Exploring the Sacred Moment of Transition: How the 'Second Buddha' Left Tibet to Secure the Future of the Dharma
The Departure of Guru Padmasambhava is one of the most profound and sacred moments in the history of Vajrayana Buddhism. His arrival in Tibet during the 8th century resulted in the Golden Age of Dharma, setting the stage for the flourishing of Buddhism in the Land of Snows. Yet, his exit from this realm wasn’t an end, but it was a deliberate, spiritual transition planned with deep wisdom and compassion.
Far from being a retreat, Guru Rinpoche’s departure was a protective move, as something that ensured the preservation of the sacred teachings of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. It was simply a gesture of protecting sentient beings and assuring the Dharma would remain flourishing through generations. His journey to the land of the raksasas marked not just his physical exit but a timeless commitment to the spiritual welfare of all beings, securing the future of the teachings for countless lifetimes to come.
The Historical Setting of the Departure
In the 8th century, Guru Padmasambhava, a revered tantric master from Oddiyana, joined forces with King Trisong Detsen and the great abbot Santaraksita to establish Tibet's first monastic university at Samye. This pivotal time in history witnessed the monumental task of translating the Buddha’s teachings from Sanskrit into Tibetan, ensuring that the sacred words of the Dharma would endure, even after many of the original texts were lost in India.
However, as everything in life changes, so did the time when Guru Padmasambhava had to say his farewells. His Tibet mission, which he had established the foundations of Buddhism, was about to end. The great master was about to take a last expedition, one that was to lead him to the south-west, to the inaccessible and inexplicable land of the raksasas (the creatures commonly represented as cannibal spirits or demons). It was a move that had to be made to preserve the teachings and lead the generations of future practitioners.
The Final Scene at Gungthang Pass
Guru Padmasambhava’s departure took place high on the sacred Gungthang Pass in Mangyul, a place of deep spiritual resonance that continues to hold immense significance to this day. It was here, in this hallowed setting, that his most devoted disciple and consort, Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal, witnessed his final moments in Tibet.
As the Guru prepared to leave, Yeshe Tsogyal, overwhelmed by both sorrow and devotion, engaged in a series of profoundly symbolic acts to honor him:
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Prostration: She bowed deeply before him, a gesture of humility and surrender to the wisdom of her teacher.
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Circumambulation: She walked around him, embodying her reverence and the sacred circle of connection that transcends time and space.
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Placing His Feet on Her Head: In an ultimate sign of devotion, she placed his feet upon her crown, acknowledging him as the supreme spiritual presence in her life.
In this moment of intense spiritual longing and heartache, Yeshe Tsogyal made a final prayer her last act of devotion, which was the Mahaguru Prayer. It is the depth of her love and trust that made this prayer a classic manifestation of her desire never to be separated from Guru, even after he had taken physical leave.
The Purpose of the Departure: Subjugating the Raksasas
Guru Padmasambhava’s departure to the land of the raksasas is often depicted as a mission of great spiritual importance. In the broader context of Tibetan Buddhist tradition, this journey was not simply an exit from Tibet, but a deliberate act to subdue the raksasas (beings often described as demonic or cannibalistic spirits). These forces, once uncontrolled, would create various imbalances between the spiritual and human world and may cause chaos and impediments to the thriving of the Dharma.
The departure, therefore, was not just about leaving Tibet, but also making sure that the Buddhist teachings would not be endangered by anything that could have been harmful to their propagation. The purpose of his mission was to establish a "Pure Land," a sacred realm where the Dharma could thrive undisturbed and benefit future generations of sentient beings.
Centuries later, the Bhutanese saint Pema Lingpa, who was also among the known treasure revealers, received a powerful vision in a dream, where he flew to the Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain, which was a sacred site connected to Guru Padmasambhava. In this spiritual encounter, the Guru officially gave him the name, Pema Lingpa, and this further confirmed that the presence and activity of the Guru was not to be restricted by his physical departure from Tibet, but to the realms of the hidden, where he would continue his work to the advantage of the Dharma. This implies that the mission of the Guru was not fully finished, and it still is echoing out through space and time.
The Legacy of the Departure: The Terma Tradition
When Guru Padmasambhava left Tibet, he didn’t leave empty-handed, he left behind a spiritual "time capsule" system known as Terma (treasure teachings). Knowing that future generations would face decadent and turbulent times, Guru Rinpoche and his devoted consort Yeshe Tsogyal concealed these treasures in various forms: within rocks, the waters, the earth, the very fabric of space, and even within the minds of his disciples. These "treasure troves" were destined to be discovered when the world would be on the way of decay and chaos so that the wisdom of Dharma could be available to the generations to come.
Yeshe Tsogyal played a critical role in this process. As the "voice" of the Guru and "Guru Rinpoche in the feminine form," she received, practiced, and concealed every teaching he gave so that future Tertons (treasure revealers) could find them when the time was right. The Mahaguru Prayer itself was one such treasure. It was concealed as a terma and later revealed by Pema Lingpa from a rock shaped like a lion’s head in the medicinal valley of Lhodrak.
The Spiritual Significance of His Departure
The Mahaguru prayer illuminates the much deeper teachings of the physical separation of Guru Padmasambhava. Although the Guru might have passed the physical world, the prayer reminds us that the real, or inner guru, the original, undifferentiated nature of our own mind, is always present. It is a great reminder that as the physical teacher goes away, the essence of the teachings never really goes away.
The prayer emphasizes several key realizations that disciples must hold after his departure:
- Inseparability: The Guru’s physical departure teaches that the practitioner should strive to remain inseparable from the Master in all future lives. The ultimate Mahaguru is not a distant figure but resides within each practitioner’s own mind.
- Awakening the Mind: Through the blessings of the Guru’s body, speech, and mind, a practitioner’s faculties are "awakened." This occurs through the process of empowerment, or wang, which allows the disciple to fully awaken to the wisdom within.
- The Three Kayas: The ultimate realization is to understand that all of samsara and nirvana are simply manifestations of the Guru. In this realization, the practitioner can reach the state of the Three Kayas: the Dharmakaya (emptiness), the Sambhogakaya (luminous), and the Nirmanakaya (compassion). These are the expressions of the enlightened state, where the practitioner becomes one with the Guru in their truest form.
The Spiritual Influence of Pema Lingpa
The story of Guru Padmasambhava’s departure and the legacy he left behind is inextricably tied to Pema Lingpa (1450–1521), one of the “five terton Kings” from Bhutan. Pema Lingpa is known for revealing many of Guru Rinpoche’s hidden treasures, including the specific details of the farewell at Gungthang Pass and the Mahaguru Prayer. Even his own life and work are living evidence of the promise of the Guru that, though Padmasambhava went away, body and soul, his presence would never be lost.
Pema Lingpa’s legendary connection to Guru Rinpoche is most famously illustrated by his revelation of treasures from the Burning Lake (Mebartsho), where he emerged holding a still-burning lamp and a treasure casket incontrovertible demonstration of his direct connection to Guru Padmasambhava’s lineage. This connection to the Guru’s spiritual essence confirms that his departure was not the end, but rather the beginning of an ongoing legacy, continuing to guide practitioners across generations.
The great teachings of the Guru are carried on through personalities such as Pema Lingpa so that the Guru will never be forgotten.
Conclusion:
Even as Guru Padmasambhava physically departed Tibet to conquer the raksasas in the southwest, the Nyingma (the oldest school of Tantrayana) and Dzogchen branches of Buddhism are making sure his existence is alive and well. His departure was a masterclass on Guru Yoga, where disciples were given the lesson of how to join their minds with his.
By leaving Tibet, he turned himself into a sacred historical figure. He became timeless and universal in his presence with his profound, fast, and esoteric training, which still brings countless followers to the rainbow body and perfect enlightenment.
Read more about Guru Rinpoche: Everything You Need to Know About Padmasambhava, the Lotus-Born Master
