The Treasury of Lives

Neuzurpa Yeshe Bar (sne'u zur ba ye shes 'bar) was born in 1042 in Sakor Tongpa (sa skor thong pa) in the Neuzur (sne'u zur) region of Penyul. His father was named Zhang Takpo (zhang stag po). He ordained as a child at the Kadam monastery of Drayab (brag rgyab) in Penyul, and was given the name Yeshe Bar.

At the age of twenty-six Yeshe Bar went to Reting Monastery (rwa sgreng) and requested an audience with Gonpawa Wangchuk Gyeltsen (dgon pa ba dbang phyug rgyal mtshan, 1016-1082). Saying "When I first met Master Atiśa, I was also given this first," Gonpawa initially gave Yeshe Bar the "Offering of Jvalamukhi" (kha 'bar ma'i gtor ma), ultimately transmitting to him all teaching lineages he possessed. According to the Blue Annals, Gonpawa once blessed Yeshe Bar with three fingers on his head, leaving a slight impression.

Yeshe Bar primarily practiced Ācala, as well as Trisāmayarāja (dam tshig gsum gyi gyal po). The image displayed here is from a painting that depicts a Yogacara lineage Yeshe Bar received from Wangchuk Gyeltsen and transmitted to his disciple Takmapa Kawa Darseng (thag ma pa ka ba dar seng, d.u.).

Following the death of Gonpawa, Yeshe Bar became the disciple of Potowa Rinchen Sel (po to ba rin chen gsal, 1027-1105), who, like Gonpawa, was a close disciple of Dromton Gyelwai Jungne ('brom ston rgyal ba'i ’byung gnas, 1004/5-1064). According to the Blue Annals, monks spread slander about Yeshe Bar, claiming that he had engaged in relations with women, and for a time Potowa believed the accusations and rejected him for a time.

Later, after he was back in favor with his master, Yeshe Bar was enlisted to cure leprosy among a group of Potowa's disciples, becoming from that time on Potowa's preferred ritualist in matters of his health. Yeshe Bar earned a reputation as an astrologer as well as a medical practitioner.

Later, when Potowa himself was the victim of slander and was driven from the Reting abbacy, Yeshe Bar followed his master and demanded an explanation, saying, "What is this conduct of the ācārya?" Potowa retorted that it was not for a disciple to question the activities of his master, and he continued on his way.

Yeshe Bar established Neuzur Monastery (sne'u zur dgon) in Penyul, where as many as a thousand disciples came to hear him teach Lamrim and the Tenrim Chenmo (bstan rim chen mo), both core Kadam teachings of Atiśa.

Neuzarpa passed away in 1118 at the age of seventy-seven.