The Treasury of Lives

Dorje Dudjom (rdo rje bdud 'joms) was born into the Nanam clan (sna nam), in Tsangrong (gtsang rong). Dorje Dudjom became a minister to King Tri Songdetsen (khri srong lde'u btsan) while still a young man.

According to the Orgyen Lingpa's (o rgyan gling pa) biography of Padmasambhava, the Padma Katang (pad+ma bka' thang), Dorje Dudjom was part of the party that invited Padmasambhava to Tibet.

He and his companions, Śākyaprabhā of the Chim (chims) clan and Pelgyi Sengge (dpal gyi seng ge) first gained permission from King Sūrya and then traveled with Padmasambhava to Nepal, where the master remained for three months after sending the Tibetans on ahead. After Padmasambhava tarried again in Mangyul (mang yul), on the Nepali border, Tri Songdetsen again sent the envoys to the border, where they offered Padmasambhava gold dust as an incentive to return with them to Tibet. To their dismay Padmasambhava threw the dust into the wind, but he then transformed rocks and soil into gold and jewels, earning their faith.

Some sources appear to have conflated him with a man known as Trizik of Ba (rba khri gzigs), who is counted among the early translators who made the dangerous journey to India to bring back scripture, and contributed to the translation of the Vinaya.

When Padmasambhava initiated Nanam, his flower fell onto Jigten Choto ('jig rten mchod stod). While meditating in a pitch dark cave he had a vision that the construction of the temple at Samye was nearly completed. He emerged through a small chink in the rock, leaving behind a large passageway. While practicing the Vajrakīlaya sādhana in Hepori (he po ri) near Samye he cut off thought at its root and demonstrated his attainment by implanting his kila dagger in a rock. He is said to have traveled in the sky at the speed of wind and passed unhindered through a mountain near Samye.

Later in his life he returned to Tsangrong, practicing at Drakmar Ke'utsang (brag dmar ke'u tshang), and also practicing in Yardrok (yar 'brog), at a site also called Drakmar Ke'u Tsang. He is said to have translated many tantric texts there.

Dorje Dudjom is also listed as a student of Kharchen Pelgyi Wangchuk (mkhar chen dpal gyi dbang phyug).

Those who are said to be his reincarnations include Rigdzin Godem Ngodrub Gyeltsen (rig 'dzin rgod ldem dngos grub rgyal mtshan, 1337-1409), Rigdzin Lekdenje (rig 'dzin legs ldan rje, 15th c), Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo ('jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i rdo rje, 1813-1892), and Terton Sogyel Lerab Lingpa (gter ston bsod rgyal las rab gling pa, 1856-1926).

According to the Blue Annals, Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo (rong zom chos kyi bzang po, 1042-1136) received Dorje Dudjom's transmission line of the Semde (sems sde) teachings.