The Treasury of Lives

Orgyen Tsomo, also known as the Great Ḍākinī of Tsurpu (mtshur phu mkha' 'gro chen mo), was born sometime around the turn of the twentieth century. The date of 1897 is often given, but she could have been born as late as 1904. There are few recorded details about her birth and childhood. As a young woman she became one of several consorts of the Fifteenth Karmapa, Kakhyab Dorje (karma pa 15 mkha' khyab rdo rje, 1870–1922).

There are two different narratives of how she met the Karmapa.

Tulku Urgyen (sprul sku o rgyan, 1920–1996) retells the account he heard from his uncle Samten Gyatso (bsam gtan rgya mtsho, died circa 1940). According to this version, the Karmapa fell seriously ill during the later years of his life. A prophecy by Padmasambhava revealed in a terma (gter ma) stated that the Karmapa's life could be extended by three years if he met a certain young woman. A search party was sent out, they found Orgyen Tsomo and brought her to Tsurpu Monastery (mtshur phu). Whenever the Karmapa felt unwell, she visited him, and his health immediately improved.[1]

An alternate account is given by the Kagyu historian Topga Yulgyal (stobs dga' g.yul rgyal, 1942–1997). In this telling, while the Karmapa was on a journey, he instructed his attendant one morning to bring along a white dress. On that day, the travel party encountered Orgyen Tsomo, who was running around naked and had taken hold of the reins of the Karmapa's horse, likely in an effort to prevent him from leaving. They gave her the dress, some food and sent her back home with other gifts. These were all taken from her by bandits after she left the Karmapa. Later, she went to visit the Karmapa at Tsurpu and at that time she became his consort.[2]

Both narratives of their meeting assert that her activity extended the Karmapa's life by three years. As the Karmapa died in 1922, their first meeting must have taken place around 1919.

Like most women who are known to engage in tantric consort practice with lamas, Orgyen Tsomo was considered a ḍākinī in human form. Contemporary witnesses praised her as a loving and compassionate person, and as a diligent dharma practitioner who spent extended periods of time in retreat, and had reached a high level of realization.[3]

After the Fifteenth Karmapa's death, Orgyen Tsomo performed the preliminary and main practices of Mahāmudrā in front of his remains. She also sponsored the creation of a statue in his honor that is said to have been completed within one day.[4]  She was subsequently ordained as a nun, and founded a nunnery called Samten Tse (bsam gtan rtse) at Tsurpu.[5]

On March 13, 1959, Orgyen Tsomo left Tibet together with the Sixteenth Karmapa (karma pa 16, 1924–1981) and many other eminent lamas.[6] She took up residence in a nunnery close to Rumtek (rum theg), the Sixteenth Karmapa's main seat in exile.[7] She passed away in 1961. In 1968 the Sixteenth Karmapa identified Mindroling Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche (smin grol gling rje btsun mkha' 'gro rin po che, b. 1967) as her reincarnation.[8]

 

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