The Treasury of Lives

Pema Dechen Lingpa (padma bde chen gling pa) was born in southern Amdo, in a region called Gongti (gong ti). His father was Konchok (dkon mchog) and his mother was named Zungtarma (gzungs thar ma). They named him Shakya Tar (shAkya thar). He is said to have been a child who was strongly drawn to religion, venerating the images of the buddhas and developing strong compassion for beings.

At the age of twenty he went on pilgrimage in Tibet, meeting Serpa Lama Yeshe Gyeltsen (gser pa bla ma ye shes rgyal mtshan, d.u.) either there or back in Amdo the following year. Yeshe Gyeltsen taught him advanced tantric practices, including Hayagrīva, which he practiced for seven years of retreat.

At age twenty-five Pema Dechen Lingpa is said to have received a prophesy and a registry for a treasure cycle. In the Gyelrong (rgyal rong) region of Kham, he revealed his well-known cycle, the Longsel Khandro Nyingtik (klong gsal mkha’ ’gro snying thig) at the sacred mountain Murdo (gnas chen dmu rdo). Two years later he traveled to Katok Monastery (kaH tok dgon) where he met Longsel Nyingpo (klong gsal snying po, 1625-1692), who became his chief master. Pema Dechen Lingpa also studied with Ta Lama Pema Norbu (stag bla ma padma nor bu, d.u.), another disciple of Longsel Nyingpo, and later identified his own nephew, Rigdzin Tsewang Norbu (tshe dbang nor bu, 1698 -1755) as the reincarnation of the Ta Lama. He also trained with Taksham Nuden Dorje (stag sham nus ldan rdo rje, b.1655), another treasure revealer from whom he received all his transmissions.

Pema Dechen Lingpa revealed further treasure, the Khandro Gongdu (mkha’ ’gro dgongs ’dus) from Tepu Drakri Shunkar (tre phu brag ri zhun mkhar), the Kadu Nyingpo (bka' 'dus snying po) from Tsenri Dorje Drak (btsan ri rdo rje’i brag), giving the empowerments and transmissions to numerous disciples. At Tsenri he built a hermitage, where welcomed students such as  Kunkyen Tenpai Nyinje (kun mkhyen bstan pa’i nyin byed, d.u.). Chief among them was his nephew, Rigdzin Tsewang Norbu.

His son, Pema Wanggyel (pad+ma dbang rgyal, d.u.) carried on his teachings.