THE TREASURE REVEALER
poornachandra
Every one of us has grown up with stories of treasures and treasure hunts, about great material riches and legendary adventurers seeking fortune. But beyond the material plane lies the realm of the metaphysical and the spiritual, and there are treasures of that higher level which only a few accomplished men search for, find and reveal to the world for the greater common good. These treasure revealers were adepts who enriched themselves and the world in a manner aptly resonated in a biblical verse.
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
(Matthew 6:19-21)
The rich history of Buddhism is replete with accounts of mystic practitioners and spiritual teachers who were guided by the divine light to find ancient treasures left behind by the great Guru Padmasambhava – numerous statues, sacred relics, scrolls and texts of religious significance, referred to as Terma. These treasures were ordained to be discovered by the Guru’s chosen Regents - the five King Tertons or “Treasure Revealers”. Between the 11th and 16th centuries numerous Terma hidden by the Guru in caves, rocks and lakes were discovered, as he had prophesised.
In the summer of 2005, as part of my endeavour to discover the innumerable cultural treasures of the Dragon Kingdom, I embarked on a journey from Yongphula in the East to the central valley of Bumthang, which is considered as the hub of Bhutan’s history. My primary destination was the historical village of Ura, to witness the world renowned Tsechu at the Gompa there. As I travelled across the Thrumshingla pass and explored the Bumthang valley, and had uplifting experiences visting holy sites and watching spectacular dances, I learnt about an extraordinary saint whose legend is immortalized in the culture of Bhutan. This great Terton revealed several significant texts and artifacts, composed divine dances and produced amazing works of art that have become important parts of Bhutan’s heritage. There is also the continuing link of the holy sage with the present through his notable descendants who include the Bhutanese royal family and the sixth Dalai Lama.
This Mahasiddha is Pema Lingpa (also known as Padma Lingpa) belonged to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. Hailed as the fourth amongst the five revered Tertons, all named “Lingpa”, he is the foremost and pre-eminent. He represents the direction of West, the direction ruled by the Amitabha Buddha, of whom he is considered to be an emanation. In certain representations of the Mandala of Realized Beings, Pema Lingpa is often represented by an empty space, because he vowed that he alone among Padmasambhava’s Regents would remain to incarnate in this Samsaric world for the sake of sentient beings until the very end of the coming dark ages.
Pema Lingpa was born in the year 1450 in the hamlet of Drangchel in Tang valley, the most remote of Bumthang’s valleys. His father was Tondrup Zangpo of the Nyo clan and his mother was Trongma Peldzom. He was the immediate reincarnation of the omniscient holy man Longchen Rabjampa and ultimately an incarnation of Guru Rimpoche. He was the last of the five pure incarnations of the great Dharma King Trisong Deutsen's daughter, Princess Pemasel, whom the Guru had awakened from death centuries before, and to whom he had imparted the guardianship of his secret lineage. Pemasel was empowered to reveal the Guru’s Great Perfection Teachings in a future life. Due to the eminence of his previous lives, Pema Lingpa’s birth was attended by many omens, and he came into this world fully enlightened. Thus, he mastered various texts, crafts, and much else, without instruction. As a boy Pema Lingpa learnt the craft of blacksmithing from his grandfather. Some of the implements made by him such as frying pans and knives are said to be still in existence.
It was 1475, the Year of the Monkey when the 25 year old Pema Lingpa had a vision of Guru Rimpoche at a place called Yige Trukma. The Guru appeared to Pema Lingpa, blessed him and placed in his hands a scroll that had directives written in a divine script. This was an inventory of 108 great treasures. He was instructed to take five companions and go to a point at the foot of the Tang valley where he would find a treasure.
On a full moon night he collected his brothers and went to a point where the river Tang Chhu forms a large pool that looks like a lake. On reaching the site he could see no one. After looking around the place, while standing on a large rock, he gazed into the water and saw a temple with many doors, only one of which was open. He plunged into the lake and entered a large cave. Inside there was a throne upon which sat a life-size statue of the Buddha and many large boxes. An old woman handed him one of the chests. He suddenly found himself back on the rock at the side of the lake, holding the treasure containing a sacred scroll. The excited young men took the chest back to their father, who suggested that Pema Lingpa go to a monastery and pray in order to try and decipher the text on the scroll. He eventually managed to translate the scroll. This was monumental effort because each word in the divine script stood for a thousand words, and each had a deeper meaning to be understood. Celestial beings called Khandroms assisted him and later, he used the text as the basis of his teachings. This was the first of the Terma, the profound treasures revealed by Pema Lingpa.
At that time Pema Lingpa lived at a place called Kunzangling on a cliff above the Tang valley, where he later built the Kunzangdrak Gompa. He began construction of this Gompa in 1488, and many of his most important sacred relics are kept here, one of which is a gilded stone bearing his footprint. One of the four buildings was Pema Lingpa’s house. Another, Khandroma Lhakhang, was made with the help of Khandroms and is stunningly situated against a vertical rock face.
Pema Lingpa’s second discovery was his most famous one, imprinted in folklore as the legend of the Burning Lake. The instructions in the first Terma directed him to return to the lake and collect more treasures. When he returned to the site, the word had spread and a multitude of people gathered and surrounded the lake to curiously watch the event. The Penlop of the Dzongkhag was disbelieving and in his skepticism accused Pema Lingpa of trickery. The Terton came under great pressure to prove himself. He took a lighted lamp in his hand, beseeched Guru Rimpoche, and declared, “If I am a true revealer of your Terma, than may I return with the treasures now, with my lamp still burning. If I am a devil, may I perish in the waters.” Then, without hesitation, he jumped into the lake. He disappeared from sight for a long time and the cynical doubters thought they were proven right. Suddenly Pema Lingpa emerged back on the rock. The lamp in his hand was still burning and he carried under his arm a great chest that contained the treasure. Everyone was amazed, and, convinced of his extraordinary qualities, became firmly established in the faith. After that, his reputation covered the land of snow like the sun and the moon. The lake came to be known as Membartsho or the Burning Lake. Near the lake there is a large rock with a carving of Pema Lingpa and his two sons. Under the carved rock is a narrow cave that only virtuous people can crawl through, no matter how big they are.
The sacred text of this Terma revealed at the time of the Burning Lake episode is called the Cycles of the Luminous Expanse of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen longsal-gyi kor). In a similar miraculous way, he discovered the Terma of Great Perfection, the Gathering of Samantabhadra's Intention (Dzogchen kunzang gong-du) at Samye Chimpu, a holy area near Samye Monastery. From these two sites, Pema Lingpa subsequently brought forth numerous other treasures that form the essential practices of the Nyingma lineage to this day.
In his life time the great Terton revealed a plethora of sacramental objects such as images of Buddha, Padmasambhava and other divinities, sacred scrolls and holy stupas. He also unearthed the temple of Lho Kyercu, which had not previously been visible, and which was similar to the temple of Peltsap Sumpa at Samye. The temple he unearthed can still be seen today. Among the riches discovered were the life-supporting turquoise gems of the King Trisong Deutsen, the seamless robes of Princess Pemasel, a clairvoyant mirror, and many other sublime riches of the Tibetan royal dynasty.
The spiritual realization of Pema Lingpa enabled him to have many visions of the divine. In these visions he often visited Padmasambhava’s celestial paradise named Zangto Pelri where he observed the dances celestial of deities called Khandroms and Yidams. He translated that divine splendour into an art and established the classical dance form called Cham which are performed by lamas at the Tsechu and other religious festivals. All these dances are religious and symbolize the destruction of evil spirits. The Pilage Gingsum Cham (Dance of the Three Kinds of Ging) is a visual representation of Zangto Pelri, as seen by Pema Lingpa. When he arrived at Zangto Pelri he saw Padmasambhava sitting among his assistants in the centre of a limitless Mandala that was made of lines of rainbow beams. This was the basis of Pacham (Dance of the Heroes). When Pema Lingpa built Tamshing Gompa in Bumthang, he had another of his visions on the occasion of consecrating this shrine. He created Bumthang Ter Cham (Dance of Tamshing in Bumthang) to depict what he saw. When this dance is performed, it is believed that all the earth demons in the country are appeased and the Gods rejoice. All these dances were taught to his disciples and they were further enhanced by the Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel in the 17th century. We can see them performed even today during the Tsechus conducted at various Dzongs in Bhutan.
Pema Lingpa founded several temples of worship that have been the bastions of spiritual guidance and enlightenment through the centuries. Tamshing Gompa, Konchogsum Lhakhang and Pema Sambhava Lhakhang, apart from Kunzangdrak Gompa mentioned earlier, are important religious sites established in the Bumthang valley.
Tamshing Gompa also known as Tamshing Lhendup Chholing, literally “Temple of the Good Message” is located five kilometers from Jakar town. It was established in 1501 and is the most important Nyingma Gompa in the kingdom. It is said that the Terton built the structure himself, with the help of Khandroms who made many statues. On the inner walls are what are believed to be original unrestored images that were painted by Pema Lingpa, though recent research has uncovered even older paintings beneath them. The main temple has an atypical design with the key chapel in the centre of the assembly hall, almost like a separate building. In the front part of the hall are three thrones for the three incarnations of Pema Lingpa. During important ceremonies the reincarnations sit here, although a statue may be substituted if one of the incarnations is not present. The upper floor forms a balcony around the assembly hall and has a low ceiling. Pema Lingpa was a short man and it is said that he built this ceiling to his exact height. In the inner sanctum are statues of Guru Rimpoche, Jampa (Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future) and Sakyamuni. The statue of Guru Rimpoche is said to have been sculpted by the Khandroms. A glass case in the front of the upper chapel houses a small statue of Pema Lingpa. The Terton’s expertise in metallurgy can be witnessed in a suit of chain-mail armour found on the lower floor. It weighs about 25 kg and it is an auspicious act to carry it while circumambulating the Gompa three times.
A short distance below Tamshing is a small rural-looking temple which is said to have origins in the 6th or 7th century. The current structure was restored by Pema Lingpa and was renovated in recent times. The small statues of three Buddhas (past, present and future) in the shrine are said to have flown straight from Khaine Lhakhang in Kurtoe. Hence the name of this Lhakhang is Konchogsum – Konchog (divine being), Sum (three). The central figure in the Lhakhang is Vairochana (also known as Namnang, the Dhyani Buddha of Vast Space). Amongst others, there is a statue of Pema Lingpa in the shrine. There is a pedestal in the courtyard upon which a large and ancient bell used to sit. It is said that when this bell was rung, it could be heard all the way to Lhasa. An invading Tibetan army in the 17th century tried to steal it, but the weight was too great and they dropped it, which cracked the bell. It is said to comprise 10% gold, 20% silver, 50 % bronze and 20 % tin. Pieces of the bell are displayed in the Lhakhang. The Terton revealed Terma on the hillside behind this Gompa, and also in the lake said to be beneath the Lhakhang which he is said to have plugged with a large stone still seen in the courtyard.
Pema Sambhava Lhakhang is a small temple situated a short climb above the Bumthang valley floor. The original structure was built around 1490 by Pema Lingpa around the cave where Guru Rimpoche meditated and assumed his manifestation of Padmasambhava. It was expanded by Jigme Namgyel, father of the first Bhutanese king, and restored in the early 1970s.
Although Guru Rimpoche had placed in the Terton’s hands an inventory of 108 treasures, due to adverse circumstances Pema Lingpa revealed fewer than half of them, a total of 34, in various places of Bhutan and as far away as Samye in Tibet. Many of the statues and relics he discovered are preserved in Lhakhangs throughout Bhutan. At the time of the Terton’s imminent death in 1521, his son asked permission to find the other Terma. The master replied, "It will be hard for you to find the treasures, but if you purely guard your commitments and pray to me, you may perhaps find a few minor ones."
The great saint had a great number of disciples. The foremost included six treasure-finders who were emanations, six greatly accomplished masters, and six sons who manifested the signs of accomplishment. This was in accordance with a prophetic declaration by Pema Lingpa concerning the host of disciples who became his spiritual sons. He proclaimed that – “Ten thousand will be associated by (the force of) past deeds. One thousand two will be associated by aspiration. Those associated through the profound essential point will be eleven. Seven will be Mandala-holders. And three will be spiritual sons, dear to his heart.”
Pema Lingpa was reincarnated in three forms consisting of Body (Ku), Speech (Sung) and Mind (Thug). Through his six sons, one daughter and numerous reincarnations, the Terton left behind a legacy that still influences much of Bhutan. Dawa Gyeltshen, born in 1499, was the emanation of Avalokitesvara, and was the most enlightened son. He settled in Chhume, one of Bumthang’s valleys, and became one of Pema Lingpa's main lineage holders, honoured by numerous great masters. Dawa brought forth some of the remaining Terma after his father’s death. Another of his sons, Pema Thinley, was the reincarnation of Pema Lingpa himself. He founded the Gangte Gompa in the Phobjika valley, and the Gangte Trulku lineage continues even today. One of his grandsons, Juenga Wangpo, born in 1505, settled in Kurtoe, now part of Lhuentshe Dzongkhag. His great grandsons founded Dungkhar Dzong, north of Lhuentshe Dzong. The royal family of Bhutan, the Wangchuk dynasty, is descended from this line.
The transmission of Pema Lingpa's profound religious doctrine was gradually passed down and propagated by his disciples and incarnations (Trulkus). His spiritual lineage spread throughout Bhutan and Tibet, and the entire stream of its empowerments, transmissions, and guidance from a number of great masters has continued, unbroken, up to the present.
Pema Lingpa founded several temples of worship that have been the bastions of spiritual guidance and enlightenment through the centuries. Tamshing Gompa, Konchogsum Lhakhang and Pema Sambhava Lhakhang, apart from Kunzangdrak Gompa mentioned earlier, are important religious sites established in the Bumthang valley.
Tamshing Gompa also known as Tamshing Lhendup Chholing, literally “Temple of the Good Message” is located five kilometers from Jakar town. It was established in 1501 and is the most important Nyingma Gompa in the kingdom. It is said that the Terton built the structure himself, with the help of Khandroms who made many statues. On the inner walls are what are believed to be original unrestored images that were painted by Pema Lingpa, though recent research has uncovered even older paintings beneath them. The main temple has an atypical design with the key chapel in the centre of the assembly hall, almost like a separate building. In the front part of the hall are three thrones for the three incarnations of Pema Lingpa. During important ceremonies the reincarnations sit here, although a statue may be substituted if one of the incarnations is not present. The upper floor forms a balcony around the assembly hall and has a low ceiling. Pema Lingpa was a short man and it is said that he built this ceiling to his exact height. In the inner sanctum are statues of Guru Rimpoche, Jampa (Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future) and Sakyamuni. The statue of Guru Rimpoche is said to have been sculpted by the Khandroms. A glass case in the front of the upper chapel houses a small statue of Pema Lingpa. The Terton’s expertise in metallurgy can be witnessed in a suit of chain-mail armour found on the lower floor. It weighs about 25 kg and it is an auspicious act to carry it while circumambulating the Gompa three times.
A short distance below Tamshing is a small rural-looking temple which is said to have origins in the 6th or 7th century. The current structure was restored by Pema Lingpa and was renovated in recent times. The small statues of three Buddhas (past, present and future) in the shrine are said to have flown straight from Khaine Lhakhang in Kurtoe. Hence the name of this Lhakhang is Konchogsum – Konchog (divine being), Sum (three). The central figure in the Lhakhang is Vairochana (also known as Namnang, the Dhyani Buddha of Vast Space). Amongst others, there is a statue of Pema Lingpa in the shrine. There is a pedestal in the courtyard upon which a large and ancient bell used to sit. It is said that when this bell was rung, it could be heard all the way to Lhasa. An invading Tibetan army in the 17th century tried to steal it, but the weight was too great and they dropped it, which cracked the bell. It is said to comprise 10% gold, 20% silver, 50 % bronze and 20 % tin. Pieces of the bell are displayed in the Lhakhang. The Terton revealed Terma on the hillside behind this Gompa, and also in the lake said to be beneath the Lhakhang which he is said to have plugged with a large stone still seen in the courtyard.
Pema Sambhava Lhakhang is a small temple situated a short climb above the Bumthang valley floor. The original structure was built around 1490 by Pema Lingpa around the cave where Guru Rimpoche meditated and assumed his manifestation of Padmasambhava. It was expanded by Jigme Namgyel, father of the first Bhutanese king, and restored in the early 1970s.
Although Guru Rimpoche had placed in the Terton’s hands an inventory of 108 treasures, due to adverse circumstances Pema Lingpa revealed fewer than half of them, a total of 34, in various places of Bhutan and as far away as Samye in Tibet. Many of the statues and relics he discovered are preserved in Lhakhangs throughout Bhutan. At the time of the Terton’s imminent death in 1521, his son asked permission to find the other Terma. The master replied, "It will be hard for you to find the treasures, but if you purely guard your commitments and pray to me, you may perhaps find a few minor ones."
The great saint had a great number of disciples. The foremost included six treasure-finders who were emanations, six greatly accomplished masters, and six sons who manifested the signs of accomplishment. This was in accordance with a prophetic declaration by Pema Lingpa concerning the host of disciples who became his spiritual sons. He proclaimed that – “Ten thousand will be associated by (the force of) past deeds. One thousand two will be associated by aspiration. Those associated through the profound essential point will be eleven. Seven will be Mandala-holders. And three will be spiritual sons, dear to his heart.”
Pema Lingpa was reincarnated in three forms consisting of Body (Ku), Speech (Sung) and Mind (Thug). Through his six sons, one daughter and numerous reincarnations, the Terton left behind a legacy that still influences much of Bhutan. Dawa Gyeltshen, born in 1499, was the emanation of Avalokitesvara, and was the most enlightened son. He settled in Chhume, one of Bumthang’s valleys, and became one of Pema Lingpa's main lineage holders, honoured by numerous great masters. Dawa brought forth some of the remaining Terma after his father’s death. Another of his sons, Pema Thinley, was the reincarnation of Pema Lingpa himself. He founded the Gangte Gompa in the Phobjika valley, and the Gangte Trulku lineage continues even today. One of his grandsons, Juenga Wangpo, born in 1505, settled in Kurtoe, now part of Lhuentshe Dzongkhag. His great grandsons founded Dungkhar Dzong, north of Lhuentshe Dzong. The royal family of Bhutan, the Wangchuk dynasty, is descended from this line.
The transmission of Pema Lingpa's profound religious doctrine was gradually passed down and propagated by his disciples and incarnations (Trulkus). His spiritual lineage spread throughout Bhutan and Tibet, and the entire stream of its empowerments, transmissions, and guidance from a number of great masters has continued, unbroken, up to the present.
***
october 2008
