Little reliable data about the life of Padmasambhava is available, but he appears to have been a ritual specialist who came to Tibet to help with the founding of the first monastery, Samye. In later centuries he underwent a radical apotheosis to become revered as Tibet's Second Buddha, responsible for the establishment of Buddhism there. Although revered by all traditions of Tibetan religion, he is particularly important for the Nyingma and Bon treasure traditions, and scores of biographies of his life, most famously Nyangrel Nyima Wozer's Zanglingma, tell of Padmasambhava's role in concealing treasure across Tibet.

Jigme Choying Dorje (1819-1875), a disciple of the Fourth Dzogchen Mingyur Namkhai Dorje, was the Fourth Nyitrul incarnation based in both Chakri Nyidrak Monastery and Takmogang Kelzang Puntsok Ling, the seat monasteries of the Nyima Drakpa incarnations.

Khonton Peljor Lhundrub (1561-1637) was a prominent lineage holder of both the Nyingma and Gelug traditions, specifically in the Nyingma Guhyagarbha and the Gelug Lamrim. A member of the Khon family, he had close ties to the Sakya tradition, and he also studied with Kagyu and Jonang masters, earning a reputation for his ecumenical approach to study and practice. The Fifth Dalai Lama, who was his student, composed a biography of him. Among his other prominent disciples was the important Nyingma master Zurchen Choying Rangdrol. He was the fifteenth abbot of Sera Je, and a long-term resident of Pabongkha Hermitage.

Gyelse Zhenpen Taye Wozer (1800-1869) was  the founder and second abbot of Shri Singha, the Dzogchen monastic college. Considered to have been the eighth abbot of Dzogchen Monastery, he was also the founder of Gemang monastery. He was said to have been a reincarnation of Terdak Lingpa.

Sengdruk Pema Tashi (eighteenth century) was the first abbot of Shri Singha College at Dzogchen Monastery, which he helped establish with Gyelse Zhenpen Taye. He was a close disciple of the Third Dzogchen Drubwang, Ngedon Tendzin Zangpo and the Second Dzogchen Ponlob, Pema Sangngak Tendzin.

Jigdrel Tsewang Dorje (1925-1962) was the Sixth Dzogchen Ponlob. Born in Den, he escaped to Sikkim with his brother, the Sixteenth Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpai Dorje.

Konchok Tenpai Nyima (c.1889-c.1924) was the Fifth Dzogchen Ponlob based in Orgyen Samten Choling Monastery in Rudam. He passed away at the age of fifteen.

Jigme Choying Wosel (c.1825-c.1897) was the Fourth Dzogchen Ponlob. Little is known of his life other than he was a student of the Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang, Mingyur Namkhai Dorje

Namkha Chokyi Gyatso (1807-1821?) was the Third Dzogchen Ponlob, based in Orgyen Samten Choling in Rudam Valley. He passed away at the age of fifteen.

Pema Sangngak Tendzin (1731-1805) was the Second Dzogchen Ponlob. A somewhat mysterious figure, he lived during a considerable expansion of the monastery.