The Treasury of Lives

Purtsa Khenpo Akon (phur tsha mkhan po a dkon) was born at a place called Lhade Drokru Khok (lha sde 'brog ru khog) near Dzogchen Monastery, Rudam Orgyen Samten Choling (rdzogs chen ru dam o rgyan bsam gtan chos gling) to the Purtsa (phur tsha) family, around 1837. The Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang, Mingyur Namkhai Dorje (rdzogs chen grub dbang 04 mi 'gyur nam mkha'i rdo rje, 1793-1870) performed his tonsure ceremony, and he enrolled at Dzogchen Monastery at the age of eight or nine. There, he began his studies in reading, writing, religious instruments, chanting, ceremony, and ritual dance (gar 'cham). The second abbot of Śrī Siṃha College (shrI sing+ha bshad drwa), Gyelse Zhenpen Taye (rgyal sras gzhan phan mtha' yas, 1800-1855), bestowed on him his novice monk vows (śrāmaṇera), and he received his vows of full ordination (bhikṣu) from the eighth abbot of Śrī Siṃha, Khenchen Pema Vajra (mkhan chen pad+ma badz+ra, c.1807-1884).

When Akon was around twenty, the renowned Dza Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chokyi Wangpo (rdza dpal sprul o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po, 1808-1887) was serving as the fifth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College. Akon received a great variety of teachings from Dza Patrul, mainly focusing on the great treatises of both India and Tibet, which included the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra, various texts on Madhyamaka, Abhidharmakośa, Abhidharmasamuccaya, the Five Treatises of Maitreya (byams chos sde lnga), a comprehensive commentary on Maitreya's Uttaratantra, the seven treatises of Longchenpa, the Prātimokṣa Sūtra, and the Vinaya.

He studied under many other well known teachers including Pema Vajra; the seventh abbot of Śrī Siṃha, Lingtrul Tubten Nyinje Gyeltsen (gling sprul thub bstan nyin byed rgyal mtshan, d.u.); and Zhenpen Chokyi Nangwa (gzhan phan chos kyi snang ba, 1871-1927), the nineteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha, from whom he received teachings on general subjects, the sūtras and tantras, and empowerments and instructions from the spoken word (bka' ma) and treasure (gter ma) traditions of various traditions.

Khenpo Akon was enthroned as the eleven abbot of Śrī Siṃha College at the age of thirty, and remained in the position for four years.  

Some of his prominent disciples included the Jonang master Tubten Gelek Gyatso (thub bstan dge legs rgya mtsho, 1844-1904); Minyak Khenpo Apel (mi nyag mkhan po a dpal, 19th century); Yeshe Gyeltsen (ye shes rgyal mtshan, 19th century), the female practitioner Adro Khenchen Socho (a gro'i mkhan chen bsod chod); the fourteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Tsering Norbu (tshe ring nor bu, d.u.); the twentieth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College Pema Tekchok Loden (pad+ma theg mchog blo ldan, 1879-1955); and the Third Gurong, Orgyen Jikdrel Choying Dorje (dgu rong 03 o rgyan 'jigs bral chos dbyings rdo rje, 1875-1932).

Following the example of his predecessors, in his later life Purtsa Khenpo Akon entered a strict meditation retreat. He passed away around the age of sixty.