The Treasury of Lives

Yungdrung Yeshe (g.yung drung ye shes) was born in Drendzong ('gran rdzong/s) in the Gyelrong region, in the clan of the Rakar Khyungpo (dbra dkar khyung po) family. His father was called Ahor (a hor) and his mother Tsultrim Cham (tshul khrims lcam).

He studied Bon teachings quite early on and took the vows of novice monk from Lama Sherab (bla ma shes rab). On that occasion, he received the name Yungdrung Yeshe.

At the age of sixteen, he traveled all the way to central Tibet, where he met the abbot Shetsu Drungmu (she tsu drung mu), known by the name Sonam Yungdrung (bsod nams g.yung drung) in Zhang Zhung language, from whom he took the complete monastic vows.

During his stay in central Tibet, he studied with several famous masters of his time, such as Drula Wanggi Gyel (bru bla dbang gi rgyal), Treton Sonam Gyurme (tre ston bsod nams 'gyur med), Zhugom Tritsun Pelden (zhu sgom khri btsun dpal ldan), Takdro Namkha Ozer (stag bro nam mkha 'od zer), and others, receiving from them numerous transmissions, initiations, as well as outer, inner and secrets instructions.

In particular, while he was residing in Senmo Tab (bsen mo 'thab), he met Dampa Lodro Gyeltsen (dam pa blo gros rgyal mtshan) and received from him the Atri (a khrid) teachings, as well as the Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung (zhang zhung snyan rgyud), the Supreme Peak of the Great Perfection (rdzogs chen yang rtse), with all special instructions as well as quintessential teachings on channels and winds (rtsa rlung), Clear-Light ('od gsal), and so forth. It is said that, at that time, realization (rtogs pa) and liberation (grol ba) arose simultaneously in his continuum and that he thereafter constantly remained in a state of non-meditation (sgom med), i.e., a particular state in which one remains in contemplation (dgongs pa) without performing formal meditation sessions.

After his decisive meeting with Lodro Gyeltsen, Yungdrung Yeshe traveled throughout the religious sites of U, Amdo, and other regions. He then settled in Tolung (gto lung), in Amdo, where, next to a spring of pure water, he built Tolung Yangwen Pelgon (gto lung yang dben dpal dgon). He divided the monastery into two colleges: a meditation college (sgom grwa) centered on the contemplative practice of meditation, and a tantric college (sngags grwa) dedicated to tantric ritual practices. The monastery was quite successful in attracting numerous students from across Amdo, not only because Yungdrung Yeshe was considered a mind emanation (thugs sprul) of Drenpa Namkha (dran pa nam mkha', 8th century) but because of the high level of education provided at the monastery.

Yungdrung Yeshe passed away several years later, at the early age of forty-five; numerous relics were said to have been found in the ashes of his cremation. He is reported to have had hundreds of disciples throughout Kham and Amdo. His heir in the Atri line of transmission was Tokden Yungdrung Gyeltsen (rtogs ldan g.yung drung rgyal mtshan).