Whose Praise of Tsari?

Pemakarpo, HAR 65368

Over the years I’ve developed my own way of seeing holy places. I’ve spent decades living in one of the most celebrated pilgrimage destinations the world has ever known. I see today’s Places as rooted in the primordial human past, when divine presences began to be enshrined in natural features such as standing stones, cairns and groves* that eventually evolved into the towering cathedrals and temples of our time. Simplistic? Well, of course, simple ideas are the most difficult to arrive at sometimes, and to keep things simpler still, we have to ignore the ways holiness and divinity might demand definition and explanation. Religious studies experts are still at work on that. We don’t expect consensus anytime soon.

(*And, I should add, mountains...)

I no longer remember when I first became aware of the traditional-style nature reserve in southeastern Tibet known as Tsari. I suppose it must have happened in the late-’70’s to mid-’80’s. In my younger days I read a lot of travel literature, and although traveling botanists were not my usual thing, I do remember books by Fletcher and Kingdon-Ward that may have touched me off, or at least peaked my interest at a new level. At some point I uncovered something I should have known already, that a particularly difficult song by the Sixth Dalai Lama (b. 1682 CE) is devoted to this place even without specifically naming Tsari. Without knowing about Tsari, there can be no way to begin to understand the poem itself, it would seem like nothing but senseless word salad.

The same might be said for the verse work I’ll translate for you in a minute, one that we’ll call by the short name Praise. It assumes even much more knowledge about the sacred geography of Tsari than was expected by the Sixth Dalai Lama. When I noticed it in a brand new collection of the works of Tāranātha (ཏཱ་ར་ནཱ་ཐ་, 1575-1634) it intrigued me, as I had no idea this famous Tibetan (not Indian!) scholar ever wrote about Tsari, so I had a closer look, only getting more and more frustrated by each new quatrain. But thanks to the internet, and specifically to BDRC, these problems have a way of working themselves out and that is how I came to realize that it is, with hardly any reason for doubt, a work by the 4th Drugchen Pemakarpo (འབྲུག་ཆེན་པདྨ་དཀར་པོ་, 1527-1596). It was placed in the collection by mistake.

If there is one point about pilgrimage that can be taken away from this Praise with confidence, it is that the same landscape can be loaded with multiple layers of meaning. Still, only one level is likely to be available to a particular pilgrim at any one time. As far as the overall picture is concerned, people do see what they come prepared to see. On the deeper levels, Tibetan pilgrims could possibly experience states corresponding to those in the intermediate state of the afterlife at Kawa Karpo (see Buffetrille’s essay) or, at Tsari, undergo the four empowerments of Vajrayāna.  Take any two or three pilgrims traveling over the same landscape, and you may well find two or three highly disparate worlds. Pemakarpo is exceptionally explicit about this. Let this be a warning, we talk in generalities at our own peril, pilgrimage is not necessarily a ‘simple’ popular religious practice for gaining merit and purifying sins however much it might look that way to people like ourselves.

Without more ado, I’ll place before you my translation of the Praise, although I will repeat the whole set of verses at the end of this blog entry in parallel with the text edition, such as it is, so Tibetan readers can compare for themselves and criticize the English as they must. I tried to translate poetry as poetry, but I can’t claim success. The combination of esoteric initiatory imagery and classical kāvya poetics makes the going particularly hard, kind of like a perilous pilgrimage in the Himālayas. I beg of you to read with patience and care. Assistance in interpretation will be offered later on, just in case you could use some.

White Lotus Belles Lettres: 

A Praise of the Holy Place Known as Caritra

Praise the name of glorious Caritra!

The learned are the swans who find delight in their findings,

‘here in this wide and glorious lotus pond of utmost perfection,’

they’ve unfurled the broad white wings of their poetic arts,

and with slow drumbeats on their throat drums praised its wonders.

All-pervasive and subsuming all, as it was in the beginning,

never ever changing, the ultimate extinguishing of change,

this very same high peak as the Victors see it

paints its own painting, ‘The Field of Pure Dharmakāya.’

It all displays atop a single base as one great mandala,

the entire supreme array of peaceful, lustful and wrathful ones,

its each and every atomic particle displaying likewise,

here in this Sambhogakāya Field of visionary experience.

For personages defined as ordinary, medial and supreme

this watery moon dances its appropriate marvels as needed,

and the eye of divination descries in this crystalline Place

‘rulings’ of a country of miraculous Emanations.

To the south of the place where the Teacher taught those emanations,

this Great Cemetery is one of a group of twenty-four

that the multitude of unsurpassed tantra texts made out to be supreme Places,

one that has chopped off the tongues of philologers, Caritra.

The blood-thirsty Heruka, hero whose soles are soaked

in waves of red blood from the slaying of the frightful ones, is

there in union with the Ḍākinīs who purify the two obscurations

as the delusion-vanquishing Crystal Mountain, a caitya of Dharmakāya.

The twelve island lakes are the field of their deployment

together with the Vidyās and Messenger Women, the Place

where Pagsam Wangpo went to take the powerful siddhi substance,

a vowed substance subsuming them all, an icon of the Ḍākinīs.

It is a place the Karma Ḍākinīs, experiences of heat, do espionage

under varied guises of environments—mountains and lakes, trees and ravines—

a divination mirror for gauging the quality of prior cultivation,

it is a Place for Nirmāṇakāyas, so the less well endowed risk their lives.

Emaho! 

Opening up the two folded hands of faith

these articles of offering scatter in its direction.

The doorlocks blocking the turnoffs of eternalism & nihilism

were cleared by the riverbank of swift causation.

When we inspect the tracks of those with robes of nonattachment

gotten by renouncing household life, this place with its great contemplative absorption in 

circumambulation with one-pointedness and insight

brings down all those arrogant about their desire-free path.

Fully soaked by love in compassion’s wet meadow they are

expert in taking paces with wisdom and means paired together,

‘This is the heart of the Wisdom Gone Beyond,’

with this thought the favorably endowed advance very far.

For recipients of the commitments of this Place’s awesome guardians,

ushered through the door of the great Dharma-origin of Pölung,

the blessing descent, dawning of instantaneous spiritual experience

and realization, reveals all mandalas in that glorious forest.

Humans much darkened in sin, this vessel of cloud,

blocked at the time of waking the mists curl round its neck,

this descent of compassion streams bathe their bodies

making it pure, this being the empowerment of no turning back.

Descending within the Four Ravines and settling upon the Four Passes,

the solar and lunar transversals leave no chance for dreams;

it is solely the enjoyment of the secret assembly substance

that is known to the fortunately endowed ones as The Second.

Then imbibing the melt from the twelve island-lakes,

when climbing to the peaks of four mountains,

the darkness of thick sleep is vanquished and 

consecration in the drop of space is what was named The Third.

Then journeying to the Four Caves, upon a lion throne

they first settle the mind in high manifest Awakening,

dissolve into the four absorptions, then aroused by the song of Turquoise Lake's goddess, 

arise as teacher of the Goal in the pass named Gayo.

Those who with care proceed living true to their commitments,

move into Bumdé, then cross the valley of Lachen pass,

are the ones who will protect the great treasure of renown

that forms the basis of benefit and comfort for all living ones.

Some beginners in the pilgrimage bear the mere signs,

while intermediate pilgrims are just borrowers of blessings,

while the advanced ones see everything in its full state of divinity

and so it is explained to travelers, “This is circled three times.”

In these words Vajradhāra revealed the secrets,

so when this grandchild of the Kagyü Lamas speaks them

may the lotus teeth in all the smiles of the Ḍākinīs

be tied as tightly around him as a turban.

The circumambulation of Caritra is symbolic of the gradual traversal of the Path of Great Secrets, and seeing it as such I thought to expand on it as a teaching made in offering to others, and this is why I composed this work called White Lotus Belles Lettres in the palace where the great Vajra Wielders stage their visible performances, the glorious forest of Chigchar.

§   §   §

Text edition (here my English translations and comments are rubrics in red font, while the Tibetan texts of Pemakarpo are in black).

A. Tāranātha [ascribed to], Tsa-ri-tra zhes-pa’i Gnas-la Bstod-pa Pad-dkar Legs-bshad, contained in: Rje-btsun Tā-ra-nā-tha’i Gsung-’bum Bris-ma, Dpal-brtsegs Bod-yig Dpe-rnying Zhib-’jug-khang (Lhasa 2008), in 10 vols, vol. 9, pp. 403-406, in cursive script. It has been very carefully proofread, but do note that abbreviated forms have been tacitly expanded. I cannot explain how this brief work ended up in this collection of Tāranātha manuscripts that were mostly drawn from the library of Arhat Temple in Drepung (we are told this in a preface). This particular title has no sign of a shelving number, so it is difficult to be sure if it was from the Arhat Temple.  The texts before and after it all have colophons informing us that Tāranātha was their author, and some also have those telltale shelving numbers.

B. Variants are drawn from the “headed” block-letter text with identical title in the works of ’Brug-chen Padma-dkar-po, vol. 9, images 537-542, of BDRC no. W10736 (while most of the 24 volumes are made available on OCR, unfortunately the volume we require, vol. 9, doesn’t appear in that form). I give complete lines as variants to avoid impeding computer-based searches, although I have sometimes bracketed the syllable-final “s.” Pemakarpo wrote a much longer Guide entitled: Gnas-chen Tsa-ri-tra’i Ngo-mtshar Snang-ba Pad-dkar Legs-bshad, contained in the same edition of his collected works, in vol. 4, pp. 207-274. As part of this Guide is written as a commentary on the Praise (this same part is summarized in Huber’s book), I have quoted relevant sections of its OCR following the appropriate verse (but not for every verse; I give no page numbers on the assumption that you, too, can locate it in the OCR version).

 

tsa ri tra zhes pa'i gnas la bstod pa pad dkar legs bshad ces bya ba bzhugs so //

White Lotus Belles Lettres: A Praise of the Holy Place Known as Caritra.

na maḥ shrī tsa ri trā ya / 

Praise the name of glorious Caritra!

phun tshogs padma can yongs dpal 'di zhes //

mkhas pa'i ngang pa dpyad pas yid mgu nas //

snyan dngags gshog yangs dkar po rab brkyang[s] te //

ya mtshan bstod pa'i mgrin rnga dal gyis brdungs //

mkhas pa'i dad pa dpyad pas yid mgu nas/_snyan ngag gshog yangs dkar po rab brkyang ste/_ya mtshan bstod pa'i mgrin rnga dal gyis brdung/

The learned are the swans who find delight in their findings,

‘here in this wide and glorious lotus pond* of utmost perfection,’

they’ve unfurled the broad white wings of their poetic arts,

and with slow drumbeats on their throat drums praised its wonders.

(*The word pond isn’t physically present, and the poetic term padma-can can have a variety of referents, all sharing the same characteristic of having or holding [a] lotus. Taking the verse as a whole, however, there can be no doubt that the meaning of lotus pond is intended here.)

°

kun khyab kun tu bsdus yang dang po'i tshul //

B: kun khyab kun tu brdzus kyang dang po'i tshul //

nam yang 'gyur med 'gyur ba zad pa'i mtha' //

rgyal rnams gzigs pa'i rtser 'thon nyid 'dis nyid //

dag pa chos sku'i zhing zhes ri mor byed //

kun khyab kun tu brdzus kyang dang po'i tshul/_/nam yang 'gyur med gyur ba zad pa mtha'/_/rgyal rnams gzigs pa'i rtser 'thon nyid 'dis nyid/_dag pa chos sku'i zhing zhes ri mor byas/_dpal bde mchog 'khor lo nyid dang gnyis su byar med pa/_/gsang ba mchog gi dgyes pa na/_/thams cad bdag nyid rtag tu bzhugs/_/zhes pa'i pho brang chen po ni 'di ste/_chos thams cad la khyab pas/_chos can gyi ngo nas dmar sbyar yang/_chos nyid kyi tshul nam yang 'gyur ba med pa sangs rgyas rnams kyi gzigs pas grub pa'i phyir ro/_/rgyu mtshan 'di nyid kyis nyid la gsang ba chos sku'i zhing khams zhes ri mor byas kyi/_gzhan gyi bsam pa dang brjod pa thams cad kyi ra ba 'gongs pas so/_/

All-pervasive and subsuming all, as it was in the beginning,

never ever changing, the ultimate extinguishing of change,

this very same high peak as the Victors see it

paints its own painting, ‘The Field of Pure Dharmakāya.’*

(*The word Pure [Dag-pa] here stoutly alludes to the name of Pure Crystal Mountain [Dag-pa Shel-ri], the central mountain of Tsari. The Crystal Mountain part of its name appears likewise embedded in a later verse where again it is associated with Dharmakāya. Victors is a commonly used epithet of the Enlightened Ones.)

°

gzhi gcig steng du ma lus dkyil 'khor che //

zhi chags khro ba rnam pa'i mchog thams cad //

ston la rdul rer rdul snyed de 'dra'i tshul //

'char ba'i snang ba longs sku'i zhing yang 'di //

B: 'char bas snang ba longs sku'i zhing yang 'di //

ngo bo de ltar yin pas/_gzhi gcig steng du ma lus dkyil 'khor che/_/zhi chags khro ba rnam pa'i mchog thams cad/_/ston la rdul rer rdul snyed de 'dra'i tshul/_/'char bas snang ba longs sku'i zhing yang 'di/_/ji ltar du mar snang zhe na/_gzhi gcig gi steng du rgyud sde rin po che rnams nas bshad pa'i dkyil 'khor gyi lha zhi ba dang/_chags tshul dang/_khro bo khrag 'thung chen po'i rnam pa thams cad ston pa'i zhing la khams gsum gyi yul ma yin pa'i 'og min stug po bkod pa zhes rnam par bzhag mod/_tshul de nyid kyis 'di'i rdul rer 'jig rten khams thams cad kyi rdul dang grangs mnyam pa'i gsang ba sngags kyi lha dang/_snying po dang/_phyag rgya thams cad 'char ba'i phyir na/_nang snang ba longs sku'i zhing khams su grub bo/_/

It all displays atop a single base as one great mandala,

the entire supreme array of peaceful, lustful and wrathful ones,*

its each and every atomic particle displaying likewise,

here in this Sambhogakāya Field of visionary experience.

(*We are used to mandala groupings of peaceful and wrathful deities, particularly in The Tibetan Books of the Dead, but the lustful group is less often mentioned. These are aspects in which these divine forms of Buddhas display to us, since we are the ones who are dominated by the Three Poisons that require transformation. We’ll leave the subject on this perplexing note. It is fascinating to see how the mandala stands for the holy Place as a whole, but also in fractal fashion it manifests in each atomic particle (the Tibetan rdul means both dust particle and atom, depending on context.)

°

tha ma 'bring dang mchog gi gang zag la //

ngo mtshar gang gi[s] 'dul de chu zla'i gar //

pra babs mig la shel mtshungs 'dir snang ba //

sgyu 'phrul sprul pa'i yul gyi gtan tshigs mthong //

des byed pa'i las/_mtha' ma 'bring dang mchog gi gang zag la/_ngo mtshar gang gis 'dul de'i chu zla'i gar/_pra babs mig la shel mtshungs 'dir snang bas/_sgyu 'phrul sprul pa'i yul gyi gtan tshigs mthong/_skal ba dman 'bring mchog gi gang zag rang rang ngo mtshar du 'dzin pa/_ri/_mtsho/_lung pa/_ljon shing/_srog chags/_lha'i gzugs brnyan/_lha tshogs sogs gang gis 'dul ba de dang der grub kyis/_gcig tu chad pa yin pa/_dper na pra babs pa la dpod mkhan gyi dbye bas/_mdun ngor shel gcig la mthong ba sna tshogs su 'gyur ba bzhin gyi phyi yul snang sprul pa sku'i zhing khams 'di shar ro/_/

For personages defined as ordinary, medial and supreme

this watery moon dances its appropriate marvels as needed,

and the eye of divination descries in this crystalline Place

‘rulings’ of a country of miraculous Emanations.

(This verse continues with the third Body of the Trikāya doctrine, making use of divination terminology, more particularly crystal scrying, seeing as the words pra-babs [scrying, although I translate it as divination] and gtan-tshigs [edict, logical proposition, although I translate it as rulings] are terms used in that art.

Oh, and notice where the Dharmakāya verse displayed high mountain imagery, this Nirmāṇakāya verse alludes to lakes.  The mountain/lake dyad is a very strong feature of Tibetan folk religious symbolism since early times.)

°

ston pas sprul bshad mdzad de'i lho phyogs kyi //

dur khrod che 'di nyi shu rtsa bzhi'i gya //

bla med rgyud gzhung rgya mtshos gnas mchog tu //

bsgrubs pas rtog ge'i lce chad tsa ri tra //

To the south of the place where the Teacher taught those emanations,

this Great Cemetery is one of a group of twenty-four*

that the multitude of unsurpassed tantra texts made out to be supreme Places,

one known to chop off the tongues of philologers, Caritra.

(*The group of 24 Places of the Vajra Body appears in variant forms in both Buddhist and non-Buddhist tantras, a topic for another time. If you need a bibliography just tell me. I’ll quickly admit that the name of Tsari is a real puzzle, but I think it is best explained as a ’Tibetanizing’ transcription of the first two syllables of Caritra. If this holds true, then the Tibetan name only seems to contain the notion of “mountain’ in it, even if there is a common understanding that the name means Herb Mountain. But I value my tongue, so I won’t say more.)

°

'jigs byed bsad pa'i khrag dmar rba glong gis //

zhabs mthil bsgos pa'i dpa' bo he ru ka //

B: zhabs mthil bgos pa'i dpa' bo he ru ka //

sgrib gnyis dag pa'i ḍā ki dang lhan du //

bdud 'joms shel ri chos sku'i mchod sdong yin //

The blood-thirsty Heruka, hero whose soles are soaked

in waves of red blood from the slaying of the frightful ones, is

there in union with the Ḍākinīs who purify the two obscurations

as the delusion vanquishing Crystal Mountain, a caitya of Dharmakāya.

°

rigs ldan ma dang pho nya mor bcas dang //

kun tu spyod pa'i 'khor sa bcu gnyis gling //

dngos grub len la dpag bsam dbang po ni //

yongs 'du lta bu dam tshig mkha' 'gro'i [b]rten //

The twelve island lakes are the field of their deployment

together with the Vidyās and Messenger Women, the Place

where Pagsam Wangpo went to take the powerful siddhi substance,

a vowed substance subsuming them all, an icon of the Ḍākinīs.*

(*It demonstrates amazing prescience, if the verse is by Pema Karpo, that he would name by name his immediate reincarnation Drugchen V Pagsam Wangpo [འབྲུག་ཆེན་དཔག་བསམ་དབང་པོ་, 1593-1653]. For the story of his involvement with the ‘vowed substance’ or sacramental medicine, the Rainbow Light Pellet, see Martin’s essay. One of its main ingredients grew in the neighborhood of Chigchar, an herb named in the verse by the Sixth Dalai Lama mentioned earlier. Not only the fifth, but the fourth and sixth incarnates were all involved in its making.)

°

sna tshogs ljongs dang ri dang mtsho klung shing //

las kyi mkha' 'gro nyams drol nyul ba'i sa //

B: las kyi mkha' 'gro nyams drod myul ba'i sa //

las 'phro bzang ngan brtag pa'i me long 'di //

sprul sku'i gnas yin skal med srog la [~ma?] gtum //

In this place the Karma Ḍākinīs, experiences of heat, do espionage

under varied guises of environments, mountains and lakes, trees and ravines;

a divination mirror for gauging the quality of prior cultivation,

it is a Place for Nirmāṇakāyas — the less well endowed risk their lives.*

(*The words “experiences of heat” and the final word gtum both consciously allude to psychic heat or tummo testing, something Tsari was known for. See discussion in Huber's book, pp. 86-90.  The phrase “risk their lives” isn’t literal, but ‘harsh on life-force’ is one way it may be understood.)

°

e ma ho /

dad pa'i snyim pa kha phye nas //

mchod pa'i yo byad 'di yi phyogs 'thor ba //

rtag chad lam gol [405] dgag pa'i sgo glegs zhes //

rgyu 'bras myur bu'i 'gram gyis gsal bar byas //

Emaho! 

Opening up the two folded hands of faith

these articles of offering scatter in its direction.

The doorlocks blocking the turnoffs of eternalism & nihilism

were cleared by the riverbank of swift causation.*

(*This verse refers to the laypersons’ typical experience of pilgrimage, alluding to challenges to ordinary views and dangers (physical hardship in itself may purify negative karma; read Huber’s book, p. 151), just as the next verse refers to the monastics’. The author shows a lack of enthusiasm for the pilgrimage experiences of householders and monastics.)

°

khyim nas rab byung zhen med chas gos kyi //

sgrub pa'i [b]shul rjes blta ba'i shes rab dang //

rtse gcig bskor ba'i ting 'dzin chen po 'dis //

chags bral lam gyi khengs pa thams cad bsnyil //

When we inspect the tracks of those with robes of nonattachment

gotten by renouncing household life, this place with its great contemplative absorption in 

circumambulation with one-pointedness and insight

brings down all those arrogant about their desire-free path.

°

byams pas rab brlan snying rje'i ne'u rdzab tu //

thabs shes zung 'jug gom[s] pa 'dor mkhas pa //

pha rol phyin pa'i snying po 'di yin zhes //

dgongs nas skal bzang yun ring de la bkris //

Fully soaked by love in compassion’s wet meadow they are

expert in taking paces with wisdom and means paired together,

‘This is the heart of the Wisdom Gone Beyond,’

with this thought the favorably endowed advance a long distance.

(Remember that Tsari is famously moist compared to other nearby valleys, which helps to explain its unique plant life. This particular verse emphasizes the Path according to the Great Vehicle, Mahāyāna. With the next verse we enter the more exclusive and esoteric realm of Vajrayāna, where we remain until the final verse.)

°

bod klung[s] chos 'byung chen po'i sgor bcug nas //

gnas srungs gnyan po'i dam tshig nod rnams la //

dpal gyi nags [~gnas?] su nyams rtogs cig 'char ba'i //

byin phab de la dkyil 'khor ma lus bstan //

For recipients of the commitments of this Place’s awesome guardians,

ushered through the door of the great Dharma-origin of Pölung,

the blessing descent, dawning of instantaneous spiritual experience

and realization, reveals all mandalas in that glorious forest.*

(*For an incident that occurred at Bod-klung [“phölung”], see Huber’s book, p. 64. I believe it is the centrally located valley where “Tibet Rock” [བོད་རྡོ་] is located. The ‘blessing descent’ indicates a phase in the sādhana practice.  ‘Glorious forest’ looks like a name for Chigchar, and the name of Chigchar is concealed later in this same line. For proof of the identity of the glorious forest with Chigchar, see the colophon, below.)

°

yid can sdig la cher gnag sprin gyi bum //

sad pa'i skabs dgag na bun mgul dkris nas //

thugs rje'i chu rgyun phab 'dis lus bkrus pa //

dag byed phyir mi ldog pa'i dbang bskur yin //

phyogs thams cad sprin sngon po rab tu 'khrigs shing/_na bun 'thul ba/_char gyi rgyun mi zad par 'bab pa ni lus can rnams kyi sdig pa la cher gnag pa'i bum pa bzang po ras dkar gyi zur phud tsan nas bdud rtsi lnga'i rang bzhin gyi chab 'ongs te/_lus kyi thig le sad pa'i gnas skabs spro ba/_rags pa'i sdig sgrib 'khrud/_sku rdo rje'i nus pa 'jog pa bum dbang ngam phyir mi ldog pa'i dbang bskur ba ste/_bskur mkhan ni mkha' la spyod pa'i dbang mo rnams so/_/zhes pa'i brda'o/_/

Humans much darkened in sin, this vessel of cloud,

blocked at the time of waking the mists curl round its neck,

this descent of compassion streams bathe their bodies

making it pure, this being the empowerment of no turning back.*

(*I see a mountain here, for most part dark in color, but with a white turban on its top.  The word 'vessel' points to the Flask Initiation. Starting with this one, each verse that follows is about one of the four empowerments.)

°

rong bzhi'i nang 'bab la bzhir 'dzeg pa yis //

nyi zla'i bgrod pas rmi lam skabs phral [~bral] nas //

gsang ba'i tshogs rdzas longs spyod 'di kho na //

snod ldan rnams la gnyis pa zhes bsgrags so //

rong bzhi'i nang 'bab la bzhir 'dzeg pa yis/_nyi zla'i bgrod pa la rmi lam skabs phral nas/_gsang ba'i tshogs rdzas longs spyod 'di kho na/_snod ldan rnams la gnyis pa zhes bsgrags so/_/rong chen po bzhir babs nas/_la chen po bzhi la 'dzeg la/_de dag tu tshogs kyi 'khor la du ma bskor ba 'di yang bla ma dang gnyis su med pa'i bcom ldan 'das kyi khu ba dang/_bcom ldan 'das ma'i rdul rtsa stong phrag bdun cu rtsa gnyis nas 'khor lo bzhi'i rong du 'bab pa dang/_de nyid slob ma rang rang gi 'khor lo bzhi'i lar 'dzeg pa/_gsang ba'i rdzas bdud rtsi lnga khar myong bas te/_ngag gi thig le rmi lam gyi gnas skabs skyed pa phra ba'i sdig sgrib 'khrud/_gsung rdo rje'i (20_na_39)nus pa 'jog pa'i dbang gnyis pa gsang pa'o zhes bsgrags so/_/

Descending within the Four Ravines and climbing the Four Passes,

the solar and lunar transversals leave no chance for dreams;

it is solely the enjoyment of the secret assembly substance

that is known to the fortunately endowed ones as The Second.*

(*On the Four Great Ravines and the Four Great Passes as well as the Twelve Lakes that follow, geographical features of Tsari, see  Huber’s book, p. 101, for a passage in the long guidebook by Pemakarpo where all take part in an initiatory process.)

°

de nas bcu gnyis gling pa'i pad can gyis //

B: de nas bcu gnyis gling sa'i pad can gyis //

zhu ba 'thungs pa ri bzhi'i rtser son tshe //

gnyid 'thug mun pa 'joms pa nam mkha' yi //

thig ler rab gnas gsum pa zhes par btags //

de nas bcu gnyis gling gi pad can gyi/_khu ba 'thungs pa ri bzhi'i rtser son te/_gnyid 'thug mun pa 'joms pa nam mkha' yis/_thig ler rab gnas gsum pa zhes par btags/_de yang pho brang bcu gnyis la sogs pa'i mtsho'i chu 'thung zhing*/_ri bzhi'i rtser son pas nam mkha'i thig le nyi ma lta bur gsal ba nyid du gyur pa ni/_phyag rgya pad+ma can gyis bzhu ba'i byang chub kyi sems dkar dmar 'dres pa gsang ba'i sna rtses 'thung ba/_dus der sku gsung thugs ye shes kyi thig le 'dzag med du bsdam nus pas yid kyi thig le gnyid 'thug gam snyoms 'jug gi gnas skabs skyed pa shin tu phra ba'i sdig sgrib 'khrud cing*/_thugs rdo rje'i sa bon 'jog pa gsum pa shes rab ye shes/_'jig rten pa'i dbang bzhi pa'i mthar thug gi bar ro/_/

The twelve island lakes are the field of their deployment

when climbing to the peaks of four mountains,

the darkness of thick sleep is vanquished and 

consecration in the drop of space is what was named The Third.

°

de nas phug bzhir gshegs nas seng ge'i khrir //

mngon par byang chub che la mnyam bzhag pas //

B: mngon par byang chub che la mnyam gzhag pas //

bsam gtan bzhir zhu g.yu mtsho'i lha mo'i glus //

B: bsam gtan bzhir zhu g.yu mtsho lha mo'i glus //

dga' yo la der 'bras bu'i ston par bzhengs //

de nas phug bzhir gshegs nas seng ge'i khrid/_mngon par byang chub che la mnyam gzhag pas/_bsam gtan bzhir bzhugs g.yu mtsho lha mo'i glus/_dga' yo la der 'bras bu'i ston par bzhengs/_de yang/_phug bzhi'i nang du ngal bso ba dang/_khri bzhi la 'dug pa dang/_pho brang g.yu mtsho 'khor ba'i glus dga' yo lar skal bzang su byed pa ni/_so so rang rig pas mngon par byang chub par dbugs phyung ba dang/_zhu ba de'i mtshan nyid can rgyu'i he ru ka sgra bo bral gyi bsam gtan bzhir zhu dngas ma ye shes kyi mkha' 'gro ma bzhi'i glus bskul ba/_'bras bu'i he ru ka kha sbyor gyi sku bzhi pa'i thig le/_spang bya 'pho ba'i skabs skyed pa thun mong rnam shes kyi chos 'khrud cing ye shes kyi rdo rje'i nus pa bzhag pa 'jig rten las 'das pa'i dbang bzhi pa'o/_/

Then journeying to the Four Caves, upon a lion throne

after settling the mind in high manifest Awakening,

dissolves into the four absorptions, and with the song of the goddess of Turquoise Lake,

arises as teacher of the Goal in the pass named Gayo.

°

gang du bag yod dam tshig spyod pa'i 'gongs //

lum sder bskyod pas ma chen lung brgal nas //

B: 'bum sder bskyod pas ma chen lung brgal nas //

mtha' yas skye dgu'i phan bde'i gzhi yin pa'i //

grags pa'i gter chen skyong bar bya ba yin //

Those who with care proceed living true to their commitments

move into Bumdé, then crossing the valley of Lachen [pass],

they are the ones who will protect the great treasure of renown

that forms the basis of benefit and comfort for all living beings.

°

'ga' la dang po de de btags pa [406] tsam //

B: 'ga' la dang por de der btags pa tsam //

bar mar byin rlob brnyan po tsam zhig ste //

tha mar thams cad lha ru mngon rdzogs pas //

lan gsum gyis 'di 'khor zhes 'gro la bsnyad //

Some beginners in the pilgrimage bear the mere signs,

while intermediate pilgrims are just borrowers of blessings,

while the advanced ones see everything in its full state of divinity.

Hence it is explained to travelers, “This is circled three times.”*

(*This verse emphasizes the different levels at which the pilgrimage may be experienced. It is as if the Place reveals itself after first discriminating the spiritual capabilities of the pilgrim. Surely nobody actually circumambulates the mountain more than once in a once-in-every-12-year season, so the words recommending it are not intended literally.)

°

de skad rdo rje 'chang gis gsang ba byin //

bka' [b]rgyud bla ma'i tsha bo des smras tshe //

ḍā ki'i zhal gyi padmo'i legs so'i 'dzum //  [~padmo lo lo'i 'dzum]

ma lus bdag la thod bzhin 'ching bar mdzad //

In these words Vajradhāra revealed the secrets,

so when a grandchild of the Kagyü Lamas speaks them

may the lotus teeth in all the smiles of the Ḍākinīs

be tied as tightly around me as a turban.

°

ces tsa ri tra bskor ba gsang chen gyi lam rim par bgrod pa'i brdar mthong ba ltar / gzhan la sbyin pa'i chos su rgyas par bsnyad pa / pad dkar legs bshad ces bya ba / cig car dpal gyi nags ljongs / rdo rje 'dzin pa chen po rnams mngon par rol pa'i gzhal med khang du sbyar ba bde legs su gyur cig //  //

The circumambulation of Caritra is symbolic of the gradual traversal of the path of Great Secrets, and seeing it as such I thought to expand on it as a teaching made in offering to others, and this is why I composed this work called White Lotus Belles Lettres in the palace where the great Vajra Wielders stage their visible performances, the glorious forest of Chigchar.

                                    §   §   §

This detail from a thangka painting, one featuring Drugchen Pemakarpo as its central figure (HAR 821), surely depicts his visit to Tsari. It may not be clear in my cutout, but the name Chigchar appears at the beginning of an inscription, one that starts in the lake and continues under Pemakarpo’s feet. The lake itself is marked with the seed syllable taṃ,* and towering directly above the lake I can think of no better candidate for what mountain it might be than Pure Crystal Mountain. After all, it even looks crystalline.

(*This is seed syllable of Tārā, so it is likely to be the lake of Tārā, one of Tsari’s more famous lakes, located in the valley that leads up to Tārā Pass (སྒྲོལ་མ་ལ་). An inscription reading “dpon slob” (དཔོན་སློབ་) is behind Pemakarpo’s head, but I believe this is not the name of the mountain, it’s just telling us that what we see here is the teacher [སློབ་དཔོན་] with his disciples [སློབ་མ་].)

 

Pure Crystal Mountain,
from Claude Arpi’s Blog listed below

§   §   §

A couple of other things you might read (no pressure)

There is a serviceable Wiki entry for “Dakpa Sheri” worth a visit.

Claude Arpi, “The Chinese Village in India and the Pure Crystal Mountain Pilgrimage,” Claude Arpi’s Blog (January 19, 2021). Not to leave the impression it is a pristine wilderness, Tsari today may seem more like a string of army bases and a basis for border disputes.

Elaine Dobson, “From Mount Tsari to the Tsechu: Bhutan’s Sacred Song and Lute Dance,” Journal of Bhutan Studies, vol. 25 (Winter 2011), pp. 59-81.  Available online.

Mark S.G. Dyczkowski, “The Inner Pilgrimage of the Tantras: The Sacred Geography of the Kubjikā Tantras with Reference to the Bhairava and Kaula Tantras,” contained in:  A Journey in the World of Tantras, Indica (Varanasi 2004), pp. 93-174. I list this work here as unfortunately Tibetanists are unlikely to know of it. It does demonstrate that Caritrā is a well known Place (pīṭha) in a wide array of Hindu tantras, and not just in Buddhist tantras and in Tibetan compositions. His maps show it located in the coastal areas of Orissa.

Elena de Rossi Filibeck, Catalogue of the Tucci Tibetan Fund in the Library of IsIAO, Volume 2, Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente (Rome 2003).  If you happen to have this work on hand, you can see that among the works of Drugchen Pemakarpo listed on pp. 5-34, are found both the Praise and the longer Guidebook (see p. 7). The author of this catalog in a separate publication made a transcription of a more recent and lengthy Guidebook to Tsari.  I recommend her brief resumé of the same:  “A Guide-Book to Tsa-ri,” contained in: L. Epstein and R.F. Sherburne, eds., Reflections on Tibetan Culture: Essays in Memory of Turrell V. Wylie, Edwin Mellen Press (Lewiston 1990), pp. 1-10.

Harold R. Fletcher, A Quest of Flowers: The Plant Explorations of Frank Ludlow and George Sheriff Told from their Diaries and Other Occasional Writings, Edinburgh University Press (Edinburgh 1975), particularly Chapter Three, “To Tsari, a Tibetan Sanctuary,” pp. 77-126. Ludlow visited Tsari in 1936 and again in 1938. Worth obtaining for the photographs alone, for our purposes the black-&-white photo of Pure Crystal Mountain, or “Takpa Siri”  on p. 85, is the one to see. Many of the seeds of unique flowers he collected are propagated still today in Kew Gardens, London, in Edinburgh Botanical Gardens, and in many other gardens around the world. Francis Kingdon-Ward worked in about the same time and in a much broader area throughout the eastern Himalayas as far as Burma and Yunnan. His books and publications are far too numerous to list here, but the one you most ought to know about is linked just above. If you are keenly into botany, you may appreciate this online essay.

Toni Huber, The Cult of Pure Crystal Mountain: Popular Pilgrimage and Visionary Landscape in Southeast Tibet, Oxford University Press (Oxford 1999). This is the number one English-language publication for anyone with an interest in the subject. What more would I have to say to convince you to read it?

Dan Martin, “For Love or Religion?  Another Look at a ‘Love Song’ by the Sixth Dalai Lama,” Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft, vol. 138, part 2 (1988), pp. 349-363.

Matthieu Ricard et al., trs., “The Ravines of Tsari,” Chapter Ten, contained in: The Life of Shabkar: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin, Snow Lion (Ithaca 2001), pp. 243-273. Told in first person by Zhabkar Tsogdrug Rangdrol (ཞབས་དཀར་ཚོགས་དྲུག་རང་གྲོལ་, 1781-1851), this is the most impressive account of a Tibetan pilgrimage to Tsari ever, and the translators’ footnote explanations are top notch.

Gnyos Lha-nang-pa

By the way —

One of the most exciting new developments in Tsari studies since Toni Huber’s book appeared has been the publication (in Dehra Dun in 2006) of a previously unavailable 12th-century guidebook, the one by Nyö Lhanangpa (གཉོས་ལྷ་ནང་པ་, 1164-1224).  He is not only among the first to open the pilgrimage route, he was the central figure in what was not so long ago the most highly priced Tibetan painting ever sold at auction (no doubt it has since been surpassed), and he is important to the history of the Drigung Kagyü school and its rare branch lineage called the Lhapa, known in bygone centuries in Bhutan. He is a major figure in the early history of Bhutan and Bhutanese Buddhism, just that he is less known elsewhere. His work on preliminary practices will be found useful to anyone interested in the history of the genre, and it, too, has surfaced. Even without doing divinations, I sense that more blogs are in our future. Is that a look of dread I see?

• Did you notice the ritual action of water getting poured over hands in the lower right-hand corner of the painting shown above? That’s part of traditional land donation practice in ancient India (as I learned from the late and lamented Hubert Decleer; I am not sure if the article with his observations on this painting was published or not).

Internal Conversation, Discursive Thinking, Troubling Thoughts

Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 7, Episode 6 — Phantasms

Internal conversation, discursive thinking and troubling thoughts. All three are practical synonyms for something that keeps going on when you sit down to try, with all the goodwill in the world, to meditate. Trying to turn them off unleashes the inevitable flood. Seeing the flood inspires frustration, and frustration can give way to surrender. 

Understanding what namtok (རྣམ་རྟོག) is is something you can only come to when you try to practice meditative concentration. And meditative concentration, I think needless to say, isn’t something you can approach by constructive logical steps, logical steps being another of the many things we label with the word thinking without giving the matter much thought. Well, without giving enough thought to what thinking is or can be. And logical thinking, as good as it surely is for us a lot of the time, is just too often too much like rationalizing what is anything but rational to begin with. We seem to have an endless supply of excuses for ourselves.

Allowing namtok to fuel your anguish, any efforts to force your thoughts to slow down or stop will be kind of like thrusting your hand in the water in an attempt to make the fish stop swimming. A better approach might be to sit still and let the fish flow by at their own speed. Instead of being troubled by them, it may be possible to settle into a mood of mutual relaxation. Then the superior kind of tokpa* might have a chance. Let's translate tokpa as deeper or fuller understanding, in a word, realization. We may suppose it’s why you wanted to meditate to begin with.

(*རྟོགས་པ་ rather than the cognitive-conceptual generalities called རྟོག་པ་. That silent ‘s’ [ས] makes a world of difference.)

As it is for most people nervously approaching medical or dental treatments as they sit in the waiting room, this kind of practice can be quite effective. Imagine the thoughts that seem to get in your way are fish in the aquarium.* Those fish tend to settle down after you stop tapping the glass and instead settle down in your seat. And the more you gaze at their movements the less disturbed you are by them, you might even be able to look past them. You don’t push them, they don’t push you to do all those things you’d regret doing. There’s nothing to get hung about, but you’re not hanging up on your heart, either. It’s rude to hang up in the middle of a conversation.

(*Waiting rooms often have fish tanks, and for a reason.)

° ° °

As I started out learning Tibetan in the early ’70’s, I used to somewhat jokingly translate namtog (རྣམ་རྟོག or རྣམ་པར་རྟོག་པ་) as psychic whirligigs.* Not sure that translation has quite the right spin even if I thought it had the right ring. Trains of thought tend to circle back along the same old tracks, so repetitive, even up to the point of becoming obsessive-compulsive (all the more so the more we are blind to it). Ruts are good for what? Still think my amusing translation was in the right spirit: Lots of spinning motion, no significant progress. We’ll talk about bagged cats (བག་ཆགས་) another time.

(*It’s a challenge to come up with a translation for namtok that covers every instance of its usage. It can range from superstition to vain imagining to doubt and hesitation, not to mention anxiety... As normal as it is for us to engage in it moment after moment for as long as we shall live, this mental activity is regarded by Tibetan Buddhists as one that engages in its objects with varying doses of attachment, attachment premised on conventional subject-object dualism... It gets in the way of truly seeing until it doesn’t.)

 

•

At the time the initial sense of abiding occurs,

interfering thoughts come up one after the other

as if they were rolling down a steep mountainside.

The thought occurs that perhaps this is no meditative experience at all,

but this sensing of the amount of interfering thoughts that occur

means that the perceptions have somewhat settled down.

Before, when there was no settling down at all,

the interfering thoughts erupted as they pleased

and even the fact that they run on was not recognized.

Then, like a slowly descending stream,

the perceptions slow down and the troubled thoughts become few.

Finally, like the depths of the ocean,

the perception stabilizes and remains immobile.

Then the meditative experiences occur.

One experiences a bliss, untroubled by thoughts and clear

like the center of unbroken space.

Like a butterlamp that does not flicker in the wind,

one’s own clarity, one’s own awareness, is undistracted.

Like a beautiful flower in a rainfall

it stands out with a shining clear presence against the ground.

Like the sun shining in a cloudless sky,

nothing comes in the way of its smooth transparency.

It is, like a bronze bowl full of water,

transparent within and without.

There will never be a word for such an experience.

It dawns without reason like dreams do.

 

•

གནས་པ་དང་པོ་བྱུང་དུས་སུ།།

རི་གཟར་ལོགས་ལ་རྦབ་འདྲིལ་བཞིན།།

རྣམ་རྟོག་ཟམ་མ་ཆད་པར་ལྡང་།།

བསྒོམ་ཉམས་མེད་དམ་སྙམ་པ་འོང་།།

རྣམ་རྟོག་བྱུང་ཚད་ཚོར་བ་དེ།།

ཤེས་པ་ཅུང་ཟད་གནས་པ་ཡིན།།

གནས་པ་མེད་པའི་གོང་རོལ་དུ།།

རྣམ་རྟོག་རང་དགར་ཤོར་བ་ཡིས།།

རྟོག་པ་འགྱུས་ཀྱང་ངོ་མ་ཤེས།།

དེ་ནས་དལ་འབབ་ཆུ་བོ་བཞིན།།

ཤེས་པ་དལ་ཞིང་རྣམ་རྟོག་ཉུང་།།

ཐ་མས་རྒྱ་མཚོའི་གཏིང་བཞིན་དུ།།

ཤེས་པ་མི་གཡོ་བརྟན་པར་གནས།།

དེ་ནས་ཉམས་སུ་མྱོང་བ་འཆར།།

བར་སྣང་དག་པའི་དཀྱིལ་ལྟ་བུར།།

གསལ་ལ་མི་རྟོག་བདེ་བར་མྱོང་།།

མར་མེ་རླུང་གིས་མི་སྐྱོད་བཞིན།།

རང་རིག་རང་གསལ་ཡེངས་པ་མེད།།

མེ་ཏོག་མཛེས་ལ་ཆར་བབ་བཞིན།།

ས་ལ་ཧྲིག་གེ་ཡལ་ལེ་བ།།

སྤྲིན་མེད་མཁའ་ལ་ཉི་ཤར་བཞིན།།

སིང་ངེ་ཆ་ལེ་དངོས་པོ་མེད།།

འཁར་ཕོར་ཆུ་ཡིས་བཀང་བ་བཞིན།།

ཕྱི་ནང་མེད་པར་སེང་ངེ་བ།།

དེ་འདྲའི་མིང་ལ་ཐུག་པ་མེད།།

གཞི་མེད་རྨི་ལམ་ལྟ་བུར་འཆར།།

• “A Twelfth-Century Tibetan Classic of Mahāmudrā, The Path of Ultimate Profundity: The Great Seal Instructions of Zhang.”  Chapter Six.

Lamp of Assurance, a Very Nearly Lost Bon History

 

“Bon-byung Yid-ches Sgron-ma [b]zhugs.” 
Endangered Archives Project EAP687/1/19

I see no need to overplay that old scenario of the precious object lost and unknown suddenly revealed to the world. It isn’t exactly cognitive science, or is it? Is it a question of ‘Who is paying attention to what?’ or ‘What’s out there that could be seen?’ Surely there must be a handful of learned people in the hills of Himachal, not to mention the high Himalayas who are aware of this historical work in some degree, some may even have read it for all we know. However, Tibetan Histories bibliography, in both its editions (1987 & 2020), has no listing for it, and a search of the worldwide web (including TBRC/BDRC/BUDA) came up with no knowledge of its existence. Search engines are not the solution to every problem, and neither is AI. I hope we know that.

The one exceptional bit of knowledge on this particular subject is in a book published earlier this year, a history of Bon dubbed Drenpa’s Proclamation. In it you can see that, in a brief passage about the ancient Tibetan Emperor Drigum, the title Bon History: Lamp of Assurance (བོན་བྱུང་ཡིད་ཆེས་སྒྲོན་མ།) is cited twice (once with variant spelling). However, this passage exists in only one of its several manuscript versions, the one called Manuscript C, from Nakchu. As the Nakchu Manuscript appears to expand on pericopes found in the other versions, we tend to think it a later recension. So even if the history translated in Drenpa’s Proclamation dates to the late 12th century as we think it does, the title of the lost history may have been written into it in a later century. Knowing this doesn’t help us very much in trying to decide questions of authorship and definitive dating. These mysteries remain.

What was not known when the book was released was that the title mentioned there does indeed belong to an identifiable and physically present text, even if that text is only made available in the form of a title page with the title on its front side (our frontispiece) along with the introduction on its back side. Given no alternative we will have to be satisfied with this fragment, so I’ve simply typed its content at the end of this file, hoping that this may bear information that will eventually allow us to find the missing pages.

But before doing that, let’s invent a brand new entry for Tibetan Histories that ought to look something like this:

 - 1195a - 

— [no dating possible]

Bon-byung Yid-ches Sgron-ma. The title is once given with this spelling, and once immediately afterward with the probably less acceptable spelling Bon-chung Yid-ches Sgron-ma. It seems it would have contained an account of the assassination of Emperor Gri-gum by Lo-ngam. This we may know from only one of the manuscripts of the Grags-pa Rin-chen Gling-bsgrags. See Per Kværne and Dan Martin, Drenpa’s Proclamation: The Rise and Decline of the Bön Religion in Tibet, Vajra Books (Kathmandu 2023), at p. 212. Although unknown to the authors at the time, a title page for this work, its original kept by TBMC, has been digitally preserved at the British Library's online Endangered Archives Programme, no. EAP687/1/19, at scan nos. 489-490, where the title reads Bon-byung Yid-ches Sgron-ma, and on fol. 1v likewise, only with the word lo-rgyus inserted thus: Bon-byung-gi [Lo-rgyus] Yid-ches Sgron-ma. A three-fold general outline is at least supplied here: Firstly, how it [the Bon religion] was promulgated with compassion; in the meantime, how it was made to decline due to happenstances; and finally, how it was spread once more through aspiration prayers.

+  +  +

Transcription of the title page

Note: I have tacitly resolved abbreviations and accepted all inserted corrections. I ignore the penmanship practice in the bottom margin. Quotes from scriptures are in red, their titles in italics. I've created the paragraph formatting to suit my whims. The scripture cited by its short title as mdo would be the Gzer-mig, the medium-lengthed biography of Lord Shenrab.

[1r] bon byung yid ches sgron ma [b]zhugs /

[1v] sna tshogs thabs kyi[s] 'gro ba 'dren mdzad pa'i ston mchog sprul pa'i sku la phyag 'tshal lo //

'dir bon byung gi lo rgyus yid ches sgron ma la / don gsum ste / dpa'o [~dang po?] thugs rjes dar tshul / bar du rkyen gyis bsnubs tshul / tha ma smon lam gyis rgyas tshul /

dang po dar tshul la gnyis / spyir sangs rgyas kyi; gos [~dgos?] ston pa'i / [b]stan pa'i dar tshul dang po ni / sems can gyi ji ltar khyab pa bzhin / sangs rgyas kyi bstan pas dang khyab ste / 

mdo las / snod bcud ting nge 'dzin mtha' yas la /

nam mkha' ji bzhin thugs rjes khyab / ces dang /

klu 'bum las / sems can gyi las ni / bsam gyis mi khyab / gsam ba'i [~bsam pa'i] tshad las 'das / de [b]stan cing drang ba'i phyir / ston pa'i bka' yang bsam gyi[s] mi khyab / gsam ba'i [~bsam pa'i] tshad las 'das / ces so /

de yang bsdus na / phyogs bcu dus gsum gyi sangs rgyas so // 

phyogs bcu'i sangs rgyas ni / bon nyid snying... [the remainder of the text is lacking].

•

བོན་བྱུང་ཡིད་ཆེས་སྒྲོན་མ་[བ]ཞུགས།

[1v] སྣ་ཚོགས་ཐབས་ཀྱི[ས]་འགྲོ་བ་འདྲེན་མཛད་པའི་སྟོན་མཆོག་སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ༎

འདིར་བོན་བྱུང་གི་ལོ་རྒྱུས་ཡིད་ཆེས་སྒྲོན་མ་ལ། དོན་གསུམ་སྟེ། དཔའོ་[~དང་པོ་?]ཐུགས་རྗེས་དར་ཚུལ་། བར་དུ་རྐྱེན་གྱིས་བསྣུབས་ཚུལ། ཐ་མ་སྨོན་ལམ་གྱིས་རྒྱས་ཚུལ།

དང་པོ་དར་ཚུལ་ལ་གཉིས། སྤྱིར་སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི༏ གོས་[~དགོས་?]སྟོན་པའི། [བ]སྟན་པའི་དར་ཚུལ་དང་པོ་ནི། སེམས་ཅན་གྱི་ཇི་ལྟར་ཁྱབ་པ་བཞིན། སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་བསྟན་པས་དང་ཁྱབ་སྟེ།

མདོ་ལས། སྣོད་བཅུད་ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན་མཐའ་ཡས་ལ།

ནམ་མཁའ་ཇི་བཞིན་ཐུགས་རྗེས་ཁྱབ། ཅེས་དང་།

ཀླུ་འབུམ་ལས། སེམས་ཅན་གྱི་ལས་ནི། བསམ་གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་།་གསམ་བའི་[~བསམ་པའི་]ཚད་ལས་འདས། དེ་[བ]སྟན་ཅིང་དྲང་བའི་ཕྱིར་།་སྟོན་པའི་བཀའ་ཡང་བསམ་གྱི[ས]མི་ཁྱབ། གསམ་བའི[~བསམ་པའི་]་ཚད་ལས་འདས། ཅེས་སོ།

དེ་ཡང་བསྡུས་ན། ཕྱོགས་བཅུ་དུས་གསུམ་གྱི་སངས་རྒྱས་སོ༎་

ཕྱོགས་བཅུའི་སངས་རྒྱས་ནི། བོན་ཉིད་སྙིང་ ...

§   §   §

Books mentioned

Per Kværne and Dan Martin, Drenpa’s Proclamation: The Rise and Decline of the Bön Religion in Tibet, Vajra Books (Kathmandu 2023). This is only made available in hardbound book format from the publisher. The internet monopolists have not yet listed it, so you may need to pick up a copy on your next trip to Kathmandu.

Dan Martin, Tibetan Histories: A Bibliography of Tibetan-Language Historical Works, Serindia Publications (London 1997). In collaboration with Yael Bentor. Foreword by Michael Aris. The original book is now out of print. A revised and expanded version was posted on the internet on December 21, 2020, in both Word and PDF formats that may be downloaded for free at the following URL: https://www.bdrc.io/blog/2020/12/21/dan-martins-tibetan-histories/.

_____________

Postscript

A local search of BDRC revealed more than one occurrence of that quote from the Gzer-mig. Here is a good example:

Khri Bsod-bstan, Bon-dpyad Spyi Rgya Rlabs Gcod, Kan-su'u Mi-rigs Dpe-skrun-khag (Lanzhou 2015), TBRC no. W8LS20516. As the page no. is not supplied I can’t tell you what it is. (I find that Shardza has the same quote near the beginning of his own history.)

མདོ་གཟེར་མིག་ལས། 

སྣོད་བཅུད་འཇིག་རྟེན་མཐའ་ཡས་ལ།། 

ནམ་མཁའ་ཇི་བཞིན་ཐུགས་རྗེས་ཁྱབ།།

Notice that here ting-nge-'dzin, meaning contemplative absorption or samâdhi, is replaced by 'jig-rten, the world with its inhabitants (like Sanskrit loka). I have to say, the reading meaning “world” suits the context a lot better. It’s a beautiful way of saying that the compassion of the Enlightened Ones extends to distant-most extremes of the environmental-biological universe just like space does.

_____________

Another Postscript (May 13, 2024):

I can't begin to explain why, but the very same title page (to see its verso, you need to scroll back to the preceding scan no. 489) is photographed once again at the very end of EAP687/1/55.  Here you can see it:

Scan no. 490 of EAP687/1/55.

The Land of Snows, along with The Seven Seals of Tibet: A Joycean Journey

Everest & Nubtse, photo by Vyacheslav Argenbe

 

 

 

The Land of Snows

The land of snows, where mountains touch the sky,

And rivers flow from glaciers pure and white.

A sacred place, where ancient wisdoms lie,

And monks recite their prayers day and night.

The land of snows, where culture thrives and grows,

And art and literature reflect the soul.

A diverse place, where many languages rose,

And people share a common dream and goal.

The land of snows, where history is long,

And heroes fought for freedom and for right.

A troubled place, where conflict still is strong,

And people face oppression and plight.

The land of snows, where hope is never lost,

And faith and courage overcome the cost.

•

No, I did not write this.

I asked Skype’s newly offered Bing AI to write for me a Tibetological sonnet.  Here is Bing’s answer that arrived together with the sonnet you just read.

Hello, this is Bing. I'm glad you're interested in Tibetology and sonnets. A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem that usually follows a specific rhyme scheme and meter. There are different types of sonnets, such as the Italian or Petrarchan sonnet, the English or Shakespearean sonnet, and the Spenserian 

sonnethttps://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/structure-of-sonnets/.

Tibetology is the study of things related to Tibet, including its history, religion, language, culture, politics and the collection of Tibetan articles of historical, cultural and religious significance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetology.

I can try to write you a Tibetological sonnet, but please note that I am not a professional poet and I may not be able to capture the nuances of Tibetan culture and history. Here is my attempt at writing an English sonnet about Tibet...

My thoughts on the poetry? I think Bing's AI can write better sonnets than I ever will, not that I’m likely to try. And it does it in the bat of an eye. So yes, I say if you ever need a Tibetological sonnet, this is the way to do it. The form is spot on.

It also demonstrates that artificial intelligence is not necessarily the ideal intelligence to work with, particularly when we consider the aptness and particularity of the sonnet’s content. Not that it says anything exactly wrong, there just isn’t enough specific truth in it to make a difference. Where are the underpinnings? Who are the chief actors? Fine enough package, indifferent content. What do we expect?

Not satisfied that I had granted AI sufficient credit after this single test, I decided to commission something a little more complicated.  Read on!

§  §  §

Dear Bing, That was a fine sonnet. Now I'd like you to write for me a Tibetological blog on the subject of the Seven Seals making use of the literary arts of James Joyce’s Ulysses. A few illustrations would be nice if you don’t mind.  Thanks, D

•

Bing, PM 3:38

Hello D, thank you for your interest in Tibetology and James Joyce’s Ulysses. I will try to write a blog post on the subject of the Seven Seals using some of the literary techniques of Joyce’s novel. I will also try to create some illustrations for you.

The Seven Seals of Tibet: A Joycean Journey

The Seven Seals of Tibet are a set of symbols that represent the authority and legitimacy of the Tibetan government and its spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. They are also a source of fascination and controversy for scholars, historians, and collectors, as they reveal the complex and turbulent history of Tibet and its relations with China, India, Mongolia, and other countries. In this blog post, I will explore the origins, meanings, and fates of these seals, using some of the literary devices that James Joyce employed in his masterpiece Ulysses, such as stream of consciousness, allusions, parodies, and wordplay.

The first seal is the Seal of the Dalai Lama, which bears the inscription “Sri bha tsa na'i rgyal po” (King of the Religious Realm) in Lantsa script. It was given to the fifth Dalai Lama by the Mongol ruler Gushri Khan in 1642, when he recognized him as the supreme ruler of Tibet. The seal is made of gold and has a lotus motif on the back. It is considered the most sacred and important seal in Tibetan history, as it symbolizes the unity of religion and politics under the Dalai Lama's leadership. The seal is currently kept in Dharamsala, India, where the 14th Dalai Lama resides in exile.

The second seal is the Seal of the Panchen Lama, which bears the inscription "Sri pan chen bla ma'i rgyal po" (King of the Panchen Lama) in Lantsa script. It was given to the fifth Panchen Lama by the Qing emperor Kangxi in 1713, when he recognized him as the second highest spiritual authority in Tibet. The seal is made of silver and has a vajra motif on the back. It is considered a symbol of the close relationship between the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, who are regarded as manifestations of Avalokiteshvara and Amitabha respectively. The seal is currently missing, as it was taken by the 10th Panchen Lama when he fled to China in 1959, and its whereabouts are unknown.

The third seal is the Seal of Tibet, which bears the inscription "Ganden Phodrang" (Palace of Joy) in Tibetan script. It was created by the fifth Dalai Lama in 1642, when he established his government in Lhasa. The seal is made of copper and has a snow lion motif on the back. It is considered a symbol of the sovereignty and independence of Tibet, as it was used to issue official documents and decrees by successive Dalai Lamas. The seal is currently kept in Dharamsala, India, where it is still used by the Central Tibetan Administration.

The fourth seal is the Seal of Mongolia, which bears the inscription "Mongol ulus-un dalai bla ma" (Dalai Lama of Mongolia) in Mongolian script. It was given to the third Dalai Lama by Altan Khan in 1578, when he conferred him with the title of Dalai Lama. The seal is made of iron and has a sun and moon motif on the back. It is considered a symbol of the spiritual bond between Tibet and Mongolia, as many Mongol rulers supported and protected Tibetan Buddhism. The seal is currently kept in Dharamsala, India.

The fifth seal is the Seal of China, which bears the inscription "Qianlong Chenhan Dalai Lama Yixi Zhibei" (Imperial Edict Bestowing Favor on Dalai Lama) in Chinese script. It was given to the sixth Dalai Lama by the Qing emperor Qianlong in 1751, when he reorganized the Tibetan administration under his supervision. The seal is made of jade and has a dragon motif on the back. It is considered a symbol of the political interference and domination of China over Tibet, as it was used to appoint or depose Tibetan officials by Qing emperors. The seal is currently kept in Beijing, China.

The sixth seal is

the Seal of India,

which bears

the inscription "Bharat Ratna" (Jewel

of India) in Devanagari script.

It was given to

the 14th Dalai Lama by

the Indian government in 1959,

when he was awarded

the highest civilian honor

of India for his contributions to peace and non-violence.

The seal is made

of bronze and has an Ashoka chakra motif on

the back.

It is considered a symbol of

the gratitude and friendship

of India towards Tibet,

as it was the first country to offer asylum and support to

the Dalai Lama and his followers after

the Chinese invasion of Tibet.

The seal is currently kept in Dharamsala, India.

The seventh seal is

the Seal of the World,

which bears

the inscription "Nobel Peace Prize" in Latin script.

It was given to

the 14th Dalai Lama by

the Nobel Committee in 1989,

when he was awarded

the prestigious prize for his efforts to resolve

the Tibetan issue through dialogue and non-violence.

The seal is made

of gold and has a laurel wreath motif on

the back.

It is considered a symbol of

the recognition and respect

of the world towards Tibet,

as it reflects the universal values and aspirations of

the Tibetan people for freedom and dignity.

The seal is currently kept in Dharamsala, India.

These are the Seven Seals of Tibet, each with its own story and significance. They are not mere objects, but living symbols of a rich and complex culture, a proud and resilient nation, and a wise and compassionate leader. They are also reminders of the challenges and struggles that Tibet faces in its quest for justice and peace. They are, in short, the seals of a modern odyssey, a journey that is not yet over, but that continues to inspire and enlighten us all.

This is Dan speaking now, not Bing. Well, I'm oddly and unexpectedly impressed by the level of creativity demonstrated here in constructing a never before known variant set of the Seven Seals. In terms of artistic style, its invented Lotus motif “Tibetan seals” seem to incorporate aspects more or less Japanese or Islamic. A connoisseur confronted with these images would be unlikely to immediately identify them as Tibetan. This AI ability to make mashups might appear commendable from some perspectives, a step toward a genre of world art comparable to so-called “world music.”

I have to say, I thought myself quite clever in asking Bing to use the style of James Joyce, since his writings are characterized by just what AI is least capable of pulling off — allusions, parodies, and wordplay — and in fact it/they promises to do it, then never does. There is something ironic in that agreement that equals refusal. Of course AI is not conscious of being ironic or clever or creative, it could never be that, not like we can.*

What most concerns me is not so much that this could have been passed in with cheating motive as a writing assignment in a human classroom, it’s that it would be regarded as a valid or authoritative source of information in future essays painstakingly composed by humans of the future. Please don’t cite it as anything more or less than what it is. Otherwise the future will be mashups of mashups, mashups that will go on to be further mashed up, much more than it already is. If we have gains in human intelligence thanks to AI or the like, they’ll be offset by the increase in confusion, a commodity that was never in short supply.

(*You’re right, I hear it too, the human arrogance!)

Recommending reading list

David Klotz, “Hieroglyphic Complexity at Esna: Unetymological Spellings, Trigrams, and Anadromes from Esna Temple and Finnegans Wake,”  Hieroglyphs, vol. 1 (2023), pp. 127-148. Joycean Egyptology is, after all, a thing. I’m fairly certain David Klotz is a human being, and one of uncommon intelligence, writing for a real online journal of considerable academic standing, vetted by peer reviewers and so on. It was nothing but a glitch in the Blogger system that cemented his name at the top of Tibetologic, anchored to the title. I cannot undo it, so I beg for his understanding. At the same time, I would like to thank Lloyd Graham, a great authority on the Seven Seals in Euro-Middle Eastern realms, for fortuitously alerting me to David Klotz’s essay. (Note: September 22, 2023 — Today the glitch is undone forever, thanks to A.S. who saved the day.)

Dieter Schuh, Grundlagen tibetischer Siegelkunde. Eine Untersuchung über tibetische Siegelaufschriften in ’Phags-pa-Schrift, VGH Wissenschaftsverlag (Sankt Augustin 1981). Here you will find the real dope on official seals (represented in 1 through 5 in Bing’s list), something the Seven Seals concepts have absolutely (?)* nothing to do with in fact. And to start with the seals of the Fifth Dalai Lama (no. 1 in Bing’s list), we see two of his seals on official documents from his time at pp. 309-322 in the book, and they include every script except Lantsa, and not anything like “Sri bha tsa na'i rgyal po.” What is that anyway, and how would it mean King of the Religious Realm in any language? 

(*If I hesitate on this point, it is just because in lore about King Solomon he is credited with possessing a signet ring that could have had the Seven Seals on it. I didn’t genuinely expect Bing to know that Tibet has his own set of Seven Seals, and it/they did indeed display its/their ignorance of it.)

And what about “It was given to the sixth Dalai Lama by the Qing emperor Qianlong in 1751”? Bing has to mean the seventh, not the sixth. I could go on if I have to, but from what I’ve seen I wonder how it would justify the effort. 

The task of the fact-checking researcher is if anything compounded and not in the least reduced. 

So finally, today’s answer is “No.” I don’t believe I will ever again ask AI to guest author a Tibeto-logic blog. Why take the quick and easy way out? But if you are a human doing Tibetan humanities types of research and would like to guest author a blog, let’s talk.

± ± ±

PS (September 1, 2023):

Honest journalists ought to get on the phone with someone holding the opposite view. Well, okay. So in what might  be an uptick in favor of Buddhist and Buddhological AI, see what Raymond Lam says in his latest newsletter for the Buddhist Door:

Lim Kooi Fong, who is editor of the long-running Buddhist Channel and another longtime friend, has deployed NORBU – Neural Omniscient Robotic-Being for Buddhist Understanding – to generate content for his website.

We have just demonstrated that using AI as a crutch can create more work hours for the humans, not less. Well, unless you are satisfied to slap cooked-up informational stew on the table for those ignorant enough to find instruction in eating it. Still, I went to the Buddhist Channel website and found there this banner appealing for funding.

We Need Your Help to Train the

Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!

(Neural Omniscient Robotic-Being for Buddhist Understanding)

If it/they’re* Omniscient, I’m wondering in what subject would it/they require instruction? Is the aim to find tutors for it/them? I don’t believe most Senseis, Roshis, Geshes and Rinpoches of the world are in need of more work, but there is not a chance this particular “NORBU” will be putting them out on the streets. Or is there?

*Out of respect for A.I., I decided to allow it/them its/their preferred number-ambivalent neuter pronoun. I do feel silly doing it. I'll stop now.

•

PSS: September 2, 2023

Question:  Could Bing AI have self-awareness of its/their own deficiencies? Or would that self-awareness itself be artificial? I found this Q&A at its/their own website:

Q: Are Bing's AI-generated responses always factual?

A: Bing aims to base all its responses on reliable sources - but AI can make mistakes, and third party content on the internet may not always be accurate or reliable. Bing will sometimes misrepresent the information it finds, and you may see responses that sound convincing but are incomplete, inaccurate, or inappropriate. Use your own judgment and double check the facts before making decisions or taking action based on Bing's responses.

•

PSSS: October 15, 2023

Who Lusts for Certainty Lusts for Lies. With thanks for M.W. for recommending it, it puts a damper on our hopes to exploit “big data.”

PSSSs: March 26, 2024

After seeing this, I'm determined to take an unbreakable vow never again to bring generative Artificial Intelligence to play here in Tibeto-logic. All my writing will be generated by my artful, playful and hopefully intelligent enough human capabilities, no matter how far they fall short of perfection. "Done by a human" is a good thing. "Done by A.I." is an insult to us all. Just look closely, test and scrutinize the artificial inanity they produce, a cleverness that calculates just how far they can get away with tricking us. Never again.

But in the meanwhile I’ll have to worry about getting "scraped" to feed their concoctions.