The Treasury of Lives

Apang Terton was born in either early 1894 or 1895, on the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month of either the wood-horse year or the wood-sheep year, in the Tashul (rta shul) region of Golok, eastern Tibet.^[1] His father was named Apang Sonam Dorje (a pang bsod nams rdo rje), and one account describes him as a chief belonging to a prominent clan called the Apo Dong (a spo gdong).^[2] This suggests that the name Apang/Aphang, or sometimes Apong,^[3] may be a contraction of Apo Dong. Other research gives the clan the name Pong-yul (spong yul) or Pang-yu (spang yus).^[4] His mother was known as Madron (ma sgron) or the "Tashul Bride" (rta shul bza').^[5] The couple had another son named Gyurme Gyatso ('gyur med rgya mtsho) who became an accomplished lama.^[6]

According to two contemporary biographers from Golok, Abu Karlo (a bu dkar lo, b. 1945) and Pema Wosel Taye (pad+ma 'od gsal mtha yas, b. 1957), Apang Terton was an emanation of the fierce aspect of Tārā and either Vajrapāṇi^[7] or Padmapāṇi.^[8] These authors also point to prophecies in the treasures of Lerab Lingpa (las rab gling pa, 1856–1926) and Akye Terchen Orgyen Khacho Lingpa (a skyes gter chen o rgyan mkha' spyod gling pa, 1893-1939) that indicate he was a reincarnation of Rigdzin Godem (rig 'dzin rgod ldem, 1337–1409) and several other illustrious masters from India and Tibet,^[9] including Padmasambhava's disciple Prince Mutik Tsenpo (mu tig btsan po).^[10]

Training and Early Career

With very few exceptions, the events of his life are undated in available sources and can only be arranged in a speculative chronology.

According to Abu Karlo's biography of Apang Terton, History of Tibetan Medicine and Astronomy in Golok (mgo log sman rtsis rig pa'i lo rgyus), he learned to read and write from his uncle, who allegedly noted that the child at first seemed not to understand his lessons, but subsequently learned effortlessly thanks to his prayers to Manjuśrī.^[11] Also from this uncle, he received introductory religious instruction and began meditating, which resulted in a multitude of experiences and visions of divine beings, including the fourteenth-century treasure revealer Karma Lingpa (karma gling pa), who gave him pointing out instructions that established him in the view of Dzogchen.^[12] In Nyoshul Khenpo's (smyo shul mkhan po, 1931–1999) account, however, this uncle is presented as an antagonist who continually berates Apang Terton's nun-mother.

In his youth, Apang Terton was weak and frail, and others often bullied him. When he was thirteen, at a place called Kyareng (skya rengs)^[13] in Serta County, as he sat by the edge of a lake, he was harassed by a gyelpo (rgyal po)—a kind of troublesome spirit—and Padmasambhava manifested and drove it away. From then on, he was constantly guarded by protector deities like Ekajaṭī, Maning Nakpo, Dorje Lekpa, Za Rāhula, and Durtro Lhamo.^[14]

During his youth, he stayed in retreat to accumulate ten million recitations of the Seven Line Supplication—the important prayer to Padmasambhava revealed as a treasure by Guru Chowang (gu ru cho dbang, 1212–1270). According to tradition, at that time, he made a visionary journey to the Copper-Colored Mountain, the pure realm of Padmasambhava, who gave him teachings and a mandate to reveal treasures. From that day forward, it is said that he perceived the world as diaphanous and filled with the luminous symbols and letters of the ḍākinīs' secret script.^[15]

For about half a year, Apang Terton trained under Terse Drime Wozer (gter sras dri med 'od zer, 1881–1924), the son of Dudjom Lingpa (bdud 'joms gling pa, 1835–1904). Terse Drime Wozer instructed him on the six bardos, Dudjom Lingpa's famous manual for Dzogchen meditation, Refining Perception (snang sbyang),^[16] and other treasure teachings.^[17] Around this formative time, he also had visions of Yeshe Tsogyel (ye shes mtsho rgyal) and an unspecified Dalai Lama that deepened his meditative realization and increased his access to treasure teachings.^[18]

Once, when reading the biography of Tangtong Gyelpo (thang stong rgyal po, 1385–1509)—one of his previous incarnations—he is said to have felt intense faith and prayed to him, which resulted in the great saint appearing and granting teachings. Likewise, while reading Longchenpa's (klong chen pa, 1308–1364) Seven Treasuries (mdzod bdun) he was overwhelmed with a devotion that covered his body in goosebumps. This experience culminated in a vision of Longchenpa, who taught and blessed him with full realization of the finest points of Dzogchen.

On an undated pilgrimage to Katok Monastery (kaH thog dgon), he made prayers and offerings to the reliquary stupas of that institution's patriarchs—Dampa Deshek (dam pa bde gshegs, 1122–1192), Tsangton Dorje Gyeltsen (gtsang ston rdo rje rgyal mtshan, 1137–1226), and Jampa Bum (byams pa 'bum, 1179–1252). As a result, he encountered those figures in a vision.^[19]

It is also said that he had immense faith in the great scholar Mipam Gyatso (mi pham rgya mtsho, 1846–1902) and lamented that he had not had the merit to encounter him in person. Nevertheless, he prayed to that master with intense yearning and was able to meet him in visions.^[20]

According to his hagiographies, Apang Terton sent one of his first treasure texts to an important lama named Gyangtrul Dondrub Dorje (dbang mda'i gyang sprul don grub rdo rje, 1892–1960) of Wangda Monastery (dbang mda' dgon) in Golok. Apang Terton requested that he deliver it to the respected Geluk lama Drakkar Tulku Lobzang Pelden Tendzin Nyendrak (brag dkar sprul sku blo bzang dpal ldan bstan 'dzin snyan grags, 1866–1928), claiming that Drakkar Tulku, who famously engaged with Nyingma teachings, was its destined custodian. At the time, Apang Terton was ill at a remote hermitage and did not have access to the customary white silk scarf that would normally accompany such a package. Using what he had at hand, he wrapped the text in a piece of white wool. Although Dondrub Dorje was reluctant to bring the unknown mystic's text to Drakkar Tulku, he was impressed by the young man's courage in sending the material. When he received the package, without even opening its pages, Drakkar Tulku placed it on the top of his head in reverence, recited mantras, and said its author was Avalokiteśvara in person. He then sent Apang Terton a letter, accompanied by a painting of Avalokiteśvara, encouraging him in his treasure work. A bit later, Apang Terton went to meet Drakkar Tulku, and it is said that they recalled their connection to each other over hundreds of lives. Drakkar Tulku's embrace of Apang Terton's teaching was significant in establishing the younger man's status as an authentic treasure revealer.^[21]

According to Nyoshul Khenpo, Apang Terton subsequently trained with Drakkar Tulku for many years while moving between caves and rugged hermitages throughout the Golok region. He also trained under Terton Sogyal Lerab Lingpa (gter ston bsod rgyal las rab gling pa, 1856–1926), and others.^[22]

Revealing and Spreading His Own Treasures

Apang Terton revealed both mind treasures and physical treasures, sometimes publicly, at diverse sites, including Samye Chimpu (bsam yas mchims phu), Yamalung (g.ya ma lung), Yarlung Sheldrak (yar lung shes brag), Draklha Gonpo (brag lha mgon po) in Gyelrong, and in places in and near Golok like Drakkar Treldzong (brag dkar sprel rdzong), Kuso Togyel (sku bso thog rgyal), Tashi Gomang (bkra shis sgo mang), and many more.^[23] Many of these places with which he established strong connections were later visited by his daughter Khandro Tāre Lhamo (tA re lha mo, 1938–2002) and became hubs of her activity.^[24]

His mind-treasure cycle, The Hidden Treasure of Enlightened Mind: The Thirteen [Red Deities] (thugs kyi gter kha bcu gsum) contains practices for thirteen red deities, including Amitābha, Red Guru Rinpoche (gu ru dmar po), Amitāyus, Red Mañjuśrī, Red Yeshe Tsogyel, Red Vajrasattva, Hāyagrīva, Red Guru Drakpo, Red Lion-Faced Ḍākinī, Khecarī, Kurukullā, Red Tārā, and Mahādeva. He also revealed treasure cycles focusing on sādhanas for the Eight Codes for the Practices of the Sugatas (bde gshegs sgrub pa'i bka' brgyad); Guru Drakpo; activity practices based on the Seven Line Prayer; an Avolokiteśvara cycle called White Lotus Garland of the Great Compassionate One (thugs chen pad dkar 'phreng ba); Mañjuśrī in all five buddha families; Vajrapāṇi; Sarasvatī; Vajraṇakhī (Vajra Claw); Marici; Green Tārā; and Jambhala.

Apart from his many deity-based treasures, he revealed a cycle of Dzogchen instructions called the Six Dharmas of the Profound Path of Great Perfection (zab lam rdzogs pa chen po chos drug). These instructions are still taught and practiced at Nyenlung Monastery (snyan lung) in Golok, which has published and preserved his writings in thirty volumes.^[25] A sixteen-volume paperback edition of his collected works has also been published in Chengdu.^[26]

His hagiographies contain an interesting discussion of the containers from which his treasures were revealed.  These are said to have been made of fine substances like agate, quartz, and vaiḍūrya, and his students are said to have remarked that the treasures contained therein must be more exalted than others. Apang Terton corrected them, saying that there was nothing better about these treasures, nor was there anything special about him compared to other treasure revealers. He explained that in the eighth century, when he was Prince Mutik Tsenpo and received teachings and empowerments from Padmasambhava, because he was a rich prince, he was able to make offerings of expensive jewels, whereas many of his vajra friends, who would also later become tertons, could only afford to make less-valuable offerings. Thus, his revelations were encased in precious substances.^[27]

One story of his revelation speaks to the precarious nature of treasure. It is said that once, while Apang Terton was in retreat practicing Ratna Lingpa's Vajrakīlaya treasure, attendants saw ritual daggers dancing around him, and they saw protectors of the Vajrakīlaya tantras give him a text. Apang Terton handed this text to an old man named Yungdrung (g.yung drung), telling him to keep it safe, as he would need it later. Nervous about this responsibility, the old man put the text in a copper tube he suspended around his neck. When the old man died, the encased text passed to his son and then to his grandson, a man named Sowang. After many decades, long after Apang Terton had passed away, one day, Terton Namtrul Jigme Puntsok (nam sprul 'jigs med phun tshogs, 1944–2011), one of his reincarnations, approached this Sowang and asked him if he had a text of Apang Terton's to give him. At first, the man did not know what he was talking about, but then he remembered a text belonging to his grandfather that he had in storage. This turned out to be a set of treasure practices related to Yangdak Heruka.^[28] In another vignette from Terton Namtrul Jigme Puntsok's biographies, he saw two sheets of paper tossing in the wind one day. After grabbing them, he saw they were a wealth sādhana composed by Apang Terton. He performed the practice and recorded that the region's animals and crops were particularly fruitful that year.^[29]

Apong Terton practiced his own treasures, experiencing visions and dreams of their central deities. For example, when he was doing intensive mantra practice for his own Red Tārā treasure, he had a dream in which he found himself at Avalokiteśvara's Potala Mountain, where the letters of the six-syllable mantra spun, blazing in the sky, filling the six realms with their relieving sonance. He then saw a three-storied palace; at the lower level was a fierce deity, the color of conch and holding a bell and vajra. This deity's resounding laugh shattered the distortions of his dualistic thoughts. In the palace's middle level, he saw Tārā in the form of a human woman who took him by the hand and led him to the upper level, where he encountered the enlightened form of Ārya Tāra. As soon as he arrived, through the power of ritual substances and mantra, the environment transformed into a forested pure land, at the center of which appeared Padmapāṇi, a common two-armed form of Avalokiteśvara, smiling and laughing. By his side, astride a white steed, was a woman in brocade, holding a silk banner in her right hand, who looked at him happily and took him on a visionary tour of Potala Mountain.^[30] He had similar visions when reciting mantras and doing rituals for his own Yeshe Tsogyel treasure.^[31]

Travels to Central Tibet

His first visit to central Tibet probably occurred in the 1920s, and his hagiography contains many stories of miracles and visionary experience. On the way, his party is said to have been delayed at a ford in the Drichu River ('bri chu), whose waters were high and roiling. A dharma protector in the form of a bear appeared and entered the river, blocking the current enough for the people to reach the other side without incident.^[32]

In central Tibet, Apang Terton performed a fire ritual for a patron. It is reported that the fire grew into a great conflagration that enveloped him so that no one present could initially see his body; they could only hear his voice and the rattling of his hand drum. His assistant, fearing the fire, called into the flames to tell him that he could not pass the necessary materials for the ritual. When the flames died down, Apang Terton was seen sitting in the fire wearing only his undershirt. Later, that undershirt was given to his close disciple, the Second Pelyul Choktrul, Jampel Gyepai Dorje (dpal yul mchog sprul 02 'jam dpal dgyes pa'i rdo rje, 1894–1958/1959), who kept it as an object of devotion. Pema Wosel Taye adds that the deity invoked in the ritual was Kurukkulā and that when Drakkar Tulku visited the same place and heard what had happened there, he was inspired to paint an image of Kurukkulā with his own hand.^[33]

He visited the Pehar Temple (be har skor mdzod gling) at Samye Monastery (bsam yas), where it is said that the statue of the great protector came alive and bowed to him. Likewise, the "Looks Like Me" (nga 'dra) statue of Padmasambhava offered him a greeting scarf.^[34] In Lhasa, while praying at Tsongkhapa's (tsong kha pa, 1357–1419) golden reliquary stupa at Ganden Monastery (dga' ldan dgon), he had visions of Tsongkhapa and his heart disciples Gyeltsab Dharma Rinchen (rgyal tshab rje dar ma rin chen, 1364–1432) and Khedrub Gelek Pelzang (mkhas grub dge legs dpal bzang, 1385–1438),^[35] as well as Tsongkhapa's guru Lhodrak Namkhai Gyeltsen (lho brag nam mkha'i rgyal mtshan).^[36] When he visited Reting Monastery (rwa sgreng dgon), he is said to have had visions of Atiśa Dīpaṃkara (, 982–1055) and other early Kadam masters^[37]

He offered generous provisions to the tens of thousands of monks at Lhasa's three main Geluk monasteries, and sponsored lavish gaṇacākras and gilded many statues. As he was a terton from a relatively modest background and patronage, those who witnessed his generosity were perplexed about the source of his wealth and attributed it to divine blessings.^[38]

A Master of Many Lineages

On this trip to central Tibet, he also visited Jigme Lingpa's ('jigs med gling pa, 1730–1789) residence, Tseringjong (tshe ring ljongs), where he practiced the Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig) and received, via vision, Jigme Lingpa's blessings. It is unclear who his primary Longchen Nyingtik master had been; Terse Drime Woser certainly would have held the lineage, so, probably, would have Drakkar Tulku and his other teachers, as the Longchen Nyingtik was thriving in eastern Tibet at the time.

He also practiced and transmitted other important Nyingma lineages, especially those of Katok Monastery's two main treasure revealers who are revered in Golok: Longsel Nyingpo (klong gsal snying po, 1625–1692) and Dudul Dorje (bdud 'dul rdo rje, 1615–1672). For example, while in central Tibet, he did a hundred-day retreat on Longsel Nyingpo's Guru Drakpo treasure, Blazing Wisdom (ye shes rab 'bar). During that time, Guru Drakpo is said to have appeared to him in a vision and told him that the teachings and beings would benefit greatly if he later went to Bhutan to teach. He was, however, unable to ever make the journey.^[39]

Founding Tsimda Monastery

Probably in the early 1920s, perhaps even on his journey to central Tibet, Apong Terton performed a hundred-day retreat on the Great Bliss Queen (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo) practice from the Longchen Nyingtik and received a visionary prophecy from the first buddha of the present eon, Vipaśyin. This buddha told him he would later become Arhaddeva, the one-hundred-thirty-seventh buddha of the present eon. He also told him to establish a place for Buddhist practice.^[40]

Accordingly, in 1925, he founded Tsimda Monastery (rtsis mda' dgon), or Tsimda Tashi Gakyil Tubten Sherab Pelgye Ling (rtsis mda' bkra shis dga' dkyil thub bstan shes rab 'phel rgyas gling) in the Bokyi Yumo Lung Valley of Pema County, Golok.^[41] To obtain support for its construction, he adduced a prophecy warning that central Tibet's Samye Temple and Golok's Pelyul Dartang Monastery (dpal yul dar thang dgon) would risk destruction unless a water spirit at the Mar River were subjugated by the construction of a monastery at Tsimda's site.^[42] As soon as it was finished, since Katok Monastery was the most influential Nyingma institution in the region, Apang Terton arranged for Tsimda to be one of that monastery's many branches, though its management remained practically autonomous under Apang Terton's command, which then passed to his son Wangchen Nyima (dbang chen nyi ma) and subsequently to other members of the Apang or Pongyul clan.^[43] It is said that when they were building the temple's main Vajrasattva statue out of clay, its face formed magically, without being worked on by the craftsmen.^[44]

During an intensive practice ceremony (sgrub chen) on Dudul Dorje's Vajrakīlaya, probably at Tsimda, he is said to have descended from his throne to act as the ceremony's chopon (chos dpon)—the shrine keeper who handles the sacred substances. As he walked between the rows in the temple distributing nectar to the practitioners, two blue ḍākinīs drew the meat of a demon out of the ritual maṇḍala. He instructed them not to give the meat to others, but only to him. Another time, when performing the same ceremony at Tsimda, when it was time to open the ritual maṇḍala, those present saw Vajrakīlaya thunder out of the maṇḍala and vanquish enemies of the teachings before their eyes.^[45] These tales undoubtedly contributed to the flourishing of Dudul Dorje's treasures at Tsimda, alongside Apang Terton's, which did not include Vajrakīlaya practices.

Connecting With the Land and People

Apang Tertron earned a reputation as a master with particularly strong ties to his home region. These connections were often forged through his public command of supernatural forces and miracles. For example, at an annual incense-offering festival to the mountain spirit Yungdrung Chaktse (g.yung drung lcags rtse) in Golok, Apang Terton determined it was necessary to relocate the spirit for a time. With the help of locals, he constructed a stone hut into which he drew the spirit through the power of his meditation. As everyone offered incense, the smoke turned black, and a dark rainstorm rolled in. It is said that this site became famous for attracting all kinds of birds and wild animals.^[46] This event no doubt ingratiated Apang Terton more than ever with the Golok people, whose religious beliefs and practices, ancestrally connected to the Bon tradition, have long been oriented around the region's three most majestic mountains: Yungdrung Chaktse, Nyenpo Nyutse (gnyan po g.yu rtse), and, most of all, Amnye Machen (a mye rma chen).^[47]

He allegedly performed similar feats in other parts of eastern Tibet, earning new followers and patrons. For example, there was an unusual melting of the glacier on Zhara Lhatse Mountain (bzhag ra lha rtse) in Chakla, which was interpreted as an ill omen. The local king requested rituals from the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama, and other eminent masters in central Tibet, but nothing seemed to help. Finally, Apang Terton was asked and he replied that although he could not come in person, he would turn his attention to the matter. It is said that for an entire week, Zhara Lhatse was enveloped in mist such that no one could see it. Within fifteen days, the snow spread down to the foot of the mountain, as deep as a spear, and the glacial melting ended. This story spread throughout the region earning him a reputation as one of the era's most formidable ritualists. Subsequently, the king invited Apang Terton to tour the area, where he gave extensive teachings.^[48]

Another time, in either the Dzachuka (rdza chu kha) or Kandze (dkar mdzes) region of Kham, it is said that a band of brigands rained musket fire onto his tent in an attempt to rob his camp. While the tent fabric was riddled with bullet holes, no one inside was harmed. Apang Terton then miraculously disabled their weapons. As a result, the criminals became his devotees and the legend of his powers spread.^[49]

Family and Later Years

Apang Terton married Damtsik Drolma (dam tshig sgrol ma) with whom he had five children. Little is known about Damtsik Drolma, other than that she used to support their daughter Khandro Tāre Lhamo by escorting her to teachings and empowerments throughout Golok.^[50] In an unspecified year, their first son, said to be an incarnation of the Second Dodrubchen, Puntso Jungne (rdo grub chen 02 phun tshogs 'byung gnas) passed away in childbirth. In 1928, their son Gyurme Dorje ('gyur med rdo rje, b.1928) was born and recognized as an incarnation of Adzom Drukpa Drondul Pawo Dorje (, a 'dzom 'brug pa 01 'gro dul dpa' b ordo rje, 1842–1924). In 1931, their son Wangchen Nyima (dbang chen nyi ma) was born and recognized as a reincarnation of a local lama and chieftain named Sonam Gyurme (bsod nams 'gyur med). This son would also bear the name Terchen Dribdrel Rigpai Dorje (gter chen sgrib bral rig pa'i rdo rje) indicating his status as a treasure revealer.^[51] He would oversee Tsimda Monastery after Apang Terton's death. In 1938, while staying at Drongri Mukpo (brong ri mug po) in upper Ser (ser stod), they conceived their only daughter, Khandro Tāre Lhamo, who was born near Tsimda Monastery.^[52] In an unspecified year after 1939, their youngest son, Tubten Chokyi Nyima (thub bstan chos kyi nyi ma) was born and recognized, at least locally, as a reincarnation of Do Rinpoche Kamsum Zilnon Gyepai Dorje (mdo rin po che khams gsum zil gnon dgyes pa rdo rje, 1890–1939), who was a grandson of Do Khyentse Ye Dorje (mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje, 1800–1866).^[53] All three of Apang Terton's sons who reached adulthood died in Communist prisons during the Cultural Revolution.^[54]

Around 1939, Apang Terton returned to Lhasa for a pilgrimage, accompanied by his family. On that trip, he met Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdre Yeshe Dorje (bdud 'joms rin po che 'jigs bral ye shes rdo rje, 1904–1987), with whom he exchanged teachings. Dudjom Rinpoche also recognized Khandro Tāre Lhamo as an emanation of Yeshe Tsogyel and Sera Khandro (se ra mkha' 'gro, 1892–1940), despite the fact that Sera Khandro was at that point still living. She was also later recognized as an incarnation of a Golok lama named Tra Gelong (khra dge slong, 1866–1937).^[55]

In 1940–1941, the young Nyoshul Khenpo, who was then fourteen years old and very ill, visited Apang Terton in his retreat at Drongri Mukpo (brong ri mug po) in upper Ser (ser stod). During his audience, Apang Terton offered Nyoshul Khenpo some beer, which the teenager was reluctant to drink because of his monastic vows. After a few moments of hesitation, Nyoshul Khenpo understood that it was inappropriate to turn down his master's offering, so he drank the beer, which he credited with precipitating a deep and lasting meditative realization.

Apang Terton's hagiographies record one other episode related to alcohol. While he is not portrayed as a particularly wrathful or roguish character, as some tertons are, he does seem to have occasionally displayed a terton's unpredictable behavior. For example, once, after he had been drinking, he beat some of his students, most of whom experienced an introduction to the nature of their minds. This is reminiscent of Do Khyentse's famous drunken pointing out instruction to Patrul Rinpoche (dpal sprul rin po che, 1808–1887).^[56]

Around 1944, at an undeclared location in Golok, probably Tsimda Monastery, he bestowed the empowerments and transmissions for the important compendium of Dzogchen teachings, the Nyingtik Yabzhi (snying tig ya bzhi), to a large gathering including his young daughter, Khandro Tāre Lhamo.^[57]

Around this same time, he revealed a treasure with the help of his daughter at the sacred mountain of Drongri in the Ser section of Golok. According to legend, while out on a hike with Khandro Tāre Lhamo to a sacred cliff, he traced a circle on the rock with his hand, which opened a small hole. He then instructed her to reach inside and pull out a bag of sacred pills. When the task was complete, he resealed the hole in the rock.^[58]

In 1945, he visited Nyenlung Monastery, a Katok branch focusing on the treasures of Dudul Dorje and Longsel Nyingpo. The strong impression he made there lent legitimacy to his treasures and laid the ground for their incorporation into the institution's liturgical program when Khandro Tāre Lhamo and Namtrul Jigme Puntsok went to live and teach there in the 1980s.^[59] Khandro Tāre Lhamo, his only surviving child and primary lineage holder, was also the de facto throne holder of Tsimda Monastery throughout her life—a position she shared with Namtrul Rinpoche. When the monastery reponed in 1981 after being closed and damaged in the Cultural Revolution, the couple helped reconstruct it, including its large assembly hall dedicated to Vajrasattva.^[60]

In addition to Khandro Tāre Lhamo and the Second Pelyul Choktrul mentioned above, Apang Terton's other important disciples included a monk named Jangchub Dorje who was his treasure custodian (gter bdag);^[61] Tangtrul Jigme Yeshe Tendzin Gyatso (thang sprul 'jigs med bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho); Zhuchen/Zhichen^[62] Tulku Kunzang Tenpai Nyima (zhi/zhu chen sprul sku kun bzang bstan pa'i nyi ma); Lamkor Lama Sangye Gyatso (lam skor bla ma sangs rgyas rgya mtsho);^[63] the Fourth Katok Chaktsa, Pema Trinle (kaH thog phyag tsha padma 'phrin las); the Third Dodrubchen, Jigme Tenpai Nyima (rdo grub chen 03 'jigs med bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1865–1926); both men who were identified as the Fourth Dodrubchen—Tubten Trinle Pelbar ('jigs med phrin las dpal 'bar, 1927–2022) and Rigdzin Tenpai Gyeltsen (rig 'dzin bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1904–1961); Dzongter Kunzang Nyima (rdzong gter kun bzang nyi ma, 1904–1958), who was the grandson of Dudjom Lingpa; Yakshul Lama (yag shul bla ma); Gezhab Tulku Tsangyang Lodro (gad zhabs sprul sku tshangs dbyangs blo gros, 1908–1959), and many others.^[64]

Death and Rebirths

Apang Terton passed away in the winter of 1945 in his fiftieth year (or fifty-first by Tibetan reckoning). Before his death, he told his close disciples that he would take rebirth as the Forty-First Sakya Trizin, Ngawang Kunga (ngag dbang kun dga', b. 1945), also known as Aḥyu Vajra (aH yu ba+dz+ra). He instructed them—especially his treasure keeper Jangchub Dorje—to find him and re-empower him into his treasures.^[65] According to Pema Wosel Taye, he also told his disciples that if they made generous offerings of coin and tea to the great monasteries of Lhasa, like Sera, Drepung, and Ganden, it would greatly benefit the activities of his next incarnation. Pema Wosel Taye records that Apang Terton's son, Wangchen Nyima, went to find the new tulku when he was three years old, in 1949, at Sakya Monastery in Tibet. He claims that the young Sakya Trizin recognized him and said, "This is my son."^[66] While Sakya sources tend to mute his past life history as Apang Terton, it is officially acknowledged.^[67]

According to another source adducing the oral history of Chagdud Tulku Pema Gargyi Wangchuk (lcags mdud sprul sku pad+ma gar gyi dbang phyug, 1930–2002), the person who traveled to recognize the Sakya Trizin as Apang Terton's tulku was Jangchub Dorje, Apang Terton's treasure custodian.^[68] This is most likely a conflation with another oral history in which Chagdud Tulku met Jangchub Dorje in Tso Pema, India, in 1962. According to this account, Jangchub Dorje had not been the one to recognize Sakya Trizin as Apang Terton's tulku; rather, he had been instructed to find Sakya Trizin and to transmit Apang Terton's treasures to him. Because of the political turmoil at the time, Jangchub Dorje had not been able to go to the young Sakya Trizin in Tibet. Instead, he made great efforts to travel from Tibet, first to Bhutan, and then to Dehra Dun India, where the Sakya Trizin had relocated. On the way, he met Chagdud Tulku and granted him Apang Terton's Red Tārā treasure, which Chagdud Tulku would transmit widely, especially in the West.^[69]

The connection between Apang Terton's family and the Dolma Podrang branch of the Sakya family continues, as the Fourteenth Dalai Lama (tA la'i bla ma 14, b. 1935) recognized Khandro Tāre Lhamo's reincarnation as Jetsunma Kunga Trinley Palter Sakya (rje btsun ma 'phrin las dpal ster sa skya, b. 2007), the first child of the Forty-Second Sakya Trizin and Dagmo Kalden Dunkyi (bdag mo skal ldan dun kyi, b. 1978).^[70] The recognition was also reportedly made by the Forty-First Sakya Trizin.^[71]

Apang Terton is also said to have taken three other reincarnations in Golok: one was his own nephew, Jigme Wangdrak Dorje ('jigs med dbang drag rdo rje), known as Tulku Tsepo (sprul sku tshe po), who was recognized by Dzongter Kunzang Nyima (rdzong gter kun bzang nyi ma, 1904–1958) and enthroned by Dudjom Rinpoche.^[72] Another was Tulku Bulo (sprul sku bu lo), the son of a Golok chieftain. The third was Namtrul Jigme Puntsok, Khandro Tāre Lhamo's husband.^[73] Namtrul Rinpoche's recognition was not made early in his life, however; he only became known as an emanation of Apang Terton after his marriage to Khandro Tāre Lhamo.

Apocryphal Relation to Dudjom Lingpa

Within the oral tradition of the Dudjom Tersar lineage, and as recorded in Nyoshul Khenpo's A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems, there is a legend that Apang Terton was Dudjom Lingpa's ninth and youngest son, conceived miraculously to an unnamed virgin mother who was an ordained nun. It is important to note, however, that the records composed in Tibet, which were informed by Apang Terton's own descendants and colleagues, make no claim that he was Dudjom Lingpa's son.^[74] These sources even list the names of his biological parents.^[75]

Nyoshul Khenpo writes that as the nun's pregnancy progressed and after the child was born, her family and neighbors scorned her for refusing to admit who the father was. She allegedly became deeply depressed, swearing that she had never lain with a man. According to this account, Dudjom Lingpa claimed the child as his own a few years after Apang's birth and arranged for his training with great masters of the time, such as Terton Sogyel.^[76]

It is not clear how this legend reached Nyoshul Khenpo. It may simply be that in the turbulent decades between 1945, when Apang Terton died, and the 1980s, when Nyoshul Khenpo mostly likely wrote the biography, he did not have access to reliable sources from Tibet so assumptions were made about Apang Terton's connection to the Dudjom Tersar, particularly in light of his daughter, Khandro Tāre Lhamo's, marriage to Dudjom Lingpa's great-grandson, Mingyur Dorje (mi 'gyur rdo rje, 1934–1959) in 1958.^[77]

Preincarnations

Two Tibetan biographies provide differing lists of his previous incarnations. One is Abu Karlo's (a bu dkar lo, b. 1945) History of Tibetan Medicine and Astronomy in Golok (mgo log sman rtsis rig pa'i lo rgyus); the other is Pema Wosel Taye's The Cherry Plum Forest Leaflet (deb chung a ru ra dga' tshal), a compilation of biographies of Nyingma lamas from Serta and Pema counties in Golok. These authors say that Apang Terton's previous lives originated as the bodhisattvas Vajrapāṇi^[78] or Padmāpṇi^[79] and the fierce aspect of Tārā. He then took form in the human world as King Sucandra who was a disciple of the Buddha; as the mahāsiddha Kṛṣṇācārya; Queen Belza Tritsun (bal bza' khri btsun) in Tibet;^[80] Prince Mutik Tsenpo; King Relpachen (khri ral pa can), Terton Guru Jotse (gu ru jo tshe);^[81] Orgyen Lingpa (o rgyan gling pa, b. 1323);^[82] Rigdzin Godem, Tangtong Gyelpo; Karma Chakme (karma chags med, 1613–1678); Pema Trinle Lingpa (pad+ma 'phrin las gling pa, seventeenth century);^[83] Yonge Mingyur Dorje (yongs dge mi 'gyur rdo rje, 1628/41–1708);^[84] the translator Bhadrapa (lo tsA bha tra pa);^[85] Jangchub Gyeltsen (byang chub rgyal mtshan);^[86] Pema Kakyab Lingpa (pad+ma mkha' khyab gling pa);^[87] Rangbar Pawo Nuden (rang bar dpa' bo nus ldan); Pema Do-ngak Lingpa (pad+ma mdo sngags gling pa);^[88] and the Third Alak Gyelpo Choying Tobden Dorje (a lags rgyal po 03 chos dbyings stobs ldan rdo rje, 1785–1848).^[89] He is also said to have been an indeterminate Panchen Sherab Drakpa (paN chen shes rab grags pa).^[90]