A Brief Biography and Thirty Teachings of Longchen Rabjam
A Brief Biography and Thirty Teachings of Longchenpa
Revered as the Second Buddha after Padmasambhava, Longchenpa was a Dharma King of the Nyingma tradition and deeply respected by all four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Je Tsongkhapa, Sakya Pandita, and Longchenpa were renowned throughout Tibet as emanations of Manjushri. They were manifestations of Manjushri's body, speech, and mind. Due to their vast learning in both exoteric and esoteric scriptures and their supreme wisdom, they were the most outstanding masters in Tibet's long religious history. In particular, Longchenpa had actually realised the dharmakaya of Samantabhadra and manifested in the world to save all beings. According to prophecy, the famous Indian masters Vimalamitra and Shantideva would manifest once every hundred years in Tibet, and Longchenpa was such a manifestation of these two masters.
In the history of Tibetan Buddhism since its transmission from India in the eighth century, Longchenpa's life and writings shine like a three-sided crystal mirror, gathering the teachings he received and elucidating difficult points of essential meaning for our benefit.
Longchenpa became an important figure in Tibetan Buddhist history not only because of his unique and precious teachings, but also because his brilliant writings encompassed and synthesised all traditions. As Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chokyi Wangpo Rinpoche noted in his works: "His writings encompass and transcend the essence of Madhyamaka and Prajnaparamita, Zhentong and Shentong (the cessation of suffering and frustration), Mahamudra and Dzogchen."
Although human language cannot fully describe this master's qualities, we hope this brief introduction to Longchenpa's life and teachings will provide insight for those interested in studying Tibetan Buddhism, especially practitioners of the Nyingma tradition.
The master's family lived in a village called Yentshar in the highlands of Yoru in northern Tibet. His grandfather, Elder Rashon, lived to be 105 years old and was one of Tibet's first seven ordained monks. He was also the twenty-fifth descendant of Jewa Choyang, one of Padmasambhava's twenty-five heart disciples. It is said that Elder Rashon had mastered the "practice of extracting the essence of amrita" and could sustain life on extremely minimal nutrition. Longchenpa's father, Tensung Arhi, was a scholar well-versed in the five sciences and a tantric yoga practitioner. His mother, Drongza Sonam Gyen, was the granddaughter of Dromtonpa, the chief disciple of Atisha.
Before Longchenpa's birth, his mother dreamed of a great lion with the sun and moon on its forehead, illuminating the three realms before dissolving into her body. He was born on the tenth day of the second month of the Earth Monkey Year in the fifth Rabjung cycle (3rd March 1308). His birth was accompanied by auspicious signs, including devas bathing him, similar to the Buddha Shakyamuni's birth. The great Nyingma protector Ekajati appeared, lifted up the infant, and vowed to protect this little buddha before returning him to his mother and disappearing.
From childhood, he could remember his previous lives and was filled with devotion, compassion, and wisdom. At age five, he began his preliminary education in reading, writing, and recitation. His father taught him medicine, astrology, and other sciences, and transmitted many teachings to him, including the Eight Herukas, Vajrakilaya, and the empowerments and oral instructions of both peaceful and wrathful manifestations of Padmasambhava. He showed exceptional intelligence from an early age. For example, at nine, he could recite and comprehend the meaning of the Twenty Thousand Verse and Eight Thousand Verse Prajnaparamita Sutras after reading them hundreds of times.
At twelve, he entered Samye Monastery, Tibet's first monastery built by Padmasambhava, where he received ordination from the famous Khenpo Samdrup Rinchen and Arhi Kunga Ozer. He studied Buddhist vinaya and by fourteen had mastered the texts on monastic discipline, passing debates and examinations with many scholars. At sixteen, he began studying with Saklung Rinpoche, Tashi Rinchen, Wangye, and other teachers, receiving many tantric teachings and empowerments from the Nyingma, Sarma (New Schools), and Shentong traditions.
At nineteen, he left Samye and enrolled at the nearby Sangpu Neutok College, then Tibet's most renowned institute, particularly famous for its logic studies. There, he formally studied under the fifteenth and sixteenth abbots of Linting Monastery, Jamgon Pa and the great scholar Lama Rangpa Chopal Gyaltsen. During his six years with them, he deeply studied the Five Treatises of Maitreya, the logic texts of Dignaga and Dharmakirti, and the Madhyamaka and Prajnaparamita scriptures. He also studied the Samadhi Raja Sutra and other Five Profound Dharma Sutras with the famous translator Lodro Denden, along with Sanskrit, rhetoric, and other arts.
Though his studies were extensive and profound, he did not neglect practice. During these years, he diligently practised and perfected the visualisations of Manjushri, Akshobhya, Sarasvati, and White Vajravarahi. Through his dedicated practice of Sarasvati, the goddess appeared to him, placed him in her palm, and showed him Mount Meru and the four continents for seven consecutive days. Thereafter, he gained unobstructed wisdom and fearless eloquence, mastering all scriptural teachings and the five sciences without impediment, becoming known as "Samye Lungmangpa" or "Longchen Rabjam" (All-Encompassing Vastness).
In his twenties, he received many Nyingma tantric teachings from masters including Kumaradza, Kumaraja, and Nyakpuwa Sonam Zangpo. As in his early years at Samye, his advanced studies were not limited to Nyingma teachings. He received many Kagyu teachings from the Third Black Hat Karmapa Rangjung Dorje, all the profound Sakya teachings from Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen and other masters, all the Shentong and Zhentong teachings from the Jonang lineage holder Kunpang Sonam Rinchen, and many Kadam teachings from Kunga Dorje and others. In short, during these ten years, he received all the most important lineage teachings of all schools then existing, becoming the most learned and eloquent author and teacher, known as "Master of Speech."
At twenty-eight, he decided to retire into retreat to practise what he had learned. Despite pleas from monastery officials, he resolutely left Samye to wander. He meditated for five months in a cave at Chimphu, where he had visions of Green Tara, who promised to assist him with all her power. During this year-long retreat, he entered deep meditation for extended periods, preparing him to receive the highest Dzogchen teachings. The following spring, he returned to Samye and learned that the famous master Kumaradza was near the Upper Yartö Valley. He went to meet him, finding over seventy students gathered around the master. The previous night, Kumaradza had dreamed of many birds flying in from all directions, taking pages from his texts in their beaks and flying off in different directions. Based on this dream, the master knew a lineage holder was coming and was overjoyed. However, Longchenpa, having no money for offerings, did not want to stay. The master sent word that he need not worry about monetary offerings.
Though their time together was marked by hardship, with little food or clothing, it was immensely fruitful. In the first year, he received the "Heart Essence of Dzogchen" teachings and empowerments; in the second year, he received higher empowerments and three types of Dzogchen teachings. Kumaradza transmitted all his knowledge to Longchenpa, like pouring water from one vessel to another, making him his regent.
At thirty-one, Longchenpa left his root guru and began extensive travels—practising and teaching disciples who came from all directions. The first year, in Nyipu Shuesay, he first transmitted his essential teachings to some students and received the "Dakini Heart Essence" texts from his student Öser Gocha. The following year, he went to Chimpu Rimo Gang for meditation and taught eight male and female disciples for some time. During this period, he reportedly saw many dakinis, particularly Vajravarahi and Yeshe Tsogyal, and at Gang Rithogha, he expounded the "Essence of Dakinis" (Heart of Hearts of Dakinis).
He had several visions of various manifestations of Padmasambhava, who once gave him the name Orgyen Öser (Immaculate Light). On another occasion, he saw Yeshe Tsogyal (Wisdom Ocean Queen) for six consecutive days, receiving many teachings from her, particularly detailed explanations of the "Dakini Heart Essence," and she bestowed upon him the name Dorje Zilnön (Fearless Vajra or Mighty Vajra).
When he met Vimalamitra in a vision, the master instructed him to transmit the "Immaculate Heart Essence" teachings to his disciple Kunga Sangye (an emanation of Master Kumaradza) and to restore Ugu Sanctuary. While restoring the monastery and renovating the sacred images of Shakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya, and the Sixteen Arhats, Maitreya appeared and prophesied, pointing to him: "You will attain buddhahood in the Lotus Array Pure Land with the name Buddha Lamp of Mount Meru."
In his adult years, Longchenpa spent most of his time practising and teaching thousands of visiting students in remote places. During this period, he built or restored monasteries in many locations, including Samye Chimpu, Lhareng Tsa, Tsaphu, Shukseb, and Gang Rithogha. Gang Rithogha was his favourite retreat location and where he wrote many of his books. He also visited Bhutan, where he attracted many students, reformed the monastic system, and built Tharpa Ling Monastery, which remains active today. He visited Lhasa several times. On his first visit to the Jokhang Temple, a ray of light emanated from the forehead of the Jowo Rinpoche (the sacred Shakyamuni Buddha statue) and entered his forehead, causing him to recall his past lives as a scholar in India and Central Asia. On another visit to Lhasa, he set up a teaching throne on the plain between the city and the Small Temple, teaching Dharma to thousands of welcoming people, beginning with bodhicitta. Many renowned scholars gathered around him seeking teachings, deeply impressed by his vast learning and profound realisation, conferring upon him the title "Kunkhyen Choje" (All-Knowing Dharma Lord or Omniscient Dharma King). On yet another visit to the Jokhang, a golden light radiated from the Buddha statue, and many buddhas and bodhisattvas appeared above the statue's head, urging and authorising him to compose many treatises. These "Secret Heart Teachings" include the "Seven Treasuries," "Three Rests," "Three Natural Freedoms," "Three Dawns," "Three Essences," and the "Trilogy of Heart Essences."
In his later years, Longchenpa experienced a series of misfortunes that led to his exile in Bhutan, where he stayed for several years. This was due to the Drigung leader Kunga Rinchen's rebellion against the Central Tibet regent Changchub Gyaltsen. Earlier, Kunga Rinchen had sought out Longchenpa and become his patron. From this connection, the regent assumed Longchenpa sided with Kunga Rinchen in this political dispute. Consequently, Longchenpa was forced to flee to Bhutan, residing at Tharpa Ling Monastery. Later, other patrons, such as the noble Situ Shakya Sangpo of Upper We and Dorje Gyaltsen of Yamdrok, convinced the king to allow his return. Thereafter, he spent most of his time at Gang Rithogha, the monastery he had built, surrounded by disciples who would continue his lineage.
In 1363, at fifty-six, knowing his time was approaching, he told his disciples: "For a long time, I have deeply understood the nature of the six realms, so worldly affairs hold no value for me. Now I prepare to leave this impermanent body, so I will teach only what is truly useful—listen well!" In this final year, he transmitted supremely profound teachings to his close disciples, firmly establishing his lineage like water flowing down from a mountain in different streams. Near the end of that year, he again visited Samye and Yarlung monasteries, giving public teachings to thousands. Finally, he went to the beautiful forested area of Chimpu, saying: "This place is like India's cremation ground 'Garden of Rebirth'—'dying here is happier than living elsewhere.' So I will discard this worn-out body here." Though appearing severely ill, he continued teaching until, after fainting several times and upon his students' desperate pleas, he rested, expressing regret at not completing this teaching.
On the sixteenth day of the twelfth Tibetan month, after completing a great feast offering to the viras and dakinis, he gave his final teaching to the assembled students: "Broadly speaking, worldly affairs are worthless; only pursuing Dharma has value. Specifically, be diligent in 'observation' and 'transcending stages to enter the fundamental samadhi.' If there is anything you don't understand, study and contemplate deeply 'The Wish-Fulfilling Treasury of the Sublime' (Heart of Hearts of the Guru). Thus, you will be freed from suffering and realise the empty nature of phenomena."
On the eighteenth day of the twelfth month of the Water Hare Year (24th January 1364), surrounded by his disciples, he departed his physical form in the dharmakaya posture, resting in the fundamental nature of reality. It is said the earth shook several times, and many miraculous signs occurred. His face remained lifelike, and his body remained uncorrupted for twenty-five days under a rainbow, with flowers raining from the sky. The seasons changed—between the twelfth and first Tibetan months, the earth grew warm enough to melt ice and snow, with flowers and trees flourishing. During the funeral procession, the earth shook repeatedly, and great sounds were heard seven times. During cremation, his body, speech, and mind merged into three vajras, and his eyes, tongue, and heart relics remained, showing he had completely realised the pure wisdom of the five buddha families. The smaller relics multiplied into thousands more. All these sacred objects were preserved in golden statues for devotees to venerate and accumulate merit, until their destruction by the Communists during the Cultural Revolution.
His teachings have endured through many lineages and continue to flourish, particularly through his heart essence teachings propagated by his spiritual heir Jigme Lingpa. Even today, more than 630 years after his passing, his teachings continue to spread and are widely practised throughout the world.
The Thirty Teachings
From Longchenpa's cloud of great wisdom pervading all dharmadhatus, rays of warm compassionate light shine forth, illuminating those who pray to him. The abundant rain of amrita regularly descends to nurture beings' minds, cultivating the sprouts of the three kayas—let us pay homage to this great master who can protect us, this supreme one of the Three Jewels and Dharma protectors.
Through the power of great aspiration, I effortlessly joined the lineage of supreme accomplished ones. Yet due to laziness, I have wasted this life, and now the sun is setting. I wish to emulate the sage's mind and conduct, but I am deeply discouraged seeing others being as lazy as myself. This is why I speak these thirty earnest admonitions to inspire renunciation.
1. Alas! Using every means to tame many beings, gathering a large assembly of disciples around oneself, perhaps also maintaining prosperous monasteries—yet these are sources of discord and causes of ego-clinging. Dwelling alone in solitude is my first earnest admonition.
2. In village ceremonies meant to remove obstacles and subdue outer demons, some reveal their habits among crowds. This is due to craving food and wealth, leading to possession by demons. Taming one's own mind is my second earnest admonition.
3. Collecting many taxes from the poor to build great Buddha images, stupas, temples, and distribute various offerings—yet these well
