Gayadhara

Gayadhara (d. 1103 CE) was an 11th century Indian Buddhist master and scholar and one of teachers who spread the Lamdre doctrine in Tibet from which he was instructed by the teacher, Virupa. He was also the teacher of the Tibetan monk, Drogmi.

He is considered to be one of the more eccentric figures in Indian Buddhist history.

Life The scholars, Rahul Sankrityayan and K. P. Jayaswal, both state that Gayadhara was born in Vaishali in the modern state of Bihar in India. The twelfth-century Tibetan writer, Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen writes that Gayadhara belonged to the Kayastha caste of scribes and the sixteenth-century writer, Khyentse Wangchuk, states that his family worked in service of a king of Candrarūpa. He is said to have first encountered Avadhuti on the banks of the Lohit River in what is now North Eastern India where Avadhuti was practising as a naked ascetic.

Second visit

Gayadhara first met Go Khukpa Lhetse in Nepal. Go Khukpa Lhetse wished to compete with his former teacher Drogmi and invite the famed Indian Buddhist master, Maitripa to Tibet. While in Nepal, Gayadhara approached Go Khukpa Lhetse and declared to him "I am Maitripa". Go Khukpa Lhetse then brought Gayadhara with him to Tibet under the false impression that he was Maitripa. From Gayadhara, Go Khukpa Lhetse received many tantric initiations and instructions. Ngor Chen states that during this second visit, Gayadhara also encountered Gö Lotsawa Zhönnu-pel and together they translated the Guhyasamāja Tantra.

Third visit All sources agree that Gayadhara's last visit to Tibet was under the invitation of Gyijo lotsāwa Dawe Öser. During this visit, Gayadhara did not adopt any pseudonym and was simply known as Gayadhara and mainly spent his time in the Western regions of Tibet. Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrup notes that together, Gayadhara and Gyijo, completed many translations and commentaries and Gyijo received the Lamdre school transmission.

Death The Zhib mo rdo tje records Gayadhara's final moments. He was sat with two disciples of Gyijo named Se and Rog in Kharak Töpu when he became aware of the fact that he would soon die. He stated:

"All my sons, you must not lack diligence in practice! Even though I only went back and forth between Tibet and India, and I have not practiced much when a mantra practitioner dies, he dies like this".

He is said to have sat in a cross-legged meditative posture and held a vajra and bell in both hands before he died.