The Sixth Dzogchen Ponlob, Jigdrel Tsewang Dorje

Dzogchen Ponlob Jigdrel Tsewang Dorje (rdzogs chen dpon slob 06 'jigs bral tshe dbang rdo rje) was born into a family called “Den Atub Tsang” ('dan a thub tshang) at Den, Kham in 1925, the water-dragon year of the sixteenth sexagenary cycle. He was younger brother of the Sixteenth Karmapa Rangjung Rigpai Dorje (karma pa 16 rang byung rig pa'i rdo rje, 1924-1981).

The Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang, Tubten Chokyi Dorje (rdzogs chen grub dbang 05 thub bstan chos kyi rdo rje, 1872-1935) identified him as the reincarnation of the Fifth Dzogchen Ponlob, Konchok Tenpai Nyima (rdzogs chen dpon slob 05 dkon mchog bstan pa'i nyi ma, c.1898-c.1924). The Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang brought him to Dzogchen Monastery, Orgyen Samten Choling, in Rudam, and gave him the name Tubten Jigdrel Tsewang Dorje (thub bstan ’jigs bral tshe dbang rdo rje).

He started his education under the tutorship of Khenchen Tubten Nyendrak (mkhan chen thub bstan snyan grags, 1883-1959) who taught him reading, memorization of texts, writing, grammar and poetry. Khenchen Pema Tekchok Loden (mkhan chen pad+ma theg mchog blo ldan, 1879-1955) served as his main tutor for traditional studies of the monastic curriculum. This included the Sangwa Nyingtik (gsang ba snying thig), which he studied in detail with comprehensive commentary, empowerments, esoteric instructions, and oral transmission.

After enrolling at Dzogchen Monastery Jigdrel Tsewang Dorje suffered frequent problems with his health. Some speculated that this was due to his having been born into a Karma Kagyu family, despite the long intertwining of that tradition with the Nyingma. Partly as a result of this, he left Dzogchen and returned to his home village for extensive practice. In Den he sat for a retreat in Pema Retro (pad+ma ri mtho), and then left for the seat of the Karmapa, Tolung Tsurpu (stod lung mtshur phu) outside of Lhasa.

Following the Chinese assumption of control of Tibet in 1959, Jigdrel Tsewang Dorje fled Tibet into exile in Sikkim with his brother the Sixteenth Karmapa. Just two years later, in 1962, he passed away at the Karmapa's monastery of Rumtek in Gangtok, Sikkim.

The Sixteenth Karmapa identified his reincarnation in Karma Sungrab Ngedon Tenpa Gyeltsen (karma gsung rab nyes don bstan pa rgyal mtshan) who was born in Rumtek in 1965.

Source

Bstan 'dzin lung rtogs nyi ma. 2004. Snga 'gyur rdzogs chen chos 'byung chen mo. Beijing: Krong go'i bod rigs dpe skrung khang, pp. 381, 458, 462

Samten Chhosphel
December 2011