Tsong Khapa Destiny Fulfilled

Destiny Fulfilled

Tsong Khapa’s Education As A Song of Realization

OM! May all be happy and well!

I bow to the feet of the kind Guru,

Root of all good fortune,

And of the Holy Wisdom Treasure, Manjushri,

Who are the eye to see the liberation of enlightenment

And even all ascendance in the world,

And who are the place of recuperation

From the weary wandering in the roads of life!

When one’s efforts still are slight,

It is said to be best to congratulate others’ virtues

In order to gather the momentous stores (of merit and wisdom)

And one feels an even greater joy, especially,

When free of claims to one’s own past virtues,

Thinking “increase past virtues ever more,”

In order to live up to the impact of the Victor’s teaching,

Also see in many other dire necessities-

It is excellent, O my mind, when you feel such joy!

First, I sought out often extensive learning,

Then all teachings dawned as trainings,

Finally, I practiced all day and all night,

Completely dedicated to spread the Teaching!

Thinking this over, how well my destiny saw fulfilled!

Thanking you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

I. Quest of Extensive Learning

If the darkness that hides the basis of right and wrong

Is not illuminated by the lamp of true learning,

You cannot know even the path; not to speak of

Entrance into the supreme city of liberation!

Therefore, not satisfied with partiality and rough ideas,

I trained carefully in all the treatises of the Invincible Lord of Dharma,

And of those (great sages) widely renowned in India

As the “Six Ornaments” and the “Two Superiors.”

Thinking this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Page 2

Especially for an egocentric person, the sole door

For determining the precise reality of things

Is the treatise on valid reasoning; so with many efforts

I studied its crucial points again and again.

Thinking this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Though I had worked hard on the treatises of Sutra and Tantra

And I was practicing and teaching the impact of the profound,

I saw that my view had not advanced far beyond

The view that has learned nothing and nothing knows.

So then I studied thoroughly all the essential keys

That bring out the authentic view, which I found

On the path of subtle philosophy that examines the profound,

Especially in the scientific treatises of Nagarjuna;

And I resolved all my doubts completely!

Thinking this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

It is said that “there are two vehicles

For the journey to perfect enlightenment,

The Transcendence Vehicle and the deep Vajra Vehicle;

And the Secret Tantras are very much superior

To the Vehicle of the Transcendences!”

This is as well known as sun and moon.

Yet there are those, weighty with pretended wisdom,

Who while verbally asserting the truth of that saying,

Make no inquiry into that vehicle of the profound!

If such as they are supposed to be intelligent,

How could anyone else ever be thought dumb?

Alas! It is amazing that any should repudiate

Such an unexcelled path, so hard to come across!

Therefore, I entered that deep treasury of twin accomplishments,

The supreme vehicle of the Victors, the Vajra Vehicle,

More rare even than the Buddhas;

And I worked hard at it, and studied it long.

Thinking this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Than you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Seeing clearly that if I did not understand

The methods of the paths of the three lower Tantras,

My decision that the Unexcelled Yoga Tantra is best of all,

Would be no more than an unsupported assertion,

Page 3

So I inquired deeply into the general and specific

Three types of Action Tantra, such as Samanya Vidhiramguhyatantra,

Susidhi, the Subahupariprccha, and the Dhyanottara.

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Among the second class Practice Tantras,

I studied the main Tantra, Vairocanabhisambodhi,

And I ascertained thoroughly the precise orientation

Of all the Practice Tantras.

Among the third class Yoga Tantras,

I studied the main Tantra, the glorious Tattvasamgraha

And its explanatory Tantras such as Vajrashekhara,

And I enjoyed the banquet of the Yoga Tantras!

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Among the fourth class Unexcelled Yoga Tantras,

I studied the Root Tantras and Explanatory Tantras

Of the Father Tantra Shri Guhya Samaja,

Renowned as sun and moon among the Indian sages;

And of the Yogini Tantras such as Samvara and Hevajra,

And the Kalachakra, Tantra of the Champions,

Whose method differs from other Sutras and Tantras,

Along with its commentary, the Vimalaprabha.

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

II. All Teachings Dawn as Training

With a firm, intense, and enduring faith in Manjushri,

Best at banishing the darkness from the disciple’s mind,

I prayed that all the teachings might dawn as training,

And I applied myself to all the requisite conditions.

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Working in that way, I found a special certainty

In the stages of the path of enlightenment,

The tradition descended from Nagarjuna and Asanga,

And the Transcendent Wisdom, best book on the profound,

Dawned as a practical training.

Page 4

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

In this northern land, many speak out in unison,

Whether they have studied the logical texts or not,

“There is no stage of practice of the path to enlightenment

In the Pramanasamuccaya and the Seven Branch Treatises.”

But one should take as authoritative the direct revelation

Granted by Manjushri to Dignaga, saying explicitly that

“This book will in the future become the eye for all beings!”

Thus seeing that (the above view) was absolutely wrong,

And especially investigating deeply the procedure therein,

And I developed a deep-seated conviction

About the import of the dedication of Pramanasamuccaya;

That the Lord, as the personification of reason,

Is authoritative for the seeker of liberation,

Because of (his unerring description) of evolution and cessation,

And that therefore His Teaching is the only haven

For those who would be free. And I found a special joy

In getting clear all keys of the paths of both vehicles

By studying them in combination on the path of reasoning.

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Then through the hard, methodical work of interconnecting

The Bodhisattvabhumi and the Mahayanasutralamkara,

All the treatises of the Invincible Dharma Lord,

And those following them, arose as practical training.

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Especially, depending on the Shikshasamuccaya,

Which grants certainty about all the essentials of the path

By arranging the profound and magnificent scriptures in states,

I saw clearly as stages of practice the many meanings

Of the best treatises of Nagarjuna such as Sutrasamuccaya.

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Then, relying on Buddhaguhya’s lucid practical instructions

On the Dhyanottara, and Vairocanabhisambodhi,

All the keys of the path dawned well as training.

Page 5

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

Seeing how the essentials of the path of the Shri Tattvasamgraha

Are contained in the three samadhis, and realizing

How hard to fathom is the way of meditation on that profound import

I relied on the great Pandit Buddhaguhya’s correct explanation

Integrating the Root, Explanatory, and Combined Yoga Tantras,

And on the Stages of Meditation’s proper explanations

Of the profound practices of the three Tantra classes;

And the confusion in my mind was dispelled!

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

The ultimate of all eloquent teachings of the Sage

Is the glorious Unexcelled Yoga Tantra,

And among them the most unutterably profound

Is the king of Tantras, the Glorious Guhyasamaja

The supreme philosopher Nagarjuna said about it

That “the essentials of the path of the Root Tantra

Are sealed therein by the six limits and the four ways,

And thus they must be understood following the Guru’s instructions

In accordance with the Explanatory Tantras.”

Holding that fact as essential, I inquired deeply

Into all the subtleties of the Holy tradition of the Samaja,

The ultimate private instructions contained in the Five Stages,

The Lamp of Concentrated Practice, and the Stages of Arrangements, etc.

Relying on their lamp-like illumination of the Root Tantra,

Combining the five great Explanatory Tantras

I practiced with enormous efforts.

With practice I discovered all the essentials

Of the Samaja’s two stages in general,

And especially the essentials of the perfection stage.

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

By the power of that, the essential imports of many Tantras,

Such as Samvara, Hevajra, and Kalachakra,

Dawned in my mind as practical trainings.

I have explained these fully elsewhere,

This just opens the door for discerning.

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Page 6

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

III. Constant Practice and Total Dedication

Thus having become filled with the treasure of instructions,

I practiced by combining the two Mahayana paths,

The ordinary path (of the Transcendences),

And the two stages of the extraordinary path,

Into a complete path of concentrated essentials.

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

“All the Ganges Rivers of the vows of the Bodhisattvas

Are contained within the vow to uphold the Holy Dharma”

Thus whatever base of virtue I accumulated,

All was dedicated to the spread of Buddha’s Teaching!

When I think this over, how well my destiny was fulfilled!

Thank you so very much, O Holy Wisdom Treasure!

In order to extend enormously my own virtue

And to show the entrance without error in a way appropriate

To the many fortunate persons of clear discernment,

I wrote this record of my education.

By the mass of virtues thus attained,

May all beings, through this same procedure,

Maintain the unexcelled discipline of the Buddha,

And enter the path that pleases all the Victors!

Colophon:

Written by Easten Bhikshu Tsong Khapa Lo Sang Drag pay pal,

At the Triumph of Virtue Monastery on Nomad Mountain, with

Kabshipa Rin-chen pal as scribe.

From The Life and Teachings of Tzong Khapa.

Published by Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.

Translated by Alex Belzin, Sherpa Tuiku, and Glen Mullen.

Source: http://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/advice/pdf/DestinyFulfilleddogchudunlegma.pdf

Destiny Fulfilled, Ganden Lhagyama - the Guru Yoga of Jetsun Manjunatha Tsongkhapa

Related Websites: www.tsongkhapa-lamrim.com

(NOTE: Numerous corrections and enhancements have been made under Shastra tradition and "Fair Use" by an Anonymous Buddhist Monk Redactor (Compiler) of this Online Buddhist Encyclopedia Compilation)

Primary Original Source: The Tripitaka Sutra, Shastra and Vinaya teachings
(as found in the scripture storehouse of the Indian Sanskrit-Siddham, Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese traditions of the Nalanda Tradition of ancient Nalanda University) of Shakyamuni Buddha, and his Arya Sagely Bodhisattva Bhikshu Monk and Upasaka disciples.

These Good and Wise Advisors (Kaliyanamitra) Dharma Master teachers include Arya Venerables Nagarjuna, Ashvaghosha, Aryasura, Kumarajiva, Shantideva, Chandrakirti, Chandragomin, Vasubandhu, Asanga, Hui Neng, Atisha, Kamalashila, Dharmarakshita, Tsong Khapa, Thogme Zangpo, Patanjali, Sushruta, Charaka, Vagbhata, Nichiren, Hsu Yun, Hsuan Hua, Shen Kai, Tenzin Gyatso, Kyabje Zopa, Ajahn Chah, Vasant Lad, and other modern day masters. We consider them to be in accord with Master Hsuan Hua’s "Seven Guidelines for Recognizing Genuine Teachers"

Nalanda Online University's teachings are based especially on the Dharma Flower Lotus Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Shurangama Sutra, the Ksitigarbha Sutra, the Bhaisajya Guru Sutra, the Dharani Sutra, the Vajra Sutra, the Prajna Paramita Hridayam Sutra, the Guhyasamaja, the Kalachakra and their commentaries (shastras) by the above Arya Tripitakacharya Dharma Masters.

At Nalanda Online University we practice daily and introduce you to (via downloadable multimedia MP3 audio and WMV video lectures) the teachings and practices of the Five Traditions transmitted by the Buddha Shakyamuni:

1. Teaching School (Mahayana Sutrayana - Paramitayana - Hua Yan and Tian Tai, Yogachara, Nalanda Prasangika Madhyamika, Theravada Sutta)

See also: Tripitaka (1. Sutras, 2. Vinaya, 3. Shastras or Abhidharma, or Tantra), Taisho Catalog Numbering System, Dharma, and names of individual sutras (such as Shurangama Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra [Flower Adornment Sutra], Lotus Sutra [Wonderful Dharma Flower Sutra], Earth Store Sutra, Dharani Sutra, Brahma Net Sutra, Medicine Master Buddha Sutra, Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, Sutra in 42 Sections, Sutra on the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching, et al.

2. Moral Regulations School (Vinaya Pratimoksha Shila - Bodhisattva Pranidhana - Vajrayana-Samaya - Yogic Yama)

3. Esoteric School (Vajrayana - Mantrayana - Tantrayana - Dharani - Secret School of the Mahayana)

4. Meditation School (Indian Dhyana Samadhi - Shamatha - Vipassana, Chinese Chan, Japanese Zen,
        Tibetan Mahamudra of Kagyupa, and Tibetan Dzogchen of Nyingmapa)

5. Pure Land Devotional School (Bhakti Puja - Buddha-Bodhisattva Mindfulness and Nama Japa --
         Name Recitation of Buddhas Amitabha-Amitayus, Medicine Buddha - Bhaisajya Guru - Akshobhya,
         and Bodhisattvas: Avalokiteshvara-Guanyin-Chenrezig-Mahakala, Tara, Samantabhadra Universal Worthy,
         Manjushri-Kalarupa Great Wisdom, Maitreya Great Loving-Kindness, Mahasthamaprapta Great Strength,
         Ksitigarbha - Earth Store Great Vows, Vajrapani, Vajrasattva,
         Chandraprabha Moonlight Radiance, Suryaprabha Sunlight Radiance, Medicine King Bodhisattva, Medicine Superior Bodhisattva
         and others Dharma Protecting Dharmapala Lokapala Bodhisattvas, Gods and Goddesses)

Compilation Sources for the Above Material on the Teachings of the Buddha:

Primary Compilation Source: Epstein, Ronald B., Ph.D, compiler, Buddhist Text Translation Society's Buddhism A to Z, Burlingame, California: Buddhist Text Translation Society, 2003. ISBN: 0881393533 Paperback: 284 pages. www.BTTSOnline.org www.Amazon.com
http://www.bttsonline.org/product.aspx?pid=118 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881393533/ref=ase_medicinebuddh-20

Secondary Compilation Source: The Seeker’s Glossary of Buddhism, 2nd ed., San Francisco, California: Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada, 1998: www.budaedu.org.tw

Secondary Compilation Source: Muller, Charles, editor, Digital Dictionary of Buddhism [DDB], Toyo Gakuen University, Japan, 2007: Username is "guest", with no password.
http://buddhism-dict.net/ddb - Based in large part on the Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms with Sanskrit and English Equivalents (by Soothill and Hodous) Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass, 1997.

Secondary Compilation Source: Ehrhard, Diener, Fischer, et al, The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen, Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, 1991. 296 pages. ISBN 978-0-87773-520-5 www.Shambhala.com, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0877735204/ref=ase_medicinebuddh-20,
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-0-87773-520-5.cfm

The Dharma is a Priceless Jewel,
thus these research compilations
and audio and video teaching materials are
offered free-of-charge by this anonymous Buddhist Monk
for the Bodhi Resolve benefit of All Sentient Beings in the Universe...

...under a Creative Commons License.

The rights to textual segments ("quoted, paraphrased, or excerpted") of the are owned by the author-publisher indicated in the brackets next to each segment and are make available and commented on (under the "shastra tradition") under Fair Use. For rights regarding the Buddhist "Encyclopaedia - Glossary - Dictionary" compilation as a whole, please know that it is offered under this Creative Commons License.

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is redacted by an anonymous Buddhist monk
for the benefit of all living beings
so they may diligently (virya paramita) cultivate freely to
realize Bodhi enlightenment for the sake of all.

On the Buddha Shakyamuni's Birthday 2007,
this free redaction is offered (received, upheld, read, recited, studied, pondered, explained, and written out),
in accordance with the Lotus Saddharma Pundarika Sutra Chapter 19: "Merit and Virtue of a Dharma Master" as a
selfless offering to the Buddhas and Bodhisattva Sangha above to adorn the Pure Lands and
to liberate living beings suffering in samsara below by compassionately helping them to plant good roots in this and their future rebirths.

The merit is dedicated to anuttarasamyaksambodhi.

Increasing Effect Mantra:
Om Sambhara Sambhara (These Bhikshu Bodhisattva Bodhichitta Vows) Bimana Sara (Spread) Maha (Greatly) Java (Rapidly) Hum (recited 7x)

To increase by 100,000 times the merit created:
Tadyatha Om Pancha Griya (five offerings or five faces) Ava Bodhani Svaha (7x)

Om Dhuru Dhuru Jaya (Victory) Mukhe (Face or Mouth) Svaha (7x)

I Now Universally Transfer the Merit and Virtue of to All Beings to realize Anuttara-Samyak-Sam-Bodhi
(“Unsurpassed Proper and Equal Right Enlightenment”)

Sarva Mangalam.
May all be Auspicious.

Arya Bhikshu Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacharyavatara says:
Just as Manjushri works
To fulfill the aims of all limited beings
To the far reaches of space in the ten directions,
May my behavior become just like that.

For as long as space remains,
And for as long as wandering beings remain,
May I too remain for that long,
Dispelling the sufferings of wandering beings.

(Like Ananda says in the Shurangama Sutra introduction to the Shurangama Mantra,
"And even could the nature of shunyata melt away, my vajra-like Supreme Resolve would still remain unmoved.)

Whatever sufferings wandering beings might have,
May all of them ripen on me,
And through the Bodhisattva assembly,
May wandering beings enjoy happiness.

May the teachings,
the sole medicine for the sufferings of wandering beings
And the source of all happiness,
Continue to endure for a very long time,
With material support and shows of respect.

Updated May 10, 2008