Togden Shakya Shri: The Life and Liberation of a Tibetan Yogin

338 Pages·2009·15.848 MB·English

by  Kathog Situ Chokyi Gyatso, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, Elio Guarisco

TOGD EN
SHAKYASHRI
The Life and Liberation
of a Tibetan Yogin

ToGDEN SHAKYA SHRI
Original title: rje btsun bla ma rdo rje 'chang chen
po sha' kya shri' dznya na'i' mam thar me tog phrmg
ba zhes bya ba bzhugs so
© 2009 Shang Shung Institute
Merigar
5803I Arcidosso (GR)
Italy
www.shangshunginstitute.org
[email protected]
Cover and graphics by Daniel Zegunis
ISBN 978-88-7834-103-6
286E
ToGDEN
SHAKYA SHRI
The Life and Liberation
of
a Tibetan Yogin
KATHOG SITU CHOKYI GYATSO
Translated from Tibetan
and Compiled by
Euo GUARISCO
*
iil~u~~,II)G'~00JI~I\
Shang Shung Publications

CoNTENTS
Preface by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu 7
Foreword by Sey Rinpoche 9
Translator's Introduction II
The Biographer and his Work 17
PRoLOGUE -THE VorcE oF SHAKYA SHRI HIMSELF
Opening the Door to Liberation· 24
The Four Things Difficult to Accomplish 33
A GARLAND OF FLOWERS -THE STORY OF THE LIBERATION
oF THE SuPREME VAJRA HoLDER, THE VENERABLE
MASTER SHAKYA SHRI JNANA
Homage 37
His Previous Lives 40
THE EIGHT AusPrcrous SYMBOLS oF Hrs LIFE 43
I. His Birth: the Germination of His Noble Aspirations in Past Lives 45
2. The Early Blossoming of His Enlightened Nature 4 7
3. His Reliance on Accomplished Masters for Instructions
that Mature and Free the Mind 51
6 TOGDEN SHAKYA SHRI
4. The Yogin Contemplates in Secluded Places and Realizes Innate
Wisdom 65
5. His Life Dedicated to Practice, He Attains Blessings and Siddhis
such as Visions of Masters and Deities and the Discovery of
Profound Termas 83
6. His Altruistic Accomplishments and Charismatic Guidance
Benefit Others Immensely and Illuminate the Doctrine,
Inspiring Great Masters to Shower Him with Flowers of Praise I I 7
7. His Commitment to the Restoration of Extraordinary Sacred
Symbols, Fallen into Ruin, of the Buddha's Body, Speech
and Mind, and the Creation of Sacred Images through
the Power of His Unbounded, Selfless Intention I47
8. His Work for the Beings of this Realm Completed, Shakya Shri
Disappears into the Great Expanse of Reality I 63
AFTERWORD I 97
Appendix I. Shakya Shri and the Drugpa Kagyii Lineage 20 I
Appendix II. Shakya Shri and Dzogchen 2I3
Appendix III. The Free Spirit of Shakya Shri 2I7
Appendix IV. Shakya Shri and His Descendants 227
Notes 235
Index ofTibetan Names 305
PREFACE
by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu
T
HE SUPREME YOGIN known as Shakya Shri, the Togden of
Drugu, was a vastly accomplished master who manifested in the
glorious Drugpa Kagyii lineage of the Teaching.
He was a great practitioner not only of Mahamudra but also of
Dzogchen. Moreover, he revealed extraordinary terma teachings, hidden
instructions of the profound and unsurpassable Ati Dzogpa Chenpo.
From this fact, as well as from his attainments, we can understand that
he was an emanation of one of the twenty-five disciples of the great
Guru of Oddiyana, Padmasambhava.
Shakya Shri was at the same time master and disciple of the famed
practitioners of Dzogchen Nyagla Rangrig Rinpoche1 and his consort,
and of Adzom Drugpa Rinpoche,U known also as Pawo Drodiil Dorje,
with whom he exchanged teachings. Rigdzin Changchub Dorje told
me specifically that it had been predicted by those two lamas that he
Nyag bla rang rig rin po cbe, 1847-1903, the root guru of Rigdzin Changchub
Dorje (see endnote 493).
0 See endnote 474.
8 TOGDEN SHAKYA SHRI
would receive teachings from Shakya Shri, and in fact later the Togden
of Drugu became one of his masters.
Those who are interested in knowing the story of the liberation of
this matchless yogin will understand, reading his biography, why Shakya
Shri is considered the marvellous Victory Banner of the Teaching of
Mahamudra and Dzogchen, as well as appreciate the all-encompassing
nature of his work for the benefit of the Teaching and of sentient be
ings. For these reasons I recommend that everyone read this book.
With my good wishes,
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu