The Treasury of Lives

Kunpang Delek Rinchen (kun spangs bde legs rin chen) was born at Tsang Nyangro Monastery (gtsang myang ro'i dgon pa) as the son of the Eighth Sakya Tridzin, Rinchen Gyeltsen (sa skya tri 'dzin 08 rin chen rgyal mtshan, 1238–1279)—also known as Lama Richungpa (bla ma ri chung pa)—the younger brother of Pakpa Lodro Gyeltsen ('phags pa blo gros rgyal mtshan, 1235–1280). His father gave him the name Mipam Gyeltsen (mi pham rgyal mtshan). 

According to his hagiography, he began reciting miscellaneous vajra verses when he was three years old. In front of a large assembly of people, it is said that he told his father, in impeccable honorific language, that he recognized the cup that was in front of him from his previous life as Lama Sonam Gyeltsen (bsod nams rgyal mtshan).

He learned to read and write quickly. His father gave him empowerments and trained him in their sādhanas. Despite his youth, it is said that he was able to understand everything that was taught to him.

From 1270–1274, after decades of involvement with the Mongolian rulers, his uncle Pakpa Lodro Gyeltsen served as imperial preceptor to Kublai Khan (reigned 1260–1294) in Beijing. Kunpang Delek Rinchen's biography states that when he was nine years old— around 1269 or 1272—his father was also summoned to Beijing as an imperial preceptor, apparently overlapping with Pakpa, perhaps in a deputy capacity. Kunpang Delek Rinchen remained in Tibet and went to train under Drinchen Kunden Rema (drin chen kun ldan ras ma). From her he received empowerments in the Nyingma tradition and trained in the sādhanas for the peaceful and wrathful deities. These included empowerments and teachings for the Guhyagarbha Tantra, which he received when he was twelve years old. In particular, Kunden Rema bestowed on him the empowerments and instructions for the Rechung Nyengyu (ras chung snyan rgyud), or Aural Lineage of Rechungpa (ras chung pa, 1085–1161).

From Tarpa Lotsāwa (thar pa lo tsA ba), Tropu Panchen Shakya Sengge (khro phu paN chen shAkya seng+ge), Lopon Gyalwa Zangpo (slob dpon rgyal ba bzang po), and a Lama Ārya (bla ma Ar+ya) he received teachings in the new and old traditions and practiced under their guidance.

He received lay vows and the name Lodro Gyeltsen (blo gros rgyal mtshan) from the Eleventh Sakya Trizin, Daknyi Chenpo (sa skya khri 'dzin 11 bdag nyid chen po, 1262–1324).

When Kunpang Delek Rinchen was nineteen, around 1279 or 1282, word was sent that his father had fallen ill in China. He traveled to Beijing arrived only after his father had passed away. The Yuan emperor at the time, Kublai Khan, gave him gifts and spoke favorably of his father.

On his return to Tibet, he took monastic ordination and enrolled in a retreat center at Samding Monastery (bsam sdings). There, Zhonnu Sonam (gzhon nu bsod nams) honored him with the title of khenpo (mkhan po), or "master scholar," and Rinchen Chok (rin chen mchog) gave him the title of lopon (slob dpon), or "master teacher."

At the age of twenty-six, he took full bhikṣu ordination and received the name Delek Rinchen. To each member of the saṇgha he offered half a zho (zho) of gold and half a sang (srang) of silver. To the five khenpos he gave nine sang  and to the lopons three. Under these circumstances, he received initiation into the mahāsiddha Vajraghatapada's Cakrasaṃvara lineage and other traditions held at the monastery. After being guided in Mahāmudrā, the Six Yogas of Nāropa, and subtle body practices, it is said that his meditative experience flourished. He also received Lamdre (lam 'bras) and Richo (ri chos) teachings, an indication of the eclectic teachings available at Samding at the time. It is said that in every one of his practice sessions, he never failed to make fine offerings to the objects of refuge.

After that period of training, he returned to his guru, Kunden Rema, and in three different session received all of the empowerments, guidance, and pith instructions that she had not bestowed on him previously. It is then that he became a holder of Rechungpa’s Aural Lineage.

He received teachings from a Lama Jamyang (bla ma 'jam dbyangs), Kachopa (mkha' spyod pa), and Joden Khenchen Sonam Drakpa (jo gdan mkhen chen bsod nams grags pa). On separate occasions, he offered all three of them everything he owned. He also decided to give up his residence and enter strict mountain retreat in the Lato region of Tsang, where for one year he practiced austerities in the high forests.

After that, he journeyed to Dropuk (grod phug) in Nyanang or Nyenam (gnya' nang / snye nam) and the "Six Fortresses" (rdzong drug) in Kyirong (skyid rong)—all sacred sites associated with Milarepa. He also went to Labchi (la phyi), a massive mountain range on Tibet's southern border, with the intention of remaining for many years. At Labchi he wore only cotton robes. It is said that by corralling the winds of karma (las rlung) into the central channel, he was able to halt the flow of his subtle energies and rest in nonconceptual meditative absorption. Legend has it that at the Cave of the Subjugation of Māra (bdud 'dul phug), within an ongoing meditative state of luminosity, he visited the Sukhāvatī pure land, where he encountered two thousand buddhas. It is also said that while staying in a secret cave associated with Rechungpa, he had visions of the Kagyu masters, yidam deities, and dharma protectors.

Three years into his residence at Labchi he received a letter from his mother, who had lost her eyesight. He therefore returned home to care for her.

Kunpang Delek Rinchen's foremost disciple was Ketsun Ziji Gyeltsen (mkhas btsun gzi brjid rgyal mtshan) who accompanied him in the Labchi mountains. When Ketsun Ziji Gyaltsen met Kunden Rema herself, she bestowed on him the empowerments and instructions of the Aural Lineage.