Lineage Shrine Room at Mindrolling
  • INTRODUCTION
    A short introduction to the Mindrolling family.
  • PART I
    Origins of the Mindrolling Lineage, Nyö Jachung Karpo, The Nyö Lineage, The Mindrolling Lineage
  • PART II
    Biographical accounts of Sangdag Thrinley Lhundrub, Yum Lhadzin Yanghcen Dolma, Chögyal Terdag Lingpa
  • PART III
    Biographical accounts of Gyalse Tenpa'i Nyima and Lochen Dharmashri
  • PART IV
    The Dzungar Mongol Invasion, Biographical account of Pema Gyurme Gyatso
  • PART V
    Jetsün Migyur Paldrön (Part 1) – Birth and Early Life
  • PART VI
    Jetsün Migyur Paldrön (Part 2) – The Dzungar Mongol Invasion and Exile from Tibet
  • PART VII
    Jetsün Migyur Paldrön – (Part 3) – The Return to Mindrolling
  • PART VIII
    Drinchen Rinchen Namgyal — the 3rd Mindrolling Trichen
  • PART IX
    Zhabdrung Gyurme Yidzhin Legdrub
  • PART X
    Gyurme Pema Tenzin — the 4th Mindrolling Trichen
  • PART XI
    Ögyen Tenzin Dorje — the 3rd Mindrolling Khenchen
  • PART XII
    Trichen Gyurme Trinley Namgyal — The 5th Mindrolling Trichen
  • PART XIII
    Sang Ngag Tenzin — the 4th Mindrolling Khenchen
  • PART XIV
    Trichen Gyurme Trinley Namgyal — the 6th Mindrolling Trichen
  • PART XV
    Jetsün Trinley Chödrön

The History of Mindrolling: Part X

Gyurme Pema Tenzin - the 4th Mindrolling Trichen

The fourth Trichen (throneholder) of Mindrolling was born as the eldest son of the third Trichen Drinchen Rinchen Namgyal who was a direct emanation of Pandita Vimalamitra. His mother was the great learned Yum Tshewang Paldzom, who was herself endowed with all the qualities of a bodhisattva. The fourth Trichen was born in the year of the Female Fire Snake and was named Gyurme Pema Tenzin.

Manifesting great qualities of gentleness and kindness towards everyone from a young age, Gyurme Pema Tenzin was endowed with an exceptional ability to learn and memorize texts. His learning ability was so remarkable that he expounded perfectly by memory the entire commentary on the profound Guhayagharba in the presence of a large assembly of teachers and monks, to the great amazement of all those assembled.

Entrusted to teachers from a very young age, he learned and gained proficiency in all the branches of buddhist studies. He took a particularly keen interest in the vast body of new and old termas (gter kha gsar rnying). He received and practiced both the profound kama and terma teachings and became able to fully hold and contribute to the continuation and flourishing of these two sacred lineages. In this way, he demonstrated a keen awareness of his responsibilities, not only exerting effort in obtaining the transmissions and teachings but also practicing them with great diligence. He spent a major part of his early youth in various retreats of different lengths.

In particular he received and diligently practiced the teachings of the great Omniscient One, Longchenpa and the great master, Rigzin Jigme Lingpa. Gyurme Pema Tenzin also studied and practiced thoroughly the profound essential Tantra of Guhayagharbha—its lineage held and expounded within the great father-son lineage of the great Chögyal Terdag Lingpa. Gyurme Pema Tenzin was one of the most famed exponents of his time of the most detailed commentaries of Guhayagharbha as composed by the great Lochen Dharmashri.

In short, he received and practiced all the sutra and tantra teachings and became the great holder of all the precious kama and terma lineages. His main teachers were his Aunt Jetsün Migyur Paldrön, the 5th great Sungtrul, Drubchhog (supreme Mahasiddha) Dorje and the great Nyangtön Rigzin Gyatso.

Taking the lotus feet of his principal teacher, Jetsün Migyur Paldrön to his head, he received the entire body of empowerments and transmissions of the new and ancient lineages, both pith and profound teachings. Embodying great learning and accomplishment of practice, Gyurme Pema Tenzin became the sovereign master of all of Tibet during his generation.

Upon completion of numerous retreats he began to propagate the teachings, particularly transmitting to the next generation of teachers and students the transmissions of his family lineage, the profound termas of Chögyal Terdag Lingpa, such as Thugje Chenpo, Rigzin Thug Thig and Minling Dorsem from the new termas and from the old termas of Guru Chöwang and Nyang Rel Nyima Ödzer such as the great Lama Sangdü, Kagyed and so forth.

Gyurme Pema Tenzin also taught extensively the profound and extensive instruction on bskyed rim and rdzogs rim (creation and completion) stages, pure perception, and mandala principle. Through great compassion for all beings, he also composed and taught on many sadhanas on zhabs rim (rites or rituals of aid) and rituals of repelling and dispelling obstacles for special, medium and ordinary beings.

At the age of 22, when his father, the 3rd Trichen of Mindrolling Tri Drinchen Rinchen Namgyal passed into parinirvana, Gyurme Pema Tenzin formulated and structured (composed) an extensive ritual for the parinirvana practices for this great master. He did this by combining the methods laid out in various tantras and scriptures to form a beautiful composition which not only had the essence of the various earlier rituals but was also a perfectly laid out ritual practice which covered every fine and essential point of practice for all such occasions. This composition continues down to this day as the basis for extensive mandala and ritual offerings practiced at the passing of great masters.

Gyurme Pema Tenzin built many representations of the Three Jewels and also the great stupa for the Kudung of Trichen Drinchen Rinchen Namgyal to commemorate the passing of his father. Then, at the appropriate time, Gyurme Pema Tenzin was enthroned upon the Golden Lion throne of the great Chögyal Terdag Lingpa as the 4th Trichen of Mindrolling. He was 23 years old at the time of his enthronement.

The 4th Trichen of Mindrolling was renowned throughout Tibet as one of the most loved and influential teacher of his time. His biography says, "His gentleness, humor and radiant wisdom combined with great innate warmth made all respect and honor him utterly and yet kept him very accessible and loved by all."

He was known as "the light of the lineage" of Mindrolling and everyone held him in great esteem and reverence. His vast bodhisattva activities shone like the bright sun in all ten directions and the auspicious and beneficial activities of the general and particular dharma flourished vigorously under his leadership and vision.

Just as the saying, 'pha shul bus 'dzin' (son taking up the father's inheritance), Trichen Gyurme Pema Tenzin and his brother undertook the enormous responsibility of carrying on the dharma activities, work and vision of the great brothers, Chögyal Terdag Lingpa and Lochen Dharmashri and the other great masters of the Mindrolling lineage. Tri Gyurme Pema Tenzin fully fulfilled all his responsibilities as the throneholder of this impeccable lineage. He left many precious teachings and advices to his heart sons and students for many generations to come at the time of displaying the final activity of gathering his rupakaya into the dharmadhatu. Gyurme Pema Tenzin passed away into parinirvana after having contributed enormously to the continuity of the Mindrolling lineage in particular and the Buddhadharma in general.