H.E. Tarig Rinpoche
Tarig Sangngag Choedzong was a very old monastery in the Kham province of Tibet.
In 1941. H.E. the reincarnated Tarig Rinpoche made great effort to improve and renovate the monastery for the larger benefit of the local inhabitants and other fellow Sangha members.
However by 1959 due to the forcible occupation of Tibet by the communist Chinese, we had to leave our motherland and escape to an alien land. On our way to Nepal, we reached at Mustang without any trouble and finally we safely reached Kathmandu.
In 1969 although we were planning to build a monastery, we could not materialize because of an acute shortage of funds. By 1987, the overall condition was a little improved and they were in a position to construct Jowo Lhakhang (prayer hall).
A brief history of H.E. Trarig Rinpoche:
Just before Rinpoche’s birth, there occurred many auspicious omens. There was a strong feeling in the family, relatives and the people, around them that the baby would be a reincarnation of a holy being. Some of the special signs worth considering auspicious were:
1. Rinpoche’s mother once dreamed about building one statue of a 1000 armed Avaloketeshvara Bodhisattva. When she was completely able to build that one, suddenly she was awakened up from sleep. That day without any physical pain, Rinpoche was born.
2. Rinpoche’s family used to live in a tent in an urban area. During wintertime, the land is extremely cold. It is freezing all the time, day and night in winter. At the time of Rinpoche’s birth, inside the house grew one flower with the color of orange, which is, called Jame; therefore Rinpoche’s child name was also called Jame. At about 4 years old, Rinpoche’s family teacher, Kunga Yonten Gyatso, who had been staying in retreat almost all his lifetime, became Rinpoche’s first teacher. He gave him his refuge vow, and the name Jigme Khetsun Drupai Wangpo.
It is a usual in Tibetan tradition (for the disciples of a high Lama who has just passed away) to find a reincarnate Lama, and they (do it by examine) several different sources. The head of school will propose the name and place to be born and the child must be someone extraordinary. When the people came to search for the reincarnation of Trarig Rinpoche, they came to test whether Rinpoche was the real incarnation or not.
For that test, they brought two hats and one of which was given to the previous Rinpoche by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and the other one is the identical but slightly smaller than the actual one. They showed these two hats to the little child. He was barely able to speak, but he took the real one.
When Rinpoche was enthroned in Trarig Monastery, many people observed rainbows of curious descriptions in the sky. Some were like traditional rainbows, some were described as “circles,” and some were like “banners hanging in the sky.” Some people also saw eight auspicious symbols inside the rainbows.
Close to Trarig Monastery, there is a hill called Burmo Takning. There is a lake, which is believed to be the symbol of high lamas of Trarig Monastery. When the previous Trarig Rinpoche passed away, the lake dried up. And the day the new Trarig Rinpoche was enthroned in Trarig Monastery, that same day people heard some kind of sound of spring water running in that area. They’re appeared some springs and then slowly filled the dry land until the lake was full again within three years.
All these occurrences are of no exaggeration or overstatement, because they were reported by honest and trustworthy persons such as Rinpoche’s parents and the people within the same area.
The name of the Sakyapa Lama who recognized the child was Jamyang Thubten Zangpo, who was Sakya Trizin’s grandfather’s brother. Most of the head of Sakyapa was a householder, Vidyadhara, but Jamyang Thubten Zangpo was a fully ordained monk. He recognized that Rinpoche was the reincarnation of the previous Trarig Rinpoche.
Until the age of twenty, Rinpoche went through fundamental education under the guidance of his tutor Kunga Nyima from whom he learned the basic education as reading, writing, grammar, performing rituals, recitation and memorization of texts. Kunga Nyima was from Trarig Monastery, and Rinpoche went back and forth between this monastery and his home. Classical text as well as philosophical training were taught in the monastery by other teachers.
Until the age of nine, Rinpoche went back and forth and, not continuously staying in the monastery. But thereafter he began to live permanently in the monastery to concentrate on his studies. Rinpoche also learned more philosophically advanced texts primarily in Trarig monastery under the tutor Jamyang Tenzin who was very educated and of sharp mind. Rinpoche learned from him most of the Mahayana philosophy such as the Prajna Paramita and the Madhyamika, Abhidharma and Vindaya as well as Nagtsi astrology, medicine and completed up to the doctorate of philosophy, the diagnosis of illness and also treatments of the sick.
Rinpoche learned the first Tantric teachings and another part of the astrology-Kartsi from Lama Kunga Yonten Gyatso.
Rinpoche’s root Guru was Jamyang Thubten Lungtok Gyaltsen, abbot of Ngor Monastery from whom he received Three Vows: Pratimoksha vows, Bodhisattva Vow and the Vajrayana or Empowerment. During this time, his Dharma name was changed into Jamyang Damcho Nyima.
After receiving the ordination from his root Guru, Rinpoche was at a stage where he had learned most of the philosophical texts, but still he continued his studies. Rinpoche also sat for three years retreat. Within these three years, Rinpoche did the retreat of Vajrapani, Butta Dramala, Hevajra, Mahavairocana, Vajrayogini, Mahakala and Vajra Killaya. From that time onward almost every year, sometimes two months, sometimes three months, and sometimes six months he sat on retreat. Whenever Rinpoche got some opportunity, he would stay on retreat.
For instance, just recently, Rinpoche spent one year in retreat to study to contemplate and meditation and also to perform a highly focused form of Dharma activity.
One of Rinpoche’s favorite saying was “All lamas must receive and preserve vow, study, contemplate and meditate and perform the teaching and lead the disciples.”
Tsechen Shedup Ling
Sakya Tarig Gonpa
P.O. Box: 4377, Baudha Nath, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 471914 Fax: 474654
E-mail: sakya@tharig.mos.com.np
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