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"When
Lord Buddha was about to pass into final nirvana, he said
to his followers, 'This worldly life is transitory and separation
is inevitable. But eight years from now, in the midst of an
immaculately pure lake in the northwest land of Oddiyana,
one will appear who is wiser and more powerful than myself.
Born from the center of a lotus blossom, he will be known
as Padmasambhava, and will reveal the teachings of the Secret
Mantras to deliver all beings from misery.' "
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Life
of Padmasambhava
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Amitabha,
Buddha of Boundless Light, manifesting as the emperor of the four
continents, turned the Wheel of the Dharma and considered the six
directions. Knowing a miraculous birth was needed to inspire faith
in the Dharma and subdue the fierce deities of Tibet, he saw first
Indrabhuti, who had lost his only son. His glance then fell upon
the immaculate waters of Lake Dhanakosa, and next upon the kingdom
of Tibet, where he saw the King Khri-srong Ide-btsan, who would
cause the light of the Dharma to shine through the darkness. Then
he caused a lotus to arise; within its petals an emanation of Amitabha
took form of itself. This emanation would become known to human
beings as Padma 'byung-gnas, the 'Lotus-born Guru'.
Although some regard Padma 'byung-gnas as a human being who performed
specific actions at a certain time and place, the gter-ma tradition
and other historical sources describe the Great Guru as the son
of Amitabha, the embodiment of enlightened activity of the Buddhas
of the past, present, and future. In this manifestation, Padma 'byung-gnas
is the central Vidyadhara of a radiant mandala, transmitting enlightened
knowledge directly to the hearts of those who open their beings
through meditation. Padma 'bvung-gnas is often visualized as depicted
here, seated on the brilliant disk of the sun on a throne formed
of the lotus of compassion. Through his blessing, the Great Guru
uniquely imparts the unity of all Buddhadharmas. Principally known
through eight manifestations, Padma 'byung-gnas appears in count-less
forms and under innumerable names to bring beings of all realms
to complete and perfect enlightenment.
As Guru Padmasambhava, the master received the Mahasamdhi teachings
from Surarivajra, a Nirmanakaya emanation of Vajrasattva, and the
first human Vidyadhara of the lineage.
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"Innate
knowledge dominating the three regions altogether, mind which
nothing stops, Buddha whom nothing changes, Surativajra, excellent
fountain of the Dharma, knew everything, and Padma assimilated
it. He concentrated on Absortion in the Pure Void, on the
Plane of Essence which proceeds from it, And on the meditation
which is self-created and unfeigned. He practiced abstention
from accepting or rejecting pain or Awakening; As result,
he obtained salvation through oneself, free from renouncing
or acquiring."
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Life
of Padmasambhava
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Padmasambhava,
embodiment of Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya of the Tathagatas,
and Vidyadhara of all forms of enlightened knowledge, transmitted
the Inner Teachings of the Mantrayana to Tibet. Although he probably
lived at bSam-yas for only a short time, most gter-ma texts agree
that he manifested in Tibet for about 111 years, guiding his disciples'
practices at retreat centers in remote sacred places. While at bSam-yas,
he subjugated all human and non-human obstacles to Dharma transmission,
and blessed the land of Tibet; he also transmitted the Inner Teachings
to Khri-srong Ide-brsan and other major disciples, establishing
the basis of the bka'-ma and gter-ma transmissions continued by
succeeding generations of rNying-ma masters to the present day.
In Tibet the Great Guru concealed thousands of Dharma treasures
in eighteen forms, to be recovered at an appropriate time by reincarnations
of himself or his disciples. Records of his activities were kept
during the reign of Khri-srong Ide-brsan; in all, over one hundred
biographies of his life have been preserved in both bka'-ma and
gter-ma traditions, including the Padma Thane-vie bv his consort
Ye-shes mtsho-rgyal.
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