Gochen Trülku Jikdral Chökyi Lodrö

Training

Teachers

• Trülku Drimé Özer
• Déwé Dorjé

Activity

Places of activity

• Palyul Dartang

Timeline

Born

Age at death

Passed

c. 1876

c. 43

1919

Golok

Golok

སྒོ་ཆེན་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་ཇིགས་བྲལ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས།

Names

སྒོ་ཆེན་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་ཇིགས་བྲལ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས།

Gochen Trülku Jikdral Chökyi Lodrö

sgo chen sprul sku jigs bral chos kyi blo gros/

A prominent lama of Palyül Dartang Monastery, Gochen Trülku Jikdral Chökyi Lodrö served as a chödak (holder of the teachings) for the renowned tertön consorts, Trülku Drimé Özer (1881–1924) and Déwé Dorjé (1892–1940). He is remembered most notably for recognizing Déwé Dorjé's extraordinary spiritual qualities and affirming her status as a gifted ḍākinī at a time when female practitioners rarely received broad public acknowledgment.

A Trülku from Palyül Dartang Monastery

Gochen Trülku was born around 1876 in Golok and received his training as a trülku at Palyul Dartang Monastery, the largest and most influential branch of the Palyul tradition in the region. Founded as an important seat of the Nyingma (‘Ancient Translation’) school in northeastern Tibet, Dartang served as a major center for scholastic study, ritual practice, and the transmission of terma teachings throughout Golok.

In time, Gochen Trülku came to be recognized as an emanation of Karma Lingpa (1326–1386), the celebrated tertön whose revelations include the Shitrö Gongpa Rangdrol cycle, from which derive the teachings on the Six Bardos as well as the funerary liturgies of the Bardo Tödrol Chenmo, known in English as the ‘Tibetan Book of the Dead’. This association with Karma Lingpa situates Gochen Trülku within a venerable lineage of visionary revelation and underscores the esteem in which he was held by his contemporaries.

Although few details of his early life have survived, his education at Dartang and his subsequent recognition as an emanation of one of Tibet’s most renowned tertöns suggest that he was regarded from an early age as a figure of considerable spiritual promise. These formative circumstances would prepare him for his later role as a chödak and trusted custodian of the transmissions associated with Trülku Drimé Özer and Déwé Dorjé.

Dharma Encampment on the Slopes of Nyenpo Yutsé

Following his training at Palyul Dartang, Gochen Trülku departed the monastery and established a dharma encampment on the slopes of Nyenpo Yutsé, the principal sacred mountain of southern Golok. Rising above an expansive landscape of marshlands, alpine meadows, and glacial lakes, its snow-capped peaks have long occupied a central place in the religious imagination of the region and are revered in local tradition as the ancestral homeland of the Golok tribes.

For centuries, Nyenpo Yutsé has drawn yogins, pilgrims, and treasure revealers to its remote valleys and hidden sanctuaries. Its association with both indigenous mountain cults and Buddhist sacred geography made it a natural setting for contemplative retreat and the establishment of itinerant religious communities. By founding his encampment there, Gochen Trülku situated himself within a longstanding tradition of practitioners who sought to unite the wilderness ideal of Tibetan Buddhism with the pastoral life of the Golok nomads.

Although little is known concerning the size or duration of his encampment, its location at the foot of one of Tibet's most revered mountains reflects both his affinity with the people of Golok and his preference for a life centered on practice and teaching beyond the confines of a large monastic institution. It was from this sacred landscape, beneath the towering summits of Nyenpo Yutsé, that Gochen Trülku would come to influence the spiritual lives of many in the region, including the future ḍakini Déwé Dorjé.

Chödak of Trülku Drimé Özer

In 1915, at approximately thirty-nine years of age, Gochen Trülku traveled to the Hor region, where Hor Öchung—a direct disciple of Düdjom Lingpa (1835–1904)—had invited Düdjom Lingpa’s seventh child and fifth son, Trülku Drimé Özer (1881–1924), to take up residence. By this time, Trülku Drimé Özer had become one of the foremost propagators of his father's terma teachings, disseminating the Düdjom termas on a remarkable scale and exerting a profound influence on the formation of what would later become known as the Düdjom Tersar.

Accompanied by several attendants, Gochen Trülku received numerous empowerments and oral instructions from Trülku Drimé Özer. During their meeting, he proclaimed Drimé Özer to be an emanation of Longchen Rabjam (1308–1363), thereby affirming his status within the broader Nyingma tradition as an embodiment of one of Tibet's greatest philosopher-yogins.

Gochen Trülku then addressed him with a question that revealed both his devotion and an apparent foreknowledge of his own mortality:

‘Although I am one of your chödaks (holders of the teachings), I do not know how much longer I shall remain in this life. As I aspire to serve your teachings throughout all my future births, how much time remains to me?’

Trülku Drimé Özer replied:

‘If you are indeed one of my chödaks, I will certainly find a way to dispel the obstacles to your life force.’

Gochen Trülku responded:

‘Our interdependence is excellent. Although obstacles have arisen in my life, I can endure them. Yet I place my hope and trust in you. There will come a time when neither spiritual nor worldly remedies will avail.’

Hearing these words, Trülku Drimé Özer understood that Gochen Trülku perceived his lifespan to be nearing its end. He therefore exhorted him:

‘You must remain in this world for the benefit of the Buddha’s teachings and sentient beings. When you come to see me again, I shall do whatever lies within my power to help you.’

This poignant exchange offers a rare glimpse into the relationship between Trülku Drimé Özer and one of his principal chödaks. It also foreshadows Gochen Trülku's untimely death only a few years later. More broadly, it illustrates the profound sense of karmic interdependence that bound together the early custodians of the Düdjom Tersar lineage, whose shared commitment to preserving and transmitting the teachings transcended the limits of a single lifetime.

Inspiring Trülku Drimé Özer to Deepen His Connection with Déwé Dorjé

Also in 1915, Gochen Trülku raised a subject that would prove pivotal in the history of the Düdjom Tersar. Addressing Trülku Drimé Özer, he asked:

‘Do you know Déwé Dorjé, the ḍakini from central Tibet who is presently residing in the household of Gara Gyalsé Péma Namgyal (b. 1882/83)?’

Trülku Drimé Özer knew Déwé Dorjé well, having traveled with her and his entourage on their return journey from Lhasa to Golok in 1907, when she was only fifteen years old. Nevertheless, he replied cautiously:

‘I have no certain knowledge concerning her. In my father Düdjom Lingpa's prophecies, and in the inventory of my own treasure revelations, there is mention of a speech emanation of Yéshé Tsogyal—a tertön whose appearance resembles hers. I have wondered whether this refers to Déwé Dorjé. Yet my wife and others in my entourage may not look favorably upon our establishing such a connection. Moreover, since she is presently residing with Gara Gyalsé Péma Namgyal as his consort, it is perhaps best that we do not meet.’

Gochen Trülku responded with unusual confidence:

‘It is certain that she possesses her own treasures, though she has not yet met the consort through whom they will be revealed, and her revelations remain under strict seals of secrecy. At present, she is simply residing at Pennak [the seat of Gara Terchen Pema Dudül Wangchuk Lingpa (1857–1911) founded in 1824 by Pema Drondül Dorjé] and conducting herself in an ordinary manner. I do not believe it would be improper for the two of you to meet. Indeed, I consider it would be highly auspicious.’

Intrigued, Trülku Drimé Özer asked what kind of treasure teachings she possessed. Gochen Trülku replied that he had not yet met Déwé Dorjé personally, but that his disciple Chokor Jikchö, who had spent several months practicing the teachings of Gara Terchen Péma Düdul Wangchuk Lingpa at Pennak, had witnessed many extraordinary circumstances surrounding her and reported them to him. He added that Hor Lama Öchung, a direct disciple of Düdjom Lingpa, likewise possessed considerable knowledge concerning her activities. Gochen Trülku then informed him of an impending gathering:

‘There is soon to be a consecration of the prayer wheels at Pennak, to which you, I, and our attendants have all been invited. There you will have the opportunity to meet Déwé Dorjé and learn more about her. Since auspicious interdependence is present on all sides, do not let this opportunity pass by.’

Despite these assurances, Trülku Drimé Özer remained hesitant:

‘I have often felt that I have failed to uphold my father’s teachings as I ought. Increasingly, I have thought of withdrawing into solitary retreat, spending my days and nights in uninterrupted prayer to the lama. I therefore given no thought to the necessity of a consort in the life of a tertön.’

Gochen Trülku answered with words that would prove prophetic:

‘Even as an unmistaken regent of Guru Rinpoché and a tertön, you must still rely upon auspicious interdependence. You bear many responsibilities: benefiting the Buddha’s teachings, serving sentient beings, and above all preserving and spreading the terma teachings of your father, Düdjom Lingpa. For these reasons, you must proceed with great care. Whether or not she is destined to become your consort, I cannot say with certainty.’

At this, Trülku Drimé Özer's resistance began to soften.

‘It would not be a mistake. Düdjom Lingpa was still alive, he identified Déwé Dorjé through his wisdom vision in the terma inventories. Since he spoke of her then, I believe there is truth in what you say.’

Gochen Trülku responded simply:

‘If that is so, then you must proceed very carefully.’

The two continued their discussion at length, sharing their understanding of the karmic and prophetic connections surrounding Déwé Dorjé before Gochen Trülku returned to his residence.

Only a few days later, the anticipated gathering took place. Gara Gyalsé, Déwé Dorjé, and their attendants arrived at Hor Lama Öchung's encampment at Mardringpo for the consecration of the prayer wheels. Trülku Drimé Özer was likewise present and bestowed teachings from his father’s treasure cycles.

Upon meeting him, Déwé Dorjé offered three prostrations and inquired after his well-being. She then presented him with offerings of silver and a silk ceremonial scarf, receiving his blessing in return. Perceiving the emergence of an important karmic connection, Trülku Drimé Özer offered her a precious red jewel—symbolic of magnetizing activity—together with lengths of silk.

Déwé Dorjé is said to have remarked:

‘Precious Trülku Drimé Özer, your sādhana practices, which condense profound meaning into but a few words, are truly extraordinary.’

Afterward, she returned to her tent, while Trülku Drimé Özer and Gara Gyalsé entered the prayer wheel temple, where they engaged in an extended and intimate discussion concerning the auspicious interdependence surrounding Déwé Dorjé. In time, that interdependence would culminate in her becoming Trülku Drimé Özer's principal consort and collaborator in the formation and transmission of the Düdjom Tersar.

This episode occupies a singular place in the early history of the Düdjom lineage. Acting as both confidant and chödak, Gochen Trülku served as an important catalyst in bringing together two of the tradition’s most influential figures. His counsel helped set in motion a partnership that would profoundly shape the subsequent development of the Düdjom Tersar and ensure the preservation of its revelations for future generations.

Declaring Déwé Dorjé a Speech Incarnation of Khandro Yéshé Tsogyal

In 1915, when Déwé Dorjé was twenty-three years old, Gochen Trülku publicly affirmed her extraordinary qualities as both a ḍākinī and an authentic tertön. His recognition came at a particularly difficult period in her life. At the time, she was living at Pennak with Gara Gyalsé Pema Namgyal, who reportedly disapproved of her treasure revelations and discouraged their disclosure. In this context, Gochen Trülku’s support became an important source of encouragement and validation.

Disregarding prevailing opinions, he requested that Déwé Dorjé send him examples of her treasure writings, ostensibly so that he might employ them in rituals intended to avert obstacles threatening his life. Déwé Dorjé would later recall that, amid the hardships of her years at Benak, her connection with Gochen Trülku brought her rare moments of happiness. Although Gochen Trülku is said to have sought a closer relationship with her, Déwé Dorjé consistently declined, later explaining:

‘Gochen Trülku pursued me, despite knowing my circumstances. He emphasized our profound dharma and samaya connections, but because of the advice of the ḍākinīs, there was no way I could agree.’

From the outset, numerous prophetic indications emphasized Gochen Trülku’s significance in her life. Among the most remarkable was the appearance of an emissary of the ḍākinīs in the form of a pheasant chick, which addressed her directly:

‘Since Guru Rinpoche’s final testament is unfailing, follow the symbolic prophetic guidance of the ḍakinis and, in time, you will certainly encounter your destined treasure allotment. Should signs, auspicious connections, and empowerments arise from the one known as Dharma Mati [Skt. Dharmamati; Tib. Chökyi Lodrö], who upholds the Dharma, it is of the utmost importance that you examine them carefully.’

Only a few days after receiving this prophecy, a disciple named Chönkhor Lama Jikmé arrived at Pennak bearing a sealed letter from Gochen Trülku. When Déwé Dorjé inquired after the lama’s identity, she learned that he was commonly known as Jikdral Chökyi Lodrö. Upon hearing this name, she immediately recalled that among the four principal pillars destined to serve as her chödaks, the northern pillar bore the name Chökyi Lodrö (Dharmamati). Yet she remained troubled by the prospect of forming any association with a celibate and highly respected lama, fearing that it might give rise to misunderstanding and wrong views among others. In characteristic fashion, she responded with humility:

‘Your lama appears to know very little. He asks me to write down whatever this old woman remembers—at best a prophecy, at middling a liturgy, and at the very least even four words. During my twenty-three years, I have traveled from the upper regions of Dzachukha to Rongzhi and Khaksum, meeting many lamas and trülkus and receiving their teachings. Never has anyone requested such a thing of me. Yet if I were to write what remains in my mind concerning the primordially present ocean of phenomenal existence and its transcendence, I would never come to the end of it.’

Lama Jikmé Chönkhor replied that Gochen Trülku was renowned for his realization, discipline, and impeccable conduct, adding that many lamas and trülkus scarcely dared approach him unless they themselves had maintained the highest standards of morality. He urged her to comply with the request, noting Gochen Trülku’s close relationship with Gara Terchen Pema Dudül Wangchuk Lingpa (1857–1911) and his reputation as one of that legendary lama’s principal chödaks.

Recognizing the correspondence between these events and the prophecies she had received, Déwé Dorjé eventually composed the requested letter. Upon receiving it, Gochen Trülku interpreted it as confirmation of future events. Performing the rituals she prescribed, he is said to have successfully removed the obstacles threatening his lifespan. Thereafter, he remained one of her most steadfast supporters until the end of his life.

Later in 1915, Gochen Trülku was invited to preside over the funeral rites for the head of a prominent household. Gara Gyalsé attended the ceremony, while Déwé Dorjé, reluctant to meet Gochen Trülku directly, occupied herself circumambulating mani stones and the nearby prayer wheel house. Once again, Lama Jikmé Chönkhor appeared and informed her that Gochen Trülku had requested her presence.

Accompanied by Lama Jikmé, she approached the assembly bearing a turquoise wrapped in five-colored silk together with a ceremonial scarf. After offering prostrations and inquiring after his health, she presented her gifts. In response, Gochen Trülku rose from his seat before the gathered assembly and offered her silver objects and an auspicious scarf in return.

Those assembled—lamas, monks, and laypeople alike—were astonished by the exchange and looked at one another in silence. It was then that Gochen Trülku made his famous declaration:

‘You need have no doubt. I am certain that this ḍākinī is the speech emanation of Yeshé Tsogyal. Abandon your wrong views and cultivate faith. This is no deception—it is true.’

Déwé Dorjé immediately sought to deflect the praise:

‘You have neither met me before nor heard anything of me from those among whom I live. How, then, can you know whether I am an emanation of Yeshé Tsogyal? Moreover, how could an inferior woman such as myself be a ḍakinī? Outwardly, I possess little learning; inwardly, I am ignorant of the generation and perfection stages. Whatever I do, I remain bound by the activities of saṃsāra.’

Gochen Trülku replied:

‘Without exertion in study or training, you fully comprehend the paths of generation and perfection. Without learning to read or write, your literacy arises from residual karmic imprints cultivated in former lives. Nevertheless, you must not conceal your treasures. You must write them down and propagate them, lest the retribution of the ḍākinīs draw near.’

Even then, Déwé Dorjé continued to deny his assertions:

‘I am not a tertön. I have not attained even a single Dharma teaching, nor do I know anything of generation or perfection.’

This public recognition of Déwé Dorjé as a speech emanation of Khandro Yéshé Tsogyal would prove to be one of the defining moments of her early life. At a time when her revelations were met with skepticism—even among those closest to her—Gochen Trülku's unequivocal endorsement provided both legitimacy and protection. More than any other contemporary figure, he discerned the significance of her role within the unfolding destiny of the Düdjom Tersar and repeatedly encouraged her to reveal and preserve the treasures that would later become an integral part of the lineage's transmitted corpus.

Requesting Déwé Dorjé to Reveal Additional Termas

In 1917, Gochen Trülku again met with Déwé Dorjé and renewed his efforts to persuade her to embrace the role that he believed destiny had assigned her. Speaking candidly, he told her:

‘You truly are a wisdom ḍākinī. Yet it is difficult to discern whether your present circumstances are beneficial or not, for you are bound to a chieftain of an unfavorable lineage. The minds of beings in this degenerate age are difficult to guide. You must discover a skillful means of benefiting both others and yourself. Above all, remember to reveal your termas—whether of body, speech, mind, qualities, or enlightened activities.’

Having spoken thus, Gochen Trülku presented her with additional silver and a radiant silk scarf and offered aspiration prayers on her behalf. Déwé Dorjé, however, responded with characteristic humor and self-effacement:

‘Apart from being able to reveal hidden termas in the form of boys and girls, I possess no means of extracting sa-ter (‘earth termas’).’

Having said that, Gochen Trülku gave Déwé Dorjé more silver and a gleaming silk scarf and made aspiration prayers on her behalf. To this, Déwé Dorje retorted dryly, ‘Aside from being one who can take out termas of boys and girls, I don’t have a way to take out vast sater, earth treasures.’ Gochen Trülku remained undeterred:

‘Even if you do not wish to be a tertön, you are empowered by the karma of terma revelation. You cannot conceal this indefinitely. If you do, the auspicious circumstances upon which your activities depend will inevitably unravel. Therefore, conceal nothing and speak to me honestly. Because we are joined by the karma of previous lives, I believe that if we rely upon one another, great benefit will arise for beings. Accordingly, we must act.’

Shortly after Déwé Dorjé's twenty-fifth birthday in 1917, she received a letter from Gochen Trülku. By this time, her health had deteriorated considerably, and another lama had divined that only Gochen Trülku possessed the ability to dispel the obstacles threatening her life. Accompanied by her disciples Palden Gyamtso and Jikmé Chömpel, she therefore journeyed from Benak to Palyül Dartang.

Upon arriving, Déwé Dorjé took up residence in a house overlooking the monastery and resolved not to visit Gochen Trülku, reasoning that she scarcely knew him and that, as a woman, it would be inappropriate for her to seek out a celibate monk of such stature. Before long, however, Palden Gyamtso and Jikmé Chömpel returned with an urgent summons from Gochen Trülku.

Déwé Dorjé resisted:

‘Apart from meeting him briefly in the past, I scarcely know Gochen Trülku. Moreover, I am a woman and he is a monk. It is inappropriate. If I go, there will be gossip concerning him and women.’

Her disciples replied:

‘Whatever others may say, let them say it. We are going.’

Still she refused:

‘I will not go. Why should I? If rumors concerning women were to harm him, it would constitute a grave fault, for he is a sacred object of refuge. As for me, the best outcome would be union with him in the ultimate sphere; a lesser possibility would be the formation of a relationship between us. The worst outcome would be for idle gossip to bring him harm. To serve as the catalyst for supreme accomplishment is the capacity of the ḍākinīs. Yet you must not speak of this to anyone. These are the secret words of a traveler preparing to depart.’

Having uttered these enigmatic words, she fell asleep, leaving her disciples unable to persuade her further.

Several days later, on the twelfth day of the month, Gochen Trülku’s attendant Ösel arrived. Described in the sources as stern and direct, he wasted no time in formalities. ‘I have come to summon you,’ he said curtly, taking her by the shoulder. Déwé Dorjé later compared herself to a small bird carried off by a hawk—reluctant, yet unable to resist.

Upon entering Gochen Trülku’s presence, she experienced a sudden recollection of karmic tendencies from previous lives, as though the latent force of ancient aspirations had been awakened. According to her account, their minds became inseparable and of a single taste. For a long while, she sat silently before him.

Gochen Trülku then addressed her in unusually forceful terms:

‘Why do you not think expansively about benefiting the teachings and sentient beings? Why do you grow weary because of the misconceptions of your disciples and instead fix your mind upon departing for the Buddha fields? Again and again, I pray that you will uphold the Buddha’s teachings in general; that you will preserve the profound treasures of Gara Terchen in particular; and that you will continue to guide your disciples throughout eastern and southeastern Tibet. May the armor of your aspirations and vows never weaken. May your lotus feet remain upon the Vajra Throne for a hundred eons! You know that my hopes are without deceit. If you fail to act accordingly, then, as vajra siblings within Guru Rinpoche's lineage, you will have neglected our samaya.’

He then bestowed upon her an auspicious silk scarf, a silver ring set with a fine piece of coral, and, most significantly, a vajra and bell as supports for their secret commitments. The sources further recount that Gochen Trülku entered a meditative absorption in which he assumed the divine pride of Hayagriva, blazing in the realization of emptiness and great bliss.

Déwé Dorjé, whose illness was accompanied by heightened visionary experiences, later wrote that she immediately perceived his meditative state. Visualizing herself as Hayagrīva’s consort, Vajravārāhī, she invoked the sixteen goddesses associated with the five root bodhisattvas and made offerings within a celestial palace arising from the completely purified five elements. In that visionary experience, Gochen Trülku and Déwé Dorjé’s minds merged inseparably in the nondual expanse of primordial wisdom.

As with many accounts found in Tibetan hagiographical literature, the episode is presented not merely as an historical encounter but as the revelation of a karmic relationship extending across multiple lifetimes. Significantly, it marked a turning point in Déwé Dorjé's understanding of her own destiny. Gochen Trülku's unwavering conviction that she was destined to reveal treasures and benefit innumerable beings would remain with her long after his death. Indeed, among the many figures who recognized her during her lifetime, few articulated her role with greater clarity or persistence than Gochen Trülku Jikdral Chökyi Lodrö.

Asking Déwé Dorjé to Act as a Tantric Consort

In 1918, while Déwé Dorjé was still residing at Palyul Dartang, Gochen Trülku approached her with a request that reflected the complex intersection of monastic discipline, tantric practice, and treasure tradition in early twentieth-century Tibet. A senior lama, Tibir Tuktsa Trülku, was then undertaking retreat in the vicinity together with several attendants. According to Gochen Trülku, numerous indications suggested that his life was endangered and that only a highly qualified practitioner could avert the obstacles threatening his longevity.

Gochen Trülku explained:

‘You possess the auspicious interdependence necessary to dispel the obstacles to Tibir Tuktsa Trülku’s life. Therefore, I ask you to determine the most skillful means of accomplishing this. Although he is clothed as a monk and received full ordination from Dodrubchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima (1865–1926) only last year, the astrological indications surrounding him have been deeply troubling. Moreover, prophecies from Thupten Chökyi Dorjé (Fifth Dzogchen Trülku, 1872–1935) and numerous other masters have declared that, in order to sustain his life, he must enter into a secret connection with one possessing the lineage of an insight ḍakini. Although he is himself a tertön, he serves as abbot of a great monastery and conducts himself not as a ngakpa but as a venerable monk devoted exclusively to meditation. Since there is no one better suited than you to accomplish this, do not err in carrying it out.’

Déwé Dorjé objected immediately:

‘If he is truly an authentic tertön, why should he act hypocritically? The abbot of Orgyen Mindrol Ling is renowned as a tertön, and I see no reason why a monk cannot simultaneously serve as the head of a monastery. I will not become the means of dispelling obstacles to his longevity. For one thing, I am already committed to another. Furthermore, to compromise the vows of a monastic would constitute a grave offense, and I will certainly not be party to such an act.’

Gochen Trülku replied:

‘Why are you so attached to your body? You have mastered the pith instructions concerning the channels, winds, and vital essences, and your conduct is free from error. If an action is undertaken solely for the benefit of another, devoid of selfish intent or harmful motivation, how could it become an offense? As for Gara Gyalsé, I can answer on his behalf, and no defilement will arise from his perspective. I will take responsibility for that. If, however, no skillful means are employed, Tibir Tuktsa Trülku will almost certainly not live beyond the age of thirty-eight or thirty-nine.’

Still unconvinced, Déwé Dorjé responded:

‘Even if Gara Gyalsé were to consent, there is another whose agreement is of greater importance to me: my extraordinary root consort, Trülku Drimé Özer. Without his approval, I will not undertake anything of significance. Would it not be sufficient for me to perform feast offerings and prayers on his behalf? In any case, I cannot act otherwise. I will not transgress either my public or private commitments.’

Significantly, Gochen Trülku did not continue the debate. Instead, he simply instructed her:

‘Then go with one of my monks to meet Tibir Tuktsa Trülku. Such a meeting will prove meaningful for both of you.’

In accordance with his request, Déwé Dorjé accompanied the monk to visit Tibir Tuktsa Trülku.

This episode illustrates the tensions that could arise between monastic ideals and tantric conceptions of enlightened activity within the Nyingma tradition. For Gochen Trülku, the preservation of a realized master’s life through skillful means took precedence over conventional considerations. Déwé Dorjé, by contrast, remained deeply concerned with the ethical and social implications of such actions and consistently framed her decisions in terms of personal commitments and responsibility toward others. The exchange also highlights the degree of confidence Gochen Trülku placed in her spiritual attainments, regarding her not merely as a tertön but as a practitioner uniquely capable of influencing the karmic circumstances of other accomplished masters.

Conceiving an Emanation in Déwé Dorjé’s womb

In the early summer dragon month of 1918, Gochen Trülku sent a letter to Benak inviting Gara Gyalsé, Déwé Dorjé, and several of their disciples to visit his encampment in the sacred environs of Nyenpo Yutsé. By this time, his chronic arthritis had reportedly improved—a change that some attributed to the auspicious connection he had established with Déwé Dorjé—and his attendants regarded the development as cause for celebration.

For fifteen days, Gara Gyalsé and Déwé Dorjé devoted themselves to spiritual practice within the mountain sanctuary and met repeatedly with Gochen Trülku. During these meetings, Gochen Trülku repeatedly advised Gara Gyalsé to honor Déwé Dorjé as a ḍākinī and to care diligently for her welfare, both in the present and in the years to come.

Later that year, during a tantric feast offering held on the tenth day of the twelfth month, an event occurred that would become one of the most remarkable episodes in Déwé Dorjé’s hagiographical literature. While she, Gara Gyalsé, her daughter Yangchen Drönma (1913–1946), and a gathering of disciples were engaged in the Rigdzin Düpa (‘Gathering of Vidyadharas’), the inner guru practice of the Longchen Nyingtik, Déwé Dorjé entered a visionary state.

According to her account, she beheld a naked ḍāka of white and rosy complexion adorned with six bone ornaments, a crown of five dry skulls, and a tiger-skin skirt. Radiating the primordial wisdom of great bliss and displaying the mudrā of union, the figure approached her as a consort before dissolving into a syllable HAṂ, which entered through the crown of her head. Immediately thereafter, she experienced the unmistakable sensation of having conceived a child.

One month later, word reached her that Gochen Trülku’s health had deteriorated significantly. She traveled to Palyul Dartang to visit him, where he is said to have remarked:

‘As I have already told you, the son you have conceived is either my own consciousness or another noble being.’

According to the tradition, Gochen Trülku had manifested a madé trülku—a reincarnation arising before the death of its predecessor—through the force of their karmic connection. The child, later known as Rigdzin Gyurmé Dorjé (1919–1924), would live only a few years. At the time of his conception, Déwé Dorjé was twenty-seven years old. Two years later, in 1920, Déwé Dorjé discussed these events with her principal consort, Trülku Drimé Özer. Her miraculously conceived son, Rigdzin Gyurmé Dorjé, had developed a severe sinus disorder, prompting Drimé Özer to perform rites of healing and protection on his behalf. During the course of the ritual, he asked her directly:

‘Is Gara Gyalsé the father of your son?’

Déwé Dorjé replied:

‘No. My son has no ordinary father. During the feast offering on the tenth day of the Monkey Month, when the assembly of wisdom deities was invited into the maṇḍala, my perception transformed. I experienced union with a ḍāka clothed in tiger skin and adorned with bone ornaments. At one moment, he declared himself to be Saraha [lit. ‘one who has shot the bow’]; at another, Sami Gocha [an important ninth-century Tibetan translator, historical disciple of Guru Rinpoché].

She continued by recounting the events that followed:

‘Immediately afterward, I became physically unwell, and everyone present realized that something had happened. Gara Gyalsé, his younger brother Jikmé Könchok, and the monks all asked, “What is wrong?” I replied only that I was reciting the feast offering. Although I was quite ill, I concealed it entirely. Later, when I visited Gochen Trülku, he asked, “They tell me that you have been sick. Was it on the tenth day of the Monkey Month?” When I answered in the affirmative and recounted the entire story, he listened with great affection and said, “You should tell Drimé Özer. I have no doubt concerning what I perceived.”’

After hearing her account in full, Trülku Drimé Özer reportedly replied:

‘Just as I said before, he is a son of the lineage.’

The final meeting between Déwé Dorjé and Gochen Trülku occurred shortly thereafter. Before she departed for Benak, he is said to have told her:

‘Through this auspicious connection, we shall never be separated—in this life, in the bardo, or in those years yet to come.’

He then presented her with numerous parting gifts, including a finely crafted vajra and bell, sweets made from sugar, molasses, and honey, and a variety of fruits. Following her departure, Gochen Trülku's condition worsened rapidly. His monastic disciples urged that Déwé Dorjé be summoned once more in the hope that she might restore his health. Gochen Trülku, however, rebuked them:

‘Do you not realize that if a beautiful consort were to visit a senior monk at his monastery, it would become the subject of endless gossip? And this, despite the fact that she now carries an emanation of my own consciousness?’

Consequently, Déwé Dorjé did not return to Palyul Dartang. Gochen Trülku Jikdral Chökyi Lodrö passed away the following month, in the late winter of 1919. Their magically conceived child, Rigdzin Gyurmé Dorjé, passed away at the age of five during a smallpox epidemic that swept through Golok in 1925.  

Immediate reincarnation

Gochen Trülku’s spiritual activity was carried forward by his immediate reincarnation, Lama Namkha Tsewang, whose life directly fulfilled an older prophecy left by the nineteenth century master Drupwang Tsoknyi regarding the future of Gochen Monastery. The prophecy stated, ‘Widespread fame of a blue rat will be seen from the distant region.’ Elders in the community and monastery recognized that this ‘blue rat’ symbol explicitly referred to Namkha Tsewang since the rat was the animal symbol associated with the year of his birth, which was presumably 1924. His subsequent reincarnation is the Fifth Gochen Trülku Sangngak (born 1952) who continues to transmit the Düdjom Tersar teachings.