February 26
is the first of the three days of teachings by the
Gyalwang Karmapa to both the lay and ordained sangha.
Coming from all over the world, they fill the ground
under the vast blue arch of the tent, reminding us that
the early incarnations of the Karmapa traveled widely
with his retinue who stayed in tents, hence the name
Tsurphu Gar, the Encampment of Tsurphu. Flanked on
either side by four stands of flowers, the Karmapa’s
carved wooden throne is set up between the apron of the
stage and the stairs that ascend up to the Buddha
statue. Just behind the Karmapa’s throne are paintings
of central figures from the four different lineages in
Tibet.
Accompanied
by the sound of jalings, the Karmapa enters the Monlam
Pavilion, makes three bows, and takes his seat on the
Dharma throne. With three bells, everyone makes their
bows and then recites in Sanskrit the refuge and two
short teachings plus a dedication, which is followed by
the Short Vajradhara Lineage Prayer. While translators
of ten different languages sit in front of him, the
Karmapa includes in his prayers one to teach the Dharma
in many different tongues. After an offering to him for
his long life, the teachings begin.
The text the
Gyalwang Karmapa will be teaching for three days is
entitled “The Short Vajradhara Lineage Prayer.” He began
playfully by saying that just looking at the name, you
might think that there is a short Vajrdhara and a tall
Vajradhara. Actually, it means the short prayer of
Vajradhara as compared to longer prayers of Vajradhara.
The author is Bengar Jampal Zangpo, who is regarded as a
reincarnation of the Kadampa Geshe, Langri Tsangpa.
Bengar Zangpo was also a root teacher of the Seventh
Karmapa, Chodrak Gyatso.
Usually,
teachings about this prayer are preceded by an
explanation of how to meditate on the lineage, displayed
in a refuge tree either as a gathering of lamas or as a
line with one set directly above the other. Today,
however, the teachings will be a commentary on the
meaning rather than an extensive explanation of this
meditation.
In India,
the mahamudra lineage comes through Tilopa, Naropa, and
Maitripa, and in Tibet, through Marpa, the great
translator. He went to India three times and studied
with the masters of meditation and texts, Naropa and
Maitripa, who were famous all over India. Studying with
many others, Marpa received teachings on all four
sections of the tantra. He received a prediction that
his disciples would be more advanced than their teacher
and that their students would be even more realized, so
that his lineage would be like a river ever increasing
in its flow. Marpa’s main students were known as the
four pillars. From among them, it was Ngok Choku Dorje
who received the transmission of the teaching lineage of
the tantras. Due to him, this lineage continues, not
only in the Kagyu but also in other schools.
Another
tantric lineage that Marpa brought back from India was
that of the practice lineage, which was transmitted to
Milarepa. He preserved it through following exactly his
teacher’s instructions and through undergoing great
hardships—meditating in the remote areas of high snow
mountains and subsisting on nettles. Milarepa attained
most profound experiences of the lineage.
Milarepa had
numerous great students who were highly realized, the
two greatest of whom are known as the sun-like and
moon-like disciples. The latter was Rechungpa, famous
for his hearing lineage and for passing away without
leaving any physical remains. One of his famous
disciples was Khyung Tsangpa, and his student was Lorepa.
There are many supreme masters who maintain this special
hearing lineage of Rechungpa. Another student was
Nyandzong Repa Changchup Gyalpo, who had a lineage
called the Nyendzong hearing lineage.
The most
important lineage holder of Milarepa was Gampopa, who
founded the Dagpo Kagyu. He is also known as Noble Dawa
Shonnu (Youthful Moon) and Dakpo Lhaje (the Doctor from
Dakpo). In three sutras, he was predicted by the Buddha,
saying there will be someone called Gelong Tsoze, which
means a Bhikshu who is a doctor. His nephew was Gompo
Tsultrim Nyingpo (or Gomtsul), who held the lineage of
the main seat of Gampopa, known as Densa Kagyu, which
his descendants continued. Gomtsul’s main student was
Shang Yudrakpa or Tsondru Drakpa, from who stems the
Tsalpa Kagyu, one of the four elder Kagyu schools.
It was also
predicted that Gampopa would have 500 purified students
and 500 still to be purified. From among these, there
were 800 highly qualified meditators and of these, the
principal ones were the three men from Kham. One of
them, the Grey-Haired Khampa or Dusum Khyenpa (the First
Karmapa), founded the lineage of the Karma Kamtsang.
Another of the three, Khampa Dorgyal or Palden
Pakmodrukpa, founded the Pakdru Kagyu. This lineage
spread the most widely since all the eight younger
schools of Karma Kagyu stem from him.
Another
direct student of Gampopa is Barompa Darma Wangchuk who
started the Barom Kagyu lineage, home to many great
masters. His student was Trishi Repa, who became a
teacher of the Chinese emperor, and his teachings
continue to this day.
The
Vajradhara Prayer speaks of “the four elder lineages”
and these come from Gampopa and his nephew Gomtsul, who
were very similar in their realization. There were no
students of Gampopa who did not also receive teachings
from Gomtsul as well. These four lineages are the Tsalpa
Kagyu, Karma Kagyu, Barom Kagyu, and Pakdru Kagyu; some
add the Densa Kagyu to make five. These are called the
elder lineages as they all come directly from Gampopa
and his nephew Gomtsul; the younger lineages all come
from the students of Gampopa’s students. This is an
extremely important point because one might
misunderstand (especially if the term che is
translated as “greater” and chung as “lesser”)
and think that the four elder lineages are better— more
powerful, valuable, or famous—and that the eight younger
lineages are not as good—being smaller, weaker, or not
so important. But this is not the case. The direct
disciples of Gampopa and Gomtsul are the elder, and the
next generation stemming from them, especially
Pakmodrukpa, are known as the younger.
Some writers
say that the term four elder and eight younger (che
bzhi chung brgyad) was not there before Jamgon
Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, a contemporary of the Fourteenth
Karmapa, but this is not correct. In writings of Taklung
Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who lived at the time of the
Tenth Karmapa, we find this term so it predates Jamgon
Kongtrul.
When
translating the Kagyu Monlam Prayer Book, we decided to
use the terms “elder” for the direct disciples of
Gampopa and Gomtsul and “younger” for the lineages of
their students. This way of translating also follows a
tradition related to three families of Ling Gesar, in
which these terms che, chung, and also
bar (middle) appear: the first was the lineage of
the elder and the second of the younger, which was
actually more powerful. So in Tibetan the term che
can mean “the elder brother” and chung
can mean “younger brother.” It’s very
important to be clear about this so that we do not use
the term to mean than some lineages are better than the
others.
Since this
is a Drupgyu Karma Kamtshang gathering, it might be
useful to explain this name, too. Drupgyu (sGrub
brgyud) refers to the practice lineage; Karma
is from Karmapa, the one who performs the activities of
all the buddhas; and Kam comes from Kampo Gangra,
the name of a place in Lithang in Eastern Tibet;
Tshang literally means “nest” and by extension,
“dwelling or place,” so the name could be translated as
“the Karmapa’s practice lineage from Kampo Gangra.” This
sacred place of Chakrasamvara is where Gampopa told
Dusum Khyenpa to practice, and if he did, his activity
would spread throughout Tibet. Dusum Khyenpa’s final
realization was also here at Kampo Gangra.
In addition
to the name of Karma Kamtshang, we also find Karma Kagyu
(Kar ma bka’ brgyud). The first Karmapa, Dusum
Khyenpa, was not popularly known as Karmapa, though in a
vision he had received this name as the performer of the
activities of all the buddhas. People have different
theories about the origin of this name. Some say that it
comes from the fact that the Dusum Khyenpa stayed for a
long time in Karma Gon, and so his lineage took its name
from this place. Some historians say the name Karmapa
was given only to the second Karmapa, so the Karmapas
begin with him, and Dusum Khyenpa is then considered the
first holder of the Black Crown. So there are different
ways of explaining the origin of the name Karmapa and,
by extension, of Karma Kagyu.
There is
also a variety of predictions about the number of the
Karmapa’s incarnations. Chokgyur Lingpa wrote that for
seven generations, the Karmapa’s rebirth or
reincarnations (yangsi, yang srid) will appear
and then there will be thirteen manifestations (trulpa,
sprul pa) making for a total of twenty-one. There
is a prediction from Guru Rinpoche that the Karmapa will
have only seven reincarnations. The Fifth Karmapa
predicted that there will be twenty-five. Drupchen
Nyakre Sewo stated that there will be 1002 Karmapas, and
though they might not be throne holders or carrying the
name of the Karmapa, they will be performing the
Karmapa’s activities, so it is said that the Karmapa’s
activities will not finished until all the activity of
the 1000 buddhas comes to a close. Others say that his
activity will last until the end of samsara.
Let us take a
brief look at the differences between what are known as
reincarnations and as manifestations. A manifestation
arises from its own basis, or foundation, and there can be
many manifestations. For example, an arhant can produce
manifestations, but they have no independent power to think
or act for themselves; the basis that produced them (the
arhant in this case) must first think and act. By contrast,
manifestations of the Buddha can think and act on their own.
Now in the case of a reincarnation, the basis of
manifestation itself takes rebirth. Further, the way
manifestations happen depends on the capacity of the people
who are manifesting. For example, if they have the level of
realization, they can emanate manifestations of their body,
speech, mind, qualities, and activity.
Tulkus can be
recognized in two main ways: through connection and through
similarity. Not all tulkus are manifestations of buddhas or
bodhisattvas. When people make powerful prayers, practice
well, maintain good conduct and discipline, and gather the
accumulations, they create the auspicious connection to take
birth as a special individual; due to the aspirations they
have made in the past, they will now have the capacity to
help numerous living beings. A highly realized master can
see this potential and will give them the name of a tulku.
This benefits them in developing their positive potential as
they will have more opportunities to increase their merit
and wisdom will come to them. Since their aspirations are
genuine, they are able to benefit others. In a lighter tone,
His Holiness added that we cannot call everyone a tulku. If
we did, who would be left to offer respect to the tulkus?
Through many
generations, the Karmapa has had uncountable numbers of
students; the greatest among them, he recognized as having
attained his level of abandoning what is negative and
attaining what is positive. These disciples are known
collectively as the father Karmapa and his heart sons (rgyal
ba yab sras). Their relationship is that of a teacher
and student, but calling them father and son points to their
special connection: a father does not have so many children,
and a teacher can have many students. His Holiness presented
the heart sons in their historical order.
Shamar
Rinpoche
The first of
these special students is the Shamarpa. The Second Karmapa,
Karma Pakshi, predicted that about one hundred years later,
he would have two reincarnations with the equivalent level
of abandonment and realization, even though they would be
described as teacher and student. One of them would wear the
Black Hat and the other a Red Hat. This lineage of
enthroned reincarnations continued through to the Tenth
Shamarpa. At this time, problems arose and so the Tibetan
government did not allow his reincarnations to be recognized
or enthroned.
Just previous to
this Tenth Shamarpa, there were two claimants for the
reincarnation of the Ninth Shamarpa, because two lamas had
recognized two different children. Due to Chinese influence,
there was a lottery system of selecting a name from a golden
vase, so in this way, Tashi Tsepay (his family name) Shamar
was enthroned. The second reincarnation, Nam Ling (his
family name) Shamar continued to take birth up to the time
of the Fifteenth Karmapa.
When the Tenth
Shamarpa passed away, there were three generations of lamas
who were said to be reincarnations of the Shamarpa, but they
were not enthroned. Therefore, if one counts all who were
enthroned, the present Shamarpa is the eleventh, and if one
counts those who were not enthroned, he is the fourteenth.
Since for three generations, the Shamarpas were not
enthroned, when the Sixteenth Karmapa came to India, he
asked the Fourteenth Dalai Lama to allow the recognition of
Shamarpa. His Holiness gave his consent, and this is how the
present Shamarpa was enthroned.
Situ Rinpoche
The First Situpa
was a direct disciple of the Fifth Karmapa, Dezhin Shekpa.
Since then the Situpas held responsibility for the seat of
Karma Gön, one of the three main seats of the Karmapa. In
general, all the Situpas were important but especially so
was the Eighth Situ Chokyi Jungne, also known as Situ
Panchen. When Karmapa and Shamarpa went to China, Situ
Rinpoche requested to travel with them, but the Karmapa
asked him to remain in Tibet. As it happened, on the way to
China, both the Karmapa and Shamar Rinpoche passed away
within a few days of each other, so the responsibility for
the lineage fell on the shoulders of Situ Rinpoche. He
carried this responsibility magnificently and engaged in
vast activity. He established Palpung Monastery in Kham and
helped to preserve all aspects of Tibetan culture. He was a
great scholar in all the branches of study found in India
and Tibet as well as a superb artist. We owe Situ Chokyi
Jungne tremendous gratitude.
After the Fourth
Situpa, Mingyur Chokyi Gocha, and the Fifth Situpa died at a
young age, yet his incarnation is still counted among the
numbers of Situpas, making the present one the Twelfth
Situpa. Another Situpa, Lekshey Mrawa, (born between the
Seventh and Eight Situpas) was recognized, but at that time,
the Kagyu school was undergoing a period of weakness. Since
the members of the family were rather arrogant, they did not
offer their child for enthronement, so this incarnation died
at a young age and is not numbered among the Situpas.
The Eleventh
Situpa was a serious person who published all the words of
the Eighth Karmapa Mikyo Dorje, including his profound
commentaries, so it is thanks to him that we still have
these texts. He also established a shedra or an institute
for the study of Buddhist philosophy. We will talk about the
present Situpa on the last day of he Monlam.
Gyaltsap
Rinpoche
The First
Gyaltsap Rinpoche, Goshir Paljor Döndrup, was a contemporary
of the author of our text, Pengar Jampel Sangpo. Both
masters were teachers of the Seventh Karmapa, who received
the vinaya and ordination from Pengar Jampel Sangpo and most
of the teachings and transmissions from the First Gyaltsap
Rinpoche.
Pengar Jampal
Sangpo was also known as Lama Rinpoche Wang Gyapa (Precious
Lama with Hundreds of Empowerments) as there was not one
empowerment he did not have from all the lineages. This came
about because the Sixth Karmapa knew that he would be his
teacher in the next life, so he sent him everywhere to
receive all the reading transmissions, empowerments, and
instructions, which Pengar Jampal Sangpo could then pass on
to the Seventh Karmapa, allowing all of this precious Dharma
to remain intact in Tibet.
After this first
incarnation, the Gyaltsap Rinpoches incarnated in unbroken
succession. During a war between Central and Western Tibet,
which involved the Mongolians as well, the Karma Kamtsang
school suffered greatly and almost disappeared. Using
skillful means, the Eighth Gyaltsap Rinpoche made a
connection with the Mongolian leader Goshri Khan and,
thereby, was able to save Tsurphu Monastery and preserve the
Kamtsang lineage as well as other Kagyu schools. That the
Kamtsang Kagyu remains today is thanks to Gyaltsap Rinpoche.
Pawo Rinpoche
and Treho Rinpoche
In the Kagyu
tradition, the First Pawo Rinpoche, Tsuklak Trengwa, was a
supreme scholar of the history of Tibetan Buddhism, and to
this day his history is still highly respected and widely
read.
We do not know
much about Treho Shabdrung Rinpoches. It is said that his
name is one of a certain position or rank, of which there
are two, senior and junior. The one included in the six
father and sons is the junior one. His incarnations have
continued.
This has been a
brief introduction to the five sons and their father, the
Karmapa. Tomorrow, we will continue this discussion of the
lineages that have given us such a rich heritage of
scholarship and practice.
