His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche comments on the precious Jigten Sumgön Kabum:
The entire collected works of the founder of the Drikung Lineage, Jigten Sumgön, the Dharma King of the Triple World (1134-1217), is now available in Tibetan in a beautiful four volume hard bound set. It is a must for any Drikung Kagyu Center or Tibetan Scholar. The Collected Teachings or Kabum (‘bka ‘bum) of Jigten Sumgon are not an elaborate or flowery presentation of the Buddha Dharma. The Kabum records his personal and direct experience shared with his closest disciples. Most of Kyobpa Jigten Gönpo’s Kabum is based upon the words of his root guru, the great Kagyu master Phagmodrupa (1110–1170). Both the words of Jigten Sumgön and those of his teacher are based on the Palchen (phal chen, Avatamsaka Sutra) and Konchog Zegpa (dkon mchog brtsegs pa, Ratnakuta Sutra), both original teachings of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni. Kyobpa Jigten Gönpo’s outer teachings are called The Jewel Treasure Store. Kyobpa Jigten Gönpo’s inner profound teachings are called The Jewel Rosary.
The history of the compilation of the Kyobpa’s Kabum extends over many centuries. For three hundred years after the founding of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage the teachings remained for the most part dispersed and secret. In a history written by the 5th Dalai Lama it is said that during the first flowering of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage there were more than 180 000 disciples, but even with this large number of disciples the teachings of the Kyobpa remained so secret that the Kabum was not completely compiled. Indeed, even today the collection of teachings that we possess represents only a part of Kyobpa Jigten Gönpo’s total teachings, and we are still discovering manuscripts of his teachings in India and Nepal that are not in the Kabum. In the time of the 16th Drikung Kagyu Throne Holder, Gyalwang Kunga Rinchen (1475–1527), the first officially edited version of the outer Kyobpa Kabum was published in five volumes, with the inner profound teachings included in two volumes. It was written in gold and silver ink on black paper.
In the present collection all of Kyobpa Jigten Gönpo’s outer teachings and his inner profound teachings that are now known have been included. A total of eleven volumes of Kyobpa Jigten Sumgön’s Kabum will be published.
Gönpo’s Kabum is published by the Drikung Kagyu Institute’s Songtsen Library. The editors were myself, the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, and Drong Ngur Kalsang Chöphel.
I pray that this noble work contributes to Buddha’s teachings and benefits many sentient beings.
Complete Set (4 Hardbound Volumes) $100 USD plus Shipping
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