The Treasury of Lives

Tsurton Wanggi Dorje was born into the Tsur clan (spelled both mtshur and 'tshur) in the Dolda (dol mda') region of central Tibet. His father was said to be a powerful tantric practitioner. As a child he was devout, and sought out a teacher named Chepa (lce pa), under whose guidance he practiced many austerities.

As his activity increased he asked a religious scribe who was the most accomplished in the Guhyasamāja, and was told of Marpa Chokyi Lodro (mar pa chos kyi blo gros, c. 1012–1097). Inspired by a great faith that arose at the sound of Marpa's name he went to seek him out. It seems that Tsurton needed to prove himself by using black magic to vanquish an enemy of Marpa's, reminiscent of the first tests Marpa put to his more famous disciple, Milarepa (mi la ras pa, c. 1040–1123).

This was a period following Marpa's first trip to India when he was building his reputation and traveling through Tibet gathering gold for his second trip. Tsurton invited Marpa and his entourage to his residence in Dolda, where Marpa gave him the initiation to the Guhyasamāja and Hevajra, later continuing the transmission of the Guhyasamāja in the Trowolung Valley (bro bo lung) where the master would establish his household.

Tsurton is considered one of the "four pillars," Marpa's four main disciples, the other three being Milarepa, Meton Tsonpo Sonam Gyeltsen (mes ston tshon po bsod nams rgyal mtshan, d.u.) and Ngokton Choku Dorje (rngog ston chos sku rdo rje, 1036–1097). In the famous dream in which the metaphor of the four pillars is introduced, Tsurton is the pillar of the east. As translated by the Nalanda Translation Committee:

The great pillar established in the East
Is Tsurton Wangnge of Dol
That great lion poised on top of the pillar
Is his lion-like character.
The lion displaying his thick turquoise mane
Means that he has received the oral instructions of the hearing lineage.
His four paws clawing at the snow
Is the sign that he is endowed with the four immeasurables.
His eyes gazing upward
Is the sign that he will bid farewell to saṃsāra.
The lion leaping to a white snow mountain range 
Is the sign that he will go to the realm of liberation.¹

Marpa specifically taught Tsurton the practice of transference of consciousness, or powa (spo ba) and gifted him Nāropa's hair, fingernails, and a crown symbolizing the five buddha families.² It is not known how long Tsurton remained with Marpa.

Tsurton's disciple Khampa Ronyam Dorje (khams pa ro mnyam rdo rje) came to him soon after Marpa passed away. The man had gone to India to receive teachings from Maitripa, but arrived there after the master's death. One his return to Tibet he sought out Marpa, but he too had passed away, and as a result he studied Guhyasamāja with Tsurton.³

Tsurton, by the name Wangnge, is credited with participation in the translation of at least one text, a Vajravārāhī-sādhana (D 1542) by Maitripa (P44).⁴ The Indian paṇḍit on the translation was Vajrapāṇi, who also translated with another member of the Tsur clan, Yeshe Jungne (mtshur ston ye shes byung nas), and for this reason the attribution has to be considered uncertain. The few available biographies of Wanggi Dorje make no mention of his translating scripture or of meeting Vajrapāṇi, who arrived in Tibet in 1066, but such a meeting could have occurred, as the paṇḍit was working on texts that would have been of interest to students of Marpa.

In addition to Ronyam Dorje, Tsurton Wanggi Dorje's disciples included Khon Gepa Kīrti ('khon gad pa kI rti) and Cheton Sonam Gyeltsen (mches ston bsod nams rgyal mtshan). Khon Gepa Kīrti is responsible for bringing Maitripa's Guhyasamāja lineage into the Sakya and Geluk traditions, although whether his clan name Khon indicates he was a member of the illustrious Sakya family is unknown. The lineage is given as follows: Turlapa Tsultrim Kyab (thur la pa tshul khrims skyabs), Tangdewa Pakpa Kyab ( thang dpe ba 'phags pa skyab), Serdingpa Zhonnu Wo (gser ldings pa gzhon nu 'od), Chokyu Wozer (chos sku 'od zer), and Pakwo Yonten Gyatso ('phags 'od yon tan rgya mtsho). From this last teacher it passed to Buton Rinchen Drub (bu ston rin chen grub, 1290-1364) and Sharchen Yeshe Gyeltsen (shar chen ye shes rgyal mtshan, 1359-1406). Buton transmitted it to Rendawa Zhonnu Lodro (red mda' ba gzhon nu blo gros, 1349-1412), who taught it to Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa (tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa, 1457-1519).

¹ Tsang Nyön Heruka, p. 186.

² Tsang Nyön Heruka, p. 190-191.

³ Chos kyi 'byung gnas, p. 68.

⁴ Anon. 1983, p. 227.