The Great Master Jowo Je Atisha, the Tutelary Deity Avalokitesvara, and the Indonesia Archipelago (Nusantara) as the Base of Mahakarunika
- February 7, 2016
The great Lord Atisha possesses the full accomplishment of the three higher trainings: discipline (sila), serenity (samadhi), and wisdom (prajna).
His training in discipline has three aspects: the Pratimoksha, the Bodhisattva, and the Vajrayana.
(1) Concerning Lord Atisha’s accomplishment of the Pratimoksha:
The disciplines of the Sravaka Vehicle,
You guarded the precepts as
A yak guards its tail.
Homage to the sthavira and vinaya-holder Atisha,
A supreme monk upholding the brahma-charya path.”
(2) His accomplishment in the Bodhisattva disciplines is stated as follows:
You dwelled within the exceptional Bodhisattva attitude
And, motivated by the sublime bodhimind,
Never abandoned love for all sentient beings.
Homage to Atisha, who so strongly
Possessed love and compassion.”
(3) How he accomplished the Vajrayana disciplines is explained as follows:
You always maintained awareness
Of yourself as a tantric divinity
And possessed the supreme vajra mind.
Homage to he who guarded the
Precepts of the secret Path
And accomplished the tantric yogas
Under the accomplished adept Avadhuti-pada.”
Having studied and learned all the sutra and tantra teachings that existed in India at that time, this thought occured to Atisha:
“What is the quickest path to the attainment of Buddhahood?”
From his abode on Black Mountain, Guru Rahulagupta became aware of Atisha’s thought through his supernormal wisdom and, appearing before him, said:
“It is no great accomplishment to have a vision of your tutelary deity, perceive an assemblage of mandala deities, achieve many of the common siddhis, or attain one-pointed concentration as firm as a mountain. Instead, train yourself in loving-kindness, compassion, and enlightenment mind. Take as your tutelary deity Mahakarunika, since he is the divine embodiment of compassion, and vow to act on behalf of all sentient beings until samsara has been made empty.”
Atisha then wondered if any teacher might possess a complete instruction that would let him generate those aspects of the precious enlightenment mind that he had not yet achieved, develop further those that he had, and ultimately attain enlightenment mind in is true form. After learning that the great Suvarnadvipa Guru was renowned for being a master of enlightenment mind, he decided to go to the Isle of Gold* and sit at the feet of this guru to hear his complete instruction.
*the Eastern Archipelago, on Sumatra, in the capital of the Buddhist state known as Shri Vijaya.
Source :
– Atisha and Buddhism in Tibet, offered with metta by Sri Pannyavaro to Mrs. Lan Tjoa on Sept 6th, 1989.
– Liberation in Our Hands, Part One: The Preliminaries, Pabongka Rinpoche.
On 6th Feb 2012, Ven. Sri Pannyavaro offered and delivered by himself personally the relic of Lord Atisha and entrusted the precious legacy to Kadam Choeling Indonesia, received by Ven. Bhadra Ruci, well-aware by His Eminence Dagpo Rinpoche who spoke to Ven. Sri Pannyavaro via phone on the day of the entrustment.
