Rigongpa Chökyi Sherab

adapted from "Shangpa Masters" on [1]

Rigongpa Chökyi Sherab (1175-1247) was born to a family in Yol, was naturally inclined to the dharma and sought at an early age to devote his life in benefiting others. He met his and stayed with him in Kyergang. Lama Kyergangpa transmitted all of the secret instructions to Rigongpa leaving nothing out. Lama Kyergangpa told Rigongpa about his past and future lives and advised Rigongpa to lead the life of a secret yogin, drinking beer, eating food offerings, wearing old rags and enjoying mixed company. Kyergangpa told him that Rigongpa that he would establish connections with many students and would have ten fully realized disciples who would hold his transmission and the lineage of the Shangpa lamas. Rigongpa had visions of many dakas and dakinis, especially of Sukhasiddhi, from whom he received the four complete empowerments and the main points of secret practices. Rigongpa could see face-to-face many deities including six-armed Mahakala, the special protector of the Shangpa Lineage. In his later years Rigongpa in his dreams traveled to buddha realms and was granted empowerments. A few months later a dakini appeared to him, of which Rigongpa asked her name. She replied "I am Sukhasiddhi which means Bliss-Accomplishment, bliss because my mind if filled with stainless wisdom; accomplishment because one can accomplish the extraordinary siddhis within a year or month by praying to me." The dakini proceeded to grant the four complete empowerments, the main points of practice and the supreme points on realizing the non-duality of bliss and emptiness. Then Sukhasiddhi told Rigongpa, "Yogin, since your body, speech and mind are liberated, those who receive empowerments from you will never again fall into the three lower realms." Rigongpa benefited many disciples, establishing them on the path to freedom and lived more than seventy years.

[TSD]

Primary Teachers

• Kyergangpa Chökyi Senge
  

Primary Students

• Sangye Tönpa Tsondrü Senge
  

Internal Links

• Shangpa Kagyu

External Links

• The Shangpa Network