Nyela Pema Düddul
།འཇའ་ལུས་པ་ཉག་བླ་པཨ་བདུད་འདུལ༌།།
('ja' lus pa nyag bla padma bdud 'dul)

The great Master Nyela Pema Düddul lived a simple life as a yogic practitioner and attained the Rainbow Body in 1872

Nyakla Pema Dudul (nyag bla pad+ma bdud 'dul) was born to a wealthy family in 1816, the tenth day of the ninth month of fire-mouse year in the fourteenth sexagenary cycle, in Khangtsek (khang brtshegs) district of lower Nyarong (nyag smad) in a village called Shanglang Drakkar (shang lang brag dkar). His father was named Khangtsek Gonpo (khang brtsegs mgon po) and his mother was named Sonam Kyi (bsod nams skyid). He was the oldest of three children.

When the infant was three weeks old, the second Drime Zhingkyong, Jigme Rigdzin Gonpo (dri med zhing skyong 02 'jigs med rig 'dzin mgon po, d.u.), blessed him and granted empowerments. At nine months, his paternal uncle, a lama named Kunzang Dudjom (kun bzang bdud 'joms, d.u.) named the child Tashi Dondrub (bkra shis don 'grub).

At the age ofthe age of seven, the boy was taught reading and writing by a Lama Pema (bla ma pad+ma, d.u.), and was given additional empowerments, transmissions, and meditation instruction by Gyelse Dorje Chowang (rgyal sras rdo rje chos dbang, d.u.), who identified the child as an embodiment of the Katok treasure revealer Rigdzin Longsel Nyingpo (rig 'dzin klong gsal snying po, 1625-1692)

During his youth, Tashi Dondrub's family was beset by a number of hardships, which drove them from wealth to extreme poverty. His father passed away, leaving behind his wife and three young sons. His mother, Sonam Kyi, spent a large portion of their family's wealth accommodating twenty lamas and monks in their home for the traditional forty-nine days of prayers and rituals for the deceased. In a turn that parallels the story of Milarepa, Sonam Kyi's brothers-in-law expelled the familythe family from their home, forcing the family to move to a small stable. Soon thereafter, the middle son died, and additional rites and rituals were supported by the sale of most of their agricultural land. Not long after, Tashi Dondrub fell ill with smallpox, and the local people forced him to move to an isolated area. He continued to survive by begging and stealing food, though he was often beaten and driven off. His youngest brother, Alo (a lod), however, died of starvation. His mother, grieving deeply, offered their remaining family land for his funeral.

Tashi Dondrub, no doubt influenced by these great hardships, began seeking out Buddhist teachings in earnest at the age ofthe age of fifteen. He received the complete empowerments and transmissions on a cycle of Tara teachings (sgrol ma'i snying thig chos skor), as well as additional practice instructions and personal advice from his uncle, Kunzang Dudjom.

When Pema Dudul was twenty-one, fighting broke out between upper and lower Nyarong (ngag stod smad), part of the early expansion of the warlord Gonpo Namgyel (mgon po rnam rgyal, 1799-1863) that would later engulf most of Kham, reached his village, forcing him to flee. As a result, however, he was able to meetto meet and receive teachings from the Nyingma master Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje (mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje, 1800-1866), who had come to the region to mediate.

During this time he also met and received teachings from many eminent teachers from the Sakya, Dzogchen, and Katok traditions, including Dzaka Sonam Pelden (dzaH ka bsod nams dpal ldan, d.u.) of Katok. He eventually returned to his hometown, where he met Wangchen Rabten (dbang chen rab brtan, d.u.) who gave him further empowerments and transmissions, and Gyurme Gyatso ('gyur med rgya mtsho, d.u.) whom he served as an attendant for about a month.

In 1840, at the age of twenty-five, Tashi Dondrub met with the yogi Pema Gyurme Sanggye (pad+ma 'gyur med sangs rgyas, d.u.) at Tromkhok (khroms khog). Pema Gyurme Sanggye is said to have acknowledged the young man's potential power as a teacher and gave him the name Pema Dudul. He granted Pema Dudul empowerments and teachings on the Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig) treasure cycle and other teachings. Afterwards, Pema Dudul returned to his hometown and entered a meditation retreat, during which he was said to have received several revelations in the formthe form of small pieces of paper marked written in ḍākinī language (mkha' 'gro'i brda shog).

In 1846, he encountered the First Tsopu Drubchen, Choying Rangdrol (mtsho phu grub chen 01 chos dbyings rang grol, d.u.), a yogi who had studied at Katok monastery and then dedicated his life to retreat and practice. They most likely met at Tram Tsopu (tram mtsho phu), where Choying Rangdrol resided in meditation retreat. It is said that Pema Dudul experienced an enormous surge of faith when he met the great practitioner, and decided then to dedicate his life to yogic practice. Choying Rangdrol granted him the empowerment for Longsel Dorje Nyingpo's treasure cycle, which was significant considering Pema Dudul had been named an emanation of this treasure revealer in his youth. He also gave him complete teachings, oral transmissions, and instructions on trekcho (khregs chod) and togel (thod rgal), two practices in the Dzogchen system. Pema Dudul proposed to go on an extensive pilgrimage to India and China, but Choying Rangdrol disapproved of this plan, instead advising him to do a retreat on the instructions he had received at an area named Lhanglhang Drakkar (lhang lhang brag dkar).

Pema Dudul went to Lhanglhang Drakkar and began a period of intense practice, lasting a total of nine years. He began his retreat in a small cave named Norbui Drak (nor bu'i brag), doing several hundred thousand repetitions of his preliminary practices, followed by practice in the style of an ascetic. Later, he moved to a smaller cave just big enough to house his body. In 1852, it is said he discovered a list of locations of the treasures he would reveal in the future, but kept this revelation a secret. The following year, he received teachings on Mahāmudrā, Longsel Dorje Nyingpo, and Longchen Nyingtik from Tromge Namgyel Dongak Tendzin (khrom dge rnam rgyal mdo sngags bstan 'dzin, d.u.).

According to tradition, while in retreat he decoded the first treasure scrolls he had discovered in 1840, which contained instructions on chulen (bcud len), an alchemical process of subsiding solely on minerals and nutrients extracted the earth. According to his hagiography, he spent the remaining years of his retreat subsiding only on plain water and pills made from these extractions.

At the end of his retreat he returned to his local monastery where he his mother immediately came to see him. She is said to have exclaimed, "You have suffered such a long time in the bare caves without food and clothing. What a bad karma you have created!" To this he did not respond and instead engendered a deep compassion for her ignorance towards his practice.

Pema Dudul went on to practice Chod (gcod) with Lama Tekchok (bla ma theg mchog, d.u.), who, after observing miraculous happenings surrounding their practice, invited him to Chakdu Orgyen Ling Monastery (lcags mdud o rgyan gling dgon), where Pema Dudul gave extensive teachings and helped restore some of the buildings damaged in the Nyarong fighting. He then gave teachings at Gojam Monastery (go 'byams dgon) and practiced Chod at several cemeteries including Shangshi (shang shis), Bodzi (bo rdzis), and Drewo (sgre bo).

Afterwards, he returned to his hermitage at Lhunglhung Drakkar, this time accompanied by a large number of disciples. In 1857 he is said to have revealed a large number of treasures from a large rock to the right of his hermitage. The revelation was accomplished in full view of his disciples. He is also said to have revealed several water treasures, the details of which are unknown, and uncovered a store of gold that he freely distributed amongst his disciples and was later used to create images at his seat, Kelzang Monastery. After this trip, he and his disciples returned to Chakdu Monastery.

Pema Dudul traveled to his uncle's monastery where he granted the vows for a fasting ceremony, and taught on the Longsel Dorje Nyingpo revelation, the Yangtik Nakpo Sergyi Dru Chik (yang tig nag po gser gyi 'gru gcig), and his own revelations. During these sessions he became known for answering his followers' questions in verse and song, many of which were later collected and included in his biography.

Several stories from his biographies relate Pema Dudul's non-attachment to the considerable material wealth he accumulated as offerings from his disciples, which he called "illusory stuff." After acquiring a large amount of gold, turquoise, coral, and precious stones and metals as offerings, he is said to have crushed them and used them as part of a maṇḍala offering practice to the buddhas and bodhisattvas. He was also known to distribute offerings to beggars, especially to those who recited "Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ," the mantra of Avalokiteśvara.

In 1860 Pema Dudul met the Fourteenth Karmapa, Tekchok Dorje (kar+ma pa 14 theg mchog rdo rje, 1798-1868), who, together with Jamgon Kongtrul (jam mgon kong sprul, 1813-1899) and the Tenth Situ, Pema Kunzang Chogyel (si tu 10 padma kun bzang chos rgyal, (c.1854-1885)

had been summoned to Nyarong by Gonpo Namgyel. The group performed funeral services for the warlord's recently deceased son, among other ritual performances. During the visit Pema Dudul is reported to have offered the Karmapa his entire collection ofcollection of gold, silver, coral, silk clothes, and other valuables. He received teachings from the Karmapa, and gave him transmissions from his own revelations in turn. As a gift of thanks, the Karmapa presented him many objects of faith including several statues. Pema Dudul then returned to his hermitage at Drakkar.

Pema Dudul was very active in Nyarong, performing various religions activities at many places including Zhiwa Monastery (zhi ba dgon) and Mekok (rme khog), where he encountered a Bhutanese (?) lama named Orgyen Puntsok (o rgyan phun tshogs, d.u.), who gave him important empowerments and transmissions from the Northern-treasure (byang gter) tradition and received Pema Dudul's own revelation. He traveled widely in the region, visited nomadic areas, and encouraged people to recite the Avalokiteśvara mantra, put it in their clothes, and carve and paint it on rocks. He continued to receive vast amounts of offerings of a variety of goods and animals such as horse and yaks, but continuously donated them to monasteries, gave them away to beggars, and sponsored the carving and painting of Avalokiteśvara mantra.

By the end of the 1850s Pema Dudul's disciples, principally Lama Taye (bla ma mtha' yas, d.u.), succeeded in convincing him to establish his own monastery. In 1860, on the tenth of the third month of the iron-monkey year in the fourteenth sexagenary cycle, Pema Dudul led a ceremony to bless and consecrate a plot of land in Nyarong, after which his disciples laid the foundation for Kelzang Sanggye Choling (bskal bzang sangs rgyas chos gling), popularly known as Kelzang Monastery. The building materials needed were quickly donated, and fifty students were joined by large number of devotees from Shanglam Shipa (shang lam gshis pa) to construct the monastery, which was supervised by Lama Taye. The construction lasted for five years, and included the installation of statues that took seven artists, headed by Horpo Lobzang (hor po blo bzang), two years to complete. Once completed, the monastery complex included four temples, two large prayer wheels, and a three-story main assembly hall. Afterwards, Lama Taye installed the librarythe library, which included complete sets of the Kangyur, Tengyur, the Nyingma Gyubum (rnying ma rgyud 'bum), the Damngak Dzod (gdams ngag mdzod), and texts for the Longchen Nyingtik.

Pema Dudul continued to travel widely, giving teachings and empowerments at many practice centers and monasteries including Zhidar Monastery (gzhi dar dgon), Chodrak Monastery (chos grags dgon), Bonwo Monastery (bon bo dgon), a Sakya Monastery (sa skya dgon), and Tang Monastery (mthang dgon). At Drongto Monastery (grong stod dgon) in Nyarong, he made abundant offerings to the Third Drime Zhingkyong, Jigme Yonten Gonpo (dri med zhing skyong 03 'jigs med yon tan mgon po, d. 1898) and received further instruction on the Longsel Dorje Nyingpo treasure cycle and other tantric subjects.

At one point Pema Dudul is said to have acted as a mediator in the ongoing conflicts in his home region, and is credited with bringing some semblance of peace. He then traveled to Zur in Nyarong to establish another monastery, Sangngag Dechen Ling (gsang sngags bde chen gling dgon), and aand a nunnery, Tsogyel Jomo (mtsho rgyal jo mo dgon). Afterwards, he returned to his seat at Kelzang Monastery.

Pema Dudul met with many of the highest religious figures of his day. The Twelfth Dalai Lama, Trinle Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 12 'phrin las rgya mtsho 1857-1875) having heard of his activities awarded him with an official letter of recognition and offerings. At one point, Pema Dudul went with five of his disciples to meetto meet Fourth Dzogchen, Mingyur Namkhai Dorje (rdzogs chen 04 mi 'gyur nam mkha'i rdo rje, 1793-1870). They made plentiful offerings of valuable goods including horses and domesticated yak, and exchanged teachings. Mingyur Namkhai Dorje gave Pema Dudul an extended commentary on the Longchen Nyingtik as well as instructions on esoteric yogic practices such as tummo (gtum mo) Pema Dudul gave Mingyur Namkhai Dorje transmissions from his own treasure revelations in return. Highly pleased, Dzogchen Rinpoche is said to have presented his own hat, robes, and prayer-mat in gratitude.

Later Pema Dudul met with Dza Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chokyi Wangpo (rdza dpal sprul o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po, 1808-1887), from whom he received several transmissions including the Mañjuśrī Nāmasaṃgīti He then went on an extensive tour through Horkok Lungru (hor khog lung ru), Rongpatsa (rong pa tsha), Beri (be ri), Dantok (ldan thog), and Gandze (dkar mdzes), and Upper Nyarong (nyag yul stod), including Zhiwa (zhi ba) and Harbak (har sbag) giving teachings, empowerments, and performing ceremonies.

Pema Dudul returned to his monastery and invited the Dzogchen Khenpo Sherab Tarchin (rdzogs chen mkhan po shes rab mthar phyin, d.u.). Once there, he bestowed the reading transmission of the Nyingma Gyubum and gave teachings on additional topics such as Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra. Afterwards, Pema Dudul set out once againonce again to travel widely in his region performing religious activities.

Around 1870 Pema Dudul fell ill. He did not eat for three weeks, seeming to indicate he would die soon. He disciples supplicated him to remain, and he promised to live for another year or two. At that point, he began giving his close disciples a series of teachings on the advanced Tantric yoga practices of the energy channels, winds, and inner-heat, as well as commentaries on Dzogchen. He continued to take on new students even at this point, to whom he would freely offer advice.

In 1872, the water-monkey year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle, Pema Dudul set out for Katok Monastery. Along the way, he gave empowerments and teachings at Tsela Wangdo (tshe lha dbang mdo) and made an extensive feast offering at Nyinggyi Lung (snying gyi lung).

On the new-moon day of the fourththe fourth month of the same year, at a place near Yetse Lha (ye tshe lha) or Sumdo (sum mdo), Pema Dudul gathered his disciples. He blessed them, performed prayers for them, and told them to return their respective dwellings, instructing them not to disturb him for a week. During that time, the sky was said to have been full of rainbows; tradition relates that when his disciples opened his small tent a week later, they found only his robes, mat, hair, and nails. Due to this he is said to have been the last among the one hundred thousand yogis of Katok who successfully attained the rainbow-body.

A gilded reliquary stupa was built by his disciples, headed by Lama Taye, at Kelzang Monastery. The stupa was filled with Pema Dudul's scarce remains, his vajra, kīla, Padmasambhava relics and other sacred substances.

Pema Dudul's most prominent disciples included Terton Sogyel Lerab Lingpa (gter stong bsod rgyal las rab gling pa, 1856-1926); Adzom Drukpa Drodul Pawo Dorje (a 'dzom brug pa 'gro 'dul dpa' bo rdo rje, 1842-1924); the Second Dzaka Choktrul, Kunzang Namgyel (dzaH ka mchog sprul 02 kun bzang rnam rgyal, d.u.); Gargyi Wangchuk (gar gyi dbang phyug, 1858-1930); Trulzhik Chomden Dorje ('khrul zhig bcom ldan rdo rje, d.u.); Nyala Rangrik Dorje (nyag bla rang rig rdo rje, 1847-1903); Ayu Khandro Dorje Peldron (a g.yu mkha' 'gro rdo rje dpal sgron, 1839-1953); Karma Tashi (karma bkra shis, d.u.); and Nyakla Yeshe Dorje (nyag bla ye shes rdo rje, d.u.), the author of his biographybiography.

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Samten Chhosphel
October 2012