Shri Singha (Sanskrit: ) was a principal disciple
and dharma-son of
Manjushrimitra in
the
Dzogchen lineage.
Vajranatha (2007) contextualises Sri
Singha in relation to the
Nyingma,
Manjushrimitra,
Tantra,
Brahman,
Garab Dorje,
Uddiyana,
Vimalamitra,
Samye and
Yogachara:
According to the Nyingmapa tradition of Tibetan
Buddhism, the Dzogchen masters Manjushrimitra and Shrisimha were
already active in the Tantric milieu in India independently.
However, Manushrimitra, a learned scholar of Brahman origin, was
evidently an adherent of the Yogachara school before his becoming a
disciple of the mysterious Prahevajra or Garab Dorje (dga'-rab
rdo-rje) from the country of Uddiyana (Eastern Afghanistan). It
should also be recalled that his disciple Shrisimha was said to
have born and resided for sometime in China (more likely Chinese
Central Asia) before coming to India. And that the latter's
disciple Vimalamitra visited China (or Central Asia) before and
after he came to Tibet and transmitted the Dzogchen teachings to
his disciples at Samye Monastery.
Nomenclature and etymology
('Revered Lion') = Pra-pata.
Early life
Shri
Singha was born in the Chinese city of Shokyam in Khotan
and first
studied there with Chinese masters. Shri Singha studied
for seven years with the Chinese Master Bhelakirti on the eastern
side of Wu Tai Shan
Mountain
, from whom
he learnt the Outer Tantras and the
Inner Tantras.
Son of King 'Accomplisher' and his wife queen Nantakā, their son
'Splendid Lion' Prapata was disciple of Buddha-gupta, who was
disciple of Deva-rāja, who was disciple of Mañjuśrī-bhadra, who was
disciple of Dhahuna, who was disciple of
Nagarjuna.
Achievements
brought the Secret Mantra teachings from beneath the Vajra Throne to the 'Tree of Enlightenment' in China, where he concealed them in a pillar of the 'Auspicious Ten Thousand Gates Temple'.
conferred the Eighteen Dzogchen Tantras (Tibetan: rdzogs chen rgyud bco brgyad) upon Padmasambhava. The eighteen are The Penetrating Sound Tantra (Tibetan: sgra thal ‘gyur), to which was appended the Seventeen Tantas of Innermost Luminosity (Tibetan: yang gsang 'od gsal gyi rgyud bcu bdun).
Kunsang (2006: p.334) in rendering the instructions of Sri Singha
to
Padmasambhava mentions: 'phenomena'
(Sanskrit:
dharmas), 'development'
(Tibetan:
Kye-rim), completion
(Tibetan:
Dzog-rim) and
Great Perfection, 'three realms' (Sanskrit:
Triloka) and the 'six abodes'
(Sanskrit:
Bhavacakra) and
Dharma,
Samsara,
Nirvana and
sentient beings:
In general, all phenomena belonging to samsara and
nirvana are, from the very beginning, spontaneously perfected as
the essence of awakened mind. However, because of failing to
realize and not knowing this to be just how it is, sentient beings
circle among the three realms and continue to wander among the six
abodes. In order to guide them, it is generally said that an
inconceivable number of doorways to the Dharma belonging to the
various vehicles have been taught, but these can all be contained
within development, completion and the Great
Perfection.
Kunsang (2006: p.334) in rendering the continued instructions of
Sri Singha to
Padmasambhava makes
reference to
nirmanakaya,
sambhogakaya and
dharmakaya and outlines:
...there are the three sections of the philosophical
vehicles belonging to nirmanakaya, the three sections of Kriya and
Yoga belonging to sam-bhogakaya, and the three aspects of
development, completion and the Great Perfection belonging to
dharmakaya. Among these, I shall explain to you the Ati Yoga of
Instructions, distilling its quintessence, which is the Innermost
Vajra Essence of the Unexcelled Fruition. So listen,
Padmasambhava.
'Philosophical vehicles' (Tibetan:
rgyu'i theg pa) in the
abovementioned quotation denotes
Theravada
and
Mahayana as different from
Vajrayana.
Shri Singha Monastic University
The Shri Singha Monastic University, founded by
Gyalse Shenpen Thaye, is a
Nyingmapa university in in Eastern Tibet. In the
tradition, it is held that a manifestation of Sri Singha marked the
spot for the location of the university, hence its name.
Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje consecrated
the site laying the '
foundation
stone' with his
phurba. The original
University was destroyed by the Chinese in their
annexation of Tibet post-1950. The University is
being rebuilt.
See also
Notes
- Vajranatha (2007). Dzogchen, Chinese Buddhism and the
Universal Mind: Dzogchen and Chinese Buddhism. Source:
[1] (accessed: December 12, 2007)
- (Tibetan: bhe la kir ti; Alternate orthographies:
Bhalakiti (Tibetan: bha la ki ti), Bilekiti (Tibetan:
bi le ki ti)
- Refer: Wu Tai Shan Mountain (accessed: December 2, 2007)
- Longchenpa's Illuminating Sunlight, translated in Erik
Pema Kunsang (translator) : Wellsprings of the Great
Perfection. Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Hong Kong, 2006.
Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Hong Kong, 2006. p. 110
- Vimalamitra's Great History of the Heart Essence,
translated in Erik Pema Kunsang (translator) : Wellsprings of
the Great Perfection. Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Hong Kong,
2006. pp. 136-137
- Source: [2] (accessed: December 113, 2007)
- Erik Pema Kunsang (translator) : Wellsprings of the Great
Perfection. Rangjung Yeshe Pulications, Hong Kong, 2006. p.
158
- Dra Talgyur Root Tantra Source: [3] (December 13, 2007)
- Source: [4] (accessed: December 13, 2007)
- Kunsang, Erik Pema (2006). Wellsprings of the Great
Perfection: The Lives And Insights of the Early Masters.
Rangjung Yeshe Publications. ISBN 9627341576. Source: [5] (accessed: January 8, 2009)
- Kunsang, Erik Pema (2006). Wellsprings of the Great
Perfection: The Lives And Insights of the Early Masters.
Rangjung Yeshe Publications. ISBN 9627341576. Source: [6] (accessed: January 8, 2009)
- Source: [7] (accessed: January 8, 2007)
- Source: [8] (accessed: December 13, 2007)
External links