The Treasury of Lives

Pema Norbu (pad+ma nor bu) was born in 1679, the earth-sheep year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle, in the area of Pelyul called Chakril (chags ril), near the town of Amchok (a mchog). His childhood name was called Lhuwi (lhu 'bi).

At an early age he began his studies in basic training of reading and writing. Pelyul histories claim he met and received blessings and instructions from Terton Mingyur Dorje (gter ston mi 'gyur rdo rje, 1645-1667), but this would have only been possible had it happened via a vision, as Mingyur Dorje had passed away before Pema Norbu was born. The histories also claim that at the age of eighteen he met Rigdzin Kunga Sherab (rig 'dzin kun dga' she rab, 1638-1689), the founder of Pelyul Monastery (dpal yul dgon), but this too would not have been possible, as Kunga Sherab had passed away when Pema Norbu was only ten years old.

Regardless of when and how he entered the Pelyul tradition, he took novice vows and received full monastic ordination from the second throne holder of Pelyul, Lhundrub Gyatso (dpal yul gdan rabs 02 lhun grub rgya mtsho, 1659-1727), who served as his main teacher. From him he received the complete teachings of the Pelyul tradition, including sutras and tantras, Kagye (bka' brgyad, Lama Gongdu (bla ma dgongs 'dus), and the treasure revelations of Ratna Lingpa (ratna gling pa, 1403-1479) and Mingyur Dorje.

He also studied with Nesarwa Kunga Lekpai Jungne (kun dga' legs pa'i 'byung gnas, 1704-1760), who was a student of Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa, 1729-1798), and also from Katokpa Gyelse Sonam Detsen (ka thog pa rgyal sras bsod nams lde'u btsan, 1679-1723), the nephew of Longsel Nyingpo (klong gsan snying po, 1625-1692) and abbot of Katok Monastery (kah thog mgon).

At some point he received the Eighth Tai Situ, Chokyi Jungne (ta'i si tu 08 kun mkhyen chos kyi 'byung gnas, 1699/1700-1774) at Pelyul to supervise the funeral ceremony of a lama named Kunzang Yeshe (kun bzang ye shes). The Tenth Zhamar, Chodrub Gyatso (zhwa dmar 10 chos grub rgya mtsho, 1741-1792) appears to have been in attendance together with Situ Paṇchen. Pema Norbu gave them both the entire transmission of the Namcho (nam chos) treasure cycle of Mingyur Dorje and the Lama Gongdu.    

He served as the royal chaplain for Tenpa Tsering (bstan pa tshe ring, 1678-1738), the King of Derge (sde dge), in which Pelyul is located, a position he shared with most of the major heads of monasteries in the kingdom. He visited the royal monastery, Lhundrubteng (lhun grub steng) and performed a Vajrakīlaya dance. While in Derge he met Zhuchen Tsultrim Rinchen (zhu chen tshul khrims rin chen, 1697-1774), the editor of the Derge Tengyur.

Among his disciples were Karma Tashi (karma bkra shis, 1728-1790), who served as his successor on the throne of Pelyul, as well as Drakgang Dorje Tashi (grag sgang rdo rje bkra shis) and Trulzhik Karma Dondam ('khrul zhig karma don dam).

Pema Norbu passed away, in 1757, the fire-cow year of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle, at the age of seventy-nine. His reliquary was installed at Pelyul Monastery.