Great Perfection.pdf

the legend of vairocana 19
Chapter IV ( f. 21a3–24b2)
It is entitled “the history of the doctrine of non-action in the world”. It
first narrates the legends of dGa’-rab rdo-rje. In O∂∂iyàna, a king called
Dha-he-na ta-lo has a son called Thu-bo Ra-dza ha-ti (Ràjahasti) and a
daughter Bhara»ì. She becomes a nun. One day Vajrapà»i transforms
himself into a golden duck and pecks on her bosom while she is strolling
on the shore of a lake. A year later she gives birth to a boy who recites
the rDo rje sems dpa’ nam mkha’ che 6 as soon as he is born. 7 He is given the
name dGa’-rab rdo-rje. Vajrapà»i shows himself to the boy and gives him
instructions in Atiyoga and other tantric doctrines. The great pa»∂ita, ’Jamdpal
bshes-gnyen, contemporaneous with him resolves to have a debate
with him as he hears that dGa’-rab rdo-rje is a follower of rDzogs chen,
the doctrine of non-action and the doctrine that transcends all those of
Sùtrayàna and Vajrayàna. dGa’-rab rdo-rje finally overpowers ’Jam-dpal
bshes-gnyen who then becomes a disciple of the former. ’Jam-dpal bshesgnyen
then composes the rDo la gser zhun 8 as a compendium of his master’s
teachings.
Chapter V ( f. 24b2–43a2)
This is concerned with the transmission of Atiyoga through different lineages
of masters.
1. dGa’-rab rdo-rje
2. ’Jam-dpal bshes-gnyen
3. Dha-he-na ta-lo
4. Thu-bo Ra-dza ha-ti (Ràjahasti)
5. Ba-ra-ni (Bharaȓ)
6. Klu’i rgyal-po
7. gNod-sbyin-ma Byang-chub-ma
8. sMad-’tshong-ma Ba-ra-ni (Bhara»ì)
9. mKhan-po Rab-snang of Kha-che (Cashmere)
10. mKhan-po Mahàràja of O-rgyan (O∂∂iyàna)
11. Sras-mo Go-ma de-byi (Gomadevì)
6 One of the 25 rDzogs chen tantras listed in MNy, f. 370; Cf. Kaneko Nos. 9, 13.
7 This shows the existence of the idea of the virgin mother in Tibet. A similar story is
also told in Bonpo texts, see Karmay 1972, p. xxi.
8 One of the 18 Sems sde texts, see below.