The Biographies of Rechungpa: The Evolution of a Tibetan ...

The biographies 29
Tsewang Namgyal of Tatsak monastery). The title in the colophon is The Dharma
History that Illuminates [Śākya]muni’s Teaching (Chos ‘byung thub bstan gsal byed).
This text was republished in China in 1994 from one surviving manuscript. It is a
particularly important Dharma-history (chos- ’byung) as it concentrates entirely on the
various branches of the Kagyupa traditions and includes short biographies of
Rechungpa 116 and his lineage holders. 117
Tsewang Gyal used the second Shamarpa’s text (or an identical text) as a source for
there is a passage at the beginning of Rechungpa’s biography that is identical to one in
Clouds of Blessings. 118
In the colophon, Tsewang Gyal states that he collected whatever histories he could
find over many years. 119 As his principal source, he relied upon Chen-nga’s (sPyan-snga)
The Dharma History that is a Thousand Lights that Open the Eyes (Chos’byung Mig-
’byed ‘od-stong). Tsewang Gyal spent far longer on revision than on the completion of
the first draft.
In the fire-tiger year (1446) I compiled all the histories of the precious
Kagyu that I could find and [this] faithful supplication by others and
myself was completed in the first month of the Rabjung (rab-byung) year
(1447)… Revision and correction of this [text], The Dharma History that
Illuminates [Śākya]muni’s Teaching, was completed in the third day of
the waning moon in the fifth month of the sheep year (1451). 120
Möntsepa: The Golden Garland of the Kagyu
(bKa’-brgyud gSer- ’phreng)
Author: Möntse Kunga Palden (Mon-rtse Kun-dga’ dPal-ldan) (1408–75), a.k.a
Möntsepa (Mon-rtse-pa). Date: circa 1450–75.
From the ‘eastern’ or ‘upper’ (sTod) lineage of the Drukpa Kagyu, which was founded
by Götsangpa Gönpo Dorje (rGod-tshang-pa mGon-po rDo-rje, 1189–1258) there
branched the Bara Kagyu (‘Ba’-ra bKa’-brgyud), founded by Barawa (‘Ba’-ra-ba, 1310–
91). Möntsepa Kunga Pal (Mon-rtse-pa Kun-dga’-dpal, circa 1408–75) was a member of
this lineage.
Möntsepa includes a biography of Rechungpa, entitled The Life of the Venerable
Rechung Dorje Drak (rJe-btsun Ras-chung rDo-rje Grags kyi rnam-par-thar-pa) in his
history of the Bara Kagyu (‘Ba’-ra bKa’-brgyud). 121 Möntsepa was a member of this
branch of the Drukpa Kagyu. He includes a biography of Rechungpa between those of
Milarepa and Gampopa. He appears to rely upon Gyadangpa or his source, repeating its
structural division of the life-story into two parts (1) Hardship in connection with the
family and (2) Experience connected to meditation.