The Treasury of Lives

Pema Nyinje Wangpo (si tu 09 pad+ma nyin byed dbang po) was born in either 1774, the wood horse year of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle, or 1775, the wood sheep year. His birthplace is recorded as either the Yilhung (yid lhung) region of Derge (sde dge) or the Markham (smar khams) region of Derge.

At the age of five he was identified as the reincarnation of the Eighth Situ, Chokyi Jungne (chos kyi 'byung gnas, 1699/1700-1774), by the Thirteenth Karmapa, Dudul Dorje (karma pa 13 bdud 'dul rdo rje, 1733-1797) and the Seventh Tuklak Trengwa, Tsuklak Gawai Wangpo (dpa' bo 07 gtsug lag dga' ba'i dbang po 1718/9-1781). The Thirteenth Karmapa gave him novice vows, with the name Pelden Tendzin Nyinje Trinle Rabgye Chokle Nampar Gyelwai De (dpal ldan bstan 'dzin nyin byed phrin las rab rgyas phyogs las rnam par rgyal ba'i sde). He studied with the Thirteenth Karmapa until he was twenty-one, in 1794.

In 1790, the iron dog year, he was enthroned at Pelpung (dpal spungs dgon), the monastery founded by his previous incarnation, by the Tenth Zhamar. Apparently the monastic community at Pelpung had grown lax, with monks drinking and engaging in other violations of the Vinaya. He expelled some monks and restored proper conduct, and composed and had printed new monastic textbooks.

He made several trips to central Tibet, visiting sacred sites and receiving teachings from the great masters of the day, including the Tenth Zhamar Chodrub Gyatso (zhwa dmar 10 chos grub rgya mtsho 1742-1792) and the Eighth Drukchen Kunzik Chokyi Nangwa ('brug chen 08 kun gzigs chos kyi snang ba, 1768-1822).

He is considered an exemplar of nonsectarianism, engaging with teachings and practices of the Drigung Kagyu, Drukpa Kagyu, Sakya, Nyingma, and other traditions, in addition to his primary affiliation with the Karma Kagyu.

Among his best known students were Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye ('jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha' yas 1813-1890) and Dabzang Tulku Karma Ngedon (zla bzang sprul sku nges don bstan pa rab rgyas, 1808-1864). Around 1820, at Tsurpu Monastery (mtshur phu) he gave teachings and ordination to the Fourteenth Karmapa, Tekchok Dorje (karma pa 14 theg mchog rdo rje 1798/9-1868/9), who later came to Kham to continue to study with him.

Pema Nyinje maintained a relationship with Karma Gon (karma dgon), the earlier seat of his previous incarnation. He spent some months there in 1834 teaching and giving transmissions and empowerments to youth Karma Kagyu incarnations, including the Karma Chakme tulku and others.

At the age of sixty Pema Nyinje withdrew into retreat in the Samten Choling Retreat Center (sgrub sde bsam gtan chos gling) at Pelpung and remained there for about twenty years. During this time he continued to see students, and directed many of the activities of Jamgon Kongtrul and other disciples.

He passed away on the seventh day of the fifth lunar month of the water ox year, 1853. His tomb was built in the Lhasar Temple (lha gsar lha khang) in the main meditation center at Pelpung. His writings are collected in three volumes.

His reincarnation, the Tenth Tai Situ, Pema Kunzang (ta'i si tu 10 pad+ma kun bzang, 1854-1885) was born in the Namto area of central Tibet.