BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE GREAT MAHASIDDHA

The first Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche was born as Norbu Sangpo, who after perfecting the mastery of the sacred Sutras and Tantras became known as Do-Ngag Norbu (The precious Gem of Sutra and Tantra).  The second incarnation was Arjo Tulku who carried on the deep dedication and devotion left behind by his predecessor.

The third incarnation was born to Nagchu Nubchung and Tsering Dolma in Central Tibet on the 12th day of the fourth month of the Tibetan Calendar 2038 corresponding to the year 1911 AD On an otherwise ordinary day various auspicious signs like a rainbow in the clear sky was witnessed on the day of his birth.  As a five-year-old, he was recognized as the incarnation of the famous Do-Ngag Norbu Rinpoche by none other than His Holiness the 15th Gyalwa Karmapa and ordained as Karma Tseyang Dupe Rigzin.  At 12, he was enrolled at the Tol-Goshar monastic centre under the tutelage of the Venerable Ugyen Sonam whose root teacher was the great 15th karmapa himself.  In a remarkably short span of five years Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche mastered the complete works of the Sutra and Tantra.  At the same time he received complete instructions on Zogchen (Ngying-thik-kor-sum) and other sacred teachings.

From the age of 17, he undertook several years of strict meditation devoid of any human company refusing even to change his clothes in the process.   In the meanwhile his mother expired and although Rinpoche was not informed of the demise, he foresaw the event and respectfully observed the necessary rituals under the circumstances.  While still at retreat he announced the birth of Shangpa Rinpoche at Tso-so-nga (five districts) to his attendant.  A month later as foretold earlier, Do-Tso, the mother of the newborn Shangpa Rinpoche arrived to see the relics of the previous incarnation and to seek blessings from Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche.  But since he was in strict meditation she had to return without his blessings.  However, in his dream Rinpoche saw everything and in fact told monk Gyaltsen, in whose house the mother stayed, about the visit of Shangpa Rinpoche.  Also when Shangpa Rinpoche was seriously ill in far away Dolpo, Tulku Rinpoche while still in Tekyem had foretold about the happening.

When the people of the region heard of his exceptional powers they renewed their deep faith of his supernatural abilities.  On one occasion when on their way to Dolpo Shelkar, a holy place, Rinpoche revealed the two Tibetan letters of “Ba” and “Na” on the surface of two flat stones on the circumambulation route of “Buchung Lhatso” on the right side of the “Yungdung Phugpa” retreat he left his hand print on a boulder which can be seen to this day.  Then while passing through the region of “Phuk-sum-dor”, Rinpoche again left his footprints.  Also he once revealed a naturally originated “Hri” letter on a dark brown flat stone on the top of Shelri (Crystal peak) Dolma pass.  Such wonders are even mentioned in the tourist brochures of Dolpo Shelri.

He continued to observe long meditation in nearby caves, disturbed only on auspicious 1st, 4th and 6th months of the Tibetan calendar when he led his faithful followers to fasting and prayers, while preaching at the same time.  Due to his austerity and simplicity of material needs, the people of Dolpo regard him as the second Milarepa.  While at the Tekyem-Yungdung cave he continued to confer instructions and important initiations to the faithful.  Then at the age of 66 while preparing for a fasting retreat in eight pure stages, Rinpoche felt unwell and predicted his own departure from this earth.  As his condition deteriorated he attained Nirvana in 1977 AD (25th day of the 6th month of the Tibetan calendar 2101)

The present Tseyang Tulku Rinpoche is the fourth in succession.  He was formally recognized by H.E. Shamar Rinpoche and was given the name Karma Lungthok Tenpai Nyima.  When he was three years old, his parents brought him to Tekyem Monastery, which had by then been destroyed by the people of Dolpo.  He cried bitterly to see the destruction.  There he grew particularly fond of a piece of cloth and insisted that it belonged to him.  Later his previous life’s disciples confirmed that the cloth was used by him to cover his knees during meditation.  The young boy also insisted on being taken to a far away stupa.  Later it was discovered that the spot was the same place where the third Tseyang Tulku was cremated.  Another striking thing is that like the previous Tseyang Rinpoche, who had his right ear pierced by a shell like the great Melarapa, the present incarnation too has a natural hole in the right ear.  The formal enthronement ceremony and hair offering of Tseyang Tulku Rinpoche was made during the auspicious Kargud Monlam festival at Bodh Gaya on 25th December 1996 in the holy presence of the His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorjee and H.E. Sharmarpa Rinpoche.  Presently, he resides in Jangchup Choeling Monastery at Pokhara, Nepal where he is under going intensive religious studies.

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE GREAT MAHASIDDHA TULKU TSEYANG RINPOCHE

Here, will be presented some drops of water from the life ocean of Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche.  The name of his first reincarnation Do-Ngag Norbu or Norbu Sangpo is clearly mentioned in The Guide Book of Mount Kailash (Gang Rinpoche), and because he was perfectly mastered in all the Sutras & Tantras, by the end of his life, he became known as Do-Ngag-Norbu (The Precious Gem of Sutra & Tantra), and his fame spread all over (Tibet).  The second was Arjo Tulku.  The third, known as Tulku Tseyang, was very famous in upper (Tibet), Nagchu and Tso Sum, out of the 4 states of the Dolpo region.  He was born to father Nagchu Nubchung and mother Tsering Dolma in the year 1911 or, according to the Tibetan calendar, 2038, on the 12th day of the fourth month with various auspicious signs appearing during his birth.

When he was five years old the victorious 15th Karmapa Kha-kyab-Dorjee recognized him (as a reincarnate lama) and gave him the name Karma Tseyang Dupe Rigzin.  When he was 12 years old, he enrolled at the Tod-Goshar monastic centre, (where) he studied with Ugyen Sonam, the follower of the 15th Karmapa Kha-khyab-Dorjee, and received complete instruction on Zog-chen (Nying thik kor sum) and other teachings.  Later from the age of seventeen he practiced and meditated continuously in a cave and because of this it was difficult for his faithful followers and patrons to meet him.  From the age of 30, during a break in his own retreat and he became the leading preceptor for 15 mediators at Goshar monastery.  At the age of 35 he went to Tshurpu monastery and there he received the Amitaba Initiation from the victorious 16th Karmapa.

After returning he continued to meditate in retreat but at a certain point suddenly bad news came that Chinese soldiers were coming to Goshar monastery.  So early in the morning he collected the most important texts put them on his shoulder and left by foot through Gerchung.  He spent one night at a merchant’s house at Kyito village.  The next morning, with an attendant, he went to Kongle tser on the Tibetan-Nepalese border and there met some Tibetans who had been fighting against the Chinese and with their help he crossed border without trouble.  After his long journey he felt very tired, when suddenly on the roadside he found a horse and then continued on his way on horseback.  In the evening, he arrived at the quarters’ of Karma Dondup, son of local chief Nyima Tsering.  For all of them (of Dolpo Seldor), this was like a dream, suddenly a great sage previously so difficult to meet had come to their home, and they felt unspeakable happiness.  Later he stayed in the local Tekam-Yundrung cave at the request of senior authorities at Dolpo.  During that time also he meditated day and night and during breaks he received faithful patrons and gave instruction and important initiations.  Three times a year he led faithful students in fasting and retreat in the 1st, 4th and 6th months of the Tibetan calendar, and during breaks gave teachings.

According to the faithful students from the Dolpo Region, Tseyang Rinpoche was able in his meditation state to predict the obstacles confronting the living and the transmigration of the souls of the deceased.  For example, when the old consort of Nyichung Rinpoche was very sick, from his state of meditation he proclaimed, ‘She is not going to die for the time being’.  Because of his supernatural powers of clairvoyance, Rinpoche was able to see the condition of this woman and tell the truth.  Also during the sickness of Doctor Tsultrim’s daughter he made a similar prediction based on his clear perception.  Also on one occasion when Rinpoche, with his 3 attendants, and Lama Sechen, with three attendants, were on their way to the holy place, Dolpo Shelkar, during crossing of Dolma pass flowers rained from the sky, causing Rinpoche to pause in his meditation and say “holy places have these kinds of extraordinary qualities” and he also revealed the forms of the two Tibetan letters “Ba” and “Na” on the surface of two small flat stones.  Near “Buchung Latso” which is the circumambulation path of “Shel dobo drugda Rinpoche left” there is a handprint, and later his foot print on the big rock on the right side of his abode cave Yundrung.  Also he once revealed a naturally originated Hri letter on a dark brown flat stone which his on the top of Shel Dolma pass, which since that time has been obvious to all who see it.

The birth of Shangpa Rinpoche was seen in his dream and the next early morning he told to his attendant, Shangpa Rinpoche was born in the Tsatso Nga.  Later, after more than one month, Shangpa Rinpoches’ mother went to see the relics of the previous Shangpa Rinpoche and to meet Tulku Tseyang, carrying her baby.  One night, she stayed at the home of the monk Gyaltsen.  At that time, because Tseyang Rinpoche was in strict meditation, she couldn’t meet him and returned back.  In a dream Tseyang Tulku saw everything that happened, and the next mornig called the monk Gyaltsen and told him, “Yesterday Shangpa Rinpoche stayed in your house, he left to the east and returned to the north.”  Also when Tseyang Rinpoche was staying in Tekem, he saw in his dream that Shangpa Rinpoche was seriously ill in Dolpo, Tarab region, which he then related to a traveler, and the whole of Dolpo knew of the miraculous abilities of Rinpoche.  In the 6th Tibetan month, during preparation for conducting a Nyung-ne fasting retreat in 8 pure stages, Tulku Rinpoche felt little unwell.  So his students and patrons asked; will it not be difficult for you to stay in retreat? He replied: “For religious purposes it is necessary to face difficulties” and they all stayed in retreat.  Later he became very sick and postponed the retreat after six stages.  He interpreted different signs and indications for him to leave for another realm, and then he folded his spiritual robes, placed them on the stand and blessed them with consecration water.  “Don’t let these precious texts be wasted” - he told, and taking them in his hands put them again and again to the crown of his head.  Despite medical treatment and prayers, his condition worsened and on the 25th day of the 6th month, of the year 2101 (according to the Tibetan Calendar), or 1977 A.D, miraculous signs and rainbows filled the sky, his body became radiant, his breath seized and he remained in Samadhi for three days. This was his last activity.

One of the largest Buddhist network web site in the world.

www.buddhistview.com  827 Sherman Ave # 1 Evanston. Il, 60202. USA tsultim@buddhistview.com