The Treasury of Lives

Adro'i Khenchen Sonam Chopel (a gro'i mkhan chen bsod nams chos 'phel) was the sixteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College (shrI sing+ha bshad drwa) at Dzogchen Rudam Orgyen Samten Choling  (rdzogs chen ru dam o rgyan bsam gtan chos gling). He was born in the Drokru Dewa ('brog ru sde ba) district of Rudam (ru dam) in Kham towards the end of the fourteenth sexagenary cycle -- probably in the eighteen sixties -- to the Adro clan (a gro'i rigs). His father was named Lodro Chopel (blo gros chos 'phel) and his mother was named Barchung Riklha ('bar chung rig lha). At the age of two or three, the Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang, Mingyur Namkhai Dorje (rdzogs chen grub dbang 04 mi 'gyur nam mkha'i rdo rje, 1793-1870) performed the boy's tonsure ceremony and advised his parents to enroll him at Dzogchen Monastery when he came of age. He received his primary monastic vows (rab byung) from the eighth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Pema Vajra (pad+ma badz+ra, c.1807-1884) at the age of about seven or eight.

Sonam Chopel studied reading, writing, and ritual then moved on to the general subjects of Sanskrit phonology, poetry, astrology and astronomy; he was taught the traditional classical curriculum comprised of texts by Indian masters on Mādhyamaka, Pramāṇavārtika, Vinaya, Abhidharmakośa, and Prajñāpāramitā. His teachers included Dza Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chokyi Wangpo (rdza dpal sprul o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po, 1808-1887); Pema Vajra; Ju Mipam Namgyel Gyatso (ju mi pham rnam rgyal rgya mtsho, 1846-1912); the eleventh abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Purtsa Khenpo Akon (phur tsha mkhan po a dkon, b.1830's); Orgyen Tendzin Norbu (o rgyan bstan 'dzin nor bu, b.1851); the Fourth Shechen Gyeltsab, Pema Namgyel (zhe chen rgyal tshab 04 pad+ma rnam rgyal, 1871-1926); the fifteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Domtson Konchok Drakpa (sdom brtson kon mchog grags pa, b.1830's); and the Third Gurong, Orgyen Jikdrel Choying Dorje (dgu rong 03 o rgyan 'jigs bral chos dbyings rdo rje, 1875-1932).

Sonam Chopel studied the tenets and philosophy of the Nyingma tradition in depth, focusing on texts by eminent scholars such as Longchen Rabjampa (klong chen rab 'byams pa 1308-1364). He received general empowerments and instructions on both the spoken word (bka' ma) and treasure (gter ma) lineages, and extensive teachings and instructions on the upper and lower Dzogchen Nyingtik (rdzogs chen snying thig gong 'og) from the Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang, Tubten Chokyi Dorje (rdzogs chen 05 thub bstan chos kyi rdo rje, 1872-1935) and the Third Mura, Pema Dechen Zangpo (mu ra 03 pad+ma bde chen bzang po, d.u.). In addition to his own Nyingma tradition, Sonam Chopel studied early Geluk and Sakya masters as well, including texts by Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa (tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa, 1357-1419) and his two immediate disciples; Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyeltsen (sa skya paN chen kun dga' rgyal mtshan 1182-1251); Rongton Sheja Kunrik (rong ston shes bya kun rig 1367-1449); the sixth abbot of Ngor Evam Choden monastery, Gorampa Sonam Sengge (go ram pa bsod nams seng ge, 1429-1489); and Paṇchen Shākya Chokden (paN chen ShAkya mchog ldan, 1448-1507).

At about the age of thirty, Sonam Chopel was appointed to be the sixteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College by the Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang. From this position, he taught a great range of topics from the sutras and tantras as well as secular subjects such as grammar and poetry.

He retired from the abbacy around the age of forty and settled at Jamgon Mipam Namgyel Gyatso's mountain hermitage, Nakchung Ritro (nags chung ri khrod). He continued to engage in strict meditation retreats, and eventually gained renown as a highly realized tantric master. He regularly taught on the Dzogchen preliminaries and main practices for which many disciples gathered from near and far.

At around the age of sixty, Sonam Chopel took a consort. She was a delok ('das log), someone, usually female, who appears to die and then returns to tell stories about other realms. The consort was known as Delokma Peldron ('das log ma dpal sgron). She was the sister of Khenchen Dega (mkhan chen bde dga' 1898-1940), the incarnation of Pema Vajra who was also known as Demchok Dorje (bde mchog rdo rje). Together they had a son who was recognized as an incarnation of one of Sonam Chopel's own teachers, the Third Mura, Pema Dechen Zangpo. He became known as the Fourth Dzamura Tulku Pema Norbu (rdza mu ra 04 sprul sku pad+ma nor bu, 1918-1958). Sonam Chopel passed away the same year his son was born.

Sonam Chopel's disciples included Ngawang Pelzang of Katok Monastery (kaH thog ngag dbang dpal bzang 1879-1941) and Minyak Lama Sonam Chodrub (mi nyag bla ma bsod nams chos 'grub, 1862-1944).

Tubten Tsultrim Gyatso (thub bstan tshul khrims rgya mtsho) succeeded him as the seventeenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College.