Loden Chokse means 'supreme knowledge holder'.

When Guru Padmasambhava left the kingdom of Oddiyana, he wandered throughout the eight great cemeteries of India.  On the external level, he stayed in actual cemeteries, eating the offerings which were available there.  In ancient times, the funerary tradition was to leave a portion of food along with the bodies.  So there was usually something, although it was not exactly gourmet fare. It was actually akin to garbage and spoiled food.  He wandered throughout the eight great cemeteries, eating the available food of the dead and wearing their clothes.  While externally utilizing such materials, wandering through cemeteries, and practicing meditation, on the inner level he began to give elaborate instructions on the nine yanas to all classes of invisible beings.  In particular, he give extensive teachings on Dzogchen.  This period of Guru Loden Chokse's wandering through all the great cemeteries of India shouldn't be taken to mean that he was in this cemetery today and that one next week.  He could emanate a different emanation in all eight cemeteries at once or appear with a multitude of emanations in all of the cemeteries at the same time.

Geographically, these eight great cemeteries do not exist side by side.  It could take a few weeks or even a month to walk from one to the other.  According to the Vajrayana, they are located in eight special, secret spots which have natural power and elemental energy.  On the most secret level, these charnel grounds are where all the dakas and dakinis are always gathered, ceaselessly performing enlightened activities.  In the Vajrayana, these eight great cemeteries work together like a mystic or esoteric clock.  They are very special places where awareness is magnified and energy is naturally intensified.  According to the inner tantras, these charnel grounds do not merely exist as places in India.  Although reference is made to actual sites in India, some higher tantras state that these are not static locations but are spread throughout the world. The eight great cemeteries are the primary power spots available to help us awaken to the enlightened nature.

As well as giving teachings to all those invisible beings, Guru Loden Chokse was instructing visible beings.  In ancient India, certain people of a very low caste had the job of bringing the dead to the cemeteries and making any other relevant arrangements.  These laborers were the people Loden Chokse started teaching, so that both visible and invisible beings became his immediate students.   He also travelled to many other places such as Bodh-gaya, where Buddha Shakyamuni was enlightened.  Guru Loden Chokse went there and gave teachings.  When a crowd of people asked him where he received these teachings, he said  'I am a self-enlightened one, a fully enlightened being.'  Many could not understand this.  They asked, 'How can that be? You have to be associated with one of the lineages.  You must have a connection with the masters  Without that, how can we accept your words?'  Hearing these things, Guru Padmasambhava immediately understood, and simply waved goodbye.  This indicates that even if you are already a highly enlightened being, it is still necessary to have lineage connections.  In order to demonstrate this truth, Guru Loden Chokse proceeded to contact many great masters and receive their teachings.

On the external level, he received many different teachings  and mastered each one of them.  This period of his life demonstrates how we can follow a course of study and learn to develop step by step.  This was the demonstration of Guru Loden Chokse. Even though Guru Rinpoche was already a direct emanation of Buddha Amitabha, and a reincarnation of Buddha Shakyamuni, this completely enlightened being lived his realization in a way that would help lead other sentient beings move toward enlightenment.

The gradual aspects of the path are very important.  We can't just ignore the karmic conditioning addressed by lower systems in more gradual ways and jump to a higher level.  We must be able to follow this entire message step by step.  This teaching emphasizes that everybody should continue to develop and grow.  Such an approach makes for a stronger understanding and deeper realization.  As Guru Loden Chokse, Padmasambhava demonstrated his capacity to learn and became a master in many fields of knowledge.

In a pure land of the Dharmadhatu realm, he received all the Dzogchen teachings from Buddha Samantabhadra.  In the human world Guru Rinpoche received the Dzogchen teachings from Garab Dorje.  Loden Chokse also sought out Manjushrimitra, the foremost student of Garab Dorje, to ask for Dzogchen teachings.  Manjushrimitra answered, 'I cannot give you these teachings myself.  But go into the darkest part of the jungle. There you will find a great wisdom being known as Laygyi Wangmo, the Dakini of Deeds. You can receive Dzogchen instruction from her.'  So he went deep into the jungle, searching for the dakini who could teach him Dzogchen...

The Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava, (unpublished) by Khenpo Palden Sherab Rinpoche, translated by Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, from a teachings given at Padma Gochen Ling, Monterey, Tennessee