His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin is the reincarnation of Apong Tertön, fulfilling the master's wish to be reborn in the human world before passing into Nirvana. Apong Tertön (1895–1945) explicitly stated his intention to be reborn into the Khön bloodline of the Sakya family to help uphold their doctrine.
When Apong Tertön’s son visited the Sakya family in 1949, he identified the young 41st Sakya Trizin as his father's reincarnation, confirming that the Tertön had purposely chosen this birth to serve the Sakya lineage. From his extensive and extraordinary biography, the most vital point is that Apong Tertön is regarded as a high-level emanation of Vajrapani and the fierce aspect of Tara.
This sacred initiation again flows through the bloodline of His Holiness the 43rd Sakya Trizin, who is kindly offering us this special blessing of the Lord Guru Rinpoche: Padmasambhava. Amongst his many names and emanations, this initiation focuses on the primary form of Padmasambhava, Pema Jungne. The practice centres on the mantra OM AH HUM VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM and the Seven-Line Prayer. This prayer was discovered as a treasure (Terma) in the 13th century by Guru Chökyi Wangchuk (Guru Chöwang), the first Tertön to reveal it. Subsequently, these seven syllables have been found in the treasures of all 108 future Tertöns. Its power and significance are as vast as the ocean.
The Seven-Line Prayer: A Brief Explanation
The prayer begins: "Hūṃ! On the northwest border of the country of Oddiyana," where, upon the pollen heart of a lotus flower, a being attained supreme accomplishment, renowned as the "Lotus-Born." Surrounded by a retinue of Dakinis, the prayer expresses a deep desire to follow in his footsteps and requests his transformative blessings.
Inner Meaning: The Hidden Path of Liberation
Inwardly, the prayer symbolises the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) and the transformation of the practitioner’s mind. The Land symbolises freedom from the extremes of Samsara and Nirvana, while the Lotus and Pollen represent the union of primordial purity and luminous intrinsic awareness.
The Vajra Guru Mantra: Converting Emotions to Wisdom
The mantra serves to protect the practitioner and convert the conscience into higher wisdom while one is caught in the snares of worldly emotions:
• OM: White form, purifying the Buddha body.
• AH: Red energy/breath, purifying the Buddha speech.
• HUM: Blue space/mind, purifying the Buddha heart.
• VAJRA: Water/mirror-like wisdom, converting Anger.
• GURU: Earth/wisdom of equality, converting Pride.
• PADMA: Fire/discriminating wisdom, converting Desire.
• SIDDHI: Air/all-accomplishing wisdom, converting Jealousy.
• HUM: Space/Dharmadhatu wisdom, converting Ignorance.