Trulzhig Sengge Gyabpa

Trulzhig Sengge Gyabpa ('khrul zhig seng ge rgyab pa) was born in the town of Soge Treng in the Yoru region of Tibet (g.yo ru gra'i phu so gad 'phreng gi grong). His father was Tashi Ngodrub (bkra shis dngos grub) and his mother was Pelle (dpal le). He is said to have developed great compassion and renunciation at an early age, perceiving at the age of ten that all phenomena was illusory, and at thirteen he received a vision of Avalokiteshvara who told him to practice the Dzogchen Nyingtik.

At the age of twenty Sengge Gyappa took ordained from Deu Gangpa (lde'u sgang pa) as the ordinator and Tashi Gangpa (bkra shis sgang pa) as preceptor. In his twenty-fifth year, he went to Sengge Gyap in Sinzhal (srin zhal gyi seng ge rgyab) where he received Tsalpa Kagyu teachings from a lama simply known as “the second Sanggye Gyappa” (in a group of three in which Trulzhig is the third). He also studied Cho, Zhije, and Mahamudra from various masters of the region.

He is primarily remembered as the disciple of Guru Jober, from whom he received the full Nyingtik teachings. He went into strict retreat in the Drowo valley (gro bo lung), where he trained numerous students.

He passed away at the age of sixty-four, leaving behind many relics. His main student was the great siddha Melong Dorje (me long rdo rje), whose disciple Rigdzin Chenpo Kumaradza (rig l'dzin chen po ku ma rA dza) was the teacher of Longchen Rabjam (klong chen rab 'byams).

Sources

Bell, Charles. 1931. Religions of Tibet. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 75.

Nyoshul Khenpo. 2005. A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems. Richard Barron, trans. Junction City, California: Padma Publication, pp. 90-91.

Roerich, George, trans. 1996. The Blue Annals. 2nd ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, pp. 195-196 (where his name is given “'khrul zhig seng ge rgyal pa”).

Bstan 'dzin lung rtogs nyi ma. 2004. Snga 'gyur rdzogs chen chos 'byung chen mo. Beijing: China Tibetan Publishing House, pp. 229-230.

Jakob Leschly
August 2007