The Treasury of Lives

Terchen Kunkyong Lingpa (gter chen kun skyong gling pa) was born in Shang Lhapu Bidzing (shangs lha phu bi rdzing), a place alternately named Lhabui Biji (lha bu'i bi ji), in Tsang. The year of his birth is given as either 1396, the fire-mouse year of the seventh sexagenary cycle, or 1408. His father was called Gyeltsen Gon (dpa' bo rgyal mtshan mgon) and his mother was named Demchok Pelmo (bde mchog dpal mo). The family name was Pawo, from which came his title "Pawo Terton".

Although he is said to have begun his revelations at the age of fourteen, his first recorded treasure was from his twenty-first year, in 1416 (or 1429). This was the Bairo Nyingtik (bai ro snying thig), which he discovered at the White Stupa at Samye (bsam yas mchod rten dkar po). This was said to be recommended and inspired by the protector Dorje Lekpa (rdo rje legs pa). The origin of his usual treasure name, Kunkyong Lingpa, is not clear.

Terchen Kunkyong Lingpa gathered a large number of disciples to whom he transmitted his revelations. Among them were two men known as Kunkhyen Balu Metok (kun mkhyen ba lu me tog) and Zhalu Khenrab Choje (zha lu mkhyen rab chos rje). Lotsāwa Sonam Gyatso (khrus khang lo tsA ba bsod nams rgya mtsho, 1424-1482); Go Lotsāwa Zhonnu Pel ('gos lo tsA ba gzhon nu dpal, 1392-1481); Tsultrim Gyeltsen (rdza yig pa kun mkhyen tshul khrims rgyal mtshan) also received transmissions from him.

Later Terchen Kunkyong Lingpa became the patron-lama to a number of prominent people in the region including the Rinpung prince Dondrub Dorje (rin spungs sa skyong don grub rdo rje, d.u.) and the ruler of Nedong region (sne gdong gong ma chen po). He was invited to all important religious programs and ceremonies for his blessings.

In 1477, the year of fire-bird in the eighth sexagenary cycle, or, alternately, 1489, Terchen Kunkyong Lingpa passed into nirvana at the age of eighty-two.