Tibetan Buddhist Community in the Nyingma Tradition
The Great Master Jampal Shenyen
Jampal Shenyen
In India, to the north of the Vajrasana or Bodhgaya, a reincarnation of Jampal or Manjushri, bearing the major and minor marks, was born to the Brahmin Palden Gyong and his wife, Kuhana, daughter of a Brahmin. This son bore the name of Dechog Nyingpo (Essence of Supreme Bliss).
At a young age he was ordained and learned in the five ordinary sciences he taught others, becoming a great pandita or scholar monk.
At that time the Noble Manjushri prophesied:
To the west, on the island of Danakosha, in the land of Oddiyana
there lives one,
Who empowered by all buddhas as the holder of the Dzogchen
teachings
Is an emanation of Vajrasattva. He is called Garab Dorje.
Through holding the essence of the Dzogchen teachings or Atiyoga,
The profound teachings on the effortless and instantaneous attainment
of enlightenment,
He has also compiled the teachings taught by the Buddha himself.
Once having gone to the western land of Oddiyana, there, on the banks of the great Kusha lake surrounding the island of Danakosha, he met the vidyadhara or knowledge holder, Garab Dorje. Prostrating and circumambulating, Dechog Nyingpo requested him to accept him as his disciple. The great master, recognising that a supreme lineage holder had come, received him kindly and taught him the Dzogchen teachings through mere symbols and skillful means. In one great instant, Dechog Nyingpo attained both realization and liberation and was given the name of Jampal Shesnyen or Manjushrimitra (Manjushri's Spiritual Friend). However, desirous of completely perfecting the teachings, he offered a variegated precious mandala requesting the master to again teach the essential meaning of the Dharma. The master consequently taught on the immeasurable Dzogchen tantras - the three sections of Semde (Mind Section), Longde (Space Section) and Mengagde (Pith Instruction Section). Now equal in intention to Garab Dorje, Jampal Shesnyen also became a compiler of the teachings. He divided the six million four hundred thousand Dzogchen Tantras into the three sections of Semde, Longde and Mengagde. Some were hidden as termas or treasures, some were explained to disciples considered to be suitable vessels.
He then resided at the charnel ground of the isle of Sosa or Susadvipa for 109 years resting in samadhi and performing the benefit of many khandromas/dakinis as well as of innumerable sentient beings.