Chönjuk Lama

Born in Amdo, Chönjuk Lama traveled to Serta, Kham, and Golok, where he became a devoted disciple of leading Nyingma masters, including Dza Paltrül Orgyen Jikmé Chökyi Wangpo and Düdjom Lingpa. Drawn to contemplative practice, he dedicated himself to studying and disseminating their teachings throughout eastern Tibet.

A Student of Dza Paltrül in Kham and Golok

Chönjuk Lama was born in Amdo in 1816. As a youth, he studied with the prominent Géluk master Wangchen Gyé Rab Dorjé (1832–1888) at Lab Ganden Do Ngak Shedrub Pelgyé Ling, a Rimé-era center known as ‘Lab Ganden, the Place Where the Study and Practice of Sūtra and Tantra Flourish and Spread.’ This early training in non-sectarian Buddhist philosophy and meditation prepared him for later travels to Kham and Golok, where he became a disciple of Dza Paltrül (1808–1887), one of the principal holders of the Longchen Nyingtik, ‘Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse’, revealed by Rigdzin Jikmé Lingpa (1730–1798).

Although Dza Paltrül rarely conferred empowerments or engaged in elaborate ceremonies, he taught extensively during the 1850s at Katok Dorjé Den and at Shri Singha College at Dzogchen Monastery, in Kham. He also taught at Dodrubchen Yarlung Pémakö Monastery, in the Serta region, where he instructed monks and yogins in the Guhyagarbha Tantra, the primary source for Mahayoga teachings, according to the commentaries of Longchen Rabjam Drimé Özer (1308–1364). His curriculum further included Longchenpa’s Dzogchen compendium Ngalso Korsum (‘Trilogy of Finding Comfort and Ease’), Jikmé Lingpa’s Yönten Dzö (‘Treasury of Precious Qualities’), as well as Shantideva’s eighth-century Bodhisattvacaryavatara (‘A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’). It is likely that Chönjuk Lama received many, if not all, of these teachings during his years of study with Dza Paltrül.

A Senior Student and Scribe for Düdjom Lingpa

Later in life, during the 1870s, Chönjuk Lama connected with Düdjom Lingpa at Mardo Tashi Chöling, in Golok’s Mar Chu Valley. In 1878, when Düdjom Lingpa’s son, Khyentsé Trülku Dzamling Wangyal (1868–1907), was invited by Dza Paltrül to be enthroned at Dzagyal Püntsok Norbu Ling Monastery, Chönjuk Lama was among the four principal disciples of Düdjom Lingpa who traveled from Mardo Tashi Chöling to attend the ceremony—likely reflecting his longstanding connection with Dza Paltrül.

At the enthronement, Dza Paltrül conferred teachings from the Longchen Nyingtik. Thereafter, despite being already in his sixties, Chönjuk Lama pursued further training with Düdjom Lingpa, receiving transmissions at his retreat center of Lama Rung, in the Ser Chu Valley, between 1880 and 1890, and later at Dartsang Kalzang, in the Do Chu Valley, from 1890 until 1903, following Dza Paltrül’s passing in 1887.

With the express wish to make Düdjom Lingpa’s termas fully available for practitioners to practice them and achieve signs of realization, Chönjuk Lama served as a designated scribe for multiple texts from Düdjom Lingpa’s corpus. From the Zabsang Khandro Nyingtik terma cycle, he assisted with the transcription of the Tsasum Chi Sekluk Léshyi Lhündrub (‘Spontaneously Present Four Activities, a General Burnt Offering to the Three Roots’), a sadhana involving burnt offerings to the lama, chosen deity (yidam), and dakini, as well as a further practice text based on burnt offerings entitled Sekluk Ngödrub Charbeb (‘Burnt Offerings, Rain Shower of Siddhis’). He also helped produce numerous additional texts from Düdjom Lingpa’s Jampal Sangwa Düpa practice cycle, including a series from Pakchok Tukjé Chenpo (Avalokiteshvara). These included the Wangchok Yishyin Khorlo (‘Ritual Wishfulfilling Wheel’); the Drubpa Ngödrub Terdzö (‘The Accomlishment, Treasury of Siddhis’); Dzabmik Yishyin Bangdzö (‘The Mantra Recitation and Visualization, the Wish-fulfilling Treasure House’); Kangshak Nyamchak Rangdröl (‘The Fulfillment and Confession, Self-Liberation of Damages and Breakages of Commitments’); Küldok Khorwa Yongdröl (‘The Incitement and Reversal, Complete Liberation of Samsara’); and Rikdruk Nédren Trétsé Rangdrol (‘Guiding Beings of the Six Classes to Higher Realms Upon Meeting’).

Additional wrathful and coercive sadhanas from the Düdjom Tersar corpus to which Chönjuk Lama contributed include Nyenjom Tobden Rilbu Drakpo Tachak Khyungsum Gyi Trinlé Nüpa Tokmé (‘The Wrathful Pill that has the Potency to Destroy Evil Spirits: The Unobstructed and Powerful Activity of Hayagriva, Vajrapani, and Garuda’), which belongs to the practice cycle Tamdrin Yangtrö Nakpo Tachak Khyungsum (‘Extremely Ferocious Black Hayagriva, Vajrapani, and Garuda’); Düdjom Namchak Dorjé (‘Meteoric Iron Vajra that Subdues Demons’), from the Dorjé Phurba Tukdrub Sangwé Gyachen (‘Vajrakilaya Heart Practice Vast Secret’); Palden Mahakalé Drubtab Parol Pungjom Dorjé Palam (‘The Sadhana of Glorious Mahakala, Vajra Path that Destroys the Enemy Forces’); Palden Mahakalé Kangsol Döjung Paksam Gyepa (‘A Fulfillment and Supplication of Glorious Mahakala, The Blossoming Desire-Granting Wish-Fulfilling Tree’); Nöjin Shenpa Marnak Gi Kukhor Drawö Soklen (‘The Life-Taking of Enemies by the Retinue of the Yaksha, Red-Black Butcher’); Zadü Nakpö Lébé Rekpung Namchak Khorlo (‘The Fierce Activity of the Black Planetary Demon: The Meteoric-Iron Wheel that Destroys upon Contact’); Terdak Yishyin Khorlo Aparé Sokwang Nangsi Wangjé (‘Life-Force Empowerment for the Treasure Guardian Wishfulfilling Wheel Aparé; Overpowering the World and its Inhabitants’); Nordak Aparatsitté Drubtab Ngödrub Terbum (‘Treasure Vase of Spiritual Attainments: The Sadhana of Wealth Lord Aparatsitta’); and Nordak Apar Karpö Solchö Dögü Lhündrub (‘Offering and Supplication to the White Wealth Lord Apar: Spontaneous Fulfillment of All Needs’). Chönjuk Lama also contributed to the textual rendering of Düdjom Lingpa’s spiritual song Nöchü Tamché Tongpa Sok Gelek La Dampa (‘All of the World and its Inhabitants are Empty…, An Instruction to Gelek’).

The wrathful and supplicatory tone of these texts within the Düdjom Tersar corpus arguably reflects the profound political upheavals and military incursions that affected eastern Tibet during the final decade of the nineteenth century, as well as a simultaneous effort to subdue adverse forces while fostering wisdom and compassion.

A Highly Accomplished Dzogchen Practitioner

Düdjom Lingpa also authorized Chönjuk Lama to collaborate with other senior disciples—notably Horla Péma Tashi (c.1840–c.1890)—on the composition of Drelwa Tsikdön Rabsal Bai Duryé Chünpo (‘Lapis-Lazuli Cluster, the Commentary that Clearly Illuminates Words and Meaning’), a commentary on Düdjom Lingpa’s revealed teaching Sherik Dorjé Nönpo Gyü (‘Sharp Vajra of Awareness Tantra’). This work forms part of the Daknang Yeshé Drawa (‘Web of Primordial Wisdom of Pure Perception’), a terma cycle that Düdjom Lingpa received as a daknang, or ‘pure vision’, of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of transcendent wisdom, in 1857, nearly three decades earlier.

As is often the case with tertöns, these teachings were not immediately disclosed. Around 1888, while residing at his mountain hermitage of Lama Rung, Düdjom Lingpa dictated the Drelwa Tsikdön Rabsal Bai Duryé Chünpo to a small circle of senior disciples, including Chönjuk Lama, Horla Péma Tashi, Orgyen Dorjé, Lodrö Zangpo, and Khyentsé Trülku Dzamling Wangyal (1868–1907), his third son. The setting—a remote hermitage high above the Ser Chu valley—reflects the intimate circumstances under which many of Düdjom Lingpa’s most profound teachings were transmitted.

Counted among Düdjom Lingpa’s three principal Dzogchen tantras, the Sherik Dorjé Nönpo holds a prominent place within the Düdjom Tersar. Together with its ‘Lapis-Lazuli Garland’ commentary, it presents a complete synthesis of the Vajrayana path. As Düdjom Lingpa himself explained,

‘All the qualities of view, meditation, and conduct, as well as the ground, path, and fruition—together with refuge, bodhicitta, the six perfections, and the maṇḍala of deities and mantras—are collectively perfected in the Sherik Dorjé Nönpo Tantra.’

That Chönjuk Lama was entrusted with explicating such a profound teaching speaks to his deep realization and to the confidence Düdjom Lingpa placed in him. It also suggests his important role in preserving and transmitting Düdjom Lingpa’s extensive corpus of terma revelations, which would eventually span more than twenty volumes.

Relationship with Tulku Drimé Özer

During the years that Chönjuk Lama studied with Düdjom Lingpa, he also developed a close relationship with Düdjom Lingpa’s fifth son, Trülku Drimé Özer, who was born in 1881, shortly after Düdjom Lingpa relocated from the Mar Chu Valley in Golok to his retreat encampment at Lama Rung.

From 1890 onward, Düdjom Lingpa spent part of each year at Dartsang Kalzang, situated in alpine pastureland in the Li Gorge, in the upper reaches of Golok’s Do Chu Valley. In 1897, when Drimé Özer was sixteen, he recounted a dream in which, within a vast luminous expanse, he perceived Guru Rinpoché’s heart-shaped pure land of Ngayab Zangdok Palri (‘Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain of Cāmara’). Two dakinis—Wangchuk Dechenma and Raltri Barma—appeared and led him to a place called Pema Drawa, the ‘Lotus Web’. The following morning, Drimé Özer shared the dream with Chönjuk Lama, who told him;

‘This is just as Düdjom Lingpa has said—you are an incarnation of Longchen Rabjam Drimé Özer. According to your dream, you should travel to the sacred sites of Central Tibet, especially Gangri Tökar (‘White-Peaked Snow Mountain’), Longchenpa’s retreat mountain.’

Although only sixteen, Drimé Özer then acknowledged Chönjuk Lama and other senior practitioners as chödak, custodians of his three pure-vision terma cycles.

Later that same year, Düdjom Lingpa began treating Drimé Özer with striking severity—scolding him, slapping him, and excluding him from teachings and empowerments at Dartsang Kalzang. He explained that these wrathful methods were intended to remove a serious obstacle to his son’s life force. As this unfolded, some newer disciples developed doubts about Drimé Özer, while senior practitioners—including Dza Tsampa Trülku (1848–1928), Lingtrul Péma Lungtok Gyatso (1856–1920s), Sögen Tulku Natsok Rangdrol (1869–1935), and Chönjuk Lama—regarded him with even greater affection and did what they could to console him.

Despite their support, Drimé Özer became discouraged. ‘My father, Düdjom Lingpa’s kindness is unrepayable,’ he confided to them. ‘I will do whatever he asks. But aside from you, who are connected to me through empowerments, the other disciples criticize me. I therefore wonder whether I am truly my father’s heart son.’ Drimé Özer’s mother, Kéza Sangyé Tso (c.1848–1906), sought to reassure him, explaining that the situation reflected a serious obstacle to his life force and encouraged him to focus on practical tasks, including relocating his father’s residence. Not long afterward, Düdjom Lingpa confirmed that his forceful methods had cleared hidden obstacles, and he restored Drimé Özer to his inner circle.

Six years later, in December 1903, Düdjom Lingpa passed away at Dartsang Kalzang. After the funeral rites were completed, Drimé Özer told Chönjuk Lama that he wished to construct a kudung (reliquary) stupa to house Düdjom Lingpa’s sacred remains. He requested that Chönjuk Lama—then nearly ninety years old—assist in interring the relics, including crystalline ringsel, bone fragments, and ashes, together with other precious substances. Despite his advanced age, Chönjuk Lama responded enthusiastically:

‘I will do whatever I can to help fill the stupa. The wealth I now possess, I offer to you, and I will also provide whatever materials—food, drink, and the like—are needed for the construction of this reliquary stupa.’

When Drimé Özer shared this plan with other senior disciples at Dartsang Kalzang, some opposed the project, accusing him of having taken terma objects belonging to the community. Ignoring the fact that Drimé Özer was Düdjom Lingpa’s principal heir, they said; ‘You absconded with many of Düdjom Lingpa’s terma objects. They were not your share of his legacy to take!’

Distressed, Drimé Özer again sought Chönjuk Lama’s advice. The elderly lama recommended that part of the inherited termas be offered to the monastery and another portion dedicated to the stupa’s construction. This compromise pacified the dispute, and the reliquary stupa was ultimately built with Chönjuk Lama’s active support.

Dartsang Kalzang thereafter became the principal seat of Tulku Drimé Özer and his younger brothers, Trülku Lhachen Tobgyal (1884–1942) and Trülku Dorjé Dradül (1891–1959).

Across traditions

Like many of Düdjom Lingpa’s foremost disciples, Chönjuk Lama studied widely across traditions while playing an important role in the transcription and dissemination of his teacher’s terma revelations. Despite his advanced age at the time of Düdjom Lingpa’s passing, he contributed decisively to the construction of Düdjom Lingpa’s reliquary stupa, an enduring object of devotion and pilgrimage that continues to embody the blessings of Düdjom Lingpa’s lineage to this day.

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