Julian of Norwich and Other Tibetan Lamas

Reflections on the writings of Julian of Norwich with Thomas Merton and Tibetan Buddhist Teachers

Chapter 3: Reflection 10 – Visions for the Path  

Tsongkhapa’s visions of Mañjuśrī represent a primary aspect of his mystical life, however, his visions were not limited solely to the Buddha of wisdom. For he also had visions of Atisa, the 11th century Indian scholar and practitioner who is credited with having reestablished Buddhism in Tibet, after a period of the tradition’s decline. Atisa’s primary disciple, Dromtönpa (1005-1064), had founded a monastery at Radreng, north of Lhasa, where the teachings of his teacher could be studied and practiced. Radreng became the heart center of the Kadam tradition and, as such, an important spiritual site for Tsongkhapa as well.    

Thupten Jinpa explains that, in the fall of 1401, Tsongkhapa and “a large number of monks” traveled to Radreng monastery to begin what would be a long retreat. There, they established their residential and practice space at “Lion Cliffs” – a “ridge overlooking the main monastery, which contains the meditation caves of Dromtönpa. 1 During this period, Tsongkhapa gave “extensive instructions” to the gathered monks on “lamrim.” 2 Geshe Lhunpa Sopa offers an introduction to this genre of Tibetan spiritual literature:

Although there are many different sutras and tantras by the Buddha, and many commentaries on these, the lamrim arranges the entire path in stages, in a practical manner, so that individuals can go from the beginning all the way up to enlightenment. As is well known, lam means ‘path’ in Tibetan and rim means ‘stages.’ The great teacher, Atisha summarized all the Buddhist scriptures in his Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, the root text for the lamrim tradition. His text divides beings’ spiritual perspectives into three levels: beginning, intermediate, and finally, highest. Based on that division, the Lamp for the Path shows how to begin, explaining the main activities and emphasis of that initial stage. When that is fully developed and a practitioner reaches the intermediate level, the Lamp for the Path describes the meditations and emphasis at that stage. Finally, it describes the practice of the highest beings … Of these three levels, the first two mainly emphasize how an individual can be liberated from misery or from an impure life, while the third emphasizes liberating others, starting with one’s own dear mother. Seeing all beings as equal to one’s dear mother, one develops the wish to liberate them all. The third level presents the ideal way to liberate them. 3  

Atisa’s presence would be experienced by Tsongkhapa in a poignant way during his retreat in 1401:

In the course of conducting this teaching on Atisa’s instruction, Tsongkhapa spent several days in intensive prayer in front of the famed statue of Atisa, believed to have been sculpted by Dromtönpa himself as his master’s portrait. At some point during these prayer sessions, Tsongkhapa had visions of the entire lineage of teachers, going all the way back to the original source, the Buddha, and all the way up to his own teacher … Eventually, the three Kadam brothers, Potawa, Sharawa, and Phuchungwa – dissolved into master Atisa, who placed his right hand on Tsongkhapa’s head and made the following statement: ‘Work extensively for the Dharma, and I will support you in your quest for enlightenment and service to sentient beings.’ 4  

For his part, Tsongkhapa interpreted this vision as “an indication of his role in disseminating Atisa’s teaching and legacy, especially his lamrim teachings.” 5 And it was during his retreat at Radreng, when he was teaching on Atisa’s instructions, that “many people independently requested Tsongkhapa to compose a text that would present his teachings on the topic.” 6 And thus, as Thupten Jinpa explains:

[I]n the fall of 1401, when Tsongkhapa was forty-four years old, he began the composition of what would be his most influential work, The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (known in Tibetan by its shorter title Lamrim Chenmo). At Tsongkhapa’s request, the statue of Atisa made by Dromtönpa was brought into his room. Every morning Tsongkhapa would pray in front of this image and then proceed with his writing. 7

Endnotes

  1. Thupten Jinpa, Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows. Boulder: Shambhala Publications, 2019, pages 196-197.
  2. Thupten Jinpa, Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows. Boulder: Shambhala Publications, 2019, page 197.
  3. Geshe Lhundup Sopa, “Foreward” in Yangsi Rinpoche, Practicing the Path: A Commentary on the Lamrim Chenmo. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2003, page vii. Of “lamrim,” scholar David Jackson writes: “A lam rim proper is a work that expounds the stages of the path of the three individuals … [I]t aims at being a complete introduction to spirituality, leading the student through the stages of the two lower spiritual orientations or ‘individuals’ (who aspire for a better rebirth and for individual liberation), before reaching the highest level, that of the Mahāyāna ‘great individual’ (who aspires to attain buddhahood for the benefit of all living beings). Treatises of this type normally conclude with a brief introductory mention of Tantra. The genre is primarily associated with Atiśa Dīpamkarasrījñāna (ca. 982-1054) and the followers of his [Kadam] order. Its prototype and main textual base was the … [Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment] (Bodhipathapradipa) of Atisa himself. The series of smaller and larger lam rims by Tsong kha pa (1357-1419) are now the best-known examples.” (David Jackson, “The bsTan rim (‘Stages of the Doctrine’) and Similar Graded Expositions of the Bodhisattva’s Path.” Tibetan Literature: Studies in Genre – Essays in Honor of Geshe Lhundup Sopa. Edited by José Ignacio Cabezón and Roger R. Jackson. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications, 1996, pages 229-230.)
  4. Thupten Jinpa, Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows. Boulder: Shambhala Publications, 2019, pages 197-198. Those identified as “the three Kadam brothers” are the three principal disciples of Dromtönpa. See The Book of Kadam: The Core Texts. Attributed to Atisa and Dromtönpa. Translated by Thupten Jinpa. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2008, page 8.)
  5. Thupten Jinpa, Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows. Boulder: Shambhala Publications, 2019, page 198. Tsongkhapa’s mystical stirrings regarding Atisa would seem to have begun when he was quite young: “[A]round age seven [Tsongkhapa] began to have frequent dreams about the meditation deity Vajrapāṇi [the buddha of enlightened energy] and an Indian monk who claimed to be Atisa. These were later seen as early portents of the special connection that Tsongkhapa would have with Vajrapāṇi … and with the instruction lineage of Indian master Atisa” (Ibid., page 25). And an early important disciple of Tsongkhapa sings of his teacher: “At the age of seven you directly perceived / Dipamkara Atisha, the great Path Clearer.” (Jamyang Choeje Tashi Palden, 1379-1449, “Song of the Mystic Experiences of Lama Je Rinpoche.” The Life and Teachings of Tsongkhapa. Edited by Robert A. F. Thurman.” Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works & Archives, 1982/2006, page 50).   
  6. Thupten Jinpa, Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows. Boulder: Shambhala Publications, 2019, page 198. At the beginning of his Lamrim Chenmo, Tsongkhapa intimately ties his text with that of the 11th century scholar, teacher, and practitioner: “In particular, the text for this work is Atisha’s Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment … hence, the very author of the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment is also the author of this [work].” (Tsongkhapa, The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. Volume One. Translated by The Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Editor-in-Chief: Joshua W. C. Cutler. Editor: Guy Newland. Boston: Snow Lion Publications, 2000, pages 35-36).
  7. Thupten Jinpa, Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows. Boulder: Shambhala Publications, 2019, page 198. Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey (1921–1995) describes something of Tsongkhapa’s experience at Radreng [Reting] monastery in his short biographical teaching on the 14th century scholar: “The great Kadam geshes had stayed there, and a special tradition of group retreats had originated at this monastery. Reting is a place of beautiful juniper forests located three days journey by horse to the north of Lhasa. It was there that Tsongkhapa wrote the Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path as well as many commentaries. Just above the monastery was a large rock in the shape of a lion where Tsongkhapa sat with a scroll painting of Atisha by him. This painting was still in the monastery in 1959. First he made entreaties to Atisha and received a vision of all the lineages from the Buddha to his own teachers. This vision continued for one month, giving Tsongkhapa the chance to put forth many questions. Finally all the lineages dissolved into Atisha, Dromtonpa, Geshe Pototwa and Geshe Sharawa. Thus, Tsongkhapa was able to have prolonged discussion with these great lamas. Then, the latter three Masters absorbed into Atisha, who gave Tsongkhapa a blessing by placing his hand on Tsongkhapa’s head.”  (“A Short Biography,” The Life and Teachings of Tsongkhapa. Edited by Robert A. F. Thurman.” Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works & Archives, 1982/2006, page 22).   

Thaddeus

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