The Treasury of Lives

Konchok Drakpa (dkon mchog grags pa) was born in the eighteen thirties in the Rudam (ru dam) valley in Kham. His father was named Trowa Atak (khro ba a stag) and his mother was named Dungmen (dung sman). His hagiography relates that while very young he received visions of being blessed by peaceful and wrathful deities and by the goddess Mamokori (ma mo ko ri). One story relates that as a young boy Konchok Drakpa became extremely upset when he found out a sheep was to be killed for his family's food. He tried to hide the dagger by burying it underground, but was helpless to save the animal.

At a certain point he left his home and eventually met Pema Vajra (pad+ma badz+ra, c.1807-1884), the eighth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College at Dzogchen Monastery, Rudam Orgyen Samten Choling, who accepted him as a disciple and granted him his novice monastic vows (śrāmaṇera), vows of individual liberation, Bodhisattva, and tantric vows. Pema Vajra gave him commentarial teachings on many topics from the sutras and tantras, including instructions from the Dzogchen Sangwa Nyingtik (rdzogs chen gsang ba snying thig).

Konchok Drakpa studied a range of other topics with several other notable teachers, including Dza Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chokyi Wangpo (rdza dpal sprul o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po, 1808-1887); Orgyen Tendzin Norbu (o rgyan bstan 'dzin nor bu, b.1851); Ju Mipam Namgyel Gyatso (ju mi pham rnam rgyal rgya mtsho, 1846-1912); and the Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang, Tubten Chokyi Dorje (rdzogs chen 05 thub bstan chos kyi rdo rje, 1872-1935).  Apparently Konchok Drakpa was so extraordinarily accomplished in his studies that he was appointed to be a teacher at Dzogchen Monastery at the age of fourteen.

The Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang installed Konchok Drakpa as the fifteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College at Dzogchen Monastery when he was around the age of forty. He served in this position for eight years, teaching and performing other duties required of him. He was known to have kept his own monastic vows strictly, and revitalized strict observance Vinaya rules at Dzogchen Monastery and its numerous branches. As a result, the title "Domtson" (sdom brtson), which means "Perseverance in vows" was affixed to his name.

After he retired from the abbacy, he settled permanently at a hermitage named Rudam Tsering Jong (ru dam tshe ring ljongs) where he practiced Dzogchen. During breaks between his meditation sessions he continued to teach, producing a number of prominent students including Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Peljor (dil mgo mkhyen brtse bkra shis dpal 'byor, 1910-1991); Kunzang Pelden (kun bzang dpal ldan, 1862-1943), who was known for his extensive commentary on the Bodhicaryāvatāra; Lakla Sonam Chokdrub (glag bla bsod nams chos 'grub, 1862-1944); the Third Mura, Pema Dechen Zangpo (mu ra 03 pad+ma bde chen bzang po, d.u.); Dongak Tenpai Nyima (mdo sngags bstan pa'i nyi ma, c.1898-1959); Tsewang Rigdzin (tshe dbang rig 'dzin, 1883-1958); Sonam Chopel (sod nams chos 'phel, d.u.); the seventeenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Khenpo Munsel (mkhan po mun sel, 1916-1993); Jigme Lodro ('jigs med blo gros, 1879-1955); the twenty-fifth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Ngawang Norbu (ngag dbang nor bu, 1886-1958); and Gegyel Khenpo Tubten Namgyel (dge rgyal mkhan po thub bstan rnam rgyal, d.u.).

Adro’i Khenchen Sonam Chophel (a gro’i mkhan chen bsod nams chos phel) succeeded him as the sixteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College.