All Lamas As Padmasambhava

One early spring evening in the Water Pig year (1923), Tertön Sogyal met Guru Padmasambhava in a vision. Sometimes his visions were mixed with dream-like states, so that he had to be diligent in assessing the validity of the visions. On this occasion, he believed that Padmasambhava actually appeared to him in reality. There were a host of dakinis surrounding the Great Guru, and one of them spoke for Padmasambhava, saying, “Within the expanse of rigpa’s self-manifesting clarity, the darkness of grasping ignorantly at duality is completely abolished. The means for accomplishing this is both the Peaceful Guru and the one known as the Wildly Wrathful Guru with nine heads and eighteen arms.” Tertön Sogyal then saw five teachers—Jamyang Khyentse, Jamgön Kongtrul, Nyala Pema Dündul, Tertön Rangrik, and Dudjom Lingpa—emanate into the space before him.

The dakini continued. “If you can unite all of the lamas of the past, present, and future, together, as Padmasambhava, then the blessing will be swift. In these degenerate times, this is the method to remove all obstacles; there is no other method superior to this. While you still have an ordinary physical body, you should conduct wrathful practice to accomplish your aim. You will see that this is true. The time is ripe now!”

Matteo Pistono
Fearless in Tibet: The Life of the Mystic Terton Sogyal