The Great Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche

A seed of faith, the summarized life-story of Jamgon Kongtrul

First some words of praise: Namo guna saga raye. Having actually seen all the possible vast and profound ways to practice, He summarised them perfectly into the Five Great Treatises. He was the promoter of the practice lineages. I prostrate respectfully to the feet of the Guru Jamgon. The great being, who was prophesied again and again in several Sutras and Tantras by the Buddha, manifested as an emanation of the noble Manjushri in human form. At the time of the Buddha he was the attendant, the noble Ananda. In the land of Uddiyana, he was Indrabodhi. In the country of Shambala, he was the son of the noble family, Chandrabhadra. In Tibet, he was the great scholar Thonmi Sambhota and the Translator Vairotsana. Furthermore, he is said to be the rebirth of several great beings of the new and old Vajrayana traditions, and the non-sectarian movement. His name was widely renown, he was called Jamgon Kongtrul Lodroe Thaye, or Karma Ngawang Yonten Gyatso. The one whose name is as famous as the sun and moon worked so that those of the eight practice lineages which had not declined would further flourish, and to restore those that had declined. He was born in 1813 and passed into Nirvana in 1899, at the age of 87 years.

2nd Jamgon Kongtrul, Karma Palden Khyentse Ozer

The second Jamgon Kongtrul, Palden Tse Oezer, was born 1902 as the son of the His Holiness the 15th Karmapa Khakhyab Dorje. In the close proximity of his father, Karmapa, he diligently trained and perfected his studies of the 10 sciences under several teachers. He received the new and old Mantra traditions, especially the complete traditions of the eight practice lineages, like filling a vase to the brim, and listened to the complete oral instructions from his father the supreme Gyalwang Karmapa. By doing so, he entered the Golden Garland of the Kagyu Lineage. Furthermore he also perfectly received all the empowerments, reading transmissions and instructions of the individual philosophical systems from great beings, who are the non-sectarian holders of the teachings. He bestowed upon those to be tamed – his disciples – the new and old Mantra traditions, headed by the Five Great Treatises, and the oral instructions of the four yoga lineages. In 1952, when he was 51 years old, he passed away.

3rd Jamgon Kongtrul, Karma Lodro Chokyi Senge

3rd Jamgon KongtrulIn the prophesy of the previous Jamgon Kongtrul it says that the next reincarnation would come from a household in Lhaden, Central Tibet. And that the 16th Karmapa would in the future predict the specific names of the parents and the time. Like it was prophesied, the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa identified him and issued a recognition letter. The Dalai Lama and the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa Rigpe Dorje jointly found him to be the Jamgon Tulku. When he was six years old Jamgon was enthroned by H.H. Karmapa at the old Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim. Continuing his activity, just like the previous Jamgon in all respects, he engaged in studies and received empowerments, reading transmissions and instructions. He became Karmapa’s heart son, just like the attendant Ananda was for the Buddha. Holding the perception of the supreme 16th Karmapa as being the Buddha himself, whatever the latter said he regarded as genuine, whatever he did he saw as good. Their minds mingled as one. Around 3000 disciples from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Tibet and the eastern and western parts of the world received Novice and Full Ordination Vows from Rinpoche. Having established monasteries full of saffron-glad renounciants he became a great holder of the Vinaya. In 1992, when he was 39 years old, due to obstacles to his life, which were tremendous obstacles for the teachings and because of the weak merit of beings, his mind resolved into Dharmadhatu. But when Bodhisattvas have given rise to Bodhicitta, since they don’t have the obscurations of karma, they are said to be able to take birth again intentionally. He was surely one who fulfilled the general teachings of the Buddha and in the particular teachings of the Karma Kagyu.

4th Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche

The condensed life-story of the 4th Jamgon Kongtrul, Karma Mingyur Dragpa Senge Thinle Kunkhyab Pal Sangpo The 4th Jamgon Kongtrul (Karma Migyur Drakpa Senge), son of Beru Khyentse Rinpoche.He was born as the great Beru Khyentse Choekyi Wangpo Rinpoche’s son in 1995 in the early morning of Tsongkhapa’s Anniversary (25th day of the 10th month in the Tibetan Calendar), when the stars formed an auspicious constellation. The day before he was born, the 18th Sakya Trichen said in front of many Lamas and Tulkus: “Like prophesied, ‘from the residential quarters of the Great Manjushri’s Temple’ today Jamgon Rinpoche arrived.” That day was as well the birthday of the Nepalese king, therefore he performed a long life ceremony. In 1996, when the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Thaye Dorje, arrived in Bodhgaya he met the young Tulku for the first time. Straight away he exclaimed: “This is the Jamgon Yangsi (Reincarnation) indeed!” He then issued a recognition letter and gave him a name. Kunzig Sharmapa agreed as well and acknowledged him as the Jamgon reincarnation. From His Holiness he received a long-life prayer. In 1998, when the Dalai Lama was visiting Bodhgaya, the Tulku together with Beru Khyentse had a private audience with him, where His Holiness performed the hair-cutting ceremony and they showed him the recognition letter. In 2000, the lord of the Early Translation teachings, Drubwang Pema Norbu (Penor Rinpoche), was invited to the Karma Monastery in Bodhgaya, and he performed the vast and profound enthronement ceremony of Jamgon Kongtrul. Many non-sectarian Lamas, Tulkus and Monks of the monastery attended. Tibetan Government in Exile, the Dalai Lama’s private office gave permission for the enthronement, and the supreme Drubwang granted his supportive consent.