The Treasury of Lives

Kyabje Me'uton Lobpon Sanggye Tendzin (skyabs rje rme'u ston slob dpon sangs rgyas bstan 'dzin) was born in 1912, in Drokshog ('brog shog) in the Hor region in Kham, a region that roughly corresponds to the Kandze (dkar mdzes) district. This particularly beautiful region has several valleys in which Bonpos flourished, including the sanctuary of Beri (be ri) up the Yalung River from Kandze city.

Sanggye Tendzin 's father was an important lineage holder of the Me'u (rme'u) clan and was called Kyawo Lama Tobwang (skya bo bla ma stobs dbang). His mother, a lady of the Gyurmur family (gyur mur bza') was called Gyetso (dgyes mtsho). As a young child, Sanggye Tendzin learned the art of reading and writing directly with his father.

In 1925, at the age of fourteen, Sanggye Tendzin entered the monastery of Pagon Yungdrung Rabten Ling (spa dgon g.yung drung rab brtan gling) and took the Genyen (dge bsnyen) vows from the great master Paton Tenpa Drugdrak (spa ston bstan pa 'brug grags). The latter was a disciple of the treasure revealer Sang-ngak Lingpa (gter ston gsang sngags gling pa, b. 1864) who played a great role in the diffusion of the Bonpo Kanjur (bka' 'gyur) in Kham. From Paton Tenpa Drugdrak, Sanggye Tendzin received the complete explanation of the preliminaries (sngon 'gro) and of the main practice (dngos gzhi) of the Secret Treasury of the Sky Dancers on Channels and Winds (rtsa rlung mkha' 'gro gsang mdzod). He trained carefully in the practice of this cycle, reciting the required number of accumulated mantras, studying all the principles taught in this cycle, and performing the actual corresponding retreats.

Thereafter, Sanggye Tendzin went to Lupuk Monastery (klu phug dgon pa) where he studied Chinese and Indian astrology under the guidance of Yongdzin Sherab Nyima (yongs 'dzin shes rab nyi ma). He took the vows of novice monk from Kunkhyen Sherab Gyelchok (kun mkhyen shes rab rgyal mchog) and Yongdzin Tsultrim Gyeltsen (yongs 'dzin tshul khrims rgyal mtshan). Then he studied the ordinary sciences and became quite an expert in poetry, grammar, composition of works, logic, etc. At the end of his curriculum of studies, he received the title of Geshe Rabjampa (dge bshes rab 'byams pa).

Sanggye Tendzin later traveled to Lungkar Monastery (lung dkar dgon) where he studied under the direction of Ula Gyelwa Tsultrim (u bla rgyal ba tshul khrims) and from whom he received the four initiations of the Welse Tsodzok (dbal gsas rtsod zlog), the complete transmission and explanation of the Akar Shicho (a dkar zhi gcod), as well as numerous other instructions belonging to the Bon Dzogchen teachings.

In order to entirely perfect his philosophical training and his knowledge, Sanggye Tendzin then entered the Gelukpa monastery of Drepung Losel Ling ('bras spungs blo gsal gling) in Lhasa, something he did without revealing his identity as a Bonpo monk. It seems that the authorities of the monastery knew about the fact that several Bonpo monks were attending the curriculum in Losel Ling but they tolerated it on the condition that the monks followed the rules and compulsory daily rituals of the monastery. In this way, Sanggye Tendzin was able to study the entire philosophical tradition of the Geluk school and eventually obtained his Geshe degree in Losel Ling.

Following his reception of his Geluk degree Sanggye Tendzin went to Menri Monastery (sman ri dgon) and met the Abbot Tenpa Lodro (bstan pa blo gros) from whom he received all the outer, inner and secret initiations of Bon, including the initiations of the guardians (srung ma) and the special instructions of the Oral Transmission of Zhangzhung (zhang zhung snyan rgyud). From Kunkhyen Thukje Nyima (kun mkhyen thugs rje nyi ma) and Shen Dzamling Rinpoche (gshen 'dzam gling rin po che), he received the four initiations of the Mother Tantras (ma rgyud).

Furthermore, Sanggye Tendzin received numerous teachings and instructions from Drubnye Zopa Gyeltsen (grub brnyes bzod pa rgyal mtshan), Drugom Tsultrim Gyeltsen ('gru sgom tshul khrims rgyal mtshan) and the yogi Thechok Tendzin (theg mchog bstan 'dzin).

Sanggye Tendzin was then installed on the lobpon (slob dpon), or master scholar, throne of Menri Monastery by Kyabje Menri Khenchen (skyabs rje sman ri'i mkhan chen) and, Khenchen Nyima Wangyel (mkhan chen nyi ma dbang rgyal) and other lineage holders. It is at that time that Sanggye Tendzin took charge of the monastic college (bshad grwa) for which he established a very specific curriculum of studies. He kept this charge for several years and thus trained numerous students.

Sanggye Tendzin was also in charge of printing important works of Dzogchen and thus greatly contributed to the survival of these teachings, both in Tibet and later in exile. In 1959, he fled to India where he took part in the printing of Bonpo texts on a large scale. He also took charge of the new settlement in Thobgyel in Dolanji, where he gave numerous teachings to his disciples, including detailed Dzogchen instructions. He passed away in 1978, on April the 28th, at the age of 66 years old.

Among his close disciples were Menri Khenchen Luntok Tenpai Nyima (sman ri mkhan chen lung rtogs bstan pa'i nyi ma, b. 1927) and Yongdzin Lobpon Tendzin Namdak (yongs 'dzin slob dpon bstan 'dzin rnam dag, b. 1926).