Great Perfection.pdf

the legend of vairocana 29
dàki»ìs. May this work be encountered by those who have extinguished
their defilement and (wish) to end their saásàric lives!” The motive of the
fabrication seems to be the desire to glorify Vairocana’s life by the idea
that it was not only in India that Vairocana met the masters of the doctrine,
but also in China, and thus his accomplishment in obtaining all the
instructions in the doctrine that existed. Moreover, what is implied by this
piece is also the wish on the part of its author to indicate the possible
existence of the doctrine in China and thus the connection between the
doctrine and the Ch’an.
Vairocana returns from China to Tsha-ba-rong and sees g.Yu-sgra (who in
fact had already left for Tibet and has not yet returned) and gives him the
instructions which he obtained from the Chinese masters (f. 106b1–107a5).
This is another insertion, because it simply does not fit in the sequence
of the story.
g.Yu-sgra arrives in bSam-yas. He is justly taken to be a foreigner (mtha’ mi)
and so has some difficulties in communication. He meets gNyags Jñànakumàra
who invites him to his dwelling place and then hears all the news of
Vairocana. gNyags immediately asks him for instructions in the doctrine.
g.Yu-sgra then meets Vimalamitra, but the two foreign masters clash, each
claiming to have some royal connection in their own countries. There ensues
a debate and other contests between them, but finally they come to terms.
Both masters then begin to teach (f. 107a5–111a5).
Having restored the fame of Vairocana in Tibet again, g.Yu-sgra leaves
Tibet for Tsha-ba-rong. On the way, he meets several Tibetans to whom he
preaches and who later become famous masters of the Klong sde trend, like
sBam Sangs-rgyas mgon-po. g.Yu-sgra arrives back in Tsha-ba-rong and
Vairocana is pleased to see his loyal, industrious and courageous disciple who
has successfully prepared for Vairocana’s return to Tibet. Vairocana now
envisages returning to his own country at last. But meanwhile Vimalamitra
also requests the royal house to invite Vairocana back from Tsha-ba-rong.
Three messengers are sent and they meet Vairocana, but he refuses to travel
with them. He announces his return to the royal family and the people, who
are reluctant to let him go. Vairocana promises them that he will come back
once more and leaves his disciple sBam Sangs-rgyas mgon-po in his place to
teach. Vairocana finally takes his leave with g.Yu-sgra. On the way, they
come across sBam Mi-pham mgon-po who becomes a disciple of Vairocana.
They arrive at bSam-yas at a time when the Tibetans are observing the
mourning of the death of Mu-ne btsan-po, one of the sons of Queen dMarrgyan.
Vairocana is effusively welcomed by the royal family, ministers and
the monks of bSam-yas (f. 111a6–118b2).
Vairocana joins once again with the pa»∂itas and lo-tsà-ba in the work of
translation in sGra-bsgyur-gling. He makes translations of various texts. In the
translator’s colophon of the sùtras he wrote his name as Ye-shes-sde; in the
case of the tantras, Vairocana; in the case of Bon texts, Gan-jag thang-ta;
in the case of texts on astrology, Indravairo; in the case of texts on medicine,
Chos-’bar (f. 118b2–120b4).