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.