The Treasury of Lives

Yonten Gonpo (yon tan mgon po) was born in the Rudam Kyitram Valley (ru dam skyid khram) in Kham in 1899, the earth-pig year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was Kyamo Menlha (skya mo sman lha), and his mother, Yang Chung Lhamo (yang chung lha mo), was the youngest daughter of a local leader. He was the middle of three brothers. As a child, he is said to have been extremely skilled and detail-oriented in his studies of reading and writing. Stories are told of his ability to tame ghosts and demons through his meditative powers.

He enrolled in Dzogchen Monastery, Orgyen Samten Choling (rdzogs chen o rgyan ru dam bsam gtan chos gling) when he reached the appropriate age. The Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang, Tubten Chokyi Dorje (rdzogs chen 05 thub bstan chos kyi rdo rje, 1872-1935) performed his tonsure ceremony and gave him instructions, transmissions, and empowerments from the revealed treasure (gter ma) and oral transmission (bka' ma) traditions of the Nyingma school. In addition, he trained in the monastic practices of chanting, rites and rituals, religious music, and dance.

Yonten Gonpo's main teacher was the famed nineteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College (shrI sing+ha bshad drwa), Zhenpen Chokyi Nangwa (gzhan phan chos kyi snang ba, 1871-1927), from whom he studied common subjects such as Sanskrit phonology, grammar, poetry, medicine, and astrology, as well the full range of Buddhist teachings. He remained a close disciple of Zhenpen Chokyi Nangwa for two decades until his death in 1927.

In 1938, Yonten Gonpo was enthroned as the twenty-seventh abbot of Śrī Siṃha College around the age of forty. From this position he upheld the institution's tradition, teaching on the thirteen great classical texts of India and Tibet and giving Tantric initiations and instructions.

After Yonten Gonpo retired from his position, he settled at Gyawo Ritro (rgya bo ri khrod), the monastic seat of his teacher Zhenpen Chokyi Nangwa. Despite being determined to dedicate his remaining life solely to meditation, he was appointed to be the personal tutor to the Sixth Dzogchen Drubwang, Jikdrel Jangchub Dorje (rdzogs chen 06 'jigs bral byang chub rdo rje, 1935-1959), earning him the title Yongdzin Khenchen (yongs 'dzin mkhan chen). Nevertheless, he was known as a great Dzogchen practitioner, regularly practicing for four meditation sessions daily. He was also known for his strict observance of his monastic vows, living simply and distributing all of his offerings except the necessities: his robes and teaching texts.

Yonten Gonpo's hagiography includes an extensive list of disciples, some of whom were instrumental in the preservation and transmission of the Dzogchen lineage in the current day. Among them are the Sixth Dzogchen Drubwang; the Third Pema Vajra Tulku, Pema Kelzang (pad+ma ba dz+ra sprul sku 03 pad+ma skal bzang, b.1943); the Third Alak Zenkar, Tubten Nyima (a lags gzan dkar 03 thub bstan nyi ma, b.1943); Botrul Dongak Tenpai Nyima (bod sprul mdo sngags bstan pa'i nyi ma, d.1959); Muksang Tulku Pema Kunzang Rangdrol (rmugs sangs sprul sku pad+ma kun bzang rang grol, 1916-1984); Adzom Drukpa Pema Trinle (a 'dzom 'brug pa thub bstan pad+ma 'phrin las, b.1926); Akyong Tokden Lodro Gyatso (a skyong rtogs ldan blo gros rgya mtsho, 1930-2004); and the Fourth Dodrubchen, Jigme Choying Rangdrol (rdo grub 04 'jigs med chos dbyings rang grol, b.1927).

The Sixth Dzogchen Drubwang passed away in 1959; Yonten Gonpo completed his funerary rites and rituals amidst the turmoil of the Chinese Communist take over Tibet and prophesized the circumstances of the Dzogchen Drubwang's rebirth in a letter to his nephew Sonam Tobden (tsha bo bso nams stobs ldan, d.u.).

Two months later, he found himself surrounded by Chinese soldiers who wee firing indiscriminately. Legend has it that he was unharmed by the bullets, in the mist of which he sat in meditation posture, covered his head with his robe, and deliberately ejected his consciousness from his body. He was sixty-one.

Lama Gyelwang Nyima (bla ma rgyal dbang nyi ma) of Dzogchen Monastery and the Fourth Dodrubchen Rinpoche recognized his reincarnation in a boy who was born in Bhutan in 1976. They gave him the title Gonpo Tulku (mgon po sprul sku), abbreviated as Gotrul Rinpoche (mgo sprul rin po che).