The Treasury of Lives

Chime Dorje was born in 1884, in the Nangchen region of Kham. His father, Orgyen Chopel (o rgyan chos 'phel), was from the Tsangsar family (gtsang sar), a noble house of Nangchen. His mother was Konchok Peldron (dkon mchog dpal sgron), the daughter of the nineteenth-century treasure revealer Chokgyur Lingpa (mchog 'gyur gling pa, 1829–1870). He was the second oldest of four brothers: Samten Gyatso (bsam gtan rgya mtsho, 1881–1945), Lama Sangngak (bla ma sangs sngags, 1885–circa 1949), and Tersey Tulku (gter sras sprul sku, 1887/89–1956/57). He also had two sisters: Tashi Chime (bkra shis 'chi med) and Rigdzin Peldron (rig 'dzin dpal sgron).

Tulku Urgyen (sprul sku o rgyan, 1920–1996), Chime Dorje's son, whose memoirs, Blazing Splendor serves as the main source for this biography, relates that his father received his name from Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo ('jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i dbang po, 1820–1892): Khyentse announced that Konchok Peldron's second son did not have the karma for an extensive lifespan, but that naming him "Immortal Vajra"—Chime Dorje—would prolong his life.^[1]

As a child Chime Dorje received an empowerment from Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, who spent his last years in retreat in his quarters at Dzongsar (rdzong sar). His grandmother, mother, and his brothers Samten Gyatso and Tersey Tulku were also present. The young Chime Dorje sat near the fire as Khyentse gave the empowerment of his own revelation, the Gathering of All Secret Ḍākinīs (mkha' 'gro gsang ba kun 'dus).^[2]

As an infant Chime Dorje had been identified as the fourth reincarnation of Sonam Yeshe (bsod nams ye shes), the founder of Lhalam Monastery (lha lam dgon). The previous incarnation had been the throne holder of Tsangsar Namgon Monastery (gtsang sar rnam mgon). Both Lhalam and Tsangsar were monasteries that were under the control of Konchok Peldron's husband, and so, by custom, it was somewhat expected that reincarnations would be born into the family. Tulku Urgyen does not identify who made the identification.

According to Tulku Urgyen, although Konchok Peldron initially agreed to allow the monks of the monastery to take her second son when they arrived for him, she asked that they return for him at a later time, as the family was then observing the funeral of her mother, Chokgyur Lingpa's wife Dechen Chodron (bde chen chos sgron), known to people as Khandro Degah (mkha' gro sde dga'). The lama at the head of the Tsangsar mission refused to leave without the child, and he and Konchok Peldron argued. Kongchok Peldron sent the lama away, but the he and his colleagues remained nearby. Not long after, when Konchok Peldron and her family were out of the house, they ambushed the family and took Chime Dorje at gunpoint.^[3]

Chime Dorje lived at Tsangsar for five years. His father, Orgyen Chopel, declined to demand his return, no doubt approving of the arrangement that his son be made the throne holder of a family monastery. Konchok Dorje, however, was merely waiting for an opportunity to recover her son. That came when she was residing at Tsike Monastery (rtsi ke dgon), the seat of one of her father's reincarnations, the Second Kela Chokling, Kongchok Gyurme (ke la mchog gling 02 dkon mchog 'gyur med, 1871–1939). Chime Dorje had requested a visit with his mother, and the monks of Tsangsar, apparently confident that the arrangement was irreversible, permitted the reunion. Once there Konchok Peldron refused to allow her son to leave. With the support of Tsike Chokling, who defended her at Pelpung Monastery ( dpal spungs dgon) in the presence of the Eleventh Tai Situ, Pema Wangchok Gyelpo (si tu 11 pad+ma dbang mchog rgyal po, 1886–1952)—who was at that time only a few years old himself—Konchok Peldron was allowed to keep her son.^[4]

According to Tulku Urgyen, Chime Dorje grew up to be quite a rough young man. When a Nangchen prince, the brother of the king, attempted to confiscate some of the Tsangsar family's land, Chime Dorje headed north from Tsike and confronted the man, possibly killing several individuals. Because the prince had the support of the king, Chime Dorje had to back down, and he fled back to Tsike, where the conflict was settled via messenger. Despite such episodes, due to the prominence of his family he later became a chieftain (dpon po) in Nangchen, administering his region, according to Tulku Urgyen, with a fair amount of bravado and violence.^[5]

At the age of twenty-two Chime Dorje had, as described by his son, a sort of religious awakening. His elder brother, Samten Gyatso, invited him to meet a hermit, a dharma friend named Sontar Chonchok. After being introduced to Chime Dorje as the tulku of Tsangsar Sonam Yeshe the hermit began to prostrate to him, and on witnessing such a display of faith and devotion Chime Dorje felt a wave of remorse for his wayward behavior. He vowed to his brother and the hermit that he would henceforth practice dharma. The hermit agreed to give Chime Dorje teachings only on the condition that he wear practitioner's robes, and so from that day forward Chime Dorje wore the robes of a lay yogin.^[6]

Chime Dorje, as described by his son, maintained the vow he made to Sontar Chonchok, whom he considered his root teacher in honor of the transformation he engendered and the teachings he gave him. These teachings included pointing out instructions and mind teachings. Tulku Urgyen wrote that after Chonchok passed away, but before Chime Dorje had heard the news, Chonchok appeared to him in a vision, riding a lion through the sky, and giving pith instructions. This is said to have been a breakthrough experience for Chime Dorje such that he attained stability in nondual awareness.[7]

Chime Dorje also developed a considerable faith in his elder brother, Samten Gyatso. In his practice he focused primarily on Chod, and became known as a healer and exorcist, capable through his Chod practice of vanquishing demons and spirits, including those blamed for causing illness. In 1940, for example, while the Sixteenth Karmapa, Rangjung Rikpai Dorje (, karma pa 16 rang byung rig pa'i rdo rje, 1924–1982) was traveling through Nangchen on his way to Tsurpu Monastery (mtshur phu dgon, G33), his mother fell ill, and Chime Dorje was summoned to heal her. Chime Dorje, however, announced that he was unable to help, and insisted on leaving the area before the woman died.^[8]

Like his mother and brothers, Chime Dorje was a main propagator of the treasures of his maternal grandfather Chokgyur Lingpa. His main practice from that corpus was the Dzogchen cycle Heart Essence of Samantabhadra (kun bzang thugs thig). Like his brothers he was also a practitioner of the Heart Essence of Chetsun (lce btsun snying thig), one of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo's main revelations. From his father's side he inherited the practices of the Barom Kagyu, which he also transmitted to his son Tulku Urgyen. He was also known as an elegant reader, much in demand for his transmissions. He gave the entire Kangyur transmission three times, once to an audience that included Tulku Urgyen.^[9]

Chime Dorje had eight children with three different women. His first wife was Gaza Yuri (ga bza' g.yu ril/ris). Ga was her family name, while Yuri was likely a nickname for Yudron (g.yu sgron).^[10] Their five children were a girl named Tsagah, Tulku Urgyen, a boy named Tenga (bstan dga', 1923–1960), a girl named Mingyur Chodron (mi 'gyur chos sgron, d. 1989), and a boy named Kunzang Dorje (kun bzang rdo rje). Tenga was recognized as a reincarnation of a lama named Arjam (a 'byams); Kunzang Dorje, who died at age fourteen, was identified as a rebirth of his grandfather's reincarnation Neten Chokling Ngedon Dondrub Dorje (gnas brtan mchog gling ngas don grub rdo rje, 1873/1874–1927). Kunzang Dorje was one of two such identification, the other being Pema Gyurme (padma 'gyur med, 1927–1972), who held the throne at Neten Monastery (gnas brtan dgon). With a second wife Chime Dorje had two additional children, including a son named Penjik, short for Pema Jigme (padma 'jigs med), and with a third woman he had a daughter and a son named Kunga Kelzang (kun dga' bskal bzang).^[11]

Around the year 1918 Chime Dorje brought his family to central Tibet. They were accompanying his mother and two brothers, there to search for his peripatetic brother Tersey Tulku. Tulku Urgyen was born during this trip, either in 1919 or 1920. The family lived for several months at the encampment of the yogin Shākya Shrī (1853–1919), near Sangngak Choling (gsang sngags chos gling), the seat of the Tenth Drukchen, Mipam Chokyi Wangpo ('brug chen 10 mi 'pham chos kyi dbang po, 1884–1930). It was the Drukchen who identified Chime Dorje's son Tenga as a reincarnation. While there, Chime Dorje, through his brother Samten Gyatso, who was then at Tsurpu Monastery (mtshur phu dgon), requested the Fifteenth Karmapa, Kakhyab Dorje (karma pa 15 bka' khyab rdo rje, 1870–1922) to name his son. They received from Tsurpu the name, written in the Karmapa's own hand and mounted on brocade, together with several measures of red Chinese brocade and the announcement that the boy was a "genuine tulku," although of whom the Karmapa did not say.^[12]

On his return from central Tibet, in 1923, Chime Dorje went into retreat at Dechen Ling (bde chen gling), where he remained for over two decades, until his death in 1948 at the age of sixty-three.^[13] His sons Tulku Urgyen and Tenga would stay with him periodically to receive training and teaching.

He did leave the hermitage from time to time, once going all the way to Xining; another time to Tsike in the mid-1930s for his mother's funeral; and, around 1938, to Zurmang Dutsitil (zur mang bdud rtsi dil) to give the complete transmission of his grandfather's revelations alongside his brother Samten Gyatso. That ceremony was sponsored by the Tenth Zurmang Tentrul, Karma Lodro Gyatso Drayang (zur mang bstan sprul 10 karma blo gros rgya mtsho'i sgra dbyangs). Chime Dorje gave the reading transmission.^[14] He left again around 1940 for the funeral of his brother, Samten Gyatso at Riwoche Monastery (ri bo che dgon).

Starting around the year 1940 Chime Dorje served as the administrative head of Lachab (bla chab), one of his family's monasteries, after Tulku Urgyen, who had been installed there, left for central Tibet. He passed away at that monastery. When his body was cremated, the tongue was found intact in the ashes. Tulku Urgyen understood this as confirmation that his father's tongue was blessed in some way, as evidenced by his articulate and resounding voice, through which his Chod practice could be heard throughout the valley, and that his Kangyur transmissions were perfectly understood by all present.[15]

 

_________________________________________________

Publication of this biography was made possible through support of National Endowment for the Humanities.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Additional Bios Sponsored By National Endowment for the Humanities