Lhatse Lineage-founding of Lhatse Sang-ngag Rab-tan Ling拉則寺密法勝義禪林之創建

班玛给哇

Lhatse Lineage
The founding of Lhatse Sang-ngag Rab-tan Ling.

The secret mantrayana descend like nectar
Uniquely manifest in the three realms
The Treasure of conventional and ultimate truth
To the Lineage Gurus of the three realms, I prostrate.

In the year of 1668, Serpa Yeshe Sengge founded Lhatse Sangngag Rabten Ling (in short known as Lhatse Monastery) in the western Kham Serda region. This monastery is located at a beautiful place where the front and rear mountains are like the confluence of two elephants, which is an auspicious sign. On the right of the mountain has two rivers where the intersection of them are like meeting of the mother and son dragon, surrounded by forests laden with various fragrances . The shape of the land is like the eight petals lotus, and also look like the Dharma Wheel in the sky, which continue to release nice fragrances. As for those who have undergone retreat in Lhatse Monastery, thirteen of them attained rainbow body, thus it is the holy land from which flourished the Nyingma Palyul Lhatse Lineage.

Serpa Yeshe Sengge was born in 1st January, 1638 and born with an auspicious form. His father was Nam Setob and his mother was Nor Tsin. While he was an infant, his parent and servants saw two lions guarding him while he was asleep, thus named him Lion Guard. On his twenty first day after he was born, at sunrise, there was a peacock that fed him with an auspicious fruit, and after eating that fruit, his body transformed. Till this day, there still remains a tree that was transformed by the fell off feather of the peacock and Serpa Yeshe Sengge’s footprint that was formed while he was a child. Since young, he developed renunciation and bodhicitta. Due to his previous karmic imprint of learned dharma, he can quickly pick up and understand the scripture and dharma teaching. Some of the local high monks cited scriptures and praised Serpa Yeshe Sengge as the reincarnation of bodhisattva with the auspicious nobility family line and even his mother family was also one of the best. According to local custom, he should be married at 14 years old. His parent thus asked him to marry Tshewang Lhamo, the daughter of the nobleman Shing-ra Dragthog. However, Serpa Yeshe Sengge did not want to get married. His mother said to him: “Please go to the Great Perfection Master Shelphug and practice secretly under him. I will provide all your needs and I will look after your father, so do not worry”.

So Serpa Yeshe Sengge at the age of 14 on the first day of the eleventh month, at sunrise, left home to go to practice with Lama Shelphug. That same year on the twenty-second day of the eleventh month, his father Nam Setob and his father’s three brothers all passed away at the same time. This is how the family of Lhatse began: the ancestors made request to a siddha (one who has attainment) for descendant. The siddha asked them to make request to the gods of Zhag-ra Lhatse Mountain. Then in a dream appeared the four heavenly kings descended to the womb of the mother and she conceived, and finally gave birth to an egg like a ball and within the egg there are four babies, thus, the family name of Lhatse was given by the deva of the gods realm. Since Anam four brothers were the four heavenly kings that descended to the human realm during their dream, when the four heavenly kings woke up from the dream, the four brothers also at the same time returned back to heaven, and Serpa Yeshe Sengge performed puja for them. (One night in heaven is approximately 50 years in human realm).

During the seven years of leaving home, Serpa Yeshe Sengge followed Master Shelphug to study all teachings of sutra and tantra, and personally beheld Padmasambhava and his twenty five disciples, and also during the meditation in the dream received the three classes of inner / secret tantra (Mahayoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga) of the Old Translation School. Guru Rinpoche instructed him to seek for the one who was indistinguishable from Guru Rinpoche and secret mind of the three times Buddhas, Master Kunzang Sherab, and from whom to learn the Old Tantra via listening, contemplation, and practice, and shall speedily attain the sign of realisation of the union (of method and wisdom). The dakinis of the twenty-four heaven pure lands and the dakinis of the thirty-two earth purelands taught him many secret instructions. When he arose from the dream-meditation state, as far as he recalled the name of Kunzang Sherab, tears flowed down from his eyes. This shows that he and his Master indeed had the profound karmic link over many generations.

Later he followed the guidance of Guru Rinpoche and Lama Shelphug and went to the mid-area of the western Kham region to seek for Kunzang Sherab. During that time there was a battle between the Mongolian tribes of Gushrihan and Leu-tsei. The soldiers cam towards him and wanted to capture him, however, these soldiers became immovable. Later they heard that Serpa Yeshe Sengge is the high monks with great attainment and they confessed to him their faults and also made offering to him. They all vowed to receive the teaching from him and finally both tribes ceased the war and live in harmony and peace. The soldiers of the Mongolian tribe of Gushrihan escorted him to Kathog Monastery to meet the Dharma King of the Three Realms, Lama Kunzang Sherab. When he saw Kunzang Sherab, he generated the supreme faith, bodhicitta, and renunciation, and offered 113 oz of gold and twenty five types of food. He then received from Master Kunzang Sherab all the common and uncommon teachings of the Nyingma three classes of secret tantra. Kunzang Sherab also transmistted to him all the lineages that he has received in his mind. Serpa Yeshe Sengge in his practice instantly gained perfect realisation of his teacher’s instructions with the signs of attainment. Later he went to Kathog Monastery to listen, contemplate, and practice the five sciences of the Sutra Path of Buddhism, and the Vajrayana’s Karma (Oral Transmission) and Terma (Hidden Treasure) teachings, and became spiritual practice teacher of Kathog Monastery, and was invited by the King of Dege to the palace to lead the Sangha community in conducting the Blessing and Elimination of Obstacles Puja. During the puja, in the midst of recitation, all the buddha statues in the mandala appeared to be shaken – a sign of power and auspiciousness. He also became the disciple of Terton Longsal Nyingpo and received from Migyur Dorje many initiations, oral transmission, and oral instructions. At the same time he also personally sought after Karma Chagmed for many teachings. When Kunzang Sherab became the Abbot of Palyul Monastery, Serpa Yeshe Sengge followed him to Palyul Monastery, and once again perfectly received the initiations, teachings, oral transmission, and oral instructions of the practice of Eight Heruka Gongpa Dongpa (the deity of the essence of the secret mind), Vajrakilaya, and Namcho (Sky Treasure). He also followed Master Kunzang Sherab to Lhari Odsal Hill Retreat Centre for practice. The place where Lama Kunzang Sherab led his four heart disciples to practice the Great Perfection with attainment is later known as Dago Richo in Tibetan, meaning “the retreat centre of Hitting Awareness”. Upon completing and perfecting all the practices, in the presence of Kunzang Sherab, he explained the various practice experience and realisation of the Generation and Completion Stages and received recognition from Kunzang Sherab. His realisation are as followed:

1. Realisation of the perfection practice of Subtle drops of the Mahayoga, and the realisation of the eight common attainments by able to hang his robe on the sunlight rays, thus his future disciples called the robe as Robe of the Rays of Sunlight.

2. Realisation of the illusory completion stage’s wisdom body of the Auyoga, and through the wisdom mudra generated the outer and inner realisation. And also the realisation of the ultimate clear light completion stage’s wisdom, and generated the realisation of the four visions.

So in the presence of Lama Kunzang Sherab, Serpa Yeshe Sengge demonstrated many signs of his realisation with the recognition from Kunzang Sherab. Lama Kunzang Sherab was very pleased and said “In the past, Padmasambhava has predicted about me that one of my disciple whom practice is more profound than me (‘me’ refer to Kunzang Sherab that was predicted by Guru Rinpoche) and his Dharma activity is more broader than me, is Serpa Yeshe Sengge. One whose pacify activity is more profound than me is Janggang Aphar. One whose summon activity is more profound than me is Tsangda Dorje Thar. One whose wrathful activity is more profound than me is Shuggang Badong. One whose serve and assist me well is Tshakhor Ba Tsondru Gyatsho. I have already transmitted all the essence of the teachings of the Nyingmapa Palyul Lineage to you, so you must propagate the Buddhadharma.”

Lama Kunzang Sherab said to Serpa Yeshe Sengge, “you should return to your home town and build a monastery, and named it as Sang-ngag Rabtan Ling, meaning the Ultimate Secret Mantra Monastery, from which many accomplishers shall arise continuously.” Lama Kunzang Sherab also recognised this monastery as same lineage with Palyul Monastery. He gave Serpa Yeshe Sengge many scriptures, statues, stupa, etc., and predicted that the Palyul Lhatse Lineage of Serpa Yeseh Sengge will abide in this world eternally. He told Serpa Yeshe Sengge that Protector Mahakala will be with him to protect him, and in future, Serpa Yeshe Sengge shall widely propagated the Buddhadharma. So he asked Serpa Yeshe Sengge to return to home town Seryul. The next day, Serpa Yeshe Sengge followed his master instruction and return to home town, and after some journey, he turned back to behold the place of his master, instantly his mind gain realisation that the Guru is the root of all Buddhadharma, and he did not feel like leaving the place. So he prostrated towards the direction where his master resided and made requests for seven days. On the dawn of the seventh day, he beheld Migyur Dorje, Karma Chagmed, and Kunzang Sherab appeared together in the sky of emptiness, and then three of them merged to become an Heruka, surrounded by countless Dakinis. Heruka predicted many future events of Serpa Yeshe Sengge propagation of the Buddhadharma, and said to him, “tomorrow morning you shall quickly return to Seryul, and I will continue to grant blessing to you and your disciples”. Finally, Heruka and the Dakinis recited many auspicious verses and blessing, and dissolve into emptiness and disappeared from the sky.

At the winter of that year, Serpa Yeshe Sengge arrived at his home town Seryul Lhatse. Many people gladly welcomed him and he told them that he wished to build a monastery. At that time Tshewang Lhamo (the daughter of nobility who was planned to marry him by the arrangement of his parents) came forward to offer him gold, silver, and food that were carried by 1,000 donkeys. While Serpa Yeshe Sengge was searching for the site to build the monastery, one day at the location where today Lhatse Monastery located, he saw a white cow sleeping on the floor, next to the cow was an old lady doing needlework. As he wanted to carefully observe whether this is a suitable location to build the monastery, he said to that old lady, “please leave this place as I wanted to build a monastery here”. So the old lady stood up and took the oat popcorn next her and throw to the surrounding and angrily said “you go and build many monasteries, go!” Then she left. Serpa Yeshe Sengge regarded this actions as a profound cause for building the monastery (as oat in Tibetan is “tso”, has the meaning of the arrival of profound interpersonal relationship). In the year of 1668, spring, at the eleventh day of the second month, at sunrise, he began the puja for the building of the monastery, and conducted fire pujas of the four activities of pacify, increase, summon, and wrathful. During the puja, the auspicious signs of dragon and nectar descended from the sky appeared. The fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kang Shi, in his seventh year enthronement anniversary, he invited Serpa Yeshe Sengge to Beijing to conduct the puja in the presence of all the officials to commemorate the enthronement. Emperor Kang Shi bestowed the title of Royal Chaplain to Serpa Yeshe Sengge in the presence of all the people, and offered him the statues of Ratnasambhava, Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, Hevajra, etc. Among the offerings, there were the silk thangka of White Tara personally made by the Princess, the Maha-Prajnaparamita Scripture written in gold ink, over one hundred stupas, the Dharma Crown specially commissioned by the Qing Emperor, and the Lion Seal of the Royal Chaplain. While Serpa Yeshe Sengge in Beijing, he met his Gelugpa Master and received the teaching of the New Translation School Tantra. While on his way back to Seryul from Beijing, at Gyalrong Gyalkhab, which is the current region of Gyalrong in the western part of Sichuan Province, eighteen local leaders came to welcome him and requested him to transmit teachings and accepted Serpa Yeshe Sengge as their Root Guru. When he reached his home town, residents of the six villages of Lhatse have already completed the construction of Lhatse Monastery, so Serpa Yeshe Sengge conducted the solemn opening ceremony puja for the newly constructed monastery. About one thousand disciples came forward to be ordained as monks, thus the Buddhist Institute and the Retreat Centre began the teaching of the practice of the union of Dzogchen and Mahamudra, and all the various teachings of the Palyul lineage were perfectly taught in monastery. He also set up the various systems of practice in the monastery. Thus, Lhatse Monastery combined both the Old Translation School Tantra and New Translation School Tantra lineage. Serpa Yeshe Sengge propagated the Palyul teachings to Tibet, China, Mongol, etc via initiation and exposition. He has written fifty volumes of book (some of his works were lost during the cultural revolution). At seventy years old, in the manifestation of many profound auspicious signs, he entered into parinirvana by dissolving his secret mind into the Dharmadhatu (realm of reality).

班玛给哇

(中文翻译参考）

拉則寺密法勝義禪林之創建
密法如甘霖般降
三界獨尊頂莊嚴
了及不了義寶藏
頂禮傳承三界師

西元一六六八年，瑟爾巴益西僧格尊者在西康色達地區開基創立了拉則密法勝義寺（簡稱拉則寺）。此一富有名勝的古寺，環境清雅、山色秀麗，前後兩座山形，猶如二頭大象之壯觀，呈現了一片祥瑞之象。右邊山的盡頭有兩條河，水**會，象徵龍的母子相逢。茂盛的樹林自然分佈出奇，地形像八瓣蓮花，狀又似天上法輪，時常釋放出陣陣異香。曾經在此修行閉關者，有過十三位修成虹光身成就，堪稱是當今寧瑪巴白玉拉則傳承法源聖地。 　　

尊者於西元一六三八年一月一日出生，降生時聖具吉祥瑞相。父名喃謝德，母名諾真真。嬰兒時，父母及僕人皆見尊者臥時有二獅護其左右，故取名為獅子護。生後二十一天日出之時，見一孔雀，口銜一粒吉祥果予以餵食，食後身體變得非常莊嚴，直到現在，還遺留下當時孔雀掉落羽毛所化生之一株松柏樹，及兒時遊戲之腳印。尊者從小就具有的出離心和慈悲心，也自然了知前世所學的種種一切佛法，於是對於經書及佛法很快便能理解修習。一些當地成就高僧更引用佛經所言，比喻尊者為菩薩之降生，同時具有吉祥貴族之姓氏和極優秀的母親族系。依當時習俗，十四歲應娶妻，雙親原本要求娶星拉札脫貴族之女兒切旺拉莫為妻，但尊者不願。母親於是告訴尊者說：你就去大圓滿成就者諧佈上師處作秘密修行吧！我當供養一切所需，父親也有我照顧，你不必掛心。 　　

於是尊者乃於十四歲當年十一月初一，日出吉祥時辰，離家到諧佈上師那兒修行。同年十一月二十二日，尊者之父喃謝德，以及喃謝德之另外三位兄弟亦均同時往生。按尊者家族拉則姓氏之由來，係由其家族祖先向成就者祈請賜予後代，由成就者預言：可向夏拉拉則山之天神祈求。因而於夜夢中出現四大天王降生入胎而懷孕，並生出一個如球聖胎，胎內有四個嬰兒，因此拉則族姓係由天道之天神所賜予。由於阿喃四兄弟係由四大天王之天神在睡夢中同時降生人間，因此當四大天王睡醒的時候，四位降生之兄弟也就同時往生返回天界，尊者均一一為他們作法事。（按天道一夜，約人間五十年） 　　

尊者在離家七年內，均跟隨著諧佈上師學習一切顯密佛法，在這期間親見蓮師與其二十五位弟子，於睡夢禪定中並得舊續密三部（瑪哈、阿努、阿底等瑜珈）之教導。蓮師更指引告曰：去找與蓮師無異，具三世諸佛密意的昆商謝喇上師，跟隨學習舊續的聞思修，將能速得雙運之覺受證兆。二十四天淨土空行母及三十二地淨土空行母均紛紛教授尊者許多口訣密意。夢醒出定之後，尊者只要憶及昆商謝喇上師的尊名，就感動得毛骨悚然而掉下眼淚。顯示尊者與上師二人間具有歷代殊勝之因緣。 　　之後，尊者依蓮師及諧佈上師的指引，乃到西康中部尋找昆商謝喇尊者，那時蒙古族姑許汗部族與鄰邦列借部族二軍正交戰，當時有軍人前來尊者住處，欲抓尊者，但是要抓尊者的這些軍人手腳卻變得動彈不得。後得悉尊者為修行成就高僧之後，乃向尊者懺悔，並獻上供養，一一誓言接受尊者的教誨，最後二軍休戰並和平相處。蒙古族姑許汗軍隊也歡送尊者到噶陀寺謁見三界法王昆商謝喇上師，一見面，尊者即生起不共信心、菩提心與出離心，並供養了一百一十三兩黃和二十五種食物。獲得寧瑪密部三續共與不共教法之教授，昆商些喇上師心中所了知的一切傳承法脈都傳給了尊者，在修持剎那間即圓滿證得上師口訣的覺受與證兆。之後，又於噶陀寺佛學院聞思修顯宗五明佛學，及密宗噶瑪言傳及德瑪伏藏等密法，擔任噶陀寺修法引導師，並曾應德格王之邀請，帶僧團赴皇宮舉行消災祈福法會，於法會當中，唱頌修法時，壇城所有佛像均顯現不停上下震動之法力，顯現吉祥瑞象威力。並拜寺中取藏者龍薩寧波為上師，亦接受明珠多傑尊者許多灌頂、口傳、口訣之教授。同時也親向噶瑪恰美尊者求取許多教法。之後，於昆商些喇尊者擔任白玉寺寺主之後，尊者也跟隨上師到白玉寺蔣秋大吉林，再次更加圓滿接受了八大嘿嚕嘎崗巴都巴（密意總集本尊），普巴金剛、南丘天法之大圓滿等之灌頂、教授、口傳、口訣等傳承教授。亦隨著昆商謝喇上師赴光明山閉關中心實修。該閉關處，由於係昆商謝喇上師帶領其四大弟子修習大圓滿法成就的地方，故後人乃命名為“覺知椎擊閉關中心”。藏語為達果日措。尊者於一切修習圓滿之後，乃於上師昆商謝喇尊者面前，說出了生起與圓滿二次第道的種種修行證驗，並獲得上師的認證。其證驗如后：

(一)已證得生起次第瑪哈瑜珈細明點相應法圓滿修持後的現見證驗及共通的八種成就證驗，並隨即將法衣掛在陽光的光線上，之後傳承弟子稱此法衣為陽光法衣。

(二)已證得阿努瑜珈世俗幻化之圓滿次第智慧身，依智慧手印生起內外驗證之覺受和大圓滿阿底瑜珈勝義光明的圓滿次第智慧，並生起四相驗證之覺受。 　　

尊者於上師昆商謝喇尊者跟前，一一展現此等證兆，並獲得上師的認許。事後昆商謝喇上師非常高興，告以：從前蓮師已預言，修行比我（“我”指昆商謝喇上師本人，以下“我”字均同此義）殊勝的弟子，而且佛法事業比我更加弘揚光大者，為瑟爾巴益西僧格；息業比我還殊勝者，為江剛阿遍；懷業比我還殊勝者，為章達多傑塔；誅業比我還殊勝者，為書剛巴第；善於隨侍者為察郭尊珠佳措。我已將寧瑪巴白玉傳承法脈全部的法要交代你們了，你們要好好傳揚佛法。 　　

昆商謝喇上師對瑟爾巴益西僧格尊者說：你應回家鄉建一寺廟，取名為商額喇單林，意為密法勝義禪林，以後成就者將如水晶纓絡般的綿延不，且賜該寺院同為白玉本寺之傳承。並贈與尊者佛經、像、塔等聖物，預言尊者傳承法脈之白玉佛法將永駐世間，且告以隨時有瑪哈嘎拉護法將護隨你，你未來定能將佛法弘揚光大。即請尊者回家鄉色闊。隔天早上，尊者遵照上師指示啟程返回家鄉，於行走一段路程之後，回頭遙望上師的住處，心中忽然生起了了知：上師乃為一切佛法之根本，而不願離去。於是乃向上師住所方向頂禮和祈請七日，於第七日清晨，在虛空中親見明珠多傑、噶瑪恰美與昆商謝喇三位尊者同時顯現，隨後並幻化融合為一嘿嚕嘎，周圍有無量空行母圍繞，嘿嚕嘎並預言尊者未來佛法弘揚的各種情況，且言道：你明晨趕快回色，我會給你及你的弟子不斷加持，最後嘿嚕嘎本尊及空行母們誦出了各種吉祥讚頌與祝福，隨後並融入虛空當中而消失不見。 　　

尊者乃於該年冬季初返回家鄉瑟巴拉則處，大眾皆歡喜而前來迎接，尊者乃對眾人言欲建寺。當時原雙親提及婚嫁之貴族女切旺拉莫即獻上金、銀及一千多頭馱子所載負的青稞前來供養。在尋找建寺之地的時候，有一日，即在現今拉則寺地點，見到一頭白色犛牛睡臥地上，旁有一位牧牛之老婦人正在搓織毛線，尊者為了觀察該地點蓋廟是否具足殊勝緣起，乃向老婦言：請你離開這兒，我想在此地建寺。老婦人於是站起來，手中並拿起身旁食物大麥爆米花灑向四周，並生氣言道：你去蓋千千萬萬寺廟，去吧！於是就離去。尊者認為此乃建寺之殊勝緣起。（按大麥，藏語為“卓”，亦有人緣殊勝到來之涵意）

1668年春天二月十一日日出龍時，即開始進行建寺動土法會，修息、增、懷、誅四種火供，於動土法會當中，即感得祥龍顯現，天降甘霖等吉祥瑞相。清朝第四代清聖祖康熙皇帝在位登基七周年紀念日，其王臣乃前來迎請尊者赴北京主持紀念日法會，當時康熙皇帝在漢蒙信眾面前，賜封尊者為國師，賜予由金線、絲布所製作賜封為國師之賀錦，並贈予寶生如來、密集金剛、勝樂金剛、喜金剛等法像，清代公主親自製作的白度母絲繡唐卡、金液書寫的大般若經、百多個舍利塔、清代皇帝特製的法帽及鑲有綠松石獅子之賜封國師金印等等珍貴法物。尊者在北京時候，也拜見格魯巴上師並接受新續之教授。當尊者由北京回色闊途中，在加龍加卡，即現今四川西部地加龍地區，有十八位土司亦前來迎接尊者傳法，拜尊者為根本上師。之後，尊者回到自家鄉，當時拉則六個村落的民眾也同時將寺院建好完工，尊者亦隨即舉行盛大寺院開光慶祝法會，並有當地一千位左右弟子前來寺廟剃度出家，於是學院與閉關堂乃開始教授大圓滿及大手印之雙運修法，白玉傳承法脈的各種教法均俱足圓滿於寺廟，並訂定寺廟修習佛法的各種制度。於是拉則寺乃融合新舊二續之法脈傳承，尊者以灌頂、講授等等教法，把白玉佛法弘揚至藏、漢、蒙等地。尊者著作約有五十餘冊。（因文革期間，有些著作今已遺失。）直至七十歲，尊者於得甚多殊勝證驗瑞象後，即密意融法界而涅槃。

班玛正波

随喜给哇师兄分享，暂时只看了汉文部分，也因此对于殊胜的拉则寺建寺历史有了更深入的理解，感恩上师加持！

班玛藏龙

Tks Geiwa. This is a new version that I can learn.

班玛利当

感恩给哇师兄的分享！