Reference Analysis Of Chapter 12

Tibetan Renaissance Seminar > Insert Remaining Breadcrumbs here

Alison Melnick 2007

Chapter 12 Reference Analysis: Personal Names

Analysis of People in Chapter 12

All of the people mentioned in chapter 12 of the Blue Annals are in some way associated with the Peacemaking Lineages. While the chapter goes through and discusses each associated lineage in detail, the basic pattern of the entire chapter quickly becomes clear. What is most important about these individuals, and what links them together in this chapter, are their associations to one another via transmissions of various teachings. Almost everyone who is mentioned has a place in the chapter because they either taught or received (and in many cases, both) teachings which help form the foundation of these lineages. Those mentioned early on in the chapter are frequently mentioned later in the lineage via reincarnation. Also, there is little differentiation throughout the chapter between the personal names of humans and the personal names of deities (including Indian gods such as Siva, buddhas, bodhisattvas, and other Buddhist deities). Both human and non-human names are listed as individuals who were instrumental in transmitting the lineage.

The most prominent figure throughout the chapter is Dampa Sangye. Dampa is identified as the father of all of the Peacemaking lineages, and the initial description of his life, teachers, practices, and teachings provides the framework for the rest of the chapter. This reflects how Dampa himself provided the framework for the entire system of lineages. For example, many of the deities mentioned early on in association with visions that Dampa had reappear throughout the chapter as signs of attainment in subsequent lineage holders.. All of the significant deities mentioned throughout the chapter initially appear to Dampa, and subsequent appearances before later practitioners suggests the continuity of not only teachings, but also deities, throughout the history of the lineages.

Personal NameAssociation
Dam pa sangs rgyasMaster of the doctrine of the Peacemaking Lineage. He was born in southern India to parents of the jewel merchant and incense maker castes. According to the Blue Annals he was prophesied from birth to be a great spiritual practitioner of some sort. He was a gifted child, and quickly became a serious student of “gser gling pa” (Dharmakīrti).
brtson ’grus go chaDampa’s father
ba ra sa haDampa’s mother
dge ba’i lha (Kṣemadeva)Ordained Dampa
gser gling pa (Dharmakīrti)Dampa’s guru, helps Dampa in his efforts towards Enlightenment, also acts as a teacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar. Author of The Cycle of the Eightfold Path of gser gling pa
klu grub (Nāgārjuna)Dampa’s teacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar
Prajñabhadra (shes rab bzang po)Dampa’s teacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar. Born 1386, received all the precepts from his father during his childhood. Taught sgo mo rin po che, ye shes dpal ba. Was a great adept of Mahamudra and maintained strict monastic precepts.
Sgo mo rin po cheAn important lineage holder mentioned in this chapter. Received teachings along with ye shes dpal ba.
Ye shes dpal baAnother important lineage holder, received teachings along with sgo mo rin po che.
Guṇaprabha (yon tan 'od)Dampa’s teacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar. Ordained dus gsum khyen pa.
Dus gsum kyen paHe receives his own section of the chapter, which is dedicated to recounting his life story and explaining where he fits into the lineage. His parents were ‘khrul zhig pa and ‘bum rgyan. Upon ordination he was named byang na bza’ ’phred gsol, and later became a disciple of the younger brother of ‘bri khung pa (gcung).He was also ordained by mi nyag and yon tan ‘od. One of his fellow students was gtsang brag nag pa. It seems that he is closely associated with the lineages discussed in this chapter.
‘khrul zhig padus gsum kyen pa’s father, a Buddhist practitioner and teacher in his own right. Either he or someone with the same name acted as an abbot for an undisclosed period of time.
mi nyag(also the name of a place mentioned throughout the chapter. He ordained ‘khrul zhig pa.
gtsang brag nag pafellow student of dus gsum khyen pa.
‘bum rgyandus gsum kyen pa’s mother.
‘bri khung paalso referred to in this chapter as gcung. He used the lnga ldan system.
Dharmakīrti (chos grags)teacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar
ĀkarasiddhiTaught Dampa in the fields of Sūtras and Grammar and Mahamudra.
Śaṅkarateacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar
Jñānāgarbha (ye shes snying po)teacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar
Asaṅga (thogs med)teacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar
ĀryadevaDampa’s teacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar, part of the “Hidden Single Lineage,” author of The Cycle of the Eightfold Path of Āryadeva
Śāntideva (zhi ba lha)Dampa’s teacher in the field of Sūtras and Grammar
Vāgīśvara (ngag gi dbang phyug)Taught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
BuddhaguptaTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
Go-dha-rīTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
KarmavajraTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
dza ba ri pa (Javari)Taught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
Jñānapāda (ye shes zhabs)Taught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
klu byang (Nāgabodhi)Taught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
ĀnangdaTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
Kṛṣṇapāda (Kṛṣṇa-pa)Taught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” and “Mother” classes.
VasudharinTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
PadmavajraTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Father” class.
Anaṅgavajra saroruha (mtsho skyes rdo rje)Taught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
IndrabhūtiTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
Ḍombhī-paTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
Vajraghaṇta (rdo rje dril bu pa)Taught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
TillipaTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
Līlāvajra (sgeg pa rdo rje)Taught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
Lū-yi-paTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
Vi-rū-paTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
Ānangdagarbha (kun dga' snying po)Taught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
Ku-ku-ri-paTaught Dampa the Tantra of the “Mother” class.
SarahaTaught Dampa Mahāmudrā. Wrote The Cycle of the Path of the Four spheres of the Upāya-mārga of Saraha
Caryā-paTaught Dampa Mahāmudrā.
Gu-ṇa-riTaught Dampa Mahāmudrā.
Koṭali (tog tse pa)Taught Dampa Mahāmudrā.
Ko-śa-paTaught Dampa Mahāmudrā.
Śa-ba-ri-paTaught Dampa Mahāmudrā.
Maitrī-paTaught Dampa Mahāmudrā. Wrote the de kho na nyid bcu pa or Tattvadaśaka-nāma
SāgarasiddhiTaught Dampa Mahāmudrā.
ravigupta (nyi ma sbas pa)Taught Dampa Mahāmudrā.
RatnavajraTaught Dampa Mahāmudrā.
Śabari (ri khrod ma)One of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
dri med ma (Vimalā)One of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
Padmapādā (pad mo zhabs)One of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
Ku-mu-ḍāOne of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
Sukhākarā (bde ba'i ‘byung gnas)One of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
Gaṅgabhadrī (Gaṅga bzang mo)One of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
tsi to ma (Cintā)One of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
LakṣmīOne of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
(Vṛkṣa) parṇī (shing lo ma)One of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
SukhasiddhīOne of Dampa’s gurus who “introduced him to his own Mind.”
Mañjughoṣa ('jam dpal dbyangs)Dampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities
AvalokiteśvaraDampa and other practitioners of the lineage have visions of Avalokiteśvara throughout the chapter.
Vajradhara (rdo rje ‘dzin)Dampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities, throughout the chapter, Vajradhara is referred to as a monk (bhiksu), his mantra (the rnam ’joms) is recited by practitioners of the lineage
Tārā KhasarpaṇaDampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities
YamantakaDampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities
Ekajaṭī (also called rang byung rgyal mo)Dampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities
sarva-nīvaraṇa viśkambhī (rgrib sel)Dampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities
'od zer can (Marīci)Dampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities
Samantabhadra (kun bzang)Dampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities
Vārahī and VajravārahīDampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities. Associated texts listed in this chapter include the “Propitiation of Speech of the Red Vārahī,” and the “Propitiation of the Mind of the Black Vārahī,” which included the Vārahī-dharma-kāya-sādhana, the (Vārahī) saṃbhoga-kāya-sādhana, and the (Vārahī) nirmāṇa-kāya-sādhana. Also mentioned in the chapter are the initiation of the Two-faced Venerable One (Vajravārahī), and the Guhyasādhana (gsang sgrub) of (Vajra) vārahī. When myang mo passes away, rainbows appear and she leaves behind an image of the two-faced Vārahī (zhal gnyis ma).Other images of Vārahī appear to multiple other practitioners throughout the chapter. Vajravārahī is also referred to in the chapter as Vajra-yoginī (rdo rje rnal 'byor ma). The sādhana of Vajravārahī called rnal 'byor gsum is also used in practices associated with the lineage. Also the Cycle of the Venerable one (rje btsun ma -- Vajravārahī) is an intitiation associated with the lineage.
Rje btsun mahere the name of a prayer to Tara.
AcalaDampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities. The associated tantra (Acala-Tantra) is mentioned.
Vairocana (rnam par snang mdzad)Dampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities
Hayagrīva (rta mgrin) (According to the Blue Annals , there is also a Nyingmapa form of Hayagrīva, called pad ma dbang chen)Dampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities. Hayagrīva reappears to different practitioners throughout the chapter. Associated texts mentioned in the chapter include the rta mgrin lha bzhi.
SaṃvaraDampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities. Associated texts mentioned in the chapter include the Saṃvara-ekavīra (bde mchog dpa' bo gcig), the text called the Oral Tradition (snyan brgyud) of Saṃvara, the precepts of the Ekavīra Saṃvara, and the Saṃvara Cycle. Many practitioners associated with the lineage have visions of Saṃvara, and the texts are also mentioned many times.
HevajraDampa had visions of this and other tutelary deities. Also listed are texts and teachings associated with Hevajra, including the precepts of Hevajra, and the Hevajra-Tantra.
Rematīa goddess.
zhang zhung gling kha pareceived precepts from Dampa.
khra tshar 'brug blaBonpo practitioner who received precepts from Dampa.
rmang ra ser pofrom yar klungs. Received precepts of gcod from Dampa.
skyo bsod nams bla maReceived precepts of gcod from Dampa.
YamāntakaThe sādhana of this deity is listed as representing the doctrine of the Peacemaking lineage. Asssociated initiations and texts are frequently mentioned throughout the chapter.
Tshe bdaga form of Yamāntaka
JñanaguhyaA Kashmirian to whom Dampa preaches the Three Cycles of zhi byed sgrol ma. Jñanaguhya goes on to teach it to spu hrangs lo chung and ong po lo tsA ba.
Spu hrangs lo chunga member of the first lineage (of the Peacemaking lineages). His teacher was Jñanaguhya and the main student mentioned in relation to him is dmar ston chos rgyal.
Dmar ston chos rgyala member of the first lineage in the chapter, student of sp hrangs lo chung.
Yol moa “kalyāṇa-mitṭa” and student of dmar ston chos rgyal, also passed the lineage on to gshen ston nam mkha’.
gshen ston nam mkha’member of the first lineage, passed teachings down to kyi tshan zhig po.
Kyi tshan zhig pomember of the first lineage, passed teachings to rog shes rab ’od.
ong po lo tsA balearns the Three Cycles of zhi byed sgrol ma from Dampa and Jñanaguhya and then passes them on to lo btsun chung and bla chung 'od zer. It is mentioned in the chapter that his system did not include any sādhanas.
lo btsun chunglearns the Three Cycles of zhi byed sgrol ma from ong po lo tsA ba. He then travels to India to practice meditation, never to return.
bla chung 'od zerFrom shab. He learns the Three Cycles of zhi byed sgrol ma from ong po lo tsA ba. He teaches the doctrine to ‘chus pa dar brtson.
‘chus pa dar brtsonLearns doctrine from bla chung ’d zer, teaches it to ‘chus pa brtson seng. Learns Mahāmudrā from zhang brtsun rgyal ba bkra shis, then teaches it to ‘chus pa brtson seng. His main student was ‘chus pa brtson seng
zhang brtsun rgyal ba bkra shisteaches Mahāmudrā to ‘chus pa dar brtson.
‘chus pa brtson sengLearns doctrine from ‘chus pa dar brtson, then passes it on to rog she srab ’od. Learns Mahāmudrā from ‘chus pa dar brtson, then teaches it to rog shes rab ‘od. His main teachere was ‘chus pa dar brtson, and his main student, rog shes srab ’od (although he is listed as teaching other members of the lineage as well).
Rog she srab ‘odConsidered one of the great scholars of the tradition according to this chapter. From the lists of teachings and initiations in the chapter, it seems that his main teacher was ‘chus pa brtson seng. He had other teachers, including khu sgom jo dga’, from whom he learned Mahamudra, ‘chus pa brtson ‘grus seng ge, and rog ston btsan po.
Śivaclosely associated with Tārā Khasarpaṇa (a form of Avalokiteśvara)
khu sgom jo dga’one of rog she srab ‘od’s teachers.
‘chus pa brtson ‘grus seng geone of rog she srab ‘od’s teachers, also the son of ‘chus pa.
rog ston btsan poa teacher of the first lineage.
Kun bzangsthe name of an ācārya
Ka ba can paBorn 1125. He provides kun bzangs with the "Lineage of Meaning" (don brgyud).
The Wife of ka ba can paprovides kun bzangs with the "Lineage of Meaning"
zhal gnyis ma 

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