Different Kinds of Composition Compilati
Different Kinds of Composition Compilati
Brandon Dotson
The Remains of the Dharma: Editing, Rejecting, and
Replacing the Buddhas Words in Officially Commissioned
Stras from Dunhuang, 820s to 840s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Seong-Uk Kim
The Zen Theory of Language: Linji Yixuans Teaching of
Three Statements, Three Mysteries, and Three Essentials
(sanju sanxuan sanyao ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Conference
Authors and Editors in the Literary Traditions of Asian Buddhism
Guest editors
Cathy Cantwell, Jowita Kramer, Robert Mayer,
and Stefano Zacchetti
Martin Seeger
The (Dis)appearance of an Author: Some Observations
and Reflections on Authorship in Modern Thai Buddhism . . . . .499
Pter-Dniel Sznt
Early Works and Persons Related to the So-called
Jnapda School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .537
Cathy Cantwell
1
I would like to acknowledge the support of the Arts and Humanities
Research Council of the UK, who funded the research project on which this
paper is based at the University of Oxford. I would also like to thank Lopon
P. Ogyan Tanzin Rinpoche, who has acted as the research projects lama
consultant, and with whom I have discussed the Tibetan texts discussed in
this paper at length. Thanks are also due to Holly Gayley, who made detailed
comments on an earlier version. Any errors remain my own responsibility.
2
In the Nyingma (ri ma) tradition, Guru Rinpoche or Padmasambhava
4
Dudjom Rinpoche drew on Guru Chwangs heritage and the Mindroling
traditions of its practice in composing his first Vajraklaya text in his late
teens, which was a Ritual Practice Framework text (sgrub khog) for the
Vajraklaya who overwhelms Mras Troops with his splendour (Phur bu
bdud dpung zil gnon) of the Revealer, Drakngak Lingpa (drag sags gli pa,
see below pp. 256260). He had received the lineage for Guru Chwangs
Ultra Secret Blazing Razor Vajraklaya from Orgyan Namdrol Gyamtso
(orgyan rnam grol rgya mtsho) of Mindroling. In his List of Transmissions
(thob yig), Dudjom Rinpoche lists the three lineages, two of which separately
descended to the Mindroling founder, Terdak Lingpa (one of them trans
mitted via Pema Lingpa), and then continued in one stream down to Orgyan
248 Cathy Cantwell
Namdrol Gyamtso. Dudjom Rinpoche notes further that Terdak Lingpa also
received transmission from Guru Chwangs primordial wisdom body, so
that a third direct lineage also stems from Terdak Lingpa (Dudjom Rinpoche
19791985, Volume Dza O: 547551). The colophons of two of Dudjom
Rinpoches own compositions on Guru Chwangs Ultra Secret Blazing
Razor Vajraklaya (Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Za: 240; 262
263) also make it clear that he was following the Mindroling traditions for
its performance. Unfortunately, I have been unable to identify any edition of
Guru Chwangs Revelation, nor any compilation predating Terdak Lingpas.
However, given Dudjom Rinpoches reliance on the Mindroling lineage of
practice, for the purposes of this work, we can probably reasonably safely
assume that Dudjom Rinpoche was primarily using Terdak Lingpas ver-
sion (this is also included in the Rin chen gter mdzod, Kongtrul 19761980
Volume 49: 75116, as is the commentary by Lochen Dharmar, Kongtrul
19761980, Volume 49: 213240). Not long after writing up his Razor
Disintegration-on-Touch Revelation, Dudjom Rinpoche worked extensively
(particularly during the water dragon year of 1952) on Pema Lingpas Ultra
Secret Razor Lifeforce Vajraklaya (Ya gsa srog gi spu gri). He had received
the lineage for this, along with other lineages from the Pad gli corpus, from
the renunciant lama, Genden Gyamtso (dge dun rgya mtsho), see Dudjom
Rinpoches List of Transmissions (19791985, Volume Wa : 129173, and
especially pp. 161164 on the Ultra Secret Razor Lifeforce); see also Dudjom
Rinpoches supplication to him (19791985. Volume A: 19, translated in Ron
Garry 2005: 181182; and see Tsewang Dongyal 2008: 90). At the request of
the tenth gsu sprul (speech rebirth of Pema Lingpa), Pema Ngawang Chkyi
Gyaltsan (padma ag dba chos kyi rgyal mtshan), Dudjom Rinpoche edited
the texts and produced a number of new compilations (Dudjom Rinpoche
19791985, Volume Cha: 405749; see, for instance, the colophon to the
Ritual Manual, p. 456, and see also Tsewang Dongyal 2008: 200201).
5
The name also occurs in a prophesy relating to Dudjom Lingpas Sealed
Secret Heart Practice, although it seems to represent a description of The
Sealed Secret Heart Practice rather than its name (thugs sgrub ya si gsa
bai rgya can ni: bdud joms gnam lcags rdo rjei spu gri di: Dudjom Rinpoche
19791985, Volume Tha: 576); I have not, however, located this prediction
within Dudjom Lingpas writings.
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 249
6
Personal communication, Lopon P. Ogyan Tanzin. I have not seen a writ-
ten source explicitly specifying that the Revelation combined all three, but
it is clear that all three played a part, and the Empowerment Ritual text does
mention all three.
7
rig pai klo nas gang brdol brda thad kar bsgyur na gter ston go ma
gis kyi chos skor las kya rgyas i man ag phrin las las tshogs gyi rim
pa sar ma grags paa ji sed cig sna mod kyi/on kya de dus di rigs
gsar du bebs pa al ba don med du mtho nas bta soms su bag, Dudjom
Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Ba: 476477.
250 Cathy Cantwell
8
For the purpose of this discussion, I am contrasting two depictions of the
maala, one from Lama Tenzin Samphel, for which the ultimate prove
nance is unknown although this is clearly an authentic Dudjom tradition
source and the other from a collection of maalas published by the Duddul
Rabtenling (bdud dul rab brtan gli, 2012) Dudjom tradition monastery in
Odisha. It is worth saying that variations in depictions of maalas are rarely
cause for concern in Tibetan contexts: the main issue is whether or not the
maala derives from an authentic source, is properly blessed, and whether
or not it is beautifully painted, thus serving to engender a grand and inspiring
atmosphere for the practice. Often, the main work in painting maalas or
constructing coloured sand maalas is left to professional artists trained
in the artistic traditions, who may not in any case be closely familiar with
the ritual practice texts, and who may follow established conventions for the
layout of maala features without reference to the specific practice man
uals. Nonetheless, striking variations in maala depictions of the Razor
Disintegration-on-Touch can demonstrate the limited extent of the guidance
in the practice texts when the artistic conventions were being established in
this case. It is also possible that features of the Odisha maala may have
been modified by the new Dudjom sprul sku, Dudjom Sangye Pema (sas
rgyas padma, b. 1990), who apparently kept the maala set for more than
ten days while staying in Kathmandu, checked through all the maalas and
suggested various amendments, including a change to the side of the mkha
gro thugs thig maala (Lopon P. Ogyan Tanzin personal communication,
9th January and 14th February 2013, reporting the spoken clarifications of the
Odisha lama, Sonam Tashi).
252 Cathy Cantwell
9
Nonetheless, the central triangle is referred to later in the root text, in the
Subsidiary Ritual section (mthi nag gru gsum dkyil khor, Dudjom Rinpoche
19791985, Volume Ba: 473).
10
In general, each will have its own approach; But especially, the Eight
Chapter Ritual Manual is auspicious (spyir ni ra ra lugs bzhin la: khyad
par las bya le brgyad is:, Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Ca: 3).
The Eight Chapter Ritual Manual is a pith instruction on the practice which
is part of Guru Chwangs Secret Embodiment of the Lama cycle.
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 253
11
Both Lopon P. Ogyan Tanzin Lama and Lama Kunzang Dorjee saw the
sdhana as a compilation. However, Lama Tharchins introduction to the
practice (Lama Tharchin 2006: 12) speaks of it as, a text that was passed
to Dudjom Rinpoche directly by Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal, and he writes
further that Dudjom Rinpoche had a vision of Yeshe Tsogyal, in which she
told him to compose the text, bringing together the six previous treasures
with his own revelation, so that, thanks to the kindness of Yeshe Tsogyal
all the blessing and the power of all seven lineages have been gathered within
this single practice. Dudjom Rinpoche says nothing of this vision within his
empowerment text, but there is some indication of ambivalence in relation to
his own status. He writes of blending together the six Revelations (gter byon
bla mai thugs sgrub gdams srol rim pa drug gi chu bo gcig tu dres pai chos
sde, Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Ca: 66), but within the colophon,
he revises the previous mention only of six Revelations to speak of, blend-
ing six or seven lineages (gter kha drug gam bdun gyi brgyud pai chu bo
gcig tu dres pa, Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Ca: 76). Moreover,
the opening folios of the main Ritual Manual (Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985,
Volume Ca: 23) more clearly specify seven, and give his own a separate
Revelation title (the Complete Embodiment of the Sugatas, bde gegs yos
dus), using language of the seventh suggestive of a full revelatory status. He
speaks of this Dharma cycle as his own portion (ra skal, Volume Ca: 2), or
destined for me, the same wording he uses of his Razor Disintegration-on-
Touch, when he concluded that, my own portion of the territory should be
held and not given up (ra skal yal bar mi dor bai sa khos dzin, Dudjom
Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Ba: 477); and see also his words relating to
his early discoveries (from the time of my youth, [I] have discovered many
revelation caskets which represent my own portion, or, which were des-
tined for me, note 3 above). It thus seems that the Embodiment of Seven
Treasuries has a rather unusual intermediate status, at once fully endowed
with the consecrations of a direct revelation, while also compiled in accord
ance with both the ultimate intentions and the actual words of all the previ-
ous revelations. In short, if Dudjom Rinpoche is in this instance more of a
compiler than a mystical revealer, the impression is that he is acting more as
a visionary compiler, rather than a scholarly editor.
254 Cathy Cantwell
12
The second is identified as deriving from Dudul Dorjes (bdud dul rdo
rje, 16151672) Complete Embodiment of Enlightened Intention (dgos pa
yos dus). No doubt it occurs there, but its source would seem to be from
the Secret Embodiment of the Lama. The four citations occur in Chatral
Rinpoche n.d.: p. 9 (corresponding to Chwang 1979: 1617); pp. 910 (cor-
responding to Chwang 1979: 18); p. 11 (corresponding to Chwang 1979:
2223); pp. 1112 (corresponding to Chwang 1979: 2728).
13
The first relates to the instruction for receiving empowerment; the second
to the ultimate empowerment; the third to focusing on a tsakli (initiation
card) image; and the fourth to the final protection of the enlightened inten-
tion (dgos pa bskya ba). Here, this section is elaborated on by glossing the
inner significances of the features of the maala and its deities.
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 255
14
Certainly, the verses for this visualisation and praise were always recited
on each tenth day practice at the Rewalsar monastery during my fieldwork
in 19811983, and Secret Embodiment of the Lama visualisation was always
omitted. Lopon P. Ogyan Tanzin commented that this preference for the typ
ical Guru Rinpoche form is general in the practice of Dudjom Rinpoches
text throughout the tradition.
15
The text is entitled: bla ma sprul skui sgrub pa phyi ltar asu bla ba
(Chwang 1979: 241249).
256 Cathy Cantwell
489; see also Padma Rig dzin n.d.: 4951). The case is interesting,
since a number of features of Dudjom Rinpoches later contribu-
tions to various other Revelation cycles are already in evidence.
Here, he spells out clearly that he filled out (bsab) the revela-
tion text with material from Guru Chwangs Ultra Secret Razor,
as well as from general Ritual Practice Framework texts, giving a
presentation in accordance with the Mindroling (smin grol gli)
monastery styles of practice. We have already noted how Dudjom
Rinpoches own Revelation practice manuals reproduce material
from Guru Chwangs. Here, he informs us that he has drawn on
Guru Chwangs Vajraklaya Revelation while compiling a suit
able series of rituals for the practice of a Revelation cycle of a quite
different lineage. Furthermore, the reference to the styles of the
major Nyingmapa centre of the Mindroling monastery in Central
Tibet indicates Dudjom Rinpoches interest in universalising a sin-
gle specific Revelation, by integrating its practice with the more
widely familiar Mindroling ritual conventions. This would become
a hallmark of his later work on previous Revelations. But there
is more to it than simply a matter of ritual conventions. Dudjom
Rinpoche received the teachings of many different Nyingmapa lin-
eages, but several of his principal lamas were Mindroling trained,
and he himself spent time there, a period described by Lopon
P. Ogyan Tanzin as equivalent to his college education. Dudjom
Rinpoche not only established Mindroling ritual protocols in the
institutions under his guidance; it seems that he became perhaps
as deeply immersed in some of the spiritual traditions which
were specialisms at Mindroling, as he was in the Dudjom tradi-
tions which were his own specific heritage. The Guru Chwang
Revelations were one such Mindroling specialism. As noted above
(see note 4), the seventeenth century founder of Mindroling, Terdak
Lingpa (gter bdag gli pa), had received the lineage from three
sources. Terdak Lingpas father, Trinl Lhundrup (phrin las lhun
grub, 16111632) had become the lineage holder of the two previ-
ously separate lines of the transmission, which he passed to Terdak
Lingpa, who then further received a direct (visionary) transmis-
sion from Guru Chwangs primordial wisdom body. Thus, the
Mindroling lamas became central to the lineage transmission, and
Dudjom Rinpoche himself received the lineage from one of his
258 Cathy Cantwell
are exact citations of root words. For example, there are four sepa-
rate verses to be recited in offering to the Four Great Kings when
the ritual boundaries are opened up at the end of the session, one
for each of the deities. The original Revelation gave a single verse
covering all (Drakngak Lingpa 2005: 388), so Dudjom Rinpoche
has expanded it to create four verses (Drakngak Lingpa 2005: 447),
an improvement which fits well with the standard practice. This
involves a procession to each side of the temple in turn, where an
appropriate verse for the particular King will be recited while of-
ferings are made. Dudjom Rinpoche makes a more radical interven-
tion in his reproduction of verses of Aspirations (Drakngak Lingpa
2005: 450). Taking ten verse lines from the original Revelation
(Drakngak Lingpa 2005: 387388), Dudjom Rinpoche has broken
them into two verses, changed the order, and added an extra line.
Since these Aspiration verses express common Mahyna Buddhist
sentiments, it is conceivable that Dudjom Rinpoches version might
have picked up a different version of these Aspirations. However,
it would seem more likely in this case that he is following the
Revealer, but simply modifying the recitation to give it an improved
structure, so that the first verse deals with the path (adding one line
to make the amendment coherent), while the second deals with the
fruit of the path. The interesting feature of these kinds of amend-
ment is that they show that Dudjom Rinpoche, even at this early
period, was prepared to intervene and amend the sacred root text
itself, if by doing so, it would help to make the practice smoother.
Perhaps most unexpectedly, if one assumes that a Revelation trad
ition will carefully preserve all its sacred words and manner of
perfoming the rituals, a few instructions in the root Revelation ap-
pear to be directly contradicted. Thus, Dudjom Rinpoche changes
some of the maala colours, and not only in the outer areas of the
maala, but in particular, with the central triangle on which the
deity arises, and also in the order of the primordial wisdom lights
which constitute the Celestial Palace walls.17 Thus, we can see that
17
Dudjom Rinpoche (Drakngak Lingpa 2005: 420) gives the central
dharma source symbol, which is depicted as a triangle, as black (dbus su
chos byu nag po), while the original gter ma (Drakngak Lingpa 2005: 372)
gives dark blue (dbus su chos byu ni/ mthi nag). Generally, the central
260 Cathy Cantwell
18
These verses open the famous short rDo rje phur pa rtsa bai rgyud kyi
dum bu, which was translated and edited by the Sa skya Paita (11821251).
Thus, alone of all the Phurpa tantras, it was included in the main tantra sec-
tions in the editions of both the Tshal pa and Them spa ma bKa gyurs (see
the Bibliography for its location in several sources), and neither relegated to
a separate ri rgyud section nor excluded altogether, as was the case with
the great majority of Nyingma tantras. These same classic verses can also be
found (with various textual variants slightly amending the meaning) in all
the major Phurpa tantras as well as in virtually every Phurpa sdhana of any
length.
19
The parallel verses are found in Dudul Dorjes phur pai las bya phrin
las kun khyab dgra bgegs kun dul (DD1 Volume Cha: 8182, DD2 Volume
Cha: 262263, DD3: 372373, DD4: 224 [incomplete]); Dudjom Lingpas
262 Cathy Cantwell
thugs sgrub gsa bai rgya can/ dpal chen phrin las kyi sgrub pa/ rdo rje gon
nui las bya ye es sgyu phrul gyi gsa mdzod (DL1 Volume Ca: 42 and
DL2 Volume Ca: 5657); Dudjom Rinpoches dpal rdo rje phur bu thugs kyi
sgrub pa gsa bai rgya can bdud joms gnam lcags spu grii las bya khrag
thu mon par rol pai dga ston (19791985, Volume Tha: 9091). It is quite
possible, even likely, that Dudul Dorje may have inherited this wording from
a tradition in which he was previously trained. However, I have not so far
identified the phrasing in any other source, despite searching. It is worth not-
ing that neither Dudjom Lingpas nor Dudjom Rinpoches other Vajraklaya
revelations employ this distinctive phrasing; it seems confined to this specific
strand inherited from Dudul Dorje. The task of finding such parallel passag-
es in previous sources will become very much easier when searchable com-
puter input of a wide range of Tibetan texts has been achieved. Currently, the
work has to be done purely by the browsing of texts (mainly) in pdf format,
and doubtlessly some parallels are missed.
20
dpal rdo rje phur bu thugs kyi sgrub pa gsa bai rgya can bdud joms
gnam lcags spu grii las bya khrag thu mon par rol pai dga ston
(Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Tha: 77153).
21
In several of the other sections of The Meteoric Iron Razors two and a
half volumes, Dudjom Rinpoche brings his extensive scholarly knowledge
to bear on the tradition, and this results in further kinds of influences on
the practice, but here, I concentrate purely on the evidence from the Ritual
Manual.
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 263
not found in Dudjom Lingpas texts. That is, he has used addition-
al material from the main predecessor of both the Dudjom incar-
nations. In The Meteoric Iron Razor Ritual Manual, the distinc-
tion between Revelation and non-Revelation text is indicated by
the use (or absence) of the special punctuation mark (the gter ad)
which is given at the end of each line of a Treasure Revelation.
Many marked Revelation lines not found in Dudjom Lingpas
Sealed Secret Heart Practice, derive from the earlier Dudul Dorje
Revelation.22 Moreover, key components of Dudul Dorjes tshogs
22
In particular, the identified parallel passages come from Dudul Dorjes
main Vajraklaya Ritual Manual (ya gsa mkha groi si khrag las: si
thig tshe ya phur gsum gyi: phur pai las bya phrin las kun khyab dgra
bgegs kun dul, DD1 Volume Cha: 73114; DD2 Volume Cha: 255288, DD3:
445472, DD4: 248259), and from his separate tshogs tantric feast section
(si thig tshe ya phur gsum gyi tshogs mchod mi zad gter gyi rgyan khor,
DD1 Volume Cha: 141158; DD2 Volume Cha: 289302; DD3: 349409, al-
though this includes also an insert, pp. 357369; DD4: 224247, but note
that this is incomplete, and includes an inappropriate insert, pp. 225232).
Parallels are found in the Confession section (Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985,
Volume Tha: 85, DD1 Volume Cha: 8081); the titles for the root verses on
the three meditative absorptions (Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985, Volume
Tha: 9091, DD1 Volume Cha: 8182); lines opening and closing the section
on the Celestial Palace visualisation (Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985, Volume
Tha: 92, 94, DD1 Volume Cha: 83); lines within the section for Generating
the Deity (Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Tha: 9495, DD1 Volume
Cha: 8384); lines on the Ten Wrathful Deities in the retinue, even though
the actual appearance of these emanations appears to differ (Dudjom
Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Tha: 103, DD1 Volume Cha: 95); lines in the
visualisation of the twenty-one Supreme Son emanations (Dudjom Rinpoche
19791985, Volume Tha: 104, DD1 Volume Cha: 9596). Dudjom Rinpoche
also follows Dudul Dorje in including a nine metre variation on the fifth root
verse of the rDo rje phur pa rtsa bai rgyud kyi dum bu as part of the em-
powerment section (Dudjom Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Tha: 105106,
DD1 Volume Cha: 97). It is possible that some of the additions I have not yet
identified either in Dudjom Lingpas or Dudul Dorjes texts may be found
in Dudjom Lingpas Sealed Secret Heart Practice (see note 19 above on the
difficulties of exhaustive comparison). It is moreover plausible that some of
the passages I have found in Dudul Dorjes Revelation might also come to
light elsewhere within Dudjom Lingpas texts. However, I have not identified
them in any part of his Sealed Secret Heart Practice, nor within his sec-
ond quite different Vajraklaya Revelation, the Vajraklaya Sugata-essence
or Vajraklaya Tathgatagarbha (phur pa bde gegs si po). Even if they
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 265
24
It is necessary to add the caveat that in cases of very small amendments
and spelling corrections etc., we cannot always be certain that deliberate
amendments have been made. We are now unfortunately in the position that
we have access only to a single version of most of Dudjom Lingpas works.
The Bhutanese version of his Collected Works appears merely to represent
a copy of the hand-written version from Dudjom Rinpoches own library,
which he had printed in Kalimpong. Where the readings of The Meteoric Iron
Razor differ from this edition, we cannot be certain that Dudjom Rinpoche
was in fact copying and emending this source. Even if Dudjom Rinpoche
only succeeded in bringing this version from Tibet, he had written most of
The Meteoric Iron Razor texts many years before while still residing in Tibet
(for example, he wrote The Meteoric Iron Razor Ritual Manual and its com-
mentary in 19321933). Dudjom Lingpas Collected Works were compiled
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 267
by Sera Khandro (se ra mkha gro, 18921940; see Jacoby 2007: 6264) but
we have no idea how many copyings were done before the single witness we
now have available. Moreover, it is quite possible that other compilations of
Dudjom Lingpas Works may have been made by Dudjom Lingpas family:
Sera Khandro did not have a good personal relationship with many of them,
and she might have been working independently. If they did make a sepa-
rate Collected Works, it is no longer available, yet given the difficulties in
Eastern Tibet during the Chinese occupation and the Cultural Revolution,
this would not be altogether surprising. Furthermore, there must once have
been versions of the individual texts, and it is quite likely that some of them
would have remained in circulation even after the Collected Works had been
compiled. Thus, it is possible that Dudjom Rinpoche may have had access to
a copy of Dudjom Lingpas Sealed Secret Heart Practice with quite different
readings from those of the current edition.
25
Moreover, the earlier four has been changed to five even in Dudjom
Rinpoches version of Dudjom Lingpas own Fulfilment supplement (Dudjom
Rinpoche 19791985, Volume Tha, 157162), which retains the original
268 Cathy Cantwell
Final Reflections
Palace passage with senior lamas at the Pema Yoedling Dratsang, Gelegphu,
Bhutan. They were interested in the identification of the Rog lugs parallel
text. One commented that they had noticed the addition, and had previously
wondered about it, speculating that it might perhaps have come from Dudjom
Rinpoches pure vision. Most of these lamas had themselves been direct stu-
dents of Dudjom Rinpoche. Presumably, as the new texts are subsequently
transmitted, it is likely that the earlier versions would become less familiar
to further generations of practitioners, and Dudjom Rinpoches versions un-
critically accepted as representing the original tradition.
270 Cathy Cantwell
28
Lopon P. Ogyan Tanzin (personal communication, July 2013) confirmed
my impression that this story does not seem to represent part of the broader
ritual heritage: he had never heard anything like it before. He suggested that
this example of a Pure Vision teaching is likely to reflect a typical process in
the appearance of Mahyoga scripture, in which a particular issue or context
provides the inspiration or the underlying basis (gle gi), raising the theme
which is then elaborated on in the tantra. He argued that if a master should
look at the sky, some rDzogs chen teaching might arise, but for Mahyoga,
it is necessary for a topic first to be raised. Thus, in this case, he suggested
that Dudjom Lingpa may have reflected on the absence of an origin story for
the boundary fence of barberry sticks, and the need to understand this aspect
of the ritual better, and after resting his mind, the verses may have sprung
up. Of course, it may still transpire that this apparently unusual recitation
has parallels within previous Vajraklaya traditions, although I have not yet
identified any such precedents.
272 Cathy Cantwell
29
More recent project work on a Ritual Manual compiled for the Padma
gli pa Vajraklaya tradition by the third gsu sprul or Padma gli pa incar-
nation would seem to confirm this impression. A further significant aspect of
these editorial processes, present in many instances of compilations written
by Dudjom Rinpoche and other lamas, but not so prominent in the examples
considered in this paper (since metred verses were already present in the
revelation sources), is that the compiler may re-work the revelatory words
written in prose to create beautiful metrical verses for recitation. This di-
mension will be addressed at greater length in Cantwell, forthcoming.
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 273
30
This is an oft-cited prophesy of O rgyan bde chen gli pa: Either (he)
will bring forth new Treasure Revelations, or protect the teachings of the
old Treasure Revelations, gter gsar byin nam gter ri bstan pa skyos
(Tsewang Dongyal 2003: 25; the equivalent passage is in Tsewang Dongyal
2008: 65).
274 Cathy Cantwell
General Abbreviations
DD1 See Dudul Dorje 1997.
DD2 See Dudul Dorje 1976.
DD3 See Dudul Dorje 1971.
DD4 See Dudul Dorje 1973.
DL1 See Dudjom Lingpa 2004.
DL2 See Dudjom Lingpa 1978.
TBRC Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center (online http://www.tbrc.org/).
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pa slob dpon chen po padmas mkhar chen bza la gdams pa / phur grel
bum nag ces gan las khyad par phags pai thugs kyi ti la ka. Two
editions: (1) Dudjom Rinpoche 19821987, Volume Tha, pp. 215557.
(2) Phur pa bum nag and Phur pai grel chen bdud rtsi dri med, Two rare
Vajrakla teachings from the miraculous Lotus-born Gu-ru Rin-po-che
Padmasambhava, reproduced from rare mss. from the library of Lopon
Sonam Sangpo. Gonpo Tseten, Gangtok 1976, pp. 1229. An electronic
version is available from the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Centre, New
York (TBRC W27485).
Cantwell, Cathy (forthcoming). Re-presenting a famous Revelation: Dudjom
Rinpoches work on the Ultra Secret Razor Lifeforce Vajraklaya (yang
gsang srog gi spu gri) of Pema Lingpa (padma gling pa, 14501521).
Unpublished paper presented to the section on Originality and the Role
of Intertextuality in the Context of Buddhist Texts at the International
Association of Buddhist Studies conference, Vienna, August 2014, to be
published in the proceedings of the section (in Buddhist Studies Review).
Chatral Rinpoche n.d. = Chatral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche (bya bral sas
rgyas rdo rje). thugs sgrub gter kha bdun dus da brel bai bsen yig
si por bsdus pa bltas gsal dri med el gyi me lo.
(This appears to be a text extracted from a block printed volume: it is labelled
in the margin simply as bsen yig, and has English page numbers, 121.
I procured the text from the Dudjom tradition Rewalsar monastery in 1982.)
Chwang. 1979 = Guru Chwang (gu ru chos kyi dba phyug). gsa dus
bla mai thugs sgrub kyi skor: a collection of rare teachings from the
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 275
zab gsa mkha groi si thig las: thugs sgrub gsa bai rgya can: dpal chen
phrin las kyi sgrub pa: rdo rje gon nui las bya ye es sgyu phrul gyi gsa
mdzod:, Volume Ca: 3356.
zab gsa mkha groi si thig las: thugs sgrub gsa bai rgya can gyi: gu
las phros pai gab bya:, Volume Ca: 5767.
zab gsa mkha groi si thig las: thugs sgrub gsa bai rgya can gyi: gab
bya las phros dmar bya:, Volume Ca: 6973.
zab gsa mkha groi si thig las: thugs sgrub gsa bai rgya can: dpal chen
phrin las kyi sgrub pa: rdo rje gon nui na sgrub i zlai tshom bu:, Volume
Ca: 7994.
zab gsa mkha groi si thig las: thugs sgrub gsa bai rgya can: dpal chen
phrin las kyi sgrub pa: rdo rje gon nui tshogs mchod: dos grub ba mdzod
kyi lde mig:, Volume Ca: 95118.
zab gsa mkha groi si thig las: thugs sgrub gsa bai rgya can dpal chen
phrin las kyi sgrub skor las: bska ba dos grub char bebs, Volume Ca:
119123.
zab gsa mkha groi si thig las: thugs sgrub gsa bai rgya can gyi skor:
dpal chen rdo rje gon nui bska ba dpag bsam ljon shi rgyas pa:, Volume
Ca: 125128.
zab gsa mkha gro si thig las: thugs sgrub gsa bai rgya can gyi: drag
zlog gnam cags khor lo, Volume Ca: 203217.
dag sna ye shes drwa ba las: drag poi rtsa phur gyi bskyed chog bskul ba
da bcas pa, Volume Ba: 139150.
Dudjom Lingpa. 2011. A Clear Mirror: The Visionary Autobiography of a
Tibetan Master. Translated by Chnyi Dolma and Ann Holland. Hong
Kong: Ranjung Yeshe. (The Tibetan version is found in Dudjom Lingpa
Collected Works [DL1]: Volume Dza.)
Dudjom Rinpoche. 19791985. Collected Works: The collected writings and
revelations of H. H. bDud-joms Rin-po-che Jigs bral ye shes rdo rje.
25 volumes. Kalimpong: Dupjung Lama (TBRC W20869 03340358;
bDud joms jigs bral ye shes rdo rjei gsu bum).
Specific texts referred to:
bla ma thugs kyi sgrub pai las bya dos grub dod joi dga ston, Volume
Ca: 139.
bla ma thugs kyi sgrub pai byin rlabs gtor mai dba bskur gyi cho ga skal
bza dod jo, Volume Ca: 6176.
bla mai thugs sgrub nor bu rgya mtshoi las bya padmai ljon shi khrigs su
bsdebs pa rig dzin dgos rgyan, Volume Cha: 147.
pad gli phur pa ya gsa srog gi spu gri, Volume Cha: 405749.
phur bu ya gsa bde gegs si poi skor, Volume Ta: 597652.
phur pa bdud joms gnam lcags spu gri (The Meteoric Iron Razor), Volume
Tha and Volume Da.
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 277
Dudul Dorje. 1976. gter chen rig dzin bdud dul rdo rjei gter chos. 8 vol-
umes. Darjeeling: Bairo Tulku Rinpoche, reproduced from the manu-
script collection from the library of Dudjom Rinpoche (TBRC W22123).
Dudul Dorje. 1997. spo bo gter ston bdud dul rdo rjei zab gter gsu bum. 12
volumes. Darjeeling: Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang (TBRC W22123).
Specific texts consulted (where available, the versions in DD2, DD3, and DD4
have also been used):
ya gsa mkha groi si khrag las: si thig tshe ya phur gsum gyi: phur
pai las bya phrin las kun khyab dgra bgegs kun dul, Volume Cha: 73114.
si thig tshe ya phur gsum gyi tshogs mchod mi zad gter gyi rgyan khor,
Volume Cha: 141158.
ya gsa mkha groi si khrag las: si thig tshe ya phur gsum gyi: phur
pa gnam lcags spu gri dba chog nor bu rgya mtsho, Volume Cha: 769832.
Garry, Ron. 2005. Wisdom Nectar: Dudjom Rinpoches Heart Advice. Ithaca,
New York, and Boulder, Colorado: Snow Lion.
Jacoby, Sarah. 2007. Consorts and Revelation in Eastern Tibet: The Auto/
biographical Writings of the Treasure Revealer Sera Khandro (1892
1940), unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Virginia.
Kongtrul (jam mgon ko sprul blo gros mtha yas). 19761980. Rin chen gter
mdzod chen mo. 111 volumes. Paro, Bhutan: Ngodrub and Sherab Drimay,
dPal spus dgon pai par kha, Volume Ki 49: rdo rje phur bu yang gsang
spu grii las byang kun bzang rol mtsho 75116, and rdo rje phur bu yang
gsang spu grii bsnyen yig rin chen snye ma 213240 (TBRC W20578).
Padma Gli pa. 19751976. rig dzin padma glin pa yi zab gter chos mdzod rin
po che. 21 volumes. Thimphu, Bhutan: Kunsang Tobgay (TBRC W21727)
(The bla ma nor bu rgya mtsho is mostly found in Volumes Ka and Kha, and
takes up the whole of those volumes. The text specifically consulted here:
las bya padmai ljon shi Volume Ka: 761794. The phur pa ya gsa srog
gi spu gri is mostly found in Volume Ma, 16, and takes up the whole of that
volume.)
Padma Rig dzin, sPrul sku. n.d, sprul pai gter chen bdud joms drag sags
gli pai thun mo phyi yi rnam thar mdor bsdus tsam brjod pa dad gsum
chu skyes bad pai dzum mdas, composed in the Hidden Land,
Padmai tshal Chi med ya gsa (in Pemako). n.p.
rDo rje phur pa rtsa bai rgyud kyi dum bu [Fragment of the Root Vajraklaya
Tantra], found in the main tantra sections of various editions of the bKa
gyur, for instance, the sde-dge mtshal-par bka-gyur (TBRC W22084)
Volume rgyud Ca (81): 8690; the lHa sa bKa gyur (TBRC W26071)
Volume rgyud a (82): 602609; the sNar tha bKa gyur (TBRC
W22703) Volume rgyud a (83): 576582; the Peking bKa gyur reprint-
ed and catalogued in The Tibetan Tripitaka, Peking Edition, kept in the
library of the Otani University, Kyoto, edited by D.T. Suzuki, 19551961,
Bka-gyur Volume rgyud Ca: 46a48a; the Urga bKa gyur (TBRC
Different Kinds of Composition/Compilation 279
W29468) Volume rgyud Ca (82): 8690; the sTog Palace bKa gyur
(TBRC W22083) Volume rgyud a (95): 873878. (An edition (based
on Peking and sDe dge) with a translation into English is found in Boord
2002: 7990.)
Terdak Lingpa (gter bdag gli pa). 1998. smin gli gter chen rig dzin gyur
med rdo rjei gsu bum. 16 volumes. Dehra Dun: D.G. Khochhen Tulku
(TBRC W22096). In particular, compilation of Guru Chwang: the Ultra
Secret Razor Vajraklaya, rdo rje phur bu ya gsa spu grii las bya kun
bza rol mtsho, Volume 9: 275r301, and dpal rdo rje phur bui sgrub
pa chen poi rim pa gsal bar byed pa dos grub kyi dga ston, Volume 9:
305r332v; dpal rdo rje phur bui dmar chen gtor zlog gi las rim bdud
joms rnam rol, Volume 9: 338r361r; thun gtor bul ba, Volume 9: 362r
363v; gtor bzlog bdud joms rnam rol gyi bskul mthar gser skyems bul ba,
Volume 9: 364r372r; dpal rdo rje phur bui phrin las dgra bgegs sgrol
bai man ag rdo rjei me char, Volume 9: 373r382v.
Tharchin, Lama. 2006. Drubchen, a Teaching by Lama Tharchin Rinpoch
June 29, 2006 at Pema sel Ling, available as a pdf download from the
Vajrayana Foundation website: http://www.vajrayana.org/media/files/files/
963f790a/LTR_Drupchen_Teachings_2006.pdf.
Tsewang Dongyal, Khenpo. 2003. Dus gsum rgyal bai spyi gzugs/ gter chen
bdud joms jigs bral ye es rdo rje gro dul gli pa rtsal gyi rnam thar
ye es rdo rjei od zer. Sarnath: Pema Samye Chokhor Ling Nyingmapa
Buddhist Monastery. (An English version is available, see Tsewang
Dongyal 2008.)
Tsewang Dongyal, Khenpo. 2008. Light of Fearless Indestructible Wisdom:
The Life and Legacy of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche. Samye Translation Group.
Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications.