Maratika Cave in Nepal, known as Haleshi in the local language, is one of the most sacred sites of Tantrayana Buddhism. According to many tantric scriptures, Panchshula Parvat (Chi. Wu-t’ai-shan),1 the abode of Manjushri, is located in the east of Jambudvipa (the Sanskrit name for our world); Potala, the palace of Avalokiteshvara, is in the south; Odiyana, the land of dakinis, is in the north; Shambhala, the residence of the ‘son of noble family’, is in the west; and Bodh Gaya, where the 1,000 buddhas of this fortunate eon will achieve buddhahood, is in the centre. To the north of Bodh Gaya, and southwest of Potala, is Maratika Cave—the most wondrous place, blessed by the Lords of the Three Families.2 It is also the place where the second Buddha, Guru Padmasambhava, and Dakini Mandarava accomplished the state of ‘vidyadhara of immortality’. Innumerable assiduous practitioners from Nepal, India and Tibet have also accomplished long-life attainment there. This very sacred place is described in many praises composed by great beings such as Dudjom Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Jadral Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche, and so forth.
According to legend, when the five families of longevity were residing at Maratika Cave, along with a host of male and female bodhisattvas, they taught the eighteen tantras of longevity, as requested by Arya Avalokiteshvara and other beings. The dakinis inscribed those teachings in their symbolic language on golden paper with melted beryl, put them into a vessel made of five precious substances,3 and concealed them in the secret Maratika Cave. Later, Avalokiteshvara and Dakini Guhyajnana transmitted the abovementioned tantras to Guru Padmasambhava, who performed a seven-day accomplishment ritual with Dakini Mandarava. The five families of longevity hovered there in actual form and bestowed upon them the long-life empowerment. As a result, he and his consort attained the indestructible vajra body, free from birth and death, thereby ripening the immaculate nectar and liberating into perfect buddhahood simultaneously.
There are three mountains blessed by the Lords of the Three Families. The first one contains the secret cave of Vajrapani, the second is the abode of Avalokiteshvara, and the third one is the abode of Manjushri. Among these, the second mountain has upper and lower caves indicating the peaceful and wrathful activities of Guru Padmasambhava respectively.
In the upper cave, Amitayus appeared in front of Guru Padmasambhava and his consort Dakini Mandarava while they were engaging in the long-life accomplishment. It is stated in many scriptures that the cave is the seat of Mahadeva in the outer aspect; from the inner perspective, it is the palace of Chakrasamvara, a tantric deity; from the point of view of the secret aspect, it is the immeasurable mansion of immortality; and from the innermost perspective, it is Akanistha, the highest pure realm of the unsurpassable buddhafield. The cave is similar to the twenty-four sacred places mentioned in tantric scriptures. It is adorned with precious gems both inside and outside, and images of the three dieties of longevity4 and Guru Padmasambhava are clearly visible on its ceiling. Its front side faces the east in order to enable every being to attain the vajra state of longevity, and has the shape of a crescent moon, indicating the auspiciousness of attaining long life. Self-arisen images of Hayagriva, Varahi, the naga kings Nanda and Takshaka;5 a fortunate amulet; a self-arisen vase of longevity; and body imprints of Amitayus and Guru Padmasambhava are all visible inside the cave. Additionally, there emerges the nectar of immortality blessed by Guru Padmasambhava and his consort that enables every being to pacify the calamities that obstruct their lives there, by making everyone who tastes it fortunate minions of the Guru and his consort.
Around Maratika Cave, there are four secret paths:
The first secret path distinguishes one’s negative and positive karma. One’s previous negative karma will be cleared and one will not have to suffer from the heat and cold of the hell realms if one traverses this path.
The second secret path is the perilous path of the bardo, the intermediate state between death and rebirth. One will not experience the suffering of the bardo during or after death if one could traverse this path.
The third secret path is for clearing away the obstacles and hindrances of the mother’s womb. One’s gateway to be born in samsara will be blocked if one traverses this path.
The fourth secret path is for purifying all impairments and breakages of vows, all our harmful actions, and one’s obscurations. If one traverses this path acknowledging and confessing one’s broken vows of the outer pratimoksha, inner bodhichitta and the secret tantra, one could restore them.
It is also said that one could become liberated from the eighteen hell realms if one traverses these paths. The guardians of this place are Kshetrapala Simhamukha as the outer protector, the Four-faced Lord as the inner protector, and Mahadeva as the secret protector.
In the lower cave, Guru Padmasambhava and Dakini Mandarava subdued Mara by their splendour before performing the ritual of immortality. They also tamed Phursung (the Dharma protector of the Vajrakilaya teachings) and the Damchen protector to remove impediments while accomplishing Vajrakila and Hayagriva. The cave is thus named the “Cave that Outshines and Tames the Maras”. The eight meditational deities of Mahayoga also meditated here in this cave, and so it is known as the ‘Cave of Kagyed’. In short, Phursung, Damchen, and so forth, were subdued there and thus it represents a place of wrathfulness. The cave faces southwest and has a small entrance, but inside there is enough space for more than 100 people to fit comfortably. Entering inside, one can see a she-demon’s image and head on the floor; its heart, lungs and entrails on the ceiling; and its self-arisen flesh and blood on the left and right sides, which shows that Guru Padmasambhava fiercely tamed her. There is a turquoise conch blessed by Guru Padmasambhava on the right wall and it is said that one can avoid taking birth in samsara if one hears the sound of this conch. Inside the cave there are Guru Padmasambhava’s footprints and an unimpeded arch at the top. There is also Guru Padmasambhava’s elixir of life, as well as numerous sacred representations of divine deities in peaceful and wrathful mudras, and symbolic implements of sacred syllables. Besides these, Jadral Rinpoche states that the bats and birds dwelling in this cave are also great ascetics persevering in the vajra-life of immortality. There is also a self-originated lake with blooming lotuses in front of the cave. Many great lamas have engaged in the sadhanas of approach and accomplishment in this very place. Of the two entrances, the mountain has Guru Padmasambhava’s hat, thigh-bone trumpet, secret water and an unimpeded arch on its top; if tirthikas and other people with whose minds are deranged by perverted views set foot there, its sacredness and prestige will decline.
Introduction to Nearby Sacred Places
On this mountain blessed by Avalokiteshvara there are four sacred places in the vicinity symbolizing the tantric activities of pacifying, increasing, magnetizing and subjugating. There is an assembly hall of pacification in the east, Guru Padmasambhava’s self-arisen body imprint and the shrine hall of one hundred thousand dakinis in the south, a meditation cave of Vajravarahi in the west, and a place blessed by the Lords of the Three Families in the north. One can see three colours on the cliff where the white signifies Avalokiteshvara, the yellow Manjushri and the blue Vajrapani, this latter in a cave in the northern direction. The mountains blessed by Manjushri and Vajrapani are in the intermediate directions to the southeast and southwest of Avalokiteshvara’s mountain respectively. One can glimpse small caves in each of them. There is a secret cave of Guru Padmasambhava in Manjushri’s mountain and a secret place of the garuda where a self-arisen image of garuda and its lifestones can be seen next to Vajrapani’s mountain. A half-hour walk away, there is a place called Aishelukharka where one can see a few rocks shaped like piles of scripture volumes. It is believed that these were the Prajnaparamita teachings in one hundred thousand, twenty thousand, and eight thousand lines that Guru Padmasambhava had hidden. And about two hours’ walk away, along a narrow path that zigzags up the cliff, in the place called Kavredada in the local language, Guru Padmasambhava had a rest and left his footprint in the rock before leaving for Tibet. This is still visible. In the eastern direction, downwards from this peak at about the same distance, there is a wondrous cave blessed by Dakini Mandarava called Dukshili, or Gupteshvara in the local language. Though its entrance is small, there is enough space inside to fit around seven people for practice. One may receive the blessings of body, speech and mind. Every detail of all these places cannot be found these days, but His Holiness Thrulshik Rinpoche stated that all these sub-sites are the remnants of the main sites. Numbers of pilgrims from Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim, as well as from foreign countries, are increasing day by day to visit these sacred places.
Etymology:
Maratika Cave has outer, inner, secret and innermost secret names. The last three names were not disclosed to ordinary beings, however, but this place is popularly known by the following names:
Maratika or Gateway to Immortality. It is believed that one will attain the stage of immortality if one practices here accordingly.
Haleshayor Wondrous Narration. Earlier, when Guru Padmasambhava reached this place on his way to Tibet, one of the ministers was astonished to see this cave and asked, “Rinpoche, what is the reason behind this cave being so wonderful?” Rinpoche answered, “Listen, you devoted ministers! This place has outer, inner and secret stories about its being so astonishing.” The name’s sound has deteriorated and it is presently said as Haleshi. [From the story of one hundred treasures called ‘Rosary of Bedurya’]
Amartila[Kathog Rigzin Tsewang Norbu]
Amarsiddhi Cave[Embodiment of the Master’s Realization by treasure revealer Sangye Lingpa]
The Semi-circular Cave of Longevity, Palace of the Three Protectors, and the Crystal Cave [Terma teachings of Zatson Lingpa]
List of the texts in which this place is mentioned:
Golden Garland Chronicles: The Life Story of Guru Padmasambhava revealed by Drodül Sangye Lingpa (1340-1396)
Sanglingma: The Life Story of Guru Padmasambhava, revealed by Nyang Ral Nyima Özer (1124-1192)
Jewel Garland: The Life Story of Dakini Mandarava
Crystal Mirror: The History of the Embodiment of the Master’s Realization, revealed by Sangye Lingpa
Blessed Rain of Nectar: A Supplication to Guru Padmasambhava by the 5th Dalai Lama (1617-1682)
Liberation upon Seeing: The Life Story of Guru Padmasambhava revealed by Thakthung Dudjom Dorje
Stainless Ornament: The Life Story of Guru Padmasambhava in Twelve Categories by Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal
Ritual for Accomplishing Long Life by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye (1813-1894)
Wondrous Udumvara Garland: A Condensed Supplication of Guru Padmasambhava’s Life Story by Minling Lochen Dharmashri (1654-1718)
White Lotus: The Life Story of Guru Padmasambhava, revealed by Terton Sukhavajra
One of the longest and most authoritative treasure prophecy texts, part of the Lama Gongdu revealed by Terton Sangye Lingpa
Dispelling the Shadow of the Mind: The Life Story of Guru Padmasambhava by Sogdogpa Lodro Gyaltsen (1552-1624)
Kila Thunderbolt Razor, revealed by Dudjom Lingpa (1835-1904)
Iron Mountain: Accomplishing Longevity, a profound treasure revealed by Jatson Nyingpo (1585-1658)
The yidam deities and great beings who visited this place:
Arya Tara extensively conferred tantras, transmissions and pith instruction to Guru Padmasambhava and his consort in this place.
Arya Tara appeared in this sacred place, while Guru Padmasambhava, the miraculous embodiment of the Buddha Amitabha, was single-pointedly engaged in the accomplishment of the essential profound path. She taught the vast and profound teaching of tantra, and Guru Padmasambhava later condensed the quintessence of this teaching into extensive, intermediate and abbreviated versions, and transmitted them to fortunate beings in Tibet and sealed them into mountains and rocks for beings in the future.
Arya Avalokiteshvara taught Guru Padmasambhava the unfathomable tantra teachings in this place. Guru Padmasambhava later delivered the gist of these teachings to fortunate beings in and outside Tibet.
Lopon Garab Dorje, as per the invitation of King Dharmakaya and the daughter of the naga Gyatso, bestowed empowerment and one hundred thousand mandala clusters of deities became enlightened in this very place.
As per His Holiness Jadral Rinpoche’s praise of pilgrimage, Bhikhshu Akarmatishila also visited this place and had a pure vision of the yidam deities.
Monks of the Shravaka School, i.e. the sixteen elders, resided in this place on their way to China to fulfill the request of Hashang.6Upasaka Dharmatala emanated a tiger from his right armpit to protect everyone from the harm of poisonous insects.
In the biography of Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye (1813-1899)—also known as Kongtrul Yonten Gyatso—it is said that pills of longevity, personally compounded by Guru Padmasambhava himself, Acharya Shantarakshita’s Dharma robe, and King Trisong Deutsen’s sash were found in this place.
Local Geography
Maratika Cave is located in the Khotang district in the eastern part of Nepal at 27.19˚̊ N latitude and 86.62˚̊ E longitude. It lies approximately 185 km southwest of Mt. Everest at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level. Khotang is one of Nepal’s 75 districts, with an area of 1591 sq. km. and a population of over 200,000. Most parts of this area fall between the subtropical and upper tropical climate zones. Temperatures range from as low as sub-zero in January to as high as 25˚̊C in August. There are a few monasteries near this cave and the people living there are mostly Rai people, the indigenous ethnic Kirat.
By Ngawang Lhundrub
8th Year, NNI
- A sacred mountain with five peaks in eastern China.
- Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani.
- Gold, silver, turquoise, pearl and coral.
- Amitayus, White Tara and the goddess Vijaya.
- One of the ‘five eminent beings’ who received the Anu Yoga transmission on Mount Malaya.
- Chan teacher, Taiost, a Chinese Buddhist priest.
