The Treasury of Knowledge: Book One: Myriad Worlds

"The Treasury of Knowledge excellently presents the entire corpus of the sutra and mantra traditions from the paths of the common sciences all the way up to the uncommon Great Perfection or Atiyoga, which is the culmination of the nine vehicles."

—H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche

Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé was one of the leading scholars of the nineteenth century. He broke through sectarian constraints and achieved a deep understanding of the different philosophical approaches in Tibet. I have no doubt that by studying Kongtrul’s works readers will be inspired to emulate his great qualities of humility, dedication, patience, and nonsectarianism.

—H.H. the Dalai Lama

This work provides key insights into the construction of mandalas and Buddhist ideas about the phenomenal universe(s), and the introduction offers a wealth of historical background. As such, no one with a serious interest in Tibetan Buddhism or South Asian cosmologies can afford to be without it.

—Altar Magazine

"Upon seeing The Treasury of Knowledge, the first Khyentse Rinpoche (a contemporary of Lodrö Thayé) said that it was so inclusive of all knowledge that it did not seem to be composed by a human being but must have been written through the blessing of the dakinis."

—Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

ABOUT THE BOOK

In Tibetan religious literature, Jamgön Kongtrul’s Treasury of Knowledge in ten books stands out as a unique, encyclopedic masterpiece embodying the entire range of Buddhist teachings as they were preserved in Tibet. This first book of The Treasury which serves as a prelude to Kongtrul’s survey describes four major cosmological systems found in the Tibetan tradition—those associated with the Hinayana, Mahayana, Kalachakra, and Dzog-chen teachings. Each of these cosmologies shows how the world arises from mind, whether through the accumulated results of past actions or from the constant striving of awareness to know itself.

JAMGÖN KONGTRUL (1813–1899) was a versatile and prolific scholar. He has been characterized as a Tibetan Leonardo because of his significant contributions to religion, education, medicine, and politics.

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The Treasury of Knowledge

Book One: Myriad Worlds

Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé

KALU RINPOCHÉ TRANSLATION GROUP

under the direction of Ven. Bokar Rinpoché

Snow Lion

Boston and London

2013

Snow Lion

An imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Horticultural Hall

300 Massachusetts Avenue

Boston, Massachusetts 02115

www.shambhala.com

© Tsadra Foundation

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without prior written permission from the publisher.

Drawing of Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé by Robert Beer

The Library of Congress catalogued the previous edition of this book as follows:

Koṅ-sprul Blo-gros-mtha’-yas, 1813-1899.

[Śes bya mthá yas pa’i rgya mtsho. English. Selections]

Myriad worlds: Buddhist cosmology in Abhidharma, Kālacakra, and Dzog-chen/Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé; translated and edited by the International Translation Committee founded by Kalu Rinpoché.

   p.      cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

eISBN 978-1-5593-9882-4

ISBN 1-55939-033-6

1. Koṅ-sprul Blo-gros-mtha’-yas, 1813-1899. Śes bya kun khyab. 2. Buddhism—China—Tibet—Doctrines. 3. Buddhist cosmology. I. Title. II. Title: Śes bya mtha’ yas pa’i rgya mtsho.

BQ7632. K66213  1995

294.3’424—dc20

94-24741

CIP

Contents

Publisher’s Note

Foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Preface

Translators’ Introduction

Root Verses from The Encompassment of All Knowledge

Prologue

Introduction

Overview of The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge

Myriad Worlds

Appendix: Outline of the Text

Glossary of Technical Terms

Glossary of Names

Abbreviations

Notes

Bibliography of Works Cited

Reference Bibliography

Index

E-mail Sign-Up

Publisher’s Note

This book contains diacritics and special characters. If you encounter difficulty displaying these characters, please set your e-reader device to publisher defaults (if available) or to an alternate font.

Foreword

by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Kongtrul Yönten Gyatso or Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé was one of the leading scholars of the nineteenth century to break through sectarian constraints and achieve a deep understanding of the different philosophical approaches in Tibet. In his autobiography he tells how, at the age of thirty-six, he received the Kālacakra Tantra and many other teachings from Jamyang Kyentsé Wangpo. This was the turning point in his career.

Afterwards he said, "Nowadays, even well-known lamas and geshés have only a partial understanding of a few texts of their own system of tenets. Apart from that they have little insight, appreciation or comprehensive understanding of the variety of the Buddha’s teachings. Most people have little familiarity with the teachings and often do not remain impartial. Those in positions of power, despite lacking the eye of Dharma, speak forcefully of the superiority or inferiority of a particular teaching. Not to speak of appreciating other systems, they are apprehensive even of their own system. They are as full of suspicion as a blind yak that runs from its own imagined fears.

In my own case too, although I cherished the Dharma wholeheartedly, I was not mentally strong enough to make my own decisions. Consequently, I was unable to fulfill my aspirations. But from this time on, the lotus of unbiased devotion towards the wide variety of teachings and their teachers blossomed and my understanding gradually developed. Thus, my not having committed the heinous deed of discarding the Dharma is due only to the kindness of this precious lama.

It is worth noting here that to be sectarian in the sense of exclusively dedicating yourself to the study and practice of one particular school is not necessarily a negative thing. Most Tibetan lamas train in this way. This is positive sectarianism. Negative sectarianism is to follow one tradition exclusively, while looking down on other traditions.

I have no doubt that by studying Kongtrul’s works readers will be inspired to emulate his great qualities of humility, dedication, patience and nonsectarianism. Therefore, I congratulate the International Buddhist Translation Committee at Samdrup Dargyé Chöling Monastery for preparing this English translation of the first four chapters of Kongtrul’s Sheja Kunkhyab.

V.V. Kalu Rinpoché

Preface

Myriad Worlds is the first of ten books contained within the major treatise The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge (Shes bya mtha’ yas pa’i rgya mtsho), which itself is a commentary on the root verses The Encompassment of All Knowledge (Shes bya kun khyab). The author of the work is Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé, an outstanding scholar of nineteenth-century Tibet. The English translation of this work has been conducted by an international group of translators inspired and organized by the Venerable Kalu Rinpoché, founder of the project and himself a recognized incarnation of Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé.

Kalu Rinpoché’s life and work have given spiritual inspiration and insight to people throughout the world. Born in Tibet in 1905, he spent the early part of his life studying Buddhist philosophy and practicing meditation under the tutelage of the greatest teachers of his day. He mastered their teachings through many arduous years of intensive meditation in retreat; first the traditional three-year, three-month retreat, and then a solitary period of twelve years spent in remote caves in the Tibetan mountains. After leaving Tibet in the 1950s, Kalu Rinpoché worked tirelessly to provide spiritual guidance to others. He first taught in Bhutan and India, and later became instrumental in spreading the teachings of the Buddha to all corners of the world.

Although Kalu Rinpoche’spoke only Tibetan, persons of all cultures were profoundly touched by his words. His compassionate concern for the welfare of people from all races and cultures was completely open and impartial. Though ordained as a monk in a religious tradition that was once dominated by men, he consistently treated men and women with equal respect. He shared the treasure trove of Buddhist meditation with everyone and encouraged all people to regard those precious teachings as their own. Although he spent his life practicing and teaching Buddhism, he always showed sincere respect for all religious traditions. Some people considered him to be a special, extraordinary individual, but it was his directness, simplicity, warmth, humor, and boundless concern for others that most deeply touched those who met him.

The translation of The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge, a text that touches on every topic within the range of Buddhist knowledge, is one of Kalu Rinpoché’s most ambitious projects, for which he requested translators, scholars, and meditation masters of the various Tibetan traditions to work together. Kalu Rinpoché explained the importance of this work as follows:

The world is currently experiencing unprecedented material development and the discovery of new scientific knowledge, creating good fortune and well-being for everyone. At such a time as this, the unsurpassable wisdom of Buddhism can bring immense happiness and benefit to humanity. This wisdom is contained in the great treatise The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge, written by Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé (1813-1899), the nonsectarian master of all Buddhist teachings whose life was prophesied by the Buddha. If this great work is translated into English, the nature of all existence and nirvana will appear as vividly as a reflection in a clear mirror in the minds of the most learned people in the world, as though the expanse of their understanding were illuminated with sunlight.

It was his wish that the completion of the English translation would lay the foundation for the translation of this text into many other languages. During the winters of 1988 and 1989, Rinpoché invited his students from many countries to gather at Bodhgaya, the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment, for three-month sessions of translation. He then encouraged the participants to continue their work full-time at his main seat, Samdrup Dargyé Chöling Monastery, in Sonada, West Bengal.

Rinpoché passed away in May of 1989, dying exactly as he had lived, his mind perfectly calm and clear in the radiant peace of meditation. Shortly before his death, he expressed his deep hope that this project would be continued and completed. He entrusted this responsibility to his spiritual heir, the Venerable Bokar Rinpoché, and to his personal secretary and nephew, Lama Gyaltsen Ratak. Under their direction, a small committee of core translators has striven to complete this project as Rinpoché intended. These persons have been the joyful witnesses to the return to this world of the reincarnate Kalu Rinpoché, born as the son of Kalsang Drolkar and Lama Gyaltsen Ratak on September 17, 1990. He currently resides at his monastery in Sonada, where he occasionally appears at the translators’ house, as though to check on the progress of the work.

About the Translation

Venerable Kalu Rinpoché originally suggested three principles to follow in the translation of this work: literal, accurate, and accessible. He felt that our efforts should be aimed at translating the actual text into English (tshig bsgyur—translating the words) rather than at interpreting the text in English (don bsgyur—translating the meaning). Secondly, he was more interested in an accurate translation than one that sacrificed accuracy for elegance. Finally, he encouraged us to use a vocabulary that would be accessible to the average educated reader rather than a highly technical vocabulary that depended on prior training in Buddhist or East Asian studies. Reasonable and sensible as these principles are, we found that they sometimes conflicted with each other. We found ourselves forced to make choices and compromises with these aims for reasons outlined below. The reader will ultimately decide the extent to which our endeavors have been successful.

The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge is a compilation that draws on a variety of texts—scriptures (sūtras and tantras), treatises (śāstras), and works by Tibetan scholars and masters. Not only do the styles of the source texts differ, but context and meaning vary so widely that a given Tibetan term cannot be translated by the same English word throughout. The aim of a strictly lexical or literal translation thus received its first blow. To follow that principle blindly would have meant significant sacrifices in both accuracy and accessibility. We have tried to maintain consistency wherever context and meaning were similar. The glossary of technical terms at the end of this volume should help the interested reader to follow our translation choices.

A second blow to the aim of literal translation came when we realized that Kongtrul’s overly condensed compilation was intended for the well-read and well-educated Tibetan reader. Kongtrul is concise to the point of being telegraphic. A literal rendering in English would have been virtually unreadable, let alone comprehensible. Thus, the translation had to be supplemented with additional words to meet the demands of reasonable syntax and grammar in English. Our aim here was to keep interpolated material to a minimum in order to preserve as much as possible the style in which Kongtrul writes.

An interpretive translation was also impractical. Several parts of the text are sufficiently complex that they exhausted both our knowledge and that of our consultants and resources. When we approached Kalu Rinpoche with these kinds of problems, he pragmatically replied, An archer can shoot his arrow only to the limits of his physical strength, no further! We have done our best to provide reasonable readings for such passages. The task of elucidating this text through commentary we have left to others.

With a few exceptions, we have rendered Sanskrit and Tibetan technical terms into English. The absence of foreign words in the translated text increases its accessibility to the reader. We also feel that important names and terms need to be expressed directly in English and not shielded by exotic and often difficult to comprehend expressions. Only in this way will these concepts and ideas truly come into our thinking and understanding. This approach led us to make significant decisions about the translation of some difficult terms. More conservative scholars and translators may well criticize these decisions but the discussion engendered by such criticism can only contribute to the further clarification of our understanding of Buddhism and how best to express it in English.

Where the subject matter is very technical, we have tried to be as precise as possible by employing terminology that in our estimation best conveys the intended meaning. We have also attempted to maintain internal consistency in the vocabulary. Less technical terms, while perhaps more accessible, would have diluted or distorted the meaning. We hope the reader will remember that philosophy is difficult in any language.

In order to capture as much of the meaning as possible and to convey it in clear English while retaining the flavor of the original, we had to refine and sharpen our own understanding of the concepts involved and the ideas expounded in the text. This refinement often led to our redoing sections of the text as we appreciated deeper levels of structure and meaning. We also had to keep an open mind and discover how to be truly sympathetic towards the author and how to appreciate his work even when the subject matter challenged our own views. This sympathy and appreciation steadily deepened in the course of the translation as we came to see more and more clearly what Kongtrul was setting out. When our own understanding failed, we relied on Tibetan commentaries and oral explanations from knowledgeable and respected scholars and lamas. These resources were indispensable in helping us to arrive at a proper understanding of this text. Some points of the text were given very different explanations by different scholars. In such cases we chose what, to us, made most sense in the context. We don’t claim to have provided a definitive rendering free from errors and freely invite the reader to point out areas where he or she feels we may have been mistaken.

Translation always involves three steps: understanding, interpretation, and transmission. As we have just outlined, we took as much care and effort as possible in arriving at a sound understanding of the text. We then balanced our own understanding and interpretations with the text itself to provide the reader with as much material as possible for his or her own interpretations yet still be reasonably clear. And finally, we endeavored to express the meaning in clear, accessible English as faithful to the original words and style as possible.

The translation was undertaken by a group, rather than by an individual. There are many advantages and disadvantages in this approach. Given the scope of Kongtrul’s scholarship, we feel that this collaborative effort was both essential and enriching. The range of viewpoints and skill present among the translators lead to a deep exchange of perspectives which certainly contributed to the quality of the final result.

Acknowledgments

At every stage of the translation of Myriad Worlds, the committee has sought the advice of Tibetan and Western scholars and meditation masters. Our sincere thanks go to Bokar Trulku Rinpoché and Kenpo Lodrö Dönyö, not only for their wisdom and patience in providing answers to our many questions but also for their continued encouragement and support; to Dodrup Chen Rinpoché, Dilgo Kyentsé Rinpoché, and Nyoshul Kenpo Rinpoché for their detailed clarification of the subject of primordial purity; to Sakya Kenpo Rinpoché, Gyaltsap Rinpoché, Zenkar Rinpoché, Tara Trulku, and Kenpo Tsultrim Gyatso for their invaluable assistance in explicating difficult points in the text; and to Pönlop Rinpoché and Karma Trinlé Rinpoché for their helpful suggestions regarding the translation.

The translation of Myriad Worlds was largely prepared by Elio Guarisco, Könchog Tenzin, Tenpa Kalsang, Peter Roberts, Sarah Harding, Ingrid McLeod, Anthony Chapman, Ngawang Zangpo and Yeshe Wangmo; research of the citations was conducted by Lydia and Olivier Brunet; and the Introduction was written by Elio Guarisco. Grateful acknowledgment is made to several other translators with whom we collaborated: Daniel Boschero, Ken McLeod, Eric Pema Kunzang, Dechen Cronin, Norbu Tsewang, Daniel Perdue, Surya Das, and Samten Zangmo. We wish to thank Susan Kyser of Snow Lion Publications, Shawn Woodyard, and Daniel Reid for their careful revision of the final English manuscript, Kristine Paknys and David Patt for their correction of the Sanskrit, Roar Vestre for his technical assistance, and the many other persons who helped in countless ways.

The committee is indebted to Lama Gyaltsen Ratak for providing us with the facilities necessary for our work over the course of several years and to the many people whose kind patronage enabled us to accomplish our task.

Above all, we are grateful to our spiritual mentor, His Eminence Kalu Rinpoché, for his original vision and continual guidance and for providing us with the opportunity to study this exceptional work.

Translators’ Introduction

Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé

Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé (Kong-sprul Blo-gros-mtha’-yas) (1813–1899) was born on the second of December, 1813, at Rong-gyab (Rong-rgyab), near Pema Lhatsé (Padma-lha-rtse), in Drida Zalmogang (’Bri-zla Zal-mo-sgang), eastern Tibet. Rong-gyab is a small hidden valley that is considered to be one of the twenty-five sacred places of eastern Tibet, a place where the enlightened activity of the Buddha family manifests. Kongtrul’s adoptive father was Sönam Pel (bSod-nams ’Phel), a lay tantric practitioner of the Bön religion, and his mother was Trashi Tso (bKra-shis ’Tsho). In his autobiography,¹ Kongtrul says that his natural father was Yungdrung Tendzin (gYung-drung bsTan’dzin), an illustrious lama of the Kyungpo, or Garuda, clan whose lineage was on the verge of becoming extinct; the continuity of such a precious lineage was ensured by the union of his mother with Yungdrung Tendzin. Kongtrul provides a lengthy account of the divine origin of the ancestors of the Kyungpo clan, whose descendants include some of the most outstanding figures of both the Buddhist and the Bönpo traditions, such as Milarepa,² Kyungpo Neljor,³ and the first Karmapa, Dusum Kyenpa⁴ among the Buddhists, and the tertön⁵ Loden Nyingpo (Blo-ldan sNying-po) and Trashi Gyaltsen (bKra-shis rGyal-mtshan) among the Bönpos.

Kongtrul’s mother had many auspicious dreams while carrying him in her womb. One night, for example, she dreamed that a raven⁶ coming from the northwest landed on the altar of her home. Other portents also indicated the greatness of the child who was about to take birth: although the harvests in the years prior to Kongtrul’s birth were poor, the crops were exceptionally abundant the year he was born.

Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé

At the age of four, Kongtrul found a meditative text on White Mañjuśrī. He imitated the monks who chanted the text and in that way was able to recite it himself while pointing at the words. His playtime pantomimes included giving empowerments, building temples, making sacrificial cakes and offering them to the guardians, and so on. Kongtrul learned the letters of the Tibetan alphabet as soon as they were shown to him.

While he was still a child, he had numerous visionary experiences. Once, while lying in his mother’s lap, he had a vision of an ascetic holding a standard and three blazing spheres. On another occasion, he dreamed of a soothsayer who made a cryptic prophecy about him; the soothsayer’s words seemed to indicate the direction of Shechen (Zhe-chen) and Pelpung (dPalspungs), the monasteries that Kongtrul would enter years later. Kongtrul mentions in his autobiography that as soon as he could think, he had great faith in Guru Rinpoché, the great master from Oddiyana who dispelled obstacles that had blocked the spread of Buddhism in Tibet. With pride, he would proclaim to the other children that he was the emanation of Guru Rinpoché. He was overjoyed when he heard that a practitioner in the area had gained recognition of the nature of the mind, and he yearned to find somebody who could teach him how to bring about this experience. He had an intense desire to recognize the dream state, and by means of the force of his desire, he actually acquired the ability to do so. In short, his childhood games, dreams, and thoughts reflected a deep propensity for the spiritual life and an innate high regard for all people.

In 1815, Sönam Lodrö (bSod-nams Blo-gros), the twenty-second abbot of Menri (sMan-ri) Monastery,⁷ visited Kongtrul’s village; he cut a tuft of his hair and named him Tendzin Yungdrung (bsTan-’dzin gYung-drung), a name that Kongtrul used until he became a monk. Kongtrul was trained in the Bön tradition by his adoptive father and by Yungdrung Puntsog (gYung-drung Phun-tshogs), the yogi and master of the Bön hermitage of Tardé (Thar-bde), close to his native area. By the age of eight, he knew all the divinities of the Bön pantheon and was proficient in the rites of Bön, but it was to the peaceful and wrathful forms of Guru Rinpoché that he was primarily attracted. Having received the appropriate instructions, he engaged in a retreat to practice the transference of consciousness, and after three days, he developed the signs that indicate the accomplishment of that practice. Soon after, he dreamed of flying in the sky with crossed legs, a dream that was to repeat itself throughout his life. Furthermore, he showed interest and skill in religious dance and painting even from his childhood. By the time he was a teenager, he already had knowledge of the identification of herbs and minerals, which he learned from Karma Puntsog (Karma Phun-tshogs). He continued this training and later became one of the best physicians and alchemists in Tibet.

Around that time, a once wealthy and highly respected family living in his area fell into miserable conditions, losing its possessions and reaching the end of its line of descendants. This dramatic change of circumstances became the teacher that revealed to Kongtrul the impermanent nature of wealth and possessions, producing in him a genuine inclination to disengage from worldly affairs. Then, around 1827, his father Sönam Pel and other kinsmen were imprisoned by the Degé (sDe-dge)⁸ authorities for alleged complicity in a political assassination. In the wake of this turmoil that reduced the area to poverty, his mother encouraged Kongtrul to enter the monastic life.

Shortly afterward, Kongtrul met Tsepel of the Kangsar family (Tshe-’phel Khang-sar-tshang), the governor of Chödé (Chossde) Fortress, who was impressed by the intellect and talents of Kongtrul and requested him to be his secretary. Once, while they were at the summer residence of the governor of Degé, Kongtrul was introduced by his patron to Jigmé Losel (’Jigsmed Blo-gsal), a teacher at Shechen (Nyingmapa) Monastery. During a conversation with the youth, the teacher was greatly impressed by Kongtrul’s knowledge of the Bön doctrine and his ability to articulate it. The teacher advised Kongtrul’s patron to send him to study at Shechen. The patron agreed and sent Kongtrul to study at Shechen with the outstanding master Gyurmé Tutob Namgyel (’Gyur-med mThu-stobs rNam-rgyal).

Although he had been trained exclusively in the Bön religion, Kongtrul did not experience any difficulty in the Buddhist environment. To test Kongtrul’s intelligence, his teacher taught him the mother-son, enemy-friend relationships of Chinese astrology,⁹ which he readily understood, demonstrating a remarkably brilliant intellect. Kongtrul was taught The Mirror of Poetry,¹⁰ a famous textbook used to teach vocabulary and composition, and he continued to study various Tibetan and Sanskrit grammars, such as the Cāndrapa, Kālapa, and Sarasvatī.¹¹ He received the empowerment of White Mañjuśrī, the deity symbolizing wisdom, and the transmission