Ris med and the first ’Ba’ rom revival at sKyo brag

In the 19^th century, sKyo brag was a thriving monastic center, though it is sometimes said that the ’Ba’ rom doctrines in their “secret” (gsang ba) aspect, i.e. the yogic practices applied in retreat, had been neglected.⁴⁶⁵ The influx of important Karma bKa’ brgyud pa and Ris med lamas ensured its prominent position on the religious scene in both Nang chen and sDe dge.

It was at sKyo brag that Kong sprul met his main guru, the 9^th Si tu Padma Nyin byed dbang po (1774-1853) for the first time.⁴⁶⁶ As a young Sanskrit tutor to Theg mchog rdo rje, the 14^th Karma pa (1798–1868), Kong sprul also travelled to sKyo brag in 1837.⁴⁶⁷ Moreover, two of the three main reincarnates of sKyo brag, Dung dkar and gSal byed, were Kong sprul’s associates, disciples and gurus at the same time.⁴⁶⁸ From the point of view of today’s revival, and especially this case study, the most significant of Kong sprul’s contributions to sKyo brag’s religious scene was his introduction of a ritual, carried out in sKyo brag and in the hermitage of La phyi again today. It was the Mi la ras pa guru-sādhanā (Mi la bla sgrub), which Kong sprul composed and enclosed into the rGya chen bka’ mdzod. In 1893 at sKyo brag, he bestowed the empowerment and “authorization [by reading]” (lung) for this practice to the monastery’s incarnates and other disciples.⁴⁶⁹

Later in his life, Kong sprul developed the ambition to restore the ’Ba’ rom teachings of sKyo brag, in accordance with following the wish of Si tu. Especially the autobiography of gTer chen ’Bar ba’i rdor je (1836-1920) recounts Kong sprul’s unfulfilled intention to collect the ’Ba’ rom pa scriptures, which had become rare. He hoped to include them into the gDams ngag mdzod, in order to ensure the longevity of the transmission.⁴⁷⁰

The same rnam thar contains a detailed description of the activities of ’Bar ba’i rdor je and his success in renewing the ’Ba’ rom practices not only on the scriptural, but also ritual plane.⁴⁷¹ ’Bar ba’i rdor je, who was a Karma bKa’ brgyud pa reincarnate, displayed early

464 The above material on the ’Ba’ rom school is an extract of a more extensive study that I have managed to carry out mostly with the help of reprints of rare literature obtained in the field. Since it exceeds the scope of this thesis, it will be published elsewhere.

465 See Bardor Tulku 2010 a.

466 Schuh 1976: xxxvii.

467 Schuh 1976: xlii and Kong sprul, et al. 2003: 33.

468 Kong sprul, et al. 2003: 217, 246.

469 Kong sprul, et al. 2003: 246, 363.

470 Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 166.

471 Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 34-5.

intersectarian interests, and when his sister became the principal consort to mChog gyur gling pa, ’Bar ba’i rdo rje became his close disciple and assistant in the gTer excavations.⁴⁷² Through mChog gling he also became a disciple of the remaining Ris med masters, Kong sprul and mKhyen brtse, and the 14^th Karma pa.

’Bar ba’i rdo rje became a zealous advocate of the newly discovered narrative map of twenty-five gnas of A mdo and Khams. He visited most of the sites himself and frequently used the newly established hermitages for meditation retreat and activity.⁴⁷³ In fact, it was at sKyo brag, Number One on mChog gling’s narrative map, that ’Bar ba’i rdo rje unearthed his first Treasure. He established a guru-disciple connection with all sKyo brag reincarnates, and eventually most of the local monastic community turned into eager addressees of his Treasures.⁴⁷⁴ When ’Bar ba’i rdo rje went into retreat at the Nyi zla cave of sKyo brag, the area became the scene for his marvels: further gTer revelations and pacts with the White Upāsaka (dGe bsnyen dkar po), the local guardian sworn to protect the ’Ba’ rom school.⁴⁷⁵

Around 1902,⁴⁷⁶ probably because of his ties with sKyo brag as gter gnas, ’Bar ba’i rdo rje was formally asked by his closest disciple and later abbot of sKyo brag, Karma bKa’ brgyud bkra shis (?-1953?) ⁴⁷⁷ to renew the almost forgotten hermitic practices of the ’Ba’ rom school.⁴⁷⁸

Not only ’Bar ba’i rdo rje, but also other authors like sKu rgyal (b.1935), describe this restorative activity with great precision, for if the gter ston’s involvement was to be successful, he had to prove his direct connection with the transmission lineage. In his autobiography, in a manner typical for a Treasure revealer, ’Bar ba’i rdo rje employs the past in order to authorize his current endeavors. He claimed to be holder of the “long lineage”

(ring brgyud), the “[short] lineage of pure vision” (dag snang gi brgyud) also known as “the

472 Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 37-8.

473 Yeshe Gyamtso 2005 and Barway Dorje, et al. 2007.

474 Barway Dorje, et al. 2007: 126, 146, 154.

475 Barway Dorje, et al. 2007: 40, 102-104, 155.

476 Compare sGa Karma don grub, et al. 1999: 102 and Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 165-6.

477 Karma bKa’ brgyud bkra shis alias rGyal sras gZhan phan chos kyi grags pa (19^th/20^th centuries) was one of the hereditary abbots of sKyo brag in the uncle-nephew line. This lama would become an important master in the most recent local history. He was also editor for ’Bar ba’i rdo rje’s autobiography and songs quoted in this thesis.

Moreover, Karma bKa’ brgyud bkra shis was a ras pa; he is traditionally depicted with a white robe and red meditation belt; elderly hermits at sKyo brag still remember his influence on the development of the area’s retreat practices. See ’Jam dbyangs, et al. 1995-1997, 2: 97; Tshangs gsar 2005: 299, and sKu rgyal 1982: 51.

Also see sGa Karma don grub, et al. 1999: 102-103.

478 With the help of an incarnate from another ’Ba’ rom monastery in Nang chen, bKa’ brgyud bKra shis had already collected scriptures for this purpose; they were sKyo brag Chos rje’s writings on both Thar lam and Thabs lam.

very close/short lineage” (brgyud shin tu nye ba), and the “lineage of recollection” (rjes dran kyi brgyud) of the ’Ba’ rom Golden Dharmas (’ba’ rom gser chos).⁴⁷⁹

’Bar ba’i rdo rje’s possession of the “long lineage” was what probably authorized him to act on behalf of the ’Ba’ rom pa in the first place. As a Zur mang reincarnate, he obtained the transmission of its founder, Matiratna (Blo gros rin chen, b.1386), ⁴⁸⁰ which the latter master had received from the sKyo brag patriarch, Glang ras pa. Furthermore, while at Karma dgon, seat of the Karma pa hierarchs in Khams, in a dream-like state he received the “visionary lineage” from a female master referred to by the name of gNam mkha’i rnal ’byor ma.

According to ’Bar ba’i rdo rje, she was an emanation of A khro ma, consort to the famous sKyo brag Chos rje and a ’Ba’ rom lineage holder in her own right.⁴⁸¹

The legitimation of the revival was completed with ’Bar ba’i rdo rje’s conviction of his previous existence as sKyo brag Chos rjes himself. In particular, he suddenly recalled the instructions on meditation and yogic exercises (’phrul ’khor) and his experiences in retreat.

This awareness was something that allowed him to become the holder of the ’Ba’ rom pa

“lineage of recollection.”⁴⁸²

Additionally urged by the Karma dgon abbot, Zla bzang rin po che (dates unknown), ’Bar ba’i rdo rje launched his mission by first putting the instructions and liturgies of the revived Golden Dharmas into writing. He chose an auspicious day and places, which were the different hermitages of sKyo brag, positioned on mChog gling’s narrative map.⁴⁸³ He based his composition work on the texts by early ’Ba’ rom masters – Ti shri ras pa, Lus med rdo rje and sKyo brag Chos rje. They were completed by visionary experiences; ’Bar ba’i rdo rje ensured their accuracy with the essential meditation instructions of the ’Ba’ rom patriarchs.

bKa’ brgyud bKra shis acted as scribe; afterwards, ’Bar ba’i rdo rje set off to propagate the teachings.⁴⁸⁴

479 Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 169-170 and sKu rgyal 1982: 52.

480 Matiratna was sKyo brag Chos rje’s colleague. In most of the local literature, Matiratna is presented as a

’Ba’rom lineage holder, whereas in the Zur mang sources he is Drung pa 1^st.

481 The designation “visionary lineage’ (dag snang gi brgyud) would suggest that the ḍākinī existed only as an apparition. However, it is highly ambiguous both in the autobiography of ’Bar ba’i rdo rje (Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 169-170) and in sKu rgyal 1982: 50-54. For instance, both of these sources emphasize her “woman’s form” (mi mo’i tshul), etc. See sKu rgyal 1982: 51-52; compare Barway Dorje, et al. 2007: 68-69 and Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 174-175. The identity of gNam mkha’i rnal ’byor ma remains all the more allusive, as ’Bar ba’i rdo rje’s lineage tree depicts no such female figure.

482 Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 25, 170. However, he also writes in his autobiography that he believes himself to have been an incarnation of Mi la ras pa (Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 24-25). This will become important for the naming of the meditation school of La phyi, described in the case study chapters. See Chapter VIII.2.

483 Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 170.

484 Yeshe Gyamtso 2005: 171.

Slightly later that same year, ’Bar ba’i rdo rje returned to sKyo brag and again went into retreat. During this time, between the meditation sessions (mthun) he called in a small group of disciples and transmitted the empowerments (dbang) as well as oral instructions (khrid) necessary to practice meditation according to his writings. He demonstrated the yogic exercises (’phrul ’khor) to bKa’ brgyud bKra shis and expressed a wish that the latter would pass them on to others. After that, he also offered the transmissions of the renewed Golden Dharmas to the three sKyo brag reincarnates and other local masters.⁴⁸⁵

’Bar ba’i rdo rje instructed his disciples to build new retreat facilities, and his later incarnations continued the restorative activity with respect to meditation practice.⁴⁸⁶ He became associated specifically with the secret aspect of the ’Ba’ rom teachings performed in ritual seclusion. In fact, it is only in the context of the hermitic revival that he is mentioned in the sKyo brag chronicles.⁴⁸⁷

With the advent of ’Bar ba’i rdo rje at sKyo brag, the shamanic element regained importance and redefined the ritual context of the area. This pattern is repeated by contemporary revivalists, which will be mentioned in the sections below.