Gyurme Dechen

Gyurme Dechen ('gyur med bde chen) was a maternal descendent of the great adept Tangtong Gyelpo (thang stong rgyal po, 1361-1485). He was recognized as an emanation of the Indian master Maitripa and was one of the most respected teachers of his time, especially of the Kālacakra practices and the teachings of the Shangpa Kagyu (shangs pa bka' brgyud) tradition. Gyurme Dechen's most important master was Lochen Ratnabhadra (lo chen ratna bha dra, 1489-1563), from whom he received many transmissions, such as Sakya Lamdre and the six-branch yoga of the Kālacakra, probably according to the Jonang system. He meditated on the six-branch yoga in retreat for four years and eight months.

Gyurme Dechen studied and meditated extensively on the teachings of the Sakya tradition in general under the guidance of Sonam Tsemo (bsod nam rtse mo, d.u.), from whom he received the Lamdre and the Shangpa teachings of Niguma (ni gu ma). He also completed the Hevajra retreat according to the Lamdre system. He studied with many other teachers of different Tibetan traditions, such as Kunga Drolchok (kun dga' grol mchog, 1507-c.1565), who taught him the instructions of Niguma, and Lhatong Lotsāwa Shenyen Namgyel (lha mthong lo tsA ba bshes gnyen rnam rgyal, b. 1512).

As indicated by his epithet “Lochen” (Great Translator), Gyurme Dechen was a master of Sanskrit language and the various fields of scholastic knowledge. He also became the royal preceptor of Namkha Tsewang Puntsok (nam mkha' tshe dbang phun tshogs, d.u.), the ruler of the Jang (byang) district of Lato (la stod).

Gyurme Dechen passed various teachings to special disciples who continued the lineages, with three standing out for special transmission. He recognized the Sakya master Panchen Ngawang Chodrak (paN chen ngag dbang chos grags, 1572-1641) as his main heir for the Six Dharmas of Niguma and other transmissions of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition. Ngawang Chodrak later wrote instruction manuals on the various Shangpa practices according to Tangtong Gyelpo's teachings.

He gave the Nyingma master Yolmo Tulku Tendzin Norbu (yol mo sprul sku bstan 'dzin nor bu, 1589-1644) many teachings, chief among them the practices of the six-branch yoga of Kālacakra. Gyurme Dechen also gave Tangtong Gyelpo's monastic complex at Chung Riwoche (gcung ri wo che) to Yolmo Tulku.

Gyurme Dechen's main heir in the fields of scholastic knowledge was Taktsang Lotsawa Ratna Sengge (stag tshang lo tsA ba ratna seng ge, d.u.).

Gyurme Dechen wrote many texts himself, but his most enduring literary composition was his biography of Tangtong Gyelpo, which was the last major study of the great adept's life.

Source

'Jam mgon a mes zhabs ngag dbang kun dga' bsod nams. 2000. Dpal dus kyi 'khor lo'i zab pa dang rgya che ba'i dam pa'i chos byung ba'i tshul legs par bshad pa ngo mtshar dad pa'i shing rta. In The Collected Works of A-mes-zhabs Ngag dbang kun dga' bsod nams, vol. 19: 1-532. Kathmandu: Sa skya rgyal yongs gsung rab slob gnyer khang, pp. 431-34.

Cyrus Stearns
August 2008