Marpa Lotsawa Chökyi Lodrö

Marpa Lotsawa Chökyi Lodrö (Mar pa chos kyi blo gros, 1000?–1085?) is one of the most famous intrepid translators of the 11th century, who traveled from Tibet to India and brought back to his homeland many of the Buddhist teachings that would decline in India over the following centuries. Marpa is the Tibetan founder of the Kagyü school, one of the main religious orders of Tibetan Buddhism. He was the disciple of some of the greatest luminaries of India such as Nāropa (d. 1040) and Maitrīpa (986–1063), and the master of the yogin and poet Milarepa (1028?–1111?).

Marpa lived during the period of the second spread of Buddhism in Tibet, a period of cultural renaissance that followed the collapse of the Tibetan Empire in the 9th and 10th centuries. At that time, many Tibetans traveled south to Nepal and India in order to receive, practice, and translate the various Buddhist traditions, sutra and tantra, that were blossoming in India. Marpa specialized in Highest Yoga tantras (Sanskrit niruttaratantras) and transmitted in Tibet cycles associated with the tantras of Hevajra, Guhyasamāja, Cakrasaṃvara, Mahāmāyā, and Catuṣpīṭha. He is well known for the potency of his key instructions related to the perfection phase of these tantras, known as the Six Doctrines of Nāropa (nā ro chos drug). With the success of his disciples’ practice, the Six Doctrines of Nāropa and Mahāmudrā became central teachings in all subdivisions of the Kagyü lineage.

Marpa’s life is mostly known through a long biography composed in the early 16th century by Tsangnyön Heruka (Gtsang smyon he ru ka, 1452–1507), but there are many other biographies written before and after that date. Despite basic inconsistencies in the narratives, it can be concluded that Marpa first left home at twelve. He went to study with Drokmi Lotsawa (’Brog mi lo tsā ba, 992–1074) in Tibet, and then continued on toward Nepal and India, where he spent about twenty years in total, making several journeys in Tibet, Nepal, and India. In India, he mostly traveled off the beaten track and lived the life of an Indian yogin, far from the main institutions of the time. Although he met famous masters such as Nāropa and Maitrīpa, he attended on them in jungles, mountains, and charnel grounds, and mostly traveled alone, sometimes accompanied by his friends, the Tibetan Nyö (gnyos) Lotsawa or the Newari Paiṇḍapa. During his first journey to India (in the 1020s and early 1030s), he received all the transmissions for which he became famous in Tibet, and he deepened his understanding during a second journey in the late 1040s. At that time, he is said to have visited most of his teachers again, and to have had visions of Nāropa, who was then either dead or considered to be engaged in tantric practice.

In Tibet, he settled in the southern region of Lhodrak, where he became an important landowner and tantric master. Although he often traveled elsewhere in Tibet in the earlier part of his life in order to accumulate gold and disciples, in the later part he mostly stayed in his estate of Drowolung, where his disciples came to meet him. As a lay practitioner, he had children, but his family lineage did not continue after his death. His religious lineage continued with Milarepa, who transmitted the “lineage of practice” (Tibetan sgrub brgyud), which further flowed through Gampopa and all the Kagyü sub-lineages. Ngok Chödor (Rngog chos rdor) and Tsurtön Wangngé (Mtshur ston dbang nge) were other important disciples who held Marpa’s “lineage of exegesis” (bshad brgyud), especially with regard to the Hevajra and Guhyasamāja traditions, respectively.

 The Perilous Journey: Saving the Nangtens of Sey Dratsang

Geylong Tenzin Chodar, in his book, recounts the extraordinary odyssey of saving the sacred Nangtens of Sey Dratsang from Tibet in 1959. He mentioned that we were nine siblings, our father passed away early, leaving my brother Tsultrim Dorjee and me as the only ones to support our family. The shadow of the Chinese occupation loomed large. Tibetans were fleeing daily, and our family had attempted to escape the previousyear. But clinging to a sliver of hope for peace, we returned to Tibet.

Finally, we attempted to leave Tibet again on the 15th day of the 6th Tibetan calendar month 1960, under the light of the full moon. It was a heartbreaking and emotional journey.

 As a monk of Sey Dratsang, I felt a profound responsibility to safeguard the monastery’s treasures. These included holy statues and Thangkas, each whispering stories of a thousand years. But most importantly, we carried the secret Nangtens – irreplaceable relics that held immense spiritual significance. Leaving them behind to the Chinese would be an unthinkable betrayal.

Under my leadership, along with Omzey Jamyang Tsultrim, we undertook this perilous journey. My brother, Tsultrim Dorjee, my uncle Leypa Tamding, Namgyal Ling Tsultrim la and Leypa Tsewang Gyurmey bravely joined us. Our meager possessions included two big bags of ancient Thangkas, two big bags of religious instruments, and most critically, two big bags containing the sacred Nangtens.

For days, we endured the harsh embrace of the elements. We crossed treacherous mountain passes and rivers, the weight of the Nangtens a constant reminder of the sacred trust we carried. Finally, we reached Beyul Paksam Lung, a remote border region between Tibet and Bhutan. There, we met a kind soul named Chodrak La, a Bhutanese who had resided there for years.

The harshness of this land was undeniable. The air hung heavy with moisture, and sustenance was scarce. We relied on meager grain supplies brought from Tibet. Resourceful as ever, one of our party( Jo Lobsang) even constructed a stone mill to grind the grain.

Knowing the difficulty of sustaining ourselves in Beyul Paksam Lung, we approached Chodrak La with a humble request. We pleaded with him to safeguard the Nangtens until our eventual return. He readily agreed, and with a heavy heart, we entrusted him with these precious relics. We then continued our journey to Wangdu Choeling in Bumthang, Bhutan.

Unlike many other Tibetans who were deported to India at that time, my brother and I were granted permission to stay in Bhutan. This was likely due to our family name – Chokhol Ladam – which held lineage to the Lhalung Sungtrul.

Four years passed, and the yearning to return for the Nangtens grew stronger. Finally, after four years, we felt an urgent need to retrieve them. Thankfully, Chodrak La had meticulously protected them from the harsh elements. However, without a proper Lhakhang (temple) of our own at Wangdu Choeling, we were forced to keep them safe with us for another two years.

Finally, in 1964, the Sey Dratsang was established in Bhutan. This joyous occasion marked the culmination of our long and arduous journey. With immense gratitude, we formally presented all the Nangtens to the Sey Dratsang authorities, accompanied by a detailed inventory. A copy of this list was also sent to the Department of Religion and Culture Department in Dharamsala, India.

This story is a testament to the unwavering devotion of our elders who risked everything to preserve the sacred heritage of Sey Dratsang. Their courage and sacrifice continue to inspire us today. Geylong Tenzin Chodar served in various roles at Sey Dratsang until he left for India in 1980. He passed away after a 13-day thukdam ceremony at Dekyiling