(seminal heart) traditions had produced some of the
most creative innovations ever seen in Tibetan Bud-
dhism. But only with Klong chen pa were these
scattered and often contradictory developments sys-
tematized. Drawing upon his extensive studies of these
earlier writings, Klong chen pa detailed a cohesive set
of contemplative practices that culminate in patterns
of light and emptiness flowing effortlessly from within
the body. He presented these visions within the con-
text of wider snying thigtheories on topics including
how the buddhas emanate into the world, how the uni-
verse came into existence, and how mind emerges from
sleep into dreaming or from the moment of DEATHinto
the INTERMEDIATE STATE(bar do).
In his mid-twenties, Klong chen pa gave up the
monastery to live as an itinerant ascetic in the Tibetan
wilderness. It was during these years, probably around
1336, that he first met his main teacher, Kumararaja
(1266–1343). From this master, he received the Great
Perfection teachings according to the Vima snying thig
(Seminal Heart of Vimalamitra) tradition. This meet-
ing engendered a major shift in Klong chen pa’s
thought; for the rest of his life, his attentions would
focus on the snying thig.On the basis of Kumararaja’s
teachings, Klong chen pa composed his Bla ma yang
thig(Seminal Quintessence of the Lama), a commen-
tary to the Vima snying thig.
To further consolidate his command of the snying
thig,Klong chen pa next turned to the more recently
revealed gter ma(treasure) teachings of the Mkha’ ’gro
snying thig(Seminal Heart of the Dakinls). His author-
ity over this system was secured when a disciple, while
channeling a series of female DAKINI, recognized Klong
chen pa as the reincarnation of the Mkha’ ’gro snying
thig’s discoverer, Tshul khrims rdo rje (1291–1315/17).
Thus inspired, Klong chen pa composed his commen-
tary on the system, his Mkha’ ’gro yang thig(Seminal
Quintessence of the Dakinls). Later still, he synthesized
the two systems of the Vima snying thigand the Mkha’
’gro snying thigin his masterful Zab mo yang thig(Sem-
inal Quintessence of the Profound).
The fourteenth century was a critical time in Ti-
betan history, when the SA SKYA(SAKYA) sect’s hege-
mony (1260–1358) was toppled in a civil war. As these
events took shape, Klong chen pa came to be regarded
as an ally of the ’Bri gung sgom chen, Kun dga’ rin
chen, a major rival to the ultimately victorious new Ti-
betan leader, Tai Situ Byang chub rgyal mtshan
(1302–1364). Klong chen pa was exiled to Bhutan,
where he lived for a number of years at a monastery
he founded called Thar pa gling, near Bum thang.
While there, he fathered a daughter and a son. The lat-
ter, Sprul sku grags pa ’od zer, would become a sig-
nificant snying thigteacher in his own right. Eventually,
with the help of his lay patrons, Klong chen pa recon-
ciled with the new Tibetan king and was allowed to re-
turn to Tibet around 1360.
Klong chen pa composed many of his most famous
works while living at his hermitage atop Gang ri thod
dkar, in central Tibet. He was a prolific writer, known
for his ability to synthesize a rich array of materials and
literary styles. His foremost writings were gathered into
several collections: The Mdzod bdun(Seven Treasuries)
are his most famous works, presenting the whole of
Buddhist thought from a snying thigviewpoint; the
Ngal gso skor gsum(Resting at Ease Trilogy) and the
Rang grol skor gsum(Natural Freedom Trilogy) provide
in-depth introductions to Rdzogs chen; the Mun sel skor
gsum(Dispelling the Darkness Trilogy) are three com-
mentaries on the Guhyagarbha Tantra; and the Snying
thig ya bzhi(Seminal Quintessence in Four Parts) is a
redaction of his three snying thigcommentaries to-
gether with their predecessors, the Vima snying thig
and the Mkha’ ’gro snying thig.See also:TibetBibliography
Germano, David, and Gyatso, Janet. “Lonchenpa and the Pos-
session of the Dakins.” In Tantra in Practice,ed. David Gor-
don White. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2000.
Guenther, Herbert V., trans. and ed. Kindly Bent to Ease Us:
From the Trilogy of Finding Comfort and Ease, Ngal-gso skor-
gsum,3 vols. Berkeley, CA: Dharma, 1975.
Rinpoche, Dudjom. The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism:
Its Fundamentals and History,2 vols., tr. Gyurme Dorje and
Matthew Kapstein. Boston: Wisdom, 1991.
Thondup, Tulku. Buddha Mind: An Anthology of Longchen Rab-
jam’s Writings on Dzogpa Chenpo.Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion,
1989.JACOBP. DALTONKOANKoan(Chinese, gong’an; Korean, kongan; “case for
judgment” or “public case”) is an administrative and
legal term that was first adopted by the Chan (Korean,
So ̆n; Japanese, Zen) school in Song-dynasty ChinaKOAN