BARI LOTSAWA RINCHEN DRAG, THE 2nd SAKYA TRIZIN.(1040 - 1111).
Bari Lotsawa Rinchen Drag was born in 1040, the Iron Dragon year of the 1st Rabjung cycle, in a place called Yarmo Thang situated in the lower part of Amdo. He was of the Bari clan. From the time he was a child, the sublime Tara and other deities appeared to him. He innately possessed the view and behaviour of high-level, heroic Bodhisattvas, in that he had infinite compassion and the courage to sacrifice himself for the welfare of others.
When Bari Lotsawa Rinchen Drag grew up, he had a vision during a dream in which a girl appeared, having a blue complexion and wearing many ornaments, who predicted that if he went to Central Tibet he would be able to greatly benefit sentient beings. Thus he journeyed to Central Tibet in 1059 in the age of nineteen. Even on the journey, the sublime Tara and her two attending Bodhisattvas often appeared to give assurance. In the upper part of Ura, he took monastic vows under praceptor Kusulapa, as well as Acharya Shang Yonten Rinchen, who gave him the name Rinchen Drag. From these two masters, he received profound teachings transmitted through Jowo Je Atisha, as well as explanations of the philosophy of the middle way (Madhyamaka) and practce of the paramitas.
Later, Bari Lotsawa received most of the Kadampa teachings from the Geshe Nyarawa. As prophesied by Jowo Je, he went Nepal through Kyirong. There on the feet of Pandita Jampeyang he received Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini empowerments, and learned their methods of practice (sadhana; sgrub thabs) including the stages of completion (rdzogs rim). in the same time he studied many essential points of Sanskrit. Following this he went to India where, from the master Mahayogi, he received the blessing of Vajravarahi and the relevant practice instructions, subsequently attaining many levels of meditative absorption.
Moreover, he received thousands of different teachings, including explainations of the tantras, pith instructions, teachings on the Heap of Jewels Sutra ( Ratnakuta; dkon brtsegs) and the king of Samadhi Sutra (Samadhirja; ting nge 'dzin rgyal po'i mdo) from masters Dzetari Drale Namgyal, senior and junior Dorden, Pandita Donyo Dorje and so on. Thus he became the owner of the ocean of sutra and tantra as well as other sciences. He also saved hundreds of people by offering gold to a non-Buddhsit king who was plotting to sacriice them as part of a ransom ritual.
While in Nepal, he bought an area of land to shelter homeless and destitute Tibetans in a place called Bothang of Yambu, thus helping such Tibetans relieve the misery of their lives. Bari Lotsawa established the grand practice of offering tormas to the pretas, or hungry ghosts. He translated texts related to the practices of Amoghapasha, the Five protector, Ushnishavijaya, Vajravidarana, Chakrasamvara and The Hundred Teachings of Bari Lotsawa (ba ri brgya rtsa). For the sole purpose ogf benefitting beings, he lived in India and Nepal for nine years.
When Bari Lotsawa was sixty-three years old, Khon Konchog Gyalpo passed away. In that time, for many reasons, including Sachen Kunga Nyingpo having not yet reached maturity, Bari Lotsawa was enthroned on the seat of the Glorious Sakya. He tuned the Dharma wheel of tantra and pith instructions as well as producing many disciples who were both wise and accomplished, such as Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, Khyung Rinchen Drag and Me Lhangsher.
For eight years from 1103, the water sheep year of the 2nd Rabjung cycle, to 1110, the Iron Rabbit year of the same cycle, he carried out the duties of the main seat. In 1111, in seventy-three years of age, on the fourteenth day of the ninth month, he said to his spiritual son, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, "l am going from bliss to bliss. I have no regrets, as I have been cared for by special deities. Since you are a son of the nobility and belong to the Mahayana family, you should strive solely for the benefit of sentient beings and the teachings." After giving this inspirational advice, he passed into parinirvana.
