The new moon in early February marked the beginning of the Tibetan year of the Iron Tiger. In the Nyingma tradition of Vajrayana Buddhism, there is a day each month to celebrate the life and teachings of Guru Padmasambhava, the tantric master who came to Tibet in the 8th century and helped establish Samye, the first Buddhist monastery in the Land of Snows. The tenth of each lunar month is designated a white day when practice and a ritual feast centers on a period in the life of this great teacher. Eight of these emanations are traditionally grouped together and often individually depicted as the main subject in thangkas. The other four, though not as well known, also derive from Guru Rinpoche's biography. The order in which these emanations appear throughout the year does not reflect a chronological unfolding of events in Padmasambhava's life but is presented as a way to contemplate the manner in which the extraordinary energy of transcendent awakening is expressed amidst the conventions of human society. A text composed by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche states,
The First Month: On the Tenth Day of the month of the Hare, having renounced His kingdom, He practices austerities, yoga, and liberation in the great cremation ground of Sitavana, "the cool forest." At the time of gathering all the Matrikas and Dakinis under His power, He became known as Guru Santaraksita, "the Guru who is the guardian of peace."
So the first form indicated in the sequence is not a birth story but instead focuses on the immediacy of the young prince dropping out of courtly life, walking away from the power and pleasures of the kingdom and taking up residence in a cremation ground. Demonstrating a fierce determination to abandon all worldly ambitions marks this course of action, liberating energy and attention to initiate the yogic process of purification culminating in ego-death and full awakening to ground awareness
On the outer level, the appellation 'Santarakshita' echoes the name of Padma's enlightened cohort, the abbot of Nalanda and their work together with King Trisong Deutsen introducing Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet. The name Santarakshita is Sanskrit and may be translated as 'peace-protector'. On the inner level, this reflects an intensity of resolve to break through the social and psycho-emotional confines of worldly involvement where there is no peace or lasting contentment and to re-orient and transform body and mind in the light of dharma. According to the Padma bKa'i thang, "Now the Prince who was the best of men thought: "By assuming the throne, I will not ensure the good of human beings; they will fall in great numbers into the abyss of perdition. I will find a means of renouncing the kingdom."
Having left Oddiyana, he hastens south. Arriving in the Ganges basin, Padma dismounts and occupies a cave where he "attained the perfect state" within seven days. Then, thinking of the work ahead, he travels further east to Chilly Grove, a site not far from Bodhgaya where he will spend the next five years in the presence of a crowd of dakinis.
The emanation of Guru Sanataraksita indicates fearless renunciation, the determination to walk away from all pointless involvement and open oneself to the rawness of naked experience, to know mind and what is directly, devoid of hope, fear and pretension. This is where the path begins. Dwelling in the cremation ground of Chilly Grove opens understanding to the true nature of self and world.
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