Jangchub Ö sent the translator Nagtso together with some companions to India with the gold. When they met Dhipamkara Shrijana they told him what was happening in Tibet and how the people wanted to invite a pure Spiritual Guide from India. They told him how much gold the king had spent for the purpose of inviting him, and how many Tibetans had died for the same purpose. Finally, they gave him Yeshe Ö’s message: To restore pure Buddhadharma in Tibet I sincerely wish to invite the qualified Teacher Dhipamkara Shrijana, and for this purpose I have accepted dying in prison. When they had made their request Dhipamkara Shrijana considered what they had said and accepted their invitation. Although he had many disciples in India and was working very hard there for the sake of Dharma, he knew that there was no pure Dharma in Tibet. He had also received a prediction from Arya Tara that if he were to go to Tibet he would benefit countless living beings. Compassion arose in his heart when he thought how many Tibetans had died in India, and he was especially moved by the sacrifice of Yeshe Ö.
Dhipamkara Shrijana had to make his way to Tibet in secret, for had his Indian disciples known that he was leaving India they would have prevented him. He said that he was making a pilgrimage to Nepal, but from Nepal he passed into Tibet. When his Indian disciples eventually realized that he was not going to return they protested that the Tibetans were thieves who had stolen their Spiritual Guide!
Since it was customary in those days, as it is today, to greet an honoured guest in style, Jangchub Ö sent an entourage of three hundred horsemen with many eminent Tibetans to the border to welcome Atisha and offer him a horse to ease the difficult journey to Ngari. Atisha rode at the centre of the three hundred horsemen, and by means of his miracle powers he sat one cubit above his horse’s back. When they saw him, those who previously had no respect for him developed very strong faith, and everyone said that the second Buddha had arrived in Tibet.
When Atisha reached Ngari, Jangchub Ö requested him: ‘O Compassionate Atisha, please give instructions to help the Tibetan people. Please give advice that everyone can follow. Please give us special instructions so that we can practise all the paths of Sutra and Tantra together.’ To fulfil this wish Atisha composed and taught Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment. He gave these instructions first in Ngari and then in central Tibet. Many disciples who heard these teachings developed great wisdom.
While he had been in India Atisha had received a prediction from Arya Tara, ‘When you go to Tibet, a layman will come to receive instructions from you, and this disciple will cause Dharma to flourish far and wide.’ This prediction referred to Atisha’s foremost disciple, Dromtonpa. At first Atisha taught Lamrim mainly to Dromtonpa, and to other disciples he gave instructions on Secret Mantra. When Dromtonpa asked him ‘Why do you give Lamrim mainly to me and not to others?’, Atisha replied that he was especially worthy to receive Lamrim teachings. After Atisha’s death Dromtonpa was regarded as his successor and respected as his equal. Dromtonpa taught Lamrim extensively in Tibet.
Three lineages of Lamrim instructions were passed down from Dromtonpa. Kadam Shungpawa passed from Dromtonpa to Geshe Potowa to Geshe Sharawa, and through further Teachers to Je Tsongkhapa. Kadam Lamrimpa passed from Dromtonpa to Geshe Gonbawa to Geshe Neusurpa, and through further Teachers to Je Tsongkhapa. Kadam Menngagpa passed from Dromtonpa to Geshe Chengawa to Geshe Jayulwa, and through further Teachers to Je Tsongkhapa. Up to the time of Je Tsongkhapa these three lineages are called ‘Old Kadam lineages’. The three lineages from the time of Je Tsongkhapa to the present day are called ‘New Kadam lineages’. All three are still practised today. Practitioners of the three schools are differentiated in terms of the extent of their philosophical studies. Kadam Shungpawas study very extensively, Kadam Lamrimpas study less extensively, and Kadam Menngagpas study least extensively. However, they all have Kadam Lamrim as their main practice and integrate all their philosophical studies into their practice of Lamrim.
The great Spiritual Guide, Ngawang Chogden, is an example of a Kadam Shungpawa. He studied philosophy for many years in central Tibet, and when he had qualified as a Geshe he returned home to Kham in eastern Tibet. There he received instructions from Jamyang Shaypa and came to know the entire Lamrim. He then realized that all Buddha’s teachings are to be taken as reliable personal advice and put into practice. He saw that all his philosophical studies were part of Lamrim, not separate from it. He thought ‘When I was a student in central Tibet I was actually studying Lamrim, but I had not received complete instructions and so I could not see how to put all my studies into practice. However, now I can put them to good use by integrating them into my practice of Lamrim.’
Kadam Lamrimpas of the present day study texts such as Je Tsongkhapa’s Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path and Middling Exposition of the Stages of the Path. Kadam Menngagpas of the present day study a few short texts such as the first Panchen Lama’s Blissful Path and the second Panchen Lama’s Quick Path. Although these texts are brief they include all the practices of Lamrim.
All three lineages passed from Je Tsongkhapa until our present Spiritual Guide. After writing The Three Principal Aspects of the Path, which he received together with its title directly from Wisdom Buddha Manjushri, Je Tsongkhapa went into intensive retreat on Lamrim at Reting Monastery. While he was there he wrote a praise to all the Lamrim lineage Gurus called Opening the Door to the Supreme Path. At this monastery there was a very precious statue of Atisha. In front of this statue Je Tsongkhapa made requests and offered praises to Buddha Shakyamuni and all the Lamrim lineage Gurus, and received visions of Atisha, Dromtonpa, Geshe Potowa and Geshe Sharawa. They remained with him for one month and talked to him as one person to another. After one month Dromtonpa, Geshe Potowa and Geshe Sharawa absorbed into Atisha, who then touched Je Tsongkhapa’s crown with his right hand and said ‘You must work for the sake of Buddhadharma and I will help you.’ Je Tsongkhapa then wrote his Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path, the king of all Lamrim texts. Later he wrote his Middling Exposition of the Stages of the Path, and finally he wrote his Condensed Exposition of the Stages of the Path for those who are unable to study the longer texts.
The Qualities of the Teaching
explanation of the pre-eminent qualities of lamrim to inspire faith and respect for the lamrim instructions
This has two divisions:
1 The pre-eminent characteristics of Lamrim
2 The pre-eminent attributes of Lamrim
the pre-eminent characteristics of lamrim
Lamrim possesses three pre-eminent characteristics that are not possessed by other texts. These are:
1 The Lamrim teaching is the condensation of all Buddhadharma
2 The instructions of Lamrim are easy to put into practice
3 The presentation of the instructions of Lamrim is superior to other traditions
These three characteristics are exclusive to Lamrim. They are not possessed even by the king of Tantras, the Guhyasamaja Tantra, or the king of Sutras, the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras. Other texts do not include all the subjects and practices of all other scriptures, and they cannot be practised easily and by everyone. For example, if we receive empowerments and instructions on Guhyasamaja Tantra and make this our daily practice, but do not combine it with Lamrim, we will not be able to include every other practice within it. Furthermore, the instructions themselves are not easy to understand. Similarly, Maitreya’s Ornament for Clear Realization is difficult to understand, even if we receive commentaries on it; and when we have understood the commentaries it remains hard to understand how all other Dharma practices are included within it. Unless we receive complete teachings on Lamrim it is difficult to put such advanced teachings into practice. We may become learned, but we will not know how to control our disturbed states of mind. Desirous attachment, anger, jealousy and other delusions will remain as strong
