The Treasury of Lives

Tsultrim Nyima (tshul khrims nyi ma) was born in the village of Saspol (sa spol) located about sixty kilometers from Leh, the capital of Ladakh. He was born in the sixth month of the wood-hare year, or late 1795. His birth is said to have been augured by a dream his mother had in which she held a special flower and flew in the sky; she stopped at a high auspicious region, and from there she brought a decorated arrow and climbed to the top of a mountain.

His father was named Lobzang Tashi (blo bzang bkra shis), an expert in medicine. His mother, Zomkyi ('dzom skyid), was a widow of Lobzang Tashi's elder brother Tsewang Gyeltsen (tshe dbang rgyal mtshan). His familial name, Khachepa (kha che pa), meaning "Kashmiri," was derived from a reputed familial connection with the great yogi Nāropā of Kashmir. He is also regarded as an incarnation of Nāropā.

Among his ancestors was Lama Drubta Khudrub (bla ma grub mtha khu grub), who built the Khamchen Yokma Temple (kham chen yog ma lha khang) at Likir Monastery (klu khyil dgon) in Ladakh.

Tsultrim Nyima is said to have been a child of good character and tro have stood out among his peers. He studied scriptures with Ngari Tulku Lobzang Gelek (mnga ris sprul sku blo bzang dge legs) who gave him the empowerment for the long-life prayer of Amitāyus and the name Stanzin Tsewang (bstan 'dzin tshe dbang). His affection for religious texts and his subsequent prayer offerings led his father and mother to take him to a Lama Geshe Mila (bla ma dge shes mi la) for the study of the Mahāyāna scriptures. Other teachers included Lama Lobzang Tsultrim (bla ma blo bzang tshul 'khrims), and Lama Lobzang Tenzin (bla ma blo bzang bstan 'dzin). Along with his religious studies, he also trained under his father in worldly subjects like mathematics, singing, dancing, archery, horse riding, swimming, polo sports, folk stories, and folk songs. His parents taught him how to make clothes and footwear.

As a young man Tsultrim Nyima went into the pashmina trade. At the age of twelve, he along with the head tradesman of the Ladakhi royal family known as Gerapa (ge ra pa) went to Rutok (ru thog) in the Jangtang (byang thang) region of Tibet, a journey he repeated for several years. Gerapa was pleased with Tsultrim's honesty and his dedication. His father, in accordance with the custom of his village, had administrative duties in his village, which Tsultrim Nyima took on for three years.

Other merchants are said to have been astonished by his honesty, which served to increase his stature among the traders. It is said that once he returned home from Jangtang and found that the pashmina he had purchased was heavier than previously measured, an error in his favor. The following year he returned the excess. He also earned a reputation for piety. Typically, over fifty yaks and the pashmina of 200 goats were purchased in the Jangtang. After reaching Leh, some of the animals were sold to be butchered and some were left as the sacrificial custom for the Losar festival. Lama Tsultrim Nyima abstained from such violent acts, choosing not to sell any of his domestic animals to the butchers.

He married a woman named Yangzom (yang 'dzom) when was twenty-nine years old, and a son and a daughter were born to them. Both of his children grew up to join the monastic life. His son, Yeshe Rabgyes (ye shes rab rgyas) whom Tsultrim Nyima ordained with the name Tsultrim Rabgye (tshul khroms rab rgyas), studied under Lama Lobzang Stanzin (bla ma blo bzang bstan 'dzin), earned a geshe degree, and was known as Geshe Rabgye (dge shes rab rgyas). His reincarnations are known as Se Rinpoche (sras rin po che).

Yangzom died while Tsultrim was traveling, and he arranged for prayers to be said on his return. His teacher, Geshe Mila, then passed away during another journey, inspiring him to enter a life of renunciation, and he began to consult with Lama Lobsang Stanzin, talking with him long into the night. He also took teachings in Tibet, such as on Atiśa's Bodhipathapradīpa, from a Lama Yeshe Dakpo (bla ma ye shes drag po) of Jang Rutok (byang ru thog), and a Toling Khenpo (mtho lding mkhan po), who taught him Lamrim and Lojong (lam rim blo sbyong) at Tashigang Monastery (bkra shis sgang dgon pa). At the age of thirty-four he took ordination with Toling Khenpo, who gave him the name Tsultrim Nyima.

He returned to Ladakh by way of Kailash (gangs ti se) and Mansarovar (ma pham g.yu mtsho). He began a seven-month meditation retreat at a peaceful region of Dzonglung (rdzong lung) between the regions of Likir (klu khyil), Saspol (sa spol) and Sumdho (su mdho). He then went again to Tashigang where he received teachings Vajrabhairava, Avalokiteśvara, and other topics, returning in later years to receive additional teachings.

At Dzonglung he built a hermitage, and had a villager appointed as caretaker. In 1833 he established Rizong Monastery (ri rdzong dgon pa), and transferred the ten monks then meditating at Dzonglung there. He founded a village nearby to support the monastery, in 1840, which he called Yartang (yar thang) village near the monastery in 1840. His main teaching there was the Bodhipathapradīpa.

In 1848, Lama Tsultrim Nyima built Samstanling Monastery (bsam gtan gling dgon pa) in the Nubra valley. The name Samstanling was given by the Seventh Paṇchen Lama, Tenpai Nyima (paN chen bla ma 07 bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1782–1853), via letter sent from Tibet. Both Rizong and Samstanling monasteries were known for their strict adherence to the Vinaya.

Lama Tsultrim Nyima is credited with protecting monasteries during the 1834 Dogra invasion of Ladakh, led by Zorawar Singh Kahluria (1784–1841). According to legend, Tsultrim Nyima confronted Zorawar Singh, acknowledging his victory over the Ladakhi resistance. He presented two offerings consisting of a piece of brocade and white ceremonial scarf (kha btags), which he told the general represented the earth and the sky. He is reported to have said, "Your rule of this region is like the sky, hence be merciful to the subjects," and pleaded for peace and prosperity. The general is said to have been impressed. However, in defeat Ladakh was forced to pay an indemnity of 50,000 rupees and an annual tribute ranging from 9,000 to 18,000 rupees. Nyima later unsuccessfully advised Zorawar Singh to abandon his plan to invade Tibet. The general died in battle against the Tibetans on December 14, 1841, in Purang.

Tsultrim Nyima is credited with rebuilding many temples, statues, and stūpa that were destroyed during the Dogra invasion. These included the Jampa Karpo (byams pa dkar po) and Marpo Lhakhang (dmar po lha khang) of Leh Palace, or Lechen Pelkhar (gle chen dpal mkhar), for which he solicited donations from all over Ladakh to complete.

He passed away on May 3, 1872, at the age of seventy-seven. His disciple Tsultrim Dorje (tshul 'khrims rdo rje) and Rizong Setrul Lobzang Tsultrim Chospel (ri rdzong sras sprul blo bzang tshul khrims chos 'phel, 1860–1926) wrote his biography, which totals about 600 pages. The draft was taken to Lhasa where the Third Purbuchok Jampa Rinpoche (P194 pur bu lcog 03 byams pa rgya mtsho, 1825­–1901) revised and edited it.

His reincarnation was identified as Tupten Nyima (thub bstan nyi ma, 1777–1884), who passed away at the age of only eight. The third incarnation is named Lobsang Thinles Stanzin Norbu (blo bzang 'phrin las bstan 'dzin nor bu) who was born in 1947 in Gemur village of the Lahaul valley in Himachal Pradesh. His father was a colonel in the Indian army named Kushhal Chand.