He skillfully merged the two streams of teachings from Kadampa and Mahamudra into one. In addition, he also established the monastic system in the Kagyudpa lineage. Before that the practitioners of Mahamudra were mainly yogis.
One of his renowned disciples, Dusum Khyenpa, the 1st Karmapa, started the Kamtsang Kagyud, which is active and continues its flow of lineage till today. Another three eminent disciples of Gampopa, Barom Dharma Wangchuk, founded the Barom Kagyud; Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo established the Phagdru Kagyud and Shang Tsalpa Tsondru Drag set up the Tsalpa Kagyud. Subsequently, these four major Kagyud schools were further streamed into eight minor Kagyud schools by their disciples.
The entire profound enlightened activities of Lord Gampopa marked him as one of the most important lineage masters of Kagyudpa, particularly in the Karma Kagyud Lineage founded by the 1st Karmapa. Owing to the great kindness of Gampopa and all the compassionate lineage masters, the great blessings of Gampopa is ever present even in this day and age, as experienced by countless faithful Kagyudpa followers.
The Great Manifestation of the Compassionate Bodhisattvas
All the enlightened activities displayed by Lord Gampopa in his life time; which helped to mature and benefit countless of sentient beings are evidences that he is a great enlightened bodhisattva endowed with extraordinary supreme qualities.
According to the teachings, Lord Gampopa has been a Bodhisattva in countless lifetimes, serving hundred thousands of Buddhas in his previous lives. At the time of the third Buddha, he was the Bodhisattva named Beautiful Moon Flower and at the time of the Buddha Dipankara he manifested as Bodhisattva Lotus Guru and benefited immeasurable sentient beings.
He was also a disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni. His name then was the great bodhisattva known as The Youthful Moon-light. He was always peaceful, compassionate and devotedly followed the teachings of Buddha and performing the limitless great deeds of a bodhisattva for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Out of his compassion towards all sentient beings that are ignorant and helplessly shrouded with the darkness of this degeneration age, at the presence of Lord Buddha, he generated pure aspirations. He dedicated to uphold and spread the sun-like Mahayana teachings, to eliminate the great cloud of ignorance from all sentient beings and establish them in the state of absolute Dharmata.
Buddha Shakyamuni had also clearly prophesized the future coming of Gampopa in The White Lotus Compassion Sutra, The King of Meditative Concentration Sutra and his other teachings.
In The White Lotus Compassion Sutra, Buddha mentioned to Ananda, “Kun Ga Wo (Ananda) after I passed into Nirvana, in the future, a Bhikshu who has attended to many previous Buddhas; known as “The Physician” will appear at the river bank of the northern direction, After serving hundred thousands of Buddhas, he would developed the root virtue and pure enlightened mind and abides perfectly on the Mahayana path. He would benefit numerous sentient beings and establish them in the fruition of happiness. He is the holder of the Bodhisattva’s scriptures, praises and practices of the Mahayana path. He would teach the Mahayana teachings excellently.”
The Birthplace and His Layman-hood
The birthplace of Lord Gampopa was at the Serpa valley of Nyal in Tibet. His father, Nyiwa Gyalpo, was a descendant of the Nyiwa family. His mother’s name was Nyalsa. His parents had 3 sons and Lord Gampapo was their 2nd son. Lord Gampapo was born in the year of Earth Sheep (1079C.E.) and was named Dharma Drag.
He married a noble lady who was graced with all the admirable good qualities of the nobles when he was twenty-two. They lived in great happiness and had two adorable children, a son and a daughter.
He lived as a lay man till the age of 26. During this period he studied medicine from the great Tibetan physician Bizi, as well as from 30 other notable physicians. He also mastered the Eight Branches of Medical Science. At that point of time, the famous Tibetan Four Medical Root Text was yet to be completed. He treated many people and benefited them with his excellent knowledge of medicine. He also received many wholesome teachings from spiritual masters such as Sharawa and so forth.
A terrible plague, however completely changed his life. It took away the lives of both his young children within a few days. His wife also fell seriously sick subsequently. Gampopa tried all means of treatments to cure her but her illness worsened day by day. Due to her great attachment towards Gampopa, his wife desperately held onto her life despite enduring great torment. Out of compassion for her, Gampopa promised her that he would devote the rest of his life to the Dharma. That assurance appeased her mind and she peacefully took her last breath. She left a saddened lonely Gampopa, a husband and a father no more, at her bedside.
After the death of both his two young children and wife, the heart-broken Gompopa clearly perceived the dream-like and suffering nature of samsara. From this painful experience, he developed a deep certainty in true nature of the defective samsara. He renounced totally from this purposeless worldly life and resolved strongly to dedicate the rest of his life to Dharma practice.
He became a monk under Khenpo Loden Sherab of Mang Yu. Sherab Nyingpo of Shang Shung was the training master. From Jangchub Sempa of Yid De, who was also the disciple of Je Milarepa, he received the Bodhisattva vows and instructions on the secret teachings and sadhana practices. He was given the name Sonam Rinchen, which means Precious Merit.
He studied the Vinaya from the first two masters and received the Charkrasamvara practices from Khenpo Loden Sherab according to the Sangkar Tradition. He held onto all these teachings as preciously as if they were his own life.
By following the instructions of the great master Jangchub Sempa’s, he experienced the great taste of joys that arose from meditative absorption. He realized that all phenomenal are like the rainbow; a dispersal of sheer mist and attained the experience of bliss, joy and non-conceptual thought. He could abide in meditative absorption without any slightest movement for seven days, experiencing the equanimity of no difference between the day and night. After this, he was able to remain in meditative absorption for as long as thirteen days without any movement and attachment.
He later journeyed upwards to central Tibet. There he stayed with Geshe Nyurkrum and received and practiced the teachings of “The Gradual Path of Bodhicitta Practice” (Lam Rim), the essence of Kadampa Lineage for a period of nine months. Due to this, he was able to actualize and suffuse his mind stream with the precious relative bodhicitta. It is said that from then onwards, he was never for a single moment separated from the precious bodhicitta. He also received many teachings from Geshe Gyachak Riwa and Geshe Gya Yondak. It is said that he had a vivid vision of great protector, Lord Mahakala during his practice. It was during his stay at central Tibet that he studied and learned all the teachings of Lord Atisha, the father of the Kadampa Lineage.
He eventually came to realize the essential need for practice. Thereafter, he let out his farm to some villagers at his homeland and acquired his needs from there. He focused one pointedly on his practice at the temple called Sera Lhakhang. He practiced meditation and attained good results in meditative absorption. Many good signs that are described in the sutras on “the preceding the achievement of ten bumis” clearly appeared in his dreams.
Calling of Jetsun Milarepa - His Guru of Affinity
One spring day, after a practice session, Gampopa went for a walk and he chanced upon three beggars. One of them said, “Three of us don’t even have small merits. How wonderful it would be if we can have a full bowl of scrumptious food and vegetables without needing to look for it.” The second said, “if you want to make a wish, it would be better to wish to be like the King of Tsede rather than just have lots of food.” Then the third one said, “Even King Tsede cannot escape from death. When death approaches, not a single being can help us. If one wants to make an aspiration, one should aspire to be like Milarepa. He does not need clothes for his body, Dakinis offer food to him, he can soar up into the sky like a bird and for him there is no birth and no death. It would be so wonderful to be like that.” Upon saying these words, he uttered a long sigh and started to weep for a while. When Gampopa overheard these conversations, a strong devotion instantly arouse deep within him. He wanted very much and was determined to go to Milarepa’s place to meet him. He gave lots of food to the three beggars.
After that, he went back to seek the permissions of his lamas. He also made a lot of offerings and prayed to the Triple Gems that evening. That night he had a dream of himself blowing a long trumpet and its sound could be heard throughout the entire Zambuling. In his dream, there was also a huge drum. It was the biggest drum that could ever be found in central Tibet and it was dangling freely in the middle of sky without any support. When Gampopa beat this drum, it boom loudly and could be heard by many animals. A lady from Mon from amongst a thong of people, said to Gampopa, “For the benefit of all these people, you should beat this drum. However for the benefit of all the animals you should give them this milk.” Upon saying this, she gave Gampopa a Kapala cup filled with milk. Gompopa said to her, “This cup of milk may not be able to satisfy all the animals.” The lady replied “After you have drunk this milk, it would be enough for all the animals as well as all the sentient beings of the six realms. That should make you very famous in the future.”
In time, Gampopa journeyed to Milarepa’s place with the company of his friend Gongton. However, when they reached Gurmo, Gongton suffered from a sickness and had to stay back and could not proceed any further with Gampopa. Later on, Gampopa traveled with a merchant who was going to Tsang for business. When he arrived at the place of Dingri, he was seriously sick and almost died. He stayed there for seven days. During this period he would gazed at the direction of the snow mountain where Milrepa’s dwelled and supplicate to Milarepa devotedly. It was not long that the blessings of Milarepa responded to him and he recovered from the sickness speedily.
When he was about to arrive at his destination, he met a Repa (Yogi who wears cloth only) who came to welcome him. The Repa was overwhelmed with joy on meeting him and told him, “Lamala, please teach me your instruction quickly as Lama Jetsun Milarepa had gathered his disciples and proclaimed that there would come a monk from central Tibet who would benefit many sentient beings.”
When he arrived at Trashigang, an old lady told him that he would not be able to reach Milarepa’s place that day and he could rest in her house for a night. She invited Gampopa to her house and served him respectfully. She told Gampopa, “Yesterday I went to see Lama. Lama said that a monk from central Tibet would come and see him and whoever helps this monk to reach him or serves this monk well will no longer need to fear rebirth in the lower realms.” She further added, “I will ask my daughter to bring you to see Lama.”
Upon hearing this, Gampopa thought to himself, “Since Milarepa knew of my coming all along, I must be a fortunate one.” Pride arose in him and Milarepa was aware of it. For this reason, Milarepa did not see him immediately but summoned to see him after half a month later.
Receiving Teachings and Guidance from Jetsun Milarepa
At their first meeting, Milarepa was sitting on a huge boulder. Gampopa prostrated to him and offered him gold and tea. Milarepa said, “Gold and this old man does not match well and I do not have any teapot to boil this tea as well. All these offerings you may keep for the provision of your practice.” Then he asked, “What is you name?” Gampopa replied, “Sonam Rinchen”. Upon hearing this, Milarepa said three times, “Through the gathering of great accumulations merits arise; you are indeed precious to all sentient beings!”
Milarepa then passed a skull cup of wine to Gampopa, Gampopa who received and emptied the cup without leaving a single drop of wine. Witnessing this, Milarepa knew that Gampopa could receive and uphold his entire lineage. He was so happy that he sang a song to welcome Gampopa.
Milarepa then asked Gampopa, “What empowerments and teachings have you received?” Gampopa replied that he had received the empowerments of Guhyasamaja and Hevajra and Charkrasamvara as well as the great blessings of Dakmema from the Geshes of Maryul. He also told Milarepa that he could abide in meditative absorption without any movement for as long as thirteen days. Milarepa laughed loudly, “Haha!” Then he said, “All these are also good but these could only attain the fruition of the formless realm. You can’t get oil by pressing sand; you can only get oil through pressing a mustard seed. If you mediate on my Tummo and short AH now, by tomorrow this time, you will realize your true nature. Most of the Tibetans have evil minds. Due to this Atisha did not teach the Tantric teachings and so people never understood the teachings. Milarepa then gave Gampopa a initiation on the Deity Sindura with a support of a mirror and a red symbol of the mandala, based on that he transmitted all the essence of the empowerments and secret instructions of the oral transmission lineage to Gampopa
During his stay with the Jetsun, Gampopa also seek detailed instructions from the Jetsum to clarify the doubts he had regarding many practices. He practiced diligently according to the teachings and perfected the qualities of the channels, winds and bindu. He also realized with certainty the secret instructions of the Lama. Jetsun was extremely happy with Gampopa and gave many clear prophesizes on Gampopa’s vast beneficial activities in the future.
After that Jetsun instructed Gampopa to go to Gampo mountain for retreat. Before his departure, Jestum entrusted the entire empowerments, teachings and profound instructions to him and requested him to return by the 14th day of the horse month in the year of the hare.
Jetsun already knew that he will attain parinirvana that date and he hoped that he is able to meet his heart-son before that day. Gampopa however was not able to fulfill that hope and he was so sorrowful that he fainted. The Jetsum however, left his walking stick and a piece of his clothing to Gampopa.
After that, with the blessings and instructions of the Jetsun, Gampopa continued to practice diligently and completely attained the state of Mahamudra. He spent his whole life in retreat and teaching his students. He was able to skillfully combine the two practices and teachings of Mahamudra and Khadampa and benefit numberless fortunate students and sentient beings.
The Great Blessings of Gampopa
His blessings are extraordinary. As long as anyone sincerely pray or supplicate to him, he would definitely receive all his blessings and be able to actualize all his good aspirations.
Gampopa have said before: those who are now not able to be my close disciples do not need to feel sad. As long as they sincerely supplicate to me, their aspirations will be fulfilled. My blessings will enable their merits to arise naturally. You must remember this”
Gampopa composed many important texts, such as “The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”, “A Precious Garland of the Sublime Path ”, “The Four Dharma” and so forth. These texts are well-known. The teachings carry the essence of Gampopa practice and would benefit generations of people right into the future. Gampopa also said: "those in future generations, if they are sad for not being able to meet me, then please read my writing of “The Jewel Ornament of Liberation” and ”, “A Precious Garland of the Sublime Path”, there is no difference in seeing me in person and reading them."
.Lord Gampopa, the great master who is like the brilliant sun of that generation, displayed his parinirvana on the fifteen day of the six month of Water Bird year (1153C.E.), at the age of seventy-five, accompanied with many auspicious signs of enlightenment.
25th July 2010 is the 931th anneversery day of Lord Gampopa.
མེ་ཏོག་ཟླ་མཛེས་པདྨི་བླ་མ་ནི།
ཐུབ་པའི་སྤྱན་སྔར་ཟླ་འོད་གཞོན་ནུར་གྱུར།
གངས་རིའི་ཁྲོད་འདིར་དགེ་སློང་འཚོ་བྱེད་ཅེས།
རྒྱལ་བས་ལུང་བསྟན་ཁྱེད་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ།།
ལྟ་སྤྱོད་སྒོམ་པའི་གཞུང་ལུགས་འོ་མའི་མཚོ།
མཁྱེན་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་མནྡྷརས་སྲུབ་པ།
རྒྱལ་བསྟན་གསལ་མཛད་མཉམ་མེད་སྒམ་པོ་པས།
བཀའ་ཕྱག་ཆུ་བོ་གཅིག་ཏུ་འདྲེས་པར་མཛད།།
1 comment:
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks for sharing with us the precious history of Lord Gampopa. No doubt the history is rather long but it is beneficial to us and i can remember much more easily by reading what rinpoche had written in the blog. However, regretted to say that we are not able to attend the anniversary of Lord Gampopa at KKBC this Sunday.
With Metta,
Mrs Chan
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