Muchen Sanggye Rinchen

Sanggye Rinchen (mus chen sangs rgyas rin chen) was born in 1450. His father was called Kubon Konchok Leg (sku dbon dkon mchog legs), and his mother was Chokyong Gyelmo (chos skyong rgyal mo). When he was eleven years old, he took monastic vows with Konchok Gyeltsen (dkon mchog rgyal mtshan, 1388-1469), the second abbot of Ngor.

At age twenty-eight Sanggye Rinchen was fully ordained with Drubchen Konchok Lodro (grubs chen dkon mchog blo gros, b. 1428) and Pelden Gyelpo (dpal ldan rgyal po, d.u.) who was a well-known teacher of the Lamdre Lobshe (lam bras slob bshad). Relying on the guidance of these and many other great teachers, Sanggye Rinchen became highly accomplished and is said to have demonstrated all the qualities of a learned, virtuous, and noble practitioner. He taught Lamdre extensively was an active presence at monasteries throughout U and Tsang, including the monasteries in his home region of Mu (mus), Nalendra, and Ngor, where he served as abbot from 1501 to 1516.

Sanggye Rinchen had many illustrious teachers including the very young Seventh Karmapa, Chodrak Gyatso (chos grags rgya mtsho, 1454-1506); the second Ngor abbot, Konchok Gyeltsen (dkon mchog rgyal mtshan, 1388-1469); Sherab Zangpo (shes rab bzang po, 1411-1475); Sanggye Pel (sangs rgyas 'phel, 1412-1485); the fourth abbot of Ngor, Kunga Wangchuk (kun dga' dbang phyug, 1424-1478);  the sixth abbot of Ngor, Gorampa Sonam Sengge (go rams pa bsdo nams seng ge, 1429-1489), and the seventh abbot of Ngor, Konchok Pelwa (dkon mchog 'phel ba), who enthroned him at Ngor in 1501.

Sanggye Rinchen's main students were Jamyang Kunga Namdrakpa Gyeltsen ('jam dbyangs kun dga' bsod nams grags pa rgyal mtshan, 1485-1533), the tenth abbot of Ngor, Konchok Lhundrub (dkon mchog lhun grub, 1497-1557), Karma Trinlepa (ka.rma 'phrin las pa, 1456-1539) and Nawang Drakpa (ngag dbang grags pa, 1458-1515).

Sanggye Rinchen's collected writings include an instruction manual (khrid yig) for Lamdre practice and a biography of Gorampa Sonam Sengge, the sixth abbot of Ngor and a great Lamdre master. He died in 1524.

Sources:

Sangs rgyas phun tshogs. 1985 (17th c.) Dpal e waM chos ldan gyi gdan rabs nor bu'i phreng bzhes bya ba zhugs. Dehradun: Sakya Center, pp 15-16.

Dominique Townsend
June 2010