Labsum Gyeltsen

Labsum Gyeltsen (bslab gsum rgyal mtshan) was born in Oyuk ('o yug) in 1526. His father was named Gyelha (rgyal lha) and his mother was called Yeshe. They named him Tsogyel ('tsho rgyal). He trained early with Dingma Khenpo Drungpa Gatsewa (sdings ma mkhan po drung pa 'ga' tshe ba) and took novice ordination with a number of other monks, receiving the name Labsum Gyeltsen Wangpo. Dingma Khenpo and Choje Lekden (chos rje legs ldan) gave him initiations and instruction in both Nyingma and Sarma tantra.

Labsum Gyeltsen studied Prajñāpāramitā with Lodro Chopak (blo gros chos 'phags), a student of the eleventh abbot of Ngor, Sanggye Sengge (ngor mkhan chen 11 sangs rgyas seng ge 1504-1569). He was known as a highly intelligent man who never fell into dispute with others.

Labsum Gyeltsen then left for Tsang, traveling as a mendicant. At Dingma he met Nesar Jamyang Khyentse Wangchuk (gnas gsar 'jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i dbang phyug, 1524-1568), who was serving as abbot there and who became his principle teacher. He also received the transmission for the Lamdre Lobshe (lam 'bras slob bshad) from Tsarchen Losel Gyelpo (tshar chen blo gsal rgyal po, 1502-1566), the founder of the Tsarpa branch of the Sakya tradition, who also taught him the Dzogchen revelations of the treasure revealer Rigdzin Dorje (rig 'dzin rdo rje), among other teachings.

Khyentse Wangchuk taught him the Lamdre Tsokshe (lam 'bras mtshogs bshad) and Lobshe, together with related sadhana. He also transmitted tantric cycles of Mahākāla, the Buton system of Kālacakra, the Ra system of Bhairava, and the Jangter (byang gter) treasure cycle.

Other teachers Lhasum Gyeltsen trained with include: Jonang Jetsun Kunga Drolchok (jo nang rje btsun kun dga' grol mchog, 1507-1565), the tenth Ngorchen, Konchok Lhundrub (ngor chen 10 dkon mchog lhun grub, 1497-1557), and Ngorchen Sanggye Sengge, and many others. Labsum Gyeltsen practiced in hermitages such as those at Bodong monastery.

When Lhasum Gyeltsen was forty-four he took full ordination at Nyamyo Jashong (mnyam yod bya gshong) monastery, with Jamyang Sanggye Gyeltsen ('jam dbyangs sangs rgyas rgyal mtshan, d.u.). Following the death of his teacher, Khyentse Wangchuk, he took charge of constructing the reliquary. He taught widely, transmitting both Nyingma and Sarma traditions.

Lhasum Gyeltsen died at the age of fifty-two, in 1577.

Sources

Blo gsal bstan skyong. 1971. Dpal ldan zhwa lu pa'i bstan pa la bka' drin che ba'i skyes bu dam pa rnams kyi rnam thar lo rgyus ngo mtshar dad pa'i 'jug ngogs. Leh: S.W. Tashigangpa, pp. 292 ff.

Mu po. 2002. Gsung ngag rin po che lam 'bras bla ma brgyud pa'i rnam thar kun 'dus me long. Beijing: Mi rigs dpe skrun khang, pp. 277-281.

Dbang phyug rab brtan. N.d. Bslab gsum rgyal mtshan gyi rnam thar. Listed in Bod kyi lo rgyus dpe tho no. 2060. Lhasa, Bod ljongs mi dmangs dpe skrun khang, 2000.

Alexander Gardner
April 2010