Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Mahasiddha Tilopa & Oddiyana (988 AD)

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Tilopa received the transmissions of Dzogchen in Oddiyana....Tilopa also known as Tillipa, Telopa or Tailopa (Tib. ཏི་ལོ་པ་) (988-1069) —one of his main disciples, Naropa (1016-1110). He is also counted among the eighty-four mahasiddhas.

"There are many biographies of Mahasiddha Tilopa in Tibetan, but they do not give a precise and detailed story of where and when he was born, where he traveled, and whether he passed away or not. Since these events are not recorded as a chronological narrative of his life, it is not easy to talk about him from the historical point of view. Without records of his date of birth and so forth, it is hard to give an exact, detailed history of Tilopa."....The Life of Tilopa.....HH 17th Gaylwa Karmapa.....Translator: Ringu Tulku Rinpoche.....http://www.kagyu.org/ktd/densal/archives/1801/hhtilopa.php

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"the biography of Tilopa was written in old-fashioned Tibetan language that is difficult not only for the translators to translate into foreign languages but even difficult for contemporary modern Tibetans to comprehend....."a beautiful young lady told him that he should go to the land of ­Uddiyana to receive the secret tantric teachings.....Tilopa returned home and related the story of meeting the young lady to his parents. His parents discussed the idea for a while and realized that in the past all the predictions of the dakinis went well and favorably for Tilopa. So they were happy to have another such prediction. They encouraged Tilopa to follow the advice of the dakini and gave him their blessings and permission to go to Uddiyana. Thus Tilopa left for Uddiyana, taking with him only the special gifts that he had received from the young lady.....Uddiyana is not an invisible, celestial buddha field where people cannot go. This is a buddha field where fortunate people can visit. In fact, there are five holy places like this known as “The Five Vajrayana or Tantrayana Sources,” places where Vajrayana teachings are preserved and taught. Uddiyana is one such realm, and it is said that it is located somewhere in what is now known as Pakistan. Many great masters of Tibet, as well as scholars of China and India, have visited Uddiyana, the source of Tantrayana teachings.".........The Life of Tilopa.....HH 17th Gaylwa Karmapa.....Translator: Ringu Tulku Rinpoche.....http://www.kagyu.org/ktd/densal/archives/1801/hhtilopa.php

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Tilopa's Mahamudra Instruction to Naropa....
Pure space has neither colour nor shape
And it cannot be stained either black or white;
So also, mind's essence is beyond both colour and shape
And it cannot be sullied by black or white deeds.
http://www.keithdowman.net/mahamudra/tilopa.htm

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"...It was difficult for anyone to recognize that Tilopa was a practitioner of ­Buddhism from the external appearance or outlook, let alone a pandita or mahasiddha. Nevertheless, when we learn about him and learn how he received the tantric teachings directly from the yidam Vajrayogini in the land of Uddiyana...near to a special land called Zalandra, another holy land of the origin of Tantrayana teaching. It is also near ­Uddiyana."..........The Life of Tilopa.....HH 17th Gaylwa Karmapa.....Translator: Ringu Tulku Rinpoche.....http://www.kagyu.org/ktd/densal/archives/1801/hhtilopa.php

Kingdom of Oddiyana.......East/Southeast of Balkh....embracing parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and even Western Tibet (Zhang-zhung)." [John Myrdhin Reynolds1996, The Golden Letters. Snow Lion Publications]......homeland of both the Vajrayana and Dzogchen teachings, and is said to be the land where Garab Dorje, Vairotsana, Padmasambhava and Tilopa, amongst others, received the transmissions of Dzogchen......inhabited by gentle people often clothed in white.....in 720 A.D., the T'ang Annals state that the Emperor sent ambassadors to Uddiyana to confer the investiture on the new king.

Oddiyana (Skt. Oḍḍiyāna; Tib. ཨུ་རྒྱན་, Orgyen; Wyl. u rgyan) — one of the twenty-four sacred places, Oddiyana played an important role in the history of Buddhism, especially from the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism. It is believed to be the homeland of both the Vajrayana and Dzogchen teachings, and is said to be the land where Garab Dorje, Vairotsana, Padmasambhava and Tilopa, amongst others, received the transmissions of Dzogchen. Buddhist texts speak of Oddiyana as a beautifully green and fertile kingdom, inhabited by gentle people often clothed in white, who had great respect for wisdom and learning. It was surrounded by high, rugged mountains, and in the broad valleys were towering white stupas and golden temple roofs. It seemed a paradise on earth and so was called “the royal garden” from the Sanskrit udyana. Oddiyana was also known as “the paradise of the dakinis”, as it was reputed for its unique sisterhood of priestesses—ladies dedicated to wisdom and spiritual development. These priestesses were not nuns, and lived in sanctuaries or forest chapels.

"Tilopa attained realization as a grinder of sesame seeds and a procurer for a prominent prostitute called Dharima .....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahasiddha

..."Suddenly, there appeared out of nowhere a dark-complexioned and very filthy beggar. This strange individual then began to roast live fish over the cooking fire. Naropa, scandalized that anyone would so blatantly contravene monastic procedure, attempted to restrain him but was unsucessful. "......Secret of the Vajra World – The Tantric Buddhism of Tibet” by Reginald A. Ray, Shambala

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

John Hopkins.....Northern New Mexico….July 2013

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