buddhism/tibet Song Continued from front flap n Song of the Road, Tsarchen Losal in the text, excavating the history, legends, Gyatso (1502–66), a tantric master of and lore associated with people and places “Cyrus Stearns’s Song of the Road is a rare gem shining light on the life of the remark- Ithe Sakya tradition of Tibetan Bud- encountered on the pilgrimage, revealing the able Tibetan master Tsarchen Losal Gyatso. This beautiful rendering of Tsarchen’s OF THe dhism, weaves ecstatic poetry, song, and spiritual as well as the geographical topog- autobiography captures, with such freshness, the immediacy and profound insight accounts of visionary experience into a raphy of Tsarchen’s journey. that characterize the Tibetan master’s spiritual journey.” record of pilgrimage through central Tibet. —Thupten Jinpa, Institute of Tibetan Classics Road Translated for the first time here, Tsarchen’s work, a favorite of the Fifth Dalai Lama, brims with striking descriptions of encoun- ¶8 ¶8 ters with the divine as well as lyrical por- traits of the Tibetan landscape. The literary “Over the history of Tibetan Buddhism, travel across mountain and plain has long Cyrus Stearns is one of the most flights ofSong of the Road are anchored by provided an occasion for profound reflections on more spiritual paths. Such reflec- admired translators of Tibetan literature Tsarchen’s candid observations on the social tions abound in Song of the Road. Readers of both English and Tibetan owe a great today. His numerous books include Ta k i n g and political climate of his day, including a debt to the renowned translator Cyrus Stearns for bringing this almost-forgotten the Result as the Path, Hermit of Go Cliffs, rare example in Tibetan literature of open work to the audience it so richly deserves.” and King of the Empty Plain. He is cur- critique of religious power. —Donald S. Lopez, Jr., chair, Department of Asian Languages rently a fellow at the Tsadra Foundation Like the Japanese master Bashō’s famous and Cultures, University of Michigan and a translator for The Library of Tibetan Narrow Road to the Interior, written 150 Classics. He lives in the woods on Whidbey years later, Tsarchen’s travelogue contains Island, north of Seattle, Washington. a mixture of luminous prose and verse, rich with allusions. Traveling on horseback Stearns with a band of companions, Tsarchen vis- ited some of the most renowned holy sites of Song OF THe Road the Tsang region, including Jonang, Tropu, Ngor, Shalu, and Gyantsé. In his intro- The Poetic Travel Journal of Tsarchen Losal Gyatso duction and copious notes, Cyrus Stearns Wisdom Publications unearths the layers of meaning concealed ISBN 978-1-61429-055-1 US$24.95 www.wisdompubs.org Continued on back flap in association with Produced with Cyrus Stearns Tsadra Foundation Environmental Mindfulness ♻ wisdom A Note from the Publisher We hope you will enjoy this Wisdom book. For your conven- ience, this digital edition is delivered to you without “digital rights management” (DRM). This makes it easier for you to use across a variety of digital platforms, as well as preserve in your personal library for future device migration. Our nonprofit mission is to develop and deliver to you the very highest quality books on Buddhism and mindful living. We hope this book will be of benefit to you, and we sincerely appre- ciate your support of the author and Wisdom with your pur- chase. If you’d like to consider additional support of our mission, please visit our website at wisdompubs.org. Acquired at wisdompubs.org Song of the Road Acquired at wisdompubs.org Tsadra Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that contributes to the ongoing development of wisdom and compassion in Western minds by advancing the combined study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism. Taking its inspiration from the nineteenth-century nonsectarian Tibetan scholar and meditation master Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé, Tsadra Foundation is named after his hermitage in eastern Tibet, Tsadra Rinchen Drak. The founda- tion’s various program areas reflect his values of excellence in both scholarship and contemplative practice, and the recognition of their mutual complementarity. Tsadra Foundation envisions a flourishing community of Western contempla- tives and scholar-practitioners who are fully trained in the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. It is our conviction that, grounded in wisdom and compassion, these individuals will actively enrich the world through their openness and excellence. We are delighted to ally with Wisdom Publications in making this volume avail- able in the English language. Acquired at wisdompubs.org Song of the Road &7 the poetic travel journal of tsarchen losal gyatso 8 Cyrus Stearns Wisdom Publications • Boston with Tsadra Foundation Acquired at wisdompubs.org Wisdom Publications, Inc. 199 Elm Street Somerville MA 02144 USA wisdompubs.org © 2012 Tsadra Foundation All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo graphy, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system or technologies now known or later developed, without permission in writing from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Blo-gsal-rgya-mtsho, Tshar-chen, 1502–1566 or 7. Song of the road : the poetic travel journal of Tsarchen Losal Gyatso / Cyrus Stearns. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-61429-055-5 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. Blo-gsal-rgya-mtsho, Tshar-chen, 1502–1566 or 7—Travel. 2. Sa-skya-pa lamas—Biography. I. Stearns, Cyrus, 1949– II. Blo-gsal-rgya-mtsho, Tshar-chen, 1502–1566 or 7. Rtogs brjod lam glu dpyid kyi rgyal mo’i dga’ ston. III. Blo-gsal-rgya-mtsho, Tshar-chen, 1502–1566 or 7. Rtogs brjod lam glu dpyid kyi rgyal mo’i dga’ ston. English. IV. Title. BQ942.L644A3 2013 294.3'923092—dc23 [B] 2012037698 ISBN 9781614290551; eBook ISBN 9781614290667 17 16 15 14 13 5 4 3 2 1 Cover illustrations: Sixteenth-century painting of Tsarchen Losal Gyatso by the madman Chökyi Dorjé (Smyon pa Chos kyi rdo rje). Photograph courtesy of Sakya Dolma Phodrang. According to the inscription, this portrait shows what Tsarchen actually looked like when meditating on the Dharma protector Caturmukha. Background photograph of Gyantsé, Tibet, by Andrew Quintman. Map courtesy of Pimpin de Azevedo. Cover and interior design by Gopa&Ted2, Inc. Set in Garamond Premier Pro 11.375/16.95. Printed in the United States of America. This book was produced with environmental mindfulness. We have elected to print this title on 30% PCW recycled paper. As a result, we have saved the following resources: 10 trees, 4 million BTUs of energy, 815 lbs. of greenhouse gases, 4,422 gallons of water, and 296 lbs. of solid waste. For more information, please visit our website, www.wisdompubs.org. Acquired at wisdompubs.org Contents Illustrations ∙ vii Preface ∙ xiii Introduction ∙ 1 Notes to the Introduction ∙ 17 Map of Tsarchen’s Tibet ∙ 22 !1 Celebration of the Cuckoo: My Autobiographical Song of the Road by Tsarchen Losal Gyatso ∙ 25 !1 Notes to the Translation ∙ 124 Bibliography ∙ 157 Index ∙ 163 Acquired at wisdompubs.org Acquired at wisdompubs.org Illustrations 1. Tsarchen Losal Gyatso. Clay portrait crafted during Tsarchen’s lifetime and preserved in his monstery of Tupten Gepel. Photograph by Matthew Akester. xviii 2. Kunpang Doringpa. Woodcut of Lord Doringpa as he appeared to Tsarchen in a vision. After Ngawang Losang Gyatso,Sunlight of the Doctrine of the Explication for Disciples, 401. 2 3. Khau Drakzong. Ruins of Lord Doringpa’s hermitage. Photograph by Cyrus Stearns. 3 4. Tupten Gepel Monastery. Tsarchen’s monastery in the upper Mangkar Valley. Photograph by Matthew Akester. 5 5. The Great Stūpa of Jonang. Completed by Dölpopa Sherab Gyaltsen in 1333. Photograph by Michael Sheehy. 7 6. Bodong. Photograph by Matthew Akester. 8 Acquired at wisdompubs.org viii Song of the Road 7. Geding. Photograph by Matthew Akester. 10 8. The Great Stūpa of Gyantsé. Photograph by Cyrus Stearns. 12 9. Pema Wangchen Yangsang Tröpa. Detail of a painted maṇḍala. After Ngor Thartse Khenpo Sonam Gyatso 1983, 1: Image 133. 42 10. Tropu. The ruins of the great stūpa completed by Tropu Lotsāwa in 1234 are visible in the left foreground. Photograph by Matthew Akester. 57 11. Nāro Khecarī. Detail of a painted maṇḍala. After Ngor Thartse Khenpo Sonam Gyatso 1983, 1: Image 69. 58 12. Chumik. Photograph by Matthew Akester. 68 13. Ngor Monastery. As it appeared before 1959. AfterChöyang journal, 1991, 63. Photograph courtesy of David Jackson. 73 14. Shalu Monastery. Photograph by Matthew Akester. 74 15. Ripuk. Photograph by Thomas Wild, courtesy of Matthew Akester. 78 16. Panam Fortress. As it appeared before 1959. After Richardson 1998, plate 86 (between pp. 330 and 331). 84 17. Tsi Nesar. As it appeared before 1959. After Tucci 1973, illustration 60 (p. 81). 92 Acquired at wisdompubs.org Illustrations ix 18. Yamdrok. Photograph by Matthew Akester. 100 19. The Dharma Protector Takshön. Painting published in Essen and Thingo 1989, 1: no. 133 (p. 215). 108 20. Rinpung Fortress. As it appeared before 1959. After Schäfer 1943. Photograph courtesy of Isrun Engelhardt and Matthew Akester. 122 Acquired at wisdompubs.org Acquired at wisdompubs.org The apparent images of existence and peace in this dream drama are apparitions of one’s mind alone—nothing else. The essence of mind itself is beyond what is to be realized and the act of realization. The hair of the tortoise I tricked myself before covered the lotus of the sky. with pointless confusion. The sound of the echo Mind that can’t be gazed upon— called to the moon in water. I’ve gazed upon now.