Godzung Lodro Gyeltsen

Godzung Lodro Gyeltsen (sgo dzung blo gros rgyal mtshan) was born in the region of Gyelrong (rgyal rong) in southern Amdo. His mother was called Abum (a 'bum) and he was the youngest of her four sons. At the age of eighteen, he traveled to Menri monastery (sman ri dgon pa) where he studied outer and inner teachings with Kundun Kunzang Gyeltsen (sku mdun kun bzang rgyal mtshan), the fourth abbot of the monastery, who became his root-master.

He extensively trained in the practice of Secret Formulas (gsang sngags) and in the propitiations of Yidams (yi dam). He was particularly attracted to the teachings of Dzogchen (rdzogs chen) and studied numerous cycles under the guidance of Kunzang Gyeltsen. The tradition reports that he remained continuously absorbed in the Contemplation of the Absolute Body (bon sku’i dgongs pa), even in his daily activities.

At the age of twenty-five, Shenton Gyelwa Lhundrub (gshen ston rgyal ba lhun grub) installed him on the throne of Triten Norbutse monastery (khri stan nor bu tse dgon pa) where he taught Sutras and Tantras for numerous years.

His teachings were said to be so clear that they attracted him a large number of disciples, both monks and lay practitioners. However, he eventually decided to give up his position and retired in a hermitage, together with a few dedicated students. He passed away in this hermitage at the early age of thirty-seven.

His main disciples hailed from Amdo (a mdo), U (dbus) and Tsang (gtsang). His successor in the Atri lineage was Bondrong Tenpa Ozer (bon grong bstan pa 'od zer).

Sources

Achard Jean-Luc. 2007. Les Instructions sur le A Primordial — Volume I : Histoire de la Lignée. Paris: Editions Khyung-Lung, Sumène, pp. 82-83.

Shar rdza bkra shis rgyal mtshan. 1990. Man ngag rin po che a khrid kyi bla ma brgyud pa'i rnam thar padma dkar po'i phreng ba ces bya ba. In Shar rdza bka’ ‘bum, vol. 13, Chamdo, pp. 1-90.

Jean-Luc Achard
February 2011