the account of the prince ramagopala rgyal bu dga' byed sa skyong gi rtogs brjod

“TheAccountofthePrinceRāmagopālarGyalbudga’byedsaskyonggirtogsbrjod”byDavidTempleman.TheTibetJournal17:4(1992)

The Account of the Prince Riimagopiila rGyal bu dga' byed sa skyong gi rtugs brjod

David Templeman

INTRODUCTION

Despite its extreme brevity the text here translated seems to me to contain some interest for students of later Indian Buddhism. It offers, for example, several vignettes of life in Northern India between the years 1566 and 1575 and it adds some new data, in the form of small biographical accounts, to the precious little information to hand on the lives of some of the later siddhas of India. Taranatha's life of Buddhaguptanatha and the siddha Santigupta, the latter contained in his text bKa' babs bdun Idan are among the few outstanding examples of such siddha activity in India in the period 1500 to 1625.

However the present work is mainly of interest as a document concerning the lineage which commenced with the Mahasiddha Kr�z:iacarya in India in about the 10-I1th centuries, reaching perhaps its most glorious later heights in the person of Taranatha (1575-1634), continuing as a lineage later both in Mongolia, and Tibet. The lineage as outlined by 'Jam-thang bla-ma Ngag-dbang blo-gras gr�gs p� in his \iv-ork t'HLiLlt:u drui-idull jo-nang pa'j chosbyung. rGyal-ba'i chos-tshul gsol-byed zla-ba'i sgron-me along with their sectarian affiliation is as follows:

1. 'Bar-ba'i gtso-bo 2. Nag-po spyod-pa 3. Ra-tan bha-Ia 4. Rong-zom Chos-bzang (sNga-'gyur nzying-bka'ba) 5. Bha-rom Dar-rna dbang-phyug (Mar-pa Bha-rom bka'-brgyud)

6. 'Od-zer dpal (Shangs-pa bka'-brgyud) 7. Zhang-ston' llrug-sgra rgyal-mtshan (Rnyillg-ma-pa)

8. gNyos Lha-nang-pa Sangs-rgyas ras-chen ('Bri-gung bka'brgyud)

9. Sam-gha bha-dra (gSar-ma) 10. 'Ja-dbyangs chos-je (dGe-Iugs-pa) 11. Chos-kyi ryin-byed 12. Kun-dga' grol-mchog Uo-nang-pa) (1507-1566)

34 TI-lE nBET JOURNAL

13. dGa'.byed sa-skyong (1567-1574) 14. Kun-dga' sfling-po (TaraniHha) (jo-nang-pa) (1575-1634)

According to 'Jam-mgon Kong-sprul Blo-gro mtha' -yas the lineage starts with Nag-po spyod-pa, he spells Bha-rom-pa as 'Ba'rom-pa and give Sa-skya A-ba-dho.-ti-pa as an alternate name for 'Od-Zer-dpol. Kun-dga' grol mchog himself refers to Bha-rom/'Ba'rom-pa as 'Bab-rom-pa and Ondiir Geger the Mongolian savant refers to Kun-dga' grol-mchog by the appellation 'Jam-mgon blarna. A comparison of these lists with those of K101i.-rdol bla-ma and Taranatha for example, although beyond the scope of this presentation, would be of considerable interest in establishing this lineage, further affiliations and perhaps even dating with some greater degree of firmness.

It has long struck me as strange that this lineage which started so auspiciously in India, should for its 11th rebirth (or 12th according to the works which include 'Bar-ba'i gtso-bo as primogenitor) return, albeit briefly, io the land of its origin. Although certainly not unique its subsequent peregrinations from India to Tibet and then to Mongolia after Taranatha's demise do make it special.

At that later stage it has been suggested that, like many other reincarnations among neighboring areas, this lineage became a m�aIIS'[) '_ " _1. . -. u .. �: .• :._II .. t..� ""�� ..... 1,., �.,., .. ............. ; .... 'Crl"\ ....... t'ho 1�th

... Y WIULII LV It::'Ul Hl un::: lVlV1I5Vl."J J1w� "bUHl . .. VUl U'� ....... � . . .

and 14th centuries onwards, lineages of rebirth have frequently served to bond the minor group with, and draw it towards the center. This could occur, for example, with various "peripheral" groups, be they spiritual or political entities, wherever in fact the need was perceived. We would be unwise however to simply pass this off as "statecraft" pure and simple and might be better advised to see it on yet another example of Buddhism felicitous combination of the spiritual and the downright practical as "skill in means" in the real world.

However this rebirth in India seemed to serve no such purpose

at all. As for its subsequent re-embodiment in the person of Taranatha, it was for him looking back at it, yet another link with India, another glorious page of Buddhist history in the land of its origin, where still as late as the 17th century a viable Buddhist tantric tradition survived. This tradition was seemingly located at the peripheries of the Indian subcontinent and was represented by

PRINCE RAMAGOrALA 35

such tantalizing obscure groups as the Caryapas, the Nateshvaris and others mentioned by Taranatha for example in his biographies of Kr�l).acaya, his Indian guru Buddhaguptanatha or in his work on the major siddha lineages the bka'-babs bdull-ldull.

As the reader will note from Taranatha's hagiography of his immediate pre-embodiment, he viewed the young prince with some tenderness, and has recorded his brief life fully as possible without becoming either sentimental or overly fanciful. As to the brevity, whatever information there was had to be either recalled directly or taken from oral ao:ounts par.sed on to him by Buddhaguptanatha.

It is in fact a bit of a surprise to find out just how little of this diminutive work is actually devoted to the young Prince Ramagopala himself and how much, relatively speaking, is spent in discussing the origin of the ruling dynasty of Tripura and the lives of the siddhas who shaped the Prince's life. The structure may be briefly outlined thus:

F.IA: Title F.1B-2A, Line 1: Opening homily F.2A Line2 - F.2B Line 4: Origins of Tripura's Lunar dynasty and its

links with Orissa. F.2B Lirle 5 - fAA Lkn: J. Didl-l uf iht:: rriuLt::, nurades uemunsirated

by siddha Meghanatha at birth ceremony. Prince caused by Meghanatha to recall his immediate pre-birth as Kun-dga' grolmchog in Tibet. Visit to Rajagrha.

F.4A Line 4 - F.4B Line 3: Story of siddhas MeghanathaJJvalanatha F.4B Line 5 - F.5A Line 4: Siddha Meghanatha in conflict with the

Prince's father over the boy's return to Court. F.5A Line 5 - F.5B Line 5: Siddha Meghanatha subdues conflicting

armies near Delhi. Displays miracles and converts King irrevOClbly to Buddhism.

r .Cot) Line 6 - t'.6A Line 3: Record of the Prince and his father's pilgrimages. Homages to Prince Ramagopalas memory.

F.6A Line 4 - F.6B Line 3: Final homilies. End.

That so little can be said about the lineal link between the illustrious Kun-dga' grol-mchog of Mustang and the great savant Taranatha of Tsang is disappointing, joining as it does, two of

36 THE TIBET JOURNAL

Tibet's finest intellects, both inheritors of the mantle of the Mahasiddha KrHlacaya. However as much we may regret it, the real interest and the links between the two Lamas, may lie less in Tibet and in fact lie quite elsewhere. Indeed the information about the political conditions in India and the climate which nurtured later Indian Buddhism is possibly the core information in this work as well as the brief accounts of siddha activity so germane to the Prince's brief time in that particular body.

I wish to express my thanks to Thupten K. Rikey of the Translation Bureau of L TW A for his many valuable suggestions in the translation.

The text used is taken from The Collected Works of lo-Nall rle-btsIIIl Taranatha, Vol 12, pp.685-696 in the edition of the Smanrtsis Shesrig Dpemzod Series, Leh, Ladakh, 1985.

TEXT

[F.1A] The Account of the Prince Ranzagopala (rGyal bu dga' byed sa skyon gi rtogs brjod)

[F.lB] OM SVA STI

What is contained herein will be completely victorious over the mind full of aggression or maudlin thoughts.

Just as the glorious Sri Rati1 was created, In that very same has this completely liberating festival been wondrously bestowed.

The wafting odours of great sweetness Create a wonderful picture in all directions. Even the most vloient natured person will laugh in joy, And will smile like the very sun itself.

The wondrous tales, joined together as they are, Have been fashioned as if by a Gandharva girl. As for those who follow these many lineages, The stories will become a veritable nectar for their ears!

PRINCE RAMACOPALA 37

Whoever ponders deeply on the true path will be victorious by virtue of their prayers and supplications, to say nothing [F.2A] of those who, entirely unbidden, enter into the realms of virtue. Therefore one should think solely about virtue itself.

Now, it has been said that, At a certain time, as in days of yore, There arose by means of a life-bestowing nectar, a divine boy, To whom I offer every sort of religious sacrifice.

As for the Lord of Men, who was himself fully realized, He was known as Mukundayila, Holder of the four sashes. His mother was the very earth itself, holder of jewels. Whatever he attempted, he was able to accomplish. According to the edict of that learned King The illustrious diadem which radiated brilliance Like the sun rays on an eastern mountain, Was placed on the head of the Lord of Men of all areas.

Furthermore, in the lineage of the eastern land of T(r)ipura,2

a ksatriya of the Lunar dynastl meditated on Arya Avalokitesavra4

fr"',.. .... ..... o .. ;,....�,.... .... ;v ........ n ...... t..,.. "' ..... ..J _� _ _ ,,� • • 1 .. T _1_�,,;_._ •. _5 _ __ _ " .. J ....... ... y ....... ..., ..... '._H "L"I. HIUlll.-ll�, ClllU a.., a 1�"'Wl LUl\.c..,vc:ua dppt:dlt:U

as a brahmin in a dream before him and asked, "What do you desire?". The k�atriya lad begged him, "0 Arya, both my Lunar caste members and l, all of us indeed, humbly submit to you that wish to grasp the reins of temporal power."

The Arya replied, "In the world there are a few enough people with real merit. However you may become a lineage-holder for a period of fifteen generations only." Having said [F.2B] that he then became invisible.

Then in the morning , in order to pay his homage to the Arya, the kSatriya boy made preparations to go to the deity Khasarpal).i, 6

and there he made his offerings.

Now at that particular time in the south-eastern part of the land, the brahmins of O<;l(iv)isa7 said, "We were truly happy during the


reign of the previous King but now because of various dissentions, we have become most unhappy, and we are searching widely for a new King." They went off into many areas looking, and finally abducted that same kSahiya boy who had come to pay his homage to KhasarpaDi.

They installed him on the lion-throne and duly invested him. He became known as Agamaraja. When his lineage had reached the eighth generation, King Mukunda Deva8 arose and started to exert his sway over the lands of Ogisa, Ghahura, 9 Bagala, 1O Boga,B Jarikanda, 12 and KalingaY His control lasted a long time, and with his powerful armed forces, he brought under his control the kingdom known as Trilinga 14 Most of the population of Madhyadesa became his subjects too. He became known as King HastinanathaI6

The second of that king, who was named Ramabarhari, was master of the areas of Magadha, 17 Mathura18 and Prayag19 He had as one of his sons, a nirmal).a form of the Mahasiddha Kal).ha,20 who had prumised that by the fearlessness of truth he would receive the rebirth of the Holy Lama Kun dga' grol mchog,21 or so it is said.

ash smeared yogin came to the top floor of the palace. Even though he was alone he took up the full breadth of the corridor. He started to make his own offerings, and [F.3AJ the household brahmins considered that this yogin was quite impure. They said, "As for yogins, in the twelve-fold classification of beings, their actions are said to be somewhat abnormal. For such a one to take delight at all in our performance which is karmically pure, such as this yogin is doing, appears to be quite unsuitable. This yogin should not even be allowed here!" At that both the yogin and the sacrificial items becanle invisible. The brahnlins asked each other whether he was a human being or a non-human spirit, and while they were doing so, yet another yogin appeared before them. The brahmins addressed him with words, "Holy Guru, greetings to you. We pay our homages to you!",23 and at that he became invisible yet again.

PRINCE RAMAGOpALA 39

At a later time when his father the King was perfunning the vast and liberal birth ceremonies attendant on him, the King who had been and exclusive devotee of the Tlrthika24 practices in the past, erected a surrounding wall for eight leagues around the sacred site, motivated as he was purely by the power of faith. Both inside and outside the wall were ordained Tlrthikas who were guarding the enclave, and each day horsemen and camel troops were also there un guard. All thos€: who were staying there at the site pondered on its nature. After nine days of ceremonial purification (of the site) those aforementioned people were all of a sudden expelled and no new ones replaced them. On the morning of the tenth day, the King himself was found seated before the shrine intended for offerings. While the brahmins were about to make their own offerings, and in preparation for it had made gifts to Narayana,25

_11 �(. .... � . . -J-J .... � .... ��" .... _"'..J .... . ....... ......: ... TO."''''..; ......... .... rr .... Ah�...; .... ,...,,..,1 hA1A;nlT � Clll Vl a �UUU�11 ,,},]-'\,..o.l"-\,.I. U yVbJ.1l f" .... U1J..L.D U bv ..... .l.U.L.L La ........ . 'v ....... U.L.b ...

skull-cup and he started to wash himself in the vessel intended for the brahmin's ritual water oblations. The brahrnins took birch switches and as they were about to thrash him he uttered the words, "Phata Ye!!!" As those sounds were resounding, the entire offertory shrine was smashed and the brahmins were [F.3Bl reduced to sheer terror. The yogin then said to the King, "In another birth your son was of a Buddhist family, and for you to perform such a birth ceremony as this one is entirely improper. in truth, you must make liberal offerings before a gathering of yo gins instead!" At that the King demanded, "Just who is this person?", and the yogin replied, "I am MeghamHha1

, ,2/i and dissolved into the very earth, so its is said. Tnt! King then did precisely what the yogin had commanded and the child was given the name Ramagopala27

Later on, when the boy carne of an age where he could understand the above recounted story, he carne to continually praise the 'Rllrfrlh::l ::lnl1 thp �r::ir"::l I:nr::lt.o.::.::.28 pvr1llo.::.ivplv �--- . . � . ... . - - . . - .. - ... �' .. -" . .. . .. : .. . . . .. _-- - - -�'

The Royal mother, a woman of ksatriya caste named Laksmini who had gained faith in the Buddha right from the outset, summoned a paDQit from the western region of Saura�\ra29 He was a possessor of the three higher trainings, a veritable mendicant Vajradhara.30 As any acarya would have, he encouraged the Prince


by means of the many hymns he sang in praise of the Buddha. He bestowed on him the empowerments of many of the highest deities and imparted to him their secret mantra spells. He also made the young Prince recall his many previous incarnations, especially his earlier rebirth in the Land of Snowy Fastness, 3! where his meaningful words, his writings and his discourses had all caused the lamp of the teachings to blaze. He came to have total recall of them all, and as he ,vas told even more things, even the brahnlins and the tirthikas became astounded. The Prince also received from the mendicant Guptamitra,32 the instructions on the meaning of the Bodhicittotpada vow, 33 as well as the manifold meanings of those profound teachings. With these as well as the necessary recitations and yoga praxis etc., he was able to accomplish whatever he desired.

[FAA] Because he was a Prince, using many silver tolas and flower cOins, 34 he brought various articles for his amusement, and when he played those games, it seemed as if he were making offerings before actual Buddha images and stupas.

Once while he was wandering in various groves near Rajagrha35

and Gurpharpata36 with only a few attendants, there in front of a certain tree he saw a yogin whose sole helpers in creating spiritual nourishment were three monkeys and a bear who worked together with him.

At another time, while he was seated in meditation, he perceived an impediment to the free and unrestricted movement of his psychic winds, and with an excess of faith, the Prince prostrated himself before the aforementioned yogin.

While the Prince was engaged in performing that practice he did not even Tf'-pnter his 0wn city. As for that yogin, he �vas the Mahasiddha Of!lkaranatha's37 true student, Meghanatha, or as he is otherwise known, Jvalanatha.38

At this point were I to recount a little of the story of those two Gurus, I would say;

PRINCE RAMAGOpALA 41

Firstly, in Madhyadesa there was a certain boy of the kSatriya caste who had been without a father since he was quite small. He was raised therefore in the family of his uncle.

Now there was a certain yogin of the lineage of Viriipakshi who drew near and gave the lad a yoginl sadhana. Eighteen years passed and the boy had not uttered even one piece of intelligible comment. With downcast minds, the uncle and his wife said to the boy, "You are nothing but a fool! Can the way you are acting be proper?" After they had admonished him in this way they exiled him from that land, and the youth felt a deep sense of despondency.

He then lived elsewhere, begging alms and performing the sadhana

uf Vajryoginl.39 Finally after a further sixteen years had passed, and firm meditational states had been aroused in him, he packed up and went westwards to Himghalatsi,40 the abode of the goddess [F.4B] Umadevi.41 He slept for six months there on top of a stone image of the goddess while he was in a single session of clear light meditation. The goddess Vma became terrified and she cried uut, "Yogin, Rid dhi de hi ki ni dhi de!" The yogin replied:What would a yogin do with the fowers he was granted? If you were to offer

me the Jnanasiddhi,4 I wo"ld most certahn.ly :!ccept it!" Te H''a.is ��c goddess replied,"I have been granted no siddhi powers (like that) at all. You will have to go and beg them from Gora�a."

After she had said this he went off in search of Goraksa. In the land of SindhuP at the end of a row of countless yogins; was one whose face was particularly ugly, and from whose limbs oozed pus and blood. The yogin knew that the person was Gor�ka, and prostrated himself before him, he begged him (for the teachings). The yogin drank a bowl of vegetable stew which had been blessed by the inastef, and lIt: fuund that he gained complete mastery over all spheres of wisdom, and having become a great yogin master in his own right, who had experienced the state of things as they really are in all their directness, he also gained a vast number of

students of those doctrines he expounded. Now, certain of the ideas which he spoke of did indeed become somewhat mixed up with some fundamental heretical tenets, and many who were called


di those who were indeed practicing OkorpaI). 'ta arose among

heretical luthika yogins.

At a later time when he caused rain to fall at an unusual time, he

also effected a magical manlfestation of his body blazing with

flames. Thus he became known as Meghanatha (Cloud Lord) or

also Jvalanatha (Blazing Lord).

Then when the Prince Ramagopala was repeatedly paying his respects to that acarya, the latter bestowed on him the blessings of the very highest deities, as well as the related teachings and the accompanying tantric vows. The acarya said, "Boy, you must not go home. Abide instead in a state of suchness!" The young Prince did as he had been instructed [F.5A] and his father the King, said to the acarya,"Restore my child to me right here and now!" To this the acarya replied," As for the lad, he is my dharma-child, and as such he is under my control." When he said this, the elder PrL."1ce, (i.e. Ramagopala's father) became very angry and sent someone to relieve the yogin of his stipend and all his other livelihoods. However, those sent to remove them from him' were absolutely unable to do so. A thousand cavalry were sent with the same orders, that is "Subdue that evil yogin!", but when they drew near to the acarya he merely uttered a few mantras and all the horsemen were frozen into rigidity, unable to move even the tiniest bit. All were amazed at this and said,"E Ma, Now we have faith in this mighty yogin." Explanations of what had happened circulated from one to another, here and there, and faith was aroused in everyone, releasing them from their rigid thralldom. They were summoned before the King and even he was amazed at what had happened. He went before the acarya, prostrated himself and strewed many "tara" coins44 onto him and begged him for his pardon. The acarya bestowed the teachings of the Vibhutibindu upon him .

At a different time, much later on, the Emperor, namely ·the King Mukunda and the Tajik46 military commander of Delhi, were involved in a power struggle. When Mukunda had come a fortnight's march west of Magadha, he came to the town of Sakari in the land of Mathura, which itself was two days march in breadth. The King Ramabharatari47 was staying there with his army of three

PRINCE RAMAGOPALA 43

hundred thousand men at the time, and the Mahacarya Meghanatha, who had come to that place too, was moving back and forth between the positions of both army commanders, begging them for alms. By the power of his truthful words [F.5B] the dispute died down of its own accord.

Now at the battle site near Delhi there were about six thousand heroic war elephants. There were three among them that were considered to be the main ones and the chief among these Royal battle elephants was known as Gopalahasti, who was thirty cubits in height and who was renowned as one who could outperform two hundred ordinary elephants. The acarya manifested the miracle of pressing down with his hands on top of the three most excellent elephants, crushing them. When the holy being calmed them down with his mantras, the cavalry forces of both the kings became absolutely unable to proceed against each other, even though they were commanded to do so. Each of the armies was held in thrall and was seen by everyone there to have become totally incapable of action. All those who saw it were in great states of amazement at what they had witnessed.

At yet another time, whenever the King made his daily offerings at midnight to Kubera48 and Siva, he would meet Meghanatha, who would magically appear before him. Meghanatha admonished him saying,"If your family makes its offerings to none other than the Buddha, then all these other things that you are doing here are really quite improper!"

Sometime after that, during a time of peace and calm, the lower foundations of a certain road gave way and were being hurled about as if they were mere handfuls of byi tse seeds.49 When the acarya and his students arrived there, as if by magic, things were completely restored to the way they were before, and thereafter the King the father (of the Prince), made his principal offerings to

.the

Buddhists who had shown themselves so mighty in their magIc.

Accordingly to the holy one, the Prince, went before three diff�rent araryas at various times, remaining in his palace at all other times. Together with his father, they went via the lands of


Pundavardhana,SO Kasarbana,51 and Rara52 to the lands of [F.6A] UQisa,53 Jagadnatha,54 Katakabhanarasi,55 Ushiranalitr�,56

Ghahura and Bhot,57 all of which they visit.ed. Th,:y also met WlJ�

Anandaprasroti,58 the master of the great slddha Anandbhadra.

The Prince pondered deeply on the teachings of the correct recitation of luya Tara's60 mantra, and he became renowned as one for whom the later signs of realization arose immediately.

This very highest of beings went on pilgrimage to Rajagrha61 (rgyal po'i khab), Gayashirsa Gurla62 (ri bya rkang), Grhdrakuta63 (bya rgod phung po), etc. Indeed, he visited all the great pilgrimages places of the Victorious One, as well as all the groves and cities, as if he were on an amazing, fantastic pleasure trip.

He is indeed renowned as one who accomplished one hundred years worth of fully accomplished deeds in just eight years. As for his transmigration from that particular birth, he is right here now, in form of this very person, (i. e. Taranatha). 64

As for those who have preceded me. They have filled me with any virtues I may have, quite spontaneously. Thus I praise the knowledge of their virtue and pray that I may ever cleave to it. In order that I may be one who follows those Noble Ones, those teachers who so correctly show the way, may I always keep close to the knowledg� which they demonstrate and may I always praise it. By means of my prayers, may those fully perfected beings continue towards the state of the perfectly good, and by the strength of my prayers may I always stay close to them.

It has been said that the two accumulations of learning and merit, make a precious mental vehicle. By means of one's most perfect prayers, they become fully joined to the sun. As for the master who clarifies and expands that two-fold meaning, he acts in a manner that is completely unhindered, be he in the three-fold world or in the heavenly realms.

In the same manner in which spray comes from the hidden watery recesses of the ocean, so too does whatsoever merit arise which

PRINCE RAMACOPALA 45

may accrue from these holy hagiographies which [F.6B] have been spoken of here. May that merit be dedicated, unchanged, for the welfare of all sentient beings.

Thus I, T�ranatha, at the 6�e of twenty three years, wrote these

words at Gur rna Palace, after the verbal entreaties of Mkhyen yangs, the Lord of Men there.

MANGALA BHAVANTU.66

Notes

In the notes I have headed each entry with the form in which the word appears in the text.

1. Tib. dPalldan phyogs kyi dga' rna, Skt. Sti Rati. The wife of Kamadeva, the god of love in Hindu belief. Her father Daksha, a mighty sage and the seventh son of Brahma, created her along with her many sisters by adopting for that purpose, the bodily form of a most exquisite maiden from whom the daughters were born. Perhaps the remarkable nature of the events in the account of Prince Ramagopala is being likened to this series of unusual events by Taranatha in recognition of the fact that rebirth is, in one manner of speaking, becoming one's own father.

2. Tib. Ti pii ra. Tripura, the state of India previously known as Tippera lies to the east of BangIa Desh between 23 degrees and 10 minutes and 24 degrees and 30 minutes North and between 90 degrees and 30 minutes and 92 degrees and 30 minutes East.

3. Tib. zla ba'i rigs. The Rajmaia, the record of the dynastic rulers of Tripura, says that the Lunar dynasty commenced with the incarnation of the moon itself, but it gives dynastic details only from the seventh in lineage, King Druhyu, whose thirty eighth descendent, Daitya, is said to have fled from his father's kingdom after the climatic battle of Kurukshetra, fought between the Kauravas and the PaDQ.avas, immortalized in the Epic of India, the Maha�harata.

4. Tib. 'phags pa spyan ras gzigs, Skt. Avalokitesvara/Arya Avalokitesvara. The bodhisattva of great compassion and the most p?pul�

of the Indo-Tibetan pantheon. He is believed to be embodied I�

several Tibetan lineages, the most prominent being that of the Dalai Lamas of Tibet.


5. Tib. 'jig rten dbhang phyug, Skt. Lokes,:,ara. A manifestation o� Avalokitesvara. Lokesvara is often found In the form of $a<;ia.k!?an Lokesvara. See references in P. Pal The Art of Tibet.

6. Skt. Khasarpani. More correctly KhasarpaI)a. See D. Templeman, TiirantItha's Life of Km1licarya/Ka1Jha, footnote 219.

7. Odisa. Appearing as O<;iisa here, elsewhere as O<;iivisa, and in other works of Taranatha as U<;iivisa etc. The place referred to is the same, that is the modern area of Orissa. See D.C. Sircar, Studies. in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India, pp.134-49.

8. Mukunda Deva. King Mukunda Deva (ruled 1559-1568) appears as the King of the land of Orissa (=O<;iisa) in the hagiography of Santigupta. Santigupta was the teacher of Buddhaguptanatha, who in his tum was Taranatha's teacher. The chronology, rough as it is, does however put Munkunda Deva in the right part of India at about the correct time for our narrative. See D. Templeman, The Seven Instruction Lineages, pp.88-89.

S.c. Das in his A Note on the Antiquity of Chittagong, p.26 says that according to his sources "Mukunda Deva (Dharma Raja) who favoured Buddhism, became powerful. His power extended up to Magadha. He too did some service to the cause of Buddhism." I have been unable to find any other corroboration of this apart from several Tibetan historians (i.e. Sum pa mkhan po) who appear to be taking Tara..rlatha's lead.

9. Ghahura. This is the same place as Gau<;ia. On the location of the ancient kingdom of Gau<;ia see R.C. Majumdar, History of Ancient Bengal, pp.6-8. For a broader discussion of Gau<;fa see D.C. Sircar, Op. cit., pp.ll0-20. Pages 120-22 discuss Gau<;ia as a term for the whole of Northern India, Aryavarta.

10. Bagala. In Taranatha's works this frequently appears as Bharngala, Bhangala and Bagala. It refers to a southern area of Bengal to the east of the Meghna river (R.c. Majumdar, Op. cit., p.12) an area more specific than suggested by the general term "Bengal" which I previously used as a location in Ttirantitha's Life of Kr�1)ticlirya/Kiinha, footnote 226.

11. Bo<;ia. If this refers to Bodhan near river Godavn in Nizamabad Dist. In the old State of Hyderabad, then Mukunda Deva's conquests were greater thru: previously realized, and rather more spectacular given the short time he ruled. It is more likely that Bo<;ia refers to the district around the towns of Boud and Phulbani, 100 miles west of present day Purl in Orissa.

12. Jarikan<;ia. This is the same as Jharikan<;ia, the area otherwise known as the Santal Parganas District, "very near the southern frontiers of


th8e

, Monghyr and Bhagalpur Districts in Bihar." D.C. Sircar, Op. cit.,

p.3. 13. K alinja.

, The land of KaliI'lga "extended from the east of Jagannatha

on the banks of the Kr�D;t Jagannatha here evidently refers to the celebrated deity in the shrine of Purl in the Puri District of Orissa ... The Mahabharata (111, 114,4) recognises the VaitaraDI river as the north-eastern boundary of Kalinga, and at the time of Asoka .. .it certainly comprised the Puri-Cuttack region in the east. At the time of ... King Anantavarman Co<;laganga ... (it) ... extended from the Ganges to the Godavri." D.C. Sircar, Op cit., p.8 4.

14. Trinlinga. This is the same place as Tailal'lga. Here as with Boc;la mentioned above, we are faced with the problem of defining the limits of Mukunda Deva's empire. If indeed the Trilinga of Taranatha is the same as Tailanga, then it refers to the area along the Eastern Ghats of South India, including the three renowned lingas at SrIsailam and Drai<Sarama in the Godavri region, and Kalesvara. See R.C. Majumdar, Tne History and Culture of the Indian People, Vol. 5,

p.373. See also D.C. Sircar, Op. cit., pp.88-89. It is true that one of Mukunda Deva's predecessors, Govinda Vidyadhara (ruled 1533-1549) lost the land that Orissa had once held between the rivers GodavrI and Kr�Da, and so it is likely that he did inherit at least the land up to the river Godavri as his southern limit. It is also likely that in these regions he ruled by proxy through semi-independent rulers.

15. Tib. yul dbus, Skt. Madhyadesa. The area referred to by this term (sometimes glossed by If Aryavarta") covers almost the whole of North India, from several hundred kilometers North West of Delhi (beyond the source of the Yamuna) through to the area of Magadha in the heartland of Buddhist India. For the limits of the Buddhist

Madhyadesa see references cited in E. Lamotte, Histoire du Bouddhisme Indien, p.9.

16. Tib. rgyal po glang po'i bdag po . 17. Magadha. B.P. Sinha in his The Decline of The Kingdom of Magadha (Or.

A.D. 455-1000 ), p.xvi, defines Magadha in the period of his examil:a

tion, and certainly not in the period of Mukunda Deva, as comprIs

ing the Ifmodern districts of Patna, Gaya, Shahabad, Monghyr, and

Bhagalpur." In Mukunda Deva's time Magadha was largely held by

Bengali Muslims, and Orissa's sway was limited to an area between

the river Godavri in the south up to one hundred miles north of

PUri. Taranatha however says in his so called rgya gar chos 'byung,

(translated by Lama Chimpa and A. Chattopadhyaya as Ttirantitha's

History of Buddhism in India, p.321) that 1f ••• Mukundadeva of Oc;liviSa

4 8 THE TIBET JOURNAL

occupied most of the territory of the madhya�d.�

sa. He estab!ished no centres for the Doctrine in Magadha. In Oc;ilvlsa, he establIshed the temple for the insiders and also a number of smaller centers f�r the Doctrine. Thus the Law was spread a little." This extends the size of Mukunda Deva's territory to include the Buddhist heartland itself, perhaps with a view to in some way "justifying" the Buddhist events which were to occur in Taranatha's predecessor's family. This linked the Hindu Gajapati monarch, Munkunda Deva, with the major center of Buddhist activity in a way which was historically unlikely. Whether this was Taranatha's homage to his lineal predecessor's family or whether the events were actually recalled or whether he heard them from his Indian confidantes is not clear.

18. Tib. bcom brlag, Skt. Mathura. Mathura is both the name of a city and the district around it. The city lay on the Yamuna river some fifty miles south south-east of Delhi. For a detailed historical discussion of Mathura, including its importance in both Buddhism and Vai!?Davism, see B.C. Law, Historical Geography of Ancient india, pp.106-110.

19. Prayag. Modem Allahabad is located on the site of the ancient city of Prayag. It is situated on the southern flanks of Buddhism's heartland, at the confluence of the Yamuna, Gang�s and SaravastI rivers. This fact accords it a certain historical interest. Rama, LaxmaDa and SUa are said to have noted the strange union of colours of the river waters and it has ben an important pItha (pilgrimage spot) especially among tantric Hindus for many centuries.

20. Kal�ha. For an account of this remarkable Mahasiddha see D.R. Templeman Tiiraniitlza's life of Kr?lJiicarya/KiilJha, and the Life of Kr?lJiicarya by Prince Ramagopala's lineal predecessor, Kun dga' grol mchog (pron. Kunga Dr61chog), soon to be in press. The second account of Kr!?Dacarya.'s life is substantially the same as far as details goes but they differ considerably in approach and in the use of KaDha's spiritual songs, which Kunga Dr61chog incorporates as part of the narrative. KaDha was an 11th century mahasiddha, born in Orissa. He comes to the attention of the reader's of siddha's lives, as he was one of the earliest systematisers of the tantra and maDc;iala of CakraSal1lVara. He is also noted for his beautiful collection of spiritual songs (so called Carya songs) as well as for his strong and tempestuous personality. He was renowned also for opening up many new areas of India and the lower Himalayas to Buddhism and he perished in just such an adventure near Devlkot, on the border betw

.ee� present day Bangladesh and west Bengal close to the city

of DmaJpur.


21. �ib. kun dga' grol mchog. Pronounced Kunga Drblchog, this master lived from 1495-1566 These dates are according to David Jackson in The Mollas of Mustang, LTWA, 1984, p.1. According to Sumpa Mkhanpo he was bom in 1495. He is also known as (Tib.) bio gsal rgya mtsho (pron. Losel Gyatso). He was eleventh in lineage from Kr�Dacarya/KaDha and was direct predecessor to the young prince Ramagopala, subject of this brief hagiography. He was the author of a particularly interesting hagiography of Kpmacarya (see note above). These events, as described by Taranatha, show a link between Tripura and Orissa which appears from the context to be a noble and justifiable one. Interestingly, the bare outline of facts as mentioned by Roychoudhary (see below) suggests a far more conscious effort by Tripura to ally itself with the more powerful Orissa. Roychoudhary says that the gift of a Royal prince of Tripura to Mukunda Deva of Orissa was made by Vijay Manikya. According to the genealogical list of the ruling family of Tripura, Bijoy (Vijay) Manikya (ruled 1529-1564) of Tripura sent his first son, Dungar Fa, to the court of King Mukunda Deva of Orissa. In his Tripllrii Through The Ages, N.R. Roychoudhary notes (p.21), "According to Rajmala. Vijay Manikya had two sons. The eldest son Dungar Fa, who was physically weak to rule, was sent to the court of Mukunda Deva the J<jng of Orissa and the youngest son Ananta Manikya was selected as the successor of Vijay Manikya. Dungar Fa spent his life in Orissa. It is not unreasonable to think that Vijay Manikya formed an alliance with Mukunda Deva against the Sultans of BengaL"

Could this fairly calculated linking of dynasties be connected to the series of events which Taranatha is referring to in F.2B lines 2-7, but which were in fact spread over a considerable number of years?

22. Gaya. Taranatha writes ga ya. This is the hub of the Buddhist world, the site of the Buddha Sakyamuni's Enlightenment. It is situated at the present-day Bodh Gaya in Bihar state. See J. Leoshko, Bodhgaya, The Site of Enlightenment.

23. Holy Guru ... The text F.3, Line 3 has dam pa gil ru na ma ste na mo

24. Tib. mu stegs pa. Also glossed as Tib. mil stegs can, the �anskrit wor.d

Drthika is understood by Buddhists to refer to non-believers, that IS

non-Buddhist. Used as a general term to refer to aJl Indian non-

Buddhist schools of philosophy. . 25. Tib. sred med kyi bu. Skt. Narayana. An alternative name for VI$1)U

or Krsna. 26. Megh

·a

·natha. As will be seen below F.4A, Meghanatha was said to be

the name of Onkaranatha's student. As to the origin of his names,

incorporating references to clouds (megha) and blazing flames Ovala)


see below on F.4B, lines 5 and 6.

27. Ramgopala. In Tibetan glossed as dga' �yed. sa skyong. I

.was

_unable

to find any mention of this prince In eIther the Tnpura royal

genealogy or in those of Orissa, at least in the forms I h�ve at �y

disposal, and with his name in this form. However as thIS �reClse

decade was one of great upheaval in both Tripura and Orissa, I

expect that much "minor" data was ignored or lost. In Tripura the

royal dynasty had been usurped by Udai Manikya (also known as

Gopiprasad), father in law of Dungar Fa's younger brother, Ananta

Manikya, the ruler of Tripura from 1564 to about 1566 or 1567. In

Orissa, King Mukunda Deva, the last Hindu Gajapati King of Orissa

was in his penultimate year of rule and was being threatened on all

sides by contending Mussalman forces. Eventually he was to be betrayed at the hands of his most senior and trusted officers.

28. Gorak$a. For a brief hagiography of this very important siddha see K Dowman, Masters of Mahtimudra, pp.81-85 and D.R. Templeman, The Seven Instruction Lineages, pp.78-80. For details about Gorak$a from the tantric Hindu perspective see G.W. Briggs, Goraklmatll and the Kiinphata Yogis.

29. Saura1?tra. "Originally indicated the southern part of Kathiawar; but in the later period the name Gujrat is found to be used in a wide sense to comprise the whole of Kathiawar and the adjoining regions." D.C. Sircar, Op. cit., p.88. However Sircar, loc. cit., also locates Saura1?tra thus, according to the SatpaficasaddeSavibhtiga, the seventh patala of book 3 of the Saktisarzgamatantra, dated to between 1555 and 1607. "From KODkana up to HiDgulaja in the west lies, according to the verse, the Saura1?tra country covering a hundred yojanas on the coast. this country has also been called Gu�ara."

30. Tib. rdo * 'dzin pa, Skt. Vajradhara. The deity who embodies in his physically perfect form as well as in his attributes (bell and vajra of wisdom and compassion respectively, held in crossed hands in front of his heart in the so-called diamond gesture), the absolute, non-dual nature of all phenomena, the perfected bodily form of all the Buddhas.

31. Tib. gangs ri'i khrod. The expression "Land of the Snowy Fastness" refers to Tibet and his rebirth there as Kunga DroIchog. See above note no. 21. For a list of the full lineage from Kr$Dacarya/Kal)ha to Taranatha see E.G. Smith's Introduction to L. Chandra (Ed.) Kongtrul's Encyclopaedia of Indo-Tibetan Culture, p.75.

32. Gu�tamitra. A,

siddha possibly in the lineage of Encyclopedia, Ratigupta and Santigupta.


33. Tib. byang chub tu sems bskyed pa'i sdom pa. On the Bodhicittotpadana vow for the development of Bodhicitta, the attitude of Enlightened Practice, see A. Berzin, Lam. Rim. Man. Ngag. A Standard Intermediate Level Textbook of the Graded Course to Enlightenment: Selected Materials from the Indo-Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist Textual and Oral Traditions. (Ph.D. Thesis, 1972), pp.483-94.

34. Silver Flower Coins. A type of coin of the period, previously referred to by Taranatha in his other works, i.e. D.R . Templeman, The Seven Instruction Lineages, p.20.

35. Rajagrha. The ancient capital of Magdha, some 40 miles (south-south east) of Patna, and the site of the Buddha's victory over his cousin Devadatta who let loose a wild elephant onto the Enlightened One. It is also the site of the first Buddhist Council held a few years after the Buddha's death. On this last claim to fame see E. Lamotte, Op. cit., pp.136-54.

At this point in the text the name Rajagrha is transliterated. Later (F.6A, lines 2 and 3) it is given both in Sanskrit and Tibetan along with the names for several other important Buddhist holy places also treated bilingually in the text.

36. Gurphaparpata. Perhaps this is a reference to Mt. Gurupadgiri near Rajagrha. "Parpata" was a renowned medicinal plant (Tib. pa rpa ta ka or Fumeria Parviflora Lam). It is possible that the reference here is to a medicinal grove near the mountain itself . Otherwise I was unable to locate a place which conforms to the full name as it appears in the text. Its location near mountains could be inferred by a reading of Gurphapartpata.

37. Okoranatha. The brief hagiography of Onkaranatha is found in D. R. Templeman, Ibid., p.81, most of which account is repeated in the present biography a few paragraphs below. Note the variable spellings of Onkaranatha, 0l11karonatha, Okaranatha, and Okoranatha. Ol11karanatha appears to have lived somewhat prior to Santigupta, teacher of Buddhaguptanatha, Taranatha's own Indian teacher. Indeed in D.R. Templeman, ibid., p.100 he gives a more exact time for Omkaranatha when he notes that eighty years after that

siddha's de�th, Santigupta found siddhi powers. It appears that from

Santigupta's hagiography as cited above, he atta�ned.

th� hi?h.est

siddhi (that of Enlightenment itself) when he was 111 hIS mId flft�es.

To firm up these dates we can do the following rough �xercl.se.

Working backwards from Taranatha (15 75 -1634) and his meet1l1g WIth . . f r- -th ' 26th Buddhaguptanatha, whIch was sometIme be ore arana a s

year (i. e. at the time of writing the substantial biography o.f Bu�dha

guptanatha) and calculating from the quite specific detaIled 1I1for-


mation contained in it, we may calculate that Buddhaguptanatha was in his late sixties at the time of transmission to Taranatha, we could work with a surmisable date for Buddhaguptanatha of 1530-1610. Calculating that Santigupta transmitted the lineal teaching to Buddhaguptanatha in about 1583, when the latter was about 53 years old, we could say that Santigupta might have lived between 1500-1600.

Working back from that date, we know that Santigupta was ordained by the Abbot Ratigupta at about 22 years of age, from Santigupta's hagiography as cited. Assuming that the Ratigupta here mentioned was the same person who heard the teachings from Omkaranatha then he must have been in his late thirties to early forties in 152;, that is, at the time he ordained Santigupta.

Assuming that realistic dates for Ratigupta are + 1480 to + 1540, it is likely that he would have received teachings from Ornkaranatha while in his late 20's to early 30's, that is in the period of 1500-1510. To assign dates to Ornkaranatha on the admittedly shaky dates here presented, and being unaware of the type of transmission from Ornkaranatha to Ratigupta, the whole affair is quite ·dangerous. However if one were to hazard a guess, then a life for Ornkaranatha from 1450 to 1510 would be within the limits of reason, even though I am aware that these dates do not fully tally with Taranatha's statement that Santigupta found siddhi 80 years after Ornkaranatha's death, unless his final siddhi was manifested at death.

To work the dates to fulfil this requirement would need us to put Ornkaranatha's death at ±1520 (that is + 1600, the date of Santigupta's "final" enlightenment minus 80 years according to Taranatha). This would then require us to re-examine the dates for Ratigupta, leading to a similar figure. However if the present brief dis�ussior: gives even a rough time then it has served its purpose.

38. JV ALANATHA. See note on Meghanatha for reference to the name itself.

39. Tib. rdo �e mal 'byor ma, Skt. VajrayoginL VajrayoginI is the dakini consort of Cakrasrnvara, as is Tib. rdo * phag mo - Skt. Vajravarahi. VajrayoginI is the highest embodiment of perfected mental awareness and appears as an "instant's experience of that naked existential reality as instructive, visionary light form ... " K Dowman, Sky Dancer, The Secret Life and Songs of TIle Lady Yeshe Tsogyel, p.26l. See also H. McCallum, TIle Dakin! Buddha, M.A. Thesis (Unpublished) 1985, La Trobe University, Bundoora Australia.

40. Himghalatsi. Generally considered to be in the far west of India near to, or even in, Baluchistan. The site itself is remarkable as the


location of the head of the dismembered San (Vma) after Vi$Qu slew her (see note below). The p1tha, or holy site, is spelled in various w�ys - !�anatha spe�ls it in 'f!te Seven Instruction Lineages, (p.81) as Hlmgalacl; B. �alker m n:e Hzndu Worl�, Vol. 2, spells it as Hinglaj (p:�57)

_�d .�lrc� Op. CI�.� and The Sakta PIthas as Hingulaja,

HmgalaJa, HmglaJa, and Hmgulata. According to Taranatha in this general region which he refers to

as Sindhu, there lived "a powerful yak$iQI called HiIlgalacI who wielded great magic power. She caused terrible epidemics in different countries." On her subjugation by Sudarsana, see Taranatha's History of Buddhism in India, tran. Lama Chimpa and A. Chattopadhyaya, p.74. This important pilgrimage spot was visited by Buddhaguptanatha who sat before the image of Vma for 4 days, and experienced her transformation and received her advice. See Taranatha, Collected Works, Vol 17, p.538, line 2 ff.

4 1. Tib. lha mo u rna. Umadevi the wife of Siva was the victim of her father's hatred for Siva and the latter's deep obsession with her. To prevent Siva's total disinterest in the world, and his gaining of even more awesome powers as a result of his penance of carry Vma's body above his head while soaring in the heavens, Vi$Qu is said to have dismembered SatI's corpse with his thrown discus. The places where the various parts of her body fell are very potent pilgrimage places and places of intrinsic power. D.C. Sircar, The Sakta Pfthas, pp.5-7

42. Tib. ye shes kyi dngos grub. Fully entitled the ]flana-siddhi-namasadJuma-upayika (short title, Tib. ye shes grub pa) by the Mahasiddha Indrabhuti. It may be found in the Tib. rgyud (tantra) section of the Tenjur as text XLVI, 3, folio 39b line 5, to folio 64a, line 8. It was translated into Tibetan by rin chen bzang po (pron. Rinchen Zan gpo) and corrected by tshul khrims rgyal ba (pron. Tsultrim Gyalwa). See A Chattopadhyaya, Catalogue of I<Jmjur and Tanjur, Vol. 1., Texts (Indian Titles) in Tanjur, p.145. See also, G. Roerich, The Blue Annals, p.844.

43. Sindhu. As Sircar observes, although Sindhu is "not exactly the same as modern Sindh" (in Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India, p.107) it does seem to have occupied at least much the same area as the modem Sindh, extending at its height probably considerably further westwards (at least as far as Westen: Baluchistan) and northwards (possibly to the area where the SutleJ and Indus rivers join). At the time of OITIkaranatha it extended a further 50 kilometers west of the present day Karachi, northwards from that point for some 300 kilometers and then south east to the eastern most point of the Rann of Cutch.


44. Tib. dngul ta ra. Although without any numismatic material of a

suitable nature to hand I have noted several coins from the reign of

Kiimara Gupta the Third (acceded A.D52) as illustrated �n B .. P .

. Sinha,

Op. cit., Plate 1, which shows a deity who appears qUIte sImilar �o

the iconographic form of Syama Tara, the Green Tara. Perhaps t.hIS

type of coinage continued a millennium after K�mara Gupta's reI�

or at least the icon of Tara might well have contmued as part of com

design well into the Pala period during which time (mid 8th to mid

12th century A.D.) worship of Tara predominated.

45. Tib. bi bhu ti'i thig Ie 46. Tib. stag gzigs. In general terms Tajik refers to the Iranian Empire,

but in this specific instance it is used to refer to the Mughal Empire

which had commenced its reign over India some five years before

this event. By the end of Akbar's reign, that is in 1605, the Mughal

Empire had extended to cover Afghanistan, the Punjub, Kashmir, Rajasthan, Sindh, Gujarat, Malwa, Berar, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa.

47. King Ramabharatari. This is most likely to be the aforementioned prince (F.2B, line 5), Master of Magadha, Mathura and Prayag. He is also mentioned (F.2B, lines 6-7) as the father of Ramagopala. There his name was spelled as Tib. ra ma barta ri. The present reference (F.5A, line 7) has his name spelled as Tib. ra ma' barha rio I was unable to find any references to King Mukunda Deva moving anywhere as close as this to Delhi, nor to any conflict which seems to fit these events as described by Taranatha.

48. Kubera. The deity of wealth. Hindus most frequently use the name Kubera or Kuvera. Buddhists use the name Jambhala. For an iconographical discussion see S.L. and J.e. Huntington, Leaves From The Bodhi Tree - TIle Art of Piila India (8-12th century) And Its International Legacy, pp.228-29.

49. Tib. byi tse. Probably ,the same as byi tsher seeds (Morina ChinensisBatal-Diels. Dipsacaceae). See Chinese Material Medica (Ref. No. T 1-78). Could also be Xanthium Sibiricum Patr. - Compositae, (Ref. no. T 2-Ill), Cynoglossum Divaricatum, Steph. Herba. or even Lappula Intermidia (Ldb) M. Pop. Herba.

SO. PUt:\c;lavardhana. Generally spelled as PUI�c;lravardhana, this refers to the area extending into most of present day Rajshahi, Bogra, and Southern Dinajpur districts of Bangladesh. Once a great mercantile area with the city of PUt:\c;lravardhana having twenty Buddhist monasteries, (as noted by Hiuen Tsang (Hsuan-Tsang) in the 7th century) containing over three thousand monks of both the Mahayana and the Hinayana. One of the greatest monasteries in the


area was.

Somapun at Paharpur, which seems to have survived at least until the 12-13th centuries. It was also noted that there were also one hundred "Deva Temples" there. The city was near the modem town of Bogra at Mahasthan in Bogra District, BangIa desh. See RC. Law, Op. cit., pp.245-48.

51. Kasarbana. I was unable to locate this area. 5 2. �ara. This

.is the sam

_e place as Radha. B.C. Law, Ibid., p.254 says,

The provInce of Radha seems to have comprised the modem districts of Hooghly, Howrah, Burdwan, Bankura and major portions of Midnapore." On the character of the Radha people, see B.C. Law, loc. cit.

53. U<;lisa. This is the same place as Oc;lisa, Oc;livisa or Uc;liviSa as it sometimes appears. It is also written by Tibetans as Otre and Otre Visa. All these represent the modem area of Orissa. See D.C. Sircar, Op. cit., pp.134-49.

54. Jagadnatha. The area centered around the shrine of Jagannatha at Pun in Orissa. Exactly how far around the sacred city the extent of Jagadnatha was I was unable to ascertain.

55. Katakabhanarasi. I was unable to locate this place. 56. Ushiranalitra. If this is the same place as USinara, it was situated

North of the Kuru country, which itself was one of the sixteen Great Kingdoms (Mahajanapadas). The extent of USInara is not yet fully researched, but it appears to be in the vicinity of the present day Punjab and it served as the generally recognized Northern limit of Madhyadesa.

57. Bhot. This was most frequently used as a term for the kingdoms on the southern side of the Himalayan chain, with no single one being specified. In the present context it does not refer to Tibet, (also called Bhot by the Indian people) and most likely suggests the tribes of the far north Assam and Bengal, all of whom at one stage or other have fallen under the rubric "Bhot".

5 8. Anandaprashroti. At present I have no information on this siddha.

59. Anandabhadra. At present I have no information on this siddha.

60. Tib. 'phags ma sgroI mao Tara is arguably the most supplicated d:i�

in Tibet and plays a very important part in the account of the ongm

of the Tibetan race. See R.A. Stein, Tibetan Civilization, pp.37-38. On

Tara's origins and development as well as the profo�ndly beautiful

poetry written in her honour, see M. Wilson, In Praise of Tant

61. Tib. rgyal po'i khab, Skt. Rajagrha. See above note No. 35 on

Rajagrha. . . 62. Cayashirsa CurIa, Tib. skyes bu mchog ri bya rkang. Thl� IS

Kukkutpada, referred to by E. Lamotte, Op. cit., p.227. It IS a


mountain near Rajagrha where Kasyapa entered _nirvaD-a, having

previously transmitted the Buddha's teachings to Ananda. Lamotte quotes the Maitreyavyiikara/Ja which describes Kukkutpada as the mountain where in the future Maitreya will go. "The mountain will open up showing the skeleton of the bhikSu Kasyapa. Maitreya will put it in his left hand and will describe how this tiny skeleton is that of Kasyapa, disciple of Sakyamuni who lived in an epoch when the human life-span did not surpass one hundred years ... " Lamotte, ibid., p.778 (my translation).

On different views of what constitutes Kukkutpada and how it differs from Gayashirsa, the principal hill of Gaya, see B.C. Law, Op. cit., pp.20 and 230-31.

63. Grhdrakuta, Tib. bya rgod phung po. One of the five major peaks around Rajagrha, Grhdrakuta possibly resembled a vulture's head and was therefore named as such. It was the location par excellence at which many Mahayana sermons were preached by the Buddha. See B.C. Law, Op. cit., pp.220-21.

64. This is an insertion by the translator. Taranatha does not mention himself by name at this point.

65. Tib. 'gur mo'i pho brang. Spelled Tib. gur ?nO by G. Tucci in his Tibetan Painted Scrolls and his Indo Tibetica IV, Part 1, Gyantse And Its Monasteries, p.70. The palace and temple of 'gur ?nO used to exist between Shigatse and Zhalu. However the places no longer exist, at least as a temple. The site is known to locals. The temple was said to have been founded in the late 8th century.

66. MaD-gala Bhavantu. The final benediction by the author, seeking blessings earned through the merit of the work to be given to all sentient creatures.

the account of the prince ramagopala rgyal bu dga' byed sa skyong gi rtogs brjod

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