Padmasambhava, the second Buddha, who is the emanation from the heart center of Amithaba Shakyamuni, for the welfare of those who should be converted, revealed in the following manner his own life story.
Sentient beings of the six destinies of rebirth, who wander aimlessly in samsara due to their ignorance, are truly degenerate beings oppressed by the five poisons and misguided perverted conduct In order to convert these beings who are indeed very difficult to subdue, I was begotten in a lake and born atop the stem of a lotus plant, as a miraculous Nirmanakaya possessing all the marks and characteristics.
The five troops of dakinis, as well as the Viras, performed. dramatic songs and dances, and strew about flowers and benedictions. Clouds of five rainbow colors filled the air.
Devas and nagas rejoiced and expressed their devotion. They paid homage, prayed aloud, and sang hymns of praise to my divine form.
Then the king of Uddiyana heard of this. Having come himself the king invited this small child and offered in the following fashion, hymns of praise to the Nirmanakaya:
“This Nirmanakaya who is the Son of all the Jinas of the three times was begotten in a lake and appeared in the country of Uddiyana. He was born atop the stem of a lotus plant, untouched by any taint. Verily he possesses all the marks and characteristics, all the virtuous qualities in their complete perfection, as well as a divine radiance.
Therefore, he shall be praised as Padmakara, the Lotus King, the mere beholding of whom is of great merit.”
Having given utterance to this speech, he invited me to his palace. There he seated me upon a seat of silk and a throne of jewels.
Various kinds of offerings, such as costly articles set on display, and many delicious foods, such as the three white foods and the three sweets were prepared. The eight goddesses held in their hands various sorts of substances for puja offerings,
And various types of songs, dances, dramas and sports performances were inaugurated. Countless hymns of praises to the Nirmanakaya were recited. In time, I wed Bhasadhara Devi and assumed the kingship.
But since I repeatedly observed the miseries of birth, old age, illness and death among mankind, I eventually renounced my kingdom and journeyed to India.
There I studied all the sciences and attainedunsurpassed excellence in them.
This is the first chapter in the life story of the Master from Uddiyana relating of his manner of appearance in our world-system and of his training in the secular sciences.
Immaculate White Lotus Mind Treasure of Sera Khandro Dekyong Wangmo
Tulku Thadral Rinpoche began a new teachings series on “The Seven Line Prayer” on September 5, 2025. The teachings are available for streaming on the Vajrayana Foundation’s YouTube channel or you can access audio only on Podbean: Ngondro Podcast
When sole mind arises as dualistic mind, the first aspect of dualistic mind that manifests is called the object of phenomena, or object of grasping, which momentarily appears as the personal or general phenomena of the outer container of the universe, including earth, rocks, mountains, and houses, and [the inner essence of beings, including] enemies, friends, and everyone in between, that are the objects from which attachment and aversion are born. There are also the objects of hearing, contemplating, meditating, practicing, and so on, connected with sublime Dharma, which are called the special objects of phenomena appearing in one’s mind. Then, there is grasping to this first aspect of dualistic mind that manifests as the object of grasping, which is the basis of attraction and aversion. This second aspect of dualistic mind, which is called grasping mind, arises when mind reacts to objects of phenomena with grasping, causing attraction, aversion, and the accumulation of karma and passions. Whatever general and personal phenomena and objects of phenomena come from the minds of individuals, the mind’s unconditioned nature is originally pure like stainless sky. By not being able to abide continuously in this stainless state, relative phenomena can appear in various pure and impure ways. Individual phenomena become general phenomena and the objects of grasping, and that is how spiritual and worldly doctrines occur. The source of all of these is the ālaya-consciousness that comes from ālaya, which is just the basis of anything that can appear. From the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra: Consciousness came from mind. Mind is coming from ālaya. From ālaya, all kinds of thoughts Will come, just waves of the river. Ālaya is the basis of all, an indifferent stupor without conception. The example of this is mind in its natural state, not analyzing at all and without clarity. The ālaya-consciousness9 is the very clear and vivid state of readiness to reflect, but before reflecting to an object. The consciousness of mind is a consciousness that holds a mental impression of an object, and next engages with it, or knows the object distinctly. The consciousnesses of the five senses see objects, hear sounds, smell scents, taste flavors, and feel sensations, which are without thought. The mind of the passions11 has thoughts arise of accepting and rejecting, and accumulates karma in ālaya, the basis of all. Therefore, from the ālaya-consciousness, the general phenomena of all beings sometimes appear to be similar and sometimes appear to be different. Consider the example of animals who share similar births and habitats or similar phenomena: while they are born as carnivores or herbivores in this life due to their previous habits, they enjoy whatever food or drink is suitable to them with no hesitation or need to reach an agreement. Likewise, beings born as humans who believe only in this present life’s phenomena of the six sense objects, grasping them as real, material, and tangible, will not believe in past and future lives, karmic cause and result, deities and the Three Jewels, and so on. They are born believing only in one-pointedly accomplishing the interests of this life. Those who hold these views are called nihilists.
Tulku Thadral Rinpoche began a new teachings series on “The Seven Line Prayer” on September 5, 2025.
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