The First Gyara Tulku, Sherab Puntsok

The First Gyara Tulku, Drubchen Sherab Puntsok (rgya ra sprul sku 01 grub chen shes rab phun tshogs) was born in Khyungpo Tasho Kana (khyung po sta shod ka na) in 1566, the fire-tiger year of the ninth sexagenary cycle. He was identified as the reincarnation of Gyara Sanggye Yeshe (rgya ra sangs rgyas ye shes, d.u.), a disciple of Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa (rje tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa 1357-1419) and the founder of Ngodu Monastery (ngo 'du dgon).

Sherab Puntsok studied under a numerous scholar lamas including Jedrung Sherab Wangpo (rje drung shes rab dbang po, 1500-1586), the tenth abbot of Chamdo Jampel Ling. He also received commentarial teachings on tantric practices including Mitra Tridruk (mi tra khrid drug) and Chod (gcod) from the Fourth Pakpa Lha,  Chokyi Gyelpo ('phags pa lha 04 chos kyi rgyal po, 1605-1643), and later became one of his main disciples. He also attended Lamrim teaching by Drayab Drakpa Gyeltsen (brag gyab grags pa rgyal mtshan, d.u.) in Chamdo, from whom he also received esoteric instructions.

Sherab Puntsok was such a dedicated meditator and mountain-hermit that it is said that no one knew his place of retreat. He also seriously encouraged his disciples to engage in meditation and retreat.

At the age of fifty-seven, in 1622, Sherab Puntsok founded the Drugu Tang Drubde (gru gu thang sgrub sde). The monastery had about three hundred monks and their monastic discipline and practices of both sutra and tantra was such that it was said to have served as an example to other monasteries in the region. He was by then well-known across Kham, sought out by numerous disciples. Drubchen Sherab Puntsok is said to have had about fifteen direct disciples but no names are mentioned in the sources.

At the age of sixty-seven, in 1632, the water-monkey year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle, this highly accomplished lama passed into nirvana. Anu Lama Pakpa Dechen (a nu bla ma 'phags pa bde chen d.u.) took charge of Drugu Tang temporarily; the monastery has served as the seat of the Gyara Tulkus ever since.

Source

Byams pa chos grags. N.d. Chab mdo byams pa gling gi gdan rabs. Chamdo: Chab mdo par 'debs bzo grwa par btab, pp. 450.

Chab spel tshe brtan phun tshogs and Mi 'gyur rdo rje. 1991. Chab mdo gru gu thang rgya ra sprul sku'i skye phreng. In Bod kyi gal che'i lo rgyus yig cha bdams bsgrigs, pp. 401-402. Lhasa: Bod ljongs mi dmangs dpe skrun khang.

Samten Chhosphel
August 2010