Machik Ongjo was born in Uyuk (u yug) to the Gyamo (rgya mo) clan. Her dates are unknown. Her family was wealthy, having both considerable land and livestock. As a youth she was melancholy, and would often run off to the hills, depressed at the thought of living the life of a householder's wife.
She took lay vows and is said to have studied and practiced extensively, particularly with Khyungtsang Repa (khyung tshang ras pa, 1115-1176), a disciple of Rechungpa Dorje Drakpa (ras chung pa rdo rje grags pa, 1085-1161). He gave her the transmission of the Rechung Nyengyu (ras chung snyan brgyud) three times: once as a laywoman and twice as a fully ordained nun. If the sources are correct, then Machik Ongjo was one of the few women in Tibet to have received full ordination.
Khyungtsang Repa reportedly told her that she was a reincarnation of Tilopa's "mystical sister," a ḍākinī who is said to have guided him throughout his life.
She may have served as Khyungtsang Repa's sexual consort during initiation rites.
According to the Blue Annals, Zhang Lotsāwa Drubpa Pel (zhang lo tsA ba grub pa dpal, d. 1237), also an important lineage master in the Rechung Nyengyu, requested the initiation rites and precepts for the Rechung Nyengyu from her. She refused refused twice before finally agreeing. According to a religious history by the Fourth Drukchen, Pema Karpo (brug chen 04 padma dkar po, 1527-1592), Zhang Lotsāwa received the transmission from her only after he took complete ordination. Pema Karpo also identified her as Khyuntsang Repa's consort.
Learn more about the Women Initiative, an effort to add 100 new biographies of women by 2026.
Bibliography
Allione, Tsultrim. 2000. “The Biography of Machig Ongjo.” In Women of Wisdom, pp. 295-298. Ithaca: Snow Lion.
Anon. 1983. Ma gcig ong jo'i rnam thar zur tsam. In Bde mchog snyan brgyud kyi rnam thar skor, pp. 285-288. Darjeeling: Kargyud sungrab nyamso khang. TBRC W21145.
Anon. 2010. Ma gcig ong co dang / mar ston tshul byung / dge sdings pa/ bla ma dha ra shrI/ ras ma zhig mo/ bya btang bde legs pa/ 'dzim gzi brjid rgyal mtshan bcas kyi skabs. In Bod kyi lo rgyus rnam thar phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 12, pp. 178-228. Xining: Mtsho sngon mi rigs dpe skrun khang. TBRC W1KG10687.
Martin, Dan. 2005. “The Woman Illusion? Research into the lives of Spiritually Accomplished Women Leaders of the 11th and 12th Centuries.” In Women in Tibet, eds. Janet Gyatso and Hanna Havnevik. New York, NY: Columbia, pp. 49-82.
Padma dkar po. 1968. Chos 'byung bstan pa'i padma rgyas pa'i nyin byed. Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, p. 509.
'Phrin las rgya mtsho. 2009. Ma gcig ang jo'i rnam thar. In Bla ma brgyud pa'i rnam thar ngo mtshar zla ba'i me long, vol. 1, pp. 359-360. Plouray: Drukpa Plouray. TBRC W1KG4247.
Roerich, George, trans. 1996. The Blue Annals. 2nd ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, pp. 443, 446.
Torricelli, Fabrizio. 2001. "Zhang Lo-tsā-ba’s Introduction to the Aural Transmission of Śaṃvara." In Raffaele Torella, ed. Le parole e i marmi. Studi in onore di Raniero Gnoli nel suo 70° compleanno. Roma: IsIAO, 875–896.