Won Sonam Drakpa

The Drigung founder Jigten Gonpo ('jig rten mgon po) had a paternal uncle named Konchok Rinchen (dkon mchog rin chen). His son, a wealthy man named Anye Adrag (a nye a grags), had three sons. The eldest of the three is the one known in Drigung histories as Won Rinpoche. His two younger brothers would also be significant in the early history of the Drigung Kagyu, particularly his younger brother Chung Rinpoche Dorje Drakpa (gcung rin po che rdo rje grags pa). Disciples of the aging Jigten Gonpo requested that the monastery be headed in the future by a succession of his nephews. That is why one disciple, Shripugpa (shrI phug pa) was sent to Kham with the mission of bringing some of these nephews back to Drigung.

Sonan Drakpa was delighted at the idea of going to stay with his uncle Jigten Gonpo, and his father not only gave his permission, but even promised that the whole family would move there before long. Sonan Drakpa arrived at Drigung at the age of eleven and took novice ordination at the hand of his uncle, receiving the name by which he is known on that occasion. He studied many subjects including Vinaya at Drigung itself, while he studied the tantric teachings of Hevajra from Nubton Yonten Drag (gnubs ston yon tan grags) at Tagpu (stag phu).

Sonan Drakpa spent lengthy periods in retreat, four, six and even thirteen years. He experienced his first sealed retreat at the age of thirteen, and he remained in it doing Vajrayana practices of the two processes (rim gnyis) for three years. When Jigten Gonpo died, Sonan Drakpa was asked to become the second abbot, but he was in the middle of a four-year retreat and declined their request to end it. So Gurawa (gu ra ba) was made abbot instead.

When he was thirty-five Sonan Drakpa took the abbot's seat. In 1228 he completed and consecrated the very elaborately sculptured stupa as a memorial to Jigten Gonpo. It had 2,800 divine images on its exterior surfaces. His way of life was scheduled according to the two phases of the moon, in line with the practice of his lineage predecessors. During the waxing phase of the moon he would spend the mornings in seclusion and in the afternoons give dharma talks to the gathering of monks. During the waning phase he spent all of his time in silence in strictly sealed retreat.

Sonan Drakpa died at age forty-nine. His successor to the abbot's chair was Chennga Drakpa Jungne (spyan snga grags pa 'byung gnas).

Sources

Roerich, George, trans. 1996. The Blue Annals. 2nd ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, p. 609.

Khetsun Sangpo. 1973. Biographical Dictionary of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism. Dharamsala: LTWA, vol. 9, pp. 239-247.

Dan Martin
August 2008