Dzagyal Monastery

This blog by Naldjor was originally posted on Facebook, March 28, 2021, based on oral and written information he received during his visit in 2019. Published with permission from the author.

Dzagyal Monastery around the year 2000

རྫ་རྒྱལ་དགོན་འམ་རྫ་རྒྱལ་ཕུན་ཚོགས་ནོ་བུའི་གླིང་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དགའ་ཚལ།།
Dzagyal Monastery, Phüntsog Norbu’i Ling Chökyi Gatsal in Dzachuka (rdza chu kha rdza rgyal dgon phun tshogs nor bu’i gling chos kyi dga’ tshal).

Dzagyal Monastery aka Phüntsog Norbu’i Ling, or more fully Dzagyal Phüntsog Norbu’i Chökyi Gatsal in Northern Dzachuka, Northern Kham, is the last residence of Jigme Gyalwa’i Nyugu ('jigs med rgyal ba'i myu gu, 1765–1843) aka Pema Kunzang (pad+ma kun bzang), one of the foremost disciples of Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa (rig ‘dzin 'jigs med gling pa, 1730-1798). The monastery was supported by his disciple Dza Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo (rdza dpal sprul o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po, 1808-1887), one of the most illustrious spiritual teachers of the nineteenth century, and became the seat of the incarnations of Jigme Gyalwa’i Nyugu and Dza Patrul Rinpoche.

It is said that already Washul Lama Ngagwang Zangpo (wa shul bla ma ngag dbang bzang po, d.u.), in consent with the local chieftain (rang dpon), established a dharma encampment, consisting of black yak-hair tents (nag chos sgar), at this place in 1672. In the late 18th century, the Third Dzogchen Drubwang, Ngedön Tendzin Zangpo (rdzogs chen grub dbang 03 nges don bstan 'dzin bzang po, 1759-1792) and the king of Derge supported the semi-permanent settlement and provided some statues. It is not clear when exactly Jigme Gyalwa’i Nyugu moved from the Valley of Twisted Dry Twigs or Trama Lung in upper Dzachuka (rdza stod khra ma lung), where he resided in caves, rock shelters, and tents for some twenty years (ca. 1804-1825), to Dzagyal Monastery. Tulku Thondup writes that in 1830 Jigme Gyalwa’i Nyugu took his residence at Dzagyal Dünlung (rdza rgyal mdun lung), probably the place of the future Dzagyal Monastery. Jigme Gyelwa’i Nyugu passed away at Dzagyal Monastery where a big reliquary stupa containing most of his physical remains was erected. A more modest square reliquary stupa has been built at Dzagyal Trama Lung. After the death of Jigme Gyelwa’i Nyugu, many of his disciples continued to live at the Mountain Hermitage of Trama Lung in Dzagyal. They stayed in a cluster of little black yak-hair tents and devoted their lives to practicing meditation. However, at some point most of Jigme Gyalwa’i Nyugu’s and Dza Patrul Rinpoche’s disciples moved to Dzagyal Monastery, a clement, warm and comfortable place in a beautiful valley north of the hill where Willow Mountain Hermitage (rdza stod lcang ma ri khrod, Dzatö Changma Ritrö) is situated. Later, also Dza Patrul Rinpoche gave teachings at Dzagyal Monastery.

The immediate reincarnation of Jigme Gyalwa’i Nyugu, who was known as the ‘Hermit of Dzachuka’ (rdza mtshams pa) and Dza Trama Lama (rdza khra ma bla ma), was Kunzang Dechen Dorje aka Trulzhig Dechen Dorje (kun bzang/’khrul zhig bde chen rdo rje, ca. 1845-1928) or simply Pema Kunzang (pad+ma kun bzang). He was recognized and enthroned at Dzagyal Monastery by the Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang Rinpoche, Mingyur Namkha’i Dorje (rdzogs chen grub dbang rin po che 04 mi 'gyur nam mkha'i rdo rje), and become known as Trama Tulku (khra ma sprul sku), the First Tsamtrul Rinpoche (mtshams sprul rin po che dang po). Having received the complete transmissions and teachings from Mingyur Namkha’i Dorje and Dza Patrul Rinpoche he became a great master at Dzagyal Monastery, where he established a retreat center (sgrub grwa). He passed away at age 83. Amongst his disciples are the Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang Rinpoche, Thubten Chökyi Dorje (rdzogs chen grub dbang 05 thub bstan chos kyi rdo rje, 1872-1935), his own son Gyalse Jigme Wangpo (rgyal sras ‘jigs med dbang po, 1889-1946), recognized as the Second Tsamtrul Rinpoche (mtshams sprul rin po che gnyis pa), Khenchen Kunzang Chödrag (mkhan chen kun bzang chos grags, d.u.), and Changma Khenchen Thubten Chöphel aka Bathur Khenpo Thupga, or Thubga Yishyin Norbu from Changma Mountain Hermitage (lcang ma mkhan chen thub bstan chos 'phel‘am ba thur mkhan po thub dga' ‘am thub dga’ yid bzhin nor bu, 1886-1956).

Dzagyal Monastery around the year 2000, with the renovated retreat center and the modest new Lhakhang.

Drubwang Namkha Jigme aka Drubwang Namkha Jigme Pema Khalong Yangpa Tsal aka Patrul Namkha Jigme (grub dbang nam mkha‘ ‘jigs med pad+ma mkha’ klong yangs pa rtsal’am dpal sprul nam mkha‘ ‘jigs med, 1888-1960), the seventh son of Tragthung Dudjom Dorje aka Chagkong Tertön (khrag thung bdud 'joms gling pa/ lcags skong gter ston, 1835-1904), the immediate reincarnation of Dza Patrul Rinpoche (counted as Fourth Dza Patrul), was enthroned at Dzagyal Monastery, where he studied and practiced. While the Second Tsamtrul Rinpoche Gyalse Jigme Wangpo took care of the monastery. Drubwang Namkha Jigme acted as the head of the retreat center, which he developed greatly. After the death of Gyalse Jigme Wangpo and the infancy of his son Chogtrul Rigdzin Wangdrag Gönpo aka Pema Gargyi Wangchug (mchog sprul rig ‘dzin dbang grags mgon po ‘am padma gar gyi dbang phyug, 1930-1959), and the Fourth Tsamtrul Rinpoche, Jigme Thegchog Chökyi Senge (rdza mtshams sprul sku phreng bzhi pa ‘jigs med theg mchog chos kyi seng+ge, ca. 1947-1950), Drubwang Namkha Jigme was responsible for Dzagyal Monastery. Several incarnations and scholars, such as Tulku Pema Ösal (sprul pad+ma ‘od gsal), Rigdza Tulku Kunzang Tenpa’i Nyima (rig bza’ sprul sku kun bzang bstan pa’i nyi ma), the two sons of Drubwang Namkha Jigme Chogtrul Tenpa’i Salje (mchog sprul bstan pa’i gsal byed) aka Lungzin Dungse Tenpa’i Salje (lung zin gdung sras bstan pa’i gsal byed), and Chogtrul Kunzang Lungtog (mchog sprul kun bzang lung rtogs) aka Dungse Kunzang Lungtog Phelgye Palzangpo (gdung sras kun bzang lung rtogs ‘phel rgyas dpal bzang po), Tulku Tendzin Namgyal (sprul sku bstan ‘dzin rnam rgyal), Chogtrul Tenpa’i Gyaltsen (mchog sprul bstan pa’i rgyal mtshan), Khenpo Sanggye Tendzin (mkhan po sangs rgyas bstan ‘dzin), Khenpo Sönam Tsering (mkhan po bsod nams tshe ring), Khenpo Pema Garwang (mkhan po pad+ma gar dbang), Khenpo Phurba Tsering (mkhan po phur ba tshe ring), Khenpo Wangchag (mkhan po dbang phyug?), Khenpo Lungtog (mkhan po lung rtogs), Khenpo Sherab Tharchin (mkhan po shes rab mthar phyin), and Khewang Dzagyal Thuwe (mkhas dbang rdza rgyal thu be), assisted him.

The monastery, including Jigme Gyelwa’i Nyugu’s reliquary stupa, was nearly completely destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. In 1984 started the slow renovation of the remaining buildings, the retreat center and the building of a modest shrine hall or lhakhang (lha khang) with the help of Khenchen Thubten Rinchen (mkhan chen thub bstan rin chen), Khenchen Wangdrag (mkhan chen dbang grags), Lama Tsebho (bla ma tshe bho), Chogtrul Gyaltsen Rabyang (mchog sprul rgyal mtshan rab yang), Tulku Legshe (sprul sku legs bshad), and Chogtrul Orgyen Jigdral Tendzin Chökyi Nyima (mchog sprul o rgyan ‘jigs bral bstan ‘dzin chos kyi nyi ma).

Khandroma Kunzang Wangmo, courtesy of Jody Kemmerer

The new temple in winter time

Due to the great effort of Khandroma Kunzang Wangmo aka Drodul Chöying Wangmo, the daughter of Patrul Tulku Drubwang Namkha Jigme (dpal sprul grub dbang nam mkha‘ ‘jigs med sras mo mkha’ ‘gro kun bzang dbang mo’am ‘gro ‘dul chos dbyings dbang mo, 1933-2009), a huge new Tsuglhakhang (gtsug lag khang chen mo) with a monastic study center or Shedra Dongag Dargye Ling (bshad grwa mdo sngags dar rgyas gling) has been completed in 2014. Together with her two brothers Dungse Kunzang Lungtog Phelgye Palzangpo (gdung sras kun bzang lung rtogs ‘phel rgyas dpal bzang po) and Lungzin Dungse Tenpa’i Salje (lung zin gdung sras bstan pa’i gsal byed) she studied with her father, Patrul Namkha Jikme, receiving the complete transmissions of the Dudjom Tersar (bdud 'joms gter gsar) and the Dzogchen Longchen Nyingtig (rdzogs chen klong chen snying thig). As her brother and the above mentioned teachers did not survive for very long she took the responsibility to uphold the tradition of Dzagyal Monastery. Moreover, the retreat center Drubdra Samten Khorlo (sgrub grwa bsam gtan ‘khor lo) has been newly built with the help of Chogtrul Jigme Dorje (mchog sprul ‘jigs med rdo rje). Khandro Kunzang Wangmo recognized her father’s reincarnation, the Fifth Patrul Rinpoche, Tendzin Chöchog (rdza dpal sprul sku phreng lnga pa btsan ‘dzin chos mchog, b. 1990), who completed the remaining tasks after the Khandro’s passing in 2009. He received a major donation from the Seventh Dzogchen Drubwang Rinpoche, Jigme Losal Wangpo aka Tendzin Jigdral Lhünpo (rdzogs chen grub dbang rin po che 07, ‘jigs med blo gsal dbang po ‘am ‘bstan ‘dzin ‘jigs bral lhun po, b. 1964). Several other incarnations and scholars supported the project so that a huge Guru Padmasambhava statue could be finished and the Tsuglakhang has been richly decorated and filled with statues, books and practice materials.

Google Maps coordinates: 33.213512, 97.956107
Chinese Name Zha Jiagongba 扎加贡巴

The large new Lhakhang in summer