Kusum Rikdu Zabtig
Padmasattva and Kusum Rikdu Zabtig, the Profound Essence Embodying the Families of the Three Kayas
Notes extracted from the empowerment text written by Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
This Kusum Rikdu Zabtig, the Profound Essence Embodying the Families of the Three Kayas, is the elixir of realization combined into one from the Fourfold Tukdrub, the profound terma of all three power-wielding vidyadharas -- Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jamgon Kongtrul and Chokgyur Lingpa. It is a practice, essential and complete, for this life, for dying and for the bardo. At best, the empowerment ceremony should be performed coinciding with the commemoration of the great master terton's anniversary, all on and auspicious day such as on the tenth day of the waxing all waning part of the moon.
The basic source for manifesting this Kusum Rikdu Zabtig, the Profound Essence Embodying the Families of the Three Kayas, is the great Fourfold Tukdrub — due to its four aspects of outer, inner, secret and innermost secret — which were received as transmission through the three power-wielding vidyadharas who were the crest ornament is of the entirety of the learned and accomplished masters of the snowy ranges of Tibet. As it includes the development stage, completion and the Great Perfection, all combined into a single profound key point, it is easy to apply, simple to carry out, has few words with profound meaning, and appeared in the manner of a testament that spontaneously overflowed from the expanse of realization. Here's how the root text for the guru sadhana describes it:
The Four Cycles are the ultimate essence All of all types of Guru Heart Practice. This alone is the profound sadhana, The quintessential essence of them all.
Accordingly, Orgyen Chokgyur Lingpa, who was like a universal monarch for the ocean of accomplished tertons, had as his emanation-bases, Damdzin Murub Tsenpo. This was the second son of Trisong Deutsen, the single father who was noble Manjushri in actuality, and is famed as one among the three — king, subject and companion — who were personal disciples of the glorious Dharma king of Uddiyana. Murub Tsenpo was given the name Upasika Eminent Lion, as the supreme disciple accepted by the Master Second Buddha. Because of his perfect qualities due to training in former lives, he was known as Prince Lotsawa. His secret name, given during the grand empowerment for the golden teachings of Lama Gongdu when praised for being its recipient, was Rolpa Yeshe Tsal, and he was enthroned as the Teacher Vajra King, the master of this teaching.
In particular, when Orgyen Rinpoche, along with the king and his close disciples, visited the lower part Dokham, traveling with their unimpeded miraculous powers, and in the various vajra sites known as the twenty-five sacred places, vastly put into motion the Dharma Wheel of ripening and liberation of immense skillful means — as exemplified by the Seven Cycles of Profound Practice, the Dharma Ocean Embodying all Teachings, the triple aspects of Guru Sadhana, Great Perfection and Great Compassionate One, the Fivefold Essence Embodying Realization, and the Eight Sadhana Teachings — Murub Tsenpo became the primary and extraordinary heart disciple. As demonstrated for this, the guru and disciple became of identical realization so that in that very lifetime he realized the rainbow body of the great transformation.
Nevertheless, considering the beings to be tamed during future generations in the land of Tibet, he has displayed throughout the three times, aspects and bodily forms in numerous ways as great masters, both learned and accomplished — and including the great terton Sangye Lingpa, Zhikling Osel Gyuma (zhig po gling pa), and many others who were great recipients of profound termas.
Also, he has been the Lord of Secrets Dharmevajra, and the destined recipient King Jah, as well as the king with the name Buddha. Hereby he is the great being who carries out the immense task of ensuring the welfare of the teachings and sentient beings, a vajra master who is Padmasambhava's regent whose name is a famous by the Lotus Buddha himself with the title Orgyen Chokgyur Dechen Shikpo Lingpa.
When his deeds, the life span that corresponded to the fortune of disciples during the dark age, had come to an end and his bodily form was dissolving into basic space, there unfolded within the wisdom vision of great purity of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, the crest ornament of all learned and accomplished masters of these Snowy Ranges, that in one aspect of the western buddhafield of Great Bliss, he manifested the manner of awakening to enlightenment by means of the five aspect of true awakening as the one was known as "Teacher, Heir to the Conquerors, Lotus Sprout", and in order to thoroughly cultivate the ocean of buddhafields, he manifested the display of an inconceivable Magical Net by means of manifestations of bodily forms and aspects.
As the final will, he bestowed in the manner of the Testament Heart Essence of Unimpeded Self-Existing Realization, this Kusum Rikdu Nyingtik. About this the Dharma root text says:
With one-pointed trust and certainty, If you practice this in the proper way, Your outer, inner and innermost obstacles will subside, And all your wishes will be spontaneously fulfilled.
The wisdom of great bliss will arise effortlessly, You will attain confidence in view and meditation, and perfect that great strength. You will receive the blessings to never be apart From the guru who embodies the families of the three kayas.
Therefore, treasure this quintessence of all profound treasures As you would the very core of your own heart. Without letting it dwindle, applied in practice, And you will perfect the twofold purpose of self and others.
In accordance with these words, Pema Osel Do-Ngak Lingpa, who was like the great universal monarch of all accomplished vidyadharas and tertons, had on the fifteenth day of the [mgo] month in the year of the Iron Horse, a pure vision in which he — in the Lotus Covered great buddhafield — was bestowed in actuality the nectar of direct instructions including the sadhana, the empowerment, and the sequence of instructions in the six bardos, from Bodhisattva Lotus Sprout, who is indivisible from the great terton Chokgyur Lingpa. For one month he kept this within the secret seal of samaya. But on the tenth day of the victorious month, in combination with a feast offering, he established it in writing with the omniscient master Chimey Tennyi Yungdrung Lingpa Tsal functioning as the scribe person.
At this very time the entire land around suddenly warmed up so that all the ice and snow turned into the stream and many other auspicious signs were witnessed by everyone with their own eyes. At the same occasion, he opened up for the first time the door for these ripening and liberating teachings, and established it in writing together with a lavish ganachakra. Gradually it was propagated to wall fortunate disciples.
Extract from the colophon of Jamgon Kongtrul's sadhana text
Pema Ösel Do-Ngak Lingpa — the great monarch of all the vidyadhara tertons and siddhas — had on the 15th day of the eleventh month of the year of the Iron Horse, a vision in which he personally received — in the Lotus-Covered Buddhafield — from Bodhisattva Lotus-Sprout, indivisible from the great treasure revealer Chokgyur Lingpa — the nectar-like transmission of the sadhana, empowerment and instructions. For one month he kept the samaya seal of secrecy. Then, on the 10th day of the 12 month, they were established in writing in combination with a feast offering, the task which I — Chimey Tennyi Yungdrung Lingpa Tsal, a fortunate disciple of both great vidyadharas — undertook with deep respect. At this time the entire ground outside was suddenly warmed up, so that the ice and snow melted into a river, an auspicious sign which was visible to everyone.
Since also the few connecting passages of this sadhana are written according to the Lord Guru's command, may this cause whoever connecting with it to attain the state of being indivisible from these two vidyadhara masters' three secrets and may it cause the teachings to flourish and remain for a long time! May virtuous goodness increase!
--translated by Erik Pema Kunsang