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according to Amye Zhab | 
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Kalki Pundarika |
Kalki Shripala |
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according to Amye Zhab |
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Kalki Pundarika |
Kalki Shripala |
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The following is adapted from a translation of part of the great history of Kalacakra, "dpal dus kyi 'khor lo'i zab pa dang rgya che ba'i dam pa'i chos byung ba'i tshul legs par bshad pa ngo mtshar dad pa'i shing rta", by Amye Zhab ('jam mgon a myes zhabs ngag dbang kun dga' bsod nams). Kalacakrapada the Elder. The one known as Kalacakrapada the Elder (dus zhabs pa chen po) was born in Varendra (a region of northern Bengal) in eastern India. His father was a Brahmin yogin who practised Black Yamari (gshin rje gshed nag po), and his mother was an awareness dakini. They performed a ritual from the Krishnayamari Tantra to ensure the birth of a noble son. The father dreamed of the noble Mañjushri entering his wife's belly, and the child was later born together with auspicious signs. Due to the blessing of noble Mañjushri the child had a bright mind with clear faculties, and took ordination when he was young. He studied many subjects and understanding them all with ease he became a pandita and was known as Cilupa. He heard of Kalacakra from Pandita Acarya, but was not satisfied, and through the awakening of his previous prayers he developed a powerful wish to go to Sambhala.
This is a reference to a particular cycle of commentaries, often known as the bodhisattva trilogy (sems 'grel skor gsum). Said each to have been written by great bodhisattvas, one is the Vimalaprabha commentary on Kalacakra, and the other two deal with the Cakrasamvara and Hevajra tantras. He travelled to the north, but as there was physical danger due to a desolate area that would need four months to cross, he travelled together with some traders by boat across an ocean. The traders went to an island of jewels, and he travelled on to the north. He climbed a mountain on an island in the ocean, and there met a white man, who was an emanation of the Kalki king of Sambhala. Some say this was the king Shripala and others say it was Pundarika. The king asked him where he was going and for what reason. He replied that he had travelled from eastern India and was on his way to Sambhala to meet the Kalki and request teachings on Kalacakra. The king told him that he would not be able to make such a journey, but that if he could understand such things here, would he not listen? Cilupa then understood that the man was an emanation of the kalki and prostrated to him and circumambulated him many times. After offering a mandala, he requested that he accept him as a student. The king told him "I have come here in order to teach you Kalacakra for the benefit of beings in India, so listen." He then manifested the complete Dharmadhatu mandala and gave him empowerment. This is presumably a reference to the Dharmadhatuvagishvaramandala (chos dbyings gsung gi dbang phyug gi dkyil 'khor), a name of the normal triple Kalacakra mandala. He gave him instruction in the very fast path of the profound six-limbed yogas. Cilupa meditated for seven days at the foot of the mountain by the side of the ocean and attained realization. He magically flew through the air to the Mala grove in Sambhala, and there, at the Kalacakra mandala house, he bowed to the feet of the Kalki in person, who gave him the complete empowerment, explained to him the instructions on the tantra and commentary, and gave him texts of the bodhisattva teachings: the Laghutantra, the Kalacakra Tantrottara, the Vimalaprabha, the Mulatantra, the Sekoddesha, the Triyogahridayavyakara, the Paramarthaseva, the Cakrasamvara Pindartha commentary and the Vajragarbha commentary on Hevajra. He then travelled to Kusumapura in eastern India, and after travelling to Magadha, Cilupa became known as Kalacakrapada the Elder. He spread the teachings of the bodhisattva cycle widely through east and west India. (The translation of "me tog khyim" as Kusumapura does seem correct, but it cannot be certain, as this city, otherwise known as Pataliputra, modern day Patna, is not in Bengal as suggested by the text, but Bihar. This city was the capital of the Buddhist king Ashoka.) Kalacakrapada the Elder had many students, among whom were three known as Kalacakrapada the Younger: Avadhutipa, Shribhadrabodhi and Nalandapa; also Naropa, Sadhuputra, Ratnakaragupta, Mokshakaragupta, Vinayakaramati, Simhadhvaya and Anantajaya. Avadhutipa.
In accordance with this prophecy, after seven days had passed the corpse looked up and asked "What kind of intelligence do you want?" He had wanted to be able to memorize anything that he saw, but when it came to it, because of his dull mind he said that he wanted to be able to remember everything that he wrote, and this came to be. As he lived from alms, he became know as "pandita acarya". Later, in Madhyadesha, he became known as Vagishvarakirti. He lived at the Khasarpana temple. He touched the feet of Kalacakrapada the Elder and asked him how many tantras he knew, but it is said that he could not even remember the names of those given in the answer. He was then given the empowerment and instructions (of Kalacakra), and as a result of his practice he achieved realization and became known as Avadhutipa, also as Kalacakrapada. He authored such works as the Padnaninamapañjika and the sadhana of the Glorious Lunar Mansions (dpal ldan rgyu skar dkyil 'khor gyi cho ga). His main students were the younger Kalacakrapada Upasakabodhi and his son, Nalandapa. He also spread the teachings of Kalacakra in southern India. Nalandapa. Regarding Nalandapa, he was the intelligent son of Upasakabodhi, named Bodhibhadra. Having become an unequalled great pandita, in order to learn Kalacakra from Kalacakrapada the Elder in Magadha, he thought he should make a golden offering mandala for this teaching. It was said that in Tibet gold could be dug from the ground, and so he went to Tibet in search.
He returned to India and presented the gold to Kalacakrapada the Elder, who was greatly pleased. Together with Naropa he received the full empowerment and instructions on the tantra and commentary. Having practised, in one moment he achieved the ten signs, the eight qualities and the mandala of his body was filled with bliss. Right there he achieved realization. His father and his aunt also heard (the teachings) from Avadhutipa. It is said therefore that there were certain discrepancies between the explanations of the father and son. He considered that the Kalacakra would spread widely if it were spread in Magadha. At a time when the king of Magadha was the "One with the Wooden Seat", Ramapala (1072-1126, approx), and Sendhapas were in charge of the vihara of Uddandapura, he travelled to glorious Nalanda, and placed over the door of the vihara the "Letters of Ten Powers" (the well-known monogram of Kalacakra). Underneath this he wrote: "Those who do not undertand the Paramadibuddha, do not understand Kalacakra; those who do not understand Kalacakra do not understand the Namasamgiti; those who do not understand the Namasamgiti do not understand the awareness body of Vajradhara; those who do not understand the awareness body of Vajradhara do not understand the mantrayana; those who do not understand the mantrayana are all those in cyclic existence, and are not on the path of the victorious Vajradhara. This being so, all pure teachers should rely on the Paramadibuddha, and take with them all pure students intent on liberation." About 500 panditas were living there, and not liking this, they argued with Nalandapa. However, he convinced them of the profound and vast nature of these teachings, and they all gave up their own positions, bowed to him and became his students. Well known amongst these who became experts were: Abhayakaragupta, Buddhakirti, Abhiyukta, Mañjukirti, the Kashmiri Somanatha, Pandita Parvata, Acalagarbha, Danashri, Punya the Great, the Kashmiri Gambhira, Shantagupta, Gunarakshita, and others. Also many kshatriyas, vaishyas and traders developed great confidence (in these teachings), copied texts and developed strong inclination (to these teachings), spreading them widely. As he stayed at Nalanda, he was known as Lord Nalandapa. He also built there a Kalacakra temple. His qualities became equal to those of Kalacakrapada the Elder, and throughout the whole of east and west India he was known as Kalacakrapada the Younger. Somanatha. Regarding the Kashmiri pandita, Somanatha, he was born the son of a Kashmiri brahmin, and he was able to memorise sixteen verses at one time, remembering one with each breath. Up until the age of twelve he learned all the Vedas from his father, but his mother was a Buddhist and she sent him to study Dharma from an excellent great Kashmiri pandita called Brahmanapada, also known as Suryaketu. This pandita had a daughter who found Somanatha very attractive and told him that in order to request teachings the two of them should be as a couple. He acted accordingly and heard many teachings, and he and the other main students, Sonasahi, Lakshminkara, Jñanashri and Candra Rahula, all became panditas expert in the the five subjects. In particular, Somanatha became expert in the "Noble cycle of Guhyasamaja" (the tradition that comes from the "noble" Nagarjuna) and Madhyamika. At that time, pandita Vinayakaramati sent as a present to Bhadrapada (meaning Brahmanapada) copies of the Sekoddesha (a section of the Kalacakra Mulatantra dealing with empowerment) and the Sekaprakriya (an extract from the third and fifth chapters of the Kalacakra Laghutantra, also about empowerment). He placed these on his head and prayed, and his students asked what they were, and if he would give them to them. He said "These are from a particular profound tantra which I have not received, and so I am unable to explain these to you." He gave the texts to the students, and Somanatha, having looked at them, developed great respect for them. He broke off his studies and headed to Magadha to investigate these teachings. He met the father and son Kalacakrapada the Younger, and heard the entire cycle of the bodhisattva teaching (the bodhisattva trilogy), empowerment and instructions on the tantra and commentaries, and so forth. He also listened to the Abhidharma. Having mastered all these instructions he achieved the pacification of the winds, and saw all objective phenomena as only the play of awareness. He could not be overpowered by thieves, he had the ability to withhold bodhicitta without release, and was greatly blessed. He became known as truly (an embodiment of) Mañjushri. He then travelled to Kashmir, debated with the Kashmiri Ratnavajra, and won by refuting his Cittamatra view. Ratnavajra told him that lest his students should come not to have confidence in him, he (Somanatha) should go somewhere else. At that time the Kalki Pundarika came to him and told him "You should go to Tibet and spread widely the teachings of definitive meaning", and on the basis of this prophecy, he travelled to Tibet. Last updated 27th November 2004. |
