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  • INTRODUCTION
    A short introduction to the Mindrolling family.
  • PART I
    Origins of the Mindrolling Lineage, Nyö Jachung Karpo, The Nyö Lineage, The Mindrolling Lineage
  • PART II
    Biographical accounts of Sangdag Thrinley Lhundrub, Yum Lhadzin Yanghcen Dolma, Chögyal Terdag Lingpa
  • PART III
    Biographical accounts of Gyalse Tenpa'i Nyima and Lochen Dharmashri
  • PART IV
    The Dzungar Mongol Invasion, Biographical account of Pema Gyurme Gyatso

The History of Mindrolling: Part IV

Dzungar Mongol Invasion

This section is included in the Mindrolling Lineage history in an effort to provide background and a political history of Tibet during the time of Chögyal Terdag Lingpa's passing and parinirvana. In addition, Lochen Dharmashri and Pema Gyurme Gyatso were both assassinated during the period of the Dzungar Mongol invasion. It also helps to explain the special relationship that existed between the Dalai Lamas and the Potala Palace with the Mindrolling Lineage and Monastery.

The Great 5th Dalai Lama Lobzang Gyatso passed into parinirvana in 1682. In order to continue a stable government and complete the construction of the Potala Palace, the regent, Desi Sangay Gyatso kept the parinirvana a secret for many years. The 6th Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso, born on the 1st of March in 1683, was not recognized as the 6th Dalai Lama until 1688. They kept the young boy concealed from the outside world until 1697 when, after sending a delegation to the Chinese Emperor, the official announcement of the death of the Great 5th was made and the discovery of the 6th Dalai Lama was formalized.

In 1701, Lhasang Khan, a Mongol King and an ally of the Chinese Emperor had the regent killed. This upset the young 6th Dalai Lama who gave back his vows and changed his lifestyle. Although he did not abdicate, he rejected the monks' life and chose to live in a tent outside of the northern park of the Potala.

History records often mention his adventures in the streets of Lhasa. His drinking and many amorous relationships were known by all but he was also renowned for his exceptional poetry and compositions. Many great masters and scholars have written and spoken about him as being a very accomplished mahasiddha. Extremely intelligent and a very frank critic of the established systems, he was direct and very honest with his beliefs. Although loved by many people, the 6th Dalai Lama's outspoken ways however did not go well with the principals of the governing system and raised many doubts and great turmoil.

On June 28th in 1706, Lhasang Khan, in an attempt to gain power and taking advantage of the turmoil, deposed Tsangyang Gyatso the 6th Dalai Lama and installed a 25-year-old Lama, Ngawang Yeshe Gyatso as the 6th Dalai Lama. Lhasang Khan proclaimed that Ngawang Yeshe Gyatso was the true rebirth of the 5th Dalai Lama and imprisoned the true 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso.

While being escorted out of the country, Tsangyang Gyatso the 6th Dalai Lama composed his most famous poem:

"White crane, lend me your wings,
I will not fly far,
From Lithang, I shall return."

In this poem, he foretold of his rebirth and true to this prophecy, the 7th Dalai Lama Kelsang Gyatso was born and discovered in Lithang, Eastern Tibet, in 1708. Soon after composing this poem, the 6th Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso died mysteriously. Some say he escaped and lived in secrecy while others claimed he was killed, but this is the reason why there is no tomb for him in the Potala.

After the disappearance/death of the 6th Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso, Lhasang Khan and his candidate for the Dalai Lama tried to take over the throne as well as the control of governance. However, there was growing disapproval from the people.

The Dzungar Mongol from East Turkistan, taking advantage of this situation invaded, deposed and killed the pretender to the throne- the candidate of Lhasang Khan. In the beginning, this brought great approval from the people but soon the Dzungar Mongols began looting and destroying all the holy places, temples and monasteries killing many great teachers and practitioners. They systematically began the destruction of Dharma and in particular the Nyingma school of Buddhism. Mindrolling, being one of the most prominent Nyingma centers and located near Lhasa, the stronghold of the Dzungar Mongols, became one of their main targets.

The Mindrolling Monastery, established by Chögyal Terdag Lingpa in 1676, had just completed its construction and fully established itself as the principal Nyingma Monastery and learning center when the Dzungar Mongol invasion occurred. In 1718, the Dzungar Mongol invaders destroyed the Monastery, burning it to the ground, killing most of the Mindrolling monks, its throne holder, regent and many holders of the lineage. 42 years after Chögyal Terdag Lingpa first established Mindrolling, it was destroyed.

During this period, the re-incarnation of the 6th Dalai Lama, the 7th Dalai Lama Kelzang Gyatso was born. Due to the turbulent political situation, the 7th Dalai Lama was not taken to Lhasa immediately. Instead, he was secretly taken to Kumbum Monastery.

The invasion and destruction of the Dzungar Mongols brought down the power of Lhasang Khan and his candidate/replacement of the 6th Dalai Lama. Thereafter, the Dzungar Mongols remained in power bringing tremendous destruction.

In 1720, Emperor Kangxi sent his troops to help in expelling the Dzungar Mongols and Kelzang Gyatso was taken to Lhasa and enthroned as the 7th Dalai Lama.

Pema Gyurme Gyatso

Born to Chögyal Rigzin Terdag Lingpa and the great lady, Yonten Dolma, Pema Gyurme Gyatso was the emanation of Hayagriva, the wrathful aspect of Avalokiteshvara.

Upon his birth, his father Chögyal Terdag Lingpa performed all the traditional bathing rituals and conferred empowerments and blessings. Pema Gyurme Gyatso grew up manifesting great wisdom and deepened understanding of the Bodhisattva path.

It was his great fortune to have his father and his uncle, Lochen Dharmashri, be his teachers and guide him from a very young age. With their teachings and care, Pema Gyurme Gyatso grew up embodying all the qualities of - mkhas btsun bzang gsum (wisdom, diligence and excellence).

It is said that he possessed the remarkable ability to memorize and understand anything he read or heard once. He thus obtained great distinction in learning and in presenting in depth understanding of the philosophies. Due to these abilities, in the presence of the entire body of the greater sangha, Pema Gyurme Gyatso obtained the title of the "great learned one." He then went on to receive many teachings and transmissions from various other teachers.

As he was the oldest child of the great Tertön, master and founder of Mindrolling, Chögyal Rigzin Terdag Lingpa, Pema Gyurme Gyatso was trained to hold the throne of Mindrolling as the second Trichen (throneholder). Chögyal Terdag Lingpa had proclaimed his lineage would be familial and that the blood lineage would be given prominence over the tradition of recognizing re-incarnation.

However, from a young age, Pema Gyurme Gyatso was drawn towards monasticism. Going very much against the wishes of his father, he took on monks' vows and received ordination, shaving his hair and living as a monk. (Mindrolling members and in particular the throne holders are not allowed to cut their hair as a mark of holding the supreme tantra vows).

In the prophecies of Padmasambhava, there is a verse that says; "If Pema Gyurme Gyatso manifests his activities as a great Ngagpa (mantrayana yogi) the land of Tibet shall then be free from invaders and war."

However, as it often seems, the forces of the degenerate times were too strong. Pema Gyurme Gyatso did not immediately choose to give back his monks vows and kept his vows as a full monastic. The recorded history says, "He upheld the outer pratimoksha, inner bodhisattva and the secret Mantrayana Vidyadhara (mantrayana awareness holder) vows in his mind stream, perfectly and excellently."

One of the remarkable aspects of his life was his manifestation from a young age of the unimpeded dexterity of rigpa (rig pa'i rtsal). He received, studied and taught a vast amount of teachings and transmissions. Practicing intensively in retreats, he also worked on commentaries and compiling works of many rare and profound teachings and transmissions.

The strengthening of the forces of degenerate times, however, led to Pema Gyurme Gyatso not being able to accomplish the 3 commands of his father and teacher, Chögyal Terdag Lingpa. It is said that:

  1. He took ordination, choosing to become a monk over continuing the familial lineage.
  2. He shaved his hair and Terdag Lingpa had commanded that all Mindrolling lineage holders keep their hair long as a sign of being a Mantrayana practitioners. It was also believed that cutting their hair would shorten their lives.
  3. He also, owing to one reason or another, could not complete a particular practice in retreat that his father wanted him to do.

Our teachers have explained that the reasons for not fulfilling these commands is not simply because Pema Gyurme Gyatso was unable to do them but that there were many causes and conditions that brought about such situations. Chief amongst them was the karma of the sentient beings in general and of the people of Tibet in particular. Lack of merit as a collective karma brought out the play of such unfortunate events. Therefore, seemingly, due to not being able to follow the commands of his teacher, Pema Gyurme Gyatso encountered a fatal obstacle to his life and activities.

Upon Chögyal Terdag Lingpa's parinirvana, Pema Gyurme Gyatso was enthroned as the second throneholder, Mindrolling Trichen and guided by his uncle, Lochen Dharmashri, he began to undertake the responsibilities of administrating and leading Mindrolling, which had, by then gained prominence as the leading monastic and learning institute in Tibet.

The close relation between Chögyal Terdag Lingpa and the Great 5th Dalai Lama as well as Mindrolling being near the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, made it necessary for members of Mindrolling to have many responsibilities and ties. This required constant travel and engagements with the Potala Palace.

In 1718, the Earth Dog Year, the invasion and destruction of the Dzungar Mongols occurred. As the war, violence and destruction began, both Lochen Dharmashri and Pema Gyurme Gyatso were summoned to Lhasa. Despite many efforts however, the strong Dzungar Mongol forces could not be stopped and the attacking troops headed by their commanding general Tha'i Ji'i captured both Lochen Dharmashri and Pema Gyurme Gyatso along with many other senior teachers and officials.

After Lochen Dharmashri passed away, (refer to the previous biography of Lochen Dharmashri) the Dzungar Mongols then executed Pema Gyurme Gyatso by beheading him. According to the stories passed down through the ages, it is said that the soldiers were unable to behead him after many attempts and finally asked him how was it that their swords could not strike his head off. Pema Gyurme Gyatso explained that he had purified all obscurations of the three doors and so his physical body could not be harmed. However, he did have one obscuration that still needed to be purified. He did not fulfill the three major commands of his teacher in his lifetime and had disregarded the importance of his continuing the lineage thereby causing many, far reaching consequences. The soldiers, who were by this time desperate to complete their orders, asked him if there was anything that they could do that would allow them to cut his head off. Pema Gyurme Gyatso, out of a compassionate heart, is said to have answered that they should cover his head with various impure, drib filled articles and then strike his neck with a sword and due to his one obscuration, they would achieve what they needed. They did just that and his head fell to the ground. At that very moment, the head of the Hayagriva statue in Samye (blessed and consecrated by Padmasambhava) also fell to the ground. Although it was repaired and reattached, to this day the mark can be seen on the neck of the statue.

Pema Gyurme Gyatso was then 33 years old.

More information on the Mindrolling Lineage will be forthcoming.
Please return for future postings.