The Treasury of Lives

Wolkhawa Drolgom Choyung received his name from his place of birth, Wolkha ('ol kha). His father was a doctor by the name of Monlam Bar (lha rje smon lam 'bar), and his mother was Namshe Kyi (rnam shes skyid).

He was trained in both Buddhist teachings and medicine by his father until his marriage at the age of fifteen. During the year that followed his bride died and, overwhelmed by grief, he took religious vows from Geshe Draktsawa (dge bshes brag rtsa ba).

His studies included everything from the basic texts on vinaya vows to the ear-whispered teachings known as the Rechung Nyengyu (ras chung snyan brgyud) which he studied with Zhangton Sherab Bar (zhang ston shes rab 'bar) and Rechungpa (ras chung pa) respectively. Wolkhawa received teachings on the entire set of sadhana practices translated by Bari Lotsāwa (ba ri lo tsA ba) directly from the translator himself.

Wolkhawa is now best known as a prominent disciple of Gampopa Sonam Rinchen (sgam po pa bsod nam rin chen, 1079-1153). It is interesting that Gampopa and he shared similar life stories. Both were trained as doctors, but renounced worldly occupations after the deaths of their wives. Zhang Yudrakpa Tsondru Drakpa (zhang g.yu brag pa brtson 'grus grags pa, 1123-1193) considered Wolkhawa one of his six most important teachers, particularly for his precepts on developing practical bodhicitta on the conventional level, including special methods for enhancing compassion in daily life.

Wolkhawa mastered some exceptional yogic abilities. Some were demonstrated during his retreats at a large island with many natural caves named Semodo (se mo do), sometimes called Sinmodo (srin mo do), in Namtso (gnam mtsho). On this island there was nothing to eat except what was brought there from the mainland, and the water was just a little too salty for ordinary drinking. Yet the salinity was not sufficiently high to prevent freezing during the bitter winters. The winter opened a window of opportunity for the hermits who wished to go to or from the island.

Once when he was with his teacher Gampopa at Semodo, it is said that he injected his own consciousness into the body of a dead goose, which flew around the island three times. Another time at Semodo he suddenly fell backward on the ground unconscious. Gampopa asked someone to bring some nutmeg for his tea, which he then drank. When Wolkhawa regained consciousness, he sensed the taste of nutmeg rising up from his stomach. This was taken as a sign that he had achieved a single identity with his spiritual mentor. It is also said that he could bring dead animals back to life and control events in the external world through his yogic gaze. He could paralyze whole armies and weapons would not wound him.