King of Samadhi Sutra

　　Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

　　Oral commentaries given in Rinpoche”s monastery in Boudhanath, Nepal

　　January 1993

　　Eric Schmid - Translator

　　 Sutra teachings are not always clear. That is why the studying of the Treaties or Sastras, the commentaries of the words of the Buddha written by the realized past masters, is emphasized. Even more emphasis is placed on the oral instructions of one”s guru, as in the dohas of the past realized beings. These are direct explanations on how and what to practice. The sutra is used in support to the oral instructions within the Mahamudra lineage.

　　This particular sutra, The King of Samadhi, was taught directly by the Buddha, after the great bodhisattva, Youthful Moonlight, requested this teaching. Youthful Moonlight reincarnated as Gampopa, one of the founders of the Kagyu lineage, so the teachings are continuous through to the present lineage. Gampopa gave the oral instructions on mahamudra to his students, they practiced in accordance with these instructions, their experience and their realization became perfected and the lineage continued in this way from teacher to student until today.

　　 Rangjung Dorje, the Third Karmapa, included this sutra as well as other sutras, such as the Prajnaparamita and the Abhidharma and others, in the curriculum of study, within the Kagyu monasteries.

　　 The first chapter is describing the setting in which these teachings were given, and how the bodhisattva promised he will continue to give this teaching to future generations. It starts with a question from the bodhisattva to the buddha. How to cultivate all the enlighten qualities

　　 The Buddha replies, "If a bodhisattva possesses one quality, all the negative emotions will be removed." What is this quality

　　 The King of Samadhi. The style of the teaching is to use extensive but clear words. In the last chapter (number 42 of this sutra) the Buddha answers all the three hundred or more questions.

　　 The second chapter covers the past lives of the Buddha and how he received the vast teachings. We as practitioners within the mahamudra system must place great emphasis on cultivating devotion and strong trust in our personal teacher and all the masters of the lineage as the Buddha describes in this sutra, in order to develop devotion.

　　 The Buddha explains in this chapter how he served his former masters with performing offerings and generosity and how he received the great teaching of samadhi. When we are engaged in the preliminary practices and especially the practice of Guru Yoga, these practices make it possible for the samadhi in our mind stream to be realized and strengthened. Also within the lineage chant, it makes mention that "devotion is the head of meditation, it is taught." Without strong faith and devotion it is not possible to progress in samadhi and mahamudra. In Lord Buddha”s past lives he made vast offerings and with his devotion, he was able to open himself to his teachers. He was able to realize the nature of samadhi. Anyone can make these imaginary offerings, and by offering in this way, we are able to gather the same merit as the Lord Buddha did.

　　 The third chapter is the praising of the qualities of the buddha and the practice in the training of samadhi. It is through the practice that we will achieve these same qualities as the buddha. It is important within the Kagyu tradition, in order to eliminate our own obscurations, to have strong faith and devotion with confidence in the teachings and the teachers. From the power and the truth of the teachings this will be experienced through deep trust and confidence. This teaching, the King of Samadhi Sutra, forms the background for the mahamudra practice. The depth of the overall meaning we can app…

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