25/07/2025
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๐บ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐บ
๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฆ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด.
As we bring this sacred journey to a close, may we pause in gratitude to the great master who made these profound teachings accessible to us. May his blessings continue to illuminate our path forward.
The Immaculate Life Story of the Lotus-Born Master was not merely recorded โ it was preserved, compiled, and offered to future generations by Gyalwa Dokhampa Ngawang Kunga Tenzin, the Third Khamtrul Rinpoche โ a realized master of extraordinary wisdom and immeasurable compassion.
โจ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฉ๐จ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ: Among the most prominent masters of the Drukpa Lineage, the Khamtrul Rinpoches are considered the principal architects of the Drukpa lineage in the Kham region of Eastern Tibet. Through their attainments and due to their work for the enlightenment of all beings, the successive incarnations were great masters, examples of perfect knowledge of the teachings and practices as well as the ideal of the bodhisattva. Their invaluable creative work in the preservation and spread of the Dharma greatly benefited the peace and harmony among Tibetans.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฉ๐จ๐๐ก๐, ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐จ๐ค๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ณ๐ข๐ง: The author of the work translated here, Kunga Tenzin, the Third Khamtrul Rinpoche, was born in the Iron Monkey year (1680) at Gongar Kyid, southwest of Lhasa. Prior to his birth many miraculous auspicious songs were heard. It is said that when his mother came to see the third Choegon Rinpoche, Choekyi Wangchuk, the protector Chagpa Melen appeared, took the baby from her lap and placed it on Choegon Rinpocheโs lap while saying, โThis is Karma Tenphelโs [the First KhamtrulRinpocheโs] reincarnation and you should recognize him as such!โ So, when he was only three months old, he was recognized as the Third Khamtrul Rinpoche.
He was ordained by Choegon Rinpoche and given the name Ngawang Kunga Tenzin (Lord of Speech, All Loving, Holder of the Doctrine). At the age of two, he had a vision of Guru Padmasambhava. When he was four he realized the nature of mind. As he himself wrote, โWhen I was three months old I was recognized by my root guru Khyabdak Choekyi Wangchuk, and at the age of four I realized the nature of mind, a realization that never changed even after many years of practice.โ
He completed his preliminary practices at the age of seven. Following that he received teachings from over a hundred great lamas from all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In addition to ChoegonRinpoche, some of his most important teachers were Gampopa Zangpo Dorje, Khedrup YarphelWangpo, Minling Trichen Terdak Lingpa, and Lochen Dharma Shri. For many years thereafter he most vigorously put into practice the teachings he received from his teachers. Although he practiced both mahamudra and dzogchen equally, he mostly instructed his students on mahamudra system.
Meanwhile his popularity spread widely and he attracted many disciples. At the age of thirty-two, he instructed his disciples to spread the message of the Buddhadharma, and then, in the Water Dragon year (1712), he retired to Rocky Mountain Vultureโs Cave (Dzagyal GowoKhyung P**k) in Chamdo, for a meditation retreat. On the tenth day of the Monkey month, as Kunga Tenzin meditated facing east, he saw a bank of perfect white clouds amassing before him. Amidst a bright colorful rainbow Padmasambhava appeared and greeted him with radiant warmth, saying, โChief of my devoted sons, listen to me without distraction.โ Then Padmasambhava predicted in verse all the sorrows that would befall the Tibetan people in the years to come. He then advised Kunga Tenzin that it was time to leave retreat and help other sentient beings, saying, โYou, who sleep in the Vultureโs Cave, it is time to fly within sight of open country.โ By โfly within sight of open countryโ he meant that Kunga Tenzin should propagate the Dharma for the benefit of others impartially.
Padmasambhava advised Kunga Tenzin to perform the dance festival according to that vision, together with the sadhana of Padmasambhava for the benefit of all beings. In accordance with these instructions, Kunga Tenzin composed the Great Tshechu Lama Dance festival based on the teachings from the original ta***ic text on dance, as well as the additional dance that he witnessed in his visions. Then he left his retreat, traveled all over Kham, and successfully organized over seventy great rites of accomplishment (drubchen) of Guru Padmasambhava, performing the dances on all the occasions and dedicating the merit for the welfare of all beings, removing evil influence, and establishing peace.
Between the Water Tiger and Water Mouse years (1722-1732), he made 100,000 statues of Guru Padmasambhava, carved 100,000 vajra guru mantras in rock, built 100,000 stupas, and printed 100,000 copies of prayers of Guru Padmasambhava and 100,000 copies of Guru Padmasambhavaโs life story.
His fame and honor flourished extensively and he attracted wide appreciation for his invaluable work devoted to the welfare of all beings in general but especially to the Tibetan people. Among his distinguished admirers was the Mongolian king Gushri Khan of the Jungar dynasty, who paid generous tribute to Kunga Tenzin for his outstanding contribution to the preservation and spread of the Dharma. His Holiness the Sixth Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal head of Tibet, paid similar tribute to Kunga Tenzin and presented him with a scroll testifying to his great work in reforming and unifying the different spiritual communities in Tibet. In the latter part of his life the king of Lhathok in Kham prayed that Kunga Tenzin would build his permanent monastic seat within the kingโs realm. Pal Phuntshok Choekhor Ling (Glorious and Prosperous Dharma Sanctuary) was thus founded at Karmoe Rikhuk, about three kilometers from the present site of the monastery.
Kunga Tenzin was master of painting, sculpture, astrology, physics, and medicine. In every field of the arts and sciences, his work represented a unique and outstanding achievement. It is commonly believed that such skill in just one of these arts would take a lifetime to develop. The collection of his works consists of seventeen huge volumes covering a range of subjects from mahamudra to various ritual initiations, including comprehensive teachings on basic practice and literature.
During his lifetime, he had over a thousand disciples and countless followers, among whom was the renowned Amkhar Dechen Dorje, who departed to the land of the dakinis in his own earthly body along with his entire family. The couple could often be heard arguing, but one fine morning their neighbors heard celestial music and wondered what was happening. When they went to Amkharโs house they saw mist and rainbows in the sky above the house. Amkhar himself was walking along on the clouds with his family and his dog trailing behind. This spellbinding appearance was witnessed by many of their fellow countrymen.
Dhimar Geshe Tenzin Phuntshok was another disciple considered to be the greatest master of medicine in the latter period of history, as well as being a great philosopher of all ten sciences. Another prominent student was Situ Pandit Choekyi Jungney, who received teachings on the Great Ta***ic Treasure of the Kagyu (Kagyu Ngag Dzod Chenpo) and other teachings from Kunga Tenzin, and was a great commentator of philosophy and literature. Among other students from different traditions were Surmang Rolpei Dorje, Surmang Chetsang, Sungrab Gyamtsho and Zagyud Choe Tashi, one of the Tibetโs greatest artists.
At the age of forty-nine, in the upper region of Zachu, Kunga Tenzin passed away. His last words were these:
"I WILL REST IN THE NATURE OF MIND, WITHIN THE INNER MANDALA OF PADMASAMBHAVA.
ALTHOUGH I WILL ENJOY THE PEACE OF NIRVANA, I CANNOT ABANDON SUFFERING BEINGS;
SO, EVEN IF EACH SENTIENT BEING TAKES MILLIONS OF YEARS TO BE FREED, I WILL EMANATE IN MANY INCARNATIONS FOR THEM AND FOR THE DHARMA.
I HAVE NO WISH TO CARE ONLY FOR MY OWN TRADITION OR JUST FOR THOSE WHO RESPECT ME AND ARE ATTACHED TO ME โ I WISH TO BE HELPFUL TO ALL BEINGS WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION."
- Extracted from "The Royal Seal of Mahamudra (Volume 1: A Guidebook for the Realization of Co-emergence), The Third Khamtrul Rinpoche, Ngawang Kunga Tenzin"
Translated by Gerardo Abboud
