The Treasury of Lives

Longchen Rabjam Drime Wozer (klong chen rab 'byams dri med 'od zer) was born in 1308, on the tenth day of the second month in the male earth-monkey year. He was born in Todtrong (stod grong) village in the Upper Dra valley (grwa stod) in Yoru (g.yo ru)[1] in south-central Tibet. ^[2] He was given the name Dorje Gyeltsen (rdo rje rgyal mtshan).

His father, Tenpasung (bstan pa srung), who was an accomplished tantric yogin, came from the Rok clan (rog). Tenpasung claimed descent from both Gyelwa Chokyang (rgyal ba mchog dbyangs) of Ngenlam, a master of Hayagrīva, and Yeshe Wangpo (ye shes dbang po), both of whom were among the "seven men who were tested" (sad mi bdun)—the first seven Tibetans ordained by Śāntarakṣita in approximately 779 CE.[3] Both are also counted among the disciples of Padmasambhava. Longchenpa's paternal grandfather, Lobpon Lhasung (slob dpon lha srung), was a member of the twenty-fifth generation of the Rok clan and a master of a healing practice of the deity Dutsimen (bdud rtsi sman).[4]

Longchenpa's mother, Sonamgyen (bsod nams rgyan), came from the Drom clan ('brom). Among the illustrious members of this clan were Dromtonpa Gyelwai Jungne ('brom ston pa rgyal ba'i 'byung gnas, 1004/5-1064), one of the main disciples of Atiśa (982-1055).

According to legend, Dromza Sonamgyen experienced multiple visions connected to Longchenpa's conception and early childhood. At the time of his conception, she saw a lion with the light of the sun and moon on its crown. This light radiated outward, shining on the entire world before being reabsorbed into her body. After the birth of her son, she saw Namdru Remati,[5] a wrathful goddess of the lunar mansions, in the form of a black woman with bared fangs and furrowed brow, wielding a sword. Remati took Longchenpa in her arms and declared, "I will protect him!"^[6] The goddess then returned Longchenpa into his mother's arms and disappeared.

As a young boy, Longchenpa excelled in reading and writing. His father gave him the initiations and empowerments for a collection of ritual texts known as the Peaceful and Wrathful Aspects of the Guru (gu ru zhi drag rnams kyi dbang lung) and the Eight Commands: Gathering of Sugata (bka' brgyad bde gshegs 'dus pa) of Nyangrel Nyima Wozer (nyang ral nyi ma 'od zer, 1124-1192). He also learned medicine and astrology from his father. Eventually, Longchenpa left home for Samye Monastery (bsam yas) to become a novice monk.           

Longchenpa's formal education was extensive. At the age of twelve, he received his novice ordination at Samye with the name Tsultrim Lodro (tshul khrims blo gros) from Khenpo Samdrub Rinchen (bsam grub rin chen) and Kunga Wozer (kun dga' 'od zer); he is said to have started teaching the Vinaya at fourteen. Tashi Rinchen (bkra shis rin chen) taught Longchenpa the Sakya Lamdre material, the Six Yogas of Nāropa, Vajravārāhī, Ghantapada's lineage of Cakrasaṃvara, and Mahācakra Vajrapāṇi. Longchenpa also studied the Kālacakra and other tantric systems with Wangchuk Yeshe (dbang phyug ye shes). He received teachings on Chod and Zhije, such as Object of Cutting (gcod yul) and Pacification according to the Early, Middle and Later Traditions (zhi byed snga phyi bar gsum) from Zalung Rinpoche (za lung rin po che).

At the age of nineteen, Longchenpa entered Sangpu Neutok (gsang phu ne'u thog), a monastery that maintained both Kadam and Sakya traditions. He studied Buddhist philosophy, logic, and meditation for six years.^[7] Lobpon Tsen Gonpa (blo dpon btsan dgon pa) and Chopel Gyeltsen (chos dpal rgyal mtshan) taught him the Five Books of Maitreya, and Dignāga and Dharmakīrti's treatises on logic, Madhyamaka, and Prajñāpāramitā.

Following Longchenpa's time at Sangpu, Zhonnu Dondrub (gzhon nu don grub) and Nyotingmawa Sanggye Drakpa (myos mthing ma ba sangs rgyas grags pa) gave him the initiations and instructions of the important texts of the tantras and sūtras of Anuyoga, the Māyājālatantra of Mahāyoga, and Mind Section (sems sde) of Atiyoga. Sources do not identify where these transmission occurred.

Longchenpa apparently left Sangpu monastery due to conflict with the Khampa monks.[8] Upon his departure, a monk encouraged Longchenpa to write about his frustrations in a thirty-line poem called The Thirty Letters of the Alphabet (ka kha sum cu). The poem, which begins with the line "Like the ogres who roam in Kaliṅga…," was posted near the reliquary of Ngok Loden Sherab (rngog blo ldan shes rab) and eventually circulated throughout central Tibet.[9]

Longchenpa also studied with Lama Dampa Sonam Gyeltsen (bla ma dam pa bsod nams rgyal mtshan, 1312-1375) and the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje (karma pa 03 rang byung rdo rje, 1284-1339). Rangjung Dorje transmitted several doctrines, including: the Six-Limbed Yoga (sbyor drug); the Six Yogas of Nāropā, the Introduction to the Three Bodies (sku gsum ngo sprod), Jinasāgara, Avalokiteśvara according to the Tradition of the King (spyan ras gzigs rgyal po lugs), Guhyasamāja, the Sampuṭa Tantra, the Mahāmāya Tantra, and the forms of Red and Black Yamāri. Lama Dampa Sonam taught him several Sakya doctrines including the Great Development of the Enlightened Mind (sems bskyed chen mo) and Lamdre. Longchenpa ultimately studied various lineages and presentations of sūtras and tantras from over twenty masters.

Meditative training accompanied Longchenpa's studies. In retreats, he saw visions of Mañjuśrī, Ekajaṭī, Sarasvatī, Achala, Vajravārāhī, and Tārā. Sarasvatī, for example, the goddess of melodious sound, escorted Longchenpa in the palm of her hand around Mount Sumeru and offered a prophecy of his future enlightenment.

While in a dark retreat in the Gyamai Chokla Cave (rgya ma'i cog la brag phug) southeast of Lamo, in 1332–1333,[10] Longchenpa is said to have heard cymbals and songs as a vision of a young woman manifested. A sixteen-year old woman dressed in silk and adorned with gold and turquoise ornaments rode on a horse with a leather mail decorated with bells. Her face was covered by a golden veil. Longchenpa reached for her dress and prayed, "Please bless me, sublime one!" She replied by taking off her crown and placing it on Longchenpa's head, stating, "From now on I shall always bless you and bestow accomplishments on you." According to tradition, this experience was confirmation that Longchenpa would later receive the Heart Essence of Vimalamitra, or Bima Nyingtik (bi ma snying thig) teachings. This collection of revealed scriptures was one of two main streams of Dzogchen teachings, those based on the Seventeen Dzogchen Tantras and the and Wrathful Ekajātī Tantra all said to have been transmitted by the Indian master Vimalamitra. Longchenpa's later collection of exegetical treatise on various topics of the Bima Nyingtik, known as The Seminal Quintessence of the Lama, or Lama Yangtik (bla ma yang thig), is considered one of his masterpieces.

At the age of about twenty-five in 1334-1335, Longchenpa met the master Rigdzin Kumāradza (rig 'dzin ku mA ra rA dza, 1266-1343), from whom he would first receive his Nyingtik teachings. Too poor to offer any monetary donations, Longchenpa was distraught and reconsidered studying with the master. Kumāradza, however, accepted Longchenpa as a student and bestowed all of the Nyingtik teachings he possessed, including the Bima Nyingtik, taking the young man as his primary heir. These teachings occurred in austere conditions, as Kumāradza frequently moved, a result of which was that Longchenpa remained fairly destitute.  

At the age of thirty-two, Longchenpa taught the Bima Nyingtik to eight students, male and female, at Rimochen (ri mo can), one of the caves at Chimpu (mchims phu) above Samye Monastery. It is said that Ekajaṭī, a dharma protectress, took possession of a female member of the group and offered prophecies to Longchenpa.

One of these students, Wozer Gocha ('od zer go cha) had earlier been sent to find the texts of The Heart Essence of the Ḍākinīs, or Khandro Nyingtik (mkha' 'gro snying thig) and at Chimpu he gave it to Longchenpa for examination. According to tradition the Khandro Nyingtik had been revealed by Pema Ledrel Tsel (padma las 'brel rtsal, 1231/1248-1307) some decades earlier. The Khandro Nyingtik is considered the second main tradition of Dzogchen Nyingtik teachings. It is said to have been transmitted by Padmasambhava to Pema Sel (padma gsal), the daughter of Tri Songdetsen, who was then reincarnated as Pema Ledrel Tsel. It is primarily based on the Tantra of Luminous Expanse (klong gsal 'bar ma rgyud).

Tradition holds that Longchenpa received the transmission of these teachings via visionary experiences of the dharma protectress Shenpa Sokdrubma (shan pa srog sgrub ma).[11]

Longchenpa first taught the Khandro Nyingtik as treasure at a place called Chukpodrak (phyug po brag) near the Stone Stūpa (rdo'i mchod rten) of Zurkhardo (zur mkhar mdo), the reputed site of the meeting between Padmasambhava and Tri Songdetsen.

A fourth collection of nyingtik teachings ascribed to Longchenpa, known as the Khandro Yangtik, consists of texts classified as either mind treasure (dgongs gter) and compositions; individual texts explicitly state in their colophons whether they are revealed or composed. Longchenpa is sometimes said to have received and transcribed them following his reception of the Khandro Nyingtik, after experiencing a state of meditative clarity and experiencing visions of Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyel (ye shes mtsho rgyal). He wrote down the bulk of theKhandro Yangtik at his hermitage at Gangri Tokar (gangs ri thod dkar), a cave above Shukseb Monastery (shug gseb dgon) to the south of Lhasa.

These four works—the Bima Nyingtik and Longchenpa's exegesis of it, the Bima Yangtik; and the Khandro Nyingtik and his exegesis are together known as the Fourfold Heart Essences Collection (snying tig ya bzhi) and are continue to be regarded as foundational texts in Dzogchen doctrine.

The hermitage at Gangri Tokar, which Longchenpa named Orgyen Dzong Wozer Trinkyi Kyemo Tsel (o rgyan rdzong 'od zer 'phrin kyi skyes mo rtsal), was one of Longchenpa's main residences. Here, Longchenpa composed most of his famous literature, over two hundred texts. Longchenpa describes the hermitage in his Commentary to the Great Perfection, Resting in Mind Itself (rdzogs pa chen po sems nyid ngal gso'i 'grel ba shing rta chen po): "It is situated northeast of the Tashi Gepel (bkra shis dge 'phel) temple of Wonkyangdo ('on kyang rdo). It seems that this mountain was adorned by a mane of ice and dressed in moon-like whiteness in the past."[12] Many of the works he composed here were lost.

As he reached maturity as a teacher, political upheavals in Tibet left Longchenpa in a precarious situation. Tai Situ Jangchub Gyeltsen (tai si tu byang chub rgyal mtshan, 1302–1364) of the Pakmodrupa dynasty declared himself the ruler of Tibet in 1349, overthrowing the Sakya-Yuan administration. When Drigung staged a revolt in 1359, Longchenpa, a beneficiary of the Drigung Gomchen Kunga Rinchen ('bri gung sgom chen kun dga' rin chen), unsuccessfully attempted to mediate, which led to Jangchub Gyeltsen exiling him from Tibet.

Longchenpa established and made his home at Tharpaling Monastery (thar pa gling) in Bumthang, Bhutan. His first journey there is said to have been sparked by an apparition of Padmasambhava, white in color and surrounded by five ḍākinīs.

In Bhutan, Longchenpa taught Dzogchen to lay people from his Four-fold Heart Essences, as well as compositions known as the Seven Treasuries and Trilogy of Finding Comfort and Ease.[13] According to Bhutanese historians, these later two were both written in Bhutan, lost, and later reconstructed at Gangri Tokar. Tibetan accounts, however, generally agree that these major works were composed at the hermitage prior to his travels to Bhutan. He established eight hermitages throughout southern Bhutan: in addition to Tharpaling these include Dechenling (bde chen gling), Orgyenling (o rgyan gling), Kunzangling (kun bzang gling), Drechakling ('bras bcags gling), Rinchenling (rin chen gling), Kunzangling (kun bzang gling), and Samtenling (bsam gtan gling).[14]

Some of these hermitages, mostly those in western Bhutan, have not survived. The Paro sites were handed to the Hūṃral family of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition.[15] Peljor Gyeltsen (dpal 'byor rgyal mtshan), a chief Bhutanese disciple of Longchenpa, founded monasteries and temples such as Komtrang Tashi Tsemo (kom 'phrang bkra shis rtse mo), Ngenlung Pobikha (sngan lung pho sbis kha), and Khewang Lhakhang (mkhas dbang lha khang), just east of Paro in the Shar district, and established a teaching tradition in honor of Longchenpa.[16]

While in Bhutan, Longchenpa fathered at least one child with his consort Ani Kyidpala (skyid pa lags) from Chungsekha in the Sha valley of western Bhutan. His son, Drakpa Wozer (grags pa 'od zer, 1356-1409), went on to be a Nyingtik lineage holder. Drakpa Wozer would be later incarnated in a Dzogchen lineage as a 'mind-son' (thugs sras), the first one being also named Drakpa Wozer (grags pa 'od zer, b. 1416). Many in this lineage were born in Bumthang and served as heads of Samtenling.[17] Longchenpa is also said to have fathered a daughter in 1351, whose name is not known.

In his absence, Longchenpa's Tibetan patrons Situ Shakya Zangpo (si tu sa skya bzang po) of Uto (dbus stod) and Dorje Gyeltsen (rdo rje rgyal mtshan) of Yamdrok (yar 'drog) negotiated with Jangchub Gyeltsen to allow his return,[18] and after six years in Bhutan he was able to accept an invitation from his student Khedrub Khyabdel Lhundrub (khyab brdal lhun grub) and return to Tibet. The Pakmodru ruler Jangchub Gyeltsen was now willing to receive teachings and initiations from Longchenpa, and apparently it was he who gave him the title by which he is most commonly known, Longchen Rabjam (klong chen rab 'byams), meaning something like "person of infinite knowledge," which is customarily contracted to Longchenpa. Back in Tibet he primarily resided at Gangri Tokar.

At the age of fifty-six, Longchenpa's health declined. He traveled back to Chimphu through Gyama (rgya ma) and Samye. He continued to offer teachings and to perform public rituals such as gaṇacakra feasts. He also wrote his testament, Stainless Light (zhal chems dri ma med pa'i 'od) and The Mirror of Key Points (mthar thug don gyi gdams pa gnad kyi me long). Stainless Light is an expression of his thoughts on his nearing death, while The Mirror of Key Points is his final testament for practitioners on following Buddhist teachings. These two pieces of literature are included in his Seminal Quintessence of the Profound, or Zabmo Yangtik (zab mo yang thig). The Zabmo Yangtik is a compilation of the scholastic tradition (bshad brgyud) and the oral tradition (snyan brgyud) subdivisions of the Instruction Section (man ngag sde) of the Dzogchen teachings that is traditionally attributed to Mañjuśrīmitra.

At midday on the eighteenth day of the twelfth month of the female water-hare year, or January 30, 1364, at the age of fifty-six, Longchenpa instructed his attendants to place offerings and leave him to rest. According to Nyoshul Khenpo (smyo shul mkhan po 'jam dbyangs rdo rje, 1931-1999), he then sat in the "dharmakāya posture and passed into the primordial state of exhaustion."^[19]

Longchenpa was an heir of an established tradition, which included Maha, Anu, and Ati yogas. His contribution to the Nyingma lineage includes writing new works associated with already established works found throughout Tibet. His Seven Treasuries and his writings on Nyingtik expound upon topics such as the Seventeen Tantras, Lamdre, and a survey of Dzogchen philosophy. The Seven Treasuries consist of: The Wish-Fulfilling Treasury (yid bzhin mdzod), The Treasury of Pith Instructions (man ngag mdzod), the Treasury of Dharmadhatu (chos dbyings mdzod), The Treasury of Philosophical Tenets (grub mtha' mdzod), The Treasury of the Supreme Vehicle (theg mchog mdzod), The Treasury of Word and Meaning (tshig don mdzod), and The Treasury of the Natural State (gnas lugs mdzod). Other works of Longchenpa include: Trilogy of Dispelling Darkness (mun sel skor gsum), Trilogy of Finding Comfort and Ease (ngal gso skor gsum), and Trilogy of Natural Freedom (rang grol skor gsum). Nyoshul Khenpo mentions that Longchenpa signed over 300 works in a variety of names, including Tsultrim Lodro (tshul khrims blo gros), Longchen Rabjam, Pema Ledrel Tsel, and Longsel Drime (klong gsel dri med).[20]

Outside of Longchenpa's efforts to establish eight religious centers in Bhutan, he appears to have had no intention of codifying that which became known as "the Nyingma tradition," and he is described by contemporary Tibetan historians as having resisted bureaucratic organization.[21] He was quintessentially ecumenical in his approach to educating himself. His title Samye Lungmangpa (bsam yas lung mang pa), which translates as "the One from Samye Who Has Received Many Scriptures,"[22] was given to him because he was known to make academic tours of different learning institutions, and he received teachings from both the old and new tantric lineages. Nevertheless, in his writings he was primarily concerned with Dzogchen and the literature which has remained central to the Nyingma tradition.

Tibetan historians have grouped Longchenpa's students in various categories: his "five heart-sons" were Dokhampa Tengom Chokyi Drakpa (mdo khams pa 'dan sgom chos kyi grags pa), Gyelse Zangpo Drakpa (rgyal sras bzang po grags pa), Lama Pelchok (bla ma dpal mchog), Guru Yeshe Rabjam of Shukseb (shug gseb pa ye shes rab 'byams), and Zhonnu Sanggye (gzhon nu sangs rgyas). His four "mentors who spread the teachings" were Peljor Gyatso (dpal 'byor rgya mtsho), Lobpon Sanggye (slob dpon sangs rgyas), Lobpon Lodro Zangpo (slob dpon blo gros bzang po), and Jadrel Choje Tashi Jungne of Takgo (stag mgo bya bral chos rje bkra shis 'byung gnas). His students who were called "spiritually accomplished yogins" were Pago Tokden Gyelpo (pha rgod rtogs ldan rgyal po), Neljor Wozer Gocha (rnal byor 'od zer go cha), Guru Wosel Rangdrol (gu ru 'od gsal rang grol), and Jatang Sonam Wozer (bya gtang bsod nams 'od zer). Other students included Khedrub Delek Gyatso (bde legs rgya mtsho), Khedrub Chokyi Drakpa (mkhas grub chos kyi grags pa), Trulzhik Sanggye Wonpo ('khrul zhig sangs rgyas dbon po), Orgyen Choje of Drok (o rgyan chos rje), Khenpo Sonam Senggye of Lu (glu mkhan bsod nams seng+ge), Drakpa Pel (grags pa dpal), and Sanggye Pelrin (sangs rgyas dpal rin).

Longchenpa has appeared to Tibetan masters in visions and so is occasionally considered to have been a teacher to people who lived well after he passed away. Perhaps most famously these included Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa, 1730-1798), whose visions of Longchenpa inspired him to later reveal one of the most widely-known of the later Nyingtik treasure cycles, the Heart Essence of the Great Expanse, or Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig) (note that the "longchen" in the title is not a reference to Longchenpa, as is often believed).