The Treasury of Lives

Melong Dorje (me long rdo rje) was born in the upper part of the Drak Valley (sgrags kyi phu) into a family of yogins. His father was Samye (bsam yas), and his mother was named Barma ('bar ma). When he was nine years old he received novice vows from Salungpa (za lung pa) and Selungpa (se lung pa). He entered retreat at age sixteen, studying the Prajñāpāramitā in eight thousand verses, and had initial realizations about the nature of reality, after which he practiced in various locations near Sakya, in Tsang, and in Kharchu (mkhar chu), in Lhodrak (lho brag).

He first received transmission and teachings on the pith instructions of the Nyingtik tradition from Trulzhik Senggye Gyabpa ('khrul zhig seng ge rgyab pa). During the preliminary practices he is said to have had a vision of Vajrasattva that lasted six days, and during the main practice he was blessed by the lineage gurus in a dream.

Melong Dorje had thirteen main teachers in addition to Sengge Gyabpa. He studied numerous treasure teachings with Sengge Repa (seng ge ras pa), a Zhije master, including Vajravārahī practices that led to a visionary encounter with that deity and with Cakrasaṃvara, Hayagriva, Tara, and other deities, and the gurus Vimalamitra, Padmasambhava, Drubtob Zalungpa (grub thog za lung pa), Sangge Repa (sangs rgyas ras pa, d.1260) and Pakmodrupa (phag mo gru pa, 1110-1170). Other teachers included Trulzhik Darma ('khrul zhig dar ma), Tulku Gyatso (sprul sku rgya mtsho), Dowarepa (do wa ras pa) of Tsurphu Monastery (mtshur 'phu dgon). At a place called Dunglung (dung lung) he he is said to have heard the ḍākinīs singing to him, and to have had visions of Vārahī and Zalungpa at Kawachen (kha ba chen).

According to legend he possessed several supernatural powers, such as making solid rock seem like clay, and actually penetrating a solid stone with his secret vajra. He is said to have traveled to the hidden lands (sbas yul) of Khenpajong (mkhan pa ljongs), Khenpeling (mkhan pa gling), Sengge Dzong (seng ge rdzong), and Kharchu, and to have revealed treasure at Drak Yongdzong (bsgrags yongs rdzogs), a Dzogchen instruction of Vimalamitra that came to be known as the Melong Nyingtik (me long snying thig). This teaching was rediscovered by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo ('jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i dbang po) in the nineteenth century.

It is said that his life was extended from thirty-seven years to sixty-one through the efforts of a practitioner named Kunga (kun dga'). His main student was Rigdzin Kumāradza (rig 'dzin ku mA ra dza), who accompanied him on a trip to Bhutan.

He passed away at the charnal ground named Labar (la bar).