Bajracharya transmission in XIth century Chobhar:

Bharo 'Maimed Hand's main disciple Vajra-kirti, the

translator from Rwa

by Hubert Decleer

Buddhist Himalaya VOL. VI NO. I & II

1994-95

Copyright 1979 by Gakken Co. Ltd.

Of Patan-born Bharo 'Maimed Hand', especially remembered as the

founder of the Adi-nath vihara complex on Chobhar hill, a short sacred
biography was recently published in English translation. A much more
detailed, also more 'filmic', account of this Newar Master's activities
occurs in the scared biography of his foremost Tibetan disciple Vajra-
kirti, the yogin-translator from Rwa; a massive (three hundred pages)
opus ascribed to the latter's spiritual grandson Jnana-simha, also from
Rwa: The Melodious Drumsound All Pervading. Since Master Vajra-
kirti himself was born in 1016, this would make the work one of the
earliest full-length sacred biographies known in Tibetan literature;
moreover, one composed within living memory of the subject.
Unfortunately there exist some doubts about this claim. Certain
passages seem an all too likely effort to 'get even' with other Buddhist
Masters of that period. In the first place with none other than Marpa the
Translator; also with the Nyingma Master Langlab, early expert in the
Vajra-Kila tradition, and others. A seventeenth century dating is
perhaps the more likely one, if not for the entire composition-quoted by
various early authors, Taranatha among them, in 1631-at least for a
thorough 'rewriting'. It does not help that the first printed edition of the
work is from as late as 1905: in a manuscript transmission,
uncontrolled alternations are all the more easy. Nor is authenticity
served by the fact that the Life refers to certain contemporaries by titles
known to have been introduced only much later in Tibetan society.

In the present case, with regard to the Bajracharya transmission from

Bharo 'Maimed Hand' to Vajra-kirti from Rwa, the historicity of the
authorship matters less, since the other known accounts of Vajrakirti's
life corroborate this part of the story, at least in rough outline. Following
are some selected extracts from The Drumsound, about Vajra-kirti, the
Translator from Rwa, receiving the Vajrayana transmission from Bharo
'Maimed Hand', the Patan/Chobhar Bajracharya.

The life of Vajra-kirti: first journey to Nepal Early forebodings

Being also extremely outspoken and obstinate, others, even stronger
than him, could not stop him from insulting them. If he disliked them,
he would use harsh words even to great chiefs and grab a stick to beat
them up; and because of so many instances of such behavior, his
father (in line with his own family tradition of lay yoginis) had him stay
in meditational retreat. From his twelfth till his fourteenth year, he
practiced the divine approximation of Heruka the Immaculate. At that
time, physical and mental disturbances (bhuta) manifested themselves.
Whereas there were numerous signs of his having purified his faults
and obscurations, a direct vision of the deity's face did not occur. "It
must be that I have no karmic connection with this deity," he said. Then
one night, as he was asleep, four girls appeared, their light blue bodies
anointed with sesame oil, naked beneath their bone ornaments, and
they gave forth this song:
EMA! Fortunate son of excellent descent, risen now from your
purifications as one with merit endowed,

possessing faith and perseverance, insight too.

don't you stay here any longer, leave for the Valley of Nepal.
There it is that your Guru resides,
Dipamkara-shri, 'Lightbearer-Splendor' by name:
Request from him the profound instructions,
do achieved transmigrator's aim's son of excellent descent!

and with these words they rose into the sky and were gone- thus he
dreamed. As he woke up, an excellent meditative stabilization, never
experienced before, arose in his mindstream, and fighting to hold back
his tears, a strong faith and resolve were born in him. He offered many
strong aspirations for soon to meet with his Guru. The next morning he
announced to his parents:

"I'm leaving for the Nepal Valley down south, in search of

Dharma," but his father and mother replied:
"Dharma we have alright in Tibet; what need is there to travel
down south to Nepal?"
" I received a prophecy command!"
" Prophecy, prophecy, what prophecy? This is just a pretext for
not managing to stay in retreat!" they said.

Again a year had gone by when at midnight, those girls of before, this
time accompanied by a numerous entourage, actually manifested
themselves at the door of his straw hut (where he stayed, back in
retreat):
We have been your Protectors since many lifetimes. Like we told you
in the previous prophecy command, quickly leave for Nepal now. There
is Master Bharo, the one who is to bestow upon you the supreme
siddhi feat (of Buddhahood)," they told him, then amidst a rustling
sound they dispersed and disappeared. Again he approached his
parents; and this time his father said:
"This (boy) is different from our other (sons). As this is definitely a
prophecy command from the Sky-walking Dakinis, we better let him
go." So he made an end to his retreat, then made offering to the main
sacred images of the area of his retreat place. He also presented some
excellent donations to all the monks and lay yogins, together with a
prayer request for no obstacles to arise against his going south to
Nepal. His parents offered him ten ounces of gold, each of his four
brothers offered him a further one tenth of an ounce, and his neighbors
and countrymen also each sponsored him with a little gold, so that the
total amount came to about twenty-nine ounces. He looked for a travel
companion, but finding none, the (young) lama set out all by himself.
(d,
11-13= P,9-11)

Kathmandu Valley and Patan, anno 1030

There were narrow paths on the ledge of vertiginous precipices,
difficult to cross; there were large rivers absolutely terrifying; there
were dense forests full of wild animals, and high mountains, not to
mention the constant fear of robbers and bandits. All of these, stage by
stage, he crossed, till finally he was able to pay homage to the place
by name of Yerang, " The Primordial" (i. e. Patan), source of the
scared transmission, in Nepal. This valley is shaped like a lotus in
bloom, with auspicious trees delightful to behold, and it produces
wheat of different kinds. Rivers flow down with waters that possess 'the
eight qualities', there is sweetly perfumed water whirling down in
bathing tanks, and there are fine gardens with life-restoring medicinal
herbs. In green valleys covered with flowers, many herds of horses,
elephants and bulls leisurely wander about, without fear. Numerous
are the places full of wonder where The Teacher set in motion the
wheel of dharma and where he set foot; also residences of a Panditas
and Mahasiddhas, as well as cremation grounds where the Heroes
and Dakinis gather, so that this Nepal Valley is like an equivalent of the
awe-inspiring Khechari continent of the Dakinis.

The orchards with all kinds of fruit trees and the forests of santal, akaru
and other trees that surround the Valley are thick with cuckoos,
parrots, swallows and all kinds of other tiny birds whose 'melodious
speech' resounds all around. In the center of such a setting there is the
large city of Patan, with four main streets and surrounded by a wall that
has four main gates. Within there live some five hundred thousand
household, all very much alike, without distinction between big and
small. The valley has seen years of abundant harvests and the place is
teeming with numerous animals and people. The royal palace together
with the official buildings adjacent to it comprises some five hundred
different rooms with endless ornaments of most wonderful intricate
designs, inset with crystal, jade and ivory. Along the public squares, in
the traders houses embellished with marvelous (woodcarved) designs,
there is a display of many goods imported from the various regions of
the land. The townspeople are opulent, enjoy all they need, without
harming or causing damage to one another; and they express
themselves in many ways with a sense of humor and playfulness, and
love games. Many girls play the violin and the bamboo flute and
engage in song and dance. In every direction there are innumerable
sacred images and monuments dedicated to the Body, Speech and
Mind aspects of the Rare and Precious Ones. To these they present
an uninterrupted flow of offerings; in this and other ways, people treat
them with the respect. Wherever one goes, one discovers another
enchanting area; whoever one befriends, it is a joy to the mind" such is
the over-all experience.
(D, 13-
14=P, 11-13)

First meeting with Guru Bharo at Chobhar

So Vajra-kirti came walking down from the northern end of this city and
he came across a quarter of town inhabited by a large number of
weavers from whom he inquired:
" I was told there is a great Siddha living around here, Guru Bharo by
name. Where does he live?" and they told him:
"On the upper slopes of this valley, in a monastery known as Patan's
Sun Throne, the Suryasana Vihara, there he stays."

By asking everyone (along the road) about this place he continued;

then, just as he had reached the other side of the Valley's rim, on a
spot from where the monastery came into view, a large number of
Newar yogins and religious attendants of Guru Bharo came to
welcome him. At this point, in Vajra-kirti's mind, there occurred the
thought: "since I am not acquainted with anyone of them, this
welcoming party, what does it mean?" and he inquired:
" You people, who are you mistaking me for?"
All of them spoke in turn:
"There is no question of us mistaking you for someone else. This
morning, our Guru told us: "Today, a person with good karma will
arrive here, having come all the way from Tibet. All of you, go out to
welcome him,' and you have arrived indeed. Now please come up, this
way."

Next, from one rocky edge they started climbing. High above a white
boulder that looked like a sleeping elephant, there was a narrow green
valley, most inspiring, where all kinds of flowers bloomed and where
one river with many riverlets was flowing down. Birdsong was all-
pervading and the area was surrounded with dense forests. In the
center of one pure, isolated clearing stood the Guru's thatched house.
And he met the Guru, presented him with the seven silken scarves he
had brought with him as a respectful offering. The Guru spoke:
" I would've been delighted if you would've come last year. How
come you didn't arrive before?"
" The right circumstances didn't come about. Please allow me
now to request from you the profound instructions," thus he asked. The
Guru spoke:
" Alright then, let's get started! For the initiation fee, whatever
you possess, offer it!"
He offered [some of] the ounces of gold previously acquired, but
the Guru again spoke: "I you have anything more, offer it!"
Vajra-kirit took off his clothes and offered these too, only to hear
the a Guru repeat:
" Offer something more!"
"Body, speech and mind I offer, " he spoke in supplication and the
Guru was pleased with him: 'The faith of Tibet (It is a well-known fact)
is strong, knows no turning back."
He then continued, "For the performance of the empowerment,
prepare a Circle of the Multitudes (gana-chakra) ritual banquet, " and
he rendered back 'the golds'.
For a value of three ounces of gold, Vajra-kirti arranged a ritual gana-
chakra feast, and seven ounces he presented as the initiation fee while
formally requesting the instructions. He was granted the empowerment
of the Indestructible Boar Lady, Shri Vakra-Varahi, together with the
(Root) Tantra, the means of realization (sadhana), the activities and
the gana-chakra-all of these he received in their entirety. From many
other Newari panditas and realization yogins he received a large
number of teachings on the Dharma.
(D,
14-16=P, 13-15)

Encounter with a Tirthika sorcerer

Next, he went to make circumambulations at Sacred All Trees
(swayambhu) and on the side of the Path encountered one Tirthika,
Purna the Black by name, who addressed him:
" You come and be my disciple!"

to which Vajra-kirti replied:

"Who are you? And what kind of Dharma do you know?"
" I' m the Tirthankara Purna The Black. And I am a Master in the
Four Vedas' and the rest'(i. e. the sciences derived from these)."
Rwa felt an instant revulsion:
" There's no way I'll alright from a horse to ride a donkey. I have
entered the Buddha's teachings and I won't enter the gate of the
Outsiders' dharma. The other one got angry:
" You are a thickheaded adamant fool! As to which Dharma, 'Outer'
or 'Inner' is correct, let's debate it and we'll find out!"
Thereupon they entered into debate and Vajra-kirti came out
victorious. But the other one persisted:
"You may be highly learned with words. Just watch out seven days
from now!" and with these words he turned around and went away.
Vajra-kirti remained at Sacred All trees to which he offered prostration
and circumambulations. The Tirthika then started to practice the
casting of magical dagger arrows, so that five days later all manner of
strange things, supernatural inferences started to happen to Vajra-kirti.
By means of the Varahi technique he performed the Bouncing Back on
them. Yet though he shook them off, they kept on recurring like before.
Seriously annoyed, he had this though, "All these unpleasant things
keep on happening to me. The Great Guru is bound to possess some
means to Drive them Back. I should go and request it from him," and
with this thought he went up to Chobhar. The Guru spoke:
"Son, isn't there some fierce god or angry spirit (pishacha) you have
offended? Hasn't some evil Tirthika mantra been cast on you? Haven't
you broken any of your sacred pledges towards Guru or dharma? Last
night I dreamed that a golden chaitya turned upside down. I dreamed
that sun and moon fell down upon an open plain. And now, this
morning you arrive an evil omen." So Vajra-kirti told him how the
dispute with the Tirthika had come about and the Guru spoke again:
"This is no good, no good at all! This Purna The Black is the most
powerful from among three hundred Tirthikas. Many Dharma
practitioners from both India and Nepal have been eliminated by him.
In order to Throw Back this magic power of hid, you need a profound
instruction; nothing else will work. I do have this one set of profound
Throwing Back instructions centered on Ushnisha-Vajra, Lady Total
Victory of the Head crest. I'll pass them on to you."
Rwa thereupon presented the Guru with one ounce of gold, with the
request to grant him the instruction on the Ushni, complete in every
detail for the practical guidelines. To one side of his resting place, Rwa
humg up a scroll painting of Varahi, the Boar Lady. He himself entered
a large earthenware pot and closed off the opening above him with a
flat stone on which he had drawn the Throwing Back circle (or
protection). Continuously reciting the (Ushnisha) mantra, he remained
inside. At twilight there arose a howling noise like a tempest and when
he looked (through a slit between the pot and its cover) he saw an
acacia hardwood kila dagger with a headcrown of red silk attached to
it. With a sound like a storm it struck the door and shattered it to
splinters. At midnight, again that same noise arose. He looked: a
magic dagger hit the painted image and reduced the scroll to dust. At
down, noise and flying dagger arrived as before; the dagger hit the
capital of the main pillar in the house and pulverized it. Next, as the
night came to an end, no harm had come to the young lama. News
about this was passed on from one person to another, till finally it also
reached the Tirthika's ears. Out of despair, Tirthika Purna The Black
committed suicide. Vajra-kirti then had this thought, "There are bound
to be many further profound Throwing Back techniques, Generation
and Completion stage instructions and implements." and with this
thought he approached the Guru with the corresponding request. The
Guru spoke:"There's nothing else. I have given you all the instructions,
complete in every detail. Now go and practice them!"
At this point, Rwa, presented the Guru with all the remaining gold and
offered prostrations and circumambulations. Then he started his
preparations for the return to Tibet. As he arrived at the 'Bazaar of
Nepal', it happened that someone behind him repeatedly pulled (his
arm to attract attention). He turned around and noticed a girl of
extreme beauty, her body entirely covered with gold and turquoise, and
she spoke:
 "You, without the complete instructions, where are you going
like that?"
"I requested the instructions complete in every detail and
obtained them. So now I'm thinking of going (back) to Tibet, " he told
her.
"How can you cast aside the quintessence and stick to the
branches, to that which is secondary?"
"If that's the case, how am I go to about it?" he asked.
" Apart from the one you received , there is a further set of
profound instructions. Return and request it," she said and next, like a
rainbow that dissolves, she was gone.
So Vajra-Kirti returned once more and when he arrived in the
Guru's presence, the latter spoke:
"What? Back again? What's the matter now?"
He gave full account, ending with:
"As there is definitely a further set of profound instructions,
please grant them to me."
"Instructions other than the ones you already hold, there are
absolutely none! Go and ask my disciples and you'll find out!"
(D, p
16-18=P, 15-18)
Episode at the Chobhar Cave
By now, Vajra-kirti experienced some lack of confidence, and disbelief.
He had noticed that) every night, as it grew dark, his Guru would enter
a dense forest and go off from there, and this night too, as usual, he
went there. This time, however, Vajra-kirti followed him from a
distance. In the middle of a grove with birch trees abounding with
flowers, there was a cave, a deep one, containing a spring; and into
that cave the Guru now entered. Vajra-kirti too came in there and
(deep) inside the cave there hung a scroll painting of Shri Vajra-
Bhairava, the Lightning Terror, with a set of offerings laid out to in front.
Seated there was the Guru in person, his body naked but for the bone
ornaments, and engaged in mantra recitation. Right upon seeing this, a
tremendous faith was born in Vajra-kirti, 'with trebling tears' (welling
up), and joy and sorrow intermingled in him. Innumerable prostrations
he offered, presenting his request in these words:
KEY MA! Precious Guru,
Mind emanation of all the Buddhas
of the three times, protector of transmigrators, can't you see me in your
compassion?
When I'm practically handing over to the Lord Guru my lungs, heart
and stomach, for the Guru, regarding the profound instructions, thus to
deceive me, is that correct?

Without granting me this quintessential dharma, "All the instructions

are complete," you said; due to your speaking such misleading words,
in thought I am sad and depressed. These profound oral instructions
you should surely grant them to me now; otherwise this body, even
was it to die, won't bulge an inch from here!

and with such nonsensical talk he stayed put. The Guru replies:
Generally speaking, this profound path of Secret Mantra as it is
called is the very heart within the ocean of precepts;
and while it grants enlightened in this present life,
to a person with but little positive karma, it is a useless tool.
More in particular, this profound path of the Lightning Terror
Possesses techniques and potencies superior to any other Mantra;
 Though is it the ultimate in profound dharma, it can't be
experienced by a devoid of merit. In order to request precepts as
excellent as these,
atreasure, a fortune is required with presents of gold, needed too
are gana-feasts and torma-foods whereby to please the mother
dakinis,
required is selfless service whereby to please to father Guru.
Also necessary as a foundation is an unshakable faith,
needed there is perseverance, for patiently enduring hardships;
if you are able to live up to such standards, I'll grant the
instructions;
if not, you've blown every chance of me granting them.
It is not that I'm reluctant to lend out books
in this Dharma resides the life the life essence of the Dakinis.
If I release it to a fool, the precepts will come to an end and your
nearest persistence isn't very great, son of excellent descent!
and with these words he became invisible, simply dissolved.
(.....) (D
19-20=P, 18-20)

The Chobhar setting

One of the intriguing features in this account is of course the
connection between the Sun Throne vihara and the nearby cave,
since, to someone familiar with the terrain, it lends a further aura of
veracity to the story line. The Bonn based scholar Pema Tsering, in an
early travelogue to Nepal, Tibet and China, has this to say about "the
practice place of Rwa Lotsawa":
" It is a meditation cave, by the Tibetan name of "the Asura Rock
Cave" and in Nepali known as "Gorak (s) ha-natha-ko Otara", where
Vajra-kirti, the Translator from Rwa, in accordance with the teachings
of them Nepali yogin Bharo, gained realization in the Vajra-Bhairava.
The spot where he gained realization is known as a pilgrimage spot;
the cave itself that penetrates very deep into the cliff, can not be visited
for safety reasons." To substantiate that claim, he quotes the
Drumsound:
" In the biography of [Vajra-kirti,] the Translator from Rwa, it is
stated as follows:" As one time, Bodhi-vajra from Langlab, a realized
yogin in the Vajra-kirti practice, and Vajra-kirti, the translator from Rwa,
entered into a contest [in miraculous powers]. As the latter was
defeated, he traveled to Nepal, in accordance with a prophecy from
Tara, in order to meet Mater Bharo and to learn new magic abilities
from him. After his meeting with Guru Bharo in Patan, he practice
these teachings in closed meditation retreat, a the Asura rock cave as
well as at Yang-le-sho and realized there the Yamantaka;"
One gains the impression that this must have been a flying, visit. In a
previous entry, the author correctly identifies the "Yang-le-sho practice
cave" as located at Shesha Narayana, and as the spot where Guru
Rinpoche practiced for three years [the Immaculate Heruka and] the
Vajra-kila. There was probably no time for the fifteen minute walk to
the actual Asura Rock Cave overlooking Pharpahing, which is indeed a
well-known pilgrimage spot, locally referred to as the Cave (otar) of
Gorakhnath; the stone-cut mandala of his footprints, on an altarlike
pedestal in front of the cave, is clearly framed by the emblems
associated with him. By contrast, the cave associated with Vajra-kirti
and that "penetrates very deep into the cliff" is at a considerable
distance from there, and located in the Chobhar gorge. Equally hurried
must have been the traveler's leafing through the Drumsound
biography of Vajra-kirti, since he associated the cave with the latter's
second visit to Nepal, ignoring that a previous encounter with Guru
Bharo and already taken place (as in the long extract here translated).
In the course of his second stay in Nepal, Vajra-kirti visits and
practices at fifteen different locations in Kathmandu Valley
(Drumsound, p 55-59), Yang-le-sho and the Asura Cave being just two
of them. The cave associated with Bharo's secret practice is definitely
the "very deep" one of the Chobhar gorge, but which possesses
several other entrances as well. The first, more systematically attempt
at a disentanglement of the question seems to be in the modern
Tibetan guide by Rinchen Darlo, Music of Amazing Tales, who
proposes the following elucidation:

The practice cave of the Siddha Gauraksha, Guru Bharo and the Great
Translator from Rwa
At a sport very near to lake Sword (mtshoral gri, = Taudha), to the west
of an angular ravine region, there are numerous caves, one of which is
known to be the one of Siddha Gauraksha, another one is associated
with the disciples of this Maha-siddha, and two further ones are stated
to have belonged to the great Guru Bharo and to the great Ra-Lo
[vajra-kirti] respectively. Yet, as I did not find any historical data by
means of which to attribute a specific [cave]to each of them, I am
unable to write about them here. To the rear of these practice caves
there are extremely long tunnels through which one may eventually
reach the ocean. Within, there aren't any scared images whatsover or
other items (associated with the presence of those yogins). According
to some, this is definitely the practice cave of Guru Bharopa the Great.
Also, on the outside, there is wall support built of baked bricks [like an
outer room], behind which there is another tunnel that leads up to the
Avalokiteshvara temple located in the town of Chobhar and through
where one may descend. As for the famous vihara known as Patan's
Sun Throne, it is located in the region of Chobhar, but at present there
seems to be no more trace of it, so that it is impossible to visit it. This
"Patan's Sun Throne' vihara is the one which the Newars [used to]
refer to as the "Suryasan Vihara". Let us now examine this location in
the light of recent exploration.

The Chakra-Tirtha and Parahamsa caves

Rinchen Darlo has the location right: the cave group is located on
either side of the Chobhar gorge, a little upstream of the Jala-Vinayaka
temple with its naturally formed Ganesha image, and of the chain
bridge from where the steps leading down to the cave entrance on the
right bank are just barely visible. If one approaches that entrance from
the main road, along these steps constructed some distance from it,
one does indeed, through an arched porchway, reach the remains of
the brick built hermitage, next to the cave's entrance. Author Darlo was
also slightly more adventurous that the previous and his "safety
reasons". The cave system can of course be visited, and numerous
experienced 'cavers' of an impressive international variety have done
so in the recent past. It should be kept in mind, however, that the
Lightning Terror practice came into being (according to the
'Mythological Antecedents' account) as a means of taming terrifying
forces; and that, accordingly, master Bharo choose a most terrifying
place for that particular practice, 'where to learn how to counter terror'.
In this respect, the Chobhar cave complex has not changed mush
since the early eleventh century. As can be seen from the most
extensive mapping effort to date, by German spelonker Dan Gebauer
et al., the Chobhar cave system consists of two different complexes,
with most of the "Chakra-Tirtha Gupha" or Chobhar cave proper
situated below what can roughly be called there storeys ("horizons") if
the "Parahamsa Gupha" cave group with its separate entrance further
northwest. The discovery of the interconnecting tunnel between the
two classifies the entire system, with its 1,250 meters, as "the second
longest cave in Nepal". Gabauer himself, with two decades of caving
experience worldwide, admits:

"I spent three days surveying the labyrinth of Chakra-Tirtha Gupha,

but I actually lost my way there, the first time in my life, and I pray the
last time as well, as I had uncomfortable feeling for quite a while
afterwards!"

The story goes that in the early seventies, Drupthop Rinpoche from
Swayambhu took some of his younger monks for a quite outing, for
which how also foresaw some crawling fun in the caves. One young
monk went missing for one and a half day, and was found, in utter
panic, after a frantic search, involving a good number of the Chobhar
villagers. He was luckier than the man whose skeleton was discovered
at the northernmost point of the lower "horizon C"; according to the
local people probably a petty criminal who, one some two hundreds
years ago, tries there to escape detection and failed to rediscover one
of the exists.

The 'frightening' aspect of the cave is in its' intensive structure'

("boyaux") meaning that at every few meters, side tunnels are visible
right and left, above and below, and that. after reaching a dead end
and turning around, it is nearly impossible to remember, at the nest
'crossroads', which one of the dozens of identical looking tunnel
entrances one just came from. Seldom is the tunnel height more than
one meter, and often crawling has to be alternative with sliding in a
horizontal position. One might state that, perhaps, no great
supernatural feat was required when, after his dialogue with Vajra-kirti,
Master Bharo "became invisible, just dissolved." The other features
directly relevant to the account of Mater Bharo and Vajra-kirti are the
following:

a. "containing a spring"
This could be a reference to any one of several locations, either the
lowest entrance some 4 meters above the river, [where] a small spring
emerges, or the lowest part of the cave, formed by a minute active
stream, where small fish live, and which emerges four and a half
meters above the river or even one of the several small pools where
fresh water is captures [and which show traces that they] have been
artificially enlarged. In fact, the cave complex derives its name from the
first one of these, since a "Tirtha" is a scared bathing spot, at the
confluence of two rivers. The Chakra-Tirtha belongs to a secondary
set, of relatively minor importance by comparison with the main VIII or
XII 'Great of Maha-Tirthas. One the other hand, it could be one of the
small pools that would qualify as the "practice water" usually
mentioned in relation with a meditation cave.

b. "in the middle of a grove with birch trees, there was a cave"
There is no way of knowing where there was, once upon a time, a
grove of bitch trees, with the cave entrance used by Master Bharo. A
number of former entrances to Chakra-Tirtha Gupha have become
"collapsed sinkholes", "oval tubes approximately one meter in
diameter, but which become, after 5-10 meters, filled with devris,
"whereas other such sinkholes originated when a cave roof collapsed.
As for the "historical" cave entrance, the first and foremost candidate
would be Chakra-Tirtha Gupha's 'entrance 3', located closest to the
Kathmandu-Dakshinkali road and, hence, also to the Chobhar Sun
Throne Vihara. As far as spelunking goes, it was first described in
1976 by an Aystralia team, who found a ready excuse not to explore
this underground route: our first impulse of promptly entering it was
slightly modified by the discovery of several heaps of excrement. More
hardy and appropriately equipped against this rather uncommon
speleological hindrance, Dan Gebauer mapped this connection to the
large complex too and especially its access route to one of the very
few lager rooms, also containing a sculpted lingam:
"Having climbed down through the upper "entrance 3", follow the
passage marked with a dashed line to the top of the chimney. Climb
down, reverse your direction and follow the passages marked with a
dotted line. The sign marks the lingam in the "room". I remember some
rather crude structures which could be interpreted as altars. In one
(other?) room there are several 'natural' lingams, stalagmites covered
with sindhura powder by devout visitors. More important, however, and
crucial for the credibility of the account, is the mentioned "chimney":
'The presence of artificial spatial enlargements in various cave parts of
the Chakra-Tirtha Gupha is the most amazing features. These spatial
enlargements are definitely the result of human intervention, as are the
occasional remains of altars, built up from stones. Two steep corridor
stretches reveal a staircase [i. e. a vertical chimney, with hand and
footholds carved into the wall]. The steps of this staircase are covered
with a crust of flowstone, about 15 mm thick. This means that the steps
are at least four to five hundred years old, and possibly well over a
thousand years."

Bajracharya transmission
Like in a serialized novel. The reader is may be tempted to ask: but
what happened next? Did Vajra-kirti meet Guru Bharo 'Maimed Hand'
once more? Or was the rejection final? Obviously, there were further
meetings, to be dealt with in a next issue, that will include some new
data material on Patan's Sun Throne Vihara on Chobhar Hill as well.
The Drumsound may then be a rewritten scenario with some stylistic
'creative elaboration' in the dialogues and the plot. Older sources
confirm the historicity of the main outline of the Life of Vajra-kirti in his
relation with Guru Bharo. Apart from the detailed reconstruction with
the occasional embellishment or "exaggerated expression of
greatness", the account is especially truthful in the style of Buddhism
then practices in the Nepal Valley. What mattered when evaluating the
worth of a potential candidate for the Vajrayana transmission was
definitely not his ethnic origins, let alone his vihara affiliation. "Son of
excellent descent" invariably meant 'gotra' in the sense of intrinsically
'belonging to a Buddha family", as explained by Gampopa in chapter I
of his Jewel Ornament of Liberation:
"In the sentient beings there are factors which allocate them to
certain families.
This means that they live in [=belong to] the five of Buddha-families. As
Gampopa makes clear in the following paragraphs, this is not any
Tibetan sort of innovation, but base on the standards Mahayana Sutras
and on way of stating that Newar custom knows better.