The Treasury of Lives



Duldzinpa Takmapa ('dul 'dzin thag ma pa) was born in the early twelfth century in Tsang. His name at birth was Kawa Darseng (ka ba dar seng). He ordained at an early age, and studied with Duldzin Chenpo Shami Monlam Tshultrim ('dzul 'dzin chen po sha mi smon lam tshul khrims, 1085-1171). Under this teacher's guidance he mastered the four divisions of the Vinaya ('dul ba lung sde bzhi), thus earning the epithet of Duldzinpa, meaning "one who upholds the Vinaya."

Kawa Darseng studied next with Neuzurpa Yeshe Bar (sne'u zur ba ye shes 'bar, 1048-1118), from whom he received the entire transmission of the Kadam Lamrim teachings. These included a Yogacāra lineage that he later transmitted to his disciple Shupu Namkha Sengge (shud phu nam mkha' seng ge, d.u.). He also studied with a teacher named Dorje Pel (rdo rje dpal)

Kawa Darseng settled at Tolung Takma (stod lung thag ma), attracting a large number of disciples, after which he became known as Takmapa.

Among his most prominent disciples were Lhodrak Khenchen  Namkha Sengge, Won Pelchen Dorje Zhonnu (dbon dpal chen rdo rje gzhon nu, d.u.) and Balti Jose (sbal ti jo sras, 1129-1215).

Alexander Gardner is Director and Chief Editor of the Treasury of Lives. He completed his PhD in Buddhist Studies at the University of Michigan in 2007. He is the author of The Life of Jamgon Kongtrul The Great.

Published September 2010

Images

Tsongkhapa

A painting of Tsongkapa, founder of the Geluk tradition, with the two principal students, Gyaltsab on the left and Khedrub on the right.

Bibliography

Grags pa 'byung gnas. 1992. Gangs can mkhas grub rim byon ming mdzod. Lanzhou: Kan su'u mi rigs dpe skrun khang, pp. 889-890.

Roerich, George, trans. 1996. The Blue Annals. 2nd ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, p. 267.

Yongs 'dzin ye shes rgyal mtshan. 1980. 'Dul ba'i sde snod kun 'dzin thag mar pa'i rnam thar. In Lam rim bla ma brgyud pa'i rnam thar, vol. 1, pp. 298-299. 'Bar khams: Rnga khul bod yig rtsom sgyur cus. Also published in Lam rim bla ma brgyud pa'i rnam thar, vol. 1, pp. 222-223. Lhasa: Bod ljongs mi dmangs dpe skrun khang.

View this person’s associated Works & Texts on the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center’s Website.