“PROTECTION FROM FEAR OF ENEMY ARMIES” WHITE TĀRĀ AND 8TH KENTING TAI SITUPA: Historical lineage from Indian panditas Vāgīśvarakīrti and Dharmakīrtiśrī, Karma Kagyu as holders of all main transmission from Je Gampopa, Palpung/8th Tai Situpa’s iconic (and subtly “political”) artworks, and newly transcribed e-book of White Tārā sadhana commentary by 9th Gyalton Rinpoche

“The white lady who deceives death.” འཆི་བ་སླུ་བྱེད་དཀར་མོའོ། ། –from the Origin of Tārā Tantra

 “Puṇya is merit. Jñāna is primordial awareness. Puṣṭiṃ kuru svāhā means may those increase.”

“One million recitations of the root mantra is said to be accomplishment of the mantra. With ten million it is said that all activities are accomplished. In a retreat of about seven days with devotion and joy, untimely death can certainly be prevented.” –8^th Tai Situpa in Wish-Fulfilling Wheel White Tārā sadhana

 

Summary/Introduction

Today for Noble Tārā Day, I am happy to offer a new introductory article on the special connection between the practice of Wish-Fulfilling Wheel White Tārā and the Khenting Tai Situpa lineage. In particular that of the great 8th Tai Situpa, Chokyi Jungne (1700-1774), who composed a White Tārā sadhana called “The White Lady [or Goddess] who Deceives/Cheats Death” (འཆི་བ་སླུ་བྱེད་དཀར་མོའོ། ། Chiwa Luje Karmo). This  Wish Fulfilling Wheel White Tārā sadhana by 8^th Tai Situ Choky Jungne is from the Je Gampopa lineage tradition[i] , originally bestowed from the 10th Century Indian pandita Vāgīśvarakīrti to Je Atisha via his teacher, Serlingpa, and  is contained in editions of the 8^th Tai Situpa’s Collected works, of which there are three editions currently available online[ii].

As an offering to the Buddha Dharma, Karma Kagyu and 12^th Tai Situpa’s student, HE 9^th Gyalton Rinpoche (and his followers) I have also transcribed his recent oral commentary on the White Tārā sadhana text by 9^th Gyalton Rinpoche (given in 2022, as a publicly available video recording). Free download of the commentary as a pdf e-book here: White Tara commentary 9th Gyalton Rinpoche 2022 with Introduction by Adele Tomlin 2025.

In my own original research Introduction to the new transcribed oral commentary,  I provide detail on the lineage of the White Tār̥ā Wish-Fulfilling Wheel Tradition in India and Tibet. In particular, the key importance of the Indian Nālanda master, Vāgīśvarakīrti  (Tib. Nagi Wangchug Dragpa) and Serlingpa (said by Je Atisha to be his “kindest guru” of all his teachers).

As well as cited quotes from my recent English translation of new research by the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa from the introduction of his newly-published text, Noble Tārā tradition and Karma Kagyu (see here). The Karma Kagyu has a particular connection with the Wish Fulfilling Wheel of White Tārā tradition, as the 17th Karmapa makes clear in his new research on Tārā in the Karma Kagyu, saying that there are none that do not come through Je Gampopa.

In particular, the 17th Karmapa (2025) also describes how the seven transmissions of White Tārā from India into Tibet, converged in the person of the 9th Karmapa, Wangchug Dorje (1556-1603)  became a master of the practice and made her the central figure in the Twenty-One Tārās:

I briefly refer to my “on the ground” research (2024) completed on the 8th Tai Situpa’s travels to Lijiang, Yunnan, China and the five main Karma Kagyu monasteries still flourishing there.  In particular, the 8th Tai Situpa/Palpung artworks that significantly well-established iconographic conventions to meet the needs of difficult time caused by Gelugpa sectarian persecution and violence:

“This “Fear of Enemy Armies” is not a pure invention of Situ but comes out of a larger set of sixteen fears. The long-life goddess White Tārā was of special significance to Situ, who is recorded to have painted her many times, starting a few years after this violent encounter: in 1762, 1763, 1764, 1766, 1768, 1769, 1772, and 1773.” (Debrezceny, 2013)

According to primary textual sources and research by art-historian and scholar Karl Debrezceny (2013), the 8th  Tai Situpa here is clearly referring to the continual violent onslaught the Karma Kagyu and other lineages faced from the Gelug-Mongol forces that not only destroyed all the Karma Kagyu shedras and monasteries in central Tibet, but also continued to persecute the Karma Kagyu even when they had fled to Yunnan, China. The 8th Tai Situpa wrote about these events extensively in Moonstone Garland Mala (Dawa Chushel gi Trengwa), an important historical biographical account of the 10th Karmapa written by the 8th Tai Situpa and his attendant Bey Lotsawa.

Interestingly, HE 12th Tai Situpa recently completed a hundred-day White Tārā retreat and empowerment  at Sherab Ling Monastery, India on 10th August 2025 (see video here, with brief teaching in Tibetan). On 26th August 2025, offered a long-life ceremony, both dedicated to the longevity of the 14th Dalai Lama.   Yet the eminent Khenting Tai Situpa himself is still unable to meet his heart son, and Karma Kagyu lineage head, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa and offer him similar empowerments and long-life offerings (publicly at least).  So, these events not only showed the great humility of the Karma Kagyu masters in exile yet again, but also more importantly that the Gelugpa sectarianism in exile is “alive and kicking” . After all their political and spiritual power was created by the foreign invasion of Tibet by the Mongolian army, and the mass murder destruction, theft, forcible conversion and of Karma Kagyu and other main lineage. For more on that public “humility” event orchestrated by and requested by the Gelugpas see here.

For more original research and translations on White Tārā and Noble Tārā in general see here. I hope to soon record my own contemporary (central channel originated) version of the White Tārā mantra too. I have also created a new website section for reports, transcripts and translations connected to or about Gyalton Rinpoche, here.

Music? Newly released White Tārā mantra and video of 12th Tai Situpa, Wish You Heaven by Prince,  Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands  by Bob Dylan. Dedicated to the long-life, health and activities of HE 9th Gyalton Rinpoche,  12th Khenting Tai Situpa and the Palpung lineage and activities in general.

Offered to the deity White Tārā, to the Buddha Dharma and to all beings. Also, in particular, to the long-life of 17th Karmapa, 12th Tai Situpa and 9th Gyalton Rinpoche and the flourishing of their activities and their courageous and challenging revival of the Karma Kagyu lineage, after centuries of decimation, censorship and suppression by the Gelugpa sectarians in Tibet and exile.

Adele Tomlin, 30th September, 2025.

INTRODUCTION

The importance of Indian Nālanda master, Vāgīśvarakīrti (Ngagi Wangchug Dragpa) in the White Tārā tradition in Indian and Tibet

In 8th Tai Situpa’s White Tārā sadhana, ” The White Goddess who Cheats Death”, the 8th Tai Situpa gives a brief lineage introduction and supplication.

He mentions how the “activity deity (ley gi lha), was first taught”. Then, Green Tār̥ā and then White Tār̥ā of the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel (Yishin Khorlo)”.  The sadhana is included in the latter “Wish-Fulfilling Wheel” tradition and he specifically mentions the Indian Pandita of Nālanda, Vāgīśvarakīrti (वागीश्वरकीर्ति ངག་གི་དབང་ཕྱུག་གྲགས་པ་, Nagi Wangchug Dragpa) as the one who gave instructions on it.

Vāgīśvarakīrti was one of the six gate keeper panditas of the university of Vikramashila. He was the guardian of the southern gate.

The White Tār̥ā became well known in India after being introduced by Vāgīśvarakīrti.  He later went to Nepal, and it is said that he disappeared at Swayambhunath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. His lineage had passed to the Indian adept Dharmakīrtiśrī (Serlingpa) who then passed it to Je Atiśa.

Dharmakīrtiśrī’s  name refers to the region he lived, somewhere in Lower Burma, the Malay Peninsula or Sumatra. For my research on this Indian master whom Je Atisha considered his “kindest guru”, and my pilgrimage trip (May 2024) to the famous Tārā temple where Je Atisha was said to have practised and met Dharmakīrtiśrī, see here.

The White Tārā lineage history and the Karmapas and Karma Kagyu

The 17^th Gyalwang Karmapa, recently gave a detailed description of the origin of the different Noble Tārā traditions in his new 2025 text on the Karma Kamtsang Four Mandala Offering to Tārā, which I translated the extensive Introduction into  English here[iv].

 The 17^th Karmapa first explains the the lineage history of Tārā in Tibet, how the Je Atisha tradition of Tārā became the most well-known and widespread in Tibet, and from that, the Karma Kagyu tradition of White Tārā, and Green Tārā of the Acacia Forest (Sengdeng Nagki Drolma) their Four-fold Mandala Offering to Tāra is unique, separate and distinctive from the other two main traditions  (Sakya and Nar-thang) of Tārā that were spread in Tibet.

Regarding White Tāra, the 17^th Karmapa explains that:

“Among the majority of the Jowo [Atisha] tradition of White Tārā that became a great chariot of teachings, there were none that did not come from Je Gampopa.”

It is said that this indicates White Tārā, and because of that, most people think that she is just a deity of long-life. However, by practicing White Tārā, life, merit, and all wisdom increase. The mantra of this practice has the following meaning:

 “Puṇya is merit. Jñāna is primordial wisdom. Puṣṭiṃ kuru svāhā means may those increase.”

And:

“In general, the Dharma cycles of Arya Tārā that were favoured in Tibet, starting from Marton Chenpo (མར་སྟོན་ཆེན་པོ), began to flourish in the Kagyu lineage.   In particular, White Tārā was directly heard by Je Lho Drakpa Chenpo ( རྗེ་ལྷོ་བྲག་པ་ཆེན་པོ) from Panchen Ngawang Drakpa (ཎ་ཆེན་ངག་དབང་གྲགས་པ་) himself, and the lineage known as Ngok tradition was given to Ngok Choku Dorje (རྔོག་ཆོས་སྐུ་རྡོ་རྗེ་).  Also, from Ngawang Drakpa to Jowo Je, and from him gradually to Dromtonpa and others, finally the teachings were bestowed upon the Dharma King, Dagpo Gampopa (Dakpo Lhaje).  Thus, most of the Jowo tradition of White Tārā that became a great chariot of teachings, there were none that did not come from Je Gampopa.

“Furthermore, the great river source of teachings of the Karma Kamtsang lineage, Precious Dusum Khyenpa, Choki Drakpa [1^st Karmapa], also possessed many unique lineages of the teachings and instructions of Arya Tārā. The White Tārā teachings also include his personal deity Five-Deity White Tārā, the Ritual of the Tārā Mandala, and so on.”

In his new text, the 17th Karmapa (2025) also describes how the seven transmissons of White Tārā converged in the person of the 9th Karmapa, Wangchug Dorje who became a master of the practice and made her the central figure in the Twenty-One Tārās (which was original and not a mere following of tradition):

Moreover, among the six or nine transmissions of White Tārā in Tibet, the Dharma Lords Rolpe Dorje [4th Karmapa] or Jamyang Chökyi Drakpa [4th Zhamarpa] received longevity empowerments and Noble Tārā directly bestowed the close lineage self-generation, the White Tārā Nine Deity meditation and recitation, and the Gar-style, which has a meditation and recitation similar to the front-generation Amitayus Drupgyal tradition.     It is also prevalent among all non-sectarian traditions such as the glorious Sakyapa, the Gelugpa, and the Jomo Nangpa.

In particular, the seven transmissions of White Tārā converged in the Ninth Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje[v]. Since Jetsun [9^th Karmapa] himself became like the master of this Dharma, the collected writings on White Tārā alone amount to one large volume.

Among the elaborate, intermediate, and concise Tārā rituals, there is the very elaborate one,  The extensive one bestows the supreme accomplishment of immortality, liberation for those who desire it, and grants freedom.  The intermediate one is the Inexhaustible Treasury of Immortality, All-pervasive, radiating light.   The concise one is The Essence of the Nectar of Immortality, Benefiting others with Illumination. The very concise one is called the Method of Accomplishment of the Noble Tārā, the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel, Bestowing the Supreme Immortality, and the ritual of Tārā is called the Essence of Accomplishments, the method of reciting the Twenty-One Taras, etc., as listed in the catalogue.

Similarly, the Ninth Jetsun [Karmapa] also made White Tārā the main deity of the Twenty-One Taras, and because he held her at the core of his heart practice, many fathers and sons later received the empowerment and teachings as the first, and the first recitation retreat was also done on this White Tārā Wish-Fulfilling Wheel, etc., which is not just a mere following of the previous tradition, but has a special key point of outer, inner, and secret interdependence.” 17^th Karmapa (2025: 18-21, Tr. Adele Tomlin)

Interestingly, the 17^th Karmapa does not give any specific mention in his new text to the 8^th Tai Situpa’s connection to White Tārā, which is surprising, as I detail below in terms of the artistic contribution and legacy alone of the Tai Situpa Gar-ri lineage on White Tārā.

8^th Khenting Tai Situpa and White Tārā during the mass persecution and violence against Karma Kagyu by Gelug sectarian forces in Tibet

In terms of the 8^th Tai Situpa and his connection to the White Tārā Wish Fulfilling Wheel tradition lineage, for example, Debreczeny (2013: 206) writes that even when the Karma Kagyu had Karmapas had been violently driven from central Tibet by the Mongolian-Gelug military takeover[viii] (and had all their shedras destroyed, and property and texts stolen) Situ Penchen became the most prominent teacher within the Karma Kagyu after the Gelug suppression of the Karmapas and Karma Kagyu[ix] and Tai Situpa continued the practice of Tārā continued in Lijiang, Yunnan[x]:

“According to Situ’s portrayal in his own diaries, the kings of Lijiang were cultivated and educated practitioners and patrons. Situ recalls that the most famous of them, Mu Zeng, composed praises to Tārā in Chinese, which Situ translated into Tibetan.” (2013: 207)

and:

“in volume seven of his collected works, which includes a praise poem translated from Chinese previously discussed. The colophon records that it was composed by the dharmarāja of Jang Satam, Sönam Rapten, and translated in Likyang Hüyül from a Chinese manuscript into Tibetan.”

8th Tai Situ was also interested in Chinese systems of astrology, astronomy, and medicine and seems to have translated some of those texts as well. Situ does not appear to have been fluent, as he also relied on translators at times, including his aforementioned nephew, Sampel, but even a basic knowledge of Chinese would have given him access to a wide range of information on Chinese painting, including printed copy books and painting manuals, which were both widely circulating in China by the eighteenth century. Situ does not mention that he studied Chinese or how he learned it, but the same is true for his learning Nepalese, which he clearly had. In such a multiethnic area as the Tibetan frontier with Sichuan and Yunnan, conversance in various languages such as Tibetan, Chinese, and even Naxi was part of daily life, as reflected in the many foreign language transliterations recorded in Situ’s own writings.” (Debreczeny: 2013: 215).

Continuing persecution by Mongol-Gelug forces during 8th Tai Situpa’s time

However, during that time 8th Tai Situpa’s movement is a lot more  restricted, “as Situ now needs an order permitting him to travel north back to Balung toward home. During this trip Situ starts being accompanied by local as well as Chinese officials with military escorts, makes note of troop movements, and in Pongtsera encounters another Chinese military campsite.  Finally, Situ is himself caught in the midst of a battle and siege near Gyeltang, close to the Yunnan-Tibet frontier. The conflict began while Situ was staying with a regional officer, when so-called “bodyguards” (kakma; literally “ruffians”) of Nazangpa arrived:

“The army of Nazangpa arrived, and although five-hundred soldiers of [local] monks and laymen (benkyé) surrounded and attacked, they were unable to defeat them. I made ritual dough sculpture offerings to [the protector deities] Mahākāli and Mahākāla. The following day, the fighting was stopped by Chakdü Kukyé, Chömpel, and others. The gunmen [of Nazangpa] fled. They made a [fortified] military encampment. As many border people gradually gathered [at the] fortress, I granted an audience. A few people of Yunnan Province and adjacent areas, the envoy of the governor of Ba, commanders, treasurers, and others having arrived, met. There was a letter [written by] the governor (depa),  Ruyön commanders, and the chief of the town (drongpön). The Naxi governor of Barpa, regional commanders (dingpön), and others having discussed it, thirty taels (sang) of silver and [other] property were given to reimburse the Nazangpa for the things that were lost. They (the Nazangpa) having build a bridge across the water, left.”

On this occasion, uncharacteristically bitter feelings come forth regarding sectarian violence in Kham, which depresses Situ:

“Today I made ritual dough sculpture offerings to the protector deities and prayed to the deities and dākinī (khandro) to stop at once fighting among monks, wicked behavior which undermines laymen’s faith. And I became depressed, thinking that [many uneducated local monks], greedy for the faith offerings of the faithful laypeople, stingy ones with [only] the [outer] appearance of a monk (sermowa), squabbling over monastic wealth (kor)– whichever tradition they belong to – and, in particular who, never mind understanding the basic tenets of Buddhism, have never even seen the good behavior of the Gelugpa monks of central Tibet, and having merely heard only the names Kagyü and Geluk take that to be a religious tradition and [proceed to] commit bad deeds that monks should refrain from, bearing weapons aloft, committing such actions as monks waging war on other monks. Generally, what they have done grievously wounds the teachings of the Buddha, and in particular it is a great disgrace to the matchless Tsongkhapa and his followers. That is all I thought (when seeing it), but I did not show a displeased face or think of responding.”

Debreczeny notes (2103: 240) that:

“Situ rarely expresses his feelings in his diaries as in this passage, and seldom were such plain feelings about sectarian fighting discussed in Tibetan sources. Based on the context of this passage, it would appear that Nazangpa is probably a Mongol prince with militant Geluk ties who invaded the area, as there were many such incursions by combined forces of Mongol and Tibetan Geluk partisans that forcibly converted, harassed, or destroyed local Kagyü institutions, as reflected in contemporary local gazetteers such as the one from Balung (the Weixi Travel Record written in 1769) quoted above and the Muli Chönjung.

The monks (bendé) of Gyeltang Kagyü monastic institutions and the local lay communities (kyé) banded together to defend themselves against the armies of Nazangpa, both of which fielded soldiers in this shameful display of violent sectarianism. Situ’s biography makes it clear that soldiers of the monastic communities are involved here, and it is the “monastic assemblies that wage civil war against [other] monastic communities” that especially sadden and depressed Situ:

“Ruffians of Nazangpa, etc., and soldiers of the monastic community bearing weapons etc, who appeared, having gone on the offensive were overcome/beaten back. Situ became sad and depressed thinking that the teachings of the Victorious One (Buddha) will never remain, as soon as he encountered those possessing the actions which turn away the faithful, [such as] the transgressions of a large force which wield weapons such as rifles, monastic assemblies which wage war against [other] monastic communities.”

Throughout 8th Tai Situ tried to maintain a Buddhist equanimity and succeeded in maintaining a calm deportment, resisting temptation to respond through harmful or violent rituals, but he still confessed being deeply saddened in the end.”

The White Tārā ‘protection from fear of enemy armies’ paintings by 8th Tai Situpa and artistic legacy at Phuntsog Ling (Puji Si)

Debreczeny (2013: 241) interestingly notes how these events also affected his paintings:

“Altering well-established iconographic conventions to meet the needs of his troubled times. For instance, in this composition of “White Tārā Protectress from the Eight Fears” , a theme received from ancient India reflecting the cultural concerns of that time and place, Situ has changed the bottom left scene, replacing “Protection from Fear of Lions” with a more relevant and pervasive predator, “Protection from Fear of Enemy Armies”.

This “Fear of Enemy Armies” is not a pure invention of Situ but comes out of a larger set of sixteen fears. The long-life goddess White Tārā was of special significance to Situ, who is recorded to have painted her many times, starting a few years after this violent encounter: in 1762, 1763, 1764, 1766, 1768, 1769, 1772, and 1773.”

Thus, through art the Tai Situpa lineage not only contributed a major artistic and unique legacy (like the 10^th Karmapa) but also in relation to White Tārā, there was a “subtle protest” and resistance to the violent Mongol-Gelug military sectarianism that had overpowered and was controlling Tibet and the other main lineages that lasted for over three hundred years. That White Tārā became the source of protection for Tai Situpa and the Karma Kagyu in general, is thus both historical and spiritual and worthy of mention.

The Palpung Monastery and legacy, and their accurate and important Derge editions of the Buddha’s teachings in Tibetan (the Kangyur) also led to the karmic consequences of Palpung becoming one of the main and most important sites of the maintenance and preservation of the Karma Kagyu in Tibet.

For my own research e-book, which includes information on the 8th Tai Situpa and Karma Kagyu in Yunnan, China during the decimation of Karma Kagyu buildings and texts in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, see here.

Je Tārānatha’s lineage and descriptions of Tārā

The great Jonang and Shangpa Kagyu master, Je Tāranātha (whom the 8th Tai Situpa admired and revered greatly, and who he is considered to be an emanation of) explains the different White Tārā traditions in his important Ocean of Yidam Deities[vi] collection and  that the Tārā of the Atisha tradition of the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel/Chakra has seven eyes, whereas others have only three or two eyes[vii].  So, the Atisha tradition depicts White Tārā with seven wisdom eyes. It would be fair to say that the Gelugpas who suppressed and tried to destroy the Jonang tradition in Tibet, with the Mongolian army invaders, took many of their practices from the Ocean of Yidam Deities collected by Je Tāranātha and then claimed them as their own lineage.

For my brief article on the 8th Tai Situpa, his connection with the Empty-of-Other (Shentong) view and Je Taranatha and my visit to his golden relic stupa at Sherab Ling, Himachal Pradesh, India (in 2019), see here.

Endnotes

[i]  The source text I used was published in 1990 by Palpung Sungrab Nyamso Khang and is available for free download in Tibetan from BDRC, see: Si tu chos kyi ʼbyung gnas. “sGrol dkar yid bzhin ʼkhor loʼi sgrub thabs.” gSung ʼbum chos kyi ʼbyung gnas, vol. 10, Palpung Sungrab Nyamso Khang, 1990, pp. 815–22. Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC), purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW26630_D07047.

[ii] In terms of published and available editions of the 8^th Tai Situpa’s Collected Works I was able to find three on BDRC:

• A Palpung Derge edition (dPal spungs thub bstan chos ʼkhor gling. Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC), purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW4CZ302668.
• The 1990 edition published by Palpung India. Palpung Sungrab Nyamso Khang, 1990. Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC), purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW26630.
• A 2014 edition published by Sitron (Si khron tng deb tshogs pa si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2014. Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC), purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW2PD17429.)

[iii] The only published English translation of the 8th Tai Situpa sadhana text am aware of is by Michele Martin (originally translated in 2019) and published online by Dharma E-Books. However, that translation is the sadhana text only, and does not contain any Introduction to the origin, history and lineage of the white Tārā practice passed down to the 8^th Tai Situpa, including how the Tai Situpa lineage were crucial in keeping the White Tārā lineage preserved and maintained not only Karma Kagyu, but also in Tibetan Buddhism as a whole, after the violent takeover of Tibet by the Gelug-Mongolian takeover of Tibet and suppression of the other main lineages and their texts and practices.  Martin’s translation does not contain any textual citations of her source texts or other footnotes either, including from whom and when she herself got the White Tārā empowerment and transmission (which I personally think all translators should state clearly). In any case, I plan to do a new translation of that sadhana text too, and will then compile it with this Introduction and oral commentary.

[iv] There is a downloadable pdf file of the Introductory sections of the Four-Fold Mandala Offering to Tārā (2025) by the 17^th Karmapa here.

[v] Wangchuk Dorje (1556–1603), recognised as the 9^th Karmapa received his education from Shamar Köncho Yenlak, the 5th Shamarpa, in a nomadic camp which travelled through Tibet but also passed through present day Mongolia and Bhutan. During his travels, many monasteries were founded. Wangchuk Dorje also wrote many classic Buddhist texts, many of which are still being taught today. He was not only a spiritual leader, but also a mediator in conflicts and was invited by the king of Sikkim to settle a dispute while there he founded three monasteries, one of them being in Rumtek, which is currently the most important monastery of the lineage after the Chinese occupation of Tibet. The other two are Phodong and Ralang Monastery.

[vi] Ocean of Yidam Deities by Je Tāranātha : Yi dam rgya mtsho’i sgrub thabs Rin chen ‘byung gnas. See: Rje btsun tA ra nA tha’i Gsung ‘bum,’Dzam thang, vol. 15.

[vii] Je Tārānatha writes:

“Cintāmaṇicakra-tārā in the tradition of Atīśa (Jo lugs kyi Sgrol dkar yid bzhin ‘khor lo). This is White Tārā as she is commonly known, with one face, two arms, and seven eyes, sitting in the cross-legged posture. Her name, Cintāmaṇicakra, meaning “Whish-fulfilling Wheel.”

Cintāmaṇicakra-tārā in the tradition of Bari Lotsawa (Ba ri lugs kyi Sgrol dkar yid bzhin ‘khor lo). White Tārā as before, but with two eyes only.

Cintāmaṇicakra-tārā in the tradition of Nyen Lotsawa (Gnyan lugs kyi Sgrol dkar yid bzhin ‘khor lo). She is depicted with three eyes. While she has the third eye at her forehead, she lacks the eyes in the palms of her hands and feet.

Cintāmaṇicakra-tārā in the tradition of Mahāpaṇḍita Vana-ratna (Paṇ chen nags rin lugs kyi Sgrol dkar yid bzhin ‘khor lo). This White Tārā is described in the same way as the one in Atīśa’s tradition.”

[viii] “Second only to Si tu paṇ chen in terms of the long-term cultural and social impact on ’Jang was the Tenth Karma pa, Chos dbyings rdo rje, who spent many years in Lijiang under very dramatic circumstances.16 The Tenth Karma pa took shelter in ’Jang for approximately twenty-ive years (c. 1646/7-1672) in the wake of Güüshi (Gushri) Khan’s entry into the Tibetan civil war at the behest of the Fifth Dalai Lama’s (1617–1682) regent in 1642.17 This Mongol onslaught resulted in the destruction of the entire Karma pa encampment; the Karma pa barely escaped and led to ’Jang with only his personal attendant Kun tu bzang po.” (Debreczeny 2013).

[ix] “Under the watchful and often hostile eye of the Tibetan government, the Karma pa’s seat, Mtshur phu Monastery, remained suppressed into Si tu’s time. Additionally, several prominent Bka’ brgyud leaders died young, such as the Seventh Si tu (age sixteen) in 1698 and the Eleventh Karma pa (age twenty-six) in 1702. This was followed by the sudden loss of both the Eighth Zhwa dmar and Twelfth Karma pa in 1732.27 People of Khams and neighboring regions, including ’Jang, now looked to Si tu paṇ chen as the ranking leader of the Karma bka’ brgyud and to Dpal spungs Monastery as its new center. All of the Karma bka’ brgyud temples built in the ’Jang area, which in the past had sent their monks to distant Mtshur phu Monastery in central Tibet for training, quickly became branch temples of Dpal spungs after Si tu’s successive visits.28 A history of Dpal spungs states that it had thirteen satellite temples in ’Jang, and, as we shall see, Si tu had either a direct hand in their founding or some signiicant involvement with the five most prominent of them.” (Debreczeny, 2013: 207).

[x] “As Situ approached Lijiang in 1730, he stayed in “the [former] Gyeltsap’s paternal home,” which is likely an indirect way of saying that he visited one of the homes in exile of the Tenth Karmapa.  This is because in 1660 the Karmapa had fathered a child with a local woman from Gyeltang, whom he then recognized as the Sixth Gyeltsap, Norbu Zangpo. This would also have been an opportunity for Situ to examine paintings by the Tenth Karmapa, as we know from Situ’s biography of the Karmapa that he gave the Gyeltsap’s mother paintings he had made in 1661.” (Debreczeny, 2013: 206)