biography | Tibetan Buddhist Altar

Introduction to the Life Story of Migyur Dorje

April 26, 2017 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is an excerpt from a teaching offered by Tulku Dawa Gyalpo at Kunzang Palyul Choling in Maryland. Future posts will continue with the teaching on the Life of Migyur Dorje.

First of all, generate this altruistic bodhicitta thinking that for the sake of all sentient beings, I am going to listen to the life story of the great Tertön Migyur Dorje. By listening to his life story, I’m going to generate confidence in the revelation teachings of Tertön Migyur Dorje. Then I’m going to put the generation and completion stages into practice, to be able to lead all sentient beings into the complete state of Vidyadharahood. For that purpose, I’m going to listen to this and generate bodhicitta.

Today’s talk is about the life story of Tertön Migyur Dorje. I came to know that Jetsunma Akhön Lhamo had this sudden experience, or some kind of thing, that made her ask me to talk about his life story. This was related to me from Gonpo and others. I heard about Tertön Migyur Dorje’s life story here and there from our late Holiness Penor Rinpoche Holiness, but I didn’t really study his life story deeply. Because I was told to talk about his life story, that became a catalyst or a condition for me to look into the life story of Tulku Migyur Dorje. I heard the life story of Tertön Migyur Dorje from our late Holiness, my own root guru, as well as from our Khenpos and tulkus. They taught me about Tulku Migyur Dorje’s story. I know their personalities very well, so I didn’t look at it in detail. Today, when Jetsunma Akhön Lhamo asked me to talk about this, then I started to look in detail. Actually it is not possible to complete this in two hours. There is an outer history, inner history and secret history. There are over 250 pages [in this book] and that is not all. There are also some others [books] that I have to look at. Here I am trying to shorten over 250 pages [to fit] within this two hours. I think maybe tonight it will take a little longer than usual.

When I looked, I enjoyed myself very much. I felt bliss after I looked at those histories. Before I start this, I would like to thank Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo so much because she made this condition for me. I am so pleased and happy to talk about it. Not just only for me; for all who follow this tradition. It’s very important. He is the head, or root, of this tradition, where it comes from, when it started, and from there, what is going on in the Palyul lineage. He is like Shakyamuni Buddha, the person who started Buddhism on this planet. Likewise, Tulku Migyur Dorje is the person who started this Palyul tradition, especially this Sky Treasure. Therefore, I’m considering myself very fortunate to have a chance to talk about it.

Before I start, I would like to describe a little about the namthar, which is a kind of liberation. thar is liberation. Nam is like aspect, if you translate it word for word. The life history of a normal person isn’t namthar. We don’t call it namthar. It is “history,” but in Tibetan we have a different word. If the life has a very deep meaning and is very beneficial, it’s called namthar. If it is just a normal person’s life story, we call logyu, a different way of saying it. In English, it is Tulku Dawa’s history or it is Tulku Migyur Dorje’s history. It’s the same. There’s no different “history.” But when we talk in the Tibetan way, there is a big difference.

Nam is the aspect, or it could also be “appearance.” Thar is liberation by looking in that person’s aspect, which means their life. Their life is their aspect, their appearance. Through looking at their aspect, or the appearance of their three doors, we can get liberation by studying their life story. For that it is very important to look at the great person’s life story so we will know what we have to do in order to follow their path. Like Shakyamuni Buddha’s life history. If I am trying to follow him, then what should I do? This is Tulku Migyur Dorje’s history, the namthar.

Biography of His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche

December 26, 2012 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is respectfully quoted from “How to Follow a Spiritual Master” as translated by the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute:

H. H. Pema Norbu Rinpoche, an emanation of Pundit Vimalamitra, was born in the twelfth Tibetan month of Water Monkey Year 1932 at Powo in Kham, Eastern Tibet. His father’s name was Sonam Gyurme and his mother Zom Kyid. At the time of his birth, sweet scented flowers miraculously bloomed in his village where no flowers usually appear in the cold and dry winter month. He was recognized as the Third Drubwang Penor Rinpoche through the prophecy of the Thupten Choekyi Dorje, the fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche.

In the upper region of sacred Powo,
At the foot of a majestic hill,
Surrounded by beautiful trees and lakes,
With large rivers flowing from the south,
To a couple bearing names, Sonam and Kyid,
A noble child will be born in the Water Monkey Year,
Possessing great qualities, he will benefit the doctrine and beings.
I the fifth Dzogchen prophesy this.

Khenpo Ngagchung, a prominent Dzogchen adept of the time, foreseeing the exceptional destiny of the new incarnation, gave him the refuge vow and empowerment of Manjushri, a sacred statue and composed a long life prayer used by thousands of his followers around the globe today. Penor Rinpoche was brought when he was five to the Palyul Monastery, the seat of his previous incarnations and was enthroned by Thupten Choekyi Dawa and Karma Thegchog Nyingpo as the incarnation of the Second Drubwang Penor Rinpoche and was the eleventh throne holder of the Palyul tradition.

Palyul Namgyal Jangchub Choeling, one of the six great Nyingma Monasteries, was established under the patronage of Lachen Jampa Phuntsog, the King of Dege and Trichen Sangye Tenpa in 1665.

Rigzin Kunsang Sherab, a prominent Dzogchen master and Terton prophesied by Guru Rinpoche became the first head of the monastery. He was a close disciple of Mahasiddha Karma Chagme and Terton Migyur Dorje, who discovered the Namcho Cycle. Both through the influence of his masters and his own inspiration, the monastery grew rapidly into one of the largest in Tibet. In the following centuries, Palyul often referred to as “the Glorious Palyul of the East”, became the famous center of ardent learning and practice under the guidance of successive throne holders. Hundreds and thousands of monks attained the rainbow body or other spiritual accomplishments from there. Penor Rinpoche was to oversee this large monastery comprising more than four hundred branch monasteries and over three hundred thousand monks and nuns.

Penor Rinpoche spent his early youth in Palyul and Dago, studying and receiving teachings from many masters including Karma Thegchog Nyingpo (the Tenth Throne holder) who prepared him to become the eleventh throne holder. When, as a small child, he was playing with a precious Vajra, he accidentally dropped it, breaking it into pieces. Fearing that his teacher would reprimand him, he quickly glued it back together with his own saliva, making the Vajra stronger than ever. On another occasion, he accidentally dropped a fragile ritual bell on the stone floor. Everybody present assumed that the bell had broken, and yet when Rinpoche picked it up, the bell was as whole and the ring more melodious.

One day when Rinpoche was a small boy, and old man who insisted that Rinpoche practice phowa on him approached him. Rinpoche innocently complied with the old man’s request. To his dismay, he realized that he had actually killed the old man. He immediately practiced again to revive the corpse that lay before him. To Rinpoche’s utter relief, the old man came back to life and said, “For heaven’s sake, why did you call me back? I was already in the pure land of Lord Amitabha.”

Another incident illustrating Rinpoche’s extraordinary power at a tender age occurred when he left his footprints permanently etched in a stone. This incident among others testifies to the karmic continuity of Rinpoche’s former practices. Penor Rinpoche also used to make intricately woven knots in a blessing cord using only his tongue.

Among his numerous masters, Penor Rinpoche benefited immensely from a very warm and close relationship he enjoyed with his master Thupten Choekyi Dawa. At the age of thirteen, he received novice ordination from him, at twenty-one full ordinations and a vast number of teachings including essential instructions and empowerments from the Nyingma tradition. Despite his old age and poor eyesight, his master said, “If I am not able to give the entire teachings, instructions and empowerments to Penor Rinpoche, then I would not have lived my life.”

Penor Rinpoche then underwent a long-term retreat with Thupten Choekyi Dawa at Darthang. Beginning from preliminary practices to the most profound esoteric teachings of Dzogchen, he stressed every practice until naked truth was revealed to him. His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse once said,

“Penor Rinpoche is a saint who has transcended the boundary of samayas”.
Khenpo Jigme Phuntsog repeatedly applauded him as an enlightened Buddha in flesh and blood.

During an accomplishment ceremony (Drubchen), many monks saw a rainbow appear around the mandala and amrita boiled in the skull cup. While conducting the accomplishment ceremony of Magon, the ritual cake of Dakinis was seen shaking vigorously. One day while receiving Kangyur transmissions, Penor Rinpoche had a recollection of Lord Buddha seated at the bank of a river giving profound teachings to him and thousands of others.

According to Khenpo Ngagchung, Penor Rinpoche is also a manifestation of Vajrapani. Rinpoche’s recollection clearly indicates that he had sat at the feet of the Enlightened One in a previous lifetime in the form of Vajrapani.

It was a dream of every Tibetan to make a pilgrimage to Lhasa, especially to see the famous Jowo. In 1956, at the age of twenty-four, Penor Rinpoche with a large entourage began to travel to Central Tibet. There they visited numerous monasteries, ancient temples and sacred places, which revealed the sanctity and glory of Tibet’s past. He also visited His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his winter palace, the Potala and received a long life empowerment. Lhasa Monlam Chenmo was in progress and he offered tea and money to the entire assembly of monks. By then the situation in Lhasa was very tense. With a heavy heart, Penor Rinpoche returned to his monastery in Palyul.

Foreseeing the irreversibility of the Chinese occupation and the threat this would pose to the very existence of the Buddha dharma, Penor Rinpoche and three hundred others fled together to the North Eastern Frontier of India. Only thirty people reached India. Many died at the hands of the Chinese. The journey was a long and a dangerous one. Bullets would fall at Penor Rinpoche’s feet sending clouds of dust. Hand grenades would fall at his feet and when he had moved to a safer distance, they would explode. To survive, people with him would kill animals for food. Penor Rinpoche could not see innocent animals being butchered. Therefore he use to walk ahead and drive away those possible victims. He reached Pema Koe in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh with his group and in 1961, moved to South India in Mysore with approximately six hundred people.

The purpose of Rinpoche’s escape from Tibet was to keep the flame of Buddha dharma alive so that beings would not plunge into the darkness and gloom of ignorance. Keeping this in mind, Penor Rinpoche re-established the great Palyul Monastery, Thegchog Namdrol Shedrup Dargyeling in Bylakuppe, Mysore. Rinpoche had at his disposal only a paltry sum of three hundred rupees to rebuild his entire life and that of his monastery. Rinpoche had, however, insurmountable hidden resources – his enormous courage and determination.

People around him did not see the vision that he had and therefore insisted he reduce the size of his planned monastery. At that time, there were only a handful of monks. When later monks by the hundreds crammed into the monastery and found no place to sit, one can only wonder at the foresight that Penor Rinpoche had three decades ago. Few masters of Penor Rinpoche’s status would have undergone the hardships that he went through. In the hot scorching sun, he would carry bricks and sands and would work the cement, his hand bleeding and full of sores. Lack of water and motor roads made the construction even more difficult. Penor Rinpoche had to fetch water from the river that runs by the side of the monastery.

At times during the working day, he and his monks did not mind mixing dirty river water with tsampa. In the early days of settlement, he lived in a tent making Tibetan tea with cheap cooking oil, as he had no butter, and drinking out of a tin can. Rinpoche even cut his zen to share it with another lama. An old woman found him one day digging sewage alone in a deep trench for one of his monks staying in retreat.

One day a man arrived at the site where Rinpoche was working with the group of monks under the sun, he briskly walked up to Rinpoche and said, “I have come a long way to see Rinpoche. May I see him?” “Oh! Sure, why not?” replied Rinpoche. He then took his visitor to his humble room and asked, “Yes, what can I do for you?” The man was both surprised and embarassed. He never expected Rinpoche to be so earthy and accessible. His idea of Penor Rinpoche was different, a well dressed monk on a high luxurious throne. But Rinpoche appeared as a true gem lying on the common soil upon which he himself toiled.

Year after year, Penor Rinpoche with inexhaustible energy and commitment, trudged steadily along the path of progress, undeterred by the numerous obstacles and hardships. The energy that Penor Rinpoche invested was not spent in vain and has borne him abundant fruits. Today Namdroling monastery in Bylakuppe, with over four thousand monks and nuns can bost of being the largest Nyingma monastery in the world. Penor Rinpoche established the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute in 1978 unable to bear the sight of priceless Nyingma doctrine at stake. The NNI, which is now a renowned center for advanced Buddhist education and research studies, has become a special pride for Penor Rinpoche.

Namdroling monastery also hosts a retreat center where several dozen undergo intensive three-year retreats. Penor Rinpoche personally instructs them on the Dzogchen Longchen Nyingthig cycle and Namcho Cycle of Terton Migyur Dorje. Every three years, a large group of Vajracharyas comes out of the retreat. Each year, Rinpoche also gives instructions on Ngondro, Tsalung, and Dzogchen during a month long retreat undertaken by a large number of monks, nuns and lay people. Studies are always coupled with practice and therefore Penor Rinpoche’s monastery is an ideal place for both intensive study and practice. That was Penor Rinpoche’s dream and that is what he still emphasizes today.

Over eight hundred small monks go to the primary school where they are taught basic reading and writing both in Tibetan and English. They also learn basic monastic duties and primary Buddhist teachings. Senior students from the institute teach these young monks. In 1993, Penor Rinpoche also founded Tsogyal Shedrubling Nunnery where over five hundred nuns study and practice and a home for the elderly where thirty people live and practice. These elders can be seen with their prayer wheels and malas, either sitting under the trees or circumambulating the sixteen large stupas that Penor Rinpoche built and dedicated to world peace.

The compassion of Rinpoche also extends to the local Indian people too. He has constructed many roads and bridges to benefit people. The money that he receives in the form of donations is always spent on worthy causes, such as the above named projects. While both in India and Tibet, Penor Rinpoche is also famous for making timely rain when the seasonal rainfall does not fall. The local Indians have nick named him, “The Rain Lama”.

Penor Rinpoche has given the entire Rinchen Terzoed Empowerments six times and the Nyingthig and Namcho Cycles several times more. He was the first Tibetan Master to give Rinchen Terzoed in the West. Rinpoche is looked upon by so many as having an infinite variety of skills and capacities. To his followers, especially to his beloved monks, he is more than a father, doctor, psychiatrist, therapist, healer, and teacher.

Being a peerless full-fledged monk himself, Penor Rinpoche has given ordination to thousands of monks and nuns. Apart from the teachings and empowerments he dispenses, he provides solutions to various human problems. Day in and day out, he selflessly works for the benefit of the living and dying or dead. The marvelous activities of His Holiness are expanding exponentially. During his four return visits to Tibet since 1959, he renovated the mother Palyul Monastery and its numerous branch monasteries. He further established new dharma centers in the Himalayan region as well as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. There are also centers in the USA and Europe. Rinpoche travels tirelessly throughout India, the Himalayas, South East Asia and the West bestowing teachings and empowerments to his countless disciples.

The representatives of the Nyingma Buddhists around the world unanimously appointed Rinpoche in 1993 during the Nyingma Monlam Chenmo under the Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya. He assumed responsibility and title formerly held by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

His recent visible achievements are too numerous to list fully, not to mention the full spectrum of his hidden activities for the benefit of beings, may it be his countless disciples or all sentient beings.

The below mentioned are some of his main achievements. He established among other an imposing, beautifully decorated New Temple in Bylakuppe, able to accommodate several thousand monks and nuns. The sheer majesty of this building as well as the enormous size of the three statues of the Lord Buddha, Guru Rinpoche and Buddha Amitayus, covered in gold leaf, the extensive collection of thangkas masterpiece gracing every wall, the ornate wooden carvings have prompted the numerous Indian visitors to name it the Golden Temple. However, Rinpoche insists in saying that he has not build any golden temple yet, a feat he is currently achieving with the new project of building Sando Pari — Guru Rinpoche’s Paradise — on the site of the first temple recently brought down. The current “Golden Temple” was inaugurated amidst sumptuous celebrations and many auspicious ceremonies in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and thousands of monks, nuns and invited guests on September 23rd 1999.

In New York State, in a beautiful quiet environment of the Catskills, Rinpoche founded the seat of his work in the USA, a retreat center complete with all facilities, a fully decorated Temple with statues and religious paintings where he bestows annually the whole retreat cycle of the Palyul tradition to his disciples coming from America, Europse and other Asian countries. There are rooms and outdoor accommodations for retreatants. There are also numerous students who have now offered centers to Rinpoche throughout the whole of the North American continent as well as Canada, which Rinpoche visits every year and where he bestows Teachings, Empowerments and advice to his rapidly growing number of followers.

In Mysore, he is also currently completing the building of a large hospital equipped with the latest facilities to serve the needs of a rapidly expanding community of monks, nuns, children and local people. Rinpoche finds every year extraordinary resources to provide absolutely all that is needed to accommodate, feed, cloth, educate and guide in the purest spiritual tradition all his followers and buildings are springing forth in a near uninterrupted stream to keep up with the expansion of his activities. Surrounded by over seventy tulkus whom he has recognized and enthroned, he dispenses generously whatever is needed, and well beyond to all his followers, ordained and lay people alike, upholding the purest vinaya tradition as a great unassuming Enlightened Bodhisattva.

Nectar for Faithful Disciples: From “Drops of Nectar” by Ngagyur Nyingma Institute

February 11, 2012 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The following is respectfully taken from “Drops of Nectar” by Ngagyur Nyingma Institute:

Biography of Longchen Rabjam (1308-1363)

Having acquired the enlightened intention of Dharmakaya in the expanse of exhausted phenomena,
And having seen the pure realm of Sambhogakaya in the sphere of luminosity,
He appears in Nirmanakaya form to untamed beings and benefits them through his enlightened activities.
To Longchenpa, the omniscient King of Dharma, I pay homage.

As stated in the Compendium of Sutras:
“One who possesses the wisdom that realizes the unborn nature
and the supreme quiescence of contemplation
Is a Bodhisattva who is adept in calm abiding
Thus it was prophesied by the Buddhas of the past.”

In the chronicles of Guru Padmasambhava entitled, “Sheldragma” it says;
“In the Monkey Year, my emanation will be born who is endowed with wisdom and sharp intellect. He will bless the Land of Jewels, Bumthang, guide fortunate ones and reveal treasure teachings from the lower part of the region. At that time I will be known as Drimed Ozer.”

As clearly prophesied in authentic scriptures, one of the Three Great Emanations of Manjushri in the Land of Snows, the Omniscient Kind of Dharma, Longchen Rabjam was born in Todrong village situated in the Tra valley of Yoru, middle part of U Tang province, on Saturday, 2nd March 1308 (10th day, 2nd Month, Earth Monkey Year of the Fifth Rabjung Cycle.)

His grandfather Lhasung, who lived for one hundred and five years, was a descendent of Gyalwa Choyang, one of the Seven Intelligents who were tested. His father, Lopon Tenpa Sung, was a master of the sciences and tantric practices, and his mother Dromza Sonam Gyen, was a descendent of the family of Dromton Gyalwai Jungne, the foremost disciple of Atisha.

Immediately after his birth, the Dharma protectress Namdru Remati appeared. Holding the baby in her arms, she said, “I shall protect him!” After returning the newborn back to the mother, she disappeared. From then onwards, the deity served him in various physical forms. From childhood, he naturally possessed the noble qualities of a bodhisattva such as faith, compassion and wisdom. At the age of five, he learned how to read and write. He received many esoteric teachings like, “The Eight Transmitted Precepts on the Gathering of the Sugatas” as well as other sciences.

When he was only 12, he understood the nature of samsara and felt that, like a nest of poisonous snakes, a pit of fire, and a continent of demons, he saw the world was not a safe place to live. He realized the only means of freedom from the suffering of samsara was to practice pure moral ethics, the basis of all noble qualities. Therefore, he gave up all worldly affairs and the clothing of a layperson and went to Samye, the monastery where he received the novice vows from Khenpo Samdrup Rinchen, Lopon Kunga Ozer and accurate number of sangha, who possessed both qualities of scholar and strict observer of moral discipline. After ordination, he was given the name Tshultrim Lodroe. He studied the vinaya teachings and without much difficulty, he understood it perfectly, which enabled him to teach it to others.

At nineteen, he went to the great university of Sangphu Neuthok, a popular center for advanced studies that was founded by Ngog Lekpei Sherab, the reputed Tibetan scholar of logic. There, under Lopon Tsengonpa and Ladrangpa Chopel Gyaltsen, he studied the Buddhist teachings of the Causal Vehicle including Maitreya’s Five Classes of Teachings, Dharmakirti’s Seven Treatises on Valid Cognition, the Madhyamika philosophy,Pranjnaparamita and so on. He also received the five profound sutras, which include the Samadhirajsutra (Sutra of the King of Contemplation) from Pang Lodroe Tenpa. In addition, he learned the common sciences of poetry, grammar, prosody, so forth, and mastered whatever he studied. He propitiated various deities such as Manjushri, Achala and as a sign of accomplishment; he had visions of these deities. Particularly Saraswati, the Goddess of Melody, placed him in the palm of her hand and showed him the four continents and Mt. Meru in seven days. At that time, Saraswati prophesied that he would become a great master and benefit countless beings in the future. After having this particular vision, he actualized the spiritual attainment of unobstructed intelligence, due to which he displayed fearless confidence in the ocean of scriptural teachings and reasoning. Thus, he came to be popularly known as Samye Lung Mangwa (Master from Samye who holds the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge), and the great drum of his fame resounded in all directions.

He received the Trio of the Sutra with Gathers All Intentions, Magical Net Tantra and the Mental Classes as well as the collected tantras of the Nyingmapa tradition from Lopon Zhonu Dhondrup. Karma Rangjung Dorje bestowed him the empowerment and explanation on the Six Applications, the Means to Dispel Obstacles, the Six Yoga Trainings of Naropa and the introduction to the three truth bodies. From the supreme master of the Sakya tradition, Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen, he received the entire instructions on the Lamdre Chenmo (Great path and fruit), the three visions and three tantras. Lopon Zhongyel transmitted him the Chandrakirti’s Prasanapada (Clear worded Commentary) and the Madyamakavatara (Introduction to the Middle Way). Following more than twenty spiritual masters from all the different schools of Buddhism, he mastered all the renowned tenet systems existing in Tibet.

Immensely disgusted and fed up with samsara, he resolved to live in solitude. The constant provocation by his fellow monks also added fuel to the fire thus compelling him to leave all worldly cares. On his way he had the auspicious and miraculous signs of meeting the teachings of Dzogpachenpo.

At the age of 29, he met Vidyadhara Rigdzin Kumaraza (1266-1343) in the upper part of Yartokyam valley, who took care of him with great compassion. The master always moved from place to place in order to free all his disciples from attachment to the material world never settling anywhere for long.

During the spring and summer of that year, Longchenpa wandered nine times from one deserted valley to the next due to which he faced many hardships surviving on three measures of flour and twenty-one mercury pills for two months. In the bitter cold of snowy winter, he lived on a sack garment, which served him as both a robe and a bed. He endured such inconceivable austerity for the sake of dharma, following the example of Milarepa.

After serving his root master with the three kinds of delight, his master conferred him all the transmissions and esoteric instructions on the three classes of Dzogchen together with the rites of the protectress. Hereby he was appointed as the lineage holder of the teachings.

At 32, when he gave the Nyingthig (Innermost Spirituality) teachings to eighteen fortunate yogis and yoginis, Ekasati, the protectress of Nyingthig appeared and served him at his command. At that time, Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal got into one of the yoginis and showed him the symbols, meanings and texts of the Khandro Nyingthig (Teachings of Innermost Spirituality transmitted from Guru Rinpoche) together with the entrustment seal. Thus, he is the direct recipient of the Khandro Nyingthig teachings.

As prophesied by Vimalamitra, during the renovation of the monastery of Zha in Uru, he arose in the wrathful form of Padmasambhava and pacified all the negative forces. During the consecration ceremony, he had the clear vision of Buddha Shakyamuni, Maitreya and the Sixteen Arhats. Particularly, Maitreya prophesied thus, “Your final birth will be in the pure realm of Pema Tsekpa where you will be enlightened as the Buddha Rirab Marmei Gyaltsen.”

Knowing the forthcoming conflict between the Sakya and Phagmodrubpa, Longchen Rabjam went to Bumthang. There he founded a monastery called Tharpa Ling (Palace of Liberation) with a gathering of monks. His enlightened activities enhanced the widespread propagation of Nyingma teachings in general and the Dzogchen teachings in particular.

When he returned to Lhasa and visited the image of Buddha Shakyamuni, (Jowo) light rays were emitted from the circle of hair between the eyebrows and dissolved between his eyebrows, which enabled him to recollect his former lives as a scholar at Vulture Peak and in Khotan. While expounding the vast teachings such as Bodhicitta at Lhasa and Ramoche, he subdued the pride of many learned Geshes who were there to test the level of his spiritual understanding and intellect, through his scriptural quotes and logical reasoning. In this way, he established them in ascertained faith and as a result, he was later addressed as “Kunkhyen Choeje” (All Knowing King of Dharma). Thus, his name and fame spread widely in all directions.

He had innumerable visions of the buddhas and bodhisattvas and with their encouragement and approval, he composed many treatises including Seven Great Precious Treasuries, the “Triology of Rest” and so forth, as mind treasure teachings. His works also include common study like prosody, up to the most profound Dzogchen teachings like Nyingthik Yabshi (The Four Parts of the Innermost Spirituality). Thus, his compositions totals to more than two hundred and fifty categories of teachings. All his teachings have these seven distinct qualities:

With his knowledge of orthography, his writings delight the learned ones.
Their profound meanings have the ability to liberate the fortunate ones.
They are the image of ultimate realization that will exhilarate followers.
They are like a spiritual friend who shows what to follow and what to discard.
They are the roar of the lion that surpasses all opponents.
They are the rays of the sun and moon, which illuminate the teachings of the Conquerors.
They are the pinnacle of teachings adorned with precious gems.

In short, his teachings were no different from the direct teachings of Buddha Samantabhadra. They have the unique characteristics of elucidating the correct meanings with the clear words; uncomplicated and perfectly pure that cleanses all the negativities and obscurations. With compassion, he composed works for the well being of future disciples. In particular, while composing the Seven Treasuries at Gangri Thodkar, his attendant witnessed how Longchenpa ordered Vishnu to prepare ink for writing.

Longchenpa meditated in total isolation at various places like Gangri Thodkar, Samye, Chimpu and so forth. He spent most of his later life at Gangri Thodkar. Because of his boundless compassion towards his increasing gathering of disciples, he never accepted payment for his teachings and never wasted offerings made by the faithful. Concentrating only on the welfare of others, he tolerated all misdeeds of his disciples. His enlightened activities of skillful means were unbelievable, like knowing other’s minds and so forth.

Seeing his miraculous activities and scholastic achievements, even powerful persons in Tibet like Gompa Kunrin of Drigung, Situ Jangchub Gyaltsen, Yadrog Tripon and many others honored him like their precious crown yet had neither pride nor expectations of reward. He particularly loved the poor, sick and humble and he would joyfully accept their invitation as well as their frugal offerings without any arrogance. No matter how poor the food served to him was, he would eat it as if it were a great treat. He would then recite the sutras and the dedicational prayers with enthusiasm.

Ever ready to sacrifice his life and body for the welfare of others he was trained in the ocean-like conduct of the bodhisattvas. After accomplishing limitless benevolent deeds for his disciples, he intended to demonstrate his final enlightened activity. So at the age of 56, in the year 1363 (Water Hare Year, Six Rabjung Cycle), he went to the charnel ground in the Chimpu forest and said to Gyalse Zoepa, “Having understood the nature of samsara from the beginning, as there is no essence in the worldly things, I will discard this illusory body of impermanence, so, listen to this esoteric instruction which is of sole benefit.”

On the eighteenth of that month, leaving behind his last will, he relaxed in the sphere of the primordial nature, in the posture of Dharmakaya. The earth trembled at the time and countless miracles occurred. When his mind entered the state of the Dharmakaya, even the four seasons lost their fixed order. After his cremation, to indicate his attainment of enlightened body, speech and mind, his heart, tongue and eyes remained intact and fell into the laps of fortunate disciples.

Longchen Rabjam’s main disciples, who experienced the nectar of his enlightened speech, were the three learned and accomplished ones Deleg Gyamtso and others, the five sons of his enlightened mind were Gyalse Zoepa and so forth, his four spiritual friends included Tulku Paljor Gyamtso.