The Treasury of Lives

Puntsok Pelzang (phun tshogs dpal bzang) was born in the Penyul ('phan yul) region of U in 1304.

At seventeen years of age he traveled to the Kagyu monastery of Taklung (stag lung), where he received ordination as a novice monk, studied the treatises of the Prajñāpāramitā, epistemology, abhidharma, and the Vinaya, received all the initiations and guiding instructions, and became an expert in calligraphy and painting. He also studied the Five Treatises of Maitreya and epistemology at Dewachen Monastery (bde ba can dgon).

Puntsok Pelzang then traveled to the great Karma Kagyu monastery of Tsurpu (mtshur phu), where he received the Tantra Trilogy of Hevajra, the cycle of Yamari, and many other transmissions from the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje (karma pa 03 rang byung rdo rje, 1284-1339). While at Tsurpu, he also received from Tokden Drakseng (rtogs ldan grags seng) the Six Dharmas of Niguma, the Six Dharmas of Nāropa, the cycle of Vajravārahī, the initations of Cakrasaṃvara in several traditions, and the initiation of Guhyasamāja.

During this visit Puntsok Pelzang saw a copy of Dolpopa Sherab Gyeltsen's (dol po pa shes rab rgyal mtshan, 1292-1361) Ocean of Definitive Meaning (nges don rgya mtsho) and  it is said that his faith in Dolpopa's teaching caused the hairs of his body to stand on end. He was moved to tears and made strong prayers to be able to receive such a teaching, realize it, and teach it to others.

Puntsok Pelzang then traveled to the famous Kadam monastery of Nartang, where Dolpopa was teaching an assembly of about a thousand monks. He received the Kālacakra initiation from Dolpopa, and, when hearing the instructions of the six-branch yoga, an exceptional experience arose in which he remembered many previous lifetimes in India, Nepal, and Tibet during which he had received and practiced these same instructions. He also sang a spiritual song describing these events. Then he received from Dolpopa many further teachings, such as the great Vimalaprabhā commentary on the Kālacakra Tantra, the Guhyasamāja Tantra, Nāgārjuna's Madhyamaka treatises known as the Eulogy Collection (bstod tshogs), and the ten sutras of definitive meaning.

Puntsok Pelzang received full monastic ordination from Dolpopa and was then invited to teach at Sangpu Monastery (gsang phu) in U. Along the way he received further teachings from other masters, such as the great Buton Rinchen Drub (bu ston rin chen grub, 1290-1364) at Zhalu Monastery (zhwa lu), and Dolpopa's major disciple Chokle Namgyel (phyogs las rnam rgyal, 1306-1386).

After arriving at Sangpu, Puntsok Pelzang gave initiations and taught the six-branch yoga at several monasteries. In 1363 he went to Babrim Monastery ('bab rim) and gave many teachings such as the Kālacakra initiation, the Vimalaprabhā, the six-branch yoga, and the ten sutras of definitive meaning. In 1365 he traveled to Lhasa and taught the Mind Training (blo sbyong) instructions to a large assembly. During this visit he engaged in an extensive debate with many hundreds and thousands of monks from the great Geluk monasteries of Sera (se ra) and Drepung ('bras spung) who were described as adherents to a nihilistic view (chad lta), and they all gained great respect for him.

He later founded the hermitage of Kalapa (ka la pa) in the Penyul ('phan yul) region where he had been born north of Lhasa. There he gave the tantric teachings of the six-branch yoga and the Vimalaprabhā to students of the highest ability, and teachings such as the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra to others.

When Puntsok Pelzang passed away, marvelous signs are said to have occurred just as described in the tantric scriptures, and he rested in clear light for seven days. Further wonderful signs appeared during his cremation and amazing relics emerged from his bones.