When Lord Buddha was asked about why he had not given teachings on the ultimate vehicle, he prophesied that in the near future they would come into existence. Accordingly, twenty-eight years after his demise, five beings of supreme nobility—the god Yashasvi Varapala, the naga king Takshaka, the yaksha Ulkamukha, the rakshasa Matyaupayika, and the human being Licchavi Vimalakirti—gathered on Mount Mayala in Sri Lanka. They were grief stricken that Lord Buddha had passed away and that there was no one who could show them the right path to liberation. So, they sorrowfully recited twenty-three verses and shed tears. At that time, Lord Vajrapani appeared and taught the Do Gongpa Dupa (“The Sutra that Gathers All Intentions”, also knows by its abbreviation “Gongdu”) to the five of them along with some other fortunate ones.
Later, Licchavi Vimalakirti gave the empowerments of Gongdu and the teachings on it to his own teacher Uparaja and Uparaja’s three sons: Indrabhuti, Nagaputra and Guhyaputra.
Indrabhuti gave the empowerments and teachings to Singhaputra and Kukuraja near a lake. The latter passed them to Garab Dorje.
From him the lineage goes like: Dorje Zhepa, Prabhahasti, Shakya Senge (Guru Padmasambhava), Danarakshita, Dorje Humdze, Sthiramati and Dewa Saldze.
Master Dewa Saldze passed them to his four disciples: Dharmabodhi, Dharmaraja, Vasudhara and Tsuglag Palge.
These teachings were first introduced in Tibet by the master Chetsenkye. He invited Dhanarakshita, Dharmabodhi and Dharmaraja to Dusha and received the teachings from them and translated them into Drusha’s language.
Later, when Nubchen Sangye Yeshe asked his teacher Salwai Gyen about the teaching on Do Gongpa Dupa, his teacher directed him to Dusha saying that Chetsenkye was receiving the teachings from Dhanarakshita and others.
As per the direction of his master he went to Dusha and received the teachings and empowerments of Gongdu from the four masters—Dhanarakshita, Dharmaraja, Dharmabodhi and Chetsenkye.
He practised the teachings till Lord Vajrapani appeared to him. Later, he composed a brief commentary called “Armour Against Darkness”. He taught these teachings to his disciple Yonton Gyatso, who later passed them to his disciple.
However during the rule of Langdarma and after his demise, these teachings were rarely encountered. Moreover, by the nineteenth century, these teachings had become just like a folk tale, and the commentary “Armour Against Darkness” was nowhere to be seen. So, one of the greatest contemporary masters, Mipham Rinpoche, encouraged the tertons to rediscover this commentary from among the hidden treasures.
Lord Vajrapani 
Nubchen Sangye Yeshe 
3rd Kathok Situ 
Kathok Khenpo Nuden 
H.E. Dzongnang Rinpoche 
H.E. Tulku Thubzang 
His Holiness Penor Rinpoche
Accordingly, Kathog Situ Chokyi Gyatso went to Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Tsang as directed by the signs of Ngag Sungma (the tantra protectress Ekajati). There he miraculously found this great commentary along with many other ancient books that had disappeared in the past. He taught these to his heart-disciple, Kathok Khenpo Nuden Khyentse Lodoe, and requested him to compose a commentary on the text. However, he could not accomplish this at that time as he had a busy schedule.
Later, when His Holiness Drubwang Padma Norbu was around twenty, he requested Khenchen Nuden to compose its commentary, promising him to provide the necessary paper for writing. Khenchen Nuden then composed its great commentary titled “Brilliant Light of Dawn” in the hermitage Dago Wosal in eastern Palyul. He first gave the teachings on this text to the five great masters: Kyabje Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche, Dzongnang Jampal Lodre Rinpoche, Tulku Thubsang Rinpoche, Khenpo Drogon and Khenpo Gangshar.
After that, Khenchen Nuden gave these instructions to Kyabje Rinpoche on the ancient texts which were with Situ Rinpoche. He requested him to teach and propagate them in the future and assigned him to be the holder of the teachings.
Kyabje Rinpoche gave the instructions on this at Namdroling monastery to Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, Khenchen Namdrol Tsering, Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso and many other khenpos, tulkus, lamas and lopens. He also offered the brief empowerment of the Kham tradition and teachings to Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. As requested by Khenchen Pema Sherab in 2002, he gave discourses on the commentaries called “Armour Against Darkness” and “Framework of Dampa” and so on in America.
At the request of Khenchen again, in 2003 he gave empowerments and oral instructions to the khenpos, tulkus and all the sangha members present in the big assembly hall of Namdroling. As a result of his kindness these teachings widely flourish at present.
By Loponma Karma Tseten
NNNI
