Himalayan Art Resources

Contents: Dam Ngag Dzo (Collection of Precious Instructions)

Jamgon Kongtrul | Dam Ngag Dzo Outline | Kagyu Ngag dzo List outline | Rinchen Ter Dzo

Jamgon Kongtrul (1813-1899) was a prolific writer as well as a compiler of the works of other scholars including their works into larger compendia of contextualized material. The most famous works are called the Five Treasures:

1. The Treasure of Encyclopedic Knowledge (shes bya kun la khyab pa'i mdzod), a massive text covering all of the common and uncommon subjects of Tibetan Buddhism.
2. The Treasure of Precious Instructions (gdams ngag rin po che'i mdzod), the most important texts of eight of the principal transmission lineages of Tibetan Buddhism known as the Eight Chariots.
3. The Treasure of Kagyu Mantras (bka' brgyud sngags kyi mdzod), a collection of the most important practices of the Kagyu Tradition.
4. The Treasure of Precious Revealed Treasures (rin chen gter mdzod), the largest compiled collection of rare Nyingma Termas (Revealed Treasure teachings).
5. The Treasure of Extensive Teachings (rgya chen bka' mdzod), primarily the writings of Jamgon Kongtrul himself such as the commentaries on the Hevajra Tantra and the Khon Tradition Vajrakila, etc.



Section 1. NYINGMA - Vol. I

1. Eighteen Dzogchen empowerments from outer Category of Mind (Semde)

2. Empowerment of the guru's blessing from inner Category of Expanse (Longde)

Section 1. NYINGMA - Vol. II

3. Empowerments from Category of Direct Transmission (Men-ngak-de) - elaborate, unelaborate, very unelaborate, utterly unelaborate

4. Torma empowerment of secret cycle

5. Ekajati, Guardian of the Teachings, and seven-fold retinue


Section 2. KADAMPA - Vol. IV (no empowerments in Vol. III)

6. Sixteen Spheres (Tigle Chudrug)

7. Four Deities of Kadampa Tradition (Kadam Lhazhi)

8. White Jambhala five-deity mandala (from Drubtab Rinjung collection)

9. Kartari Mahakala (Gonpo Drigug), protector of Kadampa teachings

10. Transmission for mantra of Gonpo Drigug


Section 3. SAKYA - Vol. V

11. Hevajra (Kye Dorje) - tradition of pith instructions

Section 3. SAKYA - Vol. VI

12. Mahakala eight-deity mandala - from tradition of Vajra Pavilion tantra (Gurgon)


Section 4. KAGYU - Vol. VII

13. Chakrasamvara (Khorlo Demchog) - tradition of Dagpo Nyengyu

14. Vajrayogini in single form (Lhenchig Kyema) - tradition of Dagpo Nyengyu

15. Chakrasamvara (Khorlo Dompa) skullcup empowerment - tradition of Maitripa

16. Chakrasamvara (Khorlo Demchog) - tradition of Rechung Nyengyu

17. Vajrayogini in single form (Lhenchig Kyema) - tradition of Rechung Nyengyu

18. Chakrasamvara (Demchog Khandro Nyengyu) - tradition of Ngamdzong

Section 4. KAGYU - Vol. IX (no empowerments in Vol. VIII)

19. Torma empowerment for Five principles of Mahamudra - tradition of Drigung Kagyu

Section 4. KAGYU - Vol. X

20. Four-armed Mahakala (Chagzhipa) - tradition of Tsalpa Kagyu

21. Individual empowerments for mandala of Four-armed Mahakala - tradition of Tsal

22. Shri Devi Dhumavati (Dudsolma)


Section 5. SHANGPA - Vol. XI

23. Deities of the Five Tantras (Gyude Lha Nga)

24. Deities of the Five Tantras (Gyude Lha Nga) - samadhi empowerment

25. Chakrasamvara (Khorlo Demchog) five-deity mandala - tradition of Niguma

26. Chakrasamvara (Khorlo Demchog) five-deity mandala - samadhi empowerment

Section 5. SHANGPA - Vol. XII

27. White Khechari (Khacho Karmo)

28. Six-Armed Mahakala (Chagdrugpa)

29. Six-Armed Mahakala (Chagdrugpa) - "sealed with life force"

30. Kshetrapala


Section 6. PACIFICATION (ZHIJE) - Vol. XIII

Earlier Line of transmission

31. Three forms of Tara - tradition of Kashmir

32. Three deities: Middle Line of transmission

33. Mahamudra empowerment - tradition of Ma

34. Prajnaparamita - tradition of Kamtsang

35. Sage's Instruction on Path of Seeing - empowerment into nonconceptual state

36. Blessing of Final Path Beyond Effort

Later Line of transmission

37. Scripture Empowerment of Five Paths - tradition of Dampa Kunga

38. Twelve Sugatas

39. Aghora (protective deity)

40. Kunturika and Norbu Zangpo


Section 6. PACIFICATION (ZHIJE) - Vol. XIV

41. Severance (Cho) - tradition of Tangtong Gyalpo

42. Severance (Cho) "Opening the Doorway to Space" - tradition of Zurmang Kagyu


Section 7. SIX TECHNIQUES OF UNION (JORDRUG) - Vol. XV

43. Kalachakra (Dukyi Khorlo) nine-deity mandala

44. Kalachakra (Dukyi Khorlo) in single form

45. Vajravega (Dorje Shug), protective deity


Section 8. THREE VAJRAS OF APPROACH AND ACCOMPLISHMENT (DORJE SUMGYI NYENDRUB) vol. XVI

46. Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig)

47. Manjushri (Jampalyang)

48. Vajrapani (Chagna Dorje)

49. Amitayus (Tsepagme)

50. Tara Who Frees from the Eight Kinds of Fear (Jigpa Gyekyop)

51. Arya Jambhala

52. Dragla Gonpo (protective deity)

53. Six-Syllable Mantra Meditation - tradition of Tangtong Gyalpo

54. Ushnishavijaya (Tsugtor Namgyalma) nine-deity mandala