Tibetan and Himalayan Library - THL

Tibetan Renaissance Seminar > Student Generated Content > Biographies > Biography of Nyang ral nyi ma 'od zer

Biography Of Nyang ral nyi ma 'od zer from the Tibetan Renaissance Seminar

This is a work in progess.

Essential Template

Detailed Template

IDs

TBRC ID: P753

Names and titles (ming dang mgo sa)

Name (ming gzhan dag/): nyang ral nyi ma ‘od zer

Etymology:nyang ral = braided one from Nyang; nyima od zer = ray of sun light

Type (rigs)

• Primary Name (ming gtso bo/): nyi ma 'od zer, mnga' bdag nyang ral (TBRC)

• Primary Title: Primary Title: nyang ral nyi ma 'od zer (TBRC)

• Title (mgo sa): myang ral nyi ma 'od zer, mnga' bdag nyang ral nyi ma 'od zer (TBRC)

Types (rigs)

Sentient being type (sems can rigs mi 'dra/):

• human
  • historical/mythological
  • religious

Gender (pho mo/):

• male (pho)

Ethnicity (mi rigs):

• bod: dbus

Birth and death ('khrungs 'das)

Birth International date ('khrungs dus/ _spyi 'o'i lo zla tshes grangs/): 1136 CE

Birth Tibetan date ('khrungs dus/ _spyi lo'i lo zla tshes grangs/): fire dragon Death date ('das dus/ _spyi 'o'i lo zla tshes grangs/): 1204 CE

Death date Tibetan ('khrungs dus/ _spyi lo'i lo zla tshes grangs/): wood mouse

Places & Institutions (yul)

Birth place ('khrung yul/): lho brag: gtam shul: jod pa ser mgon (Phillips 114)

Death place ('das yul/):

Principal sphere(s) of activity (spyod yul/):

Family (khyim tshang/)

Clan (rus pa'i ming/): nyang

• Father (a pha): nyang ston chos kyi ‘khor lo (Phillips 115)

• Mother (a ma/): pad ma bde chen rtsal (Phillips 116)

• Son: nam mkha’ ‘od zer; nam kha’ dpal ba (Phillips 123)

• Spouse: jo ‘bum ma (Phillips 123)

Associates

Types:

• Main teacher: nyang ston chos kyi ‘khor lo (his father), rgya smyon pa don ldan, zhik po nyi ma seng ge, mal ka ba chen pa, ston pa kha ce (Śakyaśribhadra) (Phillips 120)

• Main disciple: nam mkha’ dpal ba (his son)

• Other important disciples: myang ston grags pa, zhig po bdu rtsi, rje smon ‘on pa, sman lung pa, mi bskyod rdo rje, so ston khro bo (Phillips 124)

• Deity: Avalokiteśvara, Padmasambhava

Incarnational pedigree

Past lives: (Phillips 131-2)

• king khri srong lde btsan

• lha dbang ‘od mtha yas

• king ral pa can

• cho ldan

• prince Māhayana (in India)

• prince Dharmashodha (in India)

• Dharmaratsa (in Nepal)

• prince U dar pha la (in Sri Lanka)

• prince E snang ‘od (in Amdo/Khams)

• Dharimukha (in India)

• brahmin A dha ri pa (in Khotan)

• Sho dha gar ba (in China)

• Rin chen bhung gnas

• prince Sing nga shi ri

• rje’u rigs purna tri (in Bodhgaya)

Education (slob sbyong)

Teaching institutions:

• He studied directly under various teachers.

Things taught (doctrines, ritual, literature):

• He studied mantras and dialects extensively under his father nyang ston chos kyi ‘khor lo, as well as under rgya smyon pa don ldan, zhik po nyi ma seng ge, mal ka ba chen pa, and ston pa kha ce. He practiced bla ma sku gsum ‘dus pa (Guru as the Gathering of the Three Bodies), bla ma thugs sgrub (Guru as the Attainment of Mind), mkha’ ‘groi zhu lan brgya rtsa (Hundredfold Dialogue of the Dākinī, and the bka’ bryad (Eight Transmitted Precepts). (Dudjom Rinpoche 757

Career

Occupation:

• Religious: layman, treasure revealer

Religious sectarian affilialtion (chos lugs): Nyingma

Institutional base(s):

• smra bo lcog (mtsho smad rdzong) (TBRC)

Writings (rtsom yig)

Nyang rel revealed many treasures, including texts and objects (Dudjom Rinpoche 756):

• The cycles of:

• • thus rje chen po (the Great Compassionate One)

• • gu ru zhi drag (Peaceful and Wrathful Aspects of the Guru)

• • mgon po dang ngan sngags kyi skor (Cycle of Mahākāla and Malevolent Mantras)

• • mkha’ ‘gro’i chos skor (doctrinal cycles of the dakinis)

• tantra:

• • bka’ brgyud bde gshegs ‘dus pa’i rgyud lung man ngag dang bcas pa’i chos tshan brgya dang sum cur bkod pa (the Tantra of the Gathering of the Sugatas of the Eight Transmitted Topics with its transmissions and esoteric instructions arranged in one130 doctrinal topics)

Short summary of life

The first of the five treasure revealer kings in the Nyingma tradition, Nyangrel Nyima Özer (1136-1204 CE) is an extremely important figure in both the treasure tradition and Renaissance Tibet. A reincarnation of the Dharma King Thrisong Detsen (khri srong lde btsan), Nyangrel Nyima Özer showed signs of religious greatness from a young age. At the age of eight, he had visions of Avalokiteśvara, Padmasambhava and Śākyamuni; Padmasambhava actually bestowed him an initiation in one of these visions. He became learned in mantras and dialectics by studying with various teachers which included his father, and he would come to discover many important treasure texts. A religious layman, he married Jobuma (jo ‘bum ma) and had two sons: nam mkha’ ‘od zer and nam’mkha’ dpal ba. The latter son became his chief disciple and heir.

His Significance

Nyangrel Nyima Özer was an important figure for several reasons. He is perhaps best known as a treasure finder, and in effect, formalized the existence of the treasure cult which emerged earlier with Sangye Lama and Trapa Ngonshe (1012-1090). Nyangrel Nyima Özer was the first of the "5 Kingly Treasure Finders." The treasures that he revealed are also known as the "upper" treasures whereas the treasures of the second kingly treasure finder Guru Chowang (1212-1270) are known as the lower "treasures." Among the many important texts that he revealed included the Mani Kabum, Tantra of the Gathering of the Sugatas of the Eight Transmitted Precepts, and the doctrinal cycles of the Great Compassionate One, the Peaceful and Wrathful Aspects of the Guru, and the Cycle of Mahakala and Malevolent Mantra.

However, Nyangrel Nyima Özer also wrote an important history on Padmasambhava, thereby contributing to the romantic cult of the empire that would permeate Tibetan culture for years to come. The discovery of the Mani Kabum also helped in the creation of the Avaloketesvara cult whose significance in Tibet is very great.

Sources/Bibliography

Dudjom Rinpoche (Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje). The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism Its Fundamentals and History. Trans. Matthew Kapstein. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1991.

Phillips, Bradford Lyman. Consummation and Compassion in medieval Tibet: The Maṇi bka’-’bm chen-mo of Guru Chos-kyi Dbang-phyug. Diss. U of Virginia, 2004.