The Treasury of Lives

Few details about the life of Tonggyung Tuchen (stong rgyung mthu chen) exist. He is said to have lived in the eighth century in Zhangzhung and received the bulk of Bon teachings from the sage Pebon Toktrul (spe bon thog ’phrul, d.u.).

In one account of the propagation of Bon in the country of Zhangzhung, it is said that the Bon teachings originated in the sky before descending to earth to be acquired by the master Monbon Harachipar (mon bon har ra ci par). Monbon Harachipar began a lineage of religious transmission that continued for six long-lived generations before reaching Pebon Toktrul.

For his part, Tonggyung Tuchen imparted the Bon tradition to three notable contemporaries: Sebon Shari Uchen (se bon sha ri dbu chen), Debon Gyitsha Machung (lde bon gyis tsha rma chung) and Minyak Chetsha Kharbu (me nyag lce tsha mkhar bu), collectively known as the Three Scholars. He is said to have been invited to Tibet by these three main disciples. His teaching activities are described as follows:

At Gongyenmar (gong g.yan dmar) he taught the Bon saint Hripa Gyerme (hris pa gyer med) the Drakpo Tutsel (drag po mthu’i rtsal), a cycle of wrathful magical practices used to eliminate mental and physical obstructions. At Dangra Yubun (dang ra g.yu bun), a cave monastery on the east shore of Lake Dangra, he gave Mutsa Gyerme (dmu tsha gyer med) teachings on the essential methods of tantra. At Zangzang Lhatse (zang zang lha rtse), a treasure mountain in mid-western Tibet, Tonggyung Tuchen taught Khopung Drenpa Namkha (khod spungs dran pa nam mkha') the elements of the very essence of the four roots of Bon. He also taught at Mangkhar Chaktrang (mang mkhar lcags 'phrang), a temple suspended in an escarpment located near Sakya monastery, and at Chiwa Khar (byi ba mkhar), a large castle near the headwaters of the Brahmaputra River.

The legend of Tonggyung Tuchen is closely connected with Namtso (gnam mtsho), the largest body of water in the Jangtang (byang thang), located one hundred miles northwest of Lhasa. His main place of residence was Namtso Do (gnam mtsho do), the large wedge-shaped headland on the southeast side of the lake. Namtso Do is an extremely important cultural and archaeological site that boasts several thousand red ochre pictographs and inscriptions. This rock art was made over a period of at least 3000 years. There are also the remains of ancient cave hermitages at Namtso Do, where Bon adepts resided before being expelled from the locale in the early thirteenth century. Namtso is a special case in that it remained primarily a Bon stronghold for several centuries after adjoining regions in U-Tsang were converted to Buddhism.    

Tonggyung Tuchen's consort was said to have been the protector deity of Namtso, Tsomen Gyelmo (mtsho sman rgyal mo). She is said to have been manifested from excellent qualities by the great mother of space, Satrik Ersang (sa trig er sangs). 

During the suppression of the Bon teachings during the reign of Tri Songdetsen (khri srong lde btsan, 755-797), Tonggyung Tuchen is said to have concealed as treasure (gter ma) numerous Bon scriptures, forming the basis of the Bon tradition of treasure revelation. A great many ritual texts pertaining to territorial deities (yul lha), and beneficial rites (gto) are attributed to him.

According to legend, Tonggyung Tuchen lived for five hundred thirty-seven years or one hundred eight “bodhisattva” years. He died at Namtso at a place called Srinmo Do or Nang Do. Srinmo Do was once a center of Bon activity but had long been in decline by the time Tonggyung Tuchen was there. He is also associated with another location at Namtso, a Geluk monastery named Chado (bya do), which was originally a Bon establishment.