20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

572 Alexander Fedotofffrom outside religion) did their best to stop the construction. Moreover,they did that repeatedly several times, and it seems that Padmasambhava’spatience was exhausted and he, finally, decided to use the same arms –magic – it means the sacred power of ’chams.Obviously, Padmasambhava was a unique personality.Padmasambhava’s ability to memorize and comprehend esoteric texts ina single hearing established his reputation as a master above all others.Padmasambhava also hid a number of religious treasures (termas) in lakes,caves, fields and forests of the Himalayan region to be found and interpretedby future tertöns or spiritual treasure-finders. According to Tibetan tradition,the Bardo Thödol (commonly referred to as the Tibetan Book of the Dead)was among these hidden treasures, subsequently discovered by a Tibetantertön, Karma Lingpa.In other words, Padmasambhava was a real stranger in the Landof Snow and the locals treated him almost as a god. The magic he usedin order to subdue the demons was in fact a real exorcism. Thanks to’chams, Padmasambhava converted these evil demons into protectors ofthe country. So, ’chams was the upper, the visible part (like an iceberg)of the sacred Teaching, what I mean here is the so-called Theoretical orConceptional Tantrism which at that time was totally unknown even to thehighest Tibetan Buddhist priests.Tantric cycles related to Padmasambhava are not just practiced by theNyingma, they even gave rise to a new offshoot of Bön which emergedin the 14 th century called the New Bön. Prominent figures of the Sarma(new translation) schools such as the Karmapas and Sakya lineage headshave practiced these cycles and taught them. Some of the greatest tertonsrevealing teachings related to Padmasambhava have been from the Kagyuor Sakya lineages. The hidden lake temple of the Dalai Lamas behind thePotala called Lukhang is dedicated to Dzogchen teachings and has muralsdepicting the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava. Padmasambhavaestablished Vajrayana Buddhism and the highest forms of Dzogchen inTibet and transformed the entire nation.After Padmasambhava passed away, his followers in Tibet triedto preserve ’chams ceremony and to convert it into a regular Buddhisttradition. It led to organization of ’chams ceremony in many importantTibetan monasteries. The heart of ’chams was to perform mighty deitiesand genius-protectors of Buddhism and their struggle for the Buddhistreligion. In the beginning, ’chams was a clear religious action held inside themonasteries (in the yard or even inside the building). The ’chams mysticaland magical essence was strictly kept away from any spectators and the