“Read well the ‘Collected Works of Gampopa‘, the crown jewel of all the Kagyu. These teachings on the union of Kadampa and Mahamudra are more wondrous and greater in blessings than other works and termas. The Kagyu masters of the past all received siddhi through these profound teachings. Meeting the Buddha’s teachings through the compassion of the guru who is incomparably kind is a great fortune. If Masters and disciples who long for the Kagyu Dharma, do as taught in Gampopa’s Collected Works, experience and realization will dawn.”
—Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol (1781-1851)
“In summary, even though Gampopa is no longer alive, the teachings he left behind are like his representative. So we should regard them as very sacred and important. Normally, if we hear about a talking statue we think that’s really sacred and important. However, with words in texts that have come to us directly from great masters, we wrap them in cloth without paying much attention, put them in a dusty place, or on a shrine. With Dharma texts we wouldn’t toss them in a rubbish bin, but it is almost like doing that.”
—17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje (Teachings on Gampopa in January 2021)
INTRODUCTION
On 17th May 2022, it was announced on Facebook that on 16th May 2022, at Ralang Monastery in Ravangla Sikkim, HE 12th Goshri Gyaltsab Rinpoche began the full transmission of the Collected Works of an important figure in all the Kagyu lineages, Je Gampopa, Sonam Rinchen (sgam po pa bsod nams rin chen, 1079–1153). The oral transmission is estimated to continue for ten days. In attendance is also HE Zurmang Rinpoche whose monastery is also in Sikkim. I would have probably attended this in person, but I had no idea it was happening.
In any case, the transmission has kindly been made available livestream online, through a YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/channel/UCLygEJ3kmO0dNAiZ0jZEk5Q). Each day the morning session is from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and the afternoon session is from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Indian Standard Time).
I have written before about Gampopa’s Collected Works, in the context of a teaching the 17th Karmapa gave about the Four Dharmas of Gampopa, see here. However, I could not find a published English language outline (or comprehensive overview) of Je Gampopa’s Collected Works.
So, out of inspiration hearing about this transmission, and as an offering for Gyeltsab Rinpoche (whom I have received several Vajrayana empowerments and transmissions from) and this Dharma activity, I stayed up late last night and prepared the following to offer to Dharma brothers and sisters who are attending this transmission, and as a work of intellectual preservation:
- a compiled list of the extant editions of Gampopa’s Collected Works (together with some images of them) and
- the first English translation of the outline (with the Tibetan (wylie and script))
Je Gampopa is generally known for his ‘lam-rim’ type text, the Jewel Ornament of Liberation, but opening up his Collected Works (as Gyeltsab Rinpoche’s transmission is doing) leads to an absolute treasure trove of instructions and information, in particular on guiding Vajrayana practice, tsa lung, tummo, Mahāmudrā and ultimate views and philosophy. The majority of the texts in the Collection are instruction manuals on either the Vajrayana yogas or Mahāmudrā. In addition, the works give an insight into the questions he was asked by some of his most famous students, the 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa (founder of Karma Kagyu) and Pagmo Drupa (root teacher of other Kagyu lineages, such as Drigung and Drugpa Kagyu and so on) and the responses he gave them.
After publishing this post, interesting information about the texts was posted during the transmission on the Facebook page of Gyeltsab Rinpoche, some of which I have also included in this article. At the end of the transmission, Gyeltsab Rinpoche explained how he had received the oral transmission from HH 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, which was transmitted to him at Rumtek monastery during one summer. It took a few days and he remembered that the Karmapa would sometimes continue until midnight using a kerosene lamp for light, and sometimes the lamp didn’t work and caused some problems. Several other Rinpoches and tulkus were there to receive it: Zhamar Rinpoche, Situ Rinpoche and Jamgon Rinpoche; Dzigar Choktrul Rinpoche, Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche, Thrangu Rinpoche, and Tenga Rinpoche. All of the senior monks of Rumtek monastery also attended[i].
A reader also kindly informed me that in Ulrich Timme Kragh’s Tibetan Yoga and Mysticism – A Textual Study of the Yogas of Naropa and Mahamudra Meditation in the Medieval Tradition of Dags po. (2015) (a 700 page scholarly book) there is an outline and extensive analysis of the Collected Works. So, I have also added in references to that work for those who want more detail.
This complete article and outline can be downloaded as a pdf file hereTHE CROWN JEWEL OF ALL KAGYU THE COLLECTED WORKS OF GAMPOPA. Apologies for any errors it was produced in a very short space of time. May we all have the good fortune to hear, read and understand Gampopa’s Collected Works!
Music? Cutting Straight to the Heart by Sina Vodjani.
Compiled and translated by Adele Tomlin, 19th May 2022. Updated 28th May 2022.
EXTANT EDITIONS OF JE GAMPOPA’S COLLECTED WORKS
On the BDRC website, ten editions are listed, I have compiled them here below for reference, This list and translated outline and overview of the Collected Works, can be downloaded as a pdf on request.
- 1-Volume Daglha Gampo edition. With stunning illustrations on the first pages. gSung ʼbum sgam po pa. Dwags Lha Sgam Po/. Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC), MW4CZ301826.
The first printed edition of Gampopa’s Collected Works (according to the 17th Karmapa) that is still extant, is the one by Choje Sonam Lhundrub Dawa Gyaltsen, printed at Daglha Gampo monastery (images below). This includes over forty teachings of the Collected Works of Gampopa. Most of the later editions used this as their primary source. There is also a collection of three volumes, labeled ka, kha and ga. Later, the Derge press printed a two volume edition labeled E and Vam. According to Ulrich Timme Kragh (2015: 170):
“In the male iron dragon year (lcags pho ‘brug gi lo), i.e., 1520 CE, the sixteenth abbot of Daglha Gampo (Dags lha sgam po) monastery, Sgam po Bsod nams lhun grub457 (1488-1552) produced the first printed edition of the Dagpo Kabum (Dags po’i bka’ ‘bum) using xylographic printing technique.
Daglha Gampo, which by the sixteenth century had become a small monastery of the Dagpo Kagyu tradition, originated as a remote mountain hermitage founded by Sonam Rinchen (Bsod nams rin chen). It was there that he spent the second half of his life surrounded by his students. Given the special heritage and renown of the monastery as being Sonam Rinchen’s seat (gdan sa) and that Sonam Rinchen was regarded as a major founding figure for all the later Kagyu sub-schools, the printing of the first edition of Sonam Rinchen ‘s teachings was accordingly a project of great prestige and consequence for the monastery.
Yet, there may also have been other earlier, now possibly non-extant versions of the Dagpo Kabum in circulation before the 1520 printing project in Daglha Gampo. It is at least clear that the corpus is referred to under the name Dagpo Kabum in several primary sources prior to 1520, such as life stories of several persons before this date. For example, a brief biography of Gampo Sonam Lhundrub (Sgam po Bsod nams lhun grub), who was the publisher of the 1520 xylograph, states that during his teenage years (i.e., in the 1500s, some fifteen to twenty years before producing the printed edition) he received the reading transmission (lung) for the Dagpo Kabum corpus from Chenga RInpoche (Spyan snga Rin po che) at Daglha Gampo monastery.”
2) 1-volume blockprint carved under the guidance of Gampopa’s nephew Chenga Sonam Lhundrub; margin marked ka-sha, a, ki, khi, ci and e. gSung ʼbum bsod nams rin chen. BDRC MW8LS16322.
3) 1-volume handwritten manuscript in U-med script; margin marked ka-a & ki-th 1 copy made available from the collection of Kyegu Zhangu Gon Adro (skye dgu zhang ‘gu dgon a gro). gSung ʼbum sgam po pa. BDRC MW8LS16354.
4) 1-volume edition in the Collection of Tulku Tshewang in Nampa Kunden Monastery, Jumla rJe sgam po paʼi gsung ʼbum. BDRC MW0NGMCP46314.
5) Tibetan computer input book edition (2013) from the Trungpo Borig Publishing House. sGam po pa bsod nams rin chen, et al. sGam poʼi gdan rabs rim byon gyi gsung ʼbum. Par gzhi dang po, Krung goʼi bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2013. BDRC MW1AC309.
6) 2-volume (1998) Collected Works of Gampopa from impressions of the blocks preserved at Dege Gonchen (sde dge dgon chen); marked e (ka-ra) and waM (la-nyi) gSung ʼbum sgam po pa. sDe dge par khang chen mo, 1998. BDRC MW22393.
Ulrich TImme-Kragh (2015:184-5) explains:
“At some point in the nineteenth or early twentieth century, a new xylograph print of the
Dagpo Kabum was produced at the renowned printery Dege Parkhang Chodzo Chenmo (Sde dge par khang chos mdzod chen mo), belonging to the Sakya monastery Lhundrub Teng (Lhun grub steng) in Dege (Sde dge) in eastern Tibet. The printery had been established in 1729 by the king of Dege, Tenpa Tsering (Bstan pa tshe ring), whereafter it became a major publishing center for Tibetan texts belonging to most of the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism (KOLMAŠ, 1971.I:10). The two-volume Dege xylograph of the Dagpo Kabum, which shall here be referred to as DK.D, has been preserved in an older paper print obtained in Dege in June 1922 by the French traveler and explorer Mrs. Alexandra DAVID-NÉEL (1868-1969). The print was subsequently brought to Paris, where it is today kept at the Musée national des Arts asiatique Guimet.500 The folios measure 6×45,5 cm.”
7) 4-volume (2000) computer typepset edition in the Collection of the Gampopa Library, Swayambhu, Nepal. gSung ʼbum sgam po pa. Khenpo S. Tenzin & Lama T. Namgyal, 2000. BDRC MW23439. Images below.
8) 2-volume (1976) reproduction of a stunningly illustrated manuscript from the Tashi Chodzon Monastery in Lahaul. gSung ʼbum sgam po pa. Shashin, 1976. purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW23444. Images below.
9) 3-volume (1982) edition reproduced from a manuscript reflecting the tradition of the Daglha Gampo redaction (dwags-lha sgam-po redaction prepared through the efforts of Chenna Sonam Lhundrub (spyan-sna bsod-nams-lhun-grub) from the Hemis monastery in Ladakh. gSung ʼbum sgam po pa. Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang, BDRC MW23566.
10) 1-Volume U-Med script edition. gSung ʼbum zla ʼod gzhon nu. BDRC MW2PD17541.
OVERVIEW OF CONTENTS OF COLLECTED WORKS
For my translated outline of the Collected Works, I have used the 4-volume (2000 Nepali edition) which follows the same outline as the original Daglha Gampo one, however, in the fourth volume there are more texts included, which are not in the earlier edition. Here is a brief overview of the contents, of course more can be said about the texts themselves, more on that in the future.
VOLUME ONE – Liberation-stories and ‘Dharma Gatherings’
vol. 1 (ka)
- Liberation-story of Tilopa and Naropa (tai lo nA ro’i rnam thar)
- Liberation-story of Marpa and Jetsun Milarepa (mar pa dang rje btsun mi la’i rnam thar)
- The Liberation-Story of of Great Gampopa, Banner of Renown of the Supreme Precious Jewel Ornament of Liberation (chos sgam po pa chen po’i rnam thar rin po che kun khyab snyan pa’i ba dan thar pa rin po che’i rgyan gyi mchog)
- Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho): Auspicious Abundance (tshogs chos bkra shis phun tshogs)
- Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho) of Legzey given by the Protector Candraprabha Kumāra (mgon po zla ‘od gzhon nus mdzad pa’o tshogs chos legs mdzes ma bzhugs so)
- Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho): Abundant Qualities (tshogs chos yon tan phun tshogs)
- Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho): Pearl Mala (tshogs chos mu tig gi phreng ba)
Volume One (for Tibetan contents page see images) contains liberation stories of famed Kagyu forefathers such as Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa and Milarepa and a life-story about Gampopa. Kragh (2015: 205-208) asserts that these life-stories of the four main Kagyu Forefathers were originally composed by Gyelwa Khyung Tsangwa Yeshe Lama (Rgyal ba khyung tshang ba Ye shes Bla ma (1115-1176), probably after Gampopa, Sonam Rinchen’s death in 1153, during the period 1153-1176. This makes them some of the very earliest life-stories of these masters.
This is followed by (3) a life-story on Gampopa, composed by Gampo Sonam Lhundrub (Sgam po Bsod nams lhun grub). The colophon of this text reads that this text was composed in the male-iron dragon year, 2398, 367 years after the passing of Gampopa with the aim of promoting the teachings[iii]. For more detail on this life story, see Kragh (2015: 211-215) who explains that according to this biography:
In 1109-1110, Sonam Rinchen remained thirteen months with Milarepa while practicing the master’s secret meditation instructions, in particular the yoga of Inner Heat (gtum mo). The text here gives a detailed account of the visions, dreams, and meditation experiences that Sonam Rinchen had during this time along with descriptions of Milarepa’s response to each of them, often in the form of spiritual songs. After his stay with Milarepa, it is told that Sonam Rinchen returned to Central Tibet to meet again with his former Kadampa (Bka’ gdams pa) teachers. They all inquired in detail about the meditation experiences and achievements that Sonam Rinchen had achieved during his training with the yogī Milarepa. They all became very impressed with his progress and Lama Nyugrumpa (Bla ma Snyug rum pa) bestowed a White Tārā empowerment on Sonam Rinchen to ensure him a long lifespan, since he saw him as destined to benefit many sentient beings
Then there are five texts called Dharma Gatherings (Tshog Cho), the fifth text is in Volume Two.
“Each text ends with a colophon describing the text’s authorship and, according the information provided there, Sonam Rinchen did not write these works himself. Rather, they are explicitly stated to be notes (zin bris) taken by his students based on Sonam Rinchen’s oral lectures (gsung or gsung sgros). The notes were then compiled and perhaps edited to some extent by the authors. Each text is relatively uniform in its language and style, indicating that the respective text was written by a single hand.
The works consist of a number of individual lectures, which are demarcated by standard prefatory phrases inserted into the text at the beginning of each lecture. Such a prefatory phrase is, for example, “Again, the Dharma master Gampopa said…” (yang chos rje sgam po pa’i zhal nas). The end of the given lecture is marked by a short closing word or phrase, such as “[thus he] said” (gsung). These demarcations make it possible to distinguish distinct segments in the works, which in the works’ colophons are referred to as “teaching sessions” or, more literally, “Dharma sessions” (chos thun).
As a literary genre, a Teaching to the Assembly (tshogs chos) is thus a cycle of one or more oral teachings (chos, *dharma) presumably given to a larger audience, i.e., a ‘community’, an ‘assembly’, or a ‘gathering’ (tshogs, *gaṇa). The contents of the text suggest that the gathering mainly consisted of monks, because the teachings occasionally emphasize topics or explanations that would seem most suited to such listeners, e.g., the study of Vinaya. Hence, the word ‘gathering’ does not necessarily imply that the lectures were fully ‘public’ in the broadest sense of the word.
The Tshogs chos texts found in Dagpo Kabum are the earliest extant and perhaps the original Tibetan works of this genre. The genre continued to be used especially within the Kagyu school as well as in the Kadam (Bka’ gdams) tradition until the early fourteenth century, whereafter it went out of use. In total, there are thirty-three known works belonging to the tshogs chos genre found in various corpora. These works contain oral teachings of nine different lamas. The last known specimen is a tshogs chos attributed to Ogyenpa Rinchen Pel (O rgyan pa Rin chen dpal (1229/30-1309)).”
For more detail on what is contained in the individual Dharma Gatherings texts, see Kragh (2015: 216-283).
VOLUME TWO – Q & A Discussions (Zhu-len), Naked/Red (Mar-tri) Instructions and Vajrayogini
vol. 2 (kha)
- Great Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho) (tshogs chos chen mo)
- Questions and Answers with Je Gomtsul from the Oral instructions of Dagpo (dwags po’i zhal gdams dang rje sgom tshul gyi zhus lan)
- Questions and Answers with Dusum Khyenpa (dus gsum mkhyen pa’i zhus lan)
- Questions and Answers with Phagmo Drupa (phag mo gru pa’i zhus lan)
- Questions and Answers with Yogi Choyung (rnal ‘byor chos g.yung gi zhus lan)
- Threading a String of Pearls: Dharma Guidance (khrid chos mu tig tsar la brgyus pa)
- Actualising the Hidden Characteristics of the Mind (sems kyi mtshan nyid gab pa mngon du phyung ba)
- Great Secret Raw (Mar-tri) Instructions (dmar khrid gsang chen)
- Raw Instructions (Mar-tri) on the Bardo (bar do’i dmar khrid)
- Raw instructions (Mar-tri) on Phowa (‘pho ba’i dmar khrid zhal gdams dang bcas pa)
- Empowerment of the Great Mahamudra, Vajra Primordial Awareness (phyag rgya chen po rdo rje ye shes kyi dbang dang/) an abridged Text on Varahi (phag mo’i gzhung mdo dang bcas pa)
- Sayings/ Clear Mirror of the Whispered Lineage gsung sgros/ snyan brgyud gsal ba’i me long)
- Memorandum of the Whispered Lineage (snyan brgyud brjed byang ma)
- Extraordinary Mouth Nectar (zhal gyi bdud rtsi thun mong ma yin pa)
Volume Two first lists Question & Answer discussions (zhus lan) with his main students Je Gomtsul [iv] , 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa, Phagmo Drupa and Yogi Choyung. However, these works contain an array of different materials that have been compiled together and are not only questions and answers[v]. Kragh (2015: 301-302) explains:
“The concept of Zhulen (zhus lan) as a written work must have been a new genre in the twelfth century, and the zhus lan texts of the Dagpo Kabum are among the earliest known Tibetan works of the genre. The genre has, however, a prototype in the form of at least one of two canonical Zhulen (*praśnottara) works included in the Peking, Narthang (Snar thang), and Golden Manuscript Tengyur (bstan ‘gyurs)….
The four zhus lan texts of the Dagpo Kabum are compilations of questions supposed to have been presented orally by some of Sonam Rinchen’s closest students, along with Sonam Rinchen’s oral answers to these questions. The questions posed by the students reveal no particular structure, which means that these texts cover a lot of different topics, especially practical questions concerning how to combine different types of meditation practice, although a few more philosophical and doctrinal questions also are raised with regard to Sonam Rinchen’s teachings. Consequently, the texts provide a certain perspective of Bsod nams rin chen’s Mahāmudrā doctrine in terms of how it is related to other doctrinal and practical aspects of Buddhism, especially the practices of the Vajrayāna.”
This is followed by several ‘Raw’ (or Naked) Instructions’ (dmar khrid) on the nature of reality and mind as well as the Whispered Lineage instructions and a text on Varahi. The term ‘Mar Tri’, often translated as Naked or Direct Instructions, literally means ‘red/raw’ like a surgeon who cuts open something to look directly inside it! So I have translated it as ‘raw’ instructions to get that literal and ‘naked’ meaning across.
In this volume there is also a text compilation providing an empowerment, a sādhana, and an offering ritual on the goddess Vajravārāhī. I have now translated two of these texts, see here. It is said that the texts were written by Gampopa’s nephew and disciple, Gomtsul (Dags po Sgom tshul, Bsod nams rin chen’s eldest nephew and abbot of Dags lha sgam po) . In the Vajravarahi practices of the Karma Kagyu, Vajravarahi generated from the seed letter Hri (Hrikyema). There is also the Vamkyema, “Vajravarahi generated from the seed letter Vam”. These texts seem to belong to Hri-kyema category. Kragh explains (2015: 377):
“The first segment contains a Tantric empowerment ritual (dbang bskur, *abhiṣeka). A [red] sindhura substance is [to be placed] in the maṇḍala of [the goddess] Vajra-Knowledge (Rdo rje ye shes, *Vajrajnāna), [who represents] Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen po rdo rje ye shes kyi dkyil ‘khor du sin dhu ra’i dbang bskur ba). The goddess in question is Vajrayoginī (rdo rje rnal ‘byor ma) or Vajravārāhī (rdo rje phag mo) having one face and two arms. She is surrounded by a retinue of four other goddesses.
Kragh goes into some detail about this empowerment and sadhana text (2015: 377-378). One should really only read this if one has the Varahi empowerment though. He also explains that the text contains a short homage and praise to Vajrayoginī in six verses and with the scribal colophon: “May the blazing splendor of auspiciousness [of this text] adorn the world!” This is said to be the characteristic sign-off by the scribe Kunga Rinchen (Kun dga rin chen), who probably copied the text for the 1520 xylograph production.
The Clear Mirror of the Whispered Lineage and Memorandum of the Whispered Lineage both contain the instructions about the Six Yogas of Naropa that Gampopa received from Milarepa. These are instructions that Gampopa gave which were written down as notes, but it doesn’t mention who wrote them down. Among the Six Yogas, in these texts, Gampopa mainly teaches about Dream Yoga, Bardo and Phowa.
For more detailed information about the individual Q&A discussions and these other texts, see Kragh (2015: 302- 396).
VOLUME THREE – Songs, Pointing Out and Mahāmudrā Instructions
vol. 3 (ga)
- One Hundred Thousand Songs and the Thunderbolt Oral Instructions of Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen po’i man ngag thog babs dang mgur ‘bum rnams)
- Oral Instructions that Clarify Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen po gsal byed kyi man ngag)
- Meditative Stages of the Inconceivable Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen po bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i sgom rim)
- Essence of the Meaning of the Instructions of Mahāmudrā, One Hundred Thousand Pith Instructions (snying po don gyi gdams pa phyag rgya chen po’i ‘bum tig)
- Pointing Out of the Roots of Mahāmudrā and Actions (phyag rgya chen po’i rtsa ba la ngo sprad pa zhes kyang bya/ Realisations of Bringing Appearances onto the Path (snang ba lam ‘khyer gyi rtogs pa cig chog ces kyang bya/) Unchanging Ultimate Reality Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen po gnyug ma mi ‘gyur ces kyang bya ba)
- Treasury of the Ultimate Pointing Out of the Essence (snying po’i ngo sprod don dam gter mdzod)
- Pointing Out Ultimate Conceptuality (rnam rtog don dam gyi ngo sprod)
- Pointing Out the Essence of Practice (sgrub pa snying gi ngo sprod)
- The Compilation of Meditation Objects/Meanings in Sutra and Mantra (mdo sngags kyi sgom don bsdus pa)
- Arrangement of Excerpted Sayings (gsung sgros dum bsgrigs ma)
- Presentation of the Three Advices/Trainings (bslab gsum rnam gzhag la sogs pa)
- Pith Instructions on the Two Abiding Realities and Two Armours (gnas lugs gnyis kyi man ngag dang go cha gnyis kyi man ngag)
- Collected Words on the Five-Fold Mahāmudrā (bka’ tshoms dang phyag rgya chen po lnga ldan/), Precious Garland of the Supreme Path (lam mchog rin chen phreng ba/), Brief Condensed Summary of the Four Dharmas (chos bzhi mdor bsdus/), Condensed Summary of Practice (nyams len mdor bsdus/), gnad kyi gzer gsang/), Secret Treasury of Oral Instructions (zhal gdams gsang mdzod ma/), Inner Heat (Tummo) of Dhombipa (DoM b+hi pa’i gtum mo/), Inner Heat of the Yogi Exercises (Trulkhor) (‘khrul ‘khor gyi gtum mo/), Instructions on the Bardo (bar do’i gdams pa/), Instructions on Phowa (‘pho ba’i zhal gdams bcas).
- Nectar Garland of Discussions and Treatises and Investigating/Severing the Four Demons (bstan bcos gros ‘debs bdud rtsi’i phreng ba dang ‘dre bzhi rtsad gcod)
Volume Three contains texts of Songs, Pointing Out Instructions, Mahāmudrā, Pith Instructions, Sayings and a text about Chod and the Four Demons.
There are around eleven short songs by Gampopa. The instruction of Mahāmudrā Shooting Thunderbolt, is called such because it directly hits the key point of Mahāmudrā, was transmitted from Gampopa to his nephew Gomchung who became the third seat holder of Dhaklha Gampo Monastery.
Then there is The Oral Instructions that Clarify Mahāmudrā, which has around eight different sub-instructions, some of which were noted down by Gampopa’s nephew Gomtsul.
The instruction text called Meditation Stages of Inconceivable Mahāmudrā contains a description of realisation and brief instructions by Vajrapani, Indian masters like Acharya Bhadara, Lawapa, Tilopa, Nāropa and then finally Milarepa, without mentioning much about Marpa.
The text called Essence of the Meaning of the Instructions of Mahāmudrā, One Hundred Thousand Pith Instructions was written by Prajna Bodhi or Sherab Jangchub, who was an attendant of Gampopa.
VOLUME FOUR – Jewel Ornament of Liberation, texts and Record of Transmissions
vol. 4 (nga)
- Gathering the Essence given by Da-O Zhonu (zla ‘od gzhon nus bcud bsdus)
- Explanation of Marpa’s Eight Verses (mar pa’i tshigs bcad brgyad ma’i ‘grel pa)
- The Mala Garland of the Precious Supreme Path of Oral Instructions (zhal gdams lam mchog rin po che’i phreng ba)
- Sunlight of Scriptures and Commentaries (bstan bcos lung gi nyi ‘od)
- Sacred Dharma of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Ornament of Liberation (dam chos yid bzhin nor bu thar pa rin po che’i rgyan)
- Record of Received Transmissions (lung gi thob yig)
- Aspiration Words for the Publication (par byang smon tshig)
Volume Four contains predominantly philosophical texts, including the famous Jewel Ornament of Liberation (Dagpo Thargyen). Considering the importance of these texts, other than Ornament of Liberation and a few others, most have not been translated into English yet.
In terms of Gathering the Essence, these are teachings on what is called Chu-len practice in Tibetan. Kragh (2015: 581) that “these teachings involve recipes for various substances and drinks aimed at restoring health and longevity, giving special powers, and enhancing meditative experiences. It is possible that the practices described in the course of the various segments should be seen as constituting a progressive series, given that the earlier segments explain practices that involve fasting with some intake of food while the latter practices instruct in fasting practices with nearly no intake of solid food and only allowing intake of small amounts of water.” For a detailed translation and overview of it, see Kragh (2015: pp. 581- 587). However, these instructions should only really be read and followed with instructions from a qualified guru.
Regarding the Eight Verses of Marpa, and other texts in this volume, the 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche Facebook page helpfully provided this information:
There is a commentary of Gampopa on the so called meaning Mixing and Transference, a very important and well known Vajrayana practices of Marpa Kagyu. The text included in Gampopa’s Collected Work is named the Eight Verses of Marpa. Within this commentary, there is also a very short instruction on the practice of the Five Stages of Guhyasamaja. It seems, it’s the only work of Gampopa related Guhyasamaja Tantra.
Here the mixing means mixing a vajrayana technique of meditation with a crucial event in our life like dream, death or bardo. When Gampopa talks about the lineage of this practice, he says that it came through Tilopa, Nāropa, Marpa, Ngok Choeku Dorje, Milarepa, and to him, rather than directly from Marpa to Milarepa.
One of the reasons of why this text is important is because most of the different Kagyu lineages have their own unique practice. For example, there is Fivefold Mahāmudrā of the Drikung and Introducing Three Kayas of the Karma Kamtsang. For the Barom Kagyu lineage, one of the two most important practices is Mixing and Transference.
For some time, it was thought that the complete lineage of Barom’s Mixing and Transference was lost. But then fortunately, it was recently discovered, and it is actually the same one which is found in Gampopa’s Collected Works. This is also one of the reasons why Gyaltsab Rinpoche was requested to give the oral transmission of Gampopa’s Collection of Works.
The last oral transmission of Gampopa’s Collected Works this time was Lamchok Rinchen Trengwa or the Garland of Jewels of the Supreme Path. As there are two versions of it, and since the oral transmission of the longer was already given, Rinpoche gave the shorter version.
As Gampopa is an important physician in the history of Tibetan medicine, there are number of texts on medicine, which are attributed to Gampopa. Here, in the four volumes of Collected Works of Gampopa, there are only very few short instructions which are associated with medicine. Rather than pure science of healing, they are using the practice of deities and substances taught both in tantra and medicine to create blessings so that practitioners can restore or enhance their physical strength and health, increase longevity and accomplish other miraculous powers taught in Tantric treaties.
One text, which is quite well known, but not as much as it deserves is the Sunlight of Transmission and Treatises. It has forty six pages and it was composed in the same way as the Ornament of Liberation. Therefore, there is no doubt that unlike many instructions of Gampopa, which were only written by his disciples, this text clearly seems to be written by Gampopa himself.
The framework of this text begins with Gampopa by teaching us why it is important to practice the nature of mind instructions. He explained this by teaching why our mind is the root of both defects and merits, the problem of not meditating on the nature of mind and the benefits of meditating on it. Gyaltsab Rinpoche says this text is probably the foundation of Dhagpo Tashi Namgyal’s Moonbeams of Mahāmudrā as both of them are the same in how the framework of the text is laid out.”
Kragh (2015: 587- 691) provides detailed overviews of the contents of these texts.
After publishing this post, 12th Gyeltsab RInpoche’s FB page helpfully explained this about the Jewel Ornament on Day 7 of the transmission:
COMPLETE OUTLINE OF GAMPOPA’S COLLECTED WORKS (based on the 4-volume 1982 EDITION)
English outline (with Tibetan wylie)
vol. 1 (ka)
- Liberation-story of Tilopa and Naropa (tai lo nA ro’i rnam thar)
- Liberation-story of Marpa and Jetsun Milarepa (mar pa dang rje btsun mi la’i rnam thar)
- The Liberation-Story of of Gampopa Chenpo, Banner of Renown of the Supreme Precious Jewel Ornament of Liberation (sgam po pa chen po’i rnam thar rin po che kun khyab snyan pa’i ba dan thar pa rin po che’i rgyan gyi mchog)
- Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho): Auspicious Abundance (tshogs chos bkra shis phun tshogs)
- Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho): Leg-dzey (tshogs chos legs mdzes ma)
- Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho): Abundant Qualities (tshogs chos yon tan phun tshogs)
- Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho): Pearl Mala (tshogs chos mu tig gi phreng ba)
vol. 2 (kha)
- Great Dharma Gathering (Tshogcho) (tshogs chos chen mo)
- Questions and Answers with Master Gomtsul and Oral instructions of Dagpo (dwags po’i zhal gdams dang rje sgom tshul gyi zhus lan)
- Questions and Answers with Dusum Khyenpa (dus gsum mkhyen pa’i zhus lan)
- Questions and Answers with Phagmo Drupa (phag mo gru pa’i zhus lan)
- Questions and Answers with Yogi Choyung (rnal ‘byor chos g.yung gi zhus lan)
- Threading a String of Pearls: Dharma Guidance (khrid chos mu tig tsar la brgyus pa)
- Actualising the Hidden Characteristics of the Mind (sems kyi mtshan nyid gab pa mngon du phyung ba)
- Great Secret Naked (Mar-tri) Instructions (dmar khrid gsang chen)
- Naked (Mar-tri) Instructions on the Bardo (bar do’i dmar khrid)
- Naked (Mar-tri) and pith instructions on Phowa (‘pho ba’i dmar khrid zhal gdams dang bcas pa)
- Empowerment of the Great Mahamudra, Vajra Primordial Awareness (phyag rgya chen po rdo rje ye shes kyi dbang dang/) abridged text of Varahi (phag mo’i gzhung mdo dang bcas pa)
- Sayings/ Clear Mirror of the Whispered Oral Lineage gsung sgros/ snyan brgyud gsal ba’i me long)
- Memorandum of the Whispered Lineage (snyan brgyud brjed byang ma)
- Extraordinary Mouth Nectar (zhal gyi bdud rtsi thun mong ma yin pa)
vol. 3 (ga)
- One Hundred Thousand Songs and the Thunderbolt Oral Instructions of Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen po’i man ngag thog babs dang mgur ‘bum rnams)
- Oral Instructions that Clarify Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen po gsal byed kyi man ngag)
- Meditative Stages of the Inconceivable Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen po bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i sgom rim)
- Essence of the Meaning of the Instructions of Mahāmudrā, One Hundred Thousand Pith Instructions (snying po don gyi gdams pa phyag rgya chen po’i ‘bum tig)
- Pointing Out of the Roots of Mahāmudrā and Actions (phyag rgya chen po’i rtsa ba la ngo sprad pa zhes kyang bya/ Realisations of Bringing Appearances onto the Path (snang ba lam ‘khyer gyi rtogs pa cig chog ces kyang bya/) Unchanging Ultimate Reality Mahāmudrā (phyag rgya chen po gnyug ma mi ‘gyur ces kyang bya ba)
- Treasury of the Ultimate Pointing Out of the Essence (snying po’i ngo sprod don dam gter mdzod)
- Pointing Out Ultimate Conceptuality (rnam rtog don dam gyi ngo sprod)
- Pointing Out the Essence of Practice (sgrub pa snying gi ngo sprod)
- The Compilation of Meditation Objects/Meanings in Sutra and Mantra (mdo sngags kyi sgom don bsdus pa)
- Arrangement of Excerpted Sayings (gsung sgros dum bsgrigs ma)
- Presentation of the Three Advices/Trainings (bslab gsum rnam gzhag la sogs pa)
- Pith Instructions on the Abiding Reality and Two Rituals (gnas lugs gnyis kyi man ngag dang go cha gnyis kyi man ngag)
- Collected Words on the Five-Fold Mahāmudrā (bka’ tshoms dang phyag rgya chen po lnga ldan/), Precious Garland of the Supreme Path (lam mchog rin chen phreng ba/), Brief Condensed Summary of the Four Dharmas (chos bzhi mdor bsdus/), Condensed Summary of Practice (nyams len mdor bsdus/), gnad kyi gzer gsang/), Secret Treasury of Oral Instructions (zhal gdams gsang mdzod ma/), Inner Heat (Tummo) of Dhombipa (DoM b+hi pa’i gtum mo/), Inner Heat of the Yogi Exercises (Trulkhor) (‘khrul ‘khor gyi gtum mo/), Instructions on the Bardo (bar do’i gdams pa/), Instructions on Phowa (‘pho ba’i zhal gdams bcas).
- Nectar Garland of Discussions and Treatises and Investigating/Severing the Four Demons (bstan bcos gros ‘debs bdud rtsi’i phreng ba dang ‘dre bzhi rtsad gcod)
vol. 4 (nga)
- Gathering the Essence (bcud bsdus)
- Explanation of Marpa’s Eight Verses (mar pa’i tshigs bcad brgyad ma’i ‘grel pa)
- The Mala Garland of the Precious Supreme Path of Oral Instructions (zhal gdams lam mchog rin po che’i phreng ba)
- Sunlight of Scriptures and Commentaries (bstan bcos lung gi nyi ‘od)
- Sacred Dharma of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Ornament of Liberation (dam chos yid bzhin nor bu thar pa rin po che’i rgyan)
- Record of Received Transmissions (lung gi thob yig)
- Aspiration Words for the Publication (par byang smon tshig)
For full Tibetan text, see: https://library.bdrc.io/show/bdr:MW23439
Endnotes
[i] The 12th Gyeltsab RInpoche also explained that: During that time, the cultural revolution was taking place in Tibet. So he heard many stories that some Rinpoches were taken into custody, some were killed, some passed away, and so on. But that even during such a sad time for the Buddha’s teachings, they had the opportunity to receive oral transmissions and practice dharma there, as India has complete religious freedom. He explained that this may be partly also because they didn’t have the karma to suffer under the culture revolution and had the karma to come to India.
Rinpoche then told some stories of how during the time of Buddha, when a war took place in Buddha’s kingdom, some of those who didn’t have the karma to suffer from it, had already attained arhatship and some died even before the war actually started. Rinpoche then advised everyone that since HE Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche and other tulkus, Khenpos and all, had now received it, it would be very beneficial to all sentient beings if they could propagate the transmission since this work is not given much attention and the transmission seems quite rare.
In the afternoon, the puja of the guru yoga of the sixteenth Karmapa, one that was composed by Gyaltsab Rinpoche himself, was done followed by a ganachakra and Mahakala puja. Gyaltsab Rinpoche chose the sixteenth Karmapa’s guru yoga might because he felt great joy in fulfilling the wishes of his root guru, the sixteenth Karmapa.
[ii] Kragh (2015: 209): “was made into a xylograph by Chennga Chokyi Sonam Lhundrub Da-Od Gyeltshan Pel Zangpo (Spyan snga chos kyi rje Bsod nams lhun grub zla ‘od rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po), a descendant of the venerable master, in the male iron dragon year, 2398 years after the teacher [Śākyamuni’s] nirvāṇa, 442 years after the great protector [Gampopa’s] birth, 367 years after his nirvāṇa, on Mount Śānti with the aim of promoting the Kagyu teachings. The scribe was Kunga Rinchen (Kun dga’ rin chen) from Ladring (Bla ‘bring) in E, who is skilful therein. May the blazing splendor of auspiciousness [of having produced this text] adorn the world!”
[ii] Kragh (2015: 209): “was made into a xylograph by Chennga Chokyi Sonam Lhundrub Da-Od Gyeltshan Pel Zangpo (Spyan snga chos kyi rje Bsod nams lhun grub zla ‘od rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po), a descendant of the venerable master, in the male iron dragon year, 2398 years after the teacher [Śākyamuni’s] nirvāṇa, 442 years after the great protector [Gampopa’s] birth, 367 years after his nirvāṇa, on Mount Śānti with the aim of promoting the Kagyu teachings. The scribe was Kunga Rinchen (Kun dga’ rin chen) from Ladring (Bla ‘bring) in E, who is skilful therein. May the blazing splendor of auspiciousness [of having produced this text] adorn the world!”
[iv] In terms of the identity of Je Gomtshul, Khragh explains (2015: 302): “It may be reiterated that Gompa Tsultrim Nyingpo (Sgom pa Tshul khrim snying po (1116-1169)) was the elder of Sonam Rinchen’s two nephews born to Sonam Rinchen’s elder brother Gyapa Serey (Rgya pa Se re). Tsultrim Nyingpo was instated as Sonam Rinchen’s main lineage-holder and the abbot of the Daglha Gampo (Dags lha sgam po) hermitage in 1145, i.e., eight years before Sonam Rinchen’s death, and his abbacy lasted till his own death in 1169.”
[v] All four zhus lan texts in the collected works have been published in English translation in Tony Duff (2011): Gampopa Teaches Essence Mahamudra: Interviews with his heart disciples, Dusum Khyenpa and others, Kathmandu: Padma Karpo Translations.
FURTHER READING/SOURCES
Livestream Transmission of Gampopa’s Collected Works by 12th Goshri Gyeltsab Rinpoche
Four Dharmas of Gampopa by 17th Karmapa (January 2021, Day 1)
Four Dharmas of Gampopa teaching by Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo (2019, Day 1)
Ulrich Timme Kragh (2015) Tibetan Yoga and Mysticism – A Textual Study of the Yogas of Naropa and Mahamudra Meditation in the Medieval Tradition of Dags po. International Insitute for Buddhist Studies.
NEW TRANSLATION: ‘Supplication to Dagpo Kagyu’; by 15th Karmapa and new website section on Gampopa
APPENDIX
17th Karmapa’s teaching on the Collected Works of Gampopa (January 2021)
“Someone might say, well since the four Dharmas of Gampopa are so important and sacred, and everyone considers them in that way, so where is the text with the four Dharmas in it? Bring me the text that says the four Dharmas. Where is the text where Gampopa wrote?’ So, if you say ‘wait, then recite the four statements by rote memory, that is not enough, it does not help. People need a text to look at. They are not asking you to just recite the words. So, you need to look for the work. Where do we begin looking for it? In the Collected Works of Gampopa. Now, the first printed edition of his Collected Works that is still extant, is the one by Choje Sonam Lhundrub Dawa Gyaltsen, printed at Daglha monastery. This includes over forty teachings of the Collected Works of Gampopa. This is the first edition of his works. Most of the later editions used this as their primary source. There is also a collection of three volumes, labeled ka, kha and ga. Later, the Derge press printed a two volume edition labeled E and Vam.
There is also a text called the Hearing Lineage of the Peerless Gampopa, it’s not included in any of those. In its colophon, it says it was written by Dagpo Nyigung [Gampopa] on Chakrasamvara lineage from Milarepa. Later, he corrected them in the presence of Rechungpa. So, this is a text on the hearing lineage. Also, as I mentioned the other day a text called Treasury of Beneficial Knowledge: Stainless Swords of Dagpo Laje, a text by Dagpo Lhaje, there is also that medical text.
There is also a handwritten manuscript Collected Works of Gampopa that I saw today. A biography of him called Dzamling Sungme (arranged by Lho Lhayagpa) and another one by Lho Layagpa. Whether these are the same as the texts on the four Dharmas we have by Lolhayagpa and Gampopa and so on, we have to check. In any case, it would be good to compare the hand-written and printed editions, and edit and compile all of Gampopa’s works. The reason for this is because there are manuscripts that are not in the printed editions. For example, last night I saw a hand-written biography of Gampopa composed by Gyalwang Khyung Tsangpa[ii]. This is something we never see. We know there was a supplication written by Khyung Tsangpa, but no one has ever heard that there is a life-story written by him. So there are many explanations like that.
As Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol (zhabs dkar tshogs drug rang grol) (1781-1851))[iii] said: “Read well the two volume Collected Works of Gampopa, the crown jewel of all the Kagyu. These teachings on the union of Kadampa and Mahamudra are more wondrous and greater in blessings than other works and termas. The Kagyu masters of the past all received siddhi through these profound teachings. Meeting the Buddha’s teachings through the compassion of the guru who is incomparably kind is a great fortune. If Masters and disciples who long for the Kagyu Dharma, do as taught in Gampopa’s Collected Works, experience and realization will dawn.’ So here, he is praising Gampopa’s life. Thus, it is very important to read Gampopa’s Collected Works.”
Dakini Translations and Publications མཁའ་འགྲོ་མའི་ལོ་ཙཱ་བའི་འགྱུར་དང་འགྲེམས་སྤེལ། 