|
|
|
The Lineage of Drukpa Choegon came into existence
in the early 16th century when the 1st Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche,
Druk Shabdrung Choekyi Gonpo became the successor of Ngawang
Choekyi Gyalpo, and then root guru to Drukchen Pema Karpo
and Lhatsewa Ngawang Zangpo.
The Drukpa Choegon Rinpoches, is one of the,
three most important lamas and lineage holder of Drukpa Kargyu
Lineage. He is an emanation of Vajrapani, and Rinpoche previous
lifetimes can be traced back to ancient India where he was the Lord
Shakyamuni Buddha´s disciple and personal attendant, Ananda.
The nearer sources of emanation or the line of
incarnations of the Drukpa Choegon Rinpoches are King
Indra Bhuti (the King of Oddiyana, who adopted Guru Rinpoche when
he was a child), Mahasiddha Tilopa, King Tri Ralpachen (one of the
three great Dharma Kings of Tibet), Lochen Verotsana (the great
Tibetan translator in 8th century), Rechung Dorje Drakpa
(Milarepa's heart son), Palchen Galo (widely known as Ga Lotsawa,
the great Tibetan mahasiddha and translator who visited India and
brought back many precious teachings to Tibet), Phuljung Samgyal
Khache (the great accomplished master of Mahakala practice) and
Sangdak Namkha Palzang (also an incomparable accomplished Mahakala
master of his time).
The Drukpa Choegon Lineage is renowned as the
incomparable accomplished master in the practice of Mahakala,
Chakrasamvara and Vajrapani. The Drukpa Choegons is being revered
as the most powerful Mahakala practitioner of Drukpa Kagyu.
|
|
Dorje
Zinpa Choekyi Gonpo, or widely known as Druk
Shabdrung Choekyi Gonpo is an emanation of Vajrapani. He was
born in the early 16th century, and later became the successor of
Ngawang Choekyi Gyalpo, the 23rd Golden Rosary Master of Drukpa
Kagyu.
He was
an accomplished practitioner and master of Chakrasamvara,
Vajrayogini, Vajrapani, Green Tara, and in particular an
unparalleled accomplished master of the practice of the Four Armed
Mahakala, a key practice of Drukpa Kargyu tradition.
This
inconceivable great master attained full realization through his
devotion to his guru and the practice of the Buddhadharma. Because
of his unparalleled spiritual attainment, he is called the Dorje
Zinpa of Tsari, means the Lord of all Vajra Holders in the sacred
holy land of Tsari.
He was one of the
few masters, after Guru Padmasambhava, who tamed and bound the
powerful Dharma Protector, Geynyen Jagpa Melen under his
Vajra-samaya. Since then, Jagpa Melen became the main Dharma
Protector of Dechen Choekorling.
His disciples
included Lhatsewa Ngawang Zangpo (1st Yongdzin Rinpoche) and
Drukchen Pema Karpo who saw him as inseparable from
Padmasambhava.
* Shabdrung (also Zhabdrung; Tib:
"before the feet of"), was a title used when referring to or
addressing great lamas in Tibet, particularly those who held a
hereditary lineage.
|
|
Thubchen Dudjom
Dorje, a great Mahasiddha, was a disciple of Pema
Karpo and Yongzin Lhatsewa Ngawang Zangpo. The 2nd Drukpa Choegon
spent most of His life practicing in secluded and haunted places
where he accomplished perfect realization. This emanation renounced
all worldly activities and spent his entire life as a hidden
Yogi.
|
|
Jetsun Chokyi Wangchuk, an
accomplished master. This 3rd incarnation was recognized by the 2nd
Yongzin Kunga Lhundrup, the teacher to 5th Dalai Lama.
He received teachings directly from
various deities, and later spent many years practicing in the
sacred retreat place of Tsari Chigchar (the Drukpa Kargyu retreat
center in a remote part of Tibet where every Choegon spent many
years of retreat there) until Vajrayogini appeared and instructed
him to go out into the world in order to benefit others.
His main disciple
was the 3rd Khamtrul Kunga Tenzin, and was root guru to 3rd Drukpa
Yongzin Geleg Sherpa. The 3rd Drukpa Choegon instructed Khamtrul
Rinpoche to go to Eastern Tibet in order to propagate the lineage
and benefit countless beings. With the blessings of the 3rd Choegon
and Guru Rinpoche, the 3rd Khamtrul started His monastery Khampagar
in Eastern Tibet which later growth into more than 200 branch
monasteries, and became the main successor of the Dechen Choekhor
Lineage in Eastern Tibet.
The 3rd Drukpa
Choegon completed the building of Dechen Choekhor Monastery in His
lifetime.
|
|
Thubchen Jamgon Gyepa, a disciple of
3rd Yongzin Geleg Sherpa. This fourth incarnation said to be
blessed by Manjushri, and was an extraordinary child. He recalled
his past lives and was able to read the lives of others.
He was an
extremely learned Lama and spent his entire life at Dechen Choekhor
Monastery, dedicating much of His life in preserving the teachings
of the Drukpa Kargyu Lineage. He had many wonderful disciples,
including the renowned 4th Drukpa Yongzin Jampal Pawo, an emanation
of Chakrasamvara, renowned for his vital instructions on Tsalung
practice, one of the Six Yogas of Naropa. He was also root
guru to Drukchen Kunzig Choekyi Nangwa.
|
|
Thubchen Jampal
Dorje, a great Mahasiddha. When He was a
child, a statue of Guru Rinpoche raised its hand and touched his
head three times, after this miraculous experience, the 5th Choegon
was able to understood the subtlest points of the Dharma.
As a highly
accomplished Yogi, he founded a number of branch monasteries
throughout Tibet and the Himalayan region. He trained many lamas,
worked selflessly for the lineage and benefited countless beings.
His main disciple, the 5th Khamtrul Rinpoche, Drubgyu Nyima, a
renowned terton, was later enthroned as his regent.
|
|
Chokzig
Chokyi Shenyen spent over 12 years in
retreat in Tsari Chigchar, and dedicated most of His life to
preservation of rare sacred teachings and Dharma texts. He would
travel for days by foot to Eastern Tibet in order to transmit the
teachings; in this way He visited over hundred monasteries in
Eastern Tibet.
This incarnation founded several nunneries and
supported the female monastic tradition.
His disciples include the 6th Drukpa
Yongzin Sheja Kunchen and 1st Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche.
|
|
Dorje Zinpa Shedrup Chokyi
Nyingye was a disciple of Ngedon Choekyi Gyatso.
Mahakala appeared to him in visions and with further study his
knowledge of the Mahakala tantra became extremely profound. He was
able to clarify the most subtle and profound teachings on Mahakala.
The Mahakala practice is one of the major practices in Drukpa
Kargyu.
This incarnation
spent most of his life in Eastern Tibet, selflessly and tirelessly
working for the lineage; has made enormous contribution to the
Buddhadharma and left a monumental imprint in the heart of the
people of Tibet.
He had many
superior students. Among them were 6th Khamtrul Tenpe Nyima, the
6th Adeu Rinpoche and Choje Sonam Tenzin. In His later life, the
King of Nangchen of Kham invited him to Nangchen - a vast area of
Eastern Tibet, and in there He spread the teachings, further
propagating the Drukpa Kargyu Lineage and benefiting many
beings.
|
|
Thutop Chokyi
Gyamtso received the complete
transmissions of the lineage from the 6th Khamtrul Rinpoche, Tenpe
Nyima, and then went into retreat in Tsari Chigchar. He was well
known for his devotion to his root guru and it is said that he
followed every instruction of his guru perfectly. He diligently
collected and preserved teachings of the Drukpa Kargyu Lineage, and
transmitted these sacred teachings and transmissions to the most
remote regions of Tibet and the Himalayan.
In the late 1950s, Rinpoche arrived at Kinnaur
in Northern India, where he had many devoted disciples
incuding the yogic parents of the current Choegon
Rinpoche; and later enter into parinirvana in year
1964 in his eighties. Among his disciples were the 11th Gyalwang
Drukchen, the 7th and 8th Khamtrul Rinpoches, the 8th Trulshik Adeu
Rinpoche, Drubwang Shakya Shri, Pema Choegyal, Sengdak Rinpoche,
H.H. Je Khenpo Kunleg of Bhutan, Apo Rinpoche, the 2nd Tsoknyi
Rinpoche, Thuksey Rinpoche and almost every Drukpa master that
existed around that period of time. It is due to his great kindness
and exertion that the Drukpa Kargyu Lineage flourishes today in
Tibet, Nepal and India.
Today's Drukpa
Kargyu Lineage Holders are mainly holding the lineage of the 8th
Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche. Thus, he not only maintained the pure
unbroken enlightened essence of the Drukpa Kargyu Lineage, but
truly the living embodiment of Vajradhara.
|
Note to Reader:
Some readers might be confused by the term
"Kagyu" vs "Kargyu" use in this website. Below are the short
explanations on the actual denotation of these 2 terms. However,
nowadays Drukpa 'Kargyu' and Drukpa 'Kagyu' are used
interchangeably in the English media.
Kagyu - can be translated
as "The Lineage of the Oral Instructions." The first syllable
"Ka" refers to the scriptures of the Buddha and
the oral instructions of the guru. "Ka" has the sense both of the
enlightened meaning conveyed through the instructions of the
realised master, as well as the power and the blessing such words
of insight carries; and "Gyu" simply means lineage
or tradition.
Kargyu -
The Kar (white) Gyu (lineage)
of Marpa, Milarepa, and their followers; many of which dressed in
white robes. Kewang Sangye Dorje, one of the foremost disciples of
Pema Karpo, suggested this name for our Drukpa Kargyu
Lineage.
|
Acknowledgement: The above Choegon
Rinpoche Incarnations statue images are provided courtesy of
Nangchen Garh, Qinghai - Tsechu Monastery of Trulshik Adeu
Rinpoche
|
|
|
|