Rigdzin Kumaradza
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Rigdzin Kumaradza, born Sri Kumaradza (circa early 14th century CE), was a Tibetan yogic mendicant famous for his austere nomadic lifestyle and deep flow meditation styles.
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[edit] Overview
Nomadic in orientation and obscure in siddhi, he was renowned as genuine realizer of Vajrayana Buddhist luminous clarity. Kumaradza's esoteric processes reflected a kindly though abrupt and forceful demeanor. There are accounts of how some of his students were meditating in mere animal skin shelters as quasi-impromptu protection against ferocious high desert winds. These small camps subsisted on scant donations. The focus of his practices concentrated on secret cognizance yogas of "naked awareness" or "natural mind" (rigpa).
His striking purview of existence was very powerful, particularly in how he applied his consciousness to matters at hand. For he was considered one of the most realized masters of his day. Sought after and admired but his processes and teachings were stringent for most beings to undertake due to his rigorous approaches and dogged regimens.
He stolidly adhered to tenets of Dzogpa Chenpo methods of enlightening awareness. And he was also versed in Maha Mudra processings of liberation from "afflictions" and "obscurations" kleshas of mind. He was likely familiar with Maha Madyamika and various intellectual traditions of meditational development currenting in those Himalayan regions. But recountings indicate he must have preferred Dzog Chen or some combination of Dzog Chen and Maha Mudra.
Kumaradza's name can be recognized and translated as an epithet for Vajra Kilaiya or Dorje Phurbu, one of the chief protectors of Nyingmapas and important to Sakyapa and Kahjyupa schools. Rikzin Kumaradza could be said to mean "Rigpa Holder Of Kilaiya Regency", or "Awakened Ruler Of Royal Purba", or "Awareness Master King Of Tri-Dagger". Implication being, that Kumaradza is accomplished in realization and liberation and enlitening for beings of the three worlds of past and present and future, as well desire realms and form ranges and formless zones, and also could be interpreted as glowing with Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya eyes.
[edit] Instructor
Rigdzin Kumaradza is most acclaimed as seminal instructor for Longchen Rabjampa and Third Karmapa Rangjyung Dorjy. He apparently studied with the grand master Orgyenpa, who conveyed teachings of Innermost Spirituality upon him. Probably a further reason why Longchenpa and Rangjyungla were drawn to him. Kumaradza, it appears, was crucial in drawing out Longchenpa's and Rangjyung Dorjy's realizations and luminances and interests, especially in collecting and compiling texts relevant to profound awakening. For both Longchen and Rangjyung are praised and read and recited even today as master realizers, as great writers and strong thinkers with particularly keen minds. Gompas and monasteries, nunneries and centers of meditation, on worldwide scale though in rarefied manner, practice those proven techniques and wonderful yogas of devotion on daily basis. Kumaradza is in the process of becoming a more regarded figure in Tibetan spiritual lore as it spreads internationally and translations are now somewhat more frequently referring to his remarkable influences.
The Longchen Nyingtik tradition of the Nyingma school as revealed by Jikmey Lingpa, who flourished in the seventeen hundreds, is through Longchenpa greatly indebted to Kumaradza. The Karma Kamtsang branch, as well as others of the Kahjyupa school, are additionally beholden and certainly enhanced via Rangjyung Dorjy's potent songs and dohas and meditation pujas where Kumaradza's spacious mind flow is evident in fine resonance.
[edit] Namtars
Kumaradza accounts, or namtars, of his life are available in recent translations into English, The Nyingma School Of Tibetan Buddhism, Masters Of Meditation And Miracles, Marvelous Garland Of Rare Gems, among others. Nobly, he conversed fluently with glowing deities of enlightening liberation for all beings. Since, in being trained as an artist, his vivid and vital awareness visions were exquisite arrays of mandalas. For he was proficient devotee of Vajra Yogini, acknowledged as mother of all buddhas. He was inspirited by essential protectors: Ekajati and Kyabjyuk Rahula and Vajra Sadhu Lekpa.
There are no known extent writings, or not currently translated, by him.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- The Nyingma School Of Tibetan Buddhism
- Thondup, Tulku (1995). Masters Of Meditation And Miracles: The Longchen Nyingthig Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. ISBN : 1570625093.
- Khenpo, Nyoshul (2005). A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems: Biographies of Masters of Awareness in the Dzogchen Lineage (A Spiritual History of the Teachings of Natural Great Perfection). Translated by Richard Barron. ISBN: 1881847411.
