37 Termas of Chokgyur Lingpa
The 37 Termas of Chokgyur Lingpa and their places of revelation
Introduction
Here is a provisional description by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, extracted from his "gter chen rnam thar las 'phros pa'i dris lan bkra shis dbyangs snyan bskul ba'i dri bzhon ldeb", vol. Ti of Chokling Tersar pp. 15-52
Here is the way in which is 37 earth termas were revealed in succession: Generally speaking, it is difficult to explain them imprecise detail, since several of them appeared with the seal of secrecy and also the were some that were concealed again as terma, and so forth. What is mentioned here is merely what we, master disciple, have as our shared experience. [26].
List
1. To begin, when he [Chokgyur Lingpa] was thirteen years old, during the spring of the year of the female fire ox, he was accepted and given predictions by Uddiyana and consort in actuality at a place called Manikha. In accordance with a prediction, he revealed as his first terma, from White Cliff Small Fortress (brag dkar rdzong chung), the Embodiment of Realization from Prince Lhasey, a vajra and mirror as the sign of his command, as well as 24 sadhanas that were his personal practice. Later on, he gave the mirror to Jamgon Lama and the vajra to myself.
2. Following this, gradually, during the winter of his thirteen year, in accordance with the description lists which he found from below Crystal Cliff, at age 14, from the White Stupa at Samye, he revealed in the profound terma but due to the nature of circumstances, he concealed it once more as a terma.
3. At age 20, on the tenth day of the [dbyug pa] month Of the Earth Monkey, he revealed Tukdrub Barchey Kunsel as the secret terma from beneath the feet of the Great Glorious Cliff at Danyin Khala Rongo.
4. That age 21, at known on the tenth day of the [khrum stod] month in the year of the female Earth bird, he revealed from Misty Fortress, the Great Compassionate One Padma Ushnika (Pema Tsugtor), and many articles including the liberation-by-seeing, the image of the Great Compassionate One made of the owner of the Dharma king. [Note: in some notes is mentioned that this took place during the Dog Year at the age of 22, not when I personally received the first empowerment and reading transmission, he told me it is like this since I asked the details of the story.]
5. At age 27, he revealed as the secret terma, from White ['dzong] Cliff, the practice place of the Precious Master at the summit of Mount Mighty Bow, the Four Teachings to Dispel Obstacles that are subsidiary at aspects of Tukdrub Barchey Kunsel.
6. At age 28, from the Vow-Holder's Cliff at Soka Karma, he revealed the Practice in Seven Cycles of Profundity, including the Peaceful and Wrathful Magical Net of Vajrasattva. [27]. A wonderful profound teaching which is utterly complete in terms of tantra, statement and instruction.
7. In summer, at Mount Yegyal Sky Treasury, which is also known under the name One-Legged Musk Deer, income, he revealed from the great casket of teachings numberless profound Dharma that were primarily it's subsidiary aspects, as well as the two imagery presentations.
8. During the second month of August, once more, from the [gseng] of the head of the Great Splendor at the Khala Cliff, the summary-list for Tukdrub and the guidebook to the sacred place and so forth as well as samaya articles with the seal of secrecy.
- [Note: in the decoded lists for this sacred place, some copies mention that he was 29, but I hold that he was 28. The reason is that at age 29, he decoded the summary-list, so therefore it seems that a writing mistake has taken place.]
9. On the first victorious day in the victorious month, we, master disciple, together revealed as a 'public terma' the Sacred Dharma Dzogchen Desum from the Lotus Crystal Cave at Mesho Dzamnang. From then on words, is termas were for the most part revealed in public.
10. On the tenth day of that same month, from the summit of this sacred place, he revealed as a [phral]-terma the magical bone image of the vidyadhara Garab Dorje, as well as the two editions of Heart Essence.
11. When he had reached the age of 29, on the first day of the miracle month, he revealed the summary-list of The Twenty-five Sacred Places from Mighty Warrior Cliff.
12. On the ninth day of that same month, from the Great Secret Cave at Drinyen Dong, the sacred place that is the body aspects of enlightened qualities, he revealed as a secret terma the Heart Essence of Manjushrimitra.
13. When the fifteenth day, he revealed from the summit of Lion Sky Cliff, which is the sacred place for the activities of enlightened qualities, the description lists for profound termas, [28] together with the Heart Essence of Tsogyal.
14. On the 19th day, from the lower part of the upper cliff, to revealed the Sacred Dharma in Six Parchments, including Lungchen Dorje Kopa and so forth, the secret volume, Orgyen Rinpoche's crown, Prince Lhasey's seal, ropes of Buddha Shakyamuni, Dharma medicine from Garab Dorje, and other articles. The teachings, image and sacred substances he revealed as public terma.
15. On the 20th, from the Blazing Jewel of that same cliff, he revealed an annular box with Dharma medicine from the king and twenty-five disciples as well as one cycle of teachings.
16. On the 22nd, from the cliff that resembles the King of Healing, he revealed a terma of medicine and also a piece of yellow parchment. The medicine he gave to meet and the yellow parchment he kept secret. All the termas at this cliff were without exception in public termas.
17. On the road leading to Lhonda, he revealed at the Dakini Crystal Cave at Dzimey, a guide to the sacred place written on the robe of Khenpo [Bodhisattva] and the ear rings of Gyalwa Choyang, and other things.
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18. From the Vajra Quartz Cave at Kerong, he revealed longevity substance from Uddiyana and consort, a casket made of zi, as well as several description lists.
19. During the waning part of the [smin] month, during Sunset on the sacred 25th day when dakinis gather, he revealed from the Lotus Power Cave at the sublime place of Karmey Bumdzong, the four major Dharma cycles of the Great Compassionate One who Overturns the Depth of Samsara, as well as the cycle of sacred substances.
20. Inside the lake, he was personally entrusted by the naga mara Khala Raksha with a stone casket containing the cycle of Dharma protectors.
21. From the personal throne of Orgyen in the innermost part of the Ancient Place Cave, he revealed the Tara statue known as Self-Existing Compassion, pills made from the flesh of the brahmin Prabhahasti, the Six Practice Cycles of Zurza, [29] and in particular as I personally requested him with a description lists, he also revealed the pre-eminent cycle Lotus Magical Net of the Great Compassionate One containing tantra, statement and instruction, and others.
22. At the age of 30, in the year of the male Earth Horse, he revealed, from the upper gate to the Mansion of Sporting Mamos at the resplendent site of Ogmin Karma, the General Summary of the Mamos as well as pills for enlightened body, speech and mind.
23. On the tenth day of the [dbyug pa] month of that same year, I exhorted him, in accordance with my own previous vision and predictions I had received, and therefore he [Chokgyur Lingpa] revealed from Blazing Jewel Cliff at the mountain of Three Brothers at Kela, the Dharma cycle of Lamey Tukdrub Yishin Norbu Sampa Lhundrub, the Guru's Heart Practice Wishfulfilling Spontaneous Fulfillment of Wishes, together with the image that represents guru Rinpoche.
24. During the [smin] months, he revealed from the Blazing Light Cliff at Goto, the sacred substance known as Trinley Rolpa, together with the framework for the drubchen, the Wishfulfilling Jewel of Dharma protectors, and also the cycle of for the great guardian king Namtosey.
25. At age 31, on the tenth day of the monkey month of the female Earth Sheep, from the Jewel Cliff which resembles Tsari of Devikoti, the upper retreat above Palpung, he revealed the cycle on Sangtig Nyingpo, the guide book for the sacred place, as well as the sacred substance known as Jewel Crest, which is the pill that contains relics from all sugatas.
26. During the early winter of that year, from the Jewel Crystal Cliff at Gato Meseng, he revealed a sa-tsa the upper part of which was made of gold while the lower part of turquoise and which inside had one single large relic-pill which was magically produced from Guru Rinpoche's tooth. As well, he revealed many description lists containing the major and minor sacred places of Tibet and numerous termas, including the guide book for Doti White Snow Mountain, [30] some of which he decoded into writing while others were left without being propagated.
27. From the Turquoise Cave at Gato, he revealed the longevity-substance of White Tara from Vimalamitra known as Moon Essence, and also the Tuktig Nyingpo the seal of secrecy of which he maintained with utmost strictness.
- [Note: this sacred place had been opened by Dudul and a guide book for it exists. He also identified the sacred place for activity of enlightened body to be Hedrak, which is one of the 25 major places according to Terchen Rinchen.
28. When he had reached the age of 36, on the tenth day of the waning Saga Moon in the year of the male Wood Rat, from the Turquoise Cave situated on the southern slope of Mount Yegyal Sky Treasury, he revealed the profound and extensive Dharma cycle of tantra, scripture and instructions belonging to Kabgye Deshek Kundu, the Eight Sadhana Teachings That Embody All Sugatas, together with a statue representation and sacred medicine.
29. From the Cave known as the Longevity Wall Cave all as Longevity Increasing Cave, which is situated on the western slope of that same mountain, he revealed some extraordinary substance for longevity coming from Guru Rinpoche and consort, as well as teachings and others, including the tantra of longevity and the sadhana for Amrita Kundali.
30. At the age of 38, on the 25th day of the [dbyug pa] month of the year of the Fire Tiger, both of us, master and disciple together, met at the Immortal White Tiger's Lair at Rongmey. On the 27th day he revealed, the Sublime Dharma in Five Essential Cycles and other things from the right side of the Secret Cave.
31. Following that, he destroyed/undid the Cave's 13 consecutive seals and, in the morning of the 9th day during the waxing part of the [smin] month, he revealed the Tukdrub Dorje Draktsal from the left side of the Secret Cave. At dawn on the tenth day, he revealed the personal Vajra scepter of Guru Rinpoche and other things. [31]
32. Om the excellent tenth day, from the Invincible Wild Lion Turquoise Lake, he created to be amazing feat of, among other things, revealing without any hindrance a great treasure.
33. At the age of 39, on the third victorious day during the waning part of the [dbo] month of the year of the Fire Rabbit, from the Palace Where Sugatas Assemble and Dzongsho, the sacred place of hidden qualities, he revealed the [phyag tsh'a] of the Abbot, Master and Dharma King, together with a parchment scroll.
34. On the tenth day during the waxing part of the [nag pa] month, from the sublime place known as Lotus Crystal Mountain, he revealed the sacred substance in the form of the pill Swirling Expanse, which liberates by sight and is venerated as being one of the [btsas] of the Buddhadharma. In addition, he also revealed the profound parchment of the Dakini's Secrets.
35. On the 11th day of that month, we, master and disciple together, from the Garuda Nest Cave, which is the sacred place of the dakinis mind, revealed The Heart Essence of All Knowledge-Holders together with their sacred substance contained in a casket of stone with a [le'u tshan] and the terma casket for the Heart Essence that Embodies the Herukas, which at the shape of a curved knife.
36. On the second victorious day during the waxing part of the saga month, from Snowy Hermitage of Great Bliss at Rudam which is the primary sacred place of enlightened qualities, he revealed the Sublime Bliss that Equalizes the Buddhas, the guide book for the Snowy Ranges of Rudam, and a stone casket with three compartments containing the sacred substance of the Nectar That Embodies All Herukas.
37. On the fifteenth day of the [gro bzhin] month, due to my persistent encouragement based on the description list I had received, during the journey towards Lhasa, he went specifically to the Cliff of Three Brothers at Kela where he revealed the Sublime Dharma in Seven Jewel Cycles, as well as the ornaments of Guru Roaring Lion, [32] an image that represents the Guru and other things.