The Treasury of Lives

Pema Tekchok Loden (pad+ma theg mchog blo ldan) was born in the female earth-rabbit year of 1879, in Lakwa Khok (lag ba khog), a village in the Rudam Kyitram Valley (ru dam skyid khram lung ba) in Derge (sde ge). His father was Khokar Lok (khog dkar log) and his mother was Getok Acho (gad thog a chos). His hagiographies include claims that at the time of his birth miraculous signs occurred such as water turning to milk and the earth quaking.

When the time came, he attended Śrī Siṃha College (shrI sing+ha bshad grwa) of Dzogchen Monastery (rdzogs chen dgon), where he studied logic and epistemology using the Seven Treatises of Dharmakīrti (tshad ma'i bstan bcos sde bdun), including the famous Pramāṇavārttika, as well as the sūtras, tantras, commentarial literature, oral and treasure teachings of the Nyingma tradition, and the various fields of knowledge. A few of his prominent teachers during this period of his life included Khenpo Akon (phur tsha mkhan po a dkon, 1837?-1897?), Khenchen Sonam Chopel (mkhan chen bsod nams chos 'phel), and Zhenpen Chokyi Nangwa (gzhan phan chos kyi snang ba,1871-1927), the eleventh, sixteenth, and nineteenth abbots of the college, respectively. By the end of his training he acquired the epithet "Lord of the Learned" (mkhas pa'i dbang phyugs), recognized for his scholarship in valid cognition and as an authority in exposition, debate, and composition.

During the time Pema Tekchok was engaged in his studies, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo ('jam dbyangs mkhyentse brtse'i dbang po, 1820–1892) is said to have experienced a state of lucid visions while he was staying at Dzogchen Monastery, the main monastery of the valley. In these visions he came to believe that Pema Tekchok was an emanation of the great paṇḍita Vimalamitra, a claim which his later disciples came to support.

Other teachers with whom he studied over the course of his life included the Fourth Mura Tulku, Pema Norbu (mu ra sprul sku 04 pad+ma nor bu, 1918-1958); Orgyen Tendzin Norbu (o rgyan bstan 'dzin nor bu,1841/51-1900?); Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro ('jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i chos kyi blo gro, 1893-1959); Mipam Gyatso (mi pham rgya mtsho,1846-1912); Khenchen Pema Vajra (mkhan po padma badz+ra, 1807-1884); Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpai Nyima (smyo shul lung rtogs bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1829-1901/1902); the Third Dodrubchen, Jigme Tenpai Nyima (rdo grub chen 03 'jigs med bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1865-1926); the Fourth Shechen Gyeltsab, Gyurme Pema Namgyel ('gyur med pad+ma rnam rgyal, 1871-1926); Khenpo Yonten Gyatso (mkhan po yon tan rgya mtsho); Dza Tsamtrul Kunzang Dechen Dorje (kun bzang bde chen rdo rje); the First Drukchen, Choying Rolpai Dorje (brug chen 01 chos dbyings rol pa'i rdo rje, 1858-1901); and Pema Choying Rolpai Dorje (padma chos dbyings rol pa'i rdo rje,1908-1984).

When Pema Tekchok was twenty-five, the Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang, Tubten Chokyi Dorje (rdzogs chen grub dbang 05 thub bstan chos kyi rdo rje,1872-1935) enthroned him as the twentieth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College. He held the post for eight years, from about 1904 to 1912. As part of his duties he enforced the monastic regulations and supervised the "great accomplishment ceremonies" (sgrub chen) such as that of the Eight Pronouncements (bka' brgyad), a major liturgical tradition of the monastery. During the final four years of his term he put Dzogchen Monastery’s textual tradition at the forefront of his activities and emphasized the thirteen Mahāyāna philosophical classics.[1]

Following the completion of his tenure as abbot, he committed himself to a life of retreat in the Yamāntaka Cave above Dzogchen Monastery (ru dam yang dben gshin rje sgrub phug). This is the cave where Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chokyi Wangpo (dpal sprul o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po,1808-1887) complied his notes and composed his famous commentary on the preliminary practices, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, and where Patrul's teacher, the First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Ozer (rdo grub chen 01 'jigs med phrin las 'od zer, 1745-1821), practiced. Pema Tekchok Loden left his retreat only a handful of times at the behest of his dharma friend Kunzang Pelden (kun bzang dpal ldan,1862-1943) in order to clarify specific points and issues concerning the dharma at Dzogchen Monastery.

According to hagiographies, the early days of the retreat were difficult, as he lacked sufficient provisions, becoming quite skinny. The Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang is said to have declared that "the people of Dzogchen Monastery and its surrounding land should be ashamed" for their failure to support the retreat.[2] Thereafter, Pema Tekchok Loden was supplied with the necessary provisions for retreat, and he responded in kind:

In terms of the qualities of my guru, the Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang Rinpoche, I have no need to mention the actuality of his omniscience; however, from the side of my gratitude, I have been supplied with food, clothing, and teachings—there is nothing that exists that could equate to all of this. Ever since he gave me retreat provisions, no difficulties or obligations came into my life, and it was akin to opening a sky-treasury.[3]

From this abundance he is said to have kept only the bare necessities for himself: a simple residence in which he had his meditation box, a woolen pelt, a meditation belt, a tea kettle, sacks of barely flour, and a few frying pots. Everything else he offered for the use of tantric feasts, funeral rights, and other projects at the monastery.

Pema Tekchok Loden's meditation practices were primarily in the traditions of Longchenpa Drime Ozer (klong chen pa 'dri med 'od zer, 1308-1364) and his heir, Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa, 1730-1785), specifically focusing on the various Nyingtik (snying thig/tig) cycles. These included the creation stages of the Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig) and the Rigdu Yeshe Sempa (rigs 'dus ye shes sems dpa'), and the completion stages of the Nyingtik Yabzhi (snying thig ya bzhi). Of those he particularly focused on the Lama Yangtik (bla ma yang tig) and the Khandro Nyingtik's Yeshe Lama (mkha' 'gro snying tig ye shes bla ma)[4] and relied upon Longchenpa's Seven Treasuries (mdzod mdun).  In addition to these traditional stages of practice, in the summertime he would lie naked and offer his body to all the blood drinking creatures upon the same rock which Patrul Rinpoche offered his own body.

He also practiced trekcho (khregs chod) and togel (thod rgal), the teachings of the pith instructions section of Dzogchen, which he taught to his disciples such as Zhechen Kongtrul Pema Drime (zhe chen kong sprul pad+ma dri me, 1901-1960). He was known for his practice of tummo (gtum mo) in the tsalung (rtsa lung) tradition of the Longchen Nyingtik, which he passed on to Lama Kunga Pelden (kun dga' dpal ldan).

On top of a boulder in the light of the moon, he also trained in the accompanying practices of the physical yogas ('khrul 'khor) to the point in which it could be seen that over the course of time the boulder diminished in size. This occurred due to the continual application of the yogic controlled drops ('bebs) in which case the practitioner jumps in the air and lands in a cross-legged position. His diligence in the practices of the physical yogas and, specifically, tummo, was tangibly seen as his watering bowls would not freeze in the cold Tibetan winters, and pilgrims reported that heat was felt quite a distance from his cave. The hagiographies state that he never loosened his meditation belt and trained in the practices of the channels, vital-energies, and the physical yogas to the end of his days. The hagiographies contain many other stories of his yogic accomplishments and miracles.

In this way he obtained the moniker "Realized Lord of Mahāmudrā" (rtogs pa’i dbang phyag chen po) and became the leading person in the area for clarifying questions of meditative experiences. He taught numerous disciples including both lay and ordained, abbots and hermits who spent their lives in mountain retreats. He was best known for teaching the Seven Treasuries, the Trilogy of Natural Ease (ngal gso skor gsum), Yeshe Lama, Instructions on the Six Intermediate States (bar do drug khrid), Nyingtik Yabzhi, Longchen Nyingtik, and other Dzogchen Nyingtik practice cycles.

His many students included his two nephews Chime Yeshe ('chi me ye shes) and Khenpo Chonam (mkhan po chos rnam); the Third Gemang, Garwang Lerab Lingpa (dge mang 03 gar dbang las rab gling pa1930-1959); Nyakshul Khenpo Gyurme Wosel (nyag shul mkhan po 'gyur med 'od gsal, 1890?-1920?); the Sixth Dzogchen Drubwang, Jikdrel Jangchub Dorje (rdzogs chen grub dbang 06 o rgyan 'jigs bral byang chub rdo rje, 1935-1959); the Sixth Dzogchen Ponlob, Jikdrel Tsewang Dorje (rdzogs chen dpon slob 06 'jigs bral tshe dbang rdo rje,1925-1962); Khunu Tendzin Gyeltsen (khu nu bstan 'dzin rgyal mtshan, 1895-1977); the Third Pema Vajra, Pema Kelzang Rinpoche (pad+ma ba dz+ra 03 pad+ma skal bzang, b.1943); Tubten Tsondru (thub bstan brtson 'grus phun tshogs, 1920-1979), Akyong Tokden Lodro Gyatso (a skyong rtogs ldan blo gros rgya mtsho, 1930-2002); Ngawang Norbu (ngag dbang nor bu, 1866-1958); Tendzin Chozang (bstan 'dzin chos bzang, d. 1959); Tsering Chojor (mkhan po tshe ring chos 'byor, 1928-1959); Botrul Dongak Tenpai Nyima (bod sprul mdo sngags bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1898/1900/1902-1959); Katok Khenchen Ngakchung Pelzang (kaH thog mkhan po ngag dbang dpal bzang, 1879-1941); Adzom Drukpa Tubten Pema Trinle (a 'dzom 'brug pa thub bstan pad+ma 'phrin las, b. 1926); Mewa Sertreng Tulku, Jamyang Sherab Gyeltsen (rme ba sher phreng sprul sku 'jam dbyangs shes rab rgyal mtshan, b. 1930); Kunzang Pelden; the First Shechen Kongtrul Pema Drime Lodro (zhe chen kong sprul pad+ma dri me, 1901-1960); Mipam Tulku Gurong Gyelse, Chokyi Lodro (mi pham sprul sku dgu rong rgyal sras chos kyi blo gros, 1911/1912-2002); Khen Norbu Tendzin (mkhan nor bu bstan 'dzin, 1898-1950); Yeshe Darje (ye shes dar rgyas, 1910-1945/1946); Mewa Khenchen Jampel (rme ba mkhan chen 'jam dpal); Khen Konchok Rinchen (mkhan dkon mchog rin chen, b. 1922); Gyarong Namtrul, Kunzang Tekchok Dorje (rgya rong rnam sprul kun bzang theg mchog rdo rje); Druktrul Tubten Nyima ('brug sprul thub bstan nyi ma, circa 1929); Tubten Lekshe Chokyi Junge (thub bstan legs bshad chos kyi 'byung gnas); Washul Rigdzin Wanggyel (wa shul rig 'dzin dbang rgyal, 1924-1997?); Tubten Chokyi Drakpa (thub bstan chos kyi grags pa, b. 1916); Pema Kunzang Rangdrol (mkhar legs sprul sku pad+ma kun bzang rang grol, 1916-1984); the Third Mura Tulku, Pema Dechen Zangpo (mu ra sprul sku 03 pad+ma bde chen bzang po); and Mewa Khenchen Tsewang Rigdzin (rme ba mkhan chen tshe dbang rig 'dzin, 1883-1958), who, with Pema Tekchok Loden's other disciple the Fourth Mura Tulku, is said to have attained the rainbow body. Additional names for disciples still to be identified are given in the hagiographies.

Pema Tekchok Loden is said to have cast no shadow during his life, and upon his death in the spring of 1955 he attained the rainbow body, both of which, according to the tradition, are the result of certain meditative practices. According to the hagiography, as his body was shrinking as it dissolved into light, his disciples supplicated for him to leave a physical support for their devotion. In response, his body stopped the process when it reached one cubit in size, the measurement of a length of a forearm. His disciples concealed the body next to the altar in the Yamāntaka Meditation Cave.