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Without my protector,
I was left behind lacking a home and partner.
I was even banished to a distant land
and became like a thorn, irritating everyones eyes.
The heart son of the Lord of Refuge,
my vajra brother Natsok Rangdrol68, alone
consoled me by saying,
You, the supreme consort of His Highness,
must not exile yourself to a faraway place.
He then bound me by our sacred dharma commitments.
Because of that, I stayed at the holy place
of Sera Monastery69 for several years.
I held, protected, and spread the profound teachings
of both the great treasure revealer and his son70
according to the command of the Lord of Refuge.
I propagated the profound treasures to everyone,
both near and far.
In particular, I entrusted the inheritance
of the two treasures71 to those fortune ones,
such as the chief dharma holder Praj Rami.72
Furthermore, countless other fortunate beings
maintained the precious teachings in secluded practice.
By enacting the twofold purpose,
I upheld the teachings of the two treasures;
and when the reincarnation
of the Lord Refuge Guru was enthroned,
my hearts suffering eased a bit.
Moreover, out of his kindness,
my Lord of Refuge, the wish-fulfilling jewel,
actually had regarded a miserable dog like me
as a lion with a turquoise mane; and when I reflected on that,
the sadness in my mind never lifted.
When the all-illuminating sun arose,
I was reminded of the kya of my Lord of Refuge Wish-Fulfilling Jewel.
When its light dispelled the darkness in all directions,
I thought of his enlightened quality of impartial compassion.
From the upper expanse of the sky,
when the sun set behind the western mountains,
I recalled how my master himself came to guide all of us
and had now passed beyond suffering.
When I saw the vast expanse of the sky,
I remembered the appearance of his naturally arising,
spontaneously present rpakya
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appearing from the expanse of the pure dharmakya, the ground of basic space.
In all symbols and signs and in everything that I saw and that appeared,
I recalled my Lord of Refuge Wish-Fulfilling Jewel.
Whatever solitary place or monastery I stayed in,
I missed my guru.
When I reflected on my practice and the oral instructions,
I missed my guru.
When I met with my noble dharma brothers and sisters,
I longed for my guru.
No matter what I felt,
I remembered my guru.
I thought only of my guide and teacher, Pema Ledrel.
Missing him so much,
I cried incessantly all the time.
Due to such intense sadness,
my thinking became muddled.
Although I had accompanied him for so long,
it felt like one instant.
I had received so many empowerments and teachings,
but now it seemed that they took place in one second.
When I thought of how everything happened in this way,
it broke my heart.
When I saw his face,
faith and devotion arose from the depth of my being.
Merely hearing his voice brought me
to the path of maturity and liberation.
The enlightened intent of his wisdom mind
opened the hundred doors of the secret treasury.
From him, a shower of dharma teachings rained down
in accordance with the mental dispositions and capabilities of beings,
liberating them from the narrow passageways of sasra.
Having reached the supreme level of unsurpassed, constant exaltation,
he was the guide who liberated beings in the primordial expanse.
His kindness was unfathomable,
and I was without any way to repay him.
Reflecting on the implications of that
stirred up my grief-stricken mind even more;
and I fell into wailing, thinking of my sublime guru.
However, in order to repay his kindness,
I cast away such selfish thinking based on my own emotions.
I explained and spread the profound treasures to fortunate disciples.
I acted in harmony with the dharma
with all my actions of body, speech, and mind.
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earnestly requested me. In order not to ignore their profound requests, the lowliest
of all the students of the omniscient lord, I, Kunzang Dekyong Chnyi Wangmo
wrote this in the Earth Snake Year (1929) in the ninth month on the excellent
sixteenth day, from the isolated retreat place at Sera Monastery. My attendant, the
monk Tsultrim Dorje, supplied the writing materials.
May this spread throughout all directions and times, and may everything be
auspicious! May virtue prevail in the three times!
Geo Geo Geo. Sarva Mangalam.
Translated by Christina Monson, 2012. Originally published in "The Excellent Path of Devotion," Kama
Terma Publications, Boulder, Colorado.
Kyabje Chatral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche is the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel to whom I owe everything. The
translation of these precious words of Sera Khandro came about through the support and encouragement of
the great kin Saraswati Devi, Chatral Rinpoches daughter. Many people provided invaluable help along
the way, including Loppn Jigme Rinpoche, Bhakha Tlku Rinpoche, Lama Chnam, Sangye Khandro,
Sarah Jacoby, Heidi Nevin, Elizabeth Monson, Carol Schlenger, Julia Gruberg, Sarah Bolasevich, Wayne
Amtzis, Sangye Dragpa, and others. The love and kindness of my parents, John and Susan Monson, have
been ever-present, and their support has been invaluable. Kay Henry and David Bolduc facilitated the
manuscript and book preparation for the first publication of this translation, which was partially
supported by a grant from the Brown-Monson Foundation.
1. In the Vajrayna tradition, a practitioner calls those who share the same
lineage, those who receive empowerments and oral teachings together, and
those who share the same guru vajra brothers and sisters, or vajra kin.
2. According to the Buddhist tradition, the dharmakyaor absolute nature or
truth bodycan be understood as the fundamental ground of enlightenment,
which is described in terms of conceptual distinctions as containing the aspects
of original purity and spontaneous presence. Within this ground, the
primordial buddha, Samantabhadra, is enlightened by recognizing the true
nature of reality just as it is, without ever having to stray into confusion as a
sentient being.
3. The five buddha families are the families of Vairochana, Akhobhya,
Ratnasambhava, Amitbha, and Amoghasiddhi. Vairochana is at the center
when the five are depicted together. Glacial Lake (gang chen tsho/gangs chen
mtsho) is an epithet for Vairochana and refers to the Buddhist cosmological
presentation of existence as issuing forth from the scented water that flows
from the bodies of these buddhas, manifesting the pure realms and all
universes. This is what can be understood as the sambhogakya, or the
enjoyment nature body, which is the wisdom manifestation of the primordial
18
Khenpo Pema sal Thaye, An Abbreviated Biography of the kin from Central
[Tibet] entitled A Guide for Reaching the Pure Lands (dbus za mkha groi rnam
thar bsdus pa mkha spyod bgrod pai lam yig bzhugs) in A Little Book called A
Pleasure Garden of [Myrobalan] Nectar (deb chung a ru rai ga tsal zhe cha wa
zhuk/deb chung a ru rai dga tshal), (Chengdu: Sichuan Nationalities and
Languages Press, si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003), 76.
7. As the consort of the primordial buddha, Samantabhadra, non-dual with his
wisdom mind, Samantabhadr symbolizes the female representation of this
enlightened state and, as such, is presented as the first in the line of Sera
Khandros previous incarnations. Rather than to be taken literally, this
indicates that Sera Khandros wisdom mind and lineage flowed directly from
the dharmakya itself, as represented by Samantabhadr. The sambhogakya
wisdom deity Vajravrh, or the Diamond Sow, has a very important place
in Sera Khandros revealed teachings for it is Vajravrh who empowered Sera
Khandro at age thirteen in a dream with the two collections of treasure
teachings that became the core of her practice lineage. Finally, Vajravrhs
nirmakya as the great Tibetan consort of Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal,
is the human origin of Sera Khandros incarnation lineage; and there are
several meditation practices centered on Yeshe Tsogyal within her treasure
cycles.
8. The example of the sky-lotus, or a sky-flower, is often invoked to refer to
something nonexistent. In this context, Sera Khandro humbly used this image
to imply that she had no special or praiseworthy qualities and that this fact
was widely known.
9. In the colophon to this text, Sera Khandro mentioned two vajra brothers, Donli
(don li) and Rangjung (rang byung) who made offerings and requested her to
write her life story. In the same place, she also mentioned the names of three
others who made requests.
10. The space-dwelling kins, or kins who wander or act within the pure
realms, were frequently invoked by Sera Khandro in her commentaries and
treasure collections. These important, usually female, wisdom beings are
responsible for the protection and propagation of revealed treasures and thus
play a central role in the lives of the treasure revealers of Tibetan Buddhism.
Throughout her life as recorded in her autobiographical writing, Sera Khandro
invoked and was approached and counseled by these kins on many
occasions. Sometimes appearing in human form and sometimes as animals or a
combination of human and animal, they repeatedly told Sera Khandro the
proper course of action at pivotal moments on her journey.
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11. This reference is to the Buddhist nun Utpala-varn, who went to elaborate
means to be the first to greet the Buddha upon his return from the Tuhita
Heaven, where he had been visiting his mother.
12. Khotan (li yi yul) was an ancient Buddhist kingdom established around the
fourth century B.C.E. in the area of present-day Xinjiang, China, also known
as Chinese Turkestan. Legends attributing the founding of the kingdom to the
Indian king Ashoka and/or his sons are recorded in the writings of the Chinese
pilgrim Han tsang and also in the Tibetan chronicle of the Li-yul. See
Lamotte, tienne, History of Indian Buddhism, trans. Sara Webb-Boin (LouvainLa-Neuve: Universite Catholique de Louvain, Institut Orientaliste, 1988) 257258.
13. Sera Khandro is known by other names, including Diamond Bliss kin from
Central Tibet (dbus bza mkha gro bde bai rdo rje). The name Sera Khandro
originates from her residence at Awo Sera Monastery at Serta in eastern Tibet,
where she stayed at the request of Sotrul Natsog Rangdrol (bsod sprul sna
tshogs rang grol), her guru Tlku Drimes heart disciple.
14. Other sources describe Sera Khandros birth to a father named Lhasey Jampa
Ngonpo (lha sras byams pa mngon po), Lord of Loving Kindness, Son of the
Gods, who was a local chief renowned as an emanation of the old man Rong
Tsatra (rong tsha khra) and who had treasure abilities, displayed unimpeded
signs of accomplishment, and was a powerful person with strength. Her
mother is described as belonging to the kin class, a lady from the Nup
(gnub) Lineage named Tsering Ch Dzom (tshe ring chos dzoms), Long-Life
Bountiful Dharma. Her birth took place in the Water Dragon Year in the
Fifteenth Rabjung Cycle (1892) in Lhasa amidst many wondrous signs, such as
a tent of rainbow light in the sky, a fragrant mist, and the king of the vultures
dancing on the roof of her house. See the reference to the work of Khenpo
Pema sal Thaye in note six above, page 77.
15. Bodhichitta, or an awakened mind, refers to a compassionate and altruistic
intention to work for the well-being, happiness, and temporary and ultimate
benefit of all sentient beings until all the realms of sasra are emptied.
16. From a Buddhist point of view, the eight worldly concerns are gain and loss,
praise and blame, good and bad reputation, and pleasure and pain. These
represent major obstacles to accomplishing dharma practice.
17. The Three Jewels are the buddha, his teachings or the dharma, and the
community of spiritual practitioners or the sangha.
18. The female buddha Tr, or Jetsn Drolma as Tibetans know her, is respected
and viewed as the great mother of liberation. She appears in many forms and
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19. Kungabma is a reference to Kungabumpa (kun dga bum pa), the enigmatic
fourteenth century treasure revealer who was also believed to be an
incarnation of Yeshe Tsogyal. She is most well known for her treasure The
Secret Mother Tantra, Daily Practice Cycles (ma rgyud gsang ba lam khyer gyi
chos skor).
20. The Indian mahsiddha Saraha is believed to have been born to a Brahmin
family in eastern India in the late eighth or early ninth century CE. Saraha is
well known for his dohs, or spiritual hymns, which express his insights and
realization.
21. These instructions relate to union practice.
22. These refer to practices with the breath according to training with the bodys
subtle energy channels and winds.
23. Kukurdza, another Indian mahsiddha, is said to have been taught the inner
tantras by King Dza after having received their transmission from Vajrapi,
the Lord of Secrets. See Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje, The Nyingma
School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals & History, translated and edited
by Gyurme Dorje and Matthew Kapstein (Boston, USA: Wisdom Publications,
1991), 460.
24. The two purposes here means the accomplishment of the benefit of self and
other. It can also mean the accomplishment of two kyas, the dharmakya and
rpakya (zk ku/gzugs sku).
25. These two treasuries are The Dkins Secret Treasury of Reality (chos nyid
mkha groi gsang mdzod) and The kins Heart Essence of Reality (chos nyid
mkha groi thugs thig).
26. Yudrnma, or the Adamantine Lady of the Turquoise Lamp, is an important
protector deity associated with several important Tibetan treasure lineages.
27. The five classes refers to the five buddha families.
28. These activities should be understood as relating to consort practice. This
means hooking an appropriate consort; and then, if this person has not been
trained in the practices of the five preliminaries, making sure that he or she
trains in these practices and achieves their fruition.
29. These are awareness holders, a title or way of referring to enlightened beings.
22
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48. These two lineages are the treasure lineages of Sera Khandro herself and that
of Drime zer.
49. In fact, Jigdrel Chkyi Lodr played a large role in Sera Khandros life as one of
the four main disciples who upheld her lineage. Also called Gotrul Rinpoche,
he was the first authority to publicly recognize her as a kin and authentic
treasure revealer when she was twenty-four years old.
50. A paita is a great religious scholar.
51. Rami is the Sanskrit for zer, or light rays. Drime zers name in Sanskrit
is Vimala-rami.
52. Once again, these two lineages are her own and that of Drime zer.
53. This prophecy could have intimated that Sera Khandro should bear Drime
zers child, but it is very difficult to interpret such forms of wisdom speech.
54. A small sparrow-like bird renowned for its extremely beautiful voice, the
kalapingka or kalavingka is referenced in numerous sources of Buddhist
literature, such as Ashvaghohas Buddhacharita.
55. One of Tibets most important protector deities and considered to be a tenthlevel bodhisattva, Machen Pomra, or Great Peacock [Mountain], resides on the
snow mountain of Amnye Machen in Golok, northeastern Tibet.
56. This is the title of one of Sera Khandros two treasure cycles. This collection
contains extensive ritual and liturgical practices including A Gathering of
Vidydharas, as well as deity practices focusing on Vajraklaya, Vajravrh,
Tr, Yeshe Tsogyal, and others.
57. The Buddhist King Ashoka (third century BCE) was said to have magically
built thousands of stpas in one night. It is not uncommon to find attribution
of important stpas to him, and this reference may be to a stpa called Gmang
Chorten (Stpa of Many Doors) near Bmoche Monastery in Golok.
58. In her long autobiography, Sera Khandro writes in great detail about the years
of struggle and misery she spent living with Gara Gyalse. After having one
daughter [i.e., Yangchen Drnma] with Gyalse, she later gave birth to a
stillborn boy, a tragedy that drew her much criticism from her detractors
among Gyalses entourage. In fact, she was expelled from his community on
more than one occasion before Gara Gyalse himself finally sent her to Drime
zer when she was thirty, despite having agreed many years earlier that she
should go and live there. Sera Khandro gave birth to another son [i.e., Rigdzin
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Gyurme Dorje] in her late twenties and traveled with her two children between
the nomadic encampments of Gara Gyalsey and Drime zer numerous times
before she went to live with Drime zer permanently.
59. Sera Khandro suffered much of her life from arthritis or gout. This condition
worsened considerably in her late twenties; and by the time she made her final
departure for Drime zers encampment, she could not walk and had to be tied
onto her horse. When arriving at Drime zers encampment, she was almost
dead. His healing ceremonies and their practice together revived her and
averted this obstacle to her life. In her long autobiography she also recounts
another time of intense illness when, in great sorrow over her weak health,
Drime zer cried a tear that landed in her ear and traveled to her heart,
thereby reviving her.
60. These texts are part of her treasure cycles. Her long autobiography also
includes sections of extensive prophecies.
61. This is Drime zer.
62. This refers to Yeshe Tsogyal.
63. This is the title of the second collection of Sera Khandros two treasure cycles.
64. This would have been the year 1918, when Sera Khandro was twenty-seven,
but the chronology here may be slightly out of order.
65. This reference to someone named Speech is difficult to accurately identify.
Obviously, it refers to someone who might have had a negative influence on
her.
66. Gojo is the name of a previous kingdom in Kham, eastern Tibet.
67. Drime zer passed away in the year 1924 when he was forty-four years of age.
68. This is a reference to Strul Rinpoche, the head of Sera Monastery, from which
Sera Khandro took her name, and one of the Drime zers closest disciples.
69. This is a reference to Awo Sera Monastery in Serta, eastern Tibet.
70. Dudjom Lingpa and Drime zer.
71. This refers to Sera Khandros lineage and that of Drime zer.
72. This is a reference to Sherab zer, a disciple and lineage holder who was
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mentioned in the colophon to this text, in her long autobiography, and also in
the colophons to several of her mediation practices and liturgical writings.
73. Male rhinoceroses prefer to live alone.
74. Chmara Island is one of the eight smaller continents of Buddhist cosmology.
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