The Treasury of Lives

Gomchen Barwa (sgom chen 'bar ba) was born in Gyakhar (rgya mkhar) situated in Upper Nyang (nyang stod). He belonged to the Zhak (bzhag) clan which was traditionally Bonpo, and was the second of three sons.

Despite his strong religious faith, while he was still quite young he went several times in India for commerce instead of focusing on religious practice. During a trading mission in Kyikhar he encountered Dampa Ritropa, also known as Me'u Gongdzo (dam pa ri khrod pa; rme'u dgongs mdzod), who was visiting his own master, Kyese (skye se).

Upon seeing Dampa, Gomchen felt a strong faith in him and resolved that whatever the cost might be, he follow him as his disciple. Requesting permission to do so, Dampa told him to prepare for traveling and said he would just have to walk as he was, without any provisions. After some time together they arrived at the Nyangchu (nyang chu) river, where, feeling a strong disgust for samsara, and resolving to live the life of a hermit, Gomchen threw his trousers in the river, saying to them, “Now you go downward and from here I go upwards! For quite some time we have been friends but it is time to part now!” Gomchen later went to Yonpo (yon po) in Uyuk ('u yug) where he again met his master Dampa, whom he rejoined as an attendant and disciple. Dampa gave him instructions in the Atri (a khrid) system of Dzogchen which proved remarkably effective in giving rise to meditative experiences.

At that time, Dampa’s disciples all went to beg for alms. Gomchen asked for authorization to go too and he thus begged for ten days. After that, he resumed his meditation practice but it was not comparable to the previous one. He decided to give up begging and to go back to the master, telling him what happened. Dampa told him it was the result of begging for alms. Gomchen was upset since the master had not warned him of the potential negative effect begging would have on his meditative experience. Dampa, in his benevolence, decided to give him further oral instructions, but these did not prove efficient for Gomchen, and his previous realization did not dawn again. He lamented in the following way:

 “Those who have ritual objects perform feast offerings
But I have no substance likely to fit for a feast offering.
Those who are endowed with view and meditation can retain their experience
But I have no practice at all, likely to help me retain experiences!”

The next autumn, Gomchen requested an initiation from Dampa, who instructed him on the investigation of the self and on further meditative practices. Having carefully followed the teachings of his master, Gomchen reached the same previous spiritual experience. However, in need of provisions, he left his retreat place to travel to U. He remained for several years in the temple Tsomen Lhakang (mtsho sman lha khang) where he became an assistant of the residing lama. With time passing, his realization eventually disappeared completely again. Again he went to Dampa, telling him that his experience had gradually deteriorated and eventually came to an end. Dampa led him to a the edge of a small pond and said: “When you were young, you were quite strong, weren’t you? So, go on, jump above that pond!” Gomchen did so but slipped and violently fell down on rocks. It is said that his realization arose simultaneously with the intense pain he then felt. Dampa’s aim was to have Gomchen understand that while experiences develop gradually, realization depends on faith and zeal.

For the rest of his life, Gomchen cultivated that realization through intensive practices and retreats. The tradition reports that at the age of seventy-seven he disappeared into space (dbyings) without leaving any remains behind.

His disciples came from all over Tibet to listen to his teachings. Among them were Marton Gyelek (mar ston rgyal legs) and Drubtob Jodung (grub thob jo gdung) from Tsang; Namtso Dopa (gnam mtsho do pa) and Khyunggom Joyung (khyung sgom jo g.yung) from U; and Nyagom Parchin (snya sgom phar phyin) and Udrakpa (dbu brag pa) from Kham. Khyunggom Joyung was his heir in the transmission of the Atri lineage of Dzogchen. Mengongwa (sman gong ba) is also said to have received this transmission and is generally included in the lineage charts of Atri.