3

Introduction to the Collected Works of the Founder of

the Drukpa Kagyu ('Brug pa bKa' brgyud) School:
Tsangpa Gyare (gTsang pa rgya ras, 1161-1211)
Seiji Kumagai, Thupten Gawa and Yasuda Akinori
Introduction
In this century, large-scale economic problems, such as the U.S. Lehman shock
and the European economic crisis have successively occurred, causing the whole
of international society to see the limits of an economy-driven society. In such a
situation, the concept of GNH (Gross National Happiness) has begun to attract
attention from all over the world. This principle was first advocated by the
Fourth King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck (1955-), as the
counterpart to GNP (Gross National Product) or GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
Recently, more and more Western scholars have begun to focus on and research
this concept. However, in order to understand the concept of GNH precisely, it is
necessary to grasp the basis of the Bhutanese way of life, thought, and so on,
especially Bhutanese Buddhism.
Against such a background, Dr Seiji KUMAGAI (Kyoto Women's University)
started the Bhutanese Buddhism Research Project (BBRP) in collaboration with
Dasho Karma Ura (Centre for Bhutan Studies). This project has three pillars, that
is to say [1] "past" (philological research on ancient historical and philosophical
texts), [2] "present" (anthropological field research on the present Buddhist

I am really grateful to the Dharma King Jey Khenpo, Primary Religious Minister Dorji Lopon,
Religious Minister Tsugla Lopon, and Secretary General Gembo Dorji of the Bhutanese Monastic
Body, President Dasho Karma Ura and Mr. Dendup Chophel of the Centre for Bhutan Studies (CBS),
who have all generously supported our research. I am also grateful to Kyoto Women's University,
Kokoro Research Center of Kyoto University, Japan Science Promotion Society (JSPS), and especially
to Uehiro Foundation on Ethics and Education, which financially supported our research project
BBRP. I am also grateful to Ms. Molly Vallor (Stanford University), who improved an English draft of
this paper.

BBRP officially started on January 10th, 2012. On that day, the President Dasho Karma Ura (CBS)
and Dr. Seiji Kumagai (Kyoto University) held a press conference at Kyoto University, where they
signed documents establishing the BBRP, before Professor Yoshiro Imaeda (CNRS) and in the
presence of the Japanese media.

36

Introduction to the Collected Works of the Founder of the Drukpa Kagyu School

condition), and [3] "future" (inter-disciplinary research for happiness in future

society).
Among the above three pillars, we first need to conduct research on "past"
Bhutanese Buddhism, that is to say, its history and philosophy, in order to
understand the essence of Bhutanese Buddhism. Fortunately, exhaustive
historical research on Bhutanese Buddhism has been already done by foreign
researchers such as Michael Aris and Yoshiro Imaeda using Western academic
methodology, and so it is possible to easily grasp its general history. On the other
hand, philosophical research on Bhutanese Buddhism has yet to be done. There
are two major schools: Drukpa Kagyu ('Brug pa bka' brgyud) and Nyingma (rNying
ma) in Bhutan. Contrary to the latter, the former has not yet been academically
researched in detail. Thus, we have first begun to study the philosophy of
Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje (gTsang pa rgya ras Ye shes rdo rje, 1161-1211), the
founder of the Drukpa Kagyu school. We have started to compose a critical edition
and English translation of his collected works (gsung 'bum). In this paper, we
introduce and analyze the general outline of Tsangpa Gyare's collected works.
1. Tsangpa Gyare1
The Drukpa Kagyu is a sub-school of the Phagmo Drupa Kagyu (Phag mo gru pa bka'
brgyud) school, which in turn is a sub-school of the Kagyu (bKa' brgyud) school. Its
founder is Tsangpa Gyare, disciple of Ling Repa Pema Dorje (gLing ras pa
Padma rdo rje, 1128-1188), who is a disciple of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo
(Phag mo gru pa rDo rje rgyal po, 1110-1170). He was regarded as the
reincarnation of the Indian yogin Nropa (11th century).
Tsangpa Gyare, belonging to Gya (rGya) clan,2 was born in 1161 near the sacred
mountain Hewo Gangwa Zangpo (He bo gang ba bzang po) in Upper Nyang (mNyang
stod) in Tsang region. He was thus called Tsangpa Gyare, meaning he who is
from Tsang region, belongs to Gya clan, and wears Ray (ras: cotton cloths). He
was the youngest of seven sons. At the age of eleven in 1171, he became a
disciple of Tathangpa (rTa thang pa).3 In his teenage years, he learned both stra
Concerning the life of Tsangpa Gyare, see Imaeda [2011: 19-21], Miller [2005: 389-396], and so forth.
Concerning the Gya clan, see Stein [1972: 10-11] and Vitali [2004].
3 While Imaeda [2011: 20] says that Tsangpa Gyare went into the monastery at the age of eleven,
Miller [2005: 390] says he was twelve years old. It seems that Imaeda follows the description of Ra
lung gser 'phreng and Miller follows Roerich [1949]. This issue needs to be reexamined.
1
2

37

Seiji Kumagai, Thupten Gawa and Yasuda Akinori

and tantra, from Abhidharma and Pram a to Dzogchen (rDzogs chen). At the age of
twenty two in 1182, he met Ling Repa in Ralung (Ra lung) near his birth place and
studied with him for five years. After Ling Repa's death, Tsangpa Gyare
inherited his teacher's disciples. He established Longdol (Klong rdol) monastery
in around 1193 and then Druk ('Brug) monastery4 in 1205.
When he died in 1211, Tsangpa Gyare left the two principal monasteries, Ralung
(Ra lung) and Druk ('Brug) to his nephew Dharma Sengge (Dharma Seng ge,
1177-1237). Dharma Sengge was the youngest of four children of Lanyen (Lha
gnyan), the elder brother of Tsangpa Gyare.
In the period of Dharma Sengge, Pajo Dugom Zhikpo (Pha jo 'Brug sgom zhig
po, 1184-1251) was sent to Bhutan. This was the first official mission to Bhutan by
the Drukpa Kagyu school. Pajo Dugom Zhikpo, from the Kham region, came to
Ralung monastery to study Drukpa Kagyu doctrine. He was sent to western
Bhutan by Dharma Sengge's order, in accordance with Tsangpa Gyare's
testament. He established several monasteries including Tango (rTa mgo), situated
above Thimphu valley. He had several children in western Bhutan, and they
established a good foundation for the Drukpa Kagyu school there.
Tsangpa Gyare himself established the Drukpa Kagyu school only in southern
Tibet and could not visit Bhutan, but apparently had an intention to missionize in
Bhutan. The Drukpa Kagyu school thus spread into Bhutan, not accidentally but
intentionally.
2. Collected Works of Tsangpa Gyare
Tsangpa Gyare has been venerated as the founder of the Drukpa Kagyu school
and his biography has been studied in Bhutan and elsewhere. However, no
exhaustive research into the whole of his works, inside or outside of Bhutan, has
been conducted because many of his texts were not accessible easily. That is why
it has been difficult to grasp his doctrine as a whole. But it became much easier to
access his works by grace of the publication of his collected works by the
Bhutanese Monastic Body in 2011.
4

According to a transmission, it thundered when Tsangpa Gyare performed the completion

ceremony of this monastery. The thunder is believed to be the roar of "dragon" ('brug, druk), so this
monastery was called Druk ('Brug), and its school was named Drukpa ('Brug pa). See Imaeda [2011:
20].

38

Introduction to the Collected Works of the Founder of the Drukpa Kagyu School

Now we can access the following three collected works of Tsangpa Gyare:
1. The Collected Works (Gsu -Bum) of Gtsa -pa Rgya-ras Ye-es-rdo-rje:
Reproduced from Rare Manuscripts and Blockprints Belonging to Various Lamas
and Notables of Ladakh (Darjeeling: Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang, 1972;
repr. TBRC, No. 0848)--- called the Ladakhi Collection here.
2. 'Gro-ba'i mgon-po chos-rjer gtsan-pa rgya-ras ye-shes rdo-rje mchog-gi gsun-'bum
rin-po-che (Kathmandu: Shri Gautama Buddha Vihara, 1998; repr. TBRC, No.
2761)--- called the Nepalese Collection here.
3. 'Brug lugs gsung rab phyogs bsdebs las chos rje gtsang pa rgya ras kyi bka' 'bum
glegs bam ka pa bzhugs so and 'Brug lugs gsung rab phyogs bsdebs las chos rje
gtsang pa rgya ras kyi bka' 'bum glegs bam kha pa bzhugs so (Thimphu: The
Bhutanese Monastic Body, 2011) --- called the Bhutanese Collection here.
2-1. Ladakhi Collection (repr. TBRC, No. 0848)
In 1972, a collection was published in Darjeeling called The Collected Works
(Gsu -Bum) of Gtsa -pa Rgya-ras Ye-es-rdo-rje: Reproduced from Rare Manuscripts
and Blockprints Belonging to Various Lamas and Notables of Ladakh (Darjeeling:
Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang, 1972). As explained in its preface, the
manuscripts and blockprints were collected on loan from various masters and
notables of Ladakh.
This collection includes the following six works in dBu med script (and also two
related texts in dBu can script).
1. rJe rtsang (i.e. gtsang) pa rgya ras kyi rnam thar (The biography of the master
Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 1-242.
2. Chos rje rin po che rtsang (i.e. gtsang) pa rgya ras pa'i rnam thar mgur 'bum dang
bcas pa shin tu rgyas pa (Extensive biography with sacred songs of the dharma
master Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 243-293.
3. rJe 'gro ba'i mgon po rgya ras pa'i tshogs chos mno 'khor ma (The treatise for
understanding of the collected instructions of the dharma master and
protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 295-399.
4. Rin po che rtsang (i.e. gtsang) pa rgya ras pa'i tshogs chos mno 'khor rin chen 'phreng
ba (The precious garland: the treatise for understanding of the collected
instructions of the master Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 401-431.
39

Seiji Kumagai, Thupten Gawa and Yasuda Akinori

5. Chos rje gtsang pa rgya ras mdzad pa'i tshogs chos mno 'khor chung ba (The
summarized treatise for understanding of the collected instructions of the
dharma master Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 433-462.
6. Chos kyi rje gtsang pa rgya ras kyis mdzad pa'i 'tshang 'don dug gi tsher ma
(Removal of faults such as poisonous thorn, composed by the dharma master
Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 463-487.
2-2. Nepalese Collection (repr. TBRC, No. 0848)
In 1998, the next collected works by Tsangpa Gyare was published in
Kathmandu. It is called 'Gro-ba'i mgon-po chos-rjer tsa -pa rgya-ras ye-shes rdo-rje
mchog-gi gsu -'bum rin-po-che bzhugs-so. This collection includes the following
twenty four works. However, the first work is not a treatise, but only a catalogue
of this collection, so we can regard the total number of his works to be twenty
three.
1. 'Gro ba'i mgon po gtsang pa rgya ras pa'i gsung 'bum dkar chag mthong ba don ldan
(The catalogue of this collection, worthy to be read, composed by the protector
of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 1-4.
2. 'Gro mgon rin po che'i gsung mgur gyi rim pa (A series of spiritual songs by the
protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 5-185.
3. Chos rje 'gro mgon gyi zhal gdams springs yig gi skor rnams (Oral instructions on
[how to write] epistles by the dharma master and protector of beings Tsangpa
Gyare), pp. 187-236.
4-1. dPal ldan 'brug pa'i shog bsgril gyi zhal gdams (Oral instructions on [how
to treat] rolled paper of the glorious Drukpa Kagyu school), pp. 237-240.
4-2. sBubs ra'i bshad pa (Explanation of eye protector), pp. 240-242.
4-3. rTen 'brel zhwa'i zhal gdams (Oral instructions concerning the auspicious
sign of the crown of Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 242-243.
5-1. Kha thor rin po che phreng ba (The precious garland of fragmented texts),
pp. 245-251.
5-2. Mu tig phreng ba zhes bya ba Lo ro ba skal ldan la gdams pa (The pearl
garland: oral instructions given to Lo ro ba skal ldan), pp. 251-258.

40

Introduction to the Collected Works of the Founder of the Drukpa Kagyu School

6. 'Jig rten blos btang rnams kyi bstan bcos tshegs chung mig gi sgron me (The lamp of
eyes: a comprehensible treatise for renouncement of the [eight] worldsystems), pp. 259-269.
7. dGe sbyor bdun pa'i rtsa ba 'gro mgon rin po ches mdzad pa (Root texts on seven
virtuous practices, composed by the protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp.
271-278.
8. 'Gag dril rin po che'i sgron me zhes bya ba chos rje 'gro mgon gyi bstan bcos (The
precious lamp: a summary of the main points of the dharma master and
protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 279-307.
9-1. Tshig gi me tog gdams ngag gi dkar chag 'gro mgon rin po ches mdzad pa
(Flower of phrase: a catalogue of instructions, composed by the
dharma master Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 309-313.
9-2. Bla ma 'brug pai zhal gdams (Oral instruction of the Drukpa Kagyu
master), pp. 313-314.
10. Chos rje 'gro ba'i mgon po'i tshogs chos mno 'khor che ba (The great treatise for
understanding of the collected instructions of the dharma master and
protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 315-463.
11. bKa' drin bcu gcig pa'i bshad 'bum 'phrul gyi me long (The mirror of magic: one
hundred thousand explanations about the eleven types of kindness), pp. 465532.
12. rNal 'byor bzhi yi zhal gdams chos rje 'gro mgon gyi mdzad pa (The oral
instructions concerning the four yogas, composed by the dharma master and
protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 533-542.
13. rNal 'byor bzhi'i zhal gdams thugs kyi rdo rje la gnang ba (Oral instructions of the
four yogas, given to indivisible mind like a diamond), pp. 543-557.
14. Phyag rgya chen pognas lugs dri med ces bya ba chos rje ras pa'i gdam ngag (The
pure essential nature of Mahmudr: instruction by the dharma master
Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 559-576.
15. gSer sgom gyi zhu lan rnal 'byor bzhi'i gdams pa dang bcas pa (A response [to
disciples] concerning the meditation of gold with instruction of the four
yogas), pp. 577-589.
16. Jo mo'i mngon rtogs (The visualization practice of the yogini [Jo Mo]), pp. 591612.
17. rJe btsun ma'i tshogs mchod (The feast offered to the chief of yoginis [Jetsunma]),
pp. 613-625.
41

Seiji Kumagai, Thupten Gawa and Yasuda Akinori

18. bDud rtsi ril bu'i sgrub thabs 'gro mgon rin po ches mdzad pa (The method to
realize the amrita pills, composed by the dharma master Tsangpa Gyare), pp.
627-636.
19. lHan skyes kyi lag len sgrub thabs gcig chog ma (The all-purpose method to
accomplish the practice of the Innate [Heruka]), pp. 637-648.
20. gTum po khyung lnga'i sgrub thabs (The method of practice of five fierce
garuda), pp. 649-661.
2-3. Bhutanese Collection
The Bhutanese Monastic Body collected the works of the master Tsangpa Gyare
scattered throughout Bhutan, edited them into dBu can script, and published
them in two volumes (ka and kha) in 2011. The publication brought about the
following three benefits: [1] Tsangpa Gyare's works, scattered in different places
in Bhutan, were collected into one publication. [2] By grace of the dBu can edition
made from dBu med manuscripts, we can more easily read his texts. [3] The
biggest benefit is that the collection provides works which are not included in
both the Ladakhi and Nepalese collections, so we can access much more of his
works.
However, it is not necessarily completely satisfactory.There occurred no small
amount of mistranscriptions even in the new edition. The edition moreover
follows the style of the monastic tradition, so it is not a critical edition which
identifies the source of each quotation. That is why we need to use it carefully in
the case of academic use. In such a situation, Bhutanese Buddhism Research
Project (BBRP) decided to collect all available manuscripts and editions, and
make a critical edition.
Now we will list the volumes, titles, and their pages in the Bhutanese Collection
as follows:
[Volume 1] 'Brug lugs gsung rab phyogs bsdebs las chos rje gtsang pa rgya ras
kyi bka' 'bum glegs bam ka pa bzhugs so
I. [KA] Chos rjes rin po che gtsang pa rgya ras pa'i rnam thar mgur 'bum dang
bcas pa (Biography with sacred songs of the dharma master
Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 1.1-53.6.
II. [KHA]
42

Introduction to the Collected Works of the Founder of the Drukpa Kagyu School

II-1. rTen 'brel gyi snying po rnam par bshad pa rtsa ba'i mdo (The root
sutra concerning the essence of interdependence: prattyasamutpda), pp. 55.1-57.4.
II-2. dPon grags pa ye shes la gnang ba'i si lu ma'i zhal gdams spring yig
(The epistle of the oral instruction of Si lu ma, given to the
minister Grags pa Ye shes), pp. 57.4-63.3.
II-3. Rlung jo ye shes la gdams pa'i rten 'brel ngo sprod gnyis kyi zhal gdams
(Oral instructions on two kinds of introductions to
interdependence (prattya-samutpda) given to the disciple Rlungjo
Yeshes), pp. 63.3-70.2.
II-4. dPon grags pa ye shes la spring pa'i sgom thabs gnyis kyi zhal gdams
(Oral instructions on two ways of meditation, given to the
minister Grags pa Ye shes), pp. 70.2-72.1.
III. [GA] Spyod pa chos kyi glu zhes bya ba 'byung ba ro snyoms kyi gdams ngag
(The instruction on the equal taste of the elements: dharma songs
of religious behavior), pp. 73.1-93.5.
IV. [NGA]
IV-1. Tshig gi me tog gdam ngag gi dkar chag 'gro mgon rin po ches mdzad
pa (Flower of phrase: a catalogue of instructions, composed by
the dharma master Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 94.1-98.4.
IV-2. Bla ma 'brug pai zhal gdams (Oral instruction of the Drukpa Kagyu
master), pp. 98.4-99.6.
V. [CA] Bla ma'i sgrub thabs thugs rje nyi rgyas pa (The compassion like the
spreading sunlight: methods of practice to meditate on one's
master), pp. 100.1-109.6.
VI. [CHA] Bla ma'i ngo sprod dmus long mig 'byed (Guru's introduction which
opens the eyes of a blind man), pp. 111.1-119.5.
VII. [JA] Bla ma sgrub pa'i zhal gdams kun gsal dri med ces bya ba chos rje 'gro
mgon gyi gsung dri ma med pa (The pure oral instruction, clarifying
everything, concerning the practice for one's Guru: faultless
speech of the dharma master and protector of beings), pp. 121.1130.2.
VIII. [NYA] Phyag rgya chen po gnas lugs dri med ces bya ba chos rje ras pai
gdam ngag (The pure essential nature of Mahmudr: instruction by
the dharma master Tsangpa Ggyare), pp. 131.1-147.2.
43

Seiji Kumagai, Thupten Gawa and Yasuda Akinori

IX. [TA] rNal 'byor bzhi yi zhal gdams chos rje 'gro mgon gyis mdzad pa (The oral
instructions concerning the four yogas, composed by the dharma
master and protector of beingsTsangpa Gyare), pp. 149.1-158.1.
X. [THA] Phyag rgya chen po bka' drin bcu gcig ma'i (rtsa ba'i) gzhung (The
texts of the eleven types of kindness of Mahmudr, pp. 159.1167.3.
XI. [DA] bKa' drin bcu gcig pa'i bshad 'bum 'phrul gyi me long (The mirror of
magic: one hundred thousand explanations about the eleven types
of kindness), pp.169.1-236.5.
XII. [NA] gSer sgom gyi zhu lan rnal 'byor bzhi'i gdams pa (A response [to
disciples] concerning the meditation of gold with instruction of the
four yogas), pp. 237.1-250.1.
XIII. [PA] rNal 'byor bzhi'i zhal gdams thugs kyi rdo rje la gnang ba (Oral
instructions on the four yogas, given to indivisible mind like a
diamond), pp.251.1-264.4.
XIV. [PHA]'Gro mgon rin po che'i gsung mgur gyi rim pa (A series of spiritual
songs by the protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 265.1-438.3.
XV. [BA] dGe sbyor bdun pa'i rtsa ba 'gro mgon rin po ches mdzad pa (Root texts
on seven virtuous practices, composed by the protector of beings
Tsangpa Gyare), pp.439.1-445.5.
XVI. [MA] Chos rje 'gro mgon gyi zhal gdams springs yig gi bskor rnams (Oral
instructions on [how to write] epistle by the dharma master and
protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 449.1-495.4.
XVII. [TSA]
XVII-1. dPal ldan 'brug pa'i shog bsgril gyi zhal gdams (Oral instructions
on [how to treat] rolled paper of the glorious Drukpa Kagyu
school), pp. 497.1-500.3.
XVII-2. sBubs ra'i bshad pa (Explanation of eye protector), pp. 500.4502.3.
XVII-3. rTen 'brel zhwa'i zhal gdams (Oral instructions concerning the
auspicious sign of the crown of Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 502.3503.4.
XVIII. [TSHA]

44

Introduction to the Collected Works of the Founder of the Drukpa Kagyu School

XVIII-1. Kha 'thor rin po che phreng ba (The precious garland of

fragmented texts), pp. 505.1-510.6.
XVIII-2. Mu tig phreng ba zhes bya ba Lo ro ba skal ldan la gdams pa (The
pearl garland: oral instructions given to Lo ro ba skal ldan), pp.
511.1-518.2.
XIX. [DZA] Chos rjes 'gro mgon gyi bstan bcos 'gag 'dril rin chen sgron me (The
precious lamp: the summary of the main points of the dharma
master and protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp.519.1-540.5.
XX. [WA] 'Gag dril rin chen sgron me'i bsdus don (The summary of the
precious lamp, the summary of main points of Tsangpa Gyare's
doctrine), pp. 541.1-547.2.
[Volume 2] 'Brug lugs gsung rab phyogs bsdebs las chos rje gtsang pa rgya ras
kyi bka' 'bum glegs bam kha pa bzhugs so
XXI. [KA] Lo rgyus gser gyi yang zhun ma (The chronicle: refined gold), pp.
549.1-569.6.
XXII. [KHA] 'Jig rten blos btang rnams kyi bstan bcos tshegs chung mig gi sgron
me (The lamp of eyes: a comprehensible treatise for renouncement
of the [eight] world-systems), pp. 571.1-581.5.
XXIII. [GA] Chos rje 'gro ba'i mgon po'i tshogs chos mno 'khor ma che ba (The
great treatise for understanding of the collected instructions of the
dharma master and protector of beings Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 583.1726.4.
XXIV. [NGA] Chos rje rin po che gtsang pa rgya ras pa'i tshogs chos mno 'khor
rin chen 'phreng ba (The precious garland: the treatise for
understanding of the collected instructions ofthe dharma master
Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 727.1-757.1.
XXV. [CA] Chos rje gtsang pa rgya ras kyis mdzad pa'i tshogs chos mno 'khor
chung ba (The summarized treatise for understanding of the
collected instructions of the dharma master Tsangpa Gyare), pp.
759.1-791.2.
XXVI. [CHA] Chos kyi rje gtsang pa rgya ras kyis mdzad pa'i mtshang 'don dug
gi tsher ma dang ma phreng snying rje rgya mtsho (Removal of faults
such as poisonous thorn and the ocean of mother's compassion,
composed by the dharma master Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 793.1-823.6.

45

Seiji Kumagai, Thupten Gawa and Yasuda Akinori

XXVII. [JA] gTum mo khyung lnga'i sgrub thabs (The method of practice of
five fierce garuda), pp. 825.1-837.3.
XXVIII. [NYA] lHan skyes kyi lag len sgrub thabs gcig chog ma (The all-purpose
method to accomplish the practice of the Innate [Heruka]), pp.
839.1-850.2.
XXIX. [TA] Jo mo'i mngon rtogs (The visualization practice of the yogini [Jo
Mo]), pp. 851.1-871.6.
XXX. [THA] rJe btsun ma'i tshogs mchod (The feast offered to the chief of
yogini [Jetsunma]), pp. 873.1-886.3.
XXXI. [DA] bDud rtsi ril bu'i sgrub thabs 'gro mgon rin po ches mdzad pa (The
method to realize the amrita pills, composed by the dharma master
Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 887.1-896.5.
XXXII. [NA] Chos rje gtsang pa rgya ras kyis mdzad pa'i dge sbyor bdun pa'i
smon lam (The prayer of the seven virtuous activities, composed by
the dharma master Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 897.1-918.5.
XXXIII [Appendix] rJe gtsang pa rgya ras kyi rnam thar (The biography of the
master Tsangpa Gyare), pp. 1.1-244.6.
As seen in the above list of the Bhutanese Collection, there are thirty three titles.
However, II, IV, XVII, and XVIII are not unique works, but they include several
independent works. II has four, IV has two, XVII has three, and XVIII has two
works; there are forty works in total.
The Bhutanese Collection overlaps with both the Ladakhi collection and the
Nepalese collection (except for the third title of the Ladakhi Collection). The
following table shows the correspondence among the three collections.
Bhutanese Collection

Ladakhi Collection

Nepalese Collection

II-1
II-2
II-3
II-4
III

46

IV-1

9-1

IV-2

9-2

Introduction to the Collected Works of the Founder of the Drukpa Kagyu School
Bhutanese Collection

Ladakhi Collection

Nepalese Collection

V
VI
VII
VIII

14

IX

12

X
XI

11

XII

15

XIII

13

XIV

XV

XVI

XVII-1

4-1

XVII-2

4-2

XVII-3

4-3

XVIII-1

5-1

XVIII-2

5-2

XIX

XX
XXI
XXII

XXIII

10

XXIV

XXV

XXVI

XXVII

20

XXVIII

19

XXIX

16

XXX

17

XXXI

18

XXXII
XXXIII

non-accordance

As seen in the above table, the Bhutanese Collection includes five works of the
Ladakhi Collection, as well as thirty five more works. It also covers all twenty
47

Seiji Kumagai, Thupten Gawa and Yasuda Akinori

three works of the Nepalese Collection (without the catalogue of the collection) in
addition to seventeen more works.
This means that the number of accessible works of Tsangpa Gyare has
remarkably increased by grace of the publication of the Bhutanese Collection.
The condition of study of the Drukpa Kagyu school has greatly progressed.
Hereafter, we need to compare the manuscripts of the three collections, and
analyze their characteristics.
3. Category of works of Tsangpa Gyare
We need to know which types of work he wrote in order to grasp Tsangpa
Gyare's scholastic characteristics. Here we classify his works into several
categories.
[Volume 1]
I. <<Biography: Tsangpa Gyare's biography with his instruction>>
II-1. <<Philosophy: philosophy on interdependence, especially about the
relationship between cyclic existence (samsara) and liberation (nirvana)>>
II-2. <<Philosophy: philosophical letter including the instruction concerning
interdependence, especially about the relationship between cyclic existence
(samsara) and liberation (nirvana) >>
II-3. <<Philosphy: epistle concerning philosophy of the two types of
interdependence>>
II-4. <<Meditation: epistle concerning the methods of two types of meditation
practice>>
III. <<Meditation: spiritual songs concerning meditation on the equal taste of the
elements>>
IV-1. <<Meditation: List of various instructions on the practice of meditation>>
IV-2. <<Meditation: instructions on the practice of meditation>>
V. <<Meditation: concerning the practice of visualizing one's own spiritual
master>>
VI. <<Instruction: general explanation of Lama>>
VII. <<Meditation: oral instruction of meditative practice to visualize Lama
(spiritual master)>>
48

Introduction to the Collected Works of the Founder of the Drukpa Kagyu School

VIII. <<Mahmudr: explanation of essential nature of Mahmudr>>

IX. <<Meditation: explanation of gradual practice of the four types of meditation
(yoga)>>
X. <<Mahmudr: short texts concerning Mahmudr>>
XI. <<Mahmudr: extensive explanation of Mahmudr>>
XII. <<Meditation: questions and answers concerning four types of yoga>>
XIII. <<Meditation: explanation of four types of yoga>>
XIV. <<Spiritual songs: a collection of various types of spiritual songs>>
XV. <<Practice: especially on daily virtuous practice>>
XVI. <<Treatise for practical purposes: collection of letters of Tsangpa Gyare>>
XVII-1. <<Treatise for practical purposes: Method for making letters>>
XVII-2. <<Spiritual song: Tsangpa Gyare's response to criticism concerning the
eye protector from a Bonpo>>
XVII-3. <<Instruction: explanation of the auspicious crown of Tsangpa Gyare>>
XVIII-1. <<Biography: the oral auto-biography of Tsangpa Gyare>>
XVIII-2. <<Instruction: oral instructions for how to guide all sentient beings to
the route to happiness, given to his disciple Lo ro ba sKal ldan>>
XIX. <<Philosophy: doxographical philosophy>>
XX. <<Philosophy: short doxographical philosophy>>
[Volume 2]
XXI. <<Biography: the history of the lineage of the venerable master rGa Lo>>
XXII. <<Practice: method of practice for the renouncement of the eight types of
worldly activity>>
XXIII. <<Practice: Tsangpa Gyare's instructions on spiritual practice for his
disciples>>
XXIV. <<Instruction: instruction on the necessity of relying on the master in
order to accomplish liberation>>
XXV. <<Biography: instruction on lineage from Marpa to Tsangpa Gyare>>
XXVI. <<Practice: removal of faults and execution of compassion>>
XXVII. <<Meditation: medittion on five fierce garuda>>
XXVIII. <<Meditation: meditation of the deity Heruka>>
XXIX. <<Meditation: visualization of the yogini>>
49

Seiji Kumagai, Thupten Gawa and Yasuda Akinori

XXX. <<Ritual: offering to the yogini>>

XXXI. <<Ritual: five types of nectar blessed by mantra>>
XXXII. <<Prayer: prayer of the seven virtuous activities>>
XXXIII [Appendix] <<Biography: biography of Tsangpa Gyare>>
We can categorize his works into nine as follows:
Category

Number

i) Biography

4 works (I, XVIII-1, XXI, XXV)

ii) Philosophy

6 works (II-1, II-2, II-3, XVII-3, XIX, XX)

iii) Mahmudr

3 works (VIII, X, XI)

iv) Meditation

12 works (II-4, III, IV-1, IV-2, V, VII, IX, XII, XIII,

XXVII, XXVIII, XXIX)

v) Practice

5 works (XV, XXII, XXIII, XXVI, XXXII)

vi) Instruction

4 works (VI, XVII-3, XVIII-2, XXIV)

vii) Ritual

2 works (XXX, XXXI)

viii) Spiritual songs

2 works (XIV, XVII-2)

ix) Treatise for practical

purposes

2 works (XVI, XVII-1)

Among all of the forty works, there are twelve works on meditation, three works
on Mahmudr, five works on practice, two works on ritual, that is to say more
than half of the works concern tantric practice. This fact seems to confirm that
Tsangpa Gyare was an accomplished practitioner. On the other hand, he also
seems to have achieved a mastery of philosophy because he wrote doxographical
treatises, philosophical texts concerning cyclic existence and liberation, and so
forth. He seems to have been committed to educating his disciples by his
composition of several works of instruction. We can surmise that he had literary
talents and sophisticated knowledge of the general culture from the fact that he
also wrote literary spiritual songs and practical works, such as how to write and
make letters.
Needless to say, Tsangpa Gyare was an advanced practitioner of meditation.
However, judging from the content of his works, we can see that he also had
abundant knowledge of philosophy, and was also familiar with literature,

50

Introduction to the Collected Works of the Founder of the Drukpa Kagyu School

practical operations, and education. Such aspects of his personality do not

contradict the descriptions of his characteristics found in his biography.5
Conclusions
Now we will summarize the above observation concerning the collected works of
Tsangpa Gyare.
By grace of the publication of the Ladakhi Collection in 1972, six of his works
became accessible. The Nepalese Collection published in 1998 provided twenty
three works. By grace of the publication of the Bhutanese Collection, we can now
access forty works; thus, the conditions for researching Tsangpa Gyare have
improved overwhelmingly. However, there remain still some problems such as
mistranscriptions and un-identified quotations even in the Bhutanese Collection.
We thus need to complete a critical edition, which we are now composing, in
order to promote Bhutanese Buddhist studies.
Concerning the characteristics of Tsangpa Gyare's work, we can generally say
that he wrote many texts as a practitioner of meditation. Among all of his forty
one, he in fact wrote twenty one works concerning meditation, Mahmudr,
practice, and ritual. However, we must not forget his versatility in writing
philosophical, practical, and educational works.
In this paper we have analyzed his general characteristics from the point of view
of his collected works. Hereafter, we need to analyze each work in the collection,
in order to grasp his characteristics in detail. We are now preparing a summary
and English translation of all of his works.
This research is based on academic methodology, but its objective is to contribute
to the happiness of all beings through an understanding of Bhutanese Buddhism.
May all beings become happy!

5See

Miller [2005: 389-396].

51

Seiji Kumagai, Thupten Gawa and Yasuda Akinori

References
[Primary Sources]
<Collected Works of Tsangpa Gyare>
1. The Collected Works (Gsu -Bum) of Gtsa -pa Rgya-ras Ye-es-rdo-rje: Reproduced from Rare
Manuscripts and Blockprints Belonging to Various Lamas and Notables of Ladakh (Darjeeling:
Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang, 1972)
2.'Gro-ba'i mgon-po chos-rjer tsa -pa rgya-ras ye-shes rdo-rje mchog-gi gsu -'bum rin-po-che
bzhugs-so (Kathmandu: Shri Gautama Buddha Vihara, 1998).
3.'Brug lugs gsung rab phyogs bsdebs las chos rje gtsang pa rgya ras kyi bka' 'bum glegs bam ka
pa bzhugs so and 'Brug lugs gsung rab phyogs bsdebs las chos rje gtsang pa rgya ras kyi bka'
'bum glegs bam kha pa bzhugs so (Thimphu: The Bhutanese Monastic Body, 2011)
Ra lung gser 'phreng: Bka' brgyud gser gyi 'phreng ba / Rwa lung gser 'phreng. 3 vols,
Thimphu: unknown publisher, 1982.
[Secondary Sources]
Ardussi, J.A. (2000). The House of 'Obs-mtsho - The History of a Bhutanese Gentry Family
from the 13th to the 20th Century. In Journal of Bhutan Studies, Vol. 2, pp. 1-30.
Ferrari, A. (1958). Mk'yen Brtse's Guide to the Holy Places of Central Tibet. Roma: Istituto
italiano peril Medio ed Estremo Oriente.
Imaeda, Y. (2011). Histoire mdivale du Bhoutan. Tokyo: Toyo Bunko.
Miller, W.B. (2005). The Vagrant Poet and the Reluctant Scholar: A Study of the Balance of
Iconoclasm and Civility in the Biographical Accounts of Two Founders of the 'Brug
Pa Bka' Brgyud Lineages. In Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies,
Vol 28-2, pp. 369-410, 2005.
Roerich, G. (1949). The Blue Annals. Calcutta: Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Stein, R.A. (1972). Vie et chants de 'Brug-pa Kun-legs le Yogin. Paris: G.-P. Maisonneuve et
Larose.
Vitali, R. (2004). Glimpses of the History of the rGya Clan with reference to Nyang stod,
Lho Mon and Nearby Lands (7th-13th century). In The Spider and the Piglet: Proceedings
of the First International Seminar on Bhutan Studies, Edited by Karma Ura and Sonam
Kinga, pp. 6-20.

52