Zhonnu Sengge

Zhonnu Sengge (gzhon nu seng+ge) was a nephew of Dharma Sengge Sanggye Won (dhar ma seng ge sangs rgyas dbon, 1177-1237), a disciple (and nephew) of Tsangpa Gyare (gtsang pa rgya ras, 1161-1211). His father, Dharma Sengge Sanggye On's elder brother, was named Lhachen / Lhatsen (lha gcen / lha btsan). He had a younger sister named Rinchen Pelmo (rin chen dpal mo).

In addition to training with his uncle, who was the second abbot of Ralung (rwa lung), and who ordained him at the age of eight, Zhonnu Sengge also studied with Kuton Tsondru Yungdrung (khu ston brtson 'grus g.yung drung, 1011‑1075), a student of Atisha, and Wonpo Jungne Gyeltsen (dbon po 'byung gnas rgyal mtshan, d.u.), a student of Marpa. He also studied the sciences and Madhyamaka with Sakya Pandita (sa skya pan di ta kun dga' rgyal mtshan, 1182-1251).

Zhonnu Sengge became the third throne holder of Ralung at the age of thirty-three, following the death of his uncle. He administered there and Drukpa monastery for nine years.

According to Tucci, Zhonnu Sengge's mortal remains were encased in a stupa in the center of Ralung. He is counted as the second of the “Nine Incomparable Lions” (mnyam med seng ge dgu), patriarchs of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition, his uncle being the first.

Sources

Dbon po shes rab 'byung gnas. 1976. Dam chos dgongs pa gcig pa'i yig cha. Thimphu: Kunsang Topgey, vol. 1, pp. 36 ff.

Nyi ma seng ge. 1975 (1771). Chos rje gzhon nu seng ge'i rnam thar. In Rwa lung dkar brgyud gser 'phreng. Pelampur: SNGP, vol 2, pp. 135-163.

Roerich, George, trans. 1996. The Blue Annals. 2nd ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, p. 671.

Sgrub sprul phrin las rgya mtsho. 2009. Gdams ngag bka' rgya can lnga yi bla ma brgyud pa'i rnam thar dad gsum chu gter 'phel byed ngo mtshar lza ba'i me long. Swayambhu: Shree Gautam Buddha Vihara, pp. 147-149.

Tucci, Giuseppe. 1956. To Lhasa and Beyond. Rome: Istituto Poligrafico della Stato, p. 61.

Alexander Gardner
February 2010