CLOUDS OF OFFERINGS TO LADY G.YANG RI1— A PROTECTOR PRACTICE BY THE FIRST YOL MO SPRUL SKU SHĀKYA BZANG PO (15TH/16TH CENT.)2

CLOUDS OF OFFERINGS TO LADY G.YANG RI1—A PROTECTOR PRACTICE BY THE FIRST YOL MO SPRUL SKU SHĀKYA BZANG PO

(15TH/16TH CENT.)2

Klaus-Dieter Mathes

About a decade after my friend and colleague celebrated in this volume had taken over the local direction of the Nepal-German Manuscript Preservation Project, when it had become my turn to venture into the high mountain valleys of northern Nepal in search of Tibetan texts, I gratefully stepped through the doors Christoph had opened, and found myself shortly after my arrival in Kathmandu in the fall of 1993, in one of the most fascinating parts of the Himalayas, the hidden snow land of Yol mo.3 Some of the texts used in this paper are from this time.

The centre of Yol mo is believed to be “Prosperity Mountain” (Tib. g.yang ri),4 a peak of 3,771m altitude overlooking the village of Tarkeghyang. The original population of Yol mo believes that the mountain is identical with A ma Jo mo g.Yang ri (“Mother Lady Prosperity Mountain”),5 an independent mother goddess of popular religious believe. According to the rNying ma pa school of Tibetan Buddhism, however, she is only a local protectress (subjugated and bound by oath to Padmasambhava), namely the “guardian of the power place [[[Lotus]] Grove]” (gnas bdag), in some texts also referred to as the “guardian of [Yol mo] territory” (gzhi bdag), or the “guardian of treasures” (gter bdag). Most of the common people in Yol mo, however, are not aware of this subjugation story.6 The “Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri” is an important witness documenting the integration of a local cult into a more universal form of religion, namely the northern treasure tradition (byang gter) of the rNying ma pa school.

sNgags ’chang Shākya bzang po, the “Author” of the Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri Shākya bzang po, a treasure-finder of the rNying ma pa school from southern Tibet (see plate 1), is most prominently known for having repaired the Bodhnāth7 and Svayambūnāth8 stūpas. In doing so, he founded the lineage of Yol mo sprul skus, in virtue of having discovered earlier, during a renovation of bSam yas in the year 1512, an inventory of the Bodhnāth stūpa, which prophesies in its last chapter that Shākya bzang po will be a reincarnation of Padma Gung btsan, a minister at Khri srong de’u btsan’s (ruled from 755 until 797) court. Through this strategy he managed to be perceived in relation to the myth of the Bodhnāth stūpa.9 Moreover, Shākya bzang po opened the hidden land of Yol mo, called “Lotus Grove” (padma’i tshal), and founded the first temple in Yol mo, Tsu ḍī,10 in the vicinity of Tarkeghyang.11 According to Lama Ye shes rdo rje’s biography of Shākya bzang po, the first Yol mo sPrul sku founded Tsu ḍī and collected numerous 1 The full title of the text is: “Clouds of Offerings to the Guardian of the Power Place of the Hidden Snow Land of Yol mo, the Mighty Lady g.Yang ri.”

2 Improvements to my English by Philip H. Pierce (Nepal Research Centre, Kathmandu) are gratefully acknowledged.

3 Literally, “The hidden land Yol mo, [surrounded] by a fence of snow [[[mountains]]]” (sbas yul yol mo gangs kyi ra ba). Yol mo, which also goes by the name of Helambu, lies north-east of Kathmandu along the upper reaches of the Melamchi and Yangri rivers. See Clarke 1980:3-4.

4 Sometimes also spelled dbyangs ri, “melodious” or “harmonious mountain.” 5 This is confirmed by Zsoka Gelle, who is currently working on a PhD project on Yol mo at the University of Vienna. For a similar perception of a mountain (i.e., Crystal Mountain Dragon Roar in Dolpo) behaving as a deity, see Mathes 1999:72.

sacred items and relics for his temple. Of particular interest is the fact that Shākya bzang po entrusted the “protectress of the teaching” (bka’ srung) and “guardian of [Yol mo] territory” (gzhi bdag) g.Yang ri with the task of protecting the sacred objects he brought there from being carried across the pass above and the “red water” (dmar chu). These probably are, respectively, the Ganja La (leading to Langthang) and the Indravatī Khola to the south-east.12 Lady g.Yang ri In Shākya bzang po’s “Clouds of Offerings,” Lady g.Yang ri is said to be the queen of sman mos13 and a guardian of the area (gzhi bdag) who rides a dragon (see plate 2). Having a dragon as mount could hint at Chinese influence. In his Vaiḍūrya dkar po, for example, the Tibetan regent sDe srid Sangs rgyas rgya mtsho (1653-1705) refers to the guardian of the ground (sa bdag) Nang lha as the “master of a dragon” (’brug rje), which is, according to him, a title of Chinese origin.14 A more likely origin is Bon, however, where one of the “four sman [mos] of miraculous power” (rdzu ’phrul sman bzhi)15 rides a dragon (and the remaining three, a garuḍa, lion, and tiger).16 In the preliminary remarks to his “A Petitionary Offering to the Great Guardian of the Teaching, the Emanated Lady g.Yang ri,” a certain Ngag dbang dam chos rgyal mtshan informs us that our guardian lady belongs to the same category of beings as the five sisters of auspiciousness and long life (bkra shis tshe ring mched lnga) mentioned in Mi la ras pa’s (ca. 1028-1111)17 biography and songs of realization.18 According to this ritual, the adept must first place a statue or picture of lady g.Yang ri on his shrine, along with a statue or painting of Tārā, Padmasambhava, Mi la ras pa, and the five sisters.19 The mention of Mi la ras pa is indicative of the great esteem this bKa’ brgyud yogin enjoys in Yol mo, which is most evident in the prominent role Mi la’s retreat cave sTag phug seng ge rdzong plays in this region, and suggests that Lady g.Yang ri is thought of as standing in a similar relation to Mi la ras pa as the five sisters (see below). Another interesting piece of information from Ngag dbang dam chos rgyal mtshan’s “A Petitionary Offering” is that the adept invites Lady g.Yang ri, the queen of sman mos, to come from the cave of the hidden land “Lotus Grove” on the slopes of the crystal snow mountains and other places such as the Yol mo palace constructed of heaped jewels.20 To the north of g.Yang ri Peak on the trail to Ganja La, 12 Ye shes rdo rje 2012:17-18: “[Shākya bzang po] founded the Tsu ḍī temple ... and put there whatever came into his hands, be it supports of the Buddha’s body, speech and mind, or treasure (gter ma) items, or items associated with empowerments and realization. He entrusted the protectress of the teaching and territorial guardian g.Yang ri ma with the task [of protecting] these items from being carried away over the pass above or the red river.” (tsu ḍī dgon pa phyag btab ... sku gsung thugs rten | gter rdzas | dbang rdzas | sgrub rdzas sogs phyag tu gang bzhugs su gsol nas | ’di rnams yar la la ma brgal | mar chu la ma brgal | zhes bka’ srung dang gzhi bdag g.yang ri ma la gnyer gtad mdzad |). 13 For a characterization of the sman mo spirits, see Nebesky-Wojkowitz 1975:198-202. 14 See Schuh 2011:8-9. 15 Listed in Tenzin Namdak 1972:632. 16 In Bon, these four sman mos are the underlying principles of the four elements—earth, air, fire and water (Martin 2001:61). 17 Quintman 2008:363.

18 Ngag dbang dam chos rgyal mtshan: g.Yang ri ma’i gsol mchod, fol. 1a1-2: “... the local guradian of the Hidden Snow Land and so forth, the great protectress of the teaching, who belongs to the same category [of beings] as the five sisters of auspiciousness and long life, the emanated Lady g.Yang ri ma....” (...sbas (text: bal) yul gangs rwa sogs kyi gzhi bdag bka’ srung (text: bsrung) chen mo bkra shis tshe ring mched lnga’i ya gyal du gyur pa sprul pa’i jo mo g.yang ri ma’i...).

19 Op. cit., fol. 1a3: “The general supports of the Buddha’s body, speech and mind, along with statues, pictures, reliefs, and so forth of noble Tārā, the precious one from Oḍḍiyāna, noble Mi la, the five sisters of long life, and Lady g.Yang ri ma, are agreeably displayed.” (sku gsung thugs rten spyi dang | bye brag rje btsun sgrol ma dang | o rgyan rin po che | rje btsun mi la | tshe ring mched lnga | jo mo g.yang ri ma bcas sku bris ’bur sogs ci ’byor legs par bkram pa’i ...). 20 Op. cit.: fol. 2b1-2: “The great queen of sman [mos], Lady g.Yang ri ma and her retinue are brought here instantaneously from the cave of the hidden land “Lotus [Grove]” [on] the slopes of the crystal snow mountains, the Yol mo palace of heaped jewels and other [places].” (sbal yul padma’i phug gangs dkar shel Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri 39

not far from the snow mountains, there are a Padmasambhava cave called “cave of accomplishment” (sgrub phug) and close by, the caves of Mandāravā and Ye shes mtsho rgyal. In the Nepal itinerary composed by the Sixth Zhwa dmar pa Chos kyi dbang phyug (1584-1630), this location is described as being located in the middle of a mass of scattered rocks, which indeed appear as described in the text, namely as if they were heaped wish-fulfilling jewels21 (see plate 3). Locating Lady g.Yang ri’s abode in the area of the Padmasambhava cave, is expressive of perceiving Lady g.Yang ri as a subjugated sman mo deity. In another offering ritual to the guardians of treasure (gter bdag), recently written by the contemporary Yol mo lamas dBang chen and Nyi ma, Lady g.Yang ri is invoked and served as the last of four guardians, the first three being rDo rje legs pa, Gle ru, and Cha ti. Lady g.Yang ri and g.Yang ri Peak, to which she is invited, are described as follows:

The power place called Yol mo, prophesied by Padmasambhava, has the form of an opened lotus, and in the middle of it is the imposing king of mountains (i.e., g.Yang ri). No matter where one looks [at it] from, it is beautiful and majestic. The moon and the sun circle around its peak. Fog ever gathers at its waist. From its peak, [the surrounding peaks look] like small mountains. The midair flashes like lightning, and there are continuous heavy thunderbolts and hail. Forests adorn all the directions. There are various fruit trees with ripe fruit, flowers of all colours, deer, and very frightening beasts. A variety of birds sing sweetly. To such a supreme power place [as the mountain of] g.Yang ri—its tall body like a crystal touching the sky, its dome of blue turquoise, and its four sides of black iron, with splendour around its red summit [full of] wild roses, and ornamented with gold and silver rings—to this supreme power place, to its throne [of] beautiful jewels erected inside the tall body [of the mountain, Lady g.Yang ri] is invited, [she who is] the local guardian of intact [[[tantric]]] commitment, bound by [oath to] Padmasambhava of Oḍḍiyāna.22

Lady g.Yang ri is conspicuously absent in Chos kyi dbang phyug’s Nepal itinerary, notwithstanding that in its detailed treatment of Yol mo g.Yang ri Peak is mentioned twice, if with the variant reading ri g.yang ril23 (“Mount Prosperity Ball”). g.Yang ri Peak does indeed have a very round shape, and the description of Chos kyi dbang phyug’s itinerary towards the Padmasambhava cave in the north perfectly matches the actual topography: gyi mgul dang | yol mo’i rin chen spungs pa’i pho brang sogs nas sman btsun chen mo jo mo g.yang ri ma ’khor dang bcas pa skad cig gis spyan drangs par gyur |). 21 Zhwa dmar pa Chos kyi dbang phyug: Bal yul du dgrod pa’i lam yig, fol. 36b2-4: “That sacred power place of accomplishing what is completely perfect ... in the middle of it is a mass of rocks which look like a supreme heaped mass of wish-fulfilling jewels. In the middle of them, the cave of siddhis...” (yang dag mchog gi sgrub gnas dam pa de | ... dbus na yid bzhin nor bu’i phung po mchog | spung pa lta bu’i rdza brag stug po’i dbus dngos grub phug pa...).

In his Vaiḍūrya dkar po, sDe srid Sangs rgyas rgya mtsho writes that a landscape is ideal when the front of a mountain looks like a heap of jewels (Maurer 2009:255). 22 dBang chen & Nyi ma: gNas chen yol mo’i gangs ra’i gter bdag mchod pa, 10a2-11a1: gnas ni yol mo zhes | padma ’byungs gnas lung bstan pa | dbyibs (text dbyib) ni padma kha phye ’dra | padma de’i lte ba la | ri rgyal lhun po re ’dug (text: gdug) | ga nas ltas kyang mdzes shing brjid | rtse la nyi zla ’khor ro ro | sked (text: skyed) la na bun (text: ’un) thib se thibs | rtse (text: rtsa) na ri phran ltar bar snang glog (text: klog) ltar khyug se khyug | thog chen ser ba sha ra ra | phyogs rnams thams cad nags rgyan | shing tog (text: thog) sna tshogs ’bras bu ldan | me tog dkar dmar gser la sogs | ri dwags mang po de na gnas | gcan gzan (text: zan) mang po ngar ’tsher | bya rnams sna tshogs skad snyan (text: snyen) sgrogs | de ’dra’i gnas mchog g.yangs ri na | sku ’khar shel ’dra gnam du reg | ba gam sngon mo’i g.yu la byas | ’gram bzhi nag po’i lcags la byas | se’i mgo mo dmar la mdangs | gser dngul a long brgyan gyis spras | sku ’khar de’i nang bzhengs (text: sheng) na | rin chen mdzes pa’i khri stengs na | u rgyan padma ’byung gnas kyis | dam btags (text: rtags) gzhi (text: bzhi) bdag dam tshig can | gnas mchog ’di ru spyan ’dren no |. 23 Zhwa dmar pa Chos kyi dbang phyug: Bal yul du bgrod pa’i lam yig, fol. 35b4. 40 Klaus-Dieter Mathes

I reached a place with a spring known as Vaja Garden, identifying it with the words: “This is [the place] of which there is a prophesy in the guide book to power places:24 To the north of g.Yang ril [Peak] one reaches a community of practitioners at a place with a pleasant meadow [in the middle of a] thick forest.” I stayed [there] for one day. ... The next day I set out on the path and reached only on the following morning the master Padmasambhava’s cave of the accomplishment of what is completely perfect.25

A pleasant meadow with a spring in the middle of thick forest is indeed reached after descending from g.Yang ri Peak (3,771m) about 300 metres to a narrow ridge, which leads back up to a massive fortress-like rocky outcrop (approx. 4,200m), behind which the Padmasambhava cave is located. Of particular interest is also Zhwa dmar Chos kyi dbang phyug’s account of g.Yang ril Peak, which reconfirms that it is the above-mentioned centre of the power place: At the centre of the power place, at so-called g.Yang ril Peak, [the Mahāsiddha rGyal mtshan ’bum]26 built a three-storey chapel surrounded by a circumambulation path. In it he erected statues of the great compassionate Ocean of Victorious Ones27 and Padmasambhava. A monk of pure discipline was constantly washing the [reflections of the] statues which appeared in a mirror forged by a blacksmith of good family. It is said that everybody who sees the statues [in the mirror] and drinks from the runoff water is protected from the lower realms. At the centre of [this] power place of Yol mo gangs ra, which had been prophesied by Master Padmasambhava, the [[[Mahā]]]siddha rGyal mtshan ’bum set about building this chapel and other [such edifices], but could not complete them because of obstacles. Still, those visiting the power place should meditate on the Ocean of Victorious Ones and recite [his mantra] for just one session.28

The same story is also found in the biography of Sūrya Seng ge (1687-1738), which was written by his son the Fifth Yol mo sprul ’Phrin las bdud ’joms.29 Even though Lady g.Yang ri is reported to have appeared to Sūrya Seng ge,30 she does not play any role in the sacred topography of 24 In his Nepal itinerary, Zhwa dmar pa Chos kyi dbang phyug made extensive use of gnas yig literature (see Ehrhard 1997:132). 25 Zhwa dmar pa Chos kyi dbang phyug: Bal yul du bgrod pa’i lam yig, fol. 36a3-5: gnas yig gi nang du g.yang ril gyi byang phyogs pa nags mthongs spang gshongs bde ba zhig yod sar sgom chen pa’i sde thob zhes lung bstan yod pa de yin zhes ngos ’dzin pa’i rdo rje gling zhes pa | chu mig ’dug pa der sleb nas zhag gcig (text: zhaginas) bcas so | ... de nas sang nyin lam du zhugs pas snga dro’i (text: ’dro’i) cha kho nar slob dpon padma’i sgrub gnas yang dag mchog gi sgrub phug tu sleb nas |. 26 I.e., the Mahāsiddha dPal ldan rgyal mtshan, who was a direct disciple of Rig ’dzin rGod ldem ’phru can. (See ’Phrin las bdud ’joms: Gu ru sūrya seng ge’i rnam thar, 18a5-6; and Ehrhard 1997:132). 27 I.e., the red Avalokiteśvara.

28 Zhwa dmar pa Chos kyi dbang phyug: Bal yul du bgrod pa’i lam yig, 35b4-36b2: gnas gyi lte bar ri g.yang ril zhes bya ba der lha khang sum brtsegs ’khor khyams cog dang bcas pa bzhengs (text: gzhengs) shing der thugs rje chen po rgyal ba rgya mtsho padma rgyal po sku bzhengs (text: gzhengs) | mgar ba rigs can gyis brdungs pa’i me long la de’i sku’i gzugs snyan shar bar dge slong tshul khrims gtsang mas rgyun du sku khrus gsol shing | sku de mjal ba dang khrus chab ’thung pa’i skye bo thams cad ngan song las skyob par ’gyur zhes | slob dpon padmas lung bstan pa yol mo gangs rwa’i gnas kyi lte ba der lha khang sogs ni grub thob rgyal mtshan ’bum zhes pas mdzad par brtsams ’dug kyang bar chad kyis (text: kyi) ma ’grub par ’dug na’ang | gnas de nyid mjal rgyal ba rgya mtsho bsgom bzlas thun gcig kyang bgyis |. 29 ’Phrin las bdud ’joms: Gu ru sūrya seng ge’i rnam thar, 17a3-18a4. Note that the peak is referred to as dByangs ri’i rtse. 30 Op. cit., fol. 11b1-5: “[[[Sūrya]] Seng ge] spent seven months performing one-pointedly the “Heart Sādhana of the Wrathful Guru”, when one day the fierce sound hūṃ pervaded the sky. Pondering what this was, he clearly saw a blue hūṃ, the size of a man, within a sphere of rainbow light in front of him in the sky. When he had attained such signs of realization, it was the queen of sman [mos], in particular, mighty g.Yang ri, who came, in the form of a noble lady, and promised: “Great hero, come to my land, where I will provide all favourable conditions.” Then she disappeared.” (drag po thugs kyi sgrub pa’i nyams bzhes rtse gcig tu mdzad de zla bdun bzhugs | de’i tshe nyin gcig hūṃ gi sgra drag po zhig nam mkha’ khyab pa byung par | ci Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri 41

g.Yang ri Peak in this biography. What is even more surprising is that in the treasure-text “Guide to the Power Places of Yol mo” discovered by Rig ’dzin rGod ldem ’phru can (1337-1406) Lady g.Yang ri is not mentioned among the guardians of Yol mo, even though she is normally depicted in the temples of Yol mo together with rDo rje legs pa, the lay practitioner gLe ru and the ruler deity Cha ti.31 In Mi la ras pa’s biography and songs of realization Lady g.Yang ri is not mentioned by name, but the way the female guardian of Yol mo is portrayed very much reminds one of her peaceful manifestation in Shākya bzang po’s “Clouds of Offerings.”32 In his Mi la rnam mgur, gTsang smyon Heruka (1452-1507) introduces the chapter on Yol mo gangs ra as follows: When [[[Mi la ras pa]]] was in the Tiger Cave Lion Fortress,33 the female guardian of the area of Yol mo showed herself right from the beginning in her peaceful aspect, of beautiful appearance. She promised to do his bidding and honoured [him] greatly.34 sKyabs rje Bya bral Rin po che, a highly respected rNying ma pa lama in Yol mo, also mentions Lady g.Yang ri as a protector in his recently published “A Melancholy Song about the Country, Times and Nature—in Memory of a Hidden Land”:

The co-emergent lady35 from the land of Tibet, the sman mo deity Lady g.Yang ri protects [the hidden land]. She belongs to the family of ḍākinīs who are endowed with the [[[Wikipedia:perfect|perfect]]] qualities of women.36 The Festival of Lady g.Yang ri Once in a year, on the full moon of the second or third37 Tibetan month, which happened to be April 6 in 2012 (the year I attended the festival with a group of students from Vienna), people from all over Yol mo climb g.Yang ri Peak to sing and dance in front of a stūpa newly erected for Lady g.Yang ri as the main deity. Above her niche is her master, Padmasambhava, whose orders she has promised to follow (see plate 4). The lamas from the surrounding village gather there and perform a ritual feast (gaṇacakra) in honour of the lady. Mata Lama from Tarkeghyang and his yin nam dgongs pa’i rang mdun gyi nam mkhar hūṃ sngon po mi tshad tsam zhig ’ja’ ’od kyi klong du ye re yod pa gzigs pa sogs grub pa’i mtshan ma ci yang brnyed shing | khyad par sman btsun dbyangs ri phyug mo ’di nyid mo btsun gyi rnam par ’ong nas | dpa’ bo chen po nged kyi yul du byon zhig mthun rkyen thams cad grub par bgyi’o zhes khas blangs nas mi snang bar song ngo |).

31 Rig ’dzin rGod kyi ldem ’phru can: “Yol mo gang gi ra ba’i gnad yig” (gnad is probably a misspelling for gnas), 24: “Offering to the local guardians of this power place [of Yol mo], rDo rje legs pa, the lay practitioner gLe ru and the ruler deity of Cha ti, an arrow with vulture feathers is stuck into good food (such that the shaft with its feathers points up into the air) and truth prevails.” (gnas de’i gzhi bdag rdo rje legs pa dang | dge bsnyen gle ru dang | cha ti’i lha btsan la gtad yod pas | bshos bzang gtsang ma la | mda’ rgod sgro ma btsugs te bden pa bdar |). 32 This at least is clear enough for Khenpo Nyima Dondrup (2010:20). 33 According to g.Yung ston Zhi byed ri pa (mid 14th cent.), sTag phug Seng ge rdzong was one of the six caves known as the “six lotus fortresses” (padma rdzong drug) on the eastern shore of dPal khud mtsho in sPo rong. sTag phug seng ge rdzong was relocated by gTsang smyon under a strategy designed to take over Padmasambhava sites. Like the five sisters of long life, the gnas bdag of Yol mo (i.e., Lady g.Yang ri) had first been bound by oath by Padmasambhava and then retook her oaths and vows in front of Mi la ras pa (Quintman 2008:380-82 & 396).

34 gTsang smyon Heruka 25413-16: ... stag phug seng ge rdzong du bzhugs dus | yol mo’i gzhi bdag mos dang po nas zhi ba’i sgo nas mdzes pa’i gzugs bstan | bka’ ’bangs su khas blangs nas bsnyen bkur phun sum tshogs bsgrubs par ’gyur to |. 35 Tib. lhan cig skyes ma usually refers to a tantric consort, such as a vajrayoginī. 36 sKyabs rje Bya bral rin po che: “Yul dus rang bzhin la skyo ba’i nyams mgur sbas yul dran bskul bzhugs so,” 47: bod yul gyi lhan cig skyes ma ni | | lha sman mo jo mo g.yang ris skyongs | | mi mo rnams mtshan ldan ḍāki’i rigs |. 37 Depending on which Tibetan calender system is used. 42 Klaus-Dieter Mathes

assistants first invoked Lady g.Yang ri by blowing trumpets (rgya gling) and conch shells (dung) near the stūpa in all four major directions (see plate 5). While the village lamas performed their ritual, based on a collection of northern treasures (byang gter) discovered by gTer ston Rig ’dzin rGod ldem ’phru can, in which not even the name g.Yang ri is mentioned, the numerous pilgrims from all parts of Yol mo, danced around in a circle, repeatedly appealing to Lady g.Yang ri in between songs (see plates 6 & 7). During the rituals performed on the same day in the temple of Tarkeghyang, against the background, as it were, of the same festival, not a single line was recited for Lady g.Yang ri, let alone Shākya bzang po’s “Clouds of Offering to Lady g.Yang ri.”38 On the altar of the temple, there was, however, in the lower row to the far right, a gtor ma for our lady (see plate 8).

In conclusion, it seems likely that a native g.Yang ri cult—with the mother goddess g.Yang ri on a par with Padmasambhava—has enjoyed such a popularity in Yol mo, that it could not be entirely ignored by the lamas, even though this is what Rig ’dzin rGod ldem or Zhwa dmar Chos kyi dbang phyug obviously attempted to do (at least according to the texts investigated). Shākya bzang po’s Clouds of Offerings must then be seen as an attempt to incorporate this g.Yang ri cult such that the mother goddess could still be worshipped, but under the control of Padmasambhava. This same subjugation finds iconographic expression in the arrangement of Padmasambhava above Lady g.Yang ri on the newly erected upper part of the stūpa on g.Yang ri Peak (see plate 4, photo taken on October 19, 2012). Before that, heavy lightning had destroyed the upper dome of the stūpa (including the relief of Padmasambhava).39 On my third visit (February 13, 2013), the relief of Padmasambhava was covered by a white scarf (kha btags), so that three pilgrims from Tarkeghyang, a mother and her two daughters, could not recognize Padmasambhava. They performed a gaṇacakra ritual in front of the relief of Lady g.Yang ri, while the older daughter recited an offering to the four protectors, Lady g.Yang ri, rDo rje legs pa, the lay practitioner gLe ru and the ruler deity of Cha ti.40

Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri41 “Clouds of Offerings” is a metrical text throughout, having, after each seven syllables, a “gter ma sign” (Tib. gter tsheg), which suggests that our protector ritual is indeed a gter ma discovered by the treasure-finder Shākya bzang po. The colophons of texts C and D (for a description of the texts, see the Sigla below) state, however, that the text was in fact a composition by Shākya bzang po himself. Moreover, according to the colophon of text A, our protector ritual is only a summary of a summary of Shākya bzang po’s composition prepared by bDud ’joms, the Fifth Yol mo sprul sku Karma Phrin las bdud ’joms. Even though for the most part four lines seem to form a unit, the text was probably not meant to be divided in this way. The division of the ritual into verses of predominantly four lines and into four chapters is entirely mine, and only meant to facilitate a comparison of the Tibetan edition with my translation. 38 I thank Dörte Kamarid and Manuela Kendler, both participants of my excursion seminar in the summer semester 2012, who decided to stay back in Tarkeghyang to document the rituals performed on April 6, 2012, in the village gompa.

39 According to Kaji Lama in sGang yul, the partly destroyed stūpa was first errected seven years ago (i.e., in the year 2006) by Kunsang Lama, now living in the USA and Kathmandu. Before, there was only a simple Yol mo-type stūpa. 40 I could not photograph the text but was told that it was composed by Bya bral Rin po che. 41 Thanks are due to David Templeman, who shared with me his copies of a rather corrupt version of the Tibetan text and his provisional translation. While latter represents a good starting point for a preliminary understanding of the ritual, the Tibetan text itself did not prove helpful for my edition. Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri 43 Sigla A Text A is from a collection of daily protector rituals called Byang gter ngo mtshar bla brgyud byin rlabs phung bzhugs. A further ritual starts on the last page, immediately after the g.Yang ri ritual. The latter thus is, at present, the last ritual performed at Tsu ḍī Gompa. My thanks go to Zsoka Gelle, Vienna, who photographed the text for me, with the kind permission of Lama Sangs rgyas, in Tsu ḍī Gompa in April 2012. B NGMPP reel no. E 590/5

C NGMPP reel no. E 1831/13 D Text D is a modern computerized text, which directly depends on C, but has some valuable corrections by Bya bral Rin po che. Photographed and later scanned by the author with the kind permission of Zla ba bzang po in Sermathang, Yol mo, on October 23, 2012.

Edition

[A 2944; B 1b; C 1a; D 1] sbas yul yol mo gangs rwa’i1 gnas2 bdag jo mo g.yang3 ri phyug mo’i
mchod phrin (4bzhugs so4) |
1 BC ra’i 2 AB gter 3 BCD dbyangs 4 A ni
[C 1b; D 1] (1| rtsa gsum lha la phyag ’tshal lo |1)
1 AB omit
(1| bstan dang ’gro ba’i don phyir du |
| yul phyogs bkra shis dar rgyas phyir |
| sbas yul yol mo gangs (2rwa yi |2)
| gzhi3 bdag g.yang4 ri’i gsol mchod5 ni |1) 1.1
1 AB omit 2 C ra’i 3 C bzhi 4 C dbyang D dbyangs 5 C mchos
(1| yid ’ong gnas su rtegs2 bu’i khar |
| gtsang ma’i phye3 la dpal gtor ni |
| brjid ldan brgyan spras ’bru steng bzhugs |
| g.yas g.yon sman dang ra kta bshams4 |1) 1.2
1 AB omit 2 C grteg 3 D phyed 4 C bsham
(1| de ni gong2 gnon gtor ma’o3 |
| g.yang4 ri’i5 [D 3] gtor ma6 sman shos ni |
| zlum7 po rtse ring brgyan8 gyis9 mdzes |
| (10gshos zang10) gtor chung bdun gyis11 bskor |1) 1.3
1 AB omit 2 D dgong sa 3 D ma’i 4 CD dbyangs 5 D ri 6 D ma’i 7 C ’dum 8 D rgyan 9 C gyi 10 C shos
gzung 11 D gyi
(1| mtha’ ma theb kyus2 legs par rgyan |
| rang nyid yi dam lhar gsal3 la |
| ’phrin las (4brgyas bsdus4) skabs dang sbyar |
| mchod pa ’bru gsum (5sngags phyag5) drug |1) 1.4
1 AB omit 2 C kyu 3 D gsar 4 D bsdus pa’i 5 C phyag rgya
(1| byang spel2 gyur [C 2a] te byin gyis brlabs |
| thugs ka’i3 ’od kyis4 spyan drangs5 la |
| (6rnga rdung6) gnyan pa’i dbyangs dang bcas7 |1) 1.5
1 AB omit 2 C yel 3 C kha’i D ka 4 D kyi 5 C drang 6 C ta dung D ra bdung 7 D bcas pa’i
(1mos shing dad2 | |1) [D 4]
44 Klaus-Dieter Mathes
1 AB omit 2 D gdung
[B 1b] | kyai1 | o rgyan padma ’byung gnas kyis2 |
| bod khams bde la3 ’god4 pa’i phyir |
| sbas yul yol mo gangs ra5 ’dir6 |
| rin chen mchod sdong7 btsugs8 ’dra ba’i9 | 2.1
1 A omits 2 ABC kyi 3 A ba 4 CD bskod 5 AD rwa 6 A yi CD yis 7 C gtor 8 D tsug 9 ACD na
| padma’i bka’ snyan1 dam tshig [A 295] can |
| jo mo g.yang2 ri phyug mo ni |
| dam tshig ldan pa’i mi rnams la |
| dgos3 pa’i dus [D 5] su4 tshul ston5 tshe6 | 2.2
1 A nyan B mnyan C gnyen D gnyan 2 BCD dbyangs 3 BC dges A dgyes 4 B sum 5 D bstan 6 B pa’i
| na tshod1 bcu drug lon (2pa ’dra2) |
| mo btsun bzang mo mdzes pa’i gzugs |
| sku mdog [C 2b] dkar dmar3 ’od zer ’phros | [B 2a]
(4| zhi ’dzum dgyes5 mdzes6 rdzu7 ’phrul ldan |4)
| dbu la g.yu yi (8rgyan mchog8) gsol | 2.3
1 B so 2 AB pa’i tshul 3 AB la 4 AB omit 5 C dges 6 C mdzad 7 C ’jang 8 A ko lcog B ko cog C ko
mchog
| (1mu tig1) leb kan2 (3phreng ba3) bsnams4 | [D 6]
| rin chen sna tshogs rgyan5 gyis brgyan6 |
| sna tshogs dar gyi na7 bza’ gsol |
| phyag g.yas dngul dkar me long bsnams8 | 2.4
1 C mug ti 2 AB rgan D rgyan 3 D ’phreng ba’i 4 A rnams C chang D ’chang 5 C brgyan 6 AD
rgyan 7 A rnam 8 CD ’dzin
| (1phyag g.yon1) dpal gyi2 ’brang rgyas bsnams |
| dam tshig ldan3 pa’i mi rnams la |
| dngos grub (4dgos ’dod4) char ltar ’bebs5 |
| mdzes6 pa’i mdangs7 ldan ya la la | 2.5
1 A g.yon pa 2 B gyis 3 B bsrungs 4 B ma lus 5 C ’babs 6 B ges C dges D dgyes 7 B mdang
| chibs [A 296] su g.yu ’brug sngon mo chibs1 |
| rol du glog dmar (2’khyug pa khrid2) |
| ’khor ni sman ’phran3 ’bum gyis bskor |
| mdzes pa’i rgyan4 cha khrol5 lo lo |
| dpa’ mo’i gar ’cham6 shigs7 se shig | 2.6
1 B phyibs D bcibs 2 A ’khyud par khrigs B ’khyug se khyus CD khyug pa khrid 3 AB btsun 4 C
brgyan 5 A khro 6 A cham B chams D byed 7 B shig
| khyed rnams ’khor dang bcas pa1 la2 |
| mthun pa’i dam rdzas3 ’di bzhes4 la5 |
| rnal ’byor bdag cag ’khor [C 3a] bcas kyis6 |
| legs pa’i don [B 2b] kun ’grub par mdzod7 | [D 7] 2.7
1 B rnams 2 CD yis 3 A tshig BC sdzas 4 AB ’bul 5 A lo B gyis C la 6 A la B gyis 7 A mdzes
(1de nas las la bskul ba ni |1)
1 A ces bskul ba ni BC omits
(1| kyai1) | yang cig2 sman btsun snyan3 gsan ’tshal4 |
| yol mo (5gangs kyi5) ra ba ’dir |
Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri 45
| dam tshig nyams pa’i mi rnams la |
| khyod6 ni khros pa’i dus su7 ni | 3.1
1 A omits 2 D gcig 3 CD gnyan 4 C gcig D cig 5 C gang gis 6 D khyed 7 B ’sum
| bud med nag mo ’dzig1 pa’i gzugs |
| ral [A 297] nag thur2 la ’phyang3 shing dkrol4 |
| spyan gsum gdangs5 mig6 gyen la gzigs |
| zhal gdangs7 mche8 ba brnon9 po gtsigs10 | 3.2
1 A mdzes CD ’jig 2 AB ’thur 3 C lcang D lcags 4 C sprug D sprugs 5 B gdang 6 C dmig 7 B gdang
C sdangs 8 BC che 9 BC snon 10 BD gtsig C gcig
(1| phyag g.yas bdud2 kyi zhags pa bsnams |
| (3phyag g.yon3) nad kyi rkyal4 pa bsnams |
| ’khor ni bdud mo ’bum gyis5 bskor |
| thams cad (6gtso mo’i6) cha lugs can7 |1) 3.3
1 B omits 2 C bsdus 3 AB g.yon pa 4 C skyal 5 C gyi 6 D btsun mo’i 7 C mdzad D mdzes
(1| dam tshig nyams pa’i mi rnams la |1)
| nad kyi rkyal2 pa kha phye3 la |
| mi nad phyugs4 nad sna tshogs gtong5 |
| dam nyams rnams [D 8] kyi srog (6rtsa gcod6) | 3.4
1 B omits 2 C skyal 3 B phyes C phyed 4 CD phyug 5 B stongs CD mthong 6 A rtsa chod CD bcod
mdzod
| dam tshig ldan pa’i (1thu mo che1) |
| khyed rnams ’khor dang bcas pa la | [C 3b]
| mthun pa’i dam rdzas2 ’di ’bul lo3 |
| rnal [A 298] ’byor bdag cag ’khor bcas la | 3.5
1 A dge bsnyen ma B dge snyan ma 2 C sdzas 3 B gyis
| ma nyes1 kha g.yogs2 (3gtong ba3) dang |
| (4sdang byed4) (5dgra bgegs5) pho mo rnams6 | [B 3a]
| bdud kyi zhags pas7 bcings8 la9 shog |
| srog rtsa dmar po chod la9 shog | 3.6
1 D mnyes 2 C g.yog 3 B stong pa 4 A gdug can B gdon can 5 AB bdud rigs C dgregs 6 B snams 7 A
pa 8 B cing C chings D chings 9 AB las
| (1phung gsum g.yab1) kyi thob2 la3 shog |
| (4dgra bo’i gdung brgyud4) gcod la shog |
| rnal ’byor bcol ba’i phrin las mdzod5 | 3.7
1 A phung gsum yab B illegible C phung sum g.ya’ 2 ACD thobs 3 AB las 4 A dgra bo’i bdun
brgyud B dgra bo’i grgyud C sdung rgyug tsang nas D bdun rgyud rtsad nas 5 A grub par mdzod
| kyai | (1yang cig1) sman btsun snyan2 gsan tshal |
| o rgyan padma’i bka’ bzhin du |
(3| dam tshig bsrungs ba’i mi rnams la |3)
| khyed ni4 zhi ba’i tshul ston5 tshe6 |
| mo btsun bzang mo7 mdzes ma’i8 gzugs | [D 9] 4.1
1 C g.yang gcig D yang gcig 2 D gnyan 3 AB omit 4 C nyid 5 D bstan 6 B pa 7 C mo mo 8 AD pa’i
| sku mdog dkar dmar1 ’od zer ’phro2 |
| dbu la (3g.yu yi ko lcog4 gsol |
| sku5 la3) (6leb rgyan6) dmar po bsnams7 |
| (8na bza’8) [A 299] (9g.yu ’brug9) (10’jam legs10) gsol | 4.2
46 Klaus-Dieter Mathes
1 B mar 2 D ’phros 3 C omits 4 B chog 5 B dbu 6 A le rgan B leg rgan C leb kan 7 BCD gsol 8 C sku
la 9 D dbus phrug 10 A legs par D ’dzam legs
(1| sna tshogs rin chen (2rgyan gyis2) brgyan3 |1)
| phyag g.yas shel ’phreng4 dkar po bsnams | [C 4a]
| skye med thugs dam dbyings su lta5 |
| phyag g.yon bdud rtsi bum pa bsnams | 4.3
1 AB | sku stod dar gyi na bza’ gsol | 2 C brgyan gyi 3 D rgyan 4 A phreng 5 A bzla B zla
| dam tshig ldan pa’i mi [B 3b] rnams1 la |
| dngos grub dgos ’dod char ltar ’bebs |
| dam tshig ldan pa’i (2dge bsnyen2) ma |
| khyed rnams ’khor dang bcas rnams la | 4.4
1 B snams 2 B dge mnyen C dges snyen
| mthun pa’i dam rdzas1 (2mchod par ’bul2) |
| rnal ’byor (3bdag cag ’khor bcas la |
| legs par spros la4 nyes5 dang bsnol6 |
| bsam don re ba khyed kyis7 skongs8 |
| bcol ba’i ’phrin las grub par mdzod |3) 4.5
1 BC sdzas 2 A ’di ’bul ba’i B ’di ’bul kyis 3 CD bcol ba’i ’phrin las rnams | | thams cad khyed kyi
’grub par mdzod | 4 A dang 5 B snyes 6 B snol 7 ABCD kyi 8 ACD bskong B bskongs
| kyai | [A 300] (1yang cig1) sman btsun2 snyan3 gsan4 ’tshal5 | [D 10]
| khyed la ’phrin6 las bcol ba ni |
| yul gyi ming ni sbas pa’i yul |
| gnas kyi ming ni padma’i tshal | 4.6
1 C g.yang gcig D yang gcig 2 B btsu 3 D snyen 4 B bsal 5 D tshal 6 A phrin
| snyigs1 dus mtha’2 dmag skyob3 pa’i gnas4 |
| sngon tshe bstan pa’i bdag po dang5 |
| spyan ras gzigs dang sgrol ma dang |
| o rgyan padma’i spyan snga6 ru | 4.7
1 C gnyis 2 B mthu’ 3 B dskyob CD skyobs 4 B nas 5 B la 6 D mnga’
| khas blangs dam (1tshig dran gyis la1) |
| thub pa’i [C 4b] bstan pa (2dar [B 4a] rgyas2) spel |
| (3rtag tu3) (4gtsug lag khang rnams srungs4) | 4.8
1 AB bca’ dran par gyis C 2 C rgyas par 3 BC lha khang 4 A btsug lag khang rnams bsrung B
btsug lag khang rnams bsrungs C dgon gzheng zhing bsrungs D gnas dgon gzhengs bzhings
bsrungs
| dge ’dun ’dus pa’i zhabs1 (2tog sgrub2) |
| chos skyongs rgyal po’i3 mnga’ thang spel4 |
| ’khor (5’bangs bde skyid5) ldan (6pa dang6) |
| skye bo’i blo7 kha chos la sgyur8 | 4.9
1 B zhab 2 C rtogs grub D togs grub 3 A po C lo’i 4 A rgyas 5 B ’das bdi skyong 6 CD par mdzod 7
B lo 8 ABC bsgyur
| snying rje sems dang ldan par mdzod | [A 301]
| tshe ring (1nad med1) (2bde skyid ldan2) |
| (3zas nor longs spyod ’phel zhing4 rgyas3) |
| sha khrag dbugs5 len god6 kha zlog7 | 4.10
Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri 47
1 B nad me CD bar chad 2 CD zhi ba dang 3 CD longs spyod phun gsum tshogs [D 11] par mdzod 4
B bzhing 5 ABCD dbug 6 A ’god B gnod ba bdon C gdon 7 B khog D bsdom
| lo nyes phyugs1 (2nad rims nad sogs2) |
| yul phyogs3 ’di ru med par mdzod |
| log4 dgra then5 pa med pa dang |
| char chen6 char bral7 med (8par mdzod8) | 4.11
1 B phyug 2 A nyes rim nad srungs C nad rim nad 3 B mchog 4 ABC lo 5 AD than B them 6 B chi 7
ACD dal B gling 8 CD pa dang
| gcan1 gzan gnod pa med2 pa dang |
| bya dang byi ba’i3 gnod pa4 srungs5 |
| khyad par yul6 phyogs7 ’di nyid8 du |
| dmag dang (9’khrug pa zhi9) ba dang | 4.12
1 BC can 2 A zhi B bzhi C med 3 B byi ba’i bab CD byi’u’i 4 AB pa’i 5 CD bsrungs 6 B rang yul 7 B
mchog 8 B snyid 9 B ’khrug pa bzhi CD ’khrugs med pa
| nad ’khrug (1khong khro1) (2zhi ba dang2) |
| (3thog dbyugs3) (4drag po’i dgra4) la [C 5a] sgyur5 | [B 4b]
(6| sku gsung thugs kyi sprul pa yis7 |6)
| dam nyams (8dgra bo’i8) srog rtsa chod9 | 4.13
1 A khon ’bas B khong bras C khan ’gras D ’khon ’gras 2 B zhes bya gsum ma CD zhi byas nas 3
A thog ’khyug B thog khyug C thogs dbyug 4 B ser pa dgra CD drag po drag 5 A rgyob B illegible
C bsgyur D gyur 6 B omits 7 A yin 8 B rnams che’i 9 D gcod
| mthu dang1 rdzu ’phrul dpung2 bskyed la |
| yon mchod bar chad (3zhi bar mdzod3) |
| (4mchog dang mthun pa’i dngos grub stsol4) | 5
| bcol ba’i phrin las grub6 par mdzod | 4.14
1 CD stobs 2 B dbungs C spung 3 A ba dang CD bzlog pa dang 4 B chos mthun bsam pa yid bzhin
du CD phyogs mthun ci bsam yid bzhin [D 12] ’grub 5 B has the extra line: | khyed kyi btsol bar
mdzad du gsol |; CD have the extra line: ci ’dod dngos grub khyed kyi stsol 6 C ’grub
(1| jo mo g.yang2 ri3 ma4 ma hā bha liṃ ta kha kha (5khā hi khā hi5) |1)
1 CD omit 2 AB dbyangs 3 A ris 4 A ma la 5 B kha hri kha hri
[Colophon:]
A: ces pa’ang sngags ’chang shā kya bzang po’i mdzad pa las nye bar bsdus1 [A 302] pa las nye
bar bsdus1 pa’o | sus ce na dpal rig ’dzin chen po bdud ’joms gyis so | |
1 A bsdud
B: none
CD: | ces jo mo g.yang1 ri’i mchod pa sprin ’di yang | sngags ’chang shā kya bzang po’i mdzad
pa’o | ’di ’bris dge bas2 gsang sngags rnal ’byor rnams | padma’i gnas ’dir bshad sgrub bstan pa
rgyas | bstan pa’i sbyin bdag tshe ring longs spyod ’phel | gsang sngags bstan pa phyogs kun dar
bar shog | (2sa rva mang ga laṃ | bha va ntu2) | (3sbas yul rnal ’byor skyong ba’i mthu mo che |
sman btsun jo mo g.yang4 ri phyug mo ’khor bcas rnams | ’dir gshegs brgyan gyi mchod gtor ’di
bzhes la | rnal ’byor dpon slobs bsam don grub pa dang | sangs rgyas bstan pa rgyas pa’i ’phrin las
mdzod | rje sngags ’chang shā kya bzang po’i chos rgyud ’dzin cing | tshe ’di’i byang chub sgrub
la re |3)
1 CD dbyangs 2 CD ba’i 2 D | bkra shis | | dge’o | | sa rva mang ga laṃ || 3 D omits 4 C dbyangs
48 Klaus-Dieter Mathes
Translation
Clouds of Offerings to the Guardian of the Power Place42 of the Hidden Snow Land of Yol mo,
the Mighty Lady g.Yang ri.
Homage to the three roots (i.e., bla ma, yi dam and mkha’ ’gro ma)!
[1 Preliminary Remarks]
For the sake of the teaching and sentient beings
And in order that auspiciousness prevail in the whole of the land,
A petitionary offering [is made] to the local guardian
Of the hidden snow land Yol mo, [Lady] g.Yang ri. 1.1
An offering cake (gtor ma) for the Glorious One,43
Made from44 clean parched barley flour, is erected at a pleasant place on a shrine.
It is magnificent, well decorated, and set [on a bed of] grains.
To the right and left are the [kapālas containing respectively] nectar and [menstrual] blood.45 1.2
This is a gtor ma for the superior [Glorious One].46
As to the gtor ma for g.Yang ri, the greatest of sman [mos],47
It is round, tall, beautifully decorated and surrounded
By seven small gtor mas made of good food.48 1.3
On the fringes they are well ornamented with small dough pyramids.
[Next,] one visualizes oneself as one’s preferred deity (i.e., yi dam)49
And performs either the extensive or abbreviated ritual action, depending on the circumstances.
This involves offerings, the three syllables, [the six] mantras, and the six hand gestures. 1.4
There are [acts of] purification, an increment [of qualities], and a blessing.
She is invoked with light from one’s heart,
Accompanied by the beautiful sound of a drum. 1.5
[2 g.Yang ri’s Peaceful Appearance]
[Recite with] devotion and faith:
42 AB read “treasure guardian” (gter bdag), but I have not come across any information about a hidden treasure (gter ma) on or near g.Yang ri’s mountain.
43 During the G.yang ri festival on April 6, 2012 this was the gtor ma for rDo rje legs pa in the temple of
Tarkekhyang.
44 The la don must be taken in this sense here. Compare, for example, the English idiom “cast in gold.”
45 I.e., sman rak. In the temple in Tarkekhyang they were not placed near the dpal gtor, though.
46 Lit. “the superior and the subdued one.”
47 According to Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen, Bicher Goan, Dolpo. Strictly speaking, the syntax requires taking
sman shos as an attribute of gtor ma: “the gtor ma made of the best of medicines.” Nebesky-Wojkowitz
(1975:199) mentions a sman gtor and a sman rag gtor ma as offerings to sman mo deities. The first consists
of various medicines, while the second is prepared by mixing medicines with blood. But during the
preparation of the g.yang ri’i gtor ma (on April 5, 2012) for the festival in Tarkekhyang neither medicine
nor any herbs were used.
48 “Good food” (gshos zang) is prepared from clean tsam pa enriched with plenty of butter and similar
ingredients (Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen).
For a picture of the gtor ma, see plate 8.
49 According to Ngag dbang dam chos rgyal mtshan’s g.Yang ri ma’i gsol mchod (fol. 2a4), the adept must
visualize herself or himself as Padmasambhava.
Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri 49
Oh, [when] Padmasambhava [came] from Oḍḍiyāna
To bring happiness to the land of Tibet,
Here [was one of the places he visited]—the hidden snow land of Yol mo,
Which resembles a planted tree of offering made of jewels.50 2.1
As for you, mighty Lady g.Yang ri,
Who is committed to listening to the orders of Padma[[[sambhava]]],
Show yourself properly, when necessary,
To those with intact [[[tantric]]] commitments. 2.2
[At such times] you look like a youthful sixteen-year-old.
Noble lady of beautiful appearance:
Your shining body is white in colour with a tinge of red;
You are peaceful, smiling, happy, beautiful, and display magical powers;
On your head you are wearing exquisite ornaments made of turquoise. 2.3
You are holding a rosary of flat pearls,
Are ornamented with a variety of jewels,
And are wearing various garments of silk.
In your right hand you are holding a white silver mirror. 2.4
In your left hand you hold a gtor ma offering for the Glorious One.
[Kindly] shower down most needed accomplishments like rain
On those with intact [[[tantric]]] commitments.
Your beautiful face—so amazing! 2.5
As a mount you ride a turquoise dragon,
And for company you bring the lightning of the [dragon’s] red flashes.
Your retinue: a hundred thousand small sman [mo] deities surround you.
Your beautiful ornaments tinkle,
As you sway and whirl in the dance of a heroine. 2.6
May you and your retinue
Accept this blessed substance of favourable [coincidence],
And kindly help us yogins, along with our entourage,
To accomplish what is meaningful. 2.7
[3 g.Yang ri’s Wrathful Activity]
Then, [recite] the invocation of activity:
Oh, kindly listen one more time, queen of sman [mos]!
Here in Yol mo, surrounded by snow mountains,
When it is time for your wrathful [[[activity]] to be directed]
Against those with broken commitments. 3.1
[Kindly manifest] the black girl with a threatening body!
[Then] your black hair hangs down loosely;
Your three eyes are wide open, looking upwards.
With mouth wide open, you bare your fangs. 3.2
In your right hand you hold a demon noose;
50 Both readings, ba’i and na, are difficult to construe, since the context requires the sentence to end here.
50 Klaus-Dieter Mathes
In your left, a bag [full] of diseases.
Your retinue: a hundred thousand demonesses surround you.
All have the attire of noble ladies. 3.3
For those with broken commitments,
Open the bag full of diseases
And spread various human and cattle diseases!
Cut at its root the life force of those with broken commitments! 3.4
To you, powerful lady with intact commitments
And to your retinue,
I offer this blessed substance of favourable [coincidence].
[Kindly help] us yogins and our entourage
[[[To accomplish]] what is meaningful]!51 3.5
Male and female religious enemies
Direct unfounded accusations and hate [against us yogins].
Bind them with your demon noose
And cut their life force at its root! 3.6
See to it that the three disasters come [upon them]!
Cut off the enemy’s family lineage!
Help us to accomplish52 the activity entrusted to yogins! 3.7
[4 A Petitionary Offering]
Oh, please listen one more time, queen of sman [mos]!
When you, following orders from Padma[[[sambhava]]]
Of Oḍḍiyāna, show yourself in your peaceful form
To those with intact commitments
You are a good goddess of beautiful form. 4.1
Your shining body is white in colour with a tinge of red,
On your head you wear an ornament made of turquoise,
And on your body you have flat, red ornaments.
You wear nice soft clothes with designs of turquoise dragons on them. 4.2
You are adorned with a variety of jewels.
In your right hand you hold a rosary of white crystal.
You look into the unborn sphere of realization.
In your left hand you hold a vase full of nectar. 4.3
[Kindly] shower down most needed accomplishments like rain
On those with intact commitments.
To you who have made a commitment and taken lay vows,
And your retinue 4.4
We offer this blessed substance of favourable [coincidence].
[Kindly] help us yogins and our entourage
And do battle with [our] nice mental fabrications.
May you fulfil our wishes and hopes!
51 The missing line can be added on the strength of 2.7 above.
52 I suggest to follow A (grub par mdzod), even though this is not metrical.
Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri 51
Unfold the activity entrusted [to you]! 4.5
Oh, please listen one more time, queen of sman [mos]!
As for the activity entrusted to you:
The name of the land is Hidden Land;
And the name of the power place, “Lotus Grove” (padma’i tshal). 4.6
It is a power place that protects one from hostile soldiers in degenerate times,
Before, in front of the lord of the teaching,
Avalokiteśvara, Tārā,
And Padma[[[sambhava]]] from Oḍḍiyāna, 4.7
Remember the commitment you made!
Ensure that Śākya]muni’s teaching spreads,
And always protect the monasteries! 4.8
Assist the assembled saṅgha,
And increase the power of the Dharma protector, the king!
Render his retinue and subjects happy,
And turn the minds of sentient beings to the Dharma! 4.9
Fill our minds with compassion!
May our lives be long, without sickness and happy!
Multiply our food, wealth and enjoyments!
Repel the demons who [try to] take our flesh, blood and breath! 4.10
[Kindly] ensure that there will be no bad harvests,
Cattle diseases, epidemics or the like,
Ensure that there will be no deceitful enemies, taxes, heavy rain
Or no rain at all in the whole of the land! 4.11
Protect us from the harm caused by carnivorous beasts
And the harm caused by birds and rats.
Especially lay to rest conflicts and quarrels
In all of the land! 4.12
Pacify [all] hatred and trouble caused by disease!
Turn the sticks back on hostile enemies!
Cut the life force of enemies with broken commitments at its root
Through your emanation, which is the Buddha’s body, speech and mind! 4.13
Muster your strength, magical power and courage
And cause the hindrances to religious benefactors and recipients to subside!
Grant the supreme accomplishment
And perform the activity entrusted to you! 4.14
Lady g.Yang ri ma, eat this great offering cake!53
[Colophon]
A: This is a summary of a summary of what was composed by the mantra adept Shākya bzang po. By whom [is this summary of a summary]? By the great Vidyādhara bDud ’joms.54
53 Ma hā bha liṃ ta in the mantra goes back to Skt. mahābalin, “great gtor ma.”
52 Klaus-Dieter Mathes
B: Not available
CD: This “Cloud of Offerings” to Lady g.Yang ri is a work of the mantra adept Shākya bzang po.
May through the merit of having written this the mantra yogins [and] the teachings of theory and
practice blossom in this power place of the Lotus [Grove]! May the benefactors of the teaching
live long; may their wealth increase! May the teachings of the secret mantra [[[path]]] spread
everywhere! May there be auspiciousness!
[C continues:] Powerful lady, you who support the yogins of [this] hidden land, queen of sman
[mos], mighty Lady g.Yang ri, come here together with your retinue, and accept this ornamented
gtor ma offering! Fulfil the wishes of yogins, masters and disciples, and unfold your activity of
causing the Buddhist teaching to blossom! My hope is to uphold the Dharma lineage of the
venerable mantra adept Shākya bzang po and to attain enlightenment in this life.
54 I.e., the Fifth Yol mo sprul sku Karma Phrin las bdud ’joms.
Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri 53
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Tibetan texts
sKyabs rje Bya bral Rin po che. “Yul dus rang bzhin la skyo ba’i nyams mgur sbas yul dran bskul bzhugs so,” sBas yul spyi dang bye brag yol mo gangs ra’i gnas yig, TBRC W00KG01. Published by Khenpo Nyima Dondrup, Kathmandu 2003, 44-49.
Ngag dbang dam chos rgyal mtshan. Bka’ srung chen mo sprul pa’i jo mo g.yang ri ma’i gsol mchod ’phrin las myur ’grub ma zhes bya ba bzhugs so, 6 fols., NGMPP reel no. E 2842/2.
’Phrin las bdud ’joms. Gu ru sūrya seng ge’i rnam thar mdor bsdus nges shes ’dren pa’i shing rta, 36 fols.,
NGMPP reel no. E 2691/6.
dBang chen & Nyi ma. gNas chen yol mo’i gangs ra’i gter bdag mchod pa bzhugs so, 15 fols., NGMPP reel
no. L 281/6.
Rig ’dzin rGod kyi ldem ’phru can. “Yol mo gang gi ra ba’i gnad yig bzhugs so,” sBas yul spyi dang bye brag yol mo gangs ra’i gnas yig, TBRC W00KG01. Published by Khenpo Nyima Dondrup, Kathmandu
2003, 23-27.
Rus pa’i rgyan can (=gTsang smyon Heruka). rNal ’byor kyi dbang phyug chen po mi la ras pa’i rnam
mgur. mTsho sngon mi rigs dpe skrun khang 1989.
Zhwa dmar pa Chos kyi dbang phyug. Bal yul du bgrod pa’i lam yig nor bu spel ma’i ’phreng ba zhes bya ba bzhugs so, 47 fols., NGMPP reel no. L387/3.
Ye shes rdo rje. gTer ston yol mo ba sngags ’chang shā kya bzang po’i rnam thar dang gnas chen sbas yul
yol mo gangs rwa’i lo rgyas me tog padma’i phreng ba zhes bya ba bzhugs so. Kathmandu: Shambala
Graphic Design, 2012.
Shākya bzang po. sBas yul yol mo gangs ra’i gter bdag jo mo dbyang ri phyug mo’i mchod phrin bzhugs so,
4 fols. NGMPP reel no. E 590/5.
_______ sBas yul yol mo gangs ra’i gnas bdag jo mo dbyang ri phyug mo’i mchod phrin bzhugs so, 5 fols.
NGMPP reel no. E 1831/13.
Other works
Clarke, Graham 1980. “A Helambu History,” Journal of the Nepal Research Centre 4, 1-38.
Ehrhard, Franz-Karl 1990. “The Stupa of Bodhnath: A Preliminary Analysis of the Written Sources,”
Ancient Nepal. Journal of the Department of Archaeology, 1-9.
_______ 1991. “Further Renovations of Svayaṃbhūnāth-Stūpa (from the 13th to the 17th centuries),”
Ancient Nepal. Journal of the Department of Archaeology, 10-20.
_______ 1997. “’The Lands are Like a Wiped Golden Basin’: The Sixth Zhva-dmar-pa’s Journey to
Nepal and his Travelogue (1629/30),” in Les Habitants du Toit du Monde. Études Recueillies en
Hommage à Alexander W. MacDonald par les Soins de Samten Karmay et Philippe Sagant. Nanterre:
Société d’ethnologie, 125-38.
_______ 2007. “A Forgotten Incarnation Lineage: The Yol-mo-ba sPrul-skus,” in The Pandita and the
Siddha: Tibetan Studies in Honour of E. Gene Smith. Dharamsala: Amnye Machen Institute, 25-49.
Khenpo Nyima Dondrup 2010. Guide to the Hidden Land of the Yolmo Snow Enclosure and its History.
Kathmandu: Vajra Publications.
Martin, Dan 2001. Unearthing Bon Treasures. Life and Contested Legacy of a Tibetan Scripture Revealer,
with a General Bibliography of Bon. Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill
Mathes, Klaus-Dieter 1999. “The Sacred Crystal Mountain in Dolpo: Beliefs and Pure Visions of
Himalayan Pilgrims and Yogis,” Journal of the Nepal Research Centre 11, 61-90.
Maurer, Petra 2009. Die Grundlagen der tibetischen Geomantie, dargestellt anhand des 32. Kapitels des
Vaiḍūrya dkar po von sde srid Sangs rgyas rgya mtsho (1653-1705). Ediert und übersetzt von Petra
Maurer. Andiast: International Institute for Tibetan and Buddhist Studies.
Nebesky-Wojkowitz, René de 1975. Oracles and Demons of Tibet: The Cult and Iconography of the Tibetan
Protective Deities. Graz: Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt.
Quintman, Andrew 2008. “Toward a Geographic Biography: Mi la ras pa in the Tibetan Landscape,”
Numen 55, 363-410.
Schuh, Dieter 2011. “Die sa-bdag (Erdherrengeister) und die Schwierigkeiten der Interpretation
illuminierter Manuskripte,” Zentralasiatische Studien 40, 7-163.
Tenzin Namdak 1972. Sources for a History of Bon. Dolanji: Tibetan Bonpo Monastic Centre.
54 Klaus-Dieter Mathes
PLATES
[1] The Statue of Shākya bzang po in Tsu ḍī
Gompa.
[2] Lady g.Yang ri in the southern niche of the stūpa on g.Yang ri
Peak.
Clouds of Offerings to Lady g.Yang ri 55
[3] The Padmasambhava Cave
Yang dag mchog gi sgrub phug
on the way to Ganja La.
[4] Padmasambhava above
Lady g.Yang ri on the stūpa on
g.Yang ri Peak.
[5] Mata Lama (with the trumpet) and his fellow village lamas in the
act of invoking Lady g.Yang ri.
56 Klaus-Dieter Mathes
[6] The village lamas performing a byang gter gaṇacakra ritual in
front of the Lady g.Yang ri niche of the stūpa on g.Yang ri Peak.
[7] Villagers from Yol mo dancing and singing in front of the stūpa
on g.Yang ri Peak.
[8] The gtor mas for rDo rje legs pa (left) and Lady g.Yang ri (right)
in the gompa of Tarkeghyang during the g.Yang ri festival on April
6, 2012.