyitsoTrinléTenzin,32ChatrengRigangAgaJamyang,306ChekaMonastery,140ChenYi,Marshal,222Chengdu,205–6,209ChenyéMonastery,140,248,413n270Chilung,149ChimJampalyang,65ChimNamkhaDrak,276,404n106.SeealsoNarthangHundredChiméPalterlongevityinitiation,78Chimphu,141China

emperorsofandDalaiLamas,historicalrelationshipof,115journeyto,203–6nationalistmovementin,50,402n52ThirteenthDalaiLama’svisitsto,38,39

ChinesearmyandofficialsinChatreng,90,91,127atDemofestival,49–50escortsby,210,225–26,228atGreatPrayerFestival,46–47,50–51inKham,125

inLhasa,245ChineseCommunists

armedconflictwith,237–38,243–44,248destructionofLhasaby,305,417n336dissentandschismsprovokedby,229invasionby,2,302inMarkham,289mediationandpeacetalkswith,190,192,194,222–23,411n219oppressionby,239propagandaof,251–52Tibetanattitudestoward,243

Chinese“WaroftheWater-RatYear,”50,63,72,149,402n51Chingkarwa,172,342ChinnamuṇḍāVajravārāhī,402n49ChisungGang,215ChisurLekshéGyatso,21,32,34,35chöritual,88,118,405n112ChödenBar,Mrs.,324ChögonRinpochéofDechenChökhor,196,270ChögyalGyalu,100ChogyéLabrang,163ChogyéTrichenRinpoché,163,270,315,346ChöjéLodröPalsang,397ChöjéMönlamPalwa,397ChöjéSurkharwaLekshéTsöl,114ChökhorGyalMonastery,20,45,53,140,188,418n363ChökhorYangtsé,194ChokléNamgyal,BodongPaṇchen,284,415n303ChoktengTaLama,334ChoktengThuptenNorsang,360ChökyiGyaltsen,Jetsun,57Chölung,140ChomdenRikral,151ChonéLamaDrakpaShedrup,SheavesofAuspiciousness,324,418n354ChonéLamaRinpochéLosangGyatsoTrinpalSangpo,121ChongyéRiwoDechen,140,248ChöphelGawa,Geshé,180ChöphelThupten,169,200ChötriCollege,29,35,39ChötriMonastery,122,123

ChötseTulku,255Chözé,remainsof,52ChözéGyatruk,199ChözéNgawangDorjé,175,210ChözéYugyal,291,292,295ChubiLabrang,192Chudangmo,249–50ChumikValley,167,196,224ChusangHermitage,32,34

bookcollectionat,72celebrationsat,40LosangTsultrim’scremationat,134offeringsto,123PhabongkhaRinpochéat,29,121,163recordsonthroneholder’srecognitionat,25studiesat,56,59teachingsreceivedat,41,74,75–76,79,123,125,127,137–40TrijangRinpoché’sarrivalat,28,29visitto,111

ChusangMonastery,197ChushiGangdrukmilitia,237–38,251Chushul,158–59,192Chushur,38,46Chusumdo,116ChutsulPass,86ChuworiHermitage,192Cipullo,Claudio,420n398circumambulations

aroundGanden,144–45benefitsof,111,163inBodhgaya,274consecrationofcardinalpoints,234,236byGeshéSherap,71Lhasa’scircularpath,222byNgakrampa,61processionofMaitreya,242,413n264

CittamaṇiTārābody-mandalainitiationof,354,355closelineageof,341generationandcompletionstagesof,154

HeartAbsorptionpermission,78,313,355initiationsgiven,223,256,272transmissionof,325TrijangRinpoché’scommentaryon,384

Cittamātraview,316clairvoyance

ofDranakLama,93ofGangkarRinpoché,88ofThirteenthDalaiLama,126ofTrijangRinpoché,110ofTsewangGyaltsen,97

CollectedTopics,41,401n35commitmentbeings(samayasattva),336,419n366compassion,4,78,90,114–15,143,151,154,252,309,381,385CompendiumofReality(Tattvasaṃgraha),347completionstage,308,344,381,417n399conductempowerment,55–56confessionceremony,258,317,331,333,336,352confidence,15,53,60,118,145,170,240,353cremationrituals

forLosangGyaltsen,126forLosangTsultrim(tutor),134forLosangTsultrimPalden,21forNgakrampaGyütöLosangTendar,62forTrijangRinpoché,388–90

DDagyabChetsangHothokthu,217,310,384,411n228

arrivalinLhasa,201,202inBodhgaya,286escapefromTibet,249inGermany,278–79,296–97languageinstructionreceived,255,263permissionsreceived,221requestsTrijangRinpoché’sautobiography,14,374inSwitzerland,325teachingsreceived,230,232–33,254,260–61,263,270–71,276teachingsrequested,223,351–52

ḍākasandḍākinīs,154–55,230,292,382DakchenRinpoché(Sakyathronholder),150

ḌākinīsthatDispelObscurations,313DaklhaGampoRinpoché,140,407n158DakpaMonastery,219–20DakpoBamchöRinpoché,291,299,300,328,329,331,332DakpoLamaRinpoché.SeeJampalLhundrup(DakpoLamaRinpoché)DakpoShedrupLing,157,159,182,408n174DakpoTashiNamgyal,SourceofSiddhi,131DalaiLamas

assistanttutorpositions,2,409n188andPaṇchenLamas,connectionbetween,229,411n234patron-priestrelationshipsof,115,405n127tenthandeleventh’stutor,417n340SeealsoGendunDrup,FirstDalaiLama;GendunGyatso,SecondDalai

Lama;KalsangGyatso,SeventhDalaiLama;KhedrupGyatso,EleventhDalaiLama;NgawangLosangGyatso,FifthDalaiLama;NgawangLosangThuptenGyatso,ThirteenthDalaiLama;SönamGyatso,ThirdDalaiLama;TsangyangGyatso,SixthDalaiLama;TsultrimGyatso,NinthDalaiLama

Dalhousie,390,391,393.SeealsoGyüméTantricCollege(Dalhousie);GyütöTantricCollege(Dalhousie)

DampaLodröofTsawarong,274,277DampaTharchin,98DampaTsang,215Damshung,223dances,ritual,30

atChaknaMuntik,119costumesfor,atChatrengMonastery,95–96inDechen,145DemoGucham,216atSamphelLing,212–13SevenBlazingBrothers,216ofShukden,245atTsurphu,230

Daṇḍin,MirrorofPoetics(Kāvyādārśa),70,263,403n84Dap,211Dapa,91DargyéMonastery,99–100,107,205Darjeeling,46,148,251,254,255,258,354,361,380,418n357DarpoLing,172Dartsedo,205,209–10

DasangDradul,46DatakPakthang,214DawaDargyé,196DéGönkhangtemple,99debates

onAbhidharma,372atChamdo,218examinations,66–67,240forFourteenthDalaiLama’senrollmentceremony,180atGanden,51–52onPerfectionofWisdom,55ontantricsubjects,73trainingin,41–42,53,54,55,71,135TrijangRinpoché’smasteryof,383

Dechen,43,122,235DechenBalamshar,67,69DechenGawaiWangchuk,167DechenKharapOgongKotsang,84DechenLamotsé,83DechenNyingpo,138DechenPhodrangPalace,151,152,228–29DechenRabgyéLing,229DechenSang-ngakKhar,35DedrukLabrang,249DedrungKhenchenNgawangRapten,407n160degenerateage,91,114,348Dehradun,340deities

birth,53,84,122,402n59costumesof,56,62,273drawing,trainingin,50mind-seal,110praisinglocal,236,412n261signsofpleasing,90wisdomandcommitment,336,363,419n366

DekyiLhazé,Lady,301DekyiYangchen(sister),87Demo,204,219DemoRinpoché,29,40,49,69,149,154,400n23demons,subjugationof,52,402n58

DenmaGeshéNgawangLekden,300,367DenmaHouse,180,234DenmaJampaChögyal,315,317DenmaLochöRinpoché,283–84,352,362,365DenmaTengyéRinpochéincarnation,364DenmaTsemang,287,415n310DenmaTsenbarTulkuofSeraJé,67,257DenmaTsültrimDönden,311Densathel,140DepaKyishöpa(a.k.a.TaktséShabdrungDorjéNamgyal),14–15dependentorigination,316,335,419n365Dergé,205,208,210,415n303DergéSharLama.SeeKungaPalden,DergéSharLamaDeshungNakhathang,99DesiSangyéGyatso,115,130,182,196,411n222devotion,8–9,31,143–44,157,159,298,401n39.Seealsoguru-disciple

connectionDeyangCollege,49,66,180DeyangSharCourtyard,128,177DeyangTsenshapRinpoché,66,67,70,135,404n88Deyangpa,83Dharamsala,9,372–73,379–80,394

airraidsin,280–81moveto,255offeringsandritualsin,306–7teachingsin,259–61,272–74,288–90,334

dhāraṇīs,130–31,146,187,188,195,274Dharmateaching,reflectionson,238–39,245–46,274–75,352,373–74dharmakāyarelics,94Dharmakīrti,240,403n80,410n201Dharmamitra,397Dharmarāja,61,134

fivefold,263–64,273,414n282innersādhanaof,193IronFortressritual,263,414n280Outer,269permissionreceived,40permissionsgiven,99,148,162,183,262representationsof,131ritualperformanceof,119

ritualsof,59,60,95,174,263,360,384–85sixty-four-parttormaofferingto,75,404n95thangkasof,199,213,268

DharmarājaBlackPoisonMountain,52,186–87Dharmarājachapel,39Dharmarakṣita,106,223diagrams,131–32,186,197,310,358,411n223DialecticInstitute,Chamdo,142dialectics,173,216,218,233Diamond-CutterSutra(Vajracchedikāsūtra),313Dignāga,240,410n201DilgoKhyentséRinpoché,270,306,307,361DingkhaMonastery,197DingkhaRinpochéofTölung,197DispellingObstaclesonthePath,280divinations.Seeoracles;prophesiesanddivinationsDivineLhamoLake,188DoboomTulku,343DokhangHouse,24,51–52,81,120,235,394,400n19

accusationsagainst,85giftsandofferingsto,67,86managementofTrijangLabrangby,82–84offeringsat,122pillarbannersfor,137,221receptionsat,121,142Shedrafamilypatronageof,38teachingsgivenat,65,74,84

DokharShabdrungTseringWangyal,15,399n5Döl,247DöndrupNamgyal,175,205DöndrupTsering,304DongongTulkuofDrakgyab,76Dongsum,111,112DongsumRikngaHouse,168DönkarPass,248DophüChökhorMonastery,247DoringPaṇḍitaNgödrupRapten,399n4DoringTenzinPaljor,15,399n4Dorjé(Amdoartist),280DorjéDenpa,278

DorjéDrakden,180,331DorjéYudrön,Lady,232,259DosamNyitsoTrinlé,41Dothuk,120DotraMonastery,149Drachi,247DragochéGate,52dragon,symbolismof,323DrakgyabKyilthang,204,219DrakYerpa,60,73,183,231Drakar(Dhankar)Monastery,262DrakarPass,211DrakarRinpochéofTrehor,99Drakgyab,216–17DrakgyabChungtsang,49DrakgyabLabrang,216,217DrakgyabNgawangTsephel,354DrakgyabRinpoché,256DraknakLabrang,86Draknakpo,188DrakpaAdrak,273DrakpaGyaltsen.SeeDulwaDzinpaDrakpaGyaltsenDrakpaSamdrup.SeeThuptenPhelgyé(a.k.a.DrakpaSamdrup)DrakpaTulku,216DrakriRinpoché,142,144,154DrakriRinpoché,incarnationof,390,421n415DrakshulWangpo,84,122DrakthokGang,148DranakLama(a.k.a.LamaChöphak),88–89,91–92,93,105DranakMonastery,116DrapaNgönshé,247,413n268Drashiarmedforces,117,176,177–78,189DrathangMonastery,247,413n268DratiGeshé,56DratiHouse(SeraJé),18drawingskills,57,383dreams

disturbing,337–38forgotten,162ofFourteenthDalaiLama,336

GangkarLama’s,117,118ofkillinganimals,109ofkingofMuli,362,420n397ofmovingprotectorchapelatDrepung,170ofpacificationofillness,124ofPhabongkhaRinpoché,351PhabongkhaRinpoché’s,154,163onrenovatingChakraTemple,110ofTachangma,87onthirdincarnationofPhabongkhaRinpoché,338–39,354ofThirteenthDalaiLama,365

DrepungGomang,42,54,56,58,172,199–200,401n42,418n363DrepungGomang(Mundgod),371–72DrepungGomang(Rikon),293DrepungLoseling,69,75,82,88DrepungLoseling(Mundgod),350,370DrepungMonastery

FourteenthDalaiLamaat,180,233–34Lhamo’sshrinetransferat,169–71offeringsto,123studiesat,73transmissionsreceivedat,54–55,57–58SeealsoDeyangCollege

DrepungMonastery(Mundgod),369–70,394DreulhaMonastery,249DrichuRiver,88,116,215Drigung,173DrigungChödrak’svision,lineagesof,223DriméKundendrama,39,401n31DripTsechokLingLabrang,230,412n253DriwaBalsé,289DrodokChödrak,112,113Drodokregion,112DrodruGeshéLosangTharchin,95,96DrodruGeshéTenzinTrinlé,212DrogönChögyalPhakpa,99,171,405n119Drok,Mount,203DrokRiwochéGandenNamparGyalwaiLing,203,220,235.Seealso

GandenMonasteryDrölmaPhodrang,333,334,399n10

Dromo,148,191–94,225,228DromoDungkarMonastery,255DromoGeshéRinpochéNgawangKalsang,75,146,193,310

giftsfrom,267–68incarnationof,238,281,283–84,306,342,360–61initiationsreceived,259requestforguidanceto,90residenceof,256inSonada,258

DromoLabrang,146Dromtö,34,165DromtöGeshéRinpoché,28,30,40Dromtönpa,2,34,161,223,232,400n20,400n26,409n179DromtsunSherjungLodrö,197DrophenRikchéLingmedicalcollege,249DrukpaThuksé,287,380DrukpaTsechuTulku,254,271Drul,204DrupchenPaldenDorjé,332Drupgyaltradition,86,262,263,269,274,286,321,324,327,340,343,346,

350,351,360Druzinpalace,160–61,183DuchiPass,248DudjomRinpoché,260,270,287DuguMonastery,190DulwaDzinpaDrakpaGyaltsen,120,347,406nn130–32,420n387DungkarMonastery,90,146,148,192,193Dunhuangtexts,298DzaRongphuTulku,297DzachuRiver,87,119,217,218Dzachukharegion,94DzalepPass,148DzamlingCheguWangdü,20,399n10Dzarongfamily,324DzasakChöjangDradul,50DzasakKalsangTsultrim,General,177,178DzasakKheméSönamWangdü.SeeKheméSönamWangdüDzasakLamaLosangRinchenofKyapying,151DzasakofRadreng,176DzasakTrethongofTashiLhunpo,203

DzedzéMonastery,88–89,91,93,105DzeméRinpoché,168,228,384

Chinavisit,208,210,211,215initiationsreceived,259long-lifeceremoniesofferedby,317,368–69offeringsfrom,361teachingsreceived,261,263,276,339,340,362,380

Dzitho,86DzithoMonastery,119DzogangSang-ngakLing,119DzongkarChödé,308,313,315,366,394DzongsarKhyentséRinpoché,361DzongsurLekshéGyatso.SeeLekshéGyatsoDzongtséTulku,310

EELama,297earthvase,146EasyPath(FirstPaṇchenLama),99,162,175,189,199,218,232,274,332,

345,380,404n97Echudogyanvillage,248EdrungTashiTsering,182eightauspicioussymbolsandsubstances,181,249,324,342,357,366,370,

410n204EightThousandVersePerfectionofWisdom,28,65,223,272,312EightVersesonMindTraining,276eightworldlyconcerns,15,59,222,326,375,399n6Ekajaṭī,199,412n239“ElegyforaChildWanderingonthePlain,”161EliminatingtheDarknessoftheTenDirections,61emptiness,313–14,326,338.SeealsoblissandemptinessEngland,295–96equalizingandexchangingselfwithothers,233,289EssenceoftheMiddleWay(Madhyamakahṛdaya,Bhāvaviveka),144,

408n163Europe,impressionsof,302–4“eyeofthecrow”ridingrobe,35,400n27

F

festivalsofBuddhaŚākyamuni,50,133,201,225–27,257,299,350,390,402n53ofDemo,49–50GandenNgamchö,256,259,260,413n274KhoryukChöpa(Radreng),32,41oflightscommemoratingTsongkhapa,402n54Shotönfolk-opera,185,372,420n409TsurphuSummerDances,230universalincense-offering,149YönruSession,101–2

FiftyVersesonGuruDevotion(Gurupañcāśikā,Aśvaghoṣa),9,62,152,173,201,354

fireworksdisplay(LakeGeneva),291fivebuddhafamilies,131,133fivegreattreatisesonBuddha’sword,68,233,235,239–40,241,403n80fivesciences,55,57,403n66“fivesetsoffive”practice,211FiveWrathfulGaruḍa,323FlowoftheRiverGanges,339FortuneEonSutra(BhadrakalpikaSutra),308fourclassesoftantra,75,124,382–83.Seealsokriyātantra;performance

tantra(caryātantra);yogatantrafourharmoniousfriends,57,403n68FourHundredVerses(Catuḥśataka,Āryadeva),359,373FourMedicalTantras(Yuthok),409n192fournobletruths,240,298,308,336Four-ArmedAvalokiteśvara,100,214Four-ArmedMahākāla,destructionofstatueof,17Four-FacedMahākāla,125,150

permissiongiven,162,380RobberofStrength,356,362seventeenemanationsof,127,163,218,363,406n139thangkasof,171TimeofApproximation,346,362,420n396

France,299–300,328FriendshipSocietyofKalimpong,256,259

GG.S.MandidipPaperMills,275,284,286,414n291GadongMonastery,17,152

Gadongoracle,400n15onexilefromTibet,244–45onFourteenthDalaiLama’senthronement,190–91onGankarLama’sreincarnation,318,331life-forcewheelsfor,263onPhabongkha’sreincarnation,173teachingsreceived,289onthroneholder’sreincarnation,23

GalingangBönpotsangfamily,148,193GaluLosangGyaltsen,352GampaPass,146,192GampopaSönamRinchen,407n158Ganden(pureland),21,386,387,399n14GandenChökhor,140,229GandenChöling(Ghoom),148GandenChöpelLing(Nepal),254,339GandenEmanationScripture.SeeMiraculousBookofGandenGandenJangtséCollege,36,51–52,55,66,67,69,74,121,122,128,133,

136,142,154,180GandenJangtséCollege(Mundgod),288,352,395GandenLachi,83,404n107GandenMahāmudrā,179,230,271,408n170GandenMonastery,136,141,220,309

administrativebodyof,83,404n107arrivalat,35–37assemblyhallrestoration,183black-magic,counteractingat,97debateat,55defensefromChineseby,51draperyprojectfor,136–37examinationsbeforeassemblyat,63,403n77foundingof,17FourteenthDalaiLamaat,234–36,237Kālacakrainitiationat,42LosangTsultrimPaldenat,20–21returnto,aftervisittoKham,121–22Shedrafamilypatronageof,38,39SherapGeshéat,74smallpoxepidemicat,48–49studiesat,73,74

teachingsgivenat,141–44,154ThirteenthDalaiLama’svisitto,126visitsto,84–85SeealsoGandenShartséCollege

GandenMonastery(Mundgod),350–51,366–68,380,391,394GandenNangsalChamber,128,182GandenNgamchöfestival,256,259,260,413n274GandenPhelgyéLing,146GandenPhodrang,67,229,406n128GandenPhodrangPalace,restorationof,169–71GandenSang-ngakYangtséatYerpa,231–32GandenShartséCollege,36,74,121,142,406n134

abbotsof,65,154annualconsecrationritualsat,224bannersfor,221debatetrainingat,41–42enrollmentat,37–38historyof,textof,359initiationsgivenat,128,133,136landleasedfrom,83LosangTsultrimat,135melodiesexclusiveto,306monasticdisciplinarianat,43,401n37offeringsat,67,122pillarbanners,giftof,141protectorof,405n117receptionat,84–85studiesat,382styleof,95textbooksof,401n42SeealsoDokhangHouse

GandenShartséCollege(Mundgod),284,287–88,315,345,390,393,394GandenThekchokLing,380GandenThroneholders,70,202,399n2

dutiesof,59Eighty-Sixth,rivalcandidatefor,24–25lineageof,374priorincumbents,17,18,20,29,37,55,69residenceof,126,406n138TrijangRinpochéas,13

SeealsoJangchupChöphel;LosangGyaltsenGandenYangtséChamber,132,173,201,241Gandhi,Indira,283Gandhi,Mohandas,226,257Gaṇeśa,131GangchenChöpelMonastery,150GangchenKyishong,312,360,377,389,393,417n344GangesRiver,releaseoffishat,359,364,420n400Gangkar,92,381GangkarLabrang,215GangkarLamaRinpochéKönchokChödrak,88,92–93,96,117–18,216GangkarLamaRinpochéKönchokChödrak,incarnationof,289,318,331,

360GangkarLamatsangMonastery,116–18GangkarLing,91,92,93GangkyaRinpochéofPhenpo,30GanglingSherapTulku,92GanglingTsothokPöntsang,92Ganglomaprayer,327,329,381GangtöDögu,153Gangtok,Sikkim,226,227GarchenSessionatBumNyakthang,102GarlandofBirthStories(Jātakamālā,Āryaśūra),89,111,257,277,352,

371–72GarpaHermitage,232Garthok,87–88,112,119GarthokÖserMonastery,119,216Garuḍa,345,413n272GasharDokhangHouse,32GelukBuddhistCulturalSociety,334GelukStudentsAssociation,359Geluktradition,270,335

GandenThroneholder,positionofin,399n2geshécurriculumin,68,403n80inKham,82,101–2,114lectureon,259mahāmudrāorallineageof,408n170.SeealsoGandenMahāmudrāmonasticreconstructioninIndia,307,310puresenseof,309andSakya,commonaltiesbetween,150

Shukdenin,8stateof,339tantriccollegesin,400n24thangkaimagesof,134,407n153

GemoNgachu,98GemoRuthok,215GenLosangChöphel,387GendunChöyang,223GendunDrakpa,GeshéSadul,22GendunDrup,FirstDalaiLama,57,415n303

EasternSnowMountain,236,412n258IlluminationofthePathtoFreedom,65

GendunGyatso,SecondDalaiLama,110,187,223PresentationoftheThreeActsofLhamo,187

GendunPhuntsok,FiftiethGandenThroneholder,17,18GephelHermitage,171,180Germany,295,296–99GesarofLing,104,300,417n332GeshéChödenpa,66GeshéChödrak,120GeshéDapön,77geshédoram,65,66,403n78GeshéGendunofMili,74geshélharamdegree,45–47,400n18

candidacyfor,65–68examinationfor,68–69ofFourteenthDalaiLama,2–3,240–42inIndia,258,371ofPhabongkha’sincarnation,31,400n25ofTrijangRinpoché,25,382

GeshéPotowa,161GeshéRapgyé,315GeshéSharawa,163GeshéSherap.SeeSherapGyatso,VenerableGeshéGetakTulku,99,205GetséPaṇḍitaGyurméTsewangChokdrup,HundredRaysofLight,168Ghaṇṭapādatradition,54,77,80,104,148,188–89,194,196,199,254,255,

256,258,259,260,288,290,337,380GhoomMonastery,258,361Gok,Mount,21

GökarPass,141GolaPass,163,177GomangCollege.SeeDrepungGomangGomangMokchokRinpoché,78,79GomoTulku,333Gönang(valley),215GongkarLamaRinpochéofSeudru,111GongkarTruldruktradition,196GongkhukmaofRechunginitiation,153Gongkotsang,122Gongkotsangfamily,39GongsumChöten,250GongsumShangmé,214GongtsenKarmaTsering,211–12Gönpo(secretary),106GönpoDorjé’sblackdeer,245,413n266GönpoTseduNakpo,119–20GönpoTseringofMongolia,69GönsarTengonMonastery,88GönsarTulku,352GönthangBumoché,140GöntséMonastery,249GorumTemple,150,408n168GosapRinpoché,103GoshöPomdatsang,119GotraLhamo(RaktamukhaDevī),169–71.SeealsoPaldenLhamoGowoHouse,55GowoPalbarMonastery,96Goworegion,88Goworong,106grammarandcompositionstudies,56–57,185,255GreatCompassionateOne,54,402n64

inIndia,initiationsgiven,148,149,255initiationsgiven,99,103,116,162,182,210,212,262publicinitiations,88,89–90,92,96,111,119,215retreaton,80,193SeealsoAvalokiteśvara

GreatGame,2GreatGoldenStupa,GrantingAllGoodnessandHappiness,128,131–33,

407n141

GreatPrayerFestival,24,27,118,126,400n18attendanceat,42,64Chinesetroubleduring,45–47,50geshéexaminationsduring,3,68–69,240–42literatureat,150inMundgod,394Nechungdivinationat,172–73Ngakrampa’sillnessat,58offeringsat,123,135,137,155,211,222,241SeraJéboycottof,168–69SeealsoAnnualPrayerFestival

GreatRedGaṇapati,408n167GreatSagethatOrnamentstheWorldstatue,230GreatSecretExplicationforDisciples,196,411n220GreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePath(Tsongkhapa),404n101

copywritteningold,345fourannotationson,143,407n160FourteenthDalaiLama’sdiscourseon,314,316,317,330FourteenthDalaiLama’sreceiptof,270,273Gandeneditionof,268,314,330Phabongkhalineageof,82,141,142–43,151,159,320–21Phabongkha’sgiftof,145readingaloud,224teachingsgivenon,167,218,259transmissionsgiven,300,332TrijangRinpoché’smasteryof,382

GreenTārā,321,322GuardianoftheTent,171,409n185Guhyasamāja,50

ofAkṣobhyavajra,91,92,96,370completionstage,137,138–40,164,407nn155–57consecrationritual,232,317fourinterwovencommentaries,73,347,404n92generationandcompletionstageof,172initiationsgiven,99,148,160,162,167,173,182,183mandalasof,73,79,102,119,224,269mantrapermissions,223,238,263oraltransmissionoftextsof,347roottantra,61self-andfront-generation,263

self-initiationof,95statue,308transmissionreceived,73TrijangRinpoché’smasteryof,383uniqueGyümétransmissionsof,167

GuhyasamājaLokeśvara,174GuhyasamājaRootTantra

fourinterwovencommentaries,73,347,404n92LaterTantraof,311,417n342recitationof,61

Guṇaprabha,403n80,410n201GungTashiDorjéofPhunkhang,46,176,177GungriGungtsen,templeof,232GungruHouse,58,172Gungthang,84,122GungthangChökhorLing,29,34GungthangCollege,17Gungthangestate,20,22,35,49,53,123,355GungthangJampalyang,108GungthangKönchokTenpaiDrönmé,13–14,18,159,267,399n3,408n175

MeaningfultoBehold,179GungthangLabrang,220,237,390GungthangMonastery,17–18,19,20,22–23,53,237,399n8GungtrulRinpochéKhyenrapPaldenTenpaiNyima,58,86GuruChöwang,264GuruDeva,Lama,253–54,274,310,329,341,345,351,358,366GuruPuja,79,123,357

inBodhgaya,358atBuxa,256dailypracticeof,118,135inDharamsala,365discoursesgivenon,96,148,154,179,230atDrepung(Mundgod),370experientialteachingson,367inFrance,300inGermany,299instructionsgivenon,271,274inLondon,296andmahāmudrācombined,172atOaksKoti,270

forPhabongkhaRinpoché,161inSarnath,288,306inSwitzerland,293,294–95,324thangkasof,273,312forTrijangRinpoché,345,350,351,360,361,368–69atTrijangRinpoché’spassing,387tsokofferingof,143

GuruRinpoché.SeePadmasambhavaGuruYogaofVajrabhairavaThatIsaTreasuryofAttainments,365guru-discipleconnection,169,205,213,361,382,411n234gurus,qualitiesof,161guruyoga,six-session,61,79,90,135,189,264,272,350GushöPangda,216GushriTenzinChögyal,115,405n127gutorritual,199,411n224Gyada,85,219GyakarKhampa,380GyalKhangtséTulku,214GyalKhenchenDrakpaGyaltsen,334,418n363GyalLhathok,140GyalTemple,163Gyalchen.SeeShukdenGyalchenDorjé,71.SeealsoSherapGyatso,VenerableGeshéGyalmoNgulchuRiver,86GyaloThondup,302,319GyalongPass,140GyalrongHouse,30,73,180GyalrongKhentrulRinpoché,238GyalsurTulku,295Gyalthang,113,115,405n127GyalthangAboTulkuRinpoché,214,215GyalthangSumtsenLing,115,207,209GyaltsapDarmaRinchen,195,330,404n90,407n153

EssenceOrnament,289GyaltséTulkuofLhopaHouse,120GyaltsenNamdröl,293,326,329GyaltsenPalmo,349GyaltsenThönpo,palaceof,151GyalwaEnsapa,collectedworksof,99GyalwangChöjéLosangTrinléNamgyal,JewelGarlandBeautifyingthe

Buddha’sTeachings,417n340GyalwangTulkuofKongpoHouse,127GyamaNakrihills,47GyamoRiverbridge,219GyangoGyalsangestate,247Gyantsé,146,152,192,194,225,228GyapönBu,99GyapönChözéNgawangDorjé,205GyapönDöndrupNamgyal,101,210Gyapöntsangclan,100,205GyaraRinpochéofChamdo,272Gyasok,140GyatsaShalkar,104GyatsoLingLabrang,86GyatsoLingTulku,86,172,173GyatsoTsering,391–93Gyatso-la(uncle),29,34,53GyüméChabrilTsultrimDargyé,294GyüméTantricCollege,334,399n13,400n24,412n246

abbots’duties,59DechenSang-ngakKharbranch,35FourteenthDalaiLamavisits,224initiationsgivenat,160,183–84offeringsat,123,135,196statuesofTsongkhapaat,181styleof,102,360summerretreatof,167teachingsrequestedby,173–74

GyüméTantricCollege(Dalhousie),395,414n279mandalaconstructionat,311offeringsby,315,360permissionsgiven,263prayersofferedby,331ritualsperformedby,317teachingsreceivedby,268–69,330,353–54

GyüméTantricCollege(Hunsur),366,394GyurméDorjé,247GyurméSadutshang,176,177,254,259,275,284,286GyütöTantricCollege,399n13

abbots’duties,59

enrollmentat,72,77Guhyasamājaritualat,231–32initiationsandteachingsgivenat,182LosangTsultrimPaldenat,59Ngakrampaat,58,62offeringsat,123,135PhabongkhaRinpochéat,30,400n24resignationfrom,81studiesat,72–75,382–83styleof,95three-dimensionalmandalatrainingat,183

GyütöTantricCollege(Dalhousie),394,414n279Akṣobhyavajrastatueoffering,363,420n399offeringsby,315ritualsperformedby,317,336,337teachingsreceivedby,268–69,330,334,353–54

HHahn,Michael,297,416n327HaltingtheḌākinī’sEscortritual,143,271,275,337,360,361HardongHouse,54,62,69,152,180Hayagrīva,52,61,337,354,365,413n272,420n401HeartSutra,118,313,338hellrealms,tormentsof,226–27HerukaCakrasaṃvara,214,288,356,382,411n233.SeealsoCakrasaṃvara,

five-deityinitiationHevajraTantra,408n167highestyogatantra,382–83Hinayanatradition,70Horkhangpa,38HortönNamkhaPal,RaysoftheSunMindTraining,179,279Hothokthutitle,403n83HuiKhochang,222HundredDeitiesofTuṣita

inBodhgaya,343commentaryon,380inDharamsala,346,379–80inFrance,300,329atGangchenKyishong,313inLondon,296

inMundgod,350outlineof,217Phabongkha’spersonalteachingson,264,315,322recitationsof,60,71,394inSwitzerland,293,295teachingson,152,224,228,233,261,272thangkaof,212–13transmissionof,273

Hunsur,350,366,394HyderbadHouse,226,227

IIlluminatingtheMeaningofSarvavidTantra,347,420n387illusorybody,137–38impermanence,130,237–39,247,375India

arrivalin,249–51asylumin,132Buddhistpilgrimagesitesin,226pilgrimageto,146Shukdenpracticein,8Tibetanexilein,239

Indianarmy,270Indo-Pakistaniwarandconflicts,280–81,351Indrabhūti,408n167Indrabodhi,139initiations,methodsusedin,42–43innerheatyoga,165,343,344,409n180InnermostEssenceBladeritual,307,417n337InstituteofHigherTibetanStudies(Sarnath),343,345,358,359IronFortressoftheMagicalWheeloftheTormaRitual,358IronFortressritual,263,333,337,354,358,414n280IronFortressSixty-FourPartRitualwithRelianceuponExternal

Dharmarāja,333

JJajaNunnery,211JakhyungDrakarDzong,117Jalavāhana,364,420n400

Jambhala,131,178,289JamdunTemple,217Jampa,Mr.,257,274JampaChödrak,JangtséChöjé,70JampaChösang,185JampaKalsangGyatso,326JampaKhedrupRinpoché,205JampaKhedrupRinpoché,incarnationof,363JampaRapjor,Geshé,368JampaSönam,Venerable,70JampaTengyé,19JampaThayéRinpoché,Geshé,218JampalChötso(sister),18,29,49,84JampalDorjé,Lotsāwa,397JampalLhundrup(DakpoLamaRinpoché),100,144,159,408n174JampalSamphel,254,264–65JampalSengé,255,301Jampa-la(doctor),128JampalingMonasteryofChamdo,204–5,217JamyangGyaltsen,46JamyangKhyentséWangpo,PilgrimageGuide,141,407n159JamyangKyilfamily,264JamyangMönlam,300JamyangShepaNgawangTsöndrü,45,57,401n42JamyangTashi,245,363,390–91JangchupChöphel,Sixty-NinthGandenThroneholder,13,29,111,114,386,

397JangchupGakhyilchamber,121,188,200–201JangchupGyaltsenofMarkham,347–48JangchupNorsang,35JangchupÖ,playabout,295,316JangchupTsultrim,391JangtséChöjé,29,45,401n41Jaraklingkapark,39,172,174,179JasaTemple,140Jātakas,400n20,401n31JéPass,246JéRinpocheastripledeity,102,103,109,116,152,273,295,346,350–51,

363,366Jedrupschool,59

JemaLama,106JeriTaktsé,164JetiLing,185JetsunThuptenJampalYeshéTenpaiGyaltsen.SeeRadrengRinpochéJikméLingpa,Rikzin,326JikméofShelkar,Dr.,124,134JikméSengéWangchuck,KingofBhutan,358JinpaGyatso,272,288,338Jñānapādasystem,125,355,379JokhangTemple,23,308,406n137,407n154,413n264JölDechenLingMonastery,116JölDöndrupLingMonastery,116JolaPass,87JoraMonastery,249JowoJampalDorjéstatue,223JowoŚākyamuni,201–2,206JvakiRāja,146–47Jyotirmañjarī,402–3n65

KKaburregion,214KachenLogyal,267KachenNamkhaDorjé,StagesofthePath,28,400n21KachenSöpa,380KachenYeshéGyaltsen.SeeYeshéGyaltsen(Yongzin/Kachen)kachudegree,43Kadamschool

NarthagHundredin,276pilgrimagesplacesof,162–64RadrengMonasteryand,224,400n26sevenfolddivinityandteachingof,232,412n256sixteendropspractice,339,352,419n372

Kagyütradition,104,110,211,230,269,270,287,407n158,411n232.SeealsoKarmaKagyülineage

KailashHouse,269Kakchöl,131,408n167Kālacakra,199,201,402n46

initiations,42–43,195–96,209,338tantra,161

Kalff,DoraM.,292–93,416n313

Kalimpong,146,148,227–28,254,256–57,258–59,260,380KalsangDradul,312KalsangDrölma(sister),19,34KalsangGyatso,SeventhDalaiLama,15,18,103,156,236,313,346,

400n26,412n259PraiseofAvalokiteśvara,380SacredGround,236,412n259SourceofAllAttainments,313,346

KalsangPalace(Norbulingka),66,242KalsangThuptenWangchuk,FourthJamyangShepa,45,47–48KalsangWangyal,Venerable,146,162KalsangYönten,18Kalsang-la,124KaluRinpoché,270,287Kamalaśīla,FiftyVersesonVinaya,331,418n359Kāmarāja,BlazingJewelSādhana,131KamburDrak,215KamkhaLake,116Kampopilgrimage,104–5,382KamtsangKagyütradition,104Kangyur

editingandprinting,70giftsof,168,360–61oraltransmissionof,54recitationof,51,401n55studyof,71–72

KangyurTsang,115Kangyurwatitle,402n62karma,80,108,114,145,169,178,190,293,375KarmaKagyülineage,110,337,419n367KarmapaRinpoché(RanjungRigpeDorjé,SixteenthKarmapa),270

Chinavisit,203,209,210connectionwith,258,356FourteenthDalaiLama’svisitwith,230–31FredaBediand,269,414n288inIndia,257,337,356inKalimpong,256inKham,207–8photographof,230

Karmapas

DeshinShekpa,Fifth,230–31DüsumKhyenpa,First,104,211,230KarmaPakshi,Second,230MikyöDorjé,Eighth,385,397SeealsoKarmapaRinpoché(RanjungRigpeDorjé,SixteenthKarmapa)

Karmarāja,199KarpoPass,249KarzéMonastery,99,205KashmiriPaṇditaŚakyaŚrībhadra,152,229,408n171KashöpaChögyalNyima,177,191Kashöpafamily,97,152Kāvyādārśa.SeeDaṇḍin,MirrorofPoeticsKham,58,72,78,81,82,97,207–11,241Khambuhotsprings,149KhambuMonastery,149KhamlungHermitage,164KhamlungRinpoché,390,421n415KhamlungTulku/Rinpoché(half-brother),18,31,164KhamlungpaShākyaYönten,164,409n179KhamtrukofChatreng,27KhamtrulRinpoché,256,260,269KhangsarDorjéChangNgawangThuptenChökyiWangchuk,42,144,309,

401n36KhangsarKyabgönTulku,99KhangsarLosangTsultrim,99KhangsarVajradharaofGomang,75KhangsarYeshéNyima,259KhangtsekPass,215KharakGomchung,368KharapShankhaestate,39KhardoRikzinChökyiDorjé,229KhardoTulkuofSeraJé,176,177,191KhargoTulku,219KharoPass,192KharölPass,152KhartakPass,140KhartengMonastery,248–49KhatsarwaJampaSöpa,305KhauDrakzong,150KhawoButsa,116

KhecaraAkaniṣṭha,165Khedrup,treasurerofShartséCollege,27KhedrupGelekPalsang(KhedrupJé),235,404n90,407n153,408n173

DoseofEmptiness,179EntrywayofFaith,276OceanofAttainmentsoftheGenerationStageofGuhyasamāja,153,

408n173statueof,195Wish-FulfillingJewel,334

KhedrupGyatso,EleventhDalaiLama,46,417n340KhedrupNorsangGyatso,181KhedrupSangyéYeshé,collectedworksof,99Khegungfamily,19Kheméfamily,19,34,141KheméRinchenWangyal,79KheméSönamWangdü,193–94,225,304,354–55KhenchenDönpalwa(a.k.a.TashiLingpaKhyenrapWangchuk),161KhenchenTara,249,413n270KhendrupThupten,Geshé,292KhenrabThupten,Geshé,294–95KhensurNgawangDrakpa,261KhenyenCollege,189KhönKönchokGyalpo(KhönMañjuśrī),333,408n168,418n362KhöntönPaljorLhundup,409n186KhoryukChöpa,41KhyenrapGyatso,Geshé,157–58,159,173KhyenrapLhamo,162KhyenrapNorbu(doctor),175,185,196KhyenrapPaldenTenpaiNyima(GungtrulRinpoché),30KhyenrapSöpa,Geshé,264KhyenrapTenpaChöphel,58,404n93KhyenrapTenzin,187KhyenrapWangchuk,192KhyenrapYontenGyatso,29,55KhyungbumLuMonastery,119KhyungpoTengchen,86KönchokBang,King,32KönchokJikméWangpo,SecondJamyangShepa,340,419n379Kongpo,38,39,50,85,128,204,219–20,402n49KongpoHouse,127,142

Kongtsé/PomtséRak,116KongtsunDemo,50,402n49Kotsangfamily,49kriyātantra,322Kriyāsamuccaya,55Kubera,162KublaiKhan,405n119Kuhn,Jacques,301,319,320Kuhnfamily,320,324Kumbum,209KumbumMinyakRinpoché,NgawangLekshéGyatso(fourth),179,384,

410n200KundelingLabrang,196KundelingMonastery,54,56,167KundelingTatsakHothokthuRinpoché,54,167KundelingTatsakThuptenKalsangTenpaiDrönmé,45,47KundorTulku,257KungaDöndrup,Jetsun,400n24KungaPalden,DergéSharLama,325,339,419n371KungarawaPalace,82,233KungoPaldenTsering.SeePaldenTsering(attendant)KungoTara,365KunkhyenJamyangShepa,196Kunphel-la.SeeThuptenKunphel(attendanttoThirteenthDalaiLama)KunsangPhodrang,155Kunsangtsé,53,79Kunsangtséfamily,19,34,87,304,306,355Kurseong,148,254,256,309KuruBridge,385Kurukulle,61,131,325,339,408n167KuśalaRasadhara,397Kushinagar,146,226,265KushoTserap,171–72KyapyingDzasak,152Kyergangtradition,60,223,259,334,403n71KyergangpaChökyiSengé,403n71KyichuRiver,18,27,245,246KyilMonastery(a.k.a.KeyGompa),261–63,264,311KyilekMonastery,210KyishöShapdrungNgawangTenzinTrinlé,188,410n215

KyishöTsalGungthangdistrict,17,162KyitsalLuding,53,194KyormolungMonastery,17,73KyungbumLuraMonastery,216

LLabrangMonastery,418n363LadakhBuddhaVihar,275,283,334–35,351,360LadakhiLosangTashi,271,275,283LajangKhan(a.k.a.KingLhasang),17,399n9LakakTulku,76–77,205,210,212,213LakhaHermitage,215Lakṣmītradition,54,80,90,103,193,210,255Lalitavajra,411n225LamaChöphak.SeeDranakLama(a.k.a.LamaChöphak)LamaKunga.SeeLosangKungaGyurméLamaLhaksam,168,409n182LamaUmapa,352Lamdrak,99LamdrakTulkuofTrehor,294LamoTsangpa,171Lamotséhouseholdandestate,39,52lamrim.Seestagesofthepath(lamrim)Langdarma,410n196,412n255LangriThangpa,Geshé,163,397

EightVersesonMindTraining,179–80Langthang,32,163LatiRinpoché

offeringsby,345permissionsandinitiationsreceived,311,340teachingsreceived,313,332,362atTrijangRinpoché’spassing,388,389TrijangRinpoché’sreincarnationand,391,392visitfrom,359

Laurence,AmaYvonne,299LawaGeshéKhunawa,214LawaHouse,70LawudoTulku.SeeThubtenZopaRinpochéLekden,110LekdenBabu,148

LekshéGyatso,24,28,49,52,54,59,62–63,73LekshéKundrokLingDialecticsSchool(Shartsé),37–38LelungTulku(brother),18,48–49“lettinggoofmentalfixation”practice,339,341,419n374Lhabu(seniorattendant),22,43,97,124

Chinavisit,203,205,209,219underChinesecontrol,51deathofRikzinand,128–29,130escapefromTibet,245,246flighttoDromo,191,192illnessandpassingof,276–77Khamjourney,84Lhasajourney,90,94managementoflabrangand,145–46photograph,195pilgrimageswith,140,163sowingvirtuerootsfor,277,286,287,304,310,313studiesof,54

Lhading,140,164–65Lhadun,88,119,216Lhakchung,220LhakharRinpoché,115,255LhaluGatsalfamily,137,156–57,158,310.SeealsoYangzomTsering,Lady

LhaluLhaluGyurméTsewangDorjé(financeminister),75,157,176LhalungPalgyiDorjé,232,412n255Lhalungpa,Lobsang,334,335LhamoLhatso,140LharamGeshéSherapGyatsoofLubum,207Lharigo,85LharuMenpaiGyalpo,140Lhasa

armedconflictin,248BedaTulku’sarrivalin,77broadcastmessageorderedbyChinese,207Chineseturmoilin,50–52,53destructionin,305FourteenthDalaiLama’sarrivalin,152–53Kunsangtséhouse,19Qingambansin,401n43

returnto,115–20threeseatsoflearning,3,405n118Tibetanuprisingin,3,243–44,323,328ZhangYintangin,38–39

Lhatsé,86LhatséMonastery,119LhawangGyatso,341Lhodrak,ear-whisperedteachingsof,74Lhokhadistrict,132,330LhopaHouse,120,136LhopaTulkuRinpoché,229LhotrulNgawangKhyenrapTenpaiWangchuk,Kangyurwa,58LhozongShitramMonastery,86,119Lhundrup,deathof,29LhundrupDzongestate,168–69LhunpoTséMonastery,150LhuntséDzong,249Lianyu,46,50,401n43LiberationinthePalmofYourHand,5,76,233,274,332,379,404n98LibraryofTibetanWorksandArchives,373,379,391–92,417–18n344life-forcewheel,197Life-SustainingJéTsongkhapainitiation,183,275,311,394Lindegger,Peter,293,320,324,325LingLabrang,248,288,342,356–57,370LingRinpoché,1,154,232,263,360,384

arrivalinIndia,250audiencewithPaṇchenRinpoché,229audienceswithFourteenthDalaiLama,173,180,283,286inBodhgaya,225–27,271,274,356–57Chinavisit,203,205,206,219consecrationsgiven,263Delhirelocation,280–81,282inDharamsala,288–89,347,365DharmaconversationwithTrijangRinpoché,315–16divinationby,308donationformonasticreconstructionproject,307inDromo,191,192enrollsattantriccollege,81enthronementasGandenThronholder,275–76escapefromTibet,245,247,248,249

atgeshéexaminationsforFourteenthDalaiLama,3,234,235,240initiationsandpermissionsgiven,153,188,195–96,338,341longevityof,retreatsfor,362medicaltreatment,257,328,329Ngakrampaand,58obstacle-eliminatingritualfor,273offeringsfor,305ordainsFourteenthDalaiLama,202PhabongkhaRinpoché’sthirdincarnationand,309,354photographsof,5,209,227,253,321,322previous,23,400n16Radrengvisit,223–24requestsTrijangRinpochétoremain,386,387ritualsperformed,307,317,363,369,370,390inSarnath,264inSonada,258inSwitzerland,319–24theaterinvitationfromChinese,241atThirteenthDalaiLama’spassing,127transmissionsandteachingsreceived,277,312,313,320–21,332–33Tsurphuvisit,230tutorappointments,157–58,200

lingséexamination,65,403n78Lion-FacedḌākinī,350,351Lithangdistrict,25,98–99,101–2,114,210LithangMonastery,103–4,207,209,210–11,411n236LochenLabrang,261LochenRinpochéline,337,408n169LochenRinpochéLosangPaldenRinchenGyatso,150,152,261,408n169LochenRinpochéLosangPaldenRinchenGyatso,incarnationof,311,362LodenChödrak,208LodröChöpel,Venerable,65,135LodröTulku,310,323,325,326LogicandEpistemology,41–42,68,150,160,401n34Lokeśvara,teachingsreceived,125Lokhé,Mr.,29,35London,sightseeingin,296,327–28LongLifeSutra(Aparimitāyurjñānasūtra),163Longchenpa,264,374LongdölLamaRinpoché,196

longevity,sixsymbolsof,57,403n68long-lifeceremonies

forFourteenthDalaiLama,228,232,275,344–45,346forLingRinpoché,271forPhabongkhaRinpoché,143,154–55forTrijangRinpoché,28,265,269–70,271,272,293,305,312,316,317,

338,361,366long-lifeempowerments,193

ofAmitāyus,99inBhopal,275,286inBodhgaya,274inDharmasala,346–47inGangkar,92–93atGungthangMonastery,20inKurseong,254,256inNepal,254inOaksKoti,269atOtokMonastery,103atPhelgyeling,96public,110,111,152,165,256atSamdongLabrang,116inSarnath,265forShelkarLingap,119atShitsetsangestate,100inSonada,255,258inSpiti,262atTashiChöling,148SeealsounderAmitāyus;WhiteTārā

long-lifepills,336Long-LifePrayeroftheMelodiousWordsofTruth,337long-lifeprayers

forFourteenthDalaiLama,270,293,294,327,337,350,366forTrijangRinpoché,32,116,306,315

Losang(aidtoPhabongkhaRinpoché),30LosangChödrak,Geshé,292,416n313LosangChödrakfromYangteng,52LosangChöphelofTashiChöling,156,310LosangDargyé,abbotofShartsé,121LosangDargyéofGomangCollege,298LosangDolma,185

LosangDönden,Geshé,180LosangDönden,Kangyurwa,54,75,78–79,82,90,309,310,384LosangDöndrup,195LosangDönyöPalden(MuliKhentrulThuptenLamsangincarnation),318LosangDorjé(Mongolian),341LosangDorjéofDromo,331,337,345LosangDrölma(motherofreincarnation),390,391LosangGyaltsen(governmentofficial),182LosangGyaltsen,Kachen(teacherofLochenRinpoché’sincarnation),311,

337LosangGyaltsen,Ninety-FirstGandenThroneholder,70,126,401n32LosangKalden,340LosangKhyenrapofPhukhang,37,49,85,135LosangKungaGyurmé,385LosangLungrik,282,415n300LosangLungtokTenzinTrinlé,FifthLingRinpoché,58,400n16.Seealso

LingRinpochéLosangNamdröl,295,416n321LosangNyima,294,325,326LosangPaldrön,Lady,202LosangSamdrupRinpoché,181,384LosangSamten(brotherofFourteenthDalaiLama),158,280,291,324LosangSamten(ritualassistant),174LosangSherap(assistant),203,205,209,219,245,304LosangSönamofDargyé,271LosangTashi,191LosangTenpaRapgyé,FirstDrakarNgakrampa,174,409n190,414n280LosangTenpaiGyaltsen,37LosangThupten,Kangyurwa,362,390LosangThuptenTrinléKunkhyap,ThirdPhabongkhaRinpoché,354,355,

356,357,358LosangTsöndrü,73LosangTsultrim(tutor),94

appointmentof,41familyof,96geshélharamawardedto,46–47incarnationof,136lifeandteachingsof,135–36offeringsto,90passingof,134–35

relationshipwith,84,85,134LosangTsultrimPalden,Eighty-FifthGandenThroneholder,13,20–21,22–

25,45,58–59,387LosangVajradhara,75,404n96LosangWangmo,347LosangYeshéofChatreng,127,195,203,205,211,245,313LosangYeshéTenzinGyatso(ordinationname),32LoselingCollege.SeeDrepungLoselingLosempa,49LoterWangpo,CompendiumofAllTantras,346,420n384LowaGoba,93LubukGate,46LubumHouse,55,56,58LudrupLabrang,116LudrupTulku,116Luipatradition,54,93,102,136,196,290,330,348,354LuksangNgön-ga,322–23Lumbini,146,226Lunang,204,219–20LungsharDorjéTsegyal,130LurMonastery,119LuraMonastery,95LutakTashiTsongpön,112

MMa(Chinesemilitaryofficer),91MachikDrupaiGyalmotradition,99,103,153,223,256,258,346MachikLabdrön,405n112MagicalPlayofIllusion,The,1

author’scolophon,373–75requesttocompose,14translator’scolophon,377

MagicalWheelofStackedVajraMountains,263,354MagicalWheeloftheBlazingWeaponofDeath,333MahābhodhiTemple,146–47MahabodhiGuestHouse,146,264MahabodhiSociety,225Mahādevalegend,238–39,413n263MahādevaMunīndra,destructionofstatueof,17Mahākāla,408n168

guruasinseparablewith,61permissionsgiven,99,148,162,183,262prayer,334propitiatingritual,95,360ritualperformanceof,119secretteachingof,127thangkaof,268

mahāmudrā,79,123,140,154,172,179,230,271,408n170MahāraktaGaṇapati,131mahāsiddhas

eighty,permissionfor,79,223miraclesof,298

Mahāvairocanābhisaṃbodhi,419n381Maitreya,134,407n153

incarnationof,163mantraof,135OrnamentofRealization(Abhisamayālaṃkāra),31,32,41,180,200,367,

372,402n60,403n80processionof,242,413n264purelandof,399n14

Maitreyastatues,150,151,408n171atJamdun,217inJokhang,308atNyinpa,86atSamphelLing,90,94–95atYerpa,232

Maitripa,408n167Maja,Mr.,150MakdrungKalsang,123MakphakPass,214Maldrodistrict,219–20MaldroJaradoLabrang,29,83,85,220MaldroKatsal,140ManchuQingdynasty,402n52mandalas

drawingandconstructionof,57,59,73knowledgeof,60offering,95three-dimensional,59,73,79,119,174–75,183,224,269,311

Mangma,249

ManiKabum,54,402n61maṇimantras,93,103–4,110,215,305,336,366Manithang,Mr.,312,356Mañjuśrī,285,405n115,415n307

Ganglomaprayerto,327,329,381RedandYellow,296,322statuesof,150,201SeealsoChantingtheNamesofMañjuśrī

Mañjuśrīcycle,40–41,74,233,311,352,356,401n33Mañjuvajra,32,355,379,380Manmatha’swine,179,410n199mantrawheels,186mantras

dependentorigination,335–36,419n365life-force,197ofMaitreya,135ofprotectionfromlightningandhail,101inprotectorshrines,187–88recitationinretreats,92,124six-syllable(Avalokiteśvara),110,135,221,261,262,263,402n61.See

alsomaṇimantrasforThirteenthDalaiLama’smausoleum,130–31

MaoZedong,207,218,296Māra,410n199March10Uprising,3,243–44,323,328MariaLaachabbey(Bonn),297Markhamdistrict,87,88,95,96,112,117,125,216,289MarpaLotsāwa,204,411n232MarvelousArraySutra(Gaṇḍavyūhasūtra),43,401n39,415n301Matisystem,200MatönChökyiJungné,232Maudgalyāyana,93,178,405n116,410n196MawoChokMonastery,287maximsandexpressions

birdsflocktotheprosperous,212dogscollaboratewithfoxes,107donkeydisguisedinleopardskin,189,212,274donkeymeasuringthehour,145onlaughing,173lionlackingthetwo,279,415n296

mildewedbitsofcheese,59onehundredunwantedthings,106parrotrecitingmaṇi,199–200profoundDharma;powerfulevil,229,412n252reunionofthedead,207river/waterfallflowingupward,168,169seeingbadomenandsmellingbadodor,114onseeingtheBuddhainLhasa,124,406n137soundofarrowintosoundofflue,107

McLeodGanj,417n344meateating,262medicaltantras,413n268MedicineBuddha,135,248,262,371MenlaRinchenDawashrine,140Mensching,Gustav,297Mentöhousehold,167Mentöpa,Mr.,196,219merit,80,132,137,155–56,179,241MeruMonastery,40,49,78,161–62,167,172–73,199,240–41MethodsforRestoringtheDegeneratedCommitmentsbyRelyingontheFive

BuddhaFamiliesofYamāntaka,365Mewo,91MiddleWay(Madhyamakaphilosophy)

debateson,240mistakenconclusionon,308PatsapLotsāwa’srolein,409n178presentationon,68studiesof,55,57,71teachingson,340workson,150,160

miktsemadiagramof,131,132–33recitationof,48,60,90,104,135,304,402n47

MiktsemaCompendium(KhyenrapTenpaChöpel),74,99,404n93Milarepa,34,64,181,303,411n232,413n266MiliKabgönChoktrulRinpoché,214mindtraining,5,9,108,160,307,352MindrölBridge,77MindrölingChungRinpoché,203,207,209,210,247–48MindrölingMonastery,247–48

MindrölingTrichenRinpoché,258,260MinlingLochenDharmaśrī,168,409n182Minyak,210MinyakKyorpönLosangYönten,182MinyakRikhüRinpoché,30MinyakTashiTongdü,GandenThroneholder,69,202Mipham,375MiphamGelek,15MiraculousBookofGanden(a.k.a.GandenEmanationScripture),151,

408n170MitraHundred,209,346,411n237,420n384Mitrayogin/Mitrayogintradition,54,74,340,355,360,411n237,412n239Mönvalley,279,415n295monasticdiscipline,202,247,262,313,413n269monasticheadquartersreconstruction,307,310Möndroestate,248Mongolia,38,73Mongoliancommunities,297–98,299,328Mongra,91,92monkey-danceappearances,13,399n1MortimerHall,276,414n292MuliKyabgönTulku,205MuliLosangDöndrup,145–46murals,304,305,306,342MusictoPleasetheHostofOath-BoundProtectors,310,331,343Mussoorie,251,253,255,307,333–34

NNāgabodhi,267Nāgārjuna,143,383,410n201

HundredVersesonWisdom(Prajñāśataka),72,404n91sixtreatisesonreasoning,359StaffofWisdom(Prajñādaṇḍa),111,367,368,405n124transmissionofworksof,266–67

Nagarjunakonda,226nāgas,90,124Nairātmyā,402n64Nakartsé,146,152,194NakshöTakphuRinpoché,173NaktsangTenpaDargyé,279–80

Nālandā,146,226,264,412n249NalendraMonastaery,127,163Namdak-la(Phabongkha’sattendant),154Namdröl(assistant),203,205,209,245NamdrölingMonastery(Mysore),349NamgyalChözam,364NamgyalDölma,87NamgyalDorjé(cook),84,120NamgyalGangEstate,246NamgyalMonastery,70,126,133,234,263

assistanceincatalogingprojectfrom,181ceremoniesat,180monasticperformersfrom,42recitationsat,82,236teachingsgivenat,162,172three-dimensionalmandalainstructionat,174–75

NamgyalMonastery(India)permissionsgivento,346prayersofferedby,306requestsby,290ritualsperformedwith,272,273,283,289,307,308,312,317,362,365teachingsgivento,268,270–71,289,315

NamgyalTemple,140NamkhaiNorbu,301,417n334NamoBuddhastupa,146,408n167NanamDorjéWangchuk,163NangGongfamily,18Nangsang(easternTibet),41,96,116,135NangsangMonastery,112Nāropa,152,162,408n167NarthangHundred,79,276,277,278,404n106NarthangMonastery,150–51NathuPass,225,228NationalAssembly,38,128,177,190–91,401n32NationalPeople’sCongress,203,206–7,411n231NechungMonastery,180,234,331Nechungoracle,400n15

onexilefromTibet,234,240–41,244–45,413n265fiveemanationsof,131,197onFourteenthDalaiLama’senthronement,190–91

onFourteenthDalaiLama’sexaminations,240atGreatPrayerFestival,3initiationsreceived,259life-forcewheelsfor,263onpropagatingDharma,172–73ritualadviceof,307onthroneholder’sreincarnation,23

NechungriNunnery,194NedongDesiDrakpaGyaltsen,330NedongTsé,140NegoMonastery,104,214,215Nehru,Jawaharlal,3,206,226,251,257,414n288Nenang,93NenangDreshingGeshé,32Nenangfamily,89NenangMonastery,230,412n254NenangPhuntsokDargyé,112NenyingMonastery,194Nepal,3,146,192,250,253–54,277,305,308,339,362,388NepoNgödrup,329NesharThuptenTharpa,14,206,245,247NeuDzong,245–46NewDelhi,226,227,275,280–86,304,334–35,351,380,394NewYearcelebration

atChatrengMonastery,96inDarjeeling,148atDartsedo,209–10inDelhi,372inDomo,192atGangchenKyishong,313greetingcardsfor,326inGyantsé,228inLhasa,239inParis,328atThekchenChöling,364–65inTrisongNgön-ga,327

NgachöMonastery,140,209NgadakNyangral,EightInstructions,287,415n309NgakchenDamchöYarphel,149NgakchenRinpoché,209

ngakpas(tantricritualists),110NgakramBudor(attendant),84,96,106,108,117NgakramTseringWangdü,337NgakrampaGyütöLosangTendar,21,41,53,63,73,120,399n13

astrologyteachingsof,47drawingteachingsof,50hometownmonasteryof,85–86lifeof,58–62passingof,58,62withShedrawa,38teachingsrequestedby,40throneholder’srecognitionand,22,23,24withTrijangRinpochéatGandenShartsé,35,37inTrijangRinpoché’searlyeducation,28,29,31–32,33

Ngakrampatitle,399n13NgakrampaTsultrimDargyé,163,174–75,191,192NgakréPhuntsokTsultrim,391NgaksurTaLamaRinpoché,149NgaphöNgawangJikmé,177,190,193–94,203,204,206,225NgariRinpochéofKyorlung,308NgawangChöjor,119–20,221NgawangChokden,400n26NgawangChözinofGomangKhangsar,194NgawangDargyey,Geshé,307,352,362NgawangDöndrup,227–28,257NgawangDrakpa,277,328NgawangGendun,389NgawangGyatso(Sölpön-la),30,32NgawangLosang,Geshé(classmate),51,54,57,71,126–27NgawangLosangGyatso,FifthDalaiLama,17,115,171,405n127,406n128,

407n146authorityof,2BouquetofRedUtpalas,131HooktoSummontheThreeRealms,131–32MelodytoDelightSarasvatī,70,403n85revelationsof,183,187ritualmanualsof,137stupaof,128SunDispellingErrorsinthePlacementofDhāraṇī,131teachersof,400n21,409n185

WordsofMañjuśrī,76,404n97writingsofinPotalalibrarycollections,182

NgawangLosangThuptenGyatso,ThirteenthDalaiLama,2,81,94,148,369administrativeproblemsatLoselingand,75assistanttutorto,49audienceswith,68,82,121,126firstmeetingwith,45fullordinationgivenby,70,404n87GangkarLamaRinpoché’sdevotionfor,118atgeshéexams,66–67homageverseto,87,405n111India,secretjourneyto,46,52LingRinpochéand,320–21LosangGyaltsen’spassing,instructionsupon,126withLosangTsultrimPalden,20,21offeringsto,90passingof,127–33photograph,46plotagainst,29,400n23prophecyconcerning,82receptionatKyitsalLuding,53andShedrawa,arrestandpardonof,38,39teachingsrequestedby,78,82onTrijangRinpoché’sreincarnation,23,25,76–77

NgawangLosangTrinléRapgyé,400n23NgawangLosangTrinléTenzin(Phabongkhatulku),203

giftsfor,280,305illnessandpassingof,308–9initiationsandteachingsreceived,221,230,232,256,280ordinationof,260personalinstructionreceived,280photographof,281reincarnationof,338,354,358teachingsrequestedby,233,257,259,276,278,283–84visitswith,234,238,258,275

NgawangNamgyal,Chairman,176NgawangNorbu,Ngakram(artist),304,306NgawangPaldrön,338NgawangSamten,LadakhLama,146,255,257,271NgawangSöpa,170

NgawangTashi,Geshé,136NgawangTenzin(chef),364NgawangYeshéTenpaiGyaltsen,32NgechiTeng,212Ngödroké,85NgödrupChoknyé,Geshé,180NgorEvaṃChödé,228NgorEwamChödenSakyaCenter(California),385NgöshiwaThuptenSamchok,208,215,225NgulchuDharmabhadra,339,341NgulchuRinpoché,229NīlagrīvaVajrapāṇi,323nirvana,313–14Niṣpannayogāvalī,402n65NorbuChöpel,245,319,324,325,356,361,363NorbulingkaPalace,5,121

audiencesat,82catalogsofteachingsat,160–61ceremoniesat,200–201dailyteasessionsat,158damageto,248,249FourteenthDalaiLama’sreturnsto,194,220fullordinationat,70geshéexaminationsat,66–67initiationsandteachingsat,153Shedrawa’sconfinementat,38summonsfrom,127,157teachingatduringRadrengaffair,175,409n193uprisingat,244

NowrojeeHouse,255,312,413n273NupgongPass,85,120NyagoMonastery,215NyakchuRiver,210NyakréHouse,65,344NyakréKhentrulNgawangGelek,255,329,366Nyakrongdistrict,99,101,208,210NyakrongPass,48,52,121Nyal,249NyalDra-orRinpoché,TenzinTrinléÖser,49NyangralNyimaÖser,264,414n283

Nyangtri,204,219NyangtsaKargyen,34Nyasok,194NyatriTsenpo,1Nyemo,armedconflictin,237–38NyenTsembutradition,54,340,362,402n64Nyethang,152,408n172NyethangRatö,194NyethangTashigang,191NyimaLing,140NyimaShönu,122Nyingmatradition,101,102,247,270,287,369,394NyinpaMonastery,86NyiraTulku,116NyitsoTrinlé,Geshé,21,62,135nyungnéfastingrite,104,267,286,335Nyungnétemple(Dharamsala),360NyungnéTulkuofShidé,176

OOaksKoti,269,270ObomTokdenJamyangLodröofDrakgyab,75obstacles

averting,forFourteenthDalaiLama,336,343–44,384–85todreams,162tohealth,184–86mental,purifying,315prayerforremoving,155toreturnfromKham,111–15ritual,overcoming,96–97ritualstoeliminate,199,273,402n55,403n82,411n224,412n260,

413n272intwelve-yearcycles,137,336

OceanofSādhanas,79,278,404n105Oḍḍiyāna,139offerings,123,130,172,305

atArikMonastery,86tobirthdeity,53,402n59inBodhgaya,264,342–43ofBuddha’sbody,speech,mind,35,37,141–42,400n28

butterlamps,94,287,288,313,342,358atChakraTemple,110daily,ofNgakrampa,60–61deceptioninvolving,97–98toDharmarāja,39extensiveincense(lhabsangs),236,412n260fire,30,61,157,174,183,201,263,266,334,344,355,402–3n65,

403n72fivefoldcloudsof,143,165,192,203,408n162forFourteenthDalaiLama’swell-being,347,352atgeshélharamcandidacy,67–68atgeshélharamexamination,68–69atGreatPrayerFestival,123,135,137,155,211,222,241hundredfold,286,287implementsfor,94mandala,95,102,144,202né-ja(specialteaoffering),74toPhabongkhaRinpoché,121,155–56onpilgrimage,141atRabgyéLing,102inSpiti,262–63ofspontaneoussong,138–40SubsequentPrayerSession,51,401n56tantric,137–38atTashiLhunpo,151,152toteachers,85forteachings,78–79toThirteenthDalaiLama,121thousandfold,200,235,254,258,264,271,274,305,411n227TibetanTrailbalzertea-offering,311,417n343toTsongkhapa’sgoldenstupa,84–85uponreturntoGanden,121–22Seealsotormaofferings;tsokofferings

Ölkha,185ÖlkhaChusang,140ÖlkhaDzingchi,140ÖnGyalséChoktrulRinpoché,75,200ÖnNgariMonastery,140onetaste,106,139ÖntönKyergangfamily,20

oracles,84inChagong,212GönpoTseduNakpo,119–20ofLordChingkar,172NamgyalDölma,87atSakya,149training,304,332onTrijangRinpoché’sreincarnation,390SeealsoGadongoracle;Nechungoracle;prophesiesanddivinations

ordinations,29,404n89agerequirementfor,70,403n86inBodhgaya,254–55inBuxa,256–57inDharamsala,260,261,271,331,355,360ofFourteenthDalaiLama,201–3full,70,404n87inMussoorie,333inNepal,254novice,32–34ofRadrengRinpoché’sincarnation,novice,224inSarnath,364inSouthIndia,350,380inSpiti,262inSwitzerland,323inTibet,86,103,160inVaranasi,358

OrnamentoftheMiddleWay(Madhyamakālaṃkāra,Śāntarakṣita),269OtokMonastery,103–4OtokSumpa,103–4,210ÖzerGyang,85,120ÖzerMonastery,87,96ÖzerNgawang,327ÖzerRinpoché,87

PPadmafamily,110Padmasambhava,1–2,264,385,402nn49–50,414n282,415n310

DranakLamaasemanationof,88eightaspects,ritualdanceof,230offeringsto,110,270

statuesof,4,140–41,329,334,336supplicationsto,280wrathfulandpeacefulaspects,permissionfor,110

PakchenRinpoché,217PalLotsāwa,125PalNarthang,228Palbarclan,105–6PalbarLagenChödrak,97–98,105,108,109,112PalbarMonastery,86PalbarThokmé.SeeTendrongPalbarThokméPalbarTsangfamily,98,215PalchukDampaChödrak,97–98,105–6PalchukDapönGeshé,81,118PalchukGöbu,265PaldéPass,211PaldenChöjé,341PaldenGyaltsenofYangpachen,168PaldenLhamo,119

chapelsof,150,232offeringsto,192,239,313permissionsgiven,99,162,183,262renewingritualsupportsfor,187–88representationsof,131,133ritualsfor,52,95,268,273speakingimageof,244statuesof,199thread-crossabodeof,171

PaldenLhamoMaksorma,137,304,351PaldenLhamoMaksormadance,50,402n48PaldenSengé,Geshé,310PaldenTsering(attendant),14,22,215,368,374

arrivalof,124–25inBodhgaya,356Chinavisit,203,205,206,209,219escapefromTibet,245Europeanvisits,291,295,298–99,301,319,324flighttoDromo,191atGangchenKyishong,312joinsgovernment,193journeytoIndia,192

makingofferingsforTrijangRinpoché’smerit,184–85medicaltreatment,325,326photographs,195,303pilgrimageswith,163inSarnath,363–64teachingsreceived,280,340atTrijangRinpoché’spassing,389,390TrijangRinpoché’sreincarnationand,390–91,392–94duringTrijangRinpoché’sillnesses,185,386

Paldi,146,194Palgé,212PalgéGyakserYapa,112PaljorLhundrup,225PalkhorChöde,152Palos,Stephan,297,323,417n330PalriYangdarfamily,214PalsharMonastery,96PanamGadongMonastery,152PaṇchenLamas,337,350

ChökyiGyeltsen,Tenth,151,203,205,209,222–23,225–27,228,229ChökyiNyima,Ninth,261,408n169LosangChökyiGyaltsen,First,28,151,230,238,271,333,369,373,

400n21,408n170.SeealsoEasyPath(FirstPaṇchenLama)LosangYeshe,Second.SeeQuickPath(SecondPaṇchenLama)

PaṇchenÖtrul,255PaṇchenShākyaChokden,229PaṇchenSönamDrakpa,53,57,341PaṇḍitaDarpaṇaĀcārya,55Pangdafamily,148–49PangdaMonastery,119PanglungChöjé,242PanglungGyalchen,173,332PanglungLabrang/Hermitage,115,304,342PanglungLosangThukjé,AnnotationstotheRootTextontheBodhisattva

andTantricVows,266PanglungTulkuofSeraMé,255,297,298–99,320PañjaranāthaMahākāla,99PariRange,180PasangLhamo,Mrs.,363,372PashoThupten,338

PathandFruit(lam’bras),150,411n220patience,4,139–40,286,298Patnalibrary,359PatrulRinpoché,347PatsapLotsāwaNyimaDrak,163,409n178PawoButsaGelongTenpaNamgyal,125,133–34PawoTrobar,87,216PawoTsuklakTrengwa,230PeacefulandWrathfulProtectionofMañjuśrī,365PemaKarpo,Kunkhyen(FourthGyalwangDrukpa),79,404n105PemaRikzin,DergéDzokchen,358,420n394PemaTsering,297,299People’sLiberationArmy,7People’sRepublicofChina,411n219.SeealsoChineseCommunistsPerfectionofWisdom

commentaryon,53debateson,180,240handwrittenanalysisof,237presentationon,68studiesof,50,51–52,53,54,55,57,135,402n57,402n60,402n63sutras,405n112workson,150,160

PerfectionofWisdominTwenty-FiveThousandLines,317performancetantra(caryātantra),341,419n381PestalozziChildren’sVillages,293–94,295,322,323–24,327,416n314,

416n321,416nn317–18PhaDönyö,193PhabongkhaHermitage/Labrang,126,161–62,180,351,354,410n203PhabongkhaRinpoché,5,28,37,75,94,136,382,401n36

audiencewith,82biographicalpraisetoShukdenby,310birthdaycelebrationof,143onCakrasaṃvara,288ChögyalGyaluand,100onchoiceoftutor,41collectedworksof,406n139earlystudieswith,29–31giftsfrom,145lamrimteachingsof,75–76,141–44,157onLhakarRinpoché,115

LifeAccomplishmentinVerse,340lineageprayerfor,272offeringsto,90,155–56,157passingof,158–59photograph,138reincarnationof,173,181,182,200,202.SeealsoNgawangLosang

TrinléTenzinrequestingtoremain,missedopportunity,157atSera,152SimokRinpochéand,163stupaof,161atTashiLhunpo,151,152teachingsreceivedfrom,5,40–41,48,74,75,77–78,79,80,123,125,

127,137–40,154thirdincarnationof,338–39.SeealsoLosangThuptenTrinléKunkhyap,

ThirdPhabongkhaRinpochétraditionof,90TridakRinpochéand,124onturmoil,85ontwostages,341

PhagéLosangYeshé,125PhajoDönyö,148PhakchenHothokthuofChamdo,221PhakmoChödé,165Phakri,146,148,149,192,194,228PhakriJolak,274PhalhaThuptenÖden(lordchamberlain),185,225

inFrance,300inGermany,298–99inRome,301inSwitzerland,291,292,293,295,319,322,323,324,325,329

PharaChoktrulRinpoché,195PharaHouse,128,154,195PharaLabrang(Buxa),311PharaRinpochéincarnation,311PharaTulku,154–55PhawangKarlep,215PhelgyelingMonasteryofNangsang,96PhendéKhangsar,151PhendéLekshéLing,220

Phenpodistrict,45,127,136,162–65,168PhenpoGoPass,32Phukhangfamily,257PhukhangGeshéTashiNorbu,391PhukhangHouse,41,126PhukhangKhenrapPaljor,390,421n415PhukhangKhentrul,297PhukhangKhyenrapTulku,18PhukhangLosangTashi,84PhuntsokPhodrang,150PhuntsokRaptenresidence(Mundgod),368,380,394PhuntsokTashiTaklha,243PhurbaYangsap,307,417n337PhurchokJamgönRinpoché,127PhurchokJampaGyatso,23PhurchokLabrang,126PhurchokTulkuRinpoché,126Phurtsé(Chamdomonk),272Phuthel,250pig-headedfortuneteller,29,162,400n22pilgrimages,132

inIndia,146–49,264Kampo,104–5toProtectorsoftheThreeLineages,92,405n115toSouthernDistrict,140–41inTsang,20

pillarbanners,86,137,141,168,193,221PöPass,249PögangInstitute(Gyantsé),152PökyaHermitage,152PomborHouse,194–95PomdaDzogang,87PomraHouse,77,81,107,304,332PomraRatak,67PönShizom,330PontsangDrangkhang,229PönyingTsang,86PopePaulVI,301–2,303PotalaHill,199PotalaPalace,5

consecrationritualsforThirteenthDalaiLamaat,128,130–33damageto,248,249KangyurwaLosangDöndenat,82librariesof,textcatalogingin,181–82protectorsupportsubstancerenewalsat,186–88relicboxat,287uprisingat,244

PotiMonastery,119PowoSumzongLama,260PowoTongyuk,204PowoTramo,204,219PracticeoftheSixPreliminariesCalled“DharmaOrnamentofMountMeru,”

60PraiseoftheExalted(Viśeṣastāva),294,416n319PraisestoTārā,261,293,294,296,300,350,366,367Prāsaṅgikaview,163,314,409n178PratimokṣaSūtra,82pratyālīḍhastance,261,262,414n278pratyekabuddhas,70PrayerforRebirthinSukhāvatī,352PrayerfortheTeachingstoFlourish,257–58,352,413n276PrayerofSamantabhadra,104,408n166PrayerofShambhala,61PrayeroftheSixteenArhats,61prayers,threesetsof,147,408n166preliminarypractices,80,100,316–71,405n120,418n350PreliminaryPractices:ANecklacefortheFortunate,100,405n120,418n350PreparatoryCommitteefortheAutonomousRegionofTibet,222–23,252pride,57,168propheciesanddivinations

onchoiceoftutor,41dough-ball,113,405n126onexilefromTibet,242,244–45byGangkarLamaRinpoché,118onGankarLama’sreincarnation,318onkarmicdeity,78mirrordivination,136forPhabongkha’sbody,159onPhabongkha’sreincarnations,173,354onschisms,229

onThirteenthDalaiLama,149onTibetanexile,234onTrijangLabrang,81–82onTrijangRinpoché’sactivities,284TrijangRinpoché’scommentson,110onTrijangRinpoché’sreincarnation,23,24–25,77,390,391ontutorappointment,156SeealsoGadongoracle;Nechungoracle;oracles

prosperities,four,285,415n306prostrations,60,201,274ProtectorsoftheThreeLineages,92,93,305,381–82,405n115Pṛthivīdevatī,131purifications,yogaofthree,288

QQuickPath(SecondPaṇchenLama),76,143,404n97

discourseson,90,95,103,115,148,161,172,174,189,192–93,199personalinstructionsgivenon,167–68,232–33,380

QuickPathtoAttainKhecara(ShaluKenchen),202,411n230QuickPathtoGreatBliss(sādhana),341

RRaDharmaSengé,149RaLotsāwaDorjéDrak,109,125,171,409n184RabgyéLing,101–2RabjampaLosangWangden,238Radhakrishnan,Sarvepalli,412n249RadrengLabrang,176,178,223RadrengMonastery,32–34,33,41,128,176,178,223–24,400n26RadrengRinpoché(JetsunThuptenJampalYeshéTenpaiGyaltsen),169,

224,406n140arrestof,176imprisonmentanddeathof,177incarnationof,233photograph,129inregencyschism,175–76,178resignationasregent,155signsofgreatbeingof,179atThirteenthDalaiLama’spassing,128,132,133

Rāhu,279,414n293Rāhulaśrīmitra,IlluminatedUnionInitiationRitual,267RajGhat,226RakméTemple,213,214Rakpo,UpperandLower,111,112,115RakraThubtenChödhar,292,294,295,322,323Ralpachen,178,410n196Ralung,146,192RalungNunnery,152Ramagangferry,245,413n265RamochéTemple,52,182,200,305,363RampaHouse,385RampaThuptenKunkhyen,176Rao,Dr.,334Rapten,GeshéTamdrin,14,307,365,420n402Ratnākaraśānti,Ratnākara’sProsody,168RatnakūṭaSūtra,Milarepa’scopyof,181RatöChubarRinpoché,245,276,312,313,332,340,342,352,362,384,

389,413n265RatöKhyonglaRinpoché,228,290,291–92RatöLosangJamyang,325RatöMonastery,17,41,401n34Rāvaṇa(cannibalking),300,417n333RawaméMonastery,246rebirth/reincarnation,326,404n100RechungCave,140RechungTulku,296,327,416n324Rechungpa,346RedCross,294,301,324,416n315RedSpearVaiśravaṇa,345refuge,135,261,262,263

fourcyclesof,60offeringsto,305prayer,293,296,300,327

relatives,adviceon,80relicpills,150,284

“Dromopreciouspills,”281“immortaliron,”117,216

relicsoffering,274

ofPhabongkhaRinpoché,161powersof,21protection,270atRadreng,223instatues,94,334,363forstupaofThirteenthDalaiLama,132,336ofTashiLhunpo,152inthangkapreparation,264toothwithAvalokiteśvaraimage,100ofTrijangRinpoché,389,391ofTsongkhapa,236atTsurphuLabrang,230

RendawaShönuLodrö,224,412n245EqualingSpace,180,410n201

renunciation,130,178,253,303–4retreats,125

completionof,80Four-FacedMahākāla,362onGuhyasamāja,91,355innerAmitāyus,343long-life,344,352byNgakrampa,58preliminarymeditation,346reading,52–53onsixteendropsofKadam,339,419n372onStripedGaruḍa,124byThirteenthDalaiLama,69onViśvamātṛandWhiteTārā,48WhiteTārā,362

“revivingthelostvitallifeenergy”ritual,325–26RiburMonastery,119,216Richardson,HughE.,297,416n325RichungPothöMonastery,148,318Rigang,110,140RightFootBridge,86Rigi,Mount,319–20RigzinKumara,232RikhaGandenShedrupDargyéLing,228,412n250RikngaTemple,111,213,214RikonMonastery,5,319,320,323,324

RikyaTulku,313,337,356,365Rikzin(labrangmanger),73,79,82,83–84,85,128,145RikzinLhundrup,Dr.,125RikzinTenpa,Geshé,362RimshiChabpel,202RimshiSönamTsering,165RinchenDolmaTaring,Mrs.,328,333,418n357RinchenLing,85,140RinchenSadutshang,225,409n194RinchenSangpo(Lochen),261,408n169RinchenWangyal,19,34,53RinjungHundred(Taranatha),58,93,110,185,221,304,403n69Rithil,228rituals

atonement,239bathingofdeceasedbodies,126,134bone,277–78burial,334forceremonialbrocades,159inChatreng,torevivevitalenergyof,90atChatrengMonastery,retrainingin,95–96chö,88,405n112compositionof,345consecrations,86,90,100,111,119,146,148,213,223,271,301,306.

SeealsoCausingtheRainofGoodnesstoFalldaily,Ngakrampa’s,60–61fordismantlingsacredbuildings,120,406n131fordisturbingdreams,pacifying,337–38effigy,textfor,267eliminationofinauspiciousness,20exorcism,52,263,402n58gutor,199,411n224forhealing,108–9,123–24“horseback”consecration,92,405n114InnermostEssenceBlade,307,417n337Ngakrampa’steachingson,59fornomadictribes,102,103–4nyungnéfastingrite,104,267,335“openingtheeyes,”258,413n277forpassingofThirteenthDalaiLama,127–33

properperformanceof,323ofpropitiation,113prosperity,193ofprotection,repulsion,destruction,334relicblessing,321“revivingthelostvitallifeenergy”ritual,325–26forsubjugatingdemons,174Sur,101thread-cross,110,405n123torma-casting,69,73,212–13,228,268,403n82fortransferringprotectorshrinesandimages,169–71ofVaiśravaṇa,92Seealsocremationrituals;HaltingtheḌākinī’sEscortritual

RiwoChöling,140,141RiwoGandenMonastery.SeeGandenMonasteryRizongRinpochéofLadakh,266,284,288Rome,301–2RongDekyi,223RongDukda,119Rongling,148Rongpavalleys,115Rongtönpa,163Ruregion,215RumtekMonastery(Gangtok),258RuthokMonastery,140

SSachenKungaNyingpo,419n374SadakToché,310SādhanaCasketofThirteen-DeityVajrabhairava,79Sadutshangfamily,176,177,179,228,254,256,258,259,291,409n194.

SeealsoGyurméSadutshang;RinchenSadutshangSagaster,Klaus,297,416n328Sahib,Suni,334SakarHermitage,216SakyaDakchenRinpoché,333–34,346,418n362Sakyamonastery(Mysore),349,369,394SakyaPaṇḍita

JewelTreasuryofWiseSayings,97,160,169,176,178–79,222,246–47,301

ordinationof,228–29SakyaPhuntsokPhodrang,20,399n10ŚākyaŚrībhadra(Kashmiripaṇḍita),152,229,408n171Sakyatemple,149–50Sakyatradition,101,102,270,287,334,341,405n119,418n362

ear-whisperedlineageof,163PathandFruitin,150,411n220patriarchsof,399n10protectorsof,171,409n185teachingmethodof,353,364SeealsoThirteenGoldenDharmasofSakya

SakyaTrizinRinpoché,270,287Śākyaprabha,410n201SalhaDechenChözin,211SalhaDechentsang,95śamatha,adviceon,315Samayavajra,61,223,266,340,345,347,367SamdhongTulku,255,359,371Samding,194SamdongLabrang,116SamdrupTsédistrict,228Samkharwa,260,261SamlhoGeshéLosang,367SamlingBathar,67SamlingGeshéYönten,81SamlingHouse,120,122SamlingMitsen,24,67,400n19SamlingMonastery(Chatreng),67,140,150SampaDrengropeway,87,119SamphelLingMonastery,89,113–14,199,212–13Samphel-la(calligraphyteacher),53–54SamphoTsewangRikzin,244SamtenChölingMonastery,254,255–56,380SamtenChöphel,362,371SamtenGyatso(uncleofSeventhDalaiLama),18SamtenLingMonastery,364SamtenLingNunnery,32SamyéMonastery,2,141,185,309,407n154,414n282Sanchi,226Sangden,106

Sang-dokPalriMonastery,256Sangharakshita,259Sangharamaguesthouse,271SanglungRetreat,140Sang-ngakGatsalhall,162,234Sang-ngakKharlabrang,39Sang-ngakKharMonastery,122,145,235SangphuMonastery,17,42,47,51,57,65,86–87,405n117SangraTulku,305SangriKhangmar,140SangyéChölingMonastery,380Sanskritpictureprosody,168,409n182SanskritUniversity(Varanasi),264Śāntarakṣita,1–2,269,397Śāntideva

bodhisattvavowsystemof,143,317,418n351GuidetotheBodhisattva’sWayofLife(Bodhicaryāvatāra),33,257,286,

317,372,384,408n166Sarnath,264,265,271,272,274,287,304–6,363–64Sarvavid,50

initiationsgiven,99,100,197,238,347mandalaof,102retreaton,93

SasangMatiPaṇchen,411n225SasumChamber,181–82Śavaripa,279,415n294Schwarzenbach,Mrs.,294scienceandtechnology,mahāsiddhasand,298SéChökhorYangtsé,194SebakMukchungmask,180,234SecretHayagrīva

asdailypracticeofGangkarLamaRinpoché,118initiationreceived,62initiationsgiven,82,223,259,266,334,354liturgyof,60obstacle-eliminatingritualof,273permissionsgiven,260,337,358–59retreatpractice,80,304

SecretWrathfulAmitāyus,340Self-AccomplishmentofthePeacefulandWrathfulMañjuśrī,358

selflessness,314SempaChenpoKunsangpa,330SengéGangiLama,136SeraJé,69,70

bellsringingbythemselves,189–90conspiraciesat,177–78,409n193Dratihouse,18financialdisputesinvolving,168–69atstagesofpathteachings,142

SeraJé(India),350SeraMé,65,77,81,107,127,142,304,332SeraMé(Dalhousie),308,350SeraMéGyalwangChöje,65SeraMonastery,51,123,152,180–81,189,234SeraMonastery(Mysore),349,366–67,380–81SeraNgakpaCollege,169,189,233,238SeraPass,250Serchok,152SerkhangAma,274Serkhangestate,35SerkongDorjéChangNgawangTsultrimDönden,42,52,65,124,313SerkongHouse,67,122,180SerkongRinpoché(assistanttutor),265,384

teachingsreceived,260–61,263,331,339,343,365teachingsrequestedby,313,332,333,334,345,346,360,362

Serlingpa,382Setrap,95,118,137,342,349,390,405n117SeudruMonastery,84,88,92,111,116,215–16SeudruMonastery(India),318Seven-PointMindTraining(Atiśa),100,189,233,276,279,289,296,299,

335,370Seventeen-PointAgreement,194,411n219ShakabpaWangchukDeden,359ShakhorabbotPharaNyimaGyaltsen,265ShakhorKhentrul,255,346ShakhapaLosalDöndrup,178ShakorKhentrul,325ShalngoSönamChöphel,116,406n128Shalu,228ShaluGyangongtemple,228–29

ShaluLochenChökyongSangpo,181ShaluTrisurLosangKhyenrap,341Shang,229ShangYudrakpaTsöndrüDrakpa,17,237,399n8ShangpaKagyü,287,403n71Shangri-la,Gyalthangrenamedas,405n127ShangshungChöwangDrakpa,91ShapGyatsoNyima,112ShaptenKhang,244ShapyéBridge,119SharchenChokprison,176,177SharchenNgawangTsultrim,VersifiedVinaya,65ShargongPass,120SharpaChöjé,45,401n41SharpaRinpoché,SeraMé,142,154,390,392SharpaTulku,theFourth,78ShartséCollege.SeeGandenShartséCollegeShawoGangpa,KadamGeshé,374Shedrafamily,38,39,78,312Shedrawa,38–39,401n30ShedrupDöguKhyilMonastery,274,304SheldrakCave,4,140–41ShelkarLingpa,112,117,119ShenkhawaGyurméSönamTopgyal,245,247,273–74,289,290,306–7,309SherapGyatso,Jé,159,340,408n175SherapGyatso,VenerableGeshé,55,94

inBodhgaya,226atgeshéexam,68notestoTrijangRinpoché,56,57offeringsto,90seasonalscheduleof,74teachingsreceivedfrom,70andTrijangRinpoché,relationshipbetween,71–72,74,120–21,214

SherapSengé,Jetsun,224,308,400n24,412n246SherpaKarmaWangchuk,336SherpaPhurbuLhamo,Mrs.,255Shesurfamily,79ShewaPhaktruk,112ShidéMonastery,221

audiencesat,182

lamrimdiscourseat,5RadrengRinpochéat,129teachingsgivenat,168,172,185,196,223,232–33teachingsreceivedat,79

ShidéTāLama,81Shigatsé,229ShinéMonastery,152,194,228ShingkyongTrakshé,110ShipalHermitage,116ShitséGyapöntsang,98,100,205ShiwaHouse,210,218–19Shiwalhafamily,205,214ShiwalhaRinpoché,214,217,218–19ShodoMonastery,119ShödrungNorgyé,300,328–29,362ShödrungRapgang,322ShokdrukDrodok,89ShokdrukRaktakMonastery,89,214Shokha,204ShölCourt,130Shölhotsprings,140ShölKangyurPress,156–61,199,305ShölTrekhangfamily,30Shölkhangpa,38,39,78Shopado,86ShopoTakPass,248Shotönfolk-operafestival,185,372,420n409ShuchenTsultrimRinchen,284,415n303Shukden(a.k.a.Gyalchen)

acceptanceofDrakpaSamdrupasmedium,342biographicalpraisesto,commentaryon,310,331,343,352biographyof,341onchoiceoftutor,41controversysurrounding,8–9onexilefromTibet,242,245,413n265GangkarLamaon,118installationinLhaluGatsalprotectorchapel,156–57instructionsreceivedon,154,157invocationof,247,349,367,369lifeentrustmentreceived,157

lifeentrustmentsgiven,254,255,260,295,307,330–31,355,359,363offeringsto,213oracleof,81–82,90protectionof,114–15ritualsfor,273,277,365thangkasof,197,199,268onthirdincarnationofPhabongkhaRinpoché,338,354

ShungruLama,260signsandmiracles,93

ofauspiciousness,110AvalokiteśvaraimageonbodyofThirteenthDalaiLama,132ofCommunistChineseinvasion,189–90ofDharmarāja,187atDulzinDrakpaGyaltsen’sstupa,120,406n132onfirsttriptoGangchenKyishong,312ofFourteenthDalaiLama’sscholarlyachievement,173atGankarRiksumGönpo,381ofincarnation,22kaonrockatKampo,104lightningstrikeatblackmagiccounteragent,97ofmultiplyingironrelicpills,117atSamphelLing,90atTrijangRinpoché’spassing,388–89atTrijang’sarrivalatTrijangLabrang,27turbulentweatheratTromkhok,101atYongleemperor’sfuneral,230–31

Sikkim,226Siliguri,250–51SilingPuwuPLAencampment,performancesat,241,243SimokRinpochéJampaKungaTenzin,127,163,164,259,267,384SimsharMonastery,122Singh,Karan,334–35Sino-Tibetanconflict,4SipaMonastery,86SishiPalbarChamber,127–28SishiPhuntsokHall,128,191Sitātapatrā,131,132,188Śītavanacharnelground,147,287Situ,56Siwapönfamily,93

sixDharmasofNāropa,77–78,140,196,261,279–80,343,345,353,415n297

SixOrnaments,180,226,369,410n201Six-ArmedMahākāla,103,131,235,269,352,353Söchö,179SögyalLerabLingpa,307SokpaAchokTulku,359“soldier”monks,51,52,89SoleOrnamentoftheWorld,128,131Sonada,255,258SönamChöphel,258,305SönamGyaltsen,217,244SönamGyatso(thirdPhabongkhaincarnation).SeeLosangThuptenTrinlé

Kunkhyap,ThirdPhabongkhaRinpochéSönamGyatso,ThirdDalaiLama,101,332SönamLosangTharchin,370SönamRinchen,185SönamTenzin,245,363SönamTopgyal,Phenpo(fatherofreincarnation),390,391,392,393–94SönamWangü,84Sönam-la(Namgyal’sritualmaster),126,127SongRinpochéLosangTsöndrü,142,210,212,256,264,265,317,337,338,

343,384Songkharwillowgrove,35songsandpoems,325,384

ofaccomplishment,381–82forDagyabRinpoché’sdeparture,278–79onfirstvisittoSwitzerland,292forFourteenthDalaiLama,344onGuhyasamājacompletionstage,138–40,407nn155–57forLingRinpoché,282,415n299forLosangLungrik,282,415n300asreplytoFourteenthDalaiLama,284–86,415nn304–8“SongofthePlayfulBumblebee,”165forthirdPhabongkhaincarnation,357

SongtsenCave,232SongtsenGampo,1,88,140,232,305,402n61,410n203,412n241,417n336spirits,eightclassesof,197,411n223spiritualpath,rootsof,298Spitaler,Anton,297

Spiti,261–63,311Śrāvastī,146ŚrīChusangTulku,362stagesofthepath(lamrim),76

complimentonteaching,189discourserequested,100JéChingkar’sadviceon,172meditationon,80Phabongkha’steachingson,75–76,141–44,157teachingsgiven,112,115,145,199–200,232–33,238TrijangRinpoché’steachingson,6–7,76,352twelvelinksand,316

StaircaseofPureVaiḍūrya,202,411n229Stein,Rolf,300,417n332StripedGaruḍapractice,124study,70,71–72,333stupas,152

ofAtiśa,223inBodhgaya,146,258,264,274,286,287,358constructionof,120,406n131,407n142Dhamek,264,358ofDromoGeshéRinpochéNgawangKalsang,146ofDulzinDrakpaGyaltsen,120,406nn130–32ofFifthDalaiLama,128,131ofGangkarLamaRinpoché,216ofKhamlungpa,164ofLosangTsultrimPalden,21,59inNepal,146,254,364,408n167ofPaṇchenlineage,151ofPhabongkhaRinpoché,161inPhenpo,163ofSerlingpa,Atiśa’s,152,191ofThirteenthDalaiLama,128,131–33,336,407n141ofTsongkhapa,84–85,235

SubsequentPrayerSession,51,54,70,159,401n56Sudhana,282,371,415n301Sukhāvatī,291SulpuMonastery,17supernaturalpowers,88,384–85,405n116SurNgakchangTrinléNamgyal,171

SurchenChöyingRangdröl,17,171,397,409n186SurkaCycle,62,223,258SurkhangLhawangTopgyal,301SurkhangWangchenGelek,176,200,206,245,247,301SutraofRememberingRefuge,60SutraoftheWiseandtheFoolish,89,93Svayambunāth,146SwargAshram,317SwiftlyAccomplishingOne’sWishes,280Switzerland,291–95,300–301,310,319–26

TTaLamaLosangJikmé,3TaLamaThuptenNorsang,308Tachangma(localdeity),87TaijiDrungkhorPelshiwa,119TaijiShenkhaGyurméSönamTopgyé,167,181,183Takferry,229TakarPass,140TakchenBumpa,140TakdrakHermitage,74–75,174,194TakdrakLabrang,246TakdrakTritrulRinpoché,NgawangSungrapThuthopTenpaiGyaltsen,74–

75,78,127,194abdicationof,191consecrationatGanden,183inDomo,192dreamof,338–39withFourteenthDalaiLama,180initiationsreceivedfrom,125,153,183photograph,156regencyof,155,160,173,174,179,190,409n193inregencyschism,175–76,178

TaklungChödé,394TaklungMatrul,269TaklungMonastery,34,194Takmo(Tabo)Monastery,262TakpakThang,215TakphuGarwangChökyiWangchuk,79,337,339,419n369TakphuTenpaiGyaltsen,78

TakphuVajradharaLosangJampalTenpaiNgödrup,78,154,223,404n102Takshö,214TaksterRinpoché,192TantraofḌākinīMechéBarma,187Tārā,412n239

ritualatGandenShartsé,38statueatNyethang,152,153,191Takphu’svisionsof,78twenty-oneforms,338SeealsoCittamaṇiTārā

TārāChapel,3TārāTulku,331,392Taring,Mr.andMrs.,333.SeealsoRinchenDolmaTaring,Mrs.Tarkha,215TashiChödé,140TashiChölingHermitage,125,154–55,159,161,181,193TashiChölingMonastery,148,173,256,310TashiDöndrup,22–23,43,124TashiDorjéofPhunkhang.SeeGungTashiDorjéofPhunkhangTashiDrölma(niece),294,325,326TashiGönpo(doctor),261,262,267TashiGyaltsen,364TashiKhangsar,180TashiKhyilMonastery,18,45,209,401n42TashiLhunpoMonastery,74,148,149,151–52,225,228–29TashiLhunpoMonastery(Bangalore),366TashiÖbarmausoleum,destructionof,17TashiRapten

GangchenKyishong,312,360,377,389,393Lhasa,81

TashiTempleofUpperRakpo,111,115TashiTseringma,110TatsakGendunGyatso,58TauLosangJampa,364TauMonastery,205TauTsewangGönpo,69tenartsandsciences,traditional,196,207,411n221TendrelPhukCave,232TendrongPalbarThokmé,84,105TendrongSamphelTenzin,106,107,108–9,112

tenetsystems,314TengyéLingMonastery,29,49,50,72,96,119,216Tengyur,54,72,415n303tenmagoddesses,twelve,50,272,273,306,402n50TenpaDargyé(lordchamberlain),66,174TenpaTharchin,169,176TenpaiGyaltsen,255TenzinChöpel(Hungarianmonk),339,340TenzinChöpel,Geshé,214TenzinGyatso,HisHolinesstheFourteenthDalaiLama,1,186,384

arrivalinLhasa,152–53audiencewithTrijangRinpoché’sreincarnation,394audiencesandvisitswith,155,158,192,200–201,209,218,280,283,

286,291,304,312,313–14,329,332,336,386awardsandhonors,4enrollmentinthreeseats,180–81,182enthronementof,190–91escapefromTibet,245–49,413n265,413n270firstinstructionsfromTrijangRinpoché,158flightfromTibet,3geshéexaminations,233–35atGreatPrayerFestival,168–69humorousrecitationsessionwith,173illnessof,237initiationsreceived,188,195–96JayantiinBodhgaya,225–27letterrequestinglonglife,284lifeof,2–3MyLandandMyPeople,207negotiationswithChinese,192,194,222–23obstacleyearof,336–38offeringsto,352oraclesinvokedby,190–91ordinationof,full,201–3photographsof,227,253pilgrimagesof,203prenovitiateandnovicevowsof,160Radrengvisit,223–24relicspresentedto,132relinquishmentofpoliticalrole,4

requestsTrilang’sautobiography,14retreatsof,193,201returntoLhasa,220onShukdenpractice,8–9teachingsandtransmissionsreceived,266–67,268,270–71,272,273,

280,289,311,332,334,341–42,348,355–56,363,379teachingsrequestedby,260–61,276,344,347onTrijangRinpoché’sreincarnation,390–91tutorsof,5,180,200visittoTrijangRinpoché,263

TenzinLhawang(tailor),84TenzinSangpo,49TenzinWangpoofGungthang,19–20,34Tethong,T.C.,367TethongSöpal,294,416n317Thailand,313ThalphungGang,46thangkas

ofDharmarāja,fivefold,263–64atGandenShartsé(Mundgod),350giftsof,291,369ofGuruPujameritfield,273,312atGyüme,224ofHevajra,152fromLhamochapelinDrepung,171fromLhasa,returnof,267–68fromNegoMonastery,215overseeingproductionof,197ofSamphelLing,199,212–13ofShukden,broughtfromTibet,310forstupaofThirteenthDalaiLama,134ofthousandbuddhas,giftof,111ofthreelongevitydeities,giftof,67

ThangkyaMonastery,165Thangpoché,140ThangsakGandenChökhor,34,163–64ThangtenPhakgetsang,211,212Thangthongear-whisperedtradition,78,255ThangthongGyalpo,192TharpaChölingMonastery,146,148,254,258–59

theft,91ThekchenChöling,317,336,338,349,352,361,363,364–65,366,373,379ThekchenChöpelLing(Munich),298ThepoTulku,313,315,332,345,346Theravadatradition,313ThirteenDivineVisionsofTakphu,74,233,275,341.SeealsoTakphu

GarwangChökyiWangchukThirteenGoldenDharmasofSakya,74,131,150,233,339,408n167thirty-fivebuddhasofconfession,136–37ThongwaDönden,SixthKarmapa,110ThönmiSambhota,403n67

IntroductiontoMorphology,56,255,273,403n67ThirtyVerses,56,255,273,403n67,414n289

ThösamDargyéLing,248ThösamNorbulinghall,142ThoyönLamaDöndrupGyaltsen,40,341threecentersofDharma,135,407n154threehighertrainings,297,416n329threepoisons,15,227,340,399n6three“redones,”150,408n167ThreeStonesPassedfromHandtoHand,167,409n181threeworlds(ofsamsara),252,413n271ThreeWrathfulFormsCombined,254,256,273,275,289,324,329,349,

351,360,413n272ThukenChökyiNyima,49,82,114,126,137,159,312,408n175,418n345ThukséThuptenTopjor,180Thupten(attendanttoDakpoBamchö),291ThuptenChöden,289ThuptenChödrön,352ThuptenChöjor,274ThuptenChöyang,289ThuptenGönpo,359ThuptenGyatso.SeeNgawangLosangThuptenGyatso,ThirteenthDalai

LamaThuptenJamyang(ritualassistant),264ThuptenJungné,264,271–72,305ThuptenKalsangTenpaiDrönméRinpoché,45ThuptenKunga,GandenThroneholder,202,235ThuptenKunphel(attendanttoThirteenthDalaiLama),126,127,128,130ThuptenLekmön,Chamberlain,175,176,194

ThuptenLhundrup,185ThuptenNgawang,272,295ThuptenNyingpoofBuryatia,69ThuptenPhelgyé(a.k.a.DrakpaSamdrup),304,332,341–42,349ThuptenSamten,189ThuptenSerdokchenMonastery,229ThuptenSönam,273ThuptenTendar(KhendrungLhautara),194ThuptenTharpa,306Tibet

Chineseoccupationof,7–8,25,228.SeealsoChineseCommunistscurrencyof,63,74,401n44dissentandschismsprovokedbyChinese,229escapefrom,8,245–49geographyof,1governmentinexile,3–4imperialperiod,1–2,410n196invasionsof,2NationalistChinesein,50–52priest-patronrelationshipsin,2provisionalgovernment,declarationof,249uprisingofMarch10,3,243–44

TibetHouse(Delhi),281,282,283,284,302,319,329,360,372Tibetanalphabet,28,31,357TibetanBuddhism

ecumenicalconferenceon,270establishmentof,2lineagesof,relationshipbetween,8remarkson,320studyofalltraditionsof,72WenchenGongzhuand,412n241

TibetanChildren’sVillage(Dharamsala),293,307,315–16,330,347,361,388

Tibetangovernment,201cabinetandsecretariat,190,410n216ranks,172,409n189

Tibetanheritage,importanceofinexile,324,327,328TibetanHomesFoundation,333,418n357Tibetansettlements

inBuxa,256–57,305,307

inHunsur,350,366inMundgod,350–51,367–72inMysore,349–50,367inSwitzerland,293–95,301,323–25,329

TibetanTrailbalzertea-offering,311,417n343TibetanTransitSchool(Dharamsala),307Tibeto-Burmeselinguisticgroup,1TimeofApproximation.SeeunderFour-FacedMahākālaTöShungruLama,260TokdenDrakpaSengé,FirstShamarpa,230,412n254TokdenJampalGyatso,330,408n170Tölung,75,168,223,224,225,229,230Tölunghotsprings,167,196TölungRakor,20,167Tongjung,98,214TongwaDönden,SixthKarmapa,214TönpaTsenlekstatue,140TöpaKakoTashi,352TöpaTamdringTsering,260tormaofferings

atbodhisattvavowsofFourteenthDalaiLama,316atendofretreats,362inexorcismrituals,52withFourteenthDalaiLama,266forFourteenthDalaiLama’sbodhisattvavows,316,418n349governmental,193onNewYear’sDay,239byNgakrampaGyütöLosangTendar,60toShukden,157sixty-four-part,75,174,333,337,384–85,404n95atsolarequinox,268torma-castingrituals,69,73,212–13,228,268,403n82forteachings,137duringTsongkhapa’scollectedworkstransmission,266

TradrukTemple,140,185,407n154Tramkolam,88transferenceofconsciousness

forLhabu,277formother,221forNamgyalDorjé,120

byNgakrampa,62TrathangTulku,116TratiGeshéRinchenDöndrup,407n160Tratsangdo,149TrāyastriṃśaHeaven,299treachery,teachingson,106treasurerevealers,247,287,413n268,415n309treasurevases,94,131,289,354TreasuryofAbhidharma(Abhidharmakośa,Vasubandhu),65,341,403n80TreatiseofValidCognition(Pramāṇavarttika,Dharmakīrti),403n80Trehor,98–101TrehorDrakséTulku,324TrehorHouse,69,70,163,175,233TrehorKangyurRinpoché,264TrehorNaktsang,345,352TrehorSamten,315TrehorThuptenTulku,352TrehorTrungsarRinpoché,306TretaGönkyi,34TrethongSöpal,322TriNgawangNorbuRinpoché,75TridakRinpoché,GandenJangtsé,36,75,78,79,123–24TridakpoNgawangTashi,124TrijangBuddhistInstitute(Vermont),395TrijangChoktrulRinpoché,390–95,421n415TrijangLabrang,134,394

arrivalat,27–28BedaTulkuand,76–77financialdifficultiesat,63–64,73,79–80,84,97–98,129–30GeshéSherapat,74managementof,82–84,145–46Ngakrampaat,62prophecyon,81–82

TrijangRinpoché,1,397,421n417academicabilitiesof,53,55,56,81affectionforFourteenthDalaiLama,9birthdateof,361,420n395birthof,17childhoodprescienceof,28–29civiliantitlesimposedbyChinese,221,222,252

dailyroutine,priortofullordination,71–72Darhanrank,172,192denouncedbyChinese,251–52DharmaconversationwithLingRinpoché,315–16disciplesof,384donationformonasticreconstructionproject,307earlyeducation,28forty-ninthyearobstacles,184–85hardshipsof,63–64,250illnessesandinjuriesof,48–49,123–24,175,185,205,246,261,262,

364,386–87incarnationlineageof,397,421n417initiationsreceived,54,55,62,74–75,77–79,153,155kachudegreeawarded,43legacyof,4,9andLingRinpoché,relationshipbetween,4–5,232,263,282,288,312,

332–33,360,365magicalpowersof,384–85medicaltreatments,291,292,300–301,321–22,325–26,360memory,31–32,33,372andNgakrampa,relationshipbetween,58,59–60ordinationof,32–34parentsandsiblingsof,18–19passingof,9,387–90photographsinEurope,303,321,322photographsinIndia,147,227,253,260,335,361photographsinTibetandChina,5,83,184,193,195,206,209plotagainst,107–9previouslivesof,13–14,385realizationof,381–82recognitionof,22–24,25onregencydispute,175,178–79reincarnationof,390–95,421n415specialtreatment,declining,74teachingabilityof,6–7translator’spersonalrecollectionsof,5–8TsokchenTulkurankof,155tutorappointments,157–58,200wisdomof,382–83onwritinghisautobiography,14–15

writingsof,8,384SeealsoLiberationinthePalmofYourHand;MusictoPleasetheHostof

Oath-BoundProtectorsTrimönChözéThuptenDeshek,162TrimönNorbuWangyal(minister),94,128,130,132TrinléDargyé,159,161,309,351,354,355,356TrinléDechenofPangda,82TrinléGyalpo,134,263TrinléWangyal(artist),264TrisongDetsen,1,409n192TrisongNgön-gaTibetanHome,295–96,327TroPass,85,205Tromkhok,101TromkhokTulku,101–2Tromthar,99Trophu,150TrophuLotsāwa,408n171TrophuMonastery,408n171TrotiTsultrim,81TrotiTulku.SeeChagongBedaTulkuTrungsarHermitage,99TrungsarRinpochéofKarzé,82,99TrungsarRinpochéofTrehor,310TsaPass,116TsakgurPass,194TsakhaLagen,107TsakhaLho,saltflatsat,117TsakhaLhopa,318TsalCollege,17TsalGungthangMonastery,220TsalpaKagyü,17,399n8Tsalpapotentate,17TsamchöDrölma,Mrs.,307TsamkhungnunPhuntsok,188TsamkhungNunnery,188–89Tsang,149–52,228TsangpaKhenchen,49TsangpaThapkhé,232–33TsangpoRiver,140,141,152,246,305,413n265Tsangthokfield,141–42

Tsangyang,Geshé,30TsangyangGyatso,SixthDalaiLama,171TsarchenLosalGyatso,131,407n146,411n230Tsari,204,411n233TsāriwaPhuntsokfamily,324TsarongDasandDradul(minister),81Tsarongfamily,46TsatakRinpoché,103TsawaHouse,55,66,142TsawaÖserTulku,75Tsawaregion,87TsawaTritrulofSeraMé,181–82Tsawagang,204TsechokLingTulku,273,311TsedrungJampaWangdü,260Tsemönling,246TsemönlingMonastery,183TsemönlingRinpoché,37,168–69TsengöKhachéMarpo,332TsengöNyimaShönu,84TsenshapRinpoché,332Tsenthang-yuTemple,140TsenyaHermitage,32TsenyaTulku,177,191TsenyiMonastery,218TsepakLhakhang,305Tsering,Mrs.Lhamo,174TseringChenga,110TseringDölma,221TseringDöndrup(father),18–19,28,34TseringDrölkar,Mrs.,167,172,196TseringDrölma(FourteenthDalaiLama’ssister),203TseringDrölma(mother),18–19,23,29,34,49,84,122,221–22TsetenPhuntsok,363Tsethang,140TsewangGyaltsen,97TsewangNorbu,174TsewangRabten(Lukhangwa),191,227–28,250,270,289TsidrungLosangKalsang(attendanttoFourteenthDalaiLama),183tsipars,86,122,137,141,168,193,405n110

TsipönShuguba,InthePresenceofMyEnemies,385TsipönTsewangDöndrup,237,304TsogoHermitage,92TsogoLake,226tsokofferings,143

inBodhgaya,342,343ofCakrasaṃvara,271inChina,209,412n238byFourteenthDalaiLama,304forFourteenthDalaiLama,270inFrance,300atGanden,235atGangchenKyishong,312inGermany,299hundredthousand,270forillusorybodyteachings,137–38atKampo,104inLhading,164–65formeritoftranslation,377atOaksKoti,270forPhabongkhaRinpoché,161inprotectorrelocation,170,171inSarnath,288,305,306,364inSwitzerland,293,294,324tenth-day,inChatreng,214atTrijangRinpoché’spassing,389inVaranasi,265atYerpa,232

Tsomorak,85Tsona,249TsonaGöntséRinpoché,79,250Tsonawa,Vinayacommentaryof,65TsöndrüGyatso,342,356,358Tsongkhapa,17,308,385,399n14,410n203

AbridgedStagesofthePath,266,327,329biographyof,310,417n340ClarifyingtheIntentoftheMiddleWay,179,336ClusterofAttainments,384collectedworksof,72,78,81,229,266–67,404n90commentariesonGuhyasamāja,404n92

disciplesof,197,406n130,408n170.SeealsoGyaltsapDarmaRinchen;KhedrupGelekPalsang

ElucidationofAllHiddenPoints,73EndowedwithThreeConvictions,279,352epithetsof,75,285,404n96,415n307EssenceofEloquenceDistinguishingtheDefinitiveandInterpretive,43,

52–53,66,135,179,336ExpositionontheRootTantricVows,266,414n285FoundationofAllGoodQualities,116,163–64,209,210,211,212,216,

228,262,294–95,300,343inGandencurriculum,57GoldenGarlandofEloquentExplanation,266,270GreatCommentaryonFundamentalWisdom,266,270,336GreatExpositionofSecretMantra,328,342GreatPrayerFestival,initiationof,400n18HighwaytoEnlightenment,266,414n284houseof,21JeweledBoxSādhanaofThirteen-DeityVajrabhairava,266lecturesonlifeanddeedsof,334,335lettersexchangedwithRendawa,224LifeAccomplishmentofKurava,340,365mausoleumof,17Middle-LengthStagesofthePath,78,284,315,317,319,332,352,380,

404n101miktsemarecitationfor,402n47parinirvāṇaof,330passingof,406n138PraisetoDependentArising,147,351PraisetotheBuddha,147,173PrayerforRebirthinSukhāvatī,257–58PreciousSprout,404n92protectorof,187relicsof,94Shedrafamily’spatronageof,39SongofSpiritualExperience,102,119,327,329statuesof,181,195,268,341,350templesof,213,214thangkasof,134,199,268,407n153ThreePrincipalAspectsofthePath,214,257,328,333,349,359,380threesecretsof,259

throneof,203,236,399n2TrijangRinpoché’sknowledgeandrealizationof,383Twenty-OneShortWorksonGuhyasamāja,266,340,345VajraWords,358SeealsoGreatTreatiseontheStagesofthePath;JéRinpocheastriple

deityTsongönprovince,209TsongpönYatruk,101Tsosum,211TsosumHouse,103Tsuklakhang,159,200,201–3,222,240,241,244,305,417n336TsultrimGyatso,NinthDaliLama,89TsultrimGyeltsen,Geshé,295,296,327TsultrimPalden,SecondTrijangRinpoché,397TsultrimTenzin,54TsunmoTsalMonastery,120TsurphuMonastery,110,230–31Tuṣita,134,136,399n14,402n53,407n153TushitaMeditationCentre,413n273tutors,qualitiesof,200Twang,250TwentyVersesontheBodhisattvaVow(Candrogomin),62,266,354TwoExcellentOnes,180,226,369,410n201TwoStainlessCycles,128,407n142

UUchuMuchinSokpoHothokthu,67,69,403n83Udānavarga,178Udāyin,178,410n196UdrungPaljorGyalpo(artist),186,197UgyenTesten,Geshé,233,310,319,321,323,324,325UKTibetSociety,327,328UpperGonsarMonastery,106Uṣṇīṣavijayāstatue,185–86ÜtöChuda,72Ü-Tsang,17,225Uyuk,225

V

Vairocana,88,117,216,232,412n241VairocanaAbhisaṃbodhiinitiation,341,419n381Vaiśākha,184,410n205Vaiśravaṇa,95,131,240

fifteenformsof,74initiationgiven,262permissionsgiven,99,183–84prosperityritualsof,92,100,289SeealsoRedSpearVaiśravaṇa

VajraLife-TreeofImmortality,332vajramasters,161,331,343,348,389vajrarecitation,154,352VajraSeat,146–47,408n165Vajrabhairava

avertingfrostbyfourlettersrelyingon,313blessingof,146atChötriMonastery,123incloth-drawnmandala,342–43consecrationritualof,95,133,161,235,254forcounteringblackmagic,96asdailypracticeofGangkarLamaRinpoché,118drawingof,50fireofferingof,354generationandcompletionstageof,172initiationsgiven,99,112,148,160,162,167,173,182,183initiationsreceived,40,125mandalaof,73,79,102mantrapermissions,223,238,263Ngakrampa’spracticeof,60retreatpracticesof,69,79,80,304ritualofferingsto,126sādhanasof,71,135self-initiationof,95solitaryheroinitiation,254statuesof,199thangkasof,171,199,223,268wrathfulfireoffering,334

Vajrabhairava,single-deityapproachingretreat,193initiationreceived,54

initiationsgiven,90,103,184,255,260,261,273,295,310,339,349sādhanaof,324thangkapaintingsof,197

Vajrabhairava,thirteen-deity,262,366,370generationandcompletionstages,teachingsreceivedon,123initiationsgiven,84,88,90,95,115,116,119,165,197,199,217,238,

256Vajraḍāka,61,266,340,345,403n72Vajradāraṇa,61,370Vajradhara,seeinggreatteachersas,54,74–75Vajrapāṇi,405n115,413n272VajrapāṇiMahācakra,152,323Vajrasattva,hundred-syllablemantraof,60Vajrāvalī,55,209,346,402n65,420n384Vajrayoginī

completionstage,260empowermentsof,83initiationgiven,259mandalaoffering,267mantraextractionof,75,196,341,354meditationretreatof,80practicesgiventoFourteenthDalaiLama,341sādhanaof,364self-initiationofferings/ritual,162,164–65,271statuesof,305threecyclesofredones,150,408n167twostagesof,307,332,341,352,356,380uncommonyogaof,271

Vajrayoginī,foursindūrainitiationsof,380inBodhgaya,264,342,356inChina,209inDharamsala,255,256,259,261,270–71,273,278,280,329,334,336,

339,345,347,352inDromo,148inEngland,327atG.S.MandidipPaperMills,275,414n291atGangchenKyishong,312,313atGangling,92inGarthok,119inKalimpong,254

inLhading,165inLhasa,183,189,194,196,197,202inMundgod,370inMussoorie,333performanceof,305receiptof,74inSarnath,272,343,364inSpiti,262inSwitzerland,292,325TrijangRinpoché’sself-initiationin,381–82forTsamchöDrölma,307atYaphuRatsak,162

Varanasi,146,226,251,265,313,343,358–60vaseinitiation,90vase-breathingposition,77–78Vasubandhu,239,410n201.SeealsoTreasuryofAbhidharmaVasudhāra,131VenerableChödrakofNamgyal,263VenerableYeshé,55VerseSummaryofthePerfectionofWisdom(Ratnaguṇasaṃcayagathā),61VerySecretInstructionsofRechungpa,340VictoriousovertheThreeRealms,347VictoriousPowerfulWeaponritual,61Vimalaśrī,397Vimaloṣṇīṣainitiation,153Vinaya,130,160,262

compilationandeditingof,174debateson,240ordinationceremonyin,202presentationon,68studiesof,65,72Theravadaobservanceof,313

VinayaSutra(Guṇaprabha),403n80Vinayavastu,65Vischer,Helen,301,324Viṣṇu,186–87visions,4,78,117Viśuddhaprabhāinitiation,153Viśvamātṛ,48,402n46ViśvantaraJātaka,401n31

vowsandpreceptsbodhisattva,76,90,143,258,316–17,414n284lay,311Mahayana,62,309,314–15monastic,239one-dayMahayana,267,277,338tantric,62,354

VulturePeak,146,226,264

WWakoMari,86,119WangdüDorjé,312WangkurHill,84,144,236,404n108Wangyal(brotherofSamphelTenzin),108WashulYönru,103–4WatiSangpo.SeeĀryaWatiSangpoofKyirongstatueWeisman,Dr.,292WenchenGongzhu,412n241Wencheng(Chineseprincess),88wheelofDharma,51,135,297,402n57,416n329WheelofSharpWeaponsMindTraining,180,251,274,347,380WhiteHeruka,154,288,336,356,365,373WhiteMahākāla,289,354WhiteMañjuśrī,200,271,381,411n225WhiteSarasvatī,322–23WhiteTārā

EndowedwithNineLineages,345long-lifeempowerments,5,257,272,273,293,295,304,315,320,332,

333,334,335,344,351,358,365mantraof,296retreat,48,60,336,339,352,362ritualtext,312statues,185–86,288TrijangRinpoché’scommentaryon,384

Winder,Marianne,296,416n324wisdombeings(jñānasattva),336,363,419n366WishFulfillingHopeoftheFortunate(JamyangShepa),358Wish-FulfillingTree,131WordsofMañjuśrī,76,161–62,167–68,172,189,199,232–33,332,404n97

YYabshifamily,escapefromTibet,245yakdances,41YakṣaChamdral,131YakṣaYamayamī,367Yama,186–87,413n271Yamalung,141Yamāri,186–87YangDaguan,209Yangan,209YangchenDrupaiDorjé,Wish-FulfillingTreeofEloquence,273,414n289YangchenMonastery,229YangdharChözin,352YangönHermitage,32,224YangpachenTemple,55,59,235YangtengKhyenrapTulku,215YangtengMonastery,95YangtzeRiver,209YangzomTsering,LadyLhalu,75,137,156,157,277,351.SeealsoLhalu

GatsalfamilyYantraWallofVajraMountains,A,174YaphuRatsakMonastery,162YapshiLangdunGungKungaWangchuk,PrimeMinister,128,132,407n152YapshiPhunkhangmansion,176Yardrok,192,194YarlhaShampo,Mount,248Yarlung,140,248YartöDraklaPass,248YasiKardren(sword),104YatrukTsongpön,98,99YerpaLhariNyinpo,232YerpaMonastery,231–32YerpaTsenshapTulku,255,297Yeru,Mount,402n64Yeshé,LamaThubten,346,363YeshéDönden(physician),386YeshéGyaltsen(Yongzin/Kachen),179,230,271,274,339,357,367,

412n253YeshéGyatso,Geshé,199YeshéLoden,Geshé,189

YeshéÖ,316YeshéThupten,Geshé,331YeshéTsewangofPharaLabrang,311YidakPass,86YigaTulku,255,325yogatantra,347Yongleemperor,230–31YongtengMonastery,211YongyaTulku,103YönruPön,101YönruSession,101–2Yönten(friend),53YöntenGyalpo,263YöntenNgawangDrakpa,300YoungLama’sHomeSchool,269,414n288Yudrakpa.SeeShangYudrakpaTsöndrüDrakpaYudrönma,136YumarTsengö,342,349YumbuLagang,140,294,295,322,416n315YuthokKyitsal,232YuthokTashiDöndrup,227–28YuthokYöntenGönpo,175,409n192YuthokpaWangdüNorbu(minister),86,250

ZZhangJingwu,194,203,205,225,237ZhangYintang,38–39ZhaoErfeng/Tarin,25ZopaRinpoché,Thubten,(LawudoTulku),363,413n273,414n288,420n398

AbouttheTranslator

SHARPA TULKU TENZIN TRINLEY was born in Lhasa, Tibet, into the Rampafamily,whosemembersservedinTibet’sGandenPhodranggovernmentuntil1959.He leftTibet following theChineseoccupation,and in Indiahespenttime at themonastic settlement inBuxa and at FredaBedi’sYoungLamasHome School before being sent to the United States in 1962 for WesterneducationalongwithGeshéLhundubSopaandtwoothertulkus.In1966,hereturnedtoDharamsala,whereheservedontheTibetanCouncilforReligiousAffairs. Subsequently he joined the newly established Library of TibetanWorksandArchives,wherehetranslatedforDharmaclassesandworkedonmanytranslationsofBuddhisttexts,includingtheYamantakaCycleClassicspublishedbyTibetHouse,NewDelhi, in1990.Hehas translatedorally forHis Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kaybjé Ling Rinpoché, Kyabjé TrijangRinpoché, Assistant Tutor Serkong Rinpoché, the Ninety-Eighth GandenThroneholder Jampal Shenphen, Lati Rinpoché, andmany other lamas andgeshés. He moved to the United States in 1976 and currently resides inMadison,Wisconsin,withhisfamily.

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HisHolinesstheDalaiLamawithLingRinpochéonhisrightandTrijangRinpochéonhisleftatHyderabadHouse,NewDelhi,1956

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

HisHolinesstheDalaiLama’sgeshélharamexaminationatDrepungMonastery,1958

SOURCEUNKNOWN

GuestsattheOfficeoftheTibetanRepresentativeinBeijing,NewYear’sDay,February23,1955.Frontrowfromtheleft:LordChamberlainPhalha,SecretaryGeneralNgawangDöndrup,AssistantTutorGyatsoLing,DeputyMinisterNeshar,MinlingChungRinpoché,NgaphöNgawangJikmé,LingRinpoché,theDalaiLama,TrijangRinpoché,KarmapaRinpoché,Minister

Surkhang,theDalaiLama’smotherDekyiTsering,NgariRinpoché,theDalaiLama’ssisterTseringDrölma,SakyaDakchenRinpoché

COURTESYOFYONGZINLINGTSANGLABRANG

GandenMonastery,1937

©HUGHRICHARDSON,PITTRIVERSMUSEUM,UNIVERSITYOFOXFORD;1998.131.356

GandenMonasteryinruins,1982SHARPATULKU

KyabjéLingRinpoché,HisHolinesstheDalaiLama,andKyabjéTrijangRinpochéattheMahabodhiStupa,Bodhgaya,1961

COURTESYOFYONGZINLINGTSANGLABRANG

MemorialstupaoftheThirteenthDalaiLama,GrantingAllGoodnessandHappiness,inthePotalaPalace,LhasaCOURTESYOFYONGZINLINGTSANGLABRANG

ThesacredstatueofĀryaWatiSangpoofKyirong©SONAMTSERING

TrijangRinpochéandPaldenTseringinGeneva,Switzerland,1966

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

LastknownpictureofTrijangRinpoché,outsideTashiRaptenresidence,1981

JOYCEMURDOCH

HisHolinesstheDalaiLamacuttingthefirstsnipofhairfromtheincarnationofTrijangRinpochéatThekchenChöling,Dharamsala,1985

COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

TheincarnationofTrijangRinpochéinfrontofSharpaTulkuatTashiRapten

residenceinDharamsala,1985.TotheirrightisRinpoché’sfather,SönamTopgyal.Rinpoché’smother,LosangDrölma,isholdingtheyoungestoffive

children.COURTESYOFPALDENTSERING

KyabjéTrijangRinpochéinhisroomatTashiRaptenHouse,Dharamsala,1973

B.ALANWALLACE

TheincarnationofTrijangRinpochéatTashiRaptenHouseDIANEBARKER.COURTESYOFTIBETIMAGESCOLLECTION

WisdomPublications199ElmStreetSomerville,MA02144USAwisdompubs.org

©2018TenzinTrinleyAllrightsreserved.

Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotography,recording,orbyanyinformationstorageandretrievalsystemortechnologiesnowknownorlaterdeveloped,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData

Names:Blo-bzaṅ-ye-śes-bstan-’dzin-rgya-mtsho,Khri-byaṅ,1901–1981,author.|SharpaTulku,translator.|Bstan-’dzin-rgya-mtsho,DalaiLamaXIV,1935–writerofforeword.

Title:Magicalplayofillusion:theautobiographyofTrijangRinpoche/TrijangRinpoche;translatedbySharpaTulkuTenzinTrinley;forewordbyHisHolinesstheDalaiLama.

Othertitles:Dga’-ldankhrichenbyaṅ-chub-chos-’phelgyigralskyedurlompa’igyinapaźiggisraṅgiṅaṅtshulmabcoslhugparbkodpa’khrulsnaṅsgyuma’izlosgar.English

Description:Somerville,MA:WisdomPublications,2018.|Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.|

Identifiers:LCCN2017055298(print)|LCCN2017061539(ebook)|ISBN9781614295273(ebook)|ISBN9780861710775(hardback)

Subjects:LCSH:Blo-bzaṅ-ye-śes-bstan-’dzin-rgya-mtsho,Khri-byaṅ,1901–1981.|Bstan-’dzin-rgya-mtsho,DalaiLamaXIV,1935–—Friendsandassociates.|Dge-lugs-palamas—TibetRegion—Biography.|Dge-lugs-pa(Sect)—Biography.|BISAC:BIOGRAPHY&AUTOBIOGRAPHY/PersonalMemoirs.|BIOGRAPHY&AUTOBIOGRAPHY/CulturalHeritage.|BIOGRAPHY&AUTOBIOGRAPHY/Historical.

Classification:LCCBQ968.H74(ebook)|LCCBQ968.H74A32018(print)|DDC294.3/923092[B]—dc23

LCrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2017055298

ISBN978-0-86171-077-5ebookISBN978-1-61429-527-3

222120191854321

TheTibetantitleofTheMagicalPlayofIllusionindrutsastylewaspennedbyAyetukJolakChiméGönpoinDharamsalain1983.HewasthelastsurvivingmemberoftheexclusivelytrainedcalligraphersinthecourtoftheThirteenthDalaiLama.TranslatorphotobyMorganGroves.CoverandinteriordesignbyGopa&Ted2,Inc.