The Third Simda Dzogchen Tulku, Gyurme Tekchok Tenpa Namgyel (srib mda' rdzogs chen sprul sku 03 'gyur med theg mchog bstan pa rnam rgyal) was born in 1786, fire-horse year, near Zurmang Dutsi Til (zur mang bdud rtsi mthil).
He was identified as the reincarnation of the Second Simda Dzogchen Tulku, Kunzang Pema Wanggyel (srib mda' rdzogs chen sprul sku 02 kun bzang pad+ma dbang rgyal, 1736-1784). On the fourth day of the sixth month of the wood-tiger year, he was officially enthroned at Simda Dzogchen Monastery (srib mda' rdzog chen dgon), the seat of the lineage.
At the age of sixteen he went to Shechen Tennyi Dargye Ling (zhe chen bstan gnyis dar rgyas gling) where the Third Rabjam Rinpoche, Rigdzin Peljor Gyatso (rab 'byams 03 rig 'dzin dpal 'byor rgya mtsho, 1770-1807) gave him religious empowerments and teachings, as well as instruction on astrology, poetry, grammar, and logic.
When he was twenty-five he received teachings at Katok Monastery (kaH thog) and then, in central Tibet, at Mindroling (smin 'grol gling), along with the transmission of the Kangyur and Tengyur. After that, he returned to his monastery.
He passed away in 1839 at the age of fifty-four.
Although additional details about his life are not currently available, three stories give testament to his reputation as a powerful and compassionate religious figure.
Gyurme Tekchok, the Businessman, and the Spider
Tradition holds that Gyurme Tekchok had extraordinary powers of clairvoyance. One time a businessman named Pasang (pa sang) who had gone to the Chinese border fell ill and died. His family was unable to locate his cache of valuables, and went to Gyurme Tekchok for help. The lama told them to look for where an insect made a home on a wall of their house. They returned home to find a large black spider nesting, and when they opened the wall up, they found fourteen silver medallions hidden there. The family used the money to sponsor religious practice.
Gyurme Tekchok and the Hunter
A hunter named Gomgyel Dorje Zhepa (sgom rgyal rdo rje bzhad pa), whose nickname was Yardhago (yar dha 'go), once killed a large stag near Simda Monastery. When he approached the corpse, he saw that the deer was wearing a large chain and medallion around its neck. Though he was afraid, thinking this was no normal deer, he decided to take its hide and sell it to a Chinese or Mongolian trader. All this despite strict anti-hunting laws then in force.
As he later sought a buyer, he passed Gyurme Tekchok, who called out to him, asking him where he was going. The hunter lied, saying, "I’m going to buy some tea!" and quickly ran away. He returned the same way and passed by the lama again, who called out "Yardhago! What are your plans? You killed the mount of the protector deity, and now you hope to make some money off of it!" These words hit the hunter like a bucket of ice water splashed against his heart. Full of fear and regret, he fell to his knees before the lama, confessing his misdeed and begging for help. Gyurme Tekchok replied, "Don’t go home tonight. Stay here." He spent the night in the monastery, covered by a monastic robe.
In the morning, Gyurme Tekchok gave him a protective amulet and told to go to the mountain to give a smoke offering. The hunter did just as he was told. When he later arrived home he saw that a massive boulder had rolled down the mountain, crushing his bedroom. Knowing that Gyurme Tekchok had saved his life, he returned to ask for teachings and spent the rest of his life practicing.
Gyurme Tekchok Saves a Mink
Another story emphasizes Gyurme Tekchok's opposition to hunting. A man named Sonam (bsod nams) who lived near the monastery was sent on an errand to get some donations of food and medicine to help a monk who had fallen ill. When he was going around the valley, he ran across the tracks of a mink. Thinking he would be able to earn some easy money by killing the animal and selling its pelt, he followed the tracks until he came to the burrow.
He had no flint light a fire in order to smoke the mink out of its hole, so he returned to the village to fetch one. When he arrived, he was told that Gyurme Tekchok Rinpoche was asking to see him immediately. A bit frightened, he went to see the Lama, who said, "There is no sin larger than killing. So spare the life of that long-tailed creature. Do you hear me?" Sonam promised to do so.
Bibliography
Tshe dbang ‘gyur med. 2011.Srib rdzogs chen dgon gsang chen bkra shis chos gling gi byung ba rags tsam brjod pa drang srong bden gtam. Lha ldan sprul pa’i gtsugs lag khang: Tshe dbang ‘gyur med, pp. 88-103.