King Dza

King Dza (Tib. རྒྱལ་པོ་ཛ་, Wyl. rgyal po dza) or Ja (Skt.) of Zahor was one of the first two human recipients of the Mahayoga teachings as well as an important figure in the transmission of Anuyoga. See The Lineage of the Tantra Class of Mahayoga for more details.

Historical Identification

King Dza has been varyingly identified with either one of the first three Indrabhutis—Indrabhuti the Great or Elder, Indrabhuti the Intermediate or Second, and Indrabhuti the Younger.

Dudjom Rinpoche writes:

Some say that King Ja was none other than Indrabhuti the Great, who had been empowered by [Buddha Shakyamuni] himself, but others maintain that he was Indrabhuti's son. Some even believe him to have been [Indrabhuti the Intermediate]. Thus, there are various dissimilar opinions; but, because ordinary persons cannot imagine the emanations of great sublime beings, perhaps they are all correct! And yet, upon examination of the chronology, we find he is described as a contemporary of master Kukkuraja. For this reason, he may well be an intermediate Indrabhuti. Moreover, the great accomplished master Kambalapada and this king are contemporary, whether or not they are in fact one and the same person. He is also the approximate contemporary of Vidyavajra, Saroruha, and Jalandharipa.

Further Reading

• Dudjom Rinpoche, The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1991), pages 458-462.