The Treasury of Lives

Drogon Dutsi Gyeltsen ('gro mgon bdud rtsi rgyal mtshan) was the son of Aton Yungdrung Sengge ('a ston g.yung drung seng ge) and was born in the Yorpo region in Lhoka. He studied reading and writing with his father and soon became a gifted calligraphist.

Dutsi Gyeltsen first studied in Yeru Wensakha (g.yas ru dben sa kha), the most important Bon monastery in U-Tsang at the time. There, he followed the teachings of Meton Sherab Ozer (me ston shes rab 'od zer, 1058-1132) and Nyoton Tsultrim Gyeltsen (gnyos ston tshul khrims rgyal mtshan, b.1144) and studied monastic discipline, sutras and tantras, and the secret instructions of Dzogchen (rdzogs chen), the Great Perfection. He practiced and studied these teachings until all his doubts were eradicated.

Later in his life, Dutsi Gyeltsen took monks vows at the feet of Drogon Yorpo Mepel ('gro mgon g.yor po me dpal, 1134-1169), the fifth lineage holder of the Atri (a khrid) system of meditation, and on that occasion, Yorpo Mepel gave him the name Dutsi Gyeltsen. As he had previously studied the codes of the monastic discipline, he perfectly knew the importance of keeping his vows pure and became renown as a vinaya master who never broke a single vow.

From Yorpo Mepel, Dutsi Gyeltsen received numerous initiations, reading authorizations and guidance instructions associated with outer and inner Bon tantras and he practiced their corresponding teachings in strict retreats.

After this preliminary training, Yorpo Mepel gave Dutsi Gyeltsen the direct introduction to the Great Vehicle (theg pa chen po’i ngo sprod) and all the instructions of the Atri teachings which he had compiled from the precepts of his own master. As a result of his retreats on the Atri instructions, it is said that Dutsi Gyeltsen became free of all dualistic grasping.

Dutsi Gyeltsen practiced in various hermitages, the most important one being Chisho Pukring (spyi shod phug ring). It is there that the tradition reports that he reached the realization of the Contemplation of Kuntuzangpo (kun bzang gi dgongs pa) and the union of the two truths. At the ultimate stage of his realization, the blessing of the lineage masters led him to the contemplation of the “Horizon of Clear-Light” ('od gsal 'khor yug), a stage of practice in which the visionary experiences of Awareness (rig pa’i snang ba) are contemplated day and night, without interruption. When he perfected that stage, Dutsi Gyeltsen became known as a “yogi with a continuous flow [of realization]” (chu bo rgyun gyi rnal 'byor).

Beyond his mastery of Dzogchen teachings, Dutsi Gyeltsen cultivated an altruistic behavior, showing compassion for all beings, and is said to have developed capacities resulting from his practices of the Two Stages (rim gnyis; generation and perfection stages), such as expelling demons and so forth. It is said that at the end of his life, he reached the Rainbow Body ('ja' lus), letting his physical body disappear in the midst of fivefold lights.

Dutsi Gyeltsen's conduct and realization brought him numerous disciples which he patiently guided on the Path of Liberation (thar lam). His own nephew, Lodro Gyeltsen (blo gros rgyal mtshan) became his successor in the lineage of the Atri transmission.