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Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche Biography
Dudjom RinpocheDudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, was one of the most outstanding yogins, scholars and meditation masters of recent times, who inspired devotion and deep affection in those who met him.
After the flight of the Tibetans into exile, it was Dudjom Rinpoche who was the first master to be accorded the title of Supreme Head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, the ‘oldest’ school introduced into Tibet in the 8th century by Guru Padmasambhava.
Dudjom Rinpoche was born on July 22, 1904, in the south-eastern Tibetan province of Pemakö. He was recognized as the incarnation of Traktung Dudjom Lingpa (1835–1904), a famous tertön or discoverer of hidden teachings (Tib.: terma).
In his youth, Dudjom Rinpoche studied with some of the most outstanding masters of the time. He began his studies with Khenpo Aten in Pemakö, before attending some of the great monastic centers of Central Tibet—such as Mindroling1, Dorje Drak and Tarjé Tingpoling—and East Tibet—such as Kathok and Dzogchen. But it was to Mindroling that he returned to perfect his understanding of the Nyingma tradition.
Foremost among his many teachers were Phungong Tulku Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo, Jedrung Trinlé Jampa Jungné, Khenchen Jampal Dewé Nyima and Minling Dordzin Namdrol Gyatso. His main teachers were Khyentse Chokyi Lodro and Chatral Sangye Dorje.
Dudjom Rinpoche's main area of activity was in Central Tibet, where he maintained the Mindroling tradition, and especially at Pema Chöling and his other seats in the Kongpo and Powo regions of southern Tibet.
He became renowned throughout Tibet for the depth of his realization and spiritual accomplishment, as well as for his unsurpassed scholarship.
Having received the transmission of all the existing teachings of the Nyingma tradition, Dudjom Rinpoche was especially renowned as a great tertön, whose termas are now widely taught and practiced, and as the leading exponent of Dzogchen. Above all else, he was regarded as the living embodiment of Padmasambhava, and his representative for this time.
A master of masters, he was acknowledged by the leading Tibetan teachers of his time as possessing the greatest power and blessing in communicating the nature of mind, and it was to him that they sent their students when prepared for this ‘mind-direct’ transmission. Dudjom Rinpoche was the root teacher of many of today's most prominent masters.
Amongst the most widely read of his works are the “The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Its Fundamentals and History;” which he composed soon after his arrival in India as an exile.
At the invitation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Dudjom Rinpoche also wrote a history of Tibet.
Another major part of his work was the revision, correction and editing of many ancient and modern texts, including the whole of the Canonical Teachings (kama) of the Nyingma School, a venture he began at the age of 74. His own private library contained the largest collection of precious manuscripts and books outside Tibet.
After leaving Tibet, Rinpoche settled first in Kalimpong, in India, and later in Kathmandu, Nepal. At a time when it seemed threatened with extinction, he played a key role in the renaissance of Tibetan culture amongst the refugee community, both through his teaching and his writing.
He established several vital communities of practitioners in India and Nepal, such as Zangdok Palri in Kalimpong, Duddul Raptenling in Orissa, and the monasteries of Tso Pema Orgyen Heruka Nyingmapa Gompa in Tso Pema, and Dudjom Gompa in Bodhnath.
He actively encouraged the study of the Nyingma Tradition at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, and continued to give teachings according to his own terma tradition, as well as giving many other important empowerments and transmissions, including the Nyingma Kama, the Nyingma Tantras (Nyingma Gyübum) and the Treasury of Precious Termas (Rinchen Terdzö).
When Dudjom Rinpoche was eight years old, he began to study Shantideva's Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra with his teacher Orgyen Chogyur Gyatso, a personal disciple of the great Patrul Rinpoche.
In the final decade of his life, despite ill-health and advancing years, he devoted much of his time to teaching in the West, where he successfully established the Nyingma tradition in response to the growing interest amongst Westerners.
He founded many major centres including Dorje Nyingpo and Urgyen Samyé Chöling in France, and Yeshe Nyingpo, Urgyen Chö Dzong and others in the United States.
In the 1970s, Dudjom Rinpoche conducted a few teachings in the United States and London and then some retreats at Urgyen Samye Chöling in France. Eventually, "the wanderer, Dudjom", as he sometimes used to sign himself, settled with his family in the Dordogne area of France, and there in August 1984 he gave his last large public teaching. He died on January 17, 1987.
Dudjom Rinpoche was a householder, a yogin with a family and married twice. He had seven children from his first marriage, and four from his second.
Among his main disciples were: Chatral Sangye Dorje, Dilgo Khyentse, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Sakya Dagchen Rinpoche, Dungsay Thinley Norbu, Shenphen Dawa Norbu, Lama Dawa Gyaltsen, Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, Lama Tharchen Rinpoche.
Several reincarnations of Dudjom Rinpoche have been recognized, including Dudjom Sangye Pema Zhepa Rinpoche and Dudjom Tenzin Yeshe Dorje.
Writings & Termas
• Dudjom Tersar Ngöndro (Preliminary Practices of the New Treasures)
• History of the Dharma
• Tsokye Tuktik (Heart Essence of the Lake-Born Vajra, the Secret Accomplishment of the Great Guru)
• Pudri Rekpung (The Razor that Destroys at a Touch)
• Dudjom Traktung Pema Sokdrub (The Vital Essence Sadhana of Dudjom Traktung Pema)
• Düddul Wangdrak Dorje Drolö (The Wish-Fulfilling Siddhis, A Sadhana Practice of Dorje Drolö Who Subdues Maras Through Powerful Wrath)
• Khandro Tuktik (The Dakini Heart Essence)
• Chime Soktik (The Practice of the Immortal Life Essence, The Essential Bindhu of Deathlessness)
English Publications
• The Prayer of Calling the Guru from Afar, An Unending Spontaneously Arising Song
• Richö: The Alchemy of the Siddhas
• Dudjom Rinpoche, The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Its Fundamentals and History, trans. and ed. Gyurme Dorje (Boston: Wisdom, 1991)
• Dudjom Rinpoche, Counsels from My Heart, Padmakara Translation Group, Shambhala 2003
• Dudjom Rinpoche, A Torch Lighting the Way to Freedom: Complete Instructions on the Preliminary Practices of the Profound and Secret Heart Essence of the Dakini, Padmakara Translation Group (Boston & London: Shambhala Publications, 2011)
• Ron Garry, Wisdom Nectar: Dudjom Rinpoche's Heart Advice (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2005)
Disciples
Minling Trichen Rinpoche; Khenpo Palden Sherab; Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Dordrak Rigdzin Chenmo; Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche; Chatral Sangye Dorje; Trulshik Rinpoche; Thinley Norbu Rinpoche; Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche; Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche; Dungse Garab Rinpoche; Tulku Jampal Dorjé; Pema Wangyal Rinpoche; Sogyal Rinpoche; Lama Sönam Zangpo; Ngaktön Tsewang Paljor; Ngaktön Lama Nagpo Pema Wangchen; Lama Pema Longdrol; Peling Sungtrul; Gangten Tulku; Tuksé Tulku; Lama Tsewang Lhagyal; Ngaktön Dorjé Namgyal; Ngaktön Lama Konchok Jungney; Soktse Rinpoche; Namkha Drimed Rinpoche; Ritrul Rigdzin Chögyal; Khetsün Zangpo Rinpoche; Lopön Nikula; Gelong Sang-gyé; Khenpo Karpo; Gelong Namdrol Zangpo; Lama Chime Rinpoche; Lama Jangchub Rinpoche; Lama Gönpo Tenzin; Bhakha Tulku Rinpoche; Lama Tharchin Rinpoche; Dzatrul Rinpoche; Spiti Tulku; Ngari Khen Yeshe Sangpo Rinpoche; Khen Tupten Norbu, Rahor Khenpo Tupten. (A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems: Biographies of Masters of Awareness in the Dzogchen Lineage, Nyoshul Khenpo, Padma Publications, 2005, p.288.)
Sources
• https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Dudjom_Rinpoche
• http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/Dudjom_Jigdral_Yeshe_Dorje
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudjom_Jigdral_Yeshe_Dorje
Footnotes
1. Orgyen Mindroling Monastery is one of the Six "Mother" Nyingma Monasteries. It was founded in 1676 by Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorje, aka Rigdzin Terdak Lingpa with his brother Lochen Dharmashri.
The monastery enjoyed a close association with the Fifth Dalai Lama, but was destroyed during the Dzungar war of 1717-8, during which Terdak Lingpa's younger brother, the great scholar Lochen Dharmashri was killed. Terdak Lingpa's daughter, Jetsün Mingyur Paldrön, fled to Sikkim and then returned to Mindroling, and together with her brother Drinchen Rinchen Namgyal, rebuilt the monastery, with the support of Polha Taiji.
The heads of Mindroling are the hereditary successors of Minling Terchen. Minling Trichen Rinpoche, was the eleventh throneholder, and after his passing in 2008, his son Dungse Dalha Gyaltsen (b. 1959) from Tibet, became the twelfth and current throneholder.
Mindrolling Monastery in India near Dehra Dhun in India is one of the largest active Buddhist centres today.
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