Introducdion
The Buddhist has believed that knowing and learning of the past great saints, masters, and yogis through their biography encourages the beings of present and future to pursue Buddha-dharma to escape from this samsara and attain nirvana. Such written works and biographies are the source of inspiration to people taking the path of Buddha-dharma. Most people without question belief in the great’s power masters of Buddha Dharma to break the sentient beings living in the cycle of Samsara.
Kurtoe Lopen Kinzang Longdrel who is a Dzogchen master, the yogi known for his great realisation in Dzogchen. He is from Kurtoe under Lhuntse Dzongkhag and is one of the primary lineage holders of the Tesar and Longchen Nyingthig, the practices within unionism tradition. He neither organised monks nor led life comfortably or became abbot instead he led the life of wandering yogi. He had no monastery. He never became the Drukpa lineage holder; rather, he became one of the important lineage holders of Dzogpachenpo.
Glimpse of his Early Life
Kingzang Longdrel popularly known as Kurtoe Lopen was born at Kurtoe in Minje gewog in the Lhuntse dzongkhag in 1921 and passed away in 2016. Kingzang Longdrel was born to father Peljor and mother Pelzom as one child to this couple.
His Monastic Education
Kurtoe Lopen started to have monastic education at Zham Goenpa at six under the guidance of Meshi Lama Tshewang Dorji. He started to learn Buddhist alphabets. Young Kinzang started with Meshi Lama Tshewang Dorji for three years from an age of six to nine years.
After staying for almost three years kurtoe lopen moved to Goen–ka-rab-Choling to pursue his monastic education. It was at this monastery he received teachings under the guidance of Lopen Kinzang Namgay. He stayed for almost thirteen years from age ten till at twenty-three.
Once more he returned to Zham Goenpa at twenty-four. It was at this Goenpa Gyalse Trulku gave him the Treasury instruction of Longchen Nyingthig. At the same time he got preliminary practice instruction on Longchen Nyinthig from the book Kunzung Lamai Zhelung from Gyalse Trulku and meditated for three years. He stayed in this Goenpa for almost four years from age twenty-four to twenty-eight. While his stay at this Goenpa he visited many sacred places. At the same time, kingzang Londrol went to Pema Gyaltshel and spent three years at Yurmong Goenpa.
Due to his karmic relation between Lam Karpo, they met at Paro at thirty. He received empowerments and instructions on Tesar tradition from Lam Karpoand also Lam Karpo also transmitted the instruction on Chod to kuengzing Longdrol. He did longchen Ninghtig ngondro at Paro spending almost one year he returned to Yongphula.
Dujium Jigdral Yeshe Dorje gave the transmission of Rinchen Terzo to lam Kuenzang at Pema Gyatshel and at Kalimpong.
His life at Youngphula
After spending some years in Pema Gyatshel, Kurote Lopen came to Yongphula. He accompanied his Tsa-wai-lama lam Karpo in the Goenpa Sarpa. At Goenpa Sarpa, he did Tsa-lung for one year. It was at this Goenpa Lam Karpo gave all the transmission of tersar lineage to lam kingzang Longdrol. In 1964, Lam karpo constructed the monastery at Yongphula and he was greatly involved in the monastery’s construction at this place. In 1965, after the construction of the monastery at this place, he became one teacher at this monastery to teach the young monks and gomchens. As a teacher, he almost spent thirteen years at this monastery serving his root teacher Lam karpo. During his stay at this monastery, he spent meditating in summer and completely mediated for four years.
His life at Kanglung
After spending almost fourteen years in Yongphula, he came to Kanglung Zangdropelri Phende Pema Choling20. They built this Kanglung Zangdropelri in 1978. He stayed for almost fourteen years in this Zangdropelri as Lama. During his stay as lam in this Zangdropelri he performed many Tsechus over the years. It is said he performed almost four tsechus in a month and they’re after he settled above the Kanglung Zangdropelri near the Bhutan telecom.
His Lineage Lama Kingzang Longdrol is one of the primary lineage holders of the Longchen Ningthig, and in particular the lineage that descends through Terton Rigzen Jigme Lingpa’s son Jigme Gyalwe Nayue and which was passed on to Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. Togden Shacha Shiri received this lineage from Jamyang Kyentse Wangpo where Togden passed this lineage to Lam Karpo. Finally, Lama Kingzang Longdrol received this lineage teaching from Lam Karpo.
Lama Kuenzang also became the lineage holder of tesar lineage, the doctrinal teachings of Terchan Dujum Lingpa where Terchen Dujum Lingpa the founder of Tesar lineage passed this lineage teachings to his disciple Jurme Negdon Wangpo. Jurme Negdon Wangpo gave this treasury teaching to his predecessor Dujum Jigdral Yeshe Dorje whereby Lam karpo receive these teachings and finally transmitted to Kuenzang Longdrol. He held essential link with the transmission of Tsa-Lung and Yeshe Lama.
The tersar and Longchen Nyingthig are two main lineages of terma that Lama Kingzang Longdrol is holding at present. These practices fall under the Nyingma sect. Usually in Nyingma sect there are two lineages; the lineages of Nyegyud (terma) and long lineages of oral transmission (Nyingma kama). The short lineages are the terma discovered by various tertons. The tesar terma was discovered by Terchan Dujum Lingpa in end of the 19th century and the Longchen Nyingthig in 18th century by Rigzen Jigme Lingpa.
The history of Longchen Ningthig Lineage Lonchen Nyinthig (The Heart Essence of the Great Expanse) is one of the cycle treasure revealed by Rigzen Jigme Lingpa in 18th century in Tibet. This transmission originates from the Samantabhadra to Garab Dorje. Since its establishment of this tradition, it became one of the most celebrated, practised and widespread traditions within the Nyingma tradition. The Longchen Nyinthig has become one of the most widely practised lineages within the Nyingma sect of school. They primarily relate this practice to Dzogpachenpo mainly concerning the innermost teachings.
This Nyingthig teaching was given by Guru Rinpoche to King Trisong Detusen, Khandro Yeshi Tshogyal and Vairochana at Samya Monastery in Tibet. At that time, this teaching was not in the right time to spread. Khandro Yeshi Tshogyal realising this, she wrote all these teachings and hidden as terma to be discovered by tertons later.
In the 18th century, Rigzen Jigme Lingpa was born as the combined reincarnation of King Trisong Detusen and Vimilamitra. Jigme realised the right time for this teaching to be practiced. Thus, he discovered Longchen Nyingthig teachings as the gongter. As being the incarnation of the two great masters, Rigzen Jigme Lingpa also became the primarily lineage holder of Khandro Nyingthig and Vima Nyingthig which are there in Nyingthig Yashi. As a result, Longchen Nyingthig teaching contains profound teachings.
Rigzen Jigme Lingpa had four heart sons known as “Jigmes”. These four Jigmes became the main lineage holder of his teachings. The four Jigmes are as follows; Jigme Thrinle Ozer, Jigme Gyalwe Ngyue, Jigme Khundrol Namgyal from Bhutan, and Jigme Ngotsor. This lineage teaching was spread so widely through his four heart sons.
Jigme Gyalwe Ngyue one of the principle disciple of Rigzen Jigme Lingpa, had main two heart disciples; Dza-Patrul Rinpoche Ugyen Jigme Choki wangpo and Pema Osal Do nag Linpa alias Jamyang kyentse Wangpo whereby Togden Shacha Shari received this lineage transmission, empowerment and teaching from Jamyang Kyentse Wangpo. Togden Shacha Shiri passed this linage to Gyalse Trulku. Finally, Lam Kinzang Londrol got this lineage teaching from
Conclusion
Lama Kingzang Longdrol is ninety-one-year’s old and spending entire part of his life in his spiritual path. This yogi never made his involvement in political and institutional sphere rather he had instead chosen to live the life of a wandering yogi. He was also greatly concerned with maintaining strict discipline, mainly in these rare traditions. Thus, he was one of the most important masters of Longchen Nyingthig and Tesar lineages.
At present, he stays at this place spreading the teaching of Buddha to the people who ever come to him. He is ninety-one years old. He is one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of this time and who lives in this twenty-first century.
The life history of Kingzang Longdrol offers a constant source of inspiration to all the dharma precautions of Vajra yana form of Buddhism. He became the great partner of the dharma who kept his life very simple and all of all teaching he received and studied; he practiced with great energy.
References
Rinpoche, Patrul (1995). The Heart Treasure of the enlightened ones. Delhi and Kathmandu: The Padmakara Trans-alation Group.
Chhopel, Lam Kezang. (2005). A brief biography of Aja Lama Zhenphen Drodul Dorji Tenzin Rinpoche (1921-2005). Thimphu. KMT Printing Press
Kyentse, D. (1998). The Wish-Fulling Jewel. Boston: Shambhala Publications.
Kyentse, D & Rinpoche, P. (1995). The Heart Treasure of the enlightened ones. Delhi and Kathmandu: The Padmakara Transalation Group
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