Shabkar Tsodruk Rangdrol
Tib., zhabs dkar tshogs drug rang grol
Most often simply referred to as Shabkar, this 19th century Tibetan hermit (1781-1850/51) and adept
is probably as famous as he is unique for his time. Born in the province of Amdo, he underwent
training under the guidance of several Buddhist masters in his early youth, after which he
devoted himself to many years of meditation practice in solitary retreat, living as a hermit
and not much different from the way 10th and 11th century adepts such as
Milarepa have done. His name is based on Shab Karpo (zhabs dkar po), the so-called
'White footprint' (of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni) on Mt. Kailash.
Although there were many others, Shabkar's main teacher was Chögyal Ngakyi Wangpo
(chos rgyal ngag gi dbang po, 1736-1807).
Once he had mastered the highest and most esoteric practices of the Tibetan tradition,
Dzogchen as well as Chöd,
he began to wander far and wide throughout the Himalayan region; expressing his realization
in personal teachings as well as through his many written texts:
- The Flight of the Garuda (mkha' lding gshog rlabs)
- Beneficial Sun (chos bshad gzhan phan nyi ma)
- Beneficial Jewel (chos bshad gzhan phan nor bu)
- Beneficial Moon (chos bshad gzhan phan zla ba)
- The Golden Scalpel (man ngag gser gyi thur ma)
- Sublime Drumbeat of the Golden Radiance (dam chos gser 'od dam pa'i rnga sgra)
- A Drop of Amrita (bdud rtsi'i thigs pa)
- Drop of Gold: a Heart Advice (snying gtam gser gyi thig pa)
- Marvelous Emanated Scriptures (ngo mtshar sprul pa'i glegs bam), a series of texts
- Great and Wonderful Advice (ngo mtshar che ba'i zhal gdams)
- The Axe to Cut Through Taking Self and Phenomena as Real (zab lam gcod kyi ngag 'don bdag 'dzin gcod pa'i sta re), a Chöd liturgical text
- Blazing Jewel That Grants all Wishes (smon lam 'dod 'byung nor bu 'od 'bar)
- Words of Advice to Self and Others (rang gzhan gyi sems la phan pa'i gsung nye mkho kha shas)
- Songs Arisen on the Mirror of Mind (sems nyid me long gsal la mgur dbyangs gzugs brnyan gang shar)
- Heart Jewel: Teaching on the Nature of Mind (sems khrid snying gi nor bu)
- The Torch That Illuminates the Graded Path (lam rim gsal ba'i sgron me)
- Gentle Call of the Blue Cuckoo (khu byug sngon mo'i skad snyan)
- Spontaneously Arising Sun of Happiness (chos spyod smon lam rim pa bde skyid nyi ma rang 'char), a liturgical text for the daily recitation of basic Buddhist practices
- Offering-Cloud of Samantabhadra (chos bshad kun bzang mchod sprin)
- Swift Gathering of Blessings: a Prayer to the Guru (bla ma'i gsol 'debs byin rlabs myur 'jugs)
Several incarnations of Shabkar are known
1. [missing info],
2. Thekchog Tenpai Nyima (theg mchog bstan pa'i nyi ma,
3. Yeshe Tenpai Gyaltsen (ye shes bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan).
See here for an Autobiography of Shabkar