Chapter 1 - Shri System (x): Bsod nams bzang po

After his ordination, he became, in general, the chief among the holders of the moral code till his death, and, in particular, he observed throughout his life the vow of staying on one mat (i.e. Taking food without rising from one’s seat), and abstaining from meat, without complaining of old age.

As regards his knowledge, he attended on many scholars, such as nya dbOn po kun dga’ pa and others. He became very learned in the Pitaka of the Suutras, headed by the Vinaya of the Holy Doctrine. In the Tantras, (he was especially) learned in the Śrī Kālacakra Tantra. The Master of philosophical debates and great scholar g. Yag brugs sangs rgyas dpal, and others were unable to defeat him.

He had vision of numerous tutelary deities and was endowed with a transic meditation of the Sampannakrama degree of the Sadaṅga yoga, and others.

He was the chief disciple of the Dharmasvamin phyogs las rnam par rgyal ba (the bo don paṇ chen). At the age of 80, signs of death having manifested themselves, he practised pranayama^[1] for one month and succeeded in prolonging his life.

The year of his birth was the year, Iron Female Serpent (Rags mo sbrul 1341 A.D.). He passed away painlessly at the age of 93 in the year Water Female Ox (chu moglan 1433 A.D.).

His disciples included the Dharmasvamin de bzhin gshegs pa, mthong pa don ldan and others. Numerous scholars gathered round him, similar to bees around a flower. Among them smra ba’i seng ge rong ston and others.

His (present) wealth: Vaiśravanna used to assist him at will. All great men, such as dbang grags pa rgyal mtshan, used to place his foot on their heads, Śri Vanaratna (nags kyi rin chen) siddheŚvara (grub pa’i dbang phyug) used to say He is the best yogin in Tibet!

Such a great kalyanamitra bestowed the precepts of Ārya Avalokiteśvara on bsod nams dar the mahā Ārya sthavira. He also observed the pure vows of an ordained monk. A Mental Creative Effort towards Enlightenment was born in him. He was the chief among those who are satisfied with little and lived contentedly. He used to propitiate continuously Ārya Avalokiteśvara.

There were many monks who followed after him. Nowadays they are divided into two groups known as the dbus ‘phags^[2] and gtsang ‘phags^[3] . Small groups consisting of ten or fifteen monks, the smallest consisting of five, were found in dags po and kong po, at dbus and g. Yor, in south and north la stod. They benefited greatly the Doctrine.

The Chapter on the Lineage of the system of dpal mo (Laksmi) of the Cycle of Avalokiteśvara.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

breath control, rlun sbyor {R}

[2]:

saints of dbus {R}

[3]:

Saints of gtsang {R}