Palyul

The Sixth Throne Holder – Karma Gyurmed

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The Sixth Throne Holder
The Second Karma Kuchen Rinpoche,
Gyurmed Ngedon Tenzin Palzangpo
(1794 – 1851)

Karma Gyurmed was born at the foothills of Me Chu Gang in Me Shod in the thirteenth rabjung year of the Wood Tiger (1794). His birth was prophesied by Duddul Lingpa’s Terma revelation. Acting in accordance with the advice of the thirteenth Karmapa Duddul Dorje, the monks of the Palyul Monastery were able to identify the reincarnation of Karma Tashi, the First Karma Kuchen Rinpoche. After Karma Gyurmed was enthroned at Tai Situ Rinpoche’s Palpung Monastery, he started his study of Buddha Doctrine in earnest. The range of transmissions Karma Gyurmed received included those of the kama and terma of the Palyul tradition, the Kham tradition, the Longchen Nyingtig tradition, the Kathog tradition, the Dzogchen tradition, the Jigme Lingpa tradition, the Duddul Lingpa revelation, and many others. Karma Gyurmed went on to incorporate the Longchen Nyingtig’s Three Roots practice of Lama, Yidam, and Khandro into the Palyul tradition.

Similar to his root guru Karma Lhawang, Karma Gyurmed preferred to spend his time in solitary retreat. His principle Yidam in his Three Root practice was Vajrakilaya and he had frequent visions of the full assembly of all seventy-five deities of his Yidam. In one pure vision, he received a visit by Guru Rinpoche who instructed him to introduce the Mendrub Accomplishment Ceremony (the tantric ritual of making dharma medicine) into the Palyul Monastery. Karma Gyurmed also started the tradition of performing the Lama Cham of the Eight Manifestation of Guru Rinpoche, on the tenth day of each Losar, in accordance with the pure vision of Guru Chowang (1212-1270).

Karma Gyurmed’s accomplishment in the Dzogpa Chenpo enabled his disciples to heighten their insight simply by hearing his voice. He sometimes performed miraculous activities for the purpose of removing the mental defilements from sentient beings, such as reading the thoughts of their minds, and in one case left a foot print indentation in a rock by the hot spring of Tilung.

On the twelfth day of the fifth month of his fifty-eighth year, Karma Gyurmed instructed his disciples to prepare a host of offerings when he became aware of the presence of the Buddhas of the three times around him in every direction. The following day, Karma Gyurmed dissolved his mind into the pure realm of truth. His life-like body shrank to the size of mere eighteen inches in height while the sky was filled with extraordinary cloud formations and rainbows. Gyatrul Rinpoche built for his root guru a temple and a two-story Stupa of gold and copper into which the body of Karma Gyurmed, the second Karma Kuchen Rinpoche was placed.

Reference:  Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

The Fifth Throneholder – Karma Lhawang

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Karma Lhawang was the nephew of Kunzang Sherab. He exhibited signs of recognizing the true nature of mind and demonstrated adept attainment in Dharma practice since childhood. His early years were spent at his uncle’s former quarters atop the Dzong-nang Mountain where his root guru Karma Tashi transmitted to him all the teachings and essential practices of the Palyul tradition.

As the fifth Throne Holder of the Palyul lineage, Karma Lhawang had little interest in the running of the monastery. Instead he preferred to immerse himself in the pure nature practices and spend most of his time in solitary retreat. The day-to-day administrative side of the monastery was left to his disciples Ah Sam and Lama Wangchug, while Karma Dondam, a heart disciple of Karma Tashi was tasked with the maintaining of the lineage of empowerment and transmission.

Karma Lhawang exhibited many signs of pure mind accomplishment consistently throughout his life until it was time for him to depart for the pure realm.

Reference:  Pathgate Institute for Buddhist Studies

Supplication to Kyabje His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche

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The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

I wait for you. I sing for you. I place butter lamps for you! But you have not come. Guru within my heart, you are my very breath. Bless me! Come quickly so this agony will be over. Rent my flesh and bones but let me be with you. No matter petty pains. I cry out for ultimate relief – return! Return I beg you Tsawei Lama, only you bring life like the sun, moon, earth. You are my only love, dear treasure, return to me!

OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEDMA NORBU SIDDHI HUNG Return! Make your presence known!

May I know you before you arrive by the scent of your blessings. May I hurry to wash Your feet. May I provide precious oils and scented pure water by which your attendants might comfort your skin. May you drink deeply of primordial waters. And be offered celestial food. May you rest in a bed of flowers and lotus petals, be enchanted with bliss, and every imaginable jewel. May you be filled as I will never be, and always awakened as only you can. Guru above the crown of my head remain within the lotus throne of my heart.

OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEDMA SIDDHI HUNG!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

The First Karma Kuchen Rinpoche

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The Fourth Throne Holder

The First Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, Karma Tashi
(1728 – 1791)

The first Karma Kuchen was born as Karma Tashi in the twelfth rabjung year of the Earth Monkey (1728) in the town of Ahchog in Do Kham. His birth was foretold in many prophecies. He was recognized as the incarnation of the condensed essence of many Great Vidyadharas of the past. Karma Tashi himself recalled he was a manifestation of Migyur Dorje. Other revelations acknowledged him as the body emanation of Kundrol Namgyal, the speech emanation of Kathog Drimed Shing Kyong and the mind emanation of Duddul Dorje.

He became the heart disciple of Drubwang Pedma Norbu and received all the transmission and practices of Mahamudra and Dzogchen from his root guru. He was enthroned by Drubwang Pema Norbu as the fourth Throne Holder of the Palyul Lineage in the presence of the thirteenth Karmapa Duddul Dorje and the tenth Sharmpa Chodrup Gyatso. With a great vision to promote the Dharma to greater heights, he propagated strict doctrine among his disciples and established many retreat facilities within the grounds of the monastery.

Tsenltha Rabten, King of Gyarong, had been at war with China for thirteen years when Karma Tashi was invited to China. A Bonpo lama who served as the guru of King Rabten decided to use his power of black magic to unleash a massive shower of rocks upon the Chinese forces from the sky. Out of compassion for the safety of the Chinese troops, Karma Tashi offered special protection cords to the soldiers to protect them against the ill fortunes of war. As a result, not one single soldier who wore his protection cord was harmed and Tsenltha Rabten was defeated. It was an overwhelming victory for China and the Chinese Emperor Chan Lung, in a gesture of gratitude, appointed Karma Tashi as the State Guru of China.

Karma Tashi, also known as Chopal Zangpo, dissolved his mind into the pure realm of truth at the age of sixty-three. The bone relics he left behind were preserved within a bronze Stupa and placed inside the Chag-dra-khang temple of Palyul monastery.

Reference:  Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

The First Drubwang Pedma Norbu Rinpoche

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The Third Throneholder

The First Drubwang Pedma Norbu Rinpoche

(1679 – 1757)

The birth of the first Drubwang Pedma Norbu Rinpoche as an emanation of the great Pandit Vimalamitra and the Vidyadhara Terton Jatson Nyingpo was prophesied in Terton Jatson Nyingpo’s Ma-ning revelation. He was born in Chagril near the town of Ahchog in the eleventh rabjung year of the Earth Sheep (1679).

From his root guru Pema Lhundrub Gyatso, he received all the transmissions and practices belonging to the Palyul lineage. Due to his success in attaining accomplishment in all the teaching he received, he was given the title “Drubwang” which means the Powerful Lord of Accomplishment. When Drubwang Pedma Norbu performed the Lama Cham of Vajrakilaya from the Sakya tradition at the palace of Tenpa Tsering, the Dharma King of Dege, the audience was astonished to notice his feet did not appear to touch the ground. At the age of seventy-nine, the first Drubwang Pedma Norbu Rinpoche dissolved his mind into the pure sphere of truth. His body was reverently preserved inside a wooden stupa, which was assembled within the private chamber of his residence, and there he remained.

Courtesy of Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

The Second Throneholder

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The Second Throne Holder
Pedma Lhundrub Gyatso
(1660 – 1727)

Pedma Lhundrub Gyatso was born in the province of Do Kham in a place known as Seng-gang in the eleven rabjung year of the Iron Rat (1660). His birth was prophesied in Terton Duddul Lingpa’s Vajrakilaya Terma as the reincarnation of Sogpo Lhapal, one of the twenty-five disciples of Guru Rinpoche.

From the age of eight, Lhundrub Gyatso started receiving all the Nam Chö empowerments, transmissions and secret instructions from Vidyahara Migyur Dorje [who lived at Mugsang Monastery]. At age sixteen, he went to the Palyul Monastery to receive more profound instructions on personal attainment from his uncle, the Vidyadhara Kunzang Sherab. By the time he was twenty-five, he came into direct experience with the true nature of mind. Under the continued guidance of his uncle, Kunzang Sherab, who transmitted to him the Secret Oral Transmission lineage, Lhundrub Gyatso advanced his accomplishment with great enthusiastic perseverance. He took on the responsibility of transmitting the sutra and tantra at the Palyul Monastery after Kunzang Sherab dissolved his body into the pure realm of ultimate truth at the age of sixty-four. When Lhundrub Gyatso was fifty-four years old, he became the second Throne Holder of the Palyul Lineage. Under his charge, propagation of Buddha’s Doctrine flourished in all directions.

At the age of sixty-eight, on the tenth day of Saga Dawa in the year of the Fire Sheep (1727), Pema Lhundrub Gyatso entered into a state of meditative equipoise. Then his body dissolved into the sphere of clear light while loud thunder reverberated and streaks of lightning lit up the sky. During his cremation, rainbows like treasure vases and wish-granting trees appeared in the sky and the images of deities could be seen clearly in the smoke. Many precious bone relics were found in the ashes.

Reference: Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

Vidyadhara Kunzang Sherab

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The First Throne Holder
Vidhyadhara Kunzang Sherab
(1636 – 1699)

Kunzang Sherab was born in the province of Do-Kham in the region of Bubor on the eleventh rabjung year of the Fire Rat (1636 A.D.). He showed great capacity of compassion as a small child and would not cause harm to even the smallest creature under any circumstances. His connection to Dharma was so strong that he could memorize a great score of prayers at a tender age. With enthusiastic effort, he applied himself diligently in his practice and in the process actualized realization of the instruction he received and showed signs of accomplishment in his practice.

A new monastery was built by King Lhachen Jampa Phuntsog (King of Dege Kingdom) and Trichen Sangye Tanpa near the ruins of a previously existing monastery. They invited Kunzang Sherab to serve as the Head of the new Palyul Monastery and later it was named Palyul Namgyal Chanchub Chöling. Encouraged by his guru, Terton Migyur Dorje to fulfill prophecies by Guru Padmasambhava, Kunzang Sherab, at the age of thirty, assumed the position as Head of the Palyul Monastery on the eleventh rabjung year of the Wood Snake (1665 A.D.).

Through skilful means and compassion, he guided many sentient beings towards the path of Dharma and nurtured a great number of disciples who displayed signs of success in their practices. Several even attained the rainbow body.

On the fifth day of the first month of the year of Earth Rabbit (1699 A.D.), Kunzang Sherab dissolved his body into the pure realm of ultimate truth at the age of sixty-four. Although it was the coldest month of the year at the time of his passing, the weather suddenly became very warm and spring-like. Shoots sprouted and buds flowered out of season. When his disciples and monks from the monastery performed offering prayers in his honor, many experienced an extended period of clear light awareness. During the subsequent cremation ceremony, clouds of auspicious signs and rainbows filled the sky. The bone relics at the completion of the cremation included the skull embossed with the syllable AH. These relics together with the Longsal Terma of Avalokiteshvara were placed inside a Stupa erected in honor of the Great Vidhyadhara.

Reference:  Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

Kunzang Sherab’s current incarnation is Ven. Gyaltrul Rinpoche.

Genyenma Ahkön Lhamo, sister of Kunzang Sherab, while not a throne-holder, was a great practitioner, who accomplished her practice to completion. She was instrumental in helping her brother stabilize the Palyul Lineage. She was also a heart student of Terton Migyur Dorje and it is said that there were so many nuns who followed her that the hills of that region still bear the name of “Drongmar Teng” (the red knoll village). At the time of her death her entire kapala (skull) flew out of the funeral pyre and landed on the seat of the throne of Kunzang Sherab. Emblazoned in the kapala were the Tibetan symbols of the sublime original nature – and there was an “AH” at the very crown. This kapala was kept in the monastery and used during special ceremonies, like Drubchen, by the successive throne holders. It was considered one of the most sacred relics. While still in Tibet, H.H. Penor Rinpoche used to meditate on the kapala, making prayers to meet this Dakini if she were in the world today. He later found her in America. A piece of this skull relic resides at KPC, a gift of H.H. Penor Rinpoche to Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo, who His Holiness recognized, and enthroned as a Palyul Lineage holder, as the reincarnation of Genyenma Ahkön Lhamo.

Can You Find the Treasure?

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From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Today I received a gift- a metal detector. I wanted one because I’m interested particularly in meteorites. And old things. I know- geek!

I am feeling better, but not quite enough to go hunting for treasure yet. I think of the treasure we all embody, the seed of Buddhahood. Some of us don’t know to search. Some know, but don’t try. Some see a bit of view and fake that they know more. Some find the treasure.

The point being that in this “precious human rebirth” we can find the treasure. The human rebirth, as Lord Buddha taught, has the correct measure of the awareness in this realm.

Animals have such fear; their minds consumed with it, and they are less developed in the brain. Their flesh used for food, skin for leather, etc, they are victims.

The hungry ghost realm contains those filled with grasping, desire. They cannot be satisfied, therefore they cannot awaken.

Hell beings are locked in their own misery and drama. Every suffering is intense, so there is no space in the mind to awaken, or to be free of obsession.

Other realms: the god and goddess realms for jealous beings. Constant warring and competition prevent calm abiding. No space to awaken.

There are also Long Life gods and goddesses who are beautiful, replete with bliss and satisfaction. They have no reason to attain Buddhahood until their karma is exhausted. By then it is too late. There is no merit left, having carelessly spent it all, they fall to the lower realms. How sad!

Lord Buddha taught this human rebirth is the precious one. Because we have our array of faculties remarkably complete; and space in our lives and minds, humans alone can abandon samsara as we alone are capable and, hopefully, inclined to utilize the exquisite path, the method the Buddha set for us. Extraordinary! When I see the wasting of this life with gossip, endless intellectualization of what is fundamentally simple (with faith and kindness,) endless bragging and ego centered living I want to cry. To see this wasted. And the arrogance to think awakening can be accomplished by affirmation and wishes.

I know that is not the way. And I pray we can awaken from this sick narcotic dream. We can, you know. But it takes an enormous commitment; great selfless commitment. I am afraid to tell you and ashamed, too, as I am Buddhist. But those out there now, other than Vajra Masters, Throneholders, are selling you pie. Pie is good. Sweet and tasty. You get that sugar (ego) high. But I tell you as I would my own children, born from my womb and heart; this ego quenching nonsense is to be avoided like steaming, stinking, stupid shit. It is not what you think. In a cakebox, still I tell you it is not pie. It is not food. And it is not your friend.

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Mahasiddha Karma Chagmed Rinpoche

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Mahasiddha Karma Chagmed Rinpoche

(1613 – 1678)

Mahasiddha Karma Chagmed Rinpoche was one of the main teachers of Terton Migyur Dorje, and served as his scribe, writing down all the terma revelations as they were spontaneously revealed to the young treasure revealer.

Karma Chagmed Rinpoche was born in the province of Nyomtod, Zalmo Gang region, in the tenth Tibetan rabjung year (1613). He was given the name Wangdrag Sung (Powerful Speech) at birth. Throughout his childhood, he displayed many wondrous signs of being a special child. From the age of eleven, he received from the great secret yogi, Prawashara, his root guru of many past lifetimes, many extensive empowerments and transmissions. He diligently put the instruction he received into practice and attained great accomplishment in both the generation and the dissolution stages for each of the deities he practiced.

When he took his full ordination (gelong) at the age of nineteen, he was given the name Karma Chagmed and became a member of the sangha at the Thupten Nyinling Monastery in the same year. Known for his discipline and noble character, Karma Chagmed applied himself diligently and fulfilled all the accumulation of mantras he set out to accomplish in his practice. At the age of thirty-seven, he entered into a period of intensive retreat of Avalokiteshvara, Gyalwa Gyatso and the Mahamudra for thirteen years. After he left the retreat at the age of fifty, he performed many great accomplishment ceremonies during which many fortunate signs such as sweet fragrance in the air and rainbow colors in the sky manifested around him. He was regarded as the incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, Guru Padmasambhava, Songtsen Gampo, Gyalsei Sednaleg, Luyi Gyaltsen and Milarepa.

Karma Chagmed Rinpoche propagated the Buddha Doctrine far and wide to many students by giving empowerment and transmission on Namcho, Sangye Lagchang, Tsa-Lung and many other profound revelations. His foremost disciples included Kunzang Sherab, his sister Ahkön Lhamo, Pema Rigzin, Ratna Bidza and many others. In the eleventh rabjung year of the Earth Horse (1678 AD), when Karma Chagmed Rinpoche was sixty-six, he informed his students that it was time for him to go to Dewachen (the realm of great bliss). On the first day of the sixth month of the same year, Karma Chagmed Rinpoche condensed his mind into the heart of Buddha Amitabha and entered the realm of great bliss.

During the cremation ceremony, the sky was filled with rainbow colors which appeared like pitched tents amongst white clouds which manifested in the form of the eight auspicious symbols. In spite of the fierce heat of the cremation fire, the brain, heart and tongue of Karma Chagmed Rinpoche remained undamaged and clear images of the Wrathful Deities of Chemchod, Gurdrag, Drolod and the syllable AH appeared in the organs. The bone relics recovered from the cremation ashes were found to bear the embossed images of Avalokiteshvara, Dechog, Phagmo and the eight auspicious symbols.

Reference:  Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

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