BRIEF
BIOGRAPHY OF
VENERABLE
3rd DRIGUNG ONTÜL
RINPOCHE
| Rinpoche's previous
incarnations are connected with Drigung
Orgyen Nuden Dorje, a great discoverer of hidden teachings (terton)
of the last century. He was well known as an emanation of Nyang Ban Tingdzin
Sangpo, a great master at the time of the 8th-century Tibetan emperor Tri
Song Deutsen.
The elder brother of
Nuden
Dorje and first Ontül was
Kunzang
Drodul. He was born into a noble family lineage in the village of Zalmo
Gang in Kharn province of Eastern Tibet. |
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|
The 5th Drigung Kyabgon
Chetsang Rinpoche Thugje Nyima (1828- 1889) recognized him to be the emanation
of Drog Ban Khiu Chung Lotsawa, one
of the twenty-five main disciples of Guru Padmasambhava. Since Kunzang
Drodul was the elder brother of Orgyan Nuden Dorje, his successive
incarnations are known as Ontül, which means "the incarnation of the
elder brother".
The present Ontül
was born in Kham Nangchen in Eastern Tibet in the year 1950. Ontül
Rinpoche's family lineage is called Göpe, or also Pebön Thogtrul,
which is one of the thirteen noble family lineages which are again explained
as stemming from the inner lineage of Lodan Nyingpo, who is one of the
four ancient Tulkus of Bön religion, before Padmasambhava's time.
In 1959 when the Chinese
Communist army occupied Tibet, his tutor Kalsang Namgyal and Ontül
Rinpoche left their home monastery and, together with many monks and people
of their village, they began their flight from Tibet to India. On the way
they experienced terrible thirst and hunger, and were constantly threatened
by the Chinese soldiers. In spite of many difficulties, they managed to
cross the Tibetan border and arrived in India through Nepal. Life in India
was also not easy because we did not have a place of their own to settle
down. They were forced to wander from place to place for almost fourteen
years.
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In India, again Ontül
Rinpoche met with
Drigung Khandro Neni Rinpoche
(mkhn' 'gro or dakini signifies a highly realized female yogi). She introduced
Ontül Rinpoche to Ven. Khenpo Thubten, a great Nyingmapa teacher.
The first teaching which Ontül Rinpoche received from the Khenpo was
an extensive instruction on the Longchen Nyingthig Ngöndro practice.
Later Ontül Rinpochereceived teachings from Khenpo Thubten on several
other important texts.
On different occasions
Ontül Rinpoche received Mahamudra and Dzogchen teachings from H.H.
Dudjom Rinpoche, Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen,
H.H.
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, 3rd Kalu Rinpoche
and others. |
From the Yogi
Khyunga Rinpoche, Ontül Rinpoche received teachings and his personal
instructions on the fivefold profound path of Mahamudra. In the years which
followed, Ontül Rinpoche went to Ladakh where he received most of
the important empowerments, instructions and oral transmissions of the
Drigung Kagyu tradition from H.E. Chöje Togden
Rinpoche. Ontül Rinpoche spent several years in Ladakh and travelled
with Togden Rinpoche extensively in Ladakh to visit several Drigung monasteries
with him.
 |
After coming back to
India, in 1971 Ontül Rinpoche bought a piece of land at Tso Pema (Rewalsar,
H.P.) from the donations which I received from the people of Ladakh. With
the help of resident monks Ontül Rinpoche managed to construct a monastery
on this piece of land. Tso Pema means the "Lotus Lake", and this is one
of the sacred places where Guru Padmasambhava demonstrated his miraculous
powers. |
The purpose of his exhibiting
miracles on that place was to subdue the king and the people of that region,
which was then known as Sahor. It took many years for me to complete the
monastery with the sacred objects, ritual instruments, and other necessary
things. Now the monastery is almost complete and nearly thirty monks are
residing there, maintaining the tradition of the Drigung Kagyu.
| In 1978 H.H. Drigung
Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche recognized the 7th incarnation of the Terton
Ogyen Nuden Dorje and gave him the name Konchog Lhundrub Nyendrag Namgyal
(Lho Bongtül Tendzin Nyima).
At that time the young Tulku was only three years old. In 1980 he was enthroned
as the spiritual head of our monastery. At present he is studying at the
Drigung Kagyu Institute in Dehra Dun, U.P., India.
In 1983 Ontül Rinpoche
made a journey to central Tibet and Kham, his first visit to Tibet after
escaping in 1959. First stopping in Lhasa and then after making a short
visit to Drigung Til, Ontül Rinpoche traveled to his main monastery
in Eastern Tibet. It was one of the bigger Drigung monasteries in that
area and it is located close to his birth place. |
 |
During the Cultural
Revolution the main monastery was completely destroyed. Through the effort
of three Tulkus (Tulku Thupnying, Gyaltsep Tulku, Tulku Phuntsog), and
Lopon Gonjam, monks, and the local people it is being rebuilt now, some
parts have already been completed. There are about one hundred monks, some
of them are in retreat of "Chagchen Ngaden". Since Yogi Pachung Rinpoche
passed away, they are guided by his main disciple, Ven. Gelong Tenzin Nyima.
In this area Ontül
Rinpoche spent almost six months attending several ceremonies in my monasetery,
giving empowerments and teachings to the monks and local people. Ontül
Rinpoche also initiated "Vajrakilaya Düpa" (annual ritual) in our
monastery and since then it is done for ten days annually. The Monastery
has several branch monasteries, among them is Bumang Monastery. Their Preceptors
passed away during the Cultural Revolution. The new reincarnation, now
eleven years old, was recognized by H.H. Drigung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche
and at present is studying in Drigung Kagyu Institute, Dehradun, U.P.,
India. Ontül Rinpoche's main monastery also has one branch nunnery
which was destroyed completely by the Chinese communists. Since 1993 it
is under reconstruction and some nuns are practising Dharma there.
From Kham, Ontül
Rinpoche returned to Drigung in Central Tibet in the autumn of the same
year. At Drigung Til monastery he had the opportunity to meet Yogi Pachung
Rinpoche. From him Ontül Rinpoche received oral transmissions and
teachings, which he, together with Ven. Gelong Tenzin Nyima, repeated thoroughly
and then practised.
During this time Ontül
Rinpoche met H.H. Drigung Kyabgon Chungtsang Rinpoche who was residing
at Lhasa.
After staying in Drigung
for a period of nearly three weeks, Ontül Rinpoche came back to our
monastery at Tso Pema in Northern India.
prepared by;
Drigung Kagyu Study
Group, Hamburg
Ontül
Rinpoche, HH.Dalai Lama & H.E.Garchen Rinpoche
Druwang
Konchok Norbu Rinpoche & Ontül Rinpoche
DEDICATION
Dedicated
to the impeccable perpetuation of the glorious Kagyu lineage and to the
success
of its leaders and followers in accomplishing their commitment to
bring
all sentient beings to the state of enlightened awareness.
THE
FOUR LIMITLESS THOUGHTS
May all
mother sentient beings, boundless as the space, have happiness and the
causes of happiness.
May they
be liberated from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May they
never be separated from the happiness which is free from sorrow.
May they
rest in equanimity, free from attachment and aversion.
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