Dodrubchen 02 Jigme Puntsog Jungne

The Second Dodrubchen Jigme Puntsok Jungne (rdo grub chen 02 'jigs med phun tshigs 'byung gnas) was born to the Bochung clan (bo chung rigs) in the Mukpo Dong lineage at Dilsham Katok in Do. His father was Bochung Chopen and his mother was Apangza Tsomo. Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje recognized him as the reincarnation of his teacher, the First Dodrubchen Jigme Trinle Wozer ('jigs med 'phrin las 'od zer, 1745-1821) and he was enthroned at Yarlung Pemako, in Serta, the seat of the First Dodrubchen, while still a young boy. Jigme Puntsok Jungne spent most of his short life with Do Khyentse, traveling across Kham and serving the King of Chakla in Dartsedo.

In 1834 Jigme Puntsok Jungne received the Rigdzin Dupa and Dzogchen teachings from Jigme Gyelwei Nyugu ('jigs me rgyal ba'i my gu). In 1844 he received the Longchen Nyingtik transmission from Do Khyentse (rdo mkhyen brtse) at Yarlung Pemako (yar klung padma bkod). He himself apparently refused to give any transmissions or teachings, despite his status as an incarnate lineage holder.

During the Nyarong War in the 1850s-1860s, Gonpo Namgyel (mgon po nyam rgyal) is said to have offered Jigme Puntsok Jungne protection for Yarlung Pemako during a planned campaign in Serta. Dodrubchen replied that harming the people of Serta would be the same as attacking the religious community. In response Gonpo Namgyel announced in response that he would destroy Yarlung Pemako first. The monks all fled, leaving the monastery deserted. Soon after, in 1862, Jigme Puntsok Jungne began to establish a new community in the upper Do valley, on the Tsangchen (gtsang chen) plain. There he took a consort, Gyaza (or Tsaza) Tamtsik, angering the local chieftain, Chokor Kalzang Gelek, who had intended that his niece would marry Jigme Puntsok Jungne.

Out of favor with the local chieftain, Jigme Puntsok Jungne left for Dartsedo. There he succumbed to a smallpox epidemic. Announcing that a yogin should die like a stray dog, he lay on the street of the town and passed away. Legend has it that when Do Khyentse found him there, his son Dechen Rigpei Raltri (bde chen rig pa'i ral gri) in tow, he kicked him, knocking him up into meditation postures where he remained for a week. The sight so inspired Rigpei Raltri that he ever after named Jigme Puntsok Jungne as his root guru.

His chief reincarnation was the Third Dodrubchen Jigme Tenpai Nyima (rdo grub chen 03 'jigs med bstan pa'i nyi ma).

Sources

Tulku Thondup. Masters of Meditation and Miracles: The Longchen Nyingthig Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Boston: Shambhala, 1996.

Nyoshul Khenpo. A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems. Richard Barron, trans. Junction City, California: Padma Publication, 2005.

Rdo grub chen thub bstan phrin las bzang po. 1985. Rdo grub chen ’jigs med phrin las ’od zer gyi ’khrungs rabs rnam thar. Gangtok, Sikkim: Pema Thinley (pp. 17-20).

Alexander Gardner
December 2009