I Drops of Nectar Khenpo Kunpal’s Commentary on Shantideva’s Entering the Conduct of the Bodhisattvas Volume One Version: February 2004 II III Śāntideva’s Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra according to the tradition of Paltrül Rinpoche Commentary by Khenpo Kunpal Chapter One With Oral Explanations by Dzogchen Khenpo Chöga Volume One Compiled and translated by Andreas Kretschmar Edited by Judith S. Amtzis and John Deweese IV Copyright and Fair Usage Notice Copyright © Andreas Kretschmar 2003. All rights reserved. The translations and commentaries of the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra are made available online as a gift of dharma. They are being offered with the intent that anyone may download them, print them out, read and study them, share them with friends, and even copy and redistribute the files privately. Still, the following must be observed: • The files may be copied and given to others privately provided that no fee is charged for them. • Other web-sites are encouraged to link to this page. However, the files may only be put up for distribution on other sites with the personal permission of Andreas Kretschmar. • Neither the files nor their content are in the public domain; the copyright for both remains with the translator, Andreas Kretschmar. • In accord with standard copyright law, you may use reasonable portions of these files for your own work, publication or transla- tions. If you do use them in that way, please cite these files as if they were printed books! Please make it clear in your work which portions of your text come from our translation and which por- tions are based on other sources. The translator is happy to receive corrections and revisions from other translators, editors and readers. Up-to-date editions of these texts will be placed every six months or so at: http://www.tibet.dk/pktc/onlinepubs.htm http://www.kunpal.com/ Please send corrections and suggestions to Andreas Kretschmar: [email protected] Printed in the Palatino typeface with diacritics by Tony Duff, Tibetan Computer Company. V Dedicated to the unceasing activities of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche VI VII Contents Acknowledgements IX Translator’s Introduction 01 Introduction by Dzogchen Khenpo Chöga 57 Introduction by Tsoknyi Rinpoche 81 The History of Dzongsar Shedra in East Tibet 95 Life Story of Khenpo Kunga Wangchuk 105 Interview with Khenpo Ape 109 Khenpo Ape’s Advice on Studying the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra 113 Interview with Kyabje Khenpo Trashi Palden 119 Interview with Khenpo Pema Sherab 129 Interview with Khenpo Namdröl 131 Structural Chart of Khenpo Kunpal’s Commentary (not included) 000 Remarks About the Transliteration of the Tibetan Text 137 Śāntideva’s Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra - Tibetan and English 141 Khenpo Kunpal’s Commentary - Tibetan and English 155 Khenpo Chöga’s Oral Explanations of the Commentary 269 Bibliography of Sūtras, Tantras, and Śāstras Cited by Title 537 Bibliography of Tibetan Works Cited by Title 545 Bibliography of Modern Works Cited by Title 557 Bibliography of Modern Works Cited by Author 565 Tibetan-English Glossary (not included) 000 Index of Technical Terms (not included) 000 Index of Personal Names (not included) 000 Index of Locations (not included) 000 VIII IX Acknowledgements In 1998 Dzogchen Khenpo Chöga began teaching Khenpo Kunpal’s commentary on the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra, carefully explaining all facets of the text. Khenpo Chöga’s in-depth explanations form the basis for this first volume and the ones that will follow. In addition, Dzongsar Ngari Tulku Rinpoche, Phugkhung Khenpo Sherab Zangpo, Dzogchen Khenpo Rigdzin Tharchin and Dzongsar Khenpo Khyenrab Wangchuk were kind enough to provide their oral commentaries on Khenpo Kunpal’s text. Without the generous help of these eminent Tibetan scholars, it would not have been possible to capture the living explanation lineage on this text. The ‘living explanation lineage’ means the lineage of orally transmitted teachings on written texts. I want to express my gratitude to Helmut Eimer, Silke Hermann, Rudolf Kaschewsky, Alexander von Rospatt, and Geshe Pema Tsering for their kind help and support and to thank them for the improvements they offered to this work. The translation of the beginning part of the first chapter of Khenpo Kunpal’s commentary was systematically re-worked with Tony Duff. The English text was edited by Judith S. Amtzis and John Deweese. It was proof-read by Madhu Cannon, Idan Ruebner and Pamela Ann Davis. During the editing process, Judy pointed out various translation mistakes in the Tibetan based on her knowledge of classical Tibetan. John Deweese provided many books which were invaluable for background research on this work. Furthermore, thanks to John’s many questions, Khenpo Chöga was inspired to offer substantial and enriching elaborations on his oral commentary. For helpful suggestions I am indebted to Michael Burroughs, Richard Babcock (Copper), Eva M. Hill, Khenpo Tenzin Norgey, Marit Kretschmar, Tina Lang and Punya Prasad Parajuli. The entire layout of the book was done by Walter Thomas who also wrote the database software for the dictionary portion of the book. The Palatino typeface for the publication with its diacritical marks was produced by Tony Duff. Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Khenpo Ape Yönten Zangpo, Kyabje Khenpo Trashi Palden, Khenpo Palden Sherab and Khenpo Namdröl gave invaluable advice on how to study this text. Each described the lineage of the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra he holds and freely shared his personal insights gained from practicing this text in a traditional manner. My heart-felt thanks go to them for their kindness. Finally, this entire project would not have been possible without the sponsorship of Marit and Siegfried Kretschmar. Andreas Kretschmar Kathmandu, Nepal 2004 X Translator’s Introduction 1 Translator’s Introduction Suggestions for the Reader The following translator’s introduction may be of interest to the academic reader who wishes to understand the details of the translation and lineage history of the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra thoroughly. The introduction by Khenpo Chöga is presented from the viewpoint of a highly trained scholar of the Nyingma tradition and establishes the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra within the context of the study and practice of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Tsoknyi Rinpoche approaches the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra from the perspective of a well-known and accomplished meditation master, explaining how to use the text for personal meditation practice. Khenpo Kunpal’s written commentary on the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra and Khenpo Chöga’s explanation of the commentary will be most appreciated by serious scholars and practitioners pursuing extensive and in-depth study of this text. About this Book The Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra is without doubt one of the most significant works in Mahāyāna Buddhist literature. Written entirely in verse, the text is a remarkable piece of didactic Sanskrit poetry,1 extolling the bodhisattva ideal and guiding a Buddhist practitioner along the complete Mahāyāna path, culminating in the attainment of enlightenment. The text is generally thought to have been written in the 8th century at the Buddhist university of Nālandā2 by the Indian master and monk Śāntideva. The text soon acquired great popularity, and a rich tradition of commentarial writing on the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra developed. This, however, ended with the decline of Buddhism in India. As part of establishing Indian Buddhism in Tibet, an enormous project of translating Buddhist texts was carried out by Tibetan translators assisted by Indian paṇḍitas, yogin-scholars. Of the many texts that were translated into Tibetan, the Bodhisattva- caryāvatāra rapidly gained a prominent position. Many Tibetan explanation lineages3 of the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra came into existence then and have been preserved in Buddhist monasteries and shedras4 up to the present day. All the main schools of 1 For comments on the poetic quality of the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra, see The Bodhisattva- caryāvatāra, a new translation, pages xxxviii-xxxix. 2 The Buddhist monastery and university of Nālandā was established by King Śaurāditya, also known as Kumāragupta I (ca. 415-455) and was destroyed by Muslim invaders in 1197. Nālandā University was the most famous institution of Buddhist education in medieval India. 3 bshad brgyud 4 A shedra [bshad grva], literally ‘the section for teaching’, is the section of a monastery devoted to the study of the five major and minor sciences, primarily Buddhist philosophy as taught in 2 Translator’s Introduction Tibetan Buddhism—Nyingma, Kagyü, Sakya, the Old Kadampa, and the New Kadampa School, also known as the Gelukpa School—maintained their own explanation lineages of this revered text. This work focuses on the explanation lineage of the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra according to the Nyingma School as taught by the East Tibetan master Paltrül Rinpoche Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo5 (1808-1887). Paltrül Rinpoche, one of the greatest Nyingma scholars and practitioners of the 19th century, is reputed to have taught the entire text more than one hundred times during his life. Although he was a prolific writer, he left us no written commentaries on the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra. However, the Nyingma interpretation he gave orally was preserved in writing by a few of his main students,6 especially Khenpo Kunpal7 (1862-1943), who studied for many years with Paltrül Rinpoche and wrote a comprehensive commentary on the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra. Khenpo Kunpal’s commentary is entitled, “A Word-by-Word Commentary on the Bodhisattva-caryāvatāra, called