Feature | Buddhism in Indonesia: The Resplendent Revival of a Golden Lineage
The Life of Lama Serlingpa The life of Lama Serlingpa resembles the life of Prince Siddharta (Buddha Sakyamuni). He was well raised in a royal Buddhist kingdom. With all the luxurious facilities and the wealth of his family, none interest him more than learning the Dharma. In his search to find his spiritual Guru, the young prince took to the seas in the direction of India. Amongst all teaches he met, he finally felt deep admiration and devotion to his utmost beloved teacher, Sri Maharatna. He learned major Buddhist texts intensively for seven years before he finally decided to devote his life to attain enlightenment by becoming an ordained monk in Vikramasila Monastery. Thus he became the perfect holder of the two most important lineages for the development of bodhichitta, the spontaneous mind of enlightenment. The first one is ‘seven causes and result’, passed down from Maitreya to Asanga and the second lineage called ‘equalizing and exchanging oneself with others’ passed down from Buddha Manjushri to Shantideva. Thus Lama Serlingpa became the holder of these combined lineages and the related commentaries. Subsequently he composed a large number of works, some of which have reached us through the Tengyur. He founded and substantiated the philosophical views of the Chittamatra School. The most important one of these still is his commentary on the Abhisamayaalankara (The Ornament of Clear realization), based on the commentary written by the scholar Haribhadra on the text of Chandrakirti. It is a magisterial treatise in which Lama Serlingpa explains and elaborates the hidden meaning of Prajnaparamita Sutra, describing the entire journey from generation of Bodhicitta to attainment of full omniscience. After attaining full realization in India, Lama Serlingpa returned to his island Sumatra to work there for the Dharma. He came to live in the Vihara of Vijayanagar, the House of the Silver Parasols and started teaching there. His wisdom and personal realizations were
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known throughout the world. Students flocked to receive teachings from him. Because his love for beings was immense and the Sanskrit term for love is maitri he was given the name Maitri or Maitreya. The Link between Lama Serlingpa, Atisa Dipamkara and Dagpo Rinpoche From the 5th to the 12th CE, Buddhism flourished in India as evidently shown with the prominence of Nalanda University’s Great Bodhisattavas, Adepts, Pandits and other great master in India. One of the most renown teacher at that time was Atisha Dipamkara Srijnana. He studied with many highly accomplished teachers and became extremely well versed in all systems of tantra practice. However, His vajra master Rahulagupta reminded him that to reach enlightenment, he must train to develop caring love, compassionate sympathy, and a bodhichitta aim totally dedicated to benefiting others and to achieving enlightenment. Then, Atisha heard the profoundness of Serlingpa Dharmakirti’s understanding of Bodhicitta. Thus, with a group of 125 learned monks, Atisha set off on a ship of merchants bound for Sumatra. It took thirteen arduous months to complete their journey, but Atisha remained undaunted throughout. Atisha stayed in Sumatra for twelve years, avidly training with this master and had such exceptional reverence for this magnificent teacher from Sumatra and the measures he imparted that tears would well in his eyes whenever he mentioned or heard his name. Among his 157 teachers, Atisha said, “I make no distinctions among all my spiritual mentors. But because of the kindness of my sublime master from the Golden Isle, I have gained peace of mind and the dedicated heart of a bodhichitta aim.” Another link which could complete the overall picture is the fact that His Eminence Dagpo Rinpoche was recognized by HH. Dalai Lama XIII as the reincarnation of Dagpo Rinpoche Jamphel Lhundrup Gyatso who possessed several of mind stream qualities from Bodhisatva Saparudhita, Gunaprabha, the Indonesian Guru Svarnadvipa Dharmakirti, Marpa The Translator, Longdol Lama Rinpoche Ngawang Lobsang and many more. This acknowledgement means that Dagpo Rinpoche is Serlingpa Dharmakirti.