SHAMBHALA DRAGON EDITIONS Tae LO res BORN The Life Story of Padmasambhava ee ae Yeshe Tsogyal Foreword by Dilgo KhyentseTHE LOTUS-BORN The Life Story of Padmasambhava Composed by Yeshe Tsogyal Revealed by Nyang Ral Nyima Oser Foreword by His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Clarification of the Life of Padmasambhava by Tsele Natsok Rangdrél Translated from the Tibetan by Erik Pema Kunsang Edited by Marcia Binder Schmidt SHAMBHALA South Asia Editions 1999Shambhala South Asia Editions Horticultural Hall yoo Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 hutp: / /swww shambbala com © 1993 by Erik Hein Schmidt All rights reserved, No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. 9 87 6 5 4 32 Printed in India Distributed by Rupa & Co., New Delhi, India. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ye-ées-mtsho-rgyal, 8th cent. [Padma bka’ than. English] The lotus-born: life story of Padmasambhava / composed by Yeshe Tsogyal; revealed by Nyang Ral Nyima Oser; foreword by His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche; clarification of the life of Padmasambhava by Tsele Natsok Rangdrél; translated from the Tibetan by Erik Pema Kunsang; edited by Marcia Binder Schmidt—ist ed. cm. Translation of mam thar zangs gling ma. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-56957-119-8 1. Padma Sambhava, ca. 717-ca. 762. 2, Lamas—China—Tibet—Biography—I 3. Priests, Buddhist—India—Biography—Early works to 1800. I. Nan-ral Ni-ma-'od-zer, 124-1192, II. Kunsang, Erik Pema. Il. Schmidt, Marcia Binder. I V. Title. BQz950.P327¥ 4713 1992 9152516 294-3'923'092—dc20 CIP (B} rly works to 1800. Eight years after I pass into nirvana, I will reappear in the country of Uddiyana bearing the name Padma- sambhava. I will become the lord of the teachings of Secret Mantra. —BuppuHa SHAKYAMUNI, from the Tantra of the Perfect Embodiment of the Unexcelled Nature