The Treasury of Lives

Kunzang Pema Wanggyel (kun bzang pad+ma dbang rgyal) was born at Gomgyel Juru (sgom rgyal 'ju ru) in 1736, the fire-dragon year. His father was named Mingyur Lhunpo (mi 'gyur lhun po) and his mother was named Drongza Chime Pelmo ('brong gza' 'chi med dpal mo). He was also a relative of Mar Dzoten (dmar dzo bstan).

While still a child he was identified as the reincarnation of Orgyen Samten (o rgyan bsam gtan, 1647-1735), a teacher at Simda Dzogchen Monastery (srib mda' rdzogs chen dgon), a branch of Shechen Monastery (zhe chen dgon) near Markham (mar kham). According to tradition, the search for Orgyen Samten's reincarnation began with this prophecy from the Second Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin (rdzogs chen 02 'gyur med theg mchog bstan 'dzin, 1699-1758): "East of the monastery is a north-facing valley, wherein a vajra stone lays before a flowing river and a big white yak-hair tent. The parents' names will be "adorned with a sign of negation," meaning that their name will contain a grammatical particle of negation, such as 'mi,' 'ma,' or 'med,' and the child will be born of the Fire-Dragon Year."

He presumably was enthroned at Shechen Monastery, where he studied with the Second Shechen Rabjam, Gyurme Kunzang Namgyel (zhe chen rab 'byams 02 'gyur med kun bzang rnam rgyal, 1713-1769).

In 1761, the iron dragon year, at the age of twenty-five, he went on pilgrimage to central Tibet. At Mindroling Monastery (smin 'grol gling) he received empowerments, transmissions, and teachings from the Fourth Minling Trichen, Gyurme Pema Tendzin (smin gling khri chen gyur med pad+ma bstan 'dzin, 1737-1761). He returned to his home monastery at the age of twenty-nine, where over the course of his final two decades he is said to have composed works of poetry, texts, and commentaries. Few of these were published, and none are extant.

Little more is known of his life save a story in which he subjugated two zombies at an important intersection. It seems that in 1766, the fire dog year, a salt transporter bumped shoulders with another traveler at the confluence of two rivers where ghosts and spirits were said to often meet. The two men pulled out swords and killed each other. As their corpses lay there they were possessed by dark spirits and rose up in a frightful pose. As a result all travel by the road was halted. Kunzang Pema Wanggyel is said to have rode out to meet the reanimated corpses on a black horse. He tamed the two zombies, tying both of their swords in knots, and placing two statues with flaming black hūṃ symbols there to prevent the future activity of harmful spirits. Those two swords, tied in knots, are preserved in Simda Monastery's protector room.