Melong Dorje

Melong Dorje (me long rdo rje) was born in the upper part of the Drag Valley (sgrags kyi phu) into a family of yogins. His father was Samye (bsam yas), and his mother was named Barma ('bar ma). When he was nine years old he received novice vows from Salungpa (za lung pa) and Selungpa (se lung pa). He entered retreat at age sixteen, studying the Prajnaparamita in eight thousand verses, and had initial realizations about the nature of reality, after which he practiced in various locations near Sakya, in Tsang, and in Kharchu (mkhar chu), in Lhodrak (lho brag).

Melong Dorje first received transmission and teachings on the pith instructions of the Nyingtik tradition from Trulzhik Senggye Gyabpa ('khrul zhig seng ge rgyab pa). During the preliminary practices Melong Dorje had a vision of Vajrasattva that lasted six days, and during the main practice he was blessed by the lineage gurus in a dream.

Melong Dorje had thirteen main teachers in addition to Sengge Gyabpa. He studied numerous treasure teachings with Sengge Repa (seng ge ras pa), a Zhije master, including Vajravarahi practices that led to a visionary encounter with that deity and with Cakrasamvara, Hayagriva, Tara, and other deities, and the gurus Vimalamitra, Padmasambhava, Druptop Zalungpa (grub thog za lung pa), Sangge Repa and Pakmodrupa (phag mo gru pa). Other teachers included Trulzhig Darma ('khrul zhig dar ma), Tulku Gyamtso (sprul sku rgya mtsho), Towarepa of Tsurphu monastery (mtshur 'phu'i do wa ras pa). Melong Dorje practiced the teachings he received from these masters, experiencing numerous visions of deities and lamas. At Dunglung (dung lung) he heard the dakinis singing to him, and at Kawachen (kha ba chen) he again had visions of Varahi and Zalungpa.

He showed many signs of having supernatural power, such as making solid rock seem like clay, and actually penetrating a solid stone with his secret vajra. Melong Dorje traveled to the hidden lands (sbas yul) of Khenpajong (mkhan pa ljongs), Khenpeling (mkhan pa gling), Sengedzong (seng ge rdzong), and Kharchu, where he spread his dharma activity far and wide. He is said to have revealed treasure at Drayongdzong (grags yang dzong), a Dzogchen instruction of Vimalamitra that came to be known as the Melong Nyingtik (me long snying thig). This did not survive, however, but was rediscovered by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo ('jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i dbang po) in the nineteenth century.

It is said that his life was extended from thirty-seven years to sixty-one through the efforts of a practitioner named Kunga (kun dga'). He passed away at the charnal ground named Labar (la bar). His main student was Rigdzin Kumaraja (rig 'dzin ku mA rA ja), who accompanied him on a trip to Bhutan.

Sources

Dudjom Rinpoche. 2002. The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. Gyurme Dorje and Matthew Kapstein, trans. Boston: Wisdom, pp. 566-568.

Bradburn, Leslie, ed. Masters of the Nyingma Lineage. Cazadero: Dharma Publications, p. 146.

Roerich, George, trans. 1996. The Blue Annals. 2nd ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, pp. 196-197.

Karma mi 'gyur dbang rgyal. 1978. Gter bton brgya rtsa'i mtshan sdom gsol 'debs chos rgyal bkra shis stobs rgyal gyi mdzad pa'i grel pa lo rgyus gter bton chos 'byung. Darjeeling: Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche Pema Wangyal, Orgyan Kunsang Chokhor Ling, pp. 62.3 ff. 

'Jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha' yas. 1976. Gter ston brgya rtsa. In Rin chen gter mdzod chen mo v.1 pp. 291-759. Paro: Ngodrup and Sherab Drimay, p. 111A.5 ff.

Ron Garry
August 2007