The Treasury of Lives

Gyiling Tukchok Dorje was born in 1806 in the Upper Wangchen (dbang chen stod pa) community of the Pema Bum (pad+ma 'bum) region of Golok (mgo log) nomads. His mother was named Sokzama (sog bza' ma) and his father was named Wangda Gonpo (dbang mda'i mgon po). Their clan name was Achak (a lcags).[1] The Third Katok Moktsa Jikdrel Tutob Dorje (rmog rtsa 03 'jigs bral mthu stobs rdo rje) was born into this same clan about a generation later.

When he was still a child, he took novice monastic ordination with Dodrubchen Jigme Trinle Wozer (mdo grub chen 'jigs med 'phrin las 'od zer, 1745–1821), who recognized him as a reincarnation of a lama named Raton Tukchok Dorje (ra ston thugs mchog rdo rje) and gave him the name Jigme Tukchok Dorje ('jigs med thugs mchog rdo rje). He trained for years with Dodrubchen, becoming one of the thirteen of his closest students who received his most secret teachings.[2]

Training and Teaching at Katok

After several years of training, in 1816, Dodrubchen sent him to Katok Monastery (kaH thog dgon) in Derge. He traveled in an entourage with Dodrubchen's illustrious disciple, Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje (mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje, 1800–1866). Also joining him were his friends from Golok, Dergyab Yonten Gyatso (sder rgyab yon tan rgya mtsho) and Wangda Kunzang (dbang mda' kun bzang). At Katok, he studied a wide variety of esoteric and exoteric topics with eminent lamas, including Getse Mahāpaṇḍita (dge rtse paN chen, 1761–1829) and Drime Zhingkyong Gonpo (dri med zhing skyong mgon po, b. 1724), earning a reputation as one of the institution's most learned members. He also had the opportunity to study with Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo ('jam dbyang mkhyen brtse dbang po, 1820–1892) and Mipam Gyatso (mi pham rgya mtsho, 1846–1912), although it is not recorded where this took place.[3]

He became particularly close with Getse Mahāpaṇḍita, who empowered him to teach the Guhyagarbha Tantra, which, to that point, had not been taught in a systematic way at Katok. Establishing the exegetical tradition of the Guhyagarbha at Katok was one of Getse's top priorities, and that he chose Tukchok Dorje for the task, rather than a more famous khenpo, is a testament to Tukchok Dorje's erudition and talent. Getse also selected him to write closing verses and colophons for some of his major publications.[4]

In addition to his expertise in the tantras, Tukchok Dorje became an expert in all the branches of ceremonial arts and ritual, including music and torma preparation. He also received the oral transmissions and instructions for the Four Tantras, the foundational texts of the Tibetan medical tradition, as well as many texts on medical treatment by such masters as Kongtrul Zintog (kong sprul zin tog).[5]

A prominent Jonang lama—the First Tsangchen Vajrācārya Ngawang Chopel (gtsang chen rdo rje slob dpon 01 ngag dbang chos spel, 1788–1865)—who studied at Katok, recorded learning grammar, Sazang Mati Panchen's (sa bzang ma ti paN chen, 1294–1376) Clarification of Right and Wrong (blang dor rab gsal), and other Jonang texts from Tukchok Dorje.[6]

Traveling and Return to Golok

After many years at Katok, Tukchok Dorje roamed throughout eastern and central Tibet, India, and Nepal, engaging in intensive meditation practice.[7]  Eventually, he returned to Golok, where he began teaching. In 1840, he established Gyilung Monastery (gyi lung dgon), about which no information is available.[8]

Around that time, he was asked by Achok Tulku Konchok Tenpe Gyeltsen (a mchog sprul sku dkon mchog bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan) and others to write a detailed genealogy of the six ancient clans of Tibet. Accepting the challenge, he and his older brother, Tashi Gyatso (bkra shis rgya mtsho), composed The Opening of the White Lotus: An Extensive Genealogy of Tibet's Six Clans (bod mi bu gdung drug gi mdzod rgyas pa pad+ma dkar po'i skyed tshul), also known as the Golok Treasury of Clans (mgo log rus mdzod).[9] This book gained renown for the quality of its historiography, which drew from all available documents kept by the chieftains of Golok.[10]

Gyiling Tukchok Dorje came to be known as one of the most learned men in Golok of the nineteenth century. He continued teaching widely, not only giving religious empowerments and transmissions but also giving lessons in astrology, medicine, history, and most other important fields of knowledge. He passed away in 1856.[11]