The Rinchen Terzod, the Precious Treasure Collection, is one of the five great treasures compiled mainly by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye (1813-1899)—also known as Kongtrul Yonten Gyatso—in the late 19th century. It contains all the essential teachings of the Buddhas of the three times. So, this compilation is like the core of the life of the vidyadaras, dakinis and the dharmapalas. To comprehend it we must know about the compiled subject, about how it was compiled and the purpose of its compilation. This dates back to the time of Guru Padmasambhava when he was invited to Tibet by the dharma king Trisong Deutsen in the eighth century to establish Buddhism in the Land of Snow. His precious feet blessed the lands of the upper, central and lower provinces, not neglecting any area even the size of a hoof. Subsequently, he subdued all the evil spirits that hindered the establishment of Buddhism and spread the tantra teachings. He concealed many other teachings and sacred objects as treasure for the sake of future generations, saying, “In the realms of gods, nagas and human beings, the treasures are concealed and their nature is inexhaustible. This literally means inexhaustible, like a wish-fulfilling gem.” These teachings are called terma which means “the inexhaustible teachings” in Tibetan. There were also valuables and religious artefacts entrusted to the virtuous protectors and are known as ter. These terma teachings are profound and highly blessed because of their unbroken lineage, pure origination, perfect meanings and, being in the secret language of the dakinis, this ensures that the words are intact and errorless. It is said that the whole land was filled with numerous major and minor treasures, such as the concealment of 108 labelled and unlabelled major treasures, one thousand minor treasures, and numerous others. These treasures were all entrusted to the eight classes of protectors, and then Guru Rinpoche (as he is also known) prophesied that when the time and good fortune came about perfectly at each site, infinite emanated tertons (treasure revealers) would be born and discover these teachings.
Guru Padmasambhava taught numerous secret teachings of the Vajrayana and the methods of practising them. Accordingly, Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal compiled those teachings and entrusted them to fortunate beings, kings and other subjects, relying on their connection with the doctrine. These were concealed in eighteen different kinds of treasures, which were purposely blessed to benefit future beings based on their mental faculties until the next Buddha appears in this world.
Guru Rinpoche said,
I have filled the land of Tibet with treasures;
One who aspires to spiritual accomplishment shall obtain it from them.
According to this prophecy, many emanated scholars, translators and kings were born to benefit sentient beings. Successively, the five great tertons, the three emanations and ‘eleven lingpas’ appeared and revealed the treasures.
Due to their extreme antiquity and the preference for new ones, the old treasure teachings began to deteriorate. Some of them became extinct and some are on the verge of becoming so. Some lost teachings were rediscovered by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892). If they were not safeguarded then, they would have gradually vanished. Likewise, a few decades ago, due to bad intentions and negative forces in Tibet, treasure texts were again endangered and about to be completely wiped out. There was an urgent need to preserve these early revealed teachings, so different lineage holders preserved the treasure teachings of various tertons at distant places. However, due to unfavourable conditions, it was difficult for the followers to receive all the oral transmissions and empowerments in one stretch. Knowing the importance of these treasure teachings and to preserve them for a longer period of time, Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye compiled all the treasures revealed by the aforementioned treasure revealers and named it the Rinchen Terzod.
Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, the reincarnation of Ananda and the translator Vairochana, was born in the noble land of Tibet according to the prophecy of Guru Rinpoche. He started learning from a young age and mastered all subjects under various remarkable masters. His contribution to the extension and preservation of Buddha’s teaching includes: composing scriptures; translating Buddhist texts; rendering teachings, transmission, and empowerment; renovating ancient Buddhist temples; revealing treasures; and compiling the Rinchen Terzod. Of all his benevolent actions, compiling the Rinchen Terzod was well known to be his greatest contribution. After compiling the Rinchen Terzod he conferred the empowerments and oral transmission to the monks and nuns of the following monasteries: Kathog, Palyul, Shechen, Dzogchen, Sakya, Taklung and Karma Kamtsang. After this, he passed away to the pure land of Santapuri.
Specifically with regard to the Palyul tradition, the compiler Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye conferred the Rinchen Terzod to Dongag Chokyi Nyima (1854-1906), the 9th throneholder of the Palyul lineage. Later, he bestowed it to Rigzin Palchen Duepa (1887-1932), the 10th throneholder of the Palyul lineage and the second Drubwang Penor Rinpoche, to preserve and spread this precious teaching. He passed it down to Chogtrul Thubten Chokyi Dawa (1894-1957), one of the foremost benefactors and distinguished masters of Palyul monastery. He then passed it down to Thubten Shedrub Chokyi Drayang (1932-2009), the 11th throneholder of the Palyul lineage and the third Drubwang Penor Rinpoche. His Holiness Penor Rinpoche carried out the preservation and dissemination of these esoteric teachings in the mother and branch Palyul monasteries inside and outside of Tibet, bringing great happiness and peace in the world. Among those to whom he bestowed the Rinchen Terzod was His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, the 12th throneholder of the Palyul lineage. At present H.H. Karma Kuchen Rinpoche is shouldering all these responsibilities, thus upholding and propagating the precious treasure teachings. This is the complete, unbroken lineage of the Rinchen Terzod in the Palyul tradition.
By Kunzang T. Choki
6th year, NNI
