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The lineage of Pema Lingpa dates back to the 8th century, to the time when Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche, first brought Vajrayana Buddhism from India to the lands of Tibet and Bhutan. Though able to subdue pervasive negative forces – both cultural and mystical, Guru Rinpoche could foresee obstacles that would hinder the Dharma in coming generations, when the teachings would become confused and separated from their essential instructions. To mitigate this, he blessed the region with termas (hidden treasure-teachings) to be revealed in the future for the benefit of sentient beings.
During his time in Tibet, Guru Rinpoche prophesied who the tertons (treasure-revealers) would be, as well as the appropriate time and circumstances for the terma to be discovered. These esoteric teachings were secreted in the varied landscape of the Himalaya among the mountains, cliffs, trees, rivers, lakes and caves, as well as in the very mind streams of disciples who, as reborn spiritual masters, would be led to discover the terma through dreams, visions, and spontaneous realization. There have been many hundreds of tertons up to this present day who have revealed thousands of these concealed teachings of Guru Rinpoche. Among them were the five great Terton Kings, of whom Orgyen Pema Lingpa was the forth.
In Tibet, the legacy of Pema Lingpa began with the death of Lacham Pemasel, the daughter of King Trison Detsen, who died unexpectedly in her eighth year.
Upon noticing the king’s great sorrow over his only daughter’s death, Guru Rinpoche drew princess Pemasel’s consciousness back into her body. When she had regained awareness, Guru Rinpoche transmitted to her the secret doctrine of the Khandro Nyingtig, or Heartdrop of the Dakini, and empowered her to reveal those teachings in a future life. He also blessed her from his heart and gave her the prophesy that in a future life she would be reborn as the Terton King Pema Lingpa, and she would reveal his hidden teachings related to the cycles of the three heart practices of The Lama Jewel Ocean, The Union of Samantabhadra’s Intentions, and The Great Compassionate One: The Lamp that Illuminates Darkness.
Princess Pemasel revealed the Khandro Nyingtig teachings and taught on them extensively in her next incarnation as Pema Lendreltsel, who later took rebirth as the great master Longchen Rabjam. Pema Lingpa was the direct and sole incarnation of the omniscient Longchenpa.
Born amidst auspicious signs in 1450, in Bhutan’s Bumthang Valley, Pema Lingpa was a descendent of tantric practitioners of the Nyingma Lineage. His formal religious training was not extensive, but from his early adult years onward his dreams and visions became the source from which he received instructions to extract 108 great treasures–texts and relics throughout Bhutan and parts of Tibet and India. However, due to the karmic disposition of beings at that time, Pema Lingpa revealed only 32 of the prophesized treasures.
Pema Lingpa’s sizable collection of texts, “The Precious Collection of Profound Treasure Teachings of the Great Master Pema Lingpa” consists of twenty-one volumes, including fourteen major treasure cycles as well as “ordinary” compositions by the tertön and later masters.
The majority of treasures revealed by Pema Lingpa contain empowerment and practice manuals associated with Mahayoga Tantra, and there are also three substantial Atiyoga cycles. The collection contains various texts, an amalgamation of narratives, instructions and rituals.
Pema Lingpa is known as one of the five great Terton Kings, because, among the other treasures, he revealed the three most important cycles of teachings and practices: the cycle of Guru, the cycle of the deity of compassion – Avalokiteshvara, and the cycle on Great Perfection – Dzogchen.
The cycle of Guru is one of the most important and famous treasures, discovered by Pema Lingpa. It is called Lama Norbu Gyatso, or Lama Jewel Ocean.
This cycle is fully associated with Guru Padmasambhava and contains lots of teachings, practices and rituals. Pema Lingpa has revealed this terma from the Lion-Faced Cliff at Mendo in Lhodrak, Bhutan.
The first part of the cycle contains a series of instructions on various topics, in the form of dialogues between Guru Rinpoche and his devoted disciples, such as Prince Mutik Tsenpo and Princess Pemasal. A series of tantric initiations and practice manuals occupy a central place in the cycle, including the root text of the cycle, an Atiyoga empowerment. At the end of this cycle there is an array of different rites, such as smoke offerings, consecration ceremonies, funeral services and rain making instructions.
The Lama Norbu Gyatso cycle occupies the first two volumes in the collection of Pema Lingpa’s treasures.
The Avalokiteshvara cycle – “The Great Compassionate One, The Lamp That Illuminates the Darkness” was discovered from the indestructible enclosure of the Copper Cave of Rimochen, Bhutan.
One of the Great Perfection cycles revealed by Pema Lingpa is Künsang Gongpa Kündu – “Great Completion, The Union of Samantabhadra’s Intentions”. The first part of this treasure was revealed from the stupa at Chimphu near Samye, in Tibet. Another part was rediscovered in Tharpaling near Bumthang, it was previously revealed and hidden again by Longchenpa.
This cycle contains the swift and profound path that allows to attain liberation within one life.
The other two of the Great Perfection cycles are “The Quintessence of the Mysteries of Luminous Space” and “The Small Child Tantra”.
Each Ati cycle has a different emphasis and the three together function as a unit. Each cycle is depicted as emphasizing a single genre: instructions, empowerments and tantras respectively.
The Union of Samantabhadra’s Intentions emphasizes instructions and also contains empowerments of peaceful and wrathful deities (zhi khro) and esoteric instructions (sman ngag) on advanced yogic topics.
The first volume of The Quintessence of the Mysteries of Luminous Space is almost wholly taken up with empowerments. The second volume includes an interesting array of scattered texts including advice on the yogic art of swift walking, protection against demons and guidebooks to hidden lands.
The entire volume of The Small Child Tantra consists of tantras and commentaries, related to an important section of The Collection of Nyingma Tantras on the “Seventeen Unsurpassed Secret Tantras of Dzogchen” (Yang gsang bla na med pa rdzogs pa chen po’i rgyud bcu bdun gyi skor rnams, volumes 9 and 10 of the Nyingma Gyubum). This cycle is considered a “rediscovered” treasure (yang gter), originally revealed by the tertön Sherab Membar.
These teachings as well as the other cycles of treasures of the great terton Pema Lingpa contain numerous practices, rituals and instructions destined to bring fortunate sentient beings to liberation.
All of the treasures of Pema Lingpa are cautiously carried on till the present day through the lines of the three incarnations of Pema Lingpa (Sungtrul Rinpoche), his son Thukse Dawa (Thukse Rinpoche), and Thukse Dawa’s son Pema Thrinle (Gangteng Tulku). Alternatively it is said that there are three emanation lineages of Pema Lingpa – lines of his Body (Gangteng Tulku), Speech (Sungtrul Rinpoche) and Mind (Thukse Rinpoche).
Credit: The primary source of information for this brief history is The Life and Revelations of Pema Lingpa, translated by Sarah Harding and published by Snow Lion. This book is highly recommended for a complete introduction to Pema Lingpa and his teachings.
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CONTENTS OF PEMA LINGPA’S TREASURES
Gangteng Rinpoche is the upholder of Pema Lingpa’s treasures.
Сollection of treasure teachings (gter chos) is an anthology of texts revealed by a particular tertön which may also include works written by the tertön, as well as supplementary material by other masters associated with the tradition.
Considered to be teachings by Padmasambhava,the treasures are placed first in the collection. Pema Lingpa’s ordinary works follow and constitute three volumes:
(1) a collection of Pema Lingpa’s ordinary compositions, Bka’ ‘bum yid bzhin gter mdzod, in vol. 13; (2) Pema Lingpa’s autobiography, ‘Od zer kun mdzes nor bu’i phreng ba, in vol. 14; and (3) an appendix to Lama Jewel Ocean in vol. 20, predominantly by Pema Lingpa. Ritual arrangements, composed by his subsequent incarnations, are placed in a single volume toward the end of the collection, Kha skong min byed dbang gi mtshams sbyor (Vol. 19). The texts in this volume were predominantly written by the Sixth Peling Sungtrul, Kunzang Tenpai Gyaltsen, and the Eighth Peling, Sungtrul Kunzang Dechen Dorje. Also near the end is a volume of liturgical materials, ‘Don cha’i skor bdud ‘jom sogs gsung (Vol. 18) by Dudjom Rinpoche, the editor of the present collection. These serve as ritual elaborations for a number of Pema Lingpa’s treasures. A hagiography of Padmasambhava, O rgyan padma ‘byung gnas kyi ‘khrung rabs sangs rgyas bstan pa’i chos byung (Vol.21) is found at the end of the collection.
Jamgön Kongtrul lists fourteen major treasure cycles in his short hagiography of Pema Lingpa found in his Gter ston brgya rtsa ’i rnam thar as follows: (1) Rdzogs chen klong gsal gyi skor, (2) Rdzogs chen kun bzang dgongs ‘dus, (3) Rdzogs chen gnyis med rgyud bu chung gi skor, (4) Bla ma nor bu rgya mtsho, (5) Thugs rje chen po mun sel sgron me, (6) Bka’ brgyad thugs kyi me long, (7) Phur pa spu gri, (8) Bdud rtsi sman grub kyi skor, [Bka’ phur sman gsum summarizes the previous three], (9) Phyag rdor dregs ‘dul dang gtum chung, (10) Drag po che ‘bring chung gsum, (11) Tshe khrid rdo rje phreng ba, (12) Tshe sgrub nor bu lam khyer, (13) Nag po skor gsum, and (14) Las phran gyi skor. Rig ‘dzin padma gling pa yi zab gter chos mdzod rin po che.
THE LIST OF PEMA LINGPA’S COLLECTION OF TREASURES
VOLUMES 1–2: Ka/Kha
Lama Jewel Ocean
Bla ma nor bu rgya mtsho
Revealed from the Lion-Faced Cliff at Mendo in Lhodrak
VOLUME 3: Ga
Drag po che ’bring chung gsum
Wrathful Guru Cycles; Greater, Middling, and Lesser
Bla ma drag po dmar chen me lce phreng ba
The Great Red Wrathful Guru, Necklace of Flames Revealed from the indestructible rock outcropping at Kurje in Bumthang
Bla ma drag po ’gro ba kun ’dul
Wrathful Guru, Tamer of Beings Revealed from the throne-like base of Lion Cliff in lower Bumthang
Drag po me rlung ’khyil pa
Wrathful Fire Twister Revealed at the eastern side of Lion Cliff at Tharpaling
VOLUME 4: Nga
Rdzogs chen kun bzang dgongs ’dus
Great Completion, The Union of Samantabhadra’s Intentions (Volume One)
Revealed from the stupa at Chimphu near Samye
VOLUME 5: Ca
Klong gsal gsang ba snying bcud
The Quintessence of the Mysteries of Luminous Space (Volume One) Revealed from the Burning Lake by the foot of the Long-Nosed Cliff in Bumthang
VOLUME 6: Cha
Snying tig yang gsang rgyud bu chung ba
The Small Child Tantra of the Most Secret Innermost Essence (or The Small Child Tantra)
Revealed from the Lion Cliff at Rimochen in Bumthang
VOLUME 7: Ja
Thugs rje chen po mun sel sgron me
The Great Compassionate One, The Lamp That Illuminates the Darkness
Revealed from the indestructible enclosure of the Copper Cave of Rimochen
VOLUME 8: Nya
Tshe khrid rdo rje’i phreng ba
The Diamond Necklace of Longevity Instructions
Revealed from the Lion-Faced Cliff at Mendo in Lhodrak
VOLUME 9: Ta
Phyag rdor dregs pa kun ’dul
Vajrapani Suppressing Fierce Ones
Revealed from a cracked rock in the variegated cliff in Lhodrak
Bdud rtsi sman sgrub
Elixir Medicine Sadhana Revealed from Rimochen in Bumthang
VOLUME 10: Tha
Bka’ brgyad yang sang thugs kyi me long
The Most Secret Eight Transmitted Precepts, Mirror of the Mind
Revealed from Tselung Lhakhang in Bumthang
VOLUME 11: Da
Mgon po ma ning
The Protector Maning
Revealed from the Meteorite Blazing Cliff at Mendo in Lhodrak
Nag po skor gsum
Three Black Cycles
Revealed from the back gate of Tselung Lhakhang in Bumthang
Gshin rje kha thun nag po
Black Yamantaka
Phra men phag sha nag po
Black Sow-Headed Tramen
Mu stegs gu lang nag po
Black Heretic Maheshvara
Las phran skor
Cycle of Minor Activities
Revealed from the back gate of Tselung Lhakhang in Bumthang
VOLUME 12: Na
Tshe khrid nor bu lam khyer
Longevity Instruction, Applying Jewels on the Path
Revealed from the indestructible rock outcropping at Kurje in Bumthang
Rta mgrin dmar po dregs pa zil gnon
Red Hayagriva, Overwhelming Fierce Ones
Revealed from Mendo in Lhodrak
Rta mgrin nag po lcags ral can
Iron-Hair Black Hayagriva
Revealed from the red rock meteorite cliff in Yamdrok
VOLUME 13: Pa
Bka’ ’bum yid bzhin gter mdzod
Pema Lingpa’s Collected Writings, A Wish-Fulfilling Treasure Trove
VOLUME 14: Pha
Pad gling gi rnam thar
Biographies of Pema Lingpa (and his subsequent incarnations)
VOLUME 15: Ba
Rdzogs chen kun bzang dgongs ’dus
Great Completion, The Union of Samantabhadra’s Intentions (Volume Two)
VOLUME 16: Ma
Phur ba yang gsang srog gi spu gri
Kila, The Most Secret Vital Blade
Revealed from the Lion-Faced Cliff at Mendo in Lhodrak
VOLUME 17: Tsa
Klong gsal gsang ba snying bcud
The Quintessence of the Mysteries of Luminous Space (Volume Two)
VOLUME 18: Tsha
’Don cha’i skor bdud ’jom sogs gsung
Liturgical cycles by Dudjom Rinpoche et al.
VOLUME 19: Dza
Dbang gyi mtshams skor
Ritual Arrangements for Empowerments
VOLUME 20: Wa
Bla ma nor bu rgya mtsho’i kha skong
Appendix to Lama Jewel Ocean
VOLUME 21: Zha
Orgyan padma ’byung gnas kyi ’khrung rabs sangs rgyas bstan pa’i chos byung
The Biography of Padmasambhava, A History of the Buddha’s Teachings
This collection was reproduced from a set of manuscripts preserved at Gangteng Monastery, sponsored by Her Majesty the Royal Grandmother and edited by the great Nyingma master Dudjom Rinpoche. It was published in Thimphu by Kunsang Tobgay in 1975.
This text is taken from “The Life and Revelations of Pema Lingpa” by Sarah Harding.
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