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[[Image:Patrul Rinpoche.JPG|frame|'''Patrul Rinpoche''' courtesy of Shechen Monastery]]
[[Image:Patrul Rinpoche.JPG|frame|'''Patrul Rinpoche''' courtesy of Shechen Monastery]]
'''Patrul Rinpoche''' (1808-1887) - an enlightened master, who, though he lived the life of a vagabond, was one of the most illustrious spiritual teachers of the nineteenth century. His principal teacher was [[Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu]], a great master who was one of the foremost students of [[Jikmé Lingpa]]. From Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu he received no less than twenty five times the teachings on the preliminary practices of the [[Longchen Nyingtik]] [Tib.], as well as many other important transmissions. From time to time he would write a text of his own and these treatises were later collected into six volumes of his writings. Among them is ''The Words of My Perfect Teacher'', ''[[Kunzang Lama’i Shyalung]]'' [Tib.].
'''Dza Patrul Rinpoche''' (Tib. རྫ་དཔལ་སྤྲུལ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་, [[Wyl.]] ''rdza dpal sprul rin po che'') aka '''Orgyen Jikmé Chökyi Wangpo''' (ཨོ་རྒྱན་འཇིགས་མེད་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབང་པོ་, ''o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po'') (1808-1887) — an enlightened master, who, though he lived the life of a vagabond, was one of the most illustrious spiritual teachers of the nineteenth century. His principal teacher was [[Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu]], a great master who was one of the foremost students of [[Jikmé Lingpa]]. From Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu he received no less than twenty five times the teachings on the preliminary practices of the [[Longchen Nyingtik]], as well as many other important transmissions. From time to time he would write a text of his own and these treatises were later collected into six volumes of his writings. Among them is ''The Words of My Perfect Teacher'', ''[[Kunzang Lama’i Shyalung]]''.


==Biography==
==Biography==
Dza Palge Tulku or Dzogchen Patrul Rinpoche was born in the Earth Dragon year of the fourteenth calendrical cycle in Getse Dzachukha, in the nomadic area of northern Kham, to a family with the name of Gyaltok. He was recognized by [[Dodrupchen Jikmé Trinlé Özer]] as the incarnation of Palgé Samten Phuntsok and was given the name Orgyen Jikmé Chökyi Wangpo.
===Birth & Early Life===
[[Image:Patrul Rinpoche Statue.jpeg|thumb|Statue of Patrul Rinpoche, according to Matthieu Ricard.]]
Dza Palge Tulku or Dzogchen Patrul Rinpoche was born in the Earth Dragon year of the fourteenth calendrical cycle in Getse Dzachukha, in the nomadic area of northern [[Kham]], to a family with the name of Gyaltok. He was recognized by [[Dodrupchen Jikmé Trinlé Özer]] as the incarnation of Palgé Samten Phuntsok and was given the name Orgyen Jikmé Chökyi Wangpo.


At an early age, he learned to read and write without any difficulty. He took ordination with Khen Sherab Zangpo. With [[Dola Jikmé Kalzang]], [[Jikmé Ngotsar]], [[Gyalsé Shenpen Thayé]] and other teachers, he studied the [[Trilogy of Finding Comfort and Ease]], ''[[The Way of the Bodhisattva]]'', ''[[Secret Essence Tantra]]'' and many other works related to [[sutra]] and [[tantra]], as well as the ordinary sciences. From [[Shechen Öntrul Thutob Namgyal]], he received the reading transmission for the ''Translated Word of the Buddha ([[Kangyur]])'' and teachings on Sanskrit grammar. He received the transmissions for the Kangyur and Tengyur in their entirety, together with the excellent writings of the omniscient father and son of the [[Nyingma]] tradition, as well as the works of [[Sakya Pandita]], Lord [[Tsongkhapa]], and many other great masters of the old and new translation schools, and by studying and reflecting on them with diligence and persistence and without any sectarian bias, he attained a perfect level of scholarship.
At an early age, he learned to read and write without any difficulty. He took ordination with Khen Sherab Zangpo. With [[Dola Jikmé Kalzang]], [[Jikmé Ngotsar]], [[Gyalsé Shenpen Thayé]] and other teachers, he studied the [[Trilogy of Finding Comfort and Ease]], ''[[The Way of the Bodhisattva]]'', ''[[Secret Essence Tantra]]'' and many other works related to [[sutra]] and [[tantra]], as well as the ordinary sciences. From [[Shechen Öntrul Thutob Namgyal]], he received the reading transmission for the ''Translated Word of the Buddha ([[Kangyur]])'' and teachings on Sanskrit grammar. He received the transmissions for the Kangyur and Tengyur in their entirety, together with the excellent writings of the omniscient father and son<ref>[[Longchen Rabjam]] and [[Jikmé Lingpa]].</ref> of the [[Nyingma]] tradition, as well as the works of [[Sakya Pandita]], Lord [[Tsongkhapa]], and many other great masters of the old and new translation schools, and by studying and reflecting on them with diligence and persistence and without any sectarian bias, he attained a perfect level of scholarship.


Not only did he receive instruction on the [[Longchen Nyingtik]] [[ngöndro|preliminaries]] some twenty-five times from [[Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu]], he completed the required practices the same number of times. In addition, he received instruction on ''tsa-lung'' practice and [[Dzogchen]], and studied many of the cycles of practice found in the canonical scriptures (''[[kama]]'') of the Nyingma school. [[Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje]] introduced him directly to the pure awareness of rigpa while exhibiting wild and eccentric behaviour. He trained for a long time in the Longchen Nyingtik tsa-lung practices, and he received immense amounts of nectar-like Dharma from Dzogchen Rinpoche [[Mingyur Namkhé Dorje]] and other masters.
Not only did he receive instruction on the [[Longchen Nyingtik]] [[ngöndro|preliminaries]] some twenty-five times from [[Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu]], he completed the required practices the same number of times<ref>In other words, he completed some two and a half million [[prostration]]s, and the same number of [[hundred syllable mantra]]s, [[mandala offering]]s and repetitions of the [[Seven Line Prayer]]. Few masters in Tibetan history have accomplished such a feat. Two notable exceptions are the great [[Jé Tsongkhapa]], who famously completed three and a half million prostrations and approximately ten million mandala offerings, and, in more recent times, the Sakya master [[Gatön Ngawang Lekpa]], who accumulated a vast number of prostrations and other practices during his fifteen years of strict retreat.</ref>. In addition, he received instruction on ''[[tsa-lung]]'' practice and [[Dzogchen]], and studied many of the cycles of practice found in the canonical scriptures (''[[kama]]'') of the Nyingma school. [[Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje]] introduced him directly to the pure awareness of rigpa while exhibiting wild and eccentric behaviour. He trained for a long time in the Longchen Nyingtik tsa-lung practices, and he received immense amounts of nectar-like Dharma from Dzogchen Rinpoche [[Mingyur Namkhé Dorje]] and other masters.


[[Image:Yamantaka cave.jpg|thumb|left|Yamantaka cave]]
While dwelling for long periods near [[Dzogchen Monastery]] in the isolated hermitages of Rudam, such as the Yamantaka cave and the Long Life cave, he put all his energy into the practice of meditation and attained a realization that was as vast as space.
While dwelling for long periods near [[Dzogchen Monastery]] in the isolated hermitages of Rudam, such as the Yamantaka cave and the Long Life cave, he put all his energy into the practice of meditation and attained a realization that was as vast as space.


From the age of thirty, he travelled to Serthar, Yarlung Pemakö and other places, teaching extensively on the Secret Essence Tantra to gatherings of fortunate vidyadharas. To assemblies in Serthar and in the upper and lower regions of the Do valley he bestowed countless gifts of the Dharma, teaching on ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'', ''[[Mani Kabum]]'', ''Aspiration Prayer of Sukhavati'' and so on. He put an end to robbery and banditry and abolished the custom of serving meat at special gatherings.
===Teaching & Parinirvana===
From the age of thirty, he travelled to Serthar, [[Yarlung Pemakö]] and other places, teaching extensively on the ''[[Secret Essence Tantra]]'' to gatherings of fortunate vidyadharas. To assemblies in Serthar and in the upper and lower regions of the Do valley he bestowed countless gifts of the Dharma, teaching on ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'', ''[[Mani Kabum]]'', ''Aspiration Prayer of Sukhavati'' and so on. He put an end to robbery and banditry and abolished the custom of serving meat at special gatherings.


He went to Dzamthang and studied the [[six yogas]] with Tsangpa Ngawang Chöjor, and he went to Minyak, where he had extensive discussions with Dra Geshe Tsultrim Namgyal on the [[prajnaparamita]] and other topics. In this way, he went about as a renunciate, having abandoned all worldly concerns, and worked impartially for the sake of others, without any fixed agenda or itinerary.
He went to Dzamthang and studied the [[Six Yogas]] with Tsangpa Ngawang Chöjor, and he went to Minyak, where he had extensive discussions with Dra Geshe Tsultrim Namgyal on the [[prajnaparamita]] and other topics. In this way, he went about as a renunciate, having abandoned all worldly concerns, and worked impartially for the sake of others, without any fixed agenda or itinerary.


In [[Shri Singha college]] at Dzogchen Monastery and at Pemé Thang and other places, he turned the wheel of Dharma uninterruptedly, teaching on the [[five treatises of Maitreya]], the Middle Way, [[Abhidharma]], ''Secret Essence Tantra'', ''[[Treasury of Precious Qualities]]'', ''[[Ascertainment of the Three Vows]]'' and other topics. In particular, when he taught on ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'' in the vicinity of Dzogchen Shri Singha for several years in succession, large numbers of flowers called Serchen, with between thirty and fifty petals, blossomed all of a sudden, and they became known as ‘bodhicharyavatara flowers.’
[[Image:Shantideva.JPG|thumb|[[Shantideva]], author of the ''[[Bodhicharyavatara]]''. Patrul was regarded as his emanation.]]
In [[Shri Singha college]] at Dzogchen Monastery and at Pemé Thang and other places, he turned the wheel of Dharma uninterruptedly, teaching on the [[five treatises of Maitreya]], the Middle Way, [[Abhidharma]], ''Secret Essence Tantra'', ''[[Treasury of Precious Qualities]]'', ''[[Ascertainment of the Three Vows]]'' and other topics. In particular, when he taught on ''[[Bodhicharyavatara|The Way of the Bodhisattva]]'' in the vicinity of Dzogchen Shri Singha for several years in succession, large numbers of flowers called Serchen, with between thirty and fifty petals, blossomed all of a sudden, and they became known as ‘bodhicharyavatara flowers.’


When Tertön [[Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa]] took the terma of Demchok Sangye Nyamjor from Rudam Kangtrö, the snow hermitage at Dzogchen, he appointed Patrul Rinpoche as the custodian of this and other cycles, including The Heart Essence of the Three Families (Riksum Nyingtik), and offered him all the necessary empowerments, reading transmissions and instructions.
When Tertön [[Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa]] took the [[terma]] of ''Demchok Sangye Nyamjor'' from Rudam Kangtrö, the snow hermitage at Dzogchen, he appointed Patrul Rinpoche as the [[chödak|custodian]] of this and other cycles, including ''The Heart Essence of the Three Families'' (Tib. ''Riksum Nyingtik''), and offered him all the necessary empowerments, reading transmissions and instructions.


He went to [[Kathok Dorje Den]], where he offered prostrations and circumambulated the reliquaries of the three great masters Dampa Deshek, Tsangtön Dorje and Jampa Bum. At the request of Situ Choktrul Chökyi Lodrö and others, he gave extensive explanations on ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'' to the whole assembly of monks. He went to major monasteries of the Riwo Gendenpa tradition such as Sershul, Labtridu, Chuhor and others and taught elaborately on ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'' and other topics. Since he taught clearly and succinctly, relating everything to the key points of practice, even many holders of the title Geshe Lharampa scattered flowers of praise and bowed before him in devotion.
He went to [[Kathok Dorje Den]], where he offered prostrations and circumambulated the reliquaries of the three great masters [[Katok Dampa Deshek|Dampa Deshek]], Tsangtön Dorje and Jampa Bum. At the request of [[Katok Situ Chökyi Lodrö|Situ Choktrul Chökyi Lodrö]] and others, he gave extensive explanations on ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'' to the whole assembly of monks. He went to major monasteries of the Riwo Gendenpa tradition such as [[Dza Sershul Monastery|Sershul]], Labtridu, Chuhor and others and taught elaborately on ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'' and other topics. Since he taught clearly and succinctly, relating everything to the key points of practice, even many holders of the title [[Geshe Lharampa]] scattered flowers of praise and bowed before him in devotion.


He established a teaching centre in the vicinity of Dzagyal Monastery. When repairing the great complex of walls of ‘mani’ stones (do-bum) built by his previous incarnation Palge Samten Phuntsok, it became exceedingly beautiful and even bigger and taller than before, and thereafter became known as the Patrul Dobum.  
He established a teaching centre in the vicinity of [[Dzagyal Monastery]]. When repairing the great complex of walls of ‘mani’ stones (''do-bum'') built by his previous incarnation Palge Samten Phuntsok, it became exceedingly beautiful and even bigger and taller than before, and thereafter became known as the Patrul Dobum.  


This great master devoted his life entirely to study, contemplation and meditation for his own benefit and teaching, debate and composition for the sake of others. In so doing, he helped to make the teaching and study of texts such as ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'', the treatises of Maitreya, the Three Sets of Vows and ''Treasury of Precious Qualities'' as widespread as the very stones and earth throughout the upper, middle and lower regions of East Tibet. In particular, when the tradition of teaching the ''Secret Essence Tantra'', and the traditions of experiential guidance and tsa-lung practices for the [[Longchen Nyingtik]] were just like lamps whose fuel is almost spent, through his great kindness he revived them and made them even stronger and more widespread than before.
This great master devoted his life entirely to study, contemplation and meditation for his own benefit and teaching, debate and composition for the sake of others. In so doing, he helped to make the teaching and study of texts such as ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'', the treatises of Maitreya, the ''Three Sets of Vows'' and ''Treasury of Precious Qualities'' as widespread as the very stones and earth throughout the upper, middle and lower regions of East Tibet. In particular, when the tradition of teaching the ''Secret Essence Tantra'', and the traditions of experiential guidance and tsa-lung practices for the [[Longchen Nyingtik]] were just like lamps whose fuel is almost spent, through his great kindness he revived them and made them even stronger and more widespread than before.


===His Students===
Finally, on the eighteenth day of [[Saga Dawa]] in the Fire Pig year of the fifteenth calendrical cycle, he displayed the signs of dissolving his form body into the all-pervading space of reality.<ref>Some of his reincarnations were recognized in: Changma Khen Rinpoche Thubten Chöpel (according to the fifth Drubwang Dzogchen); [[Tsö Patrul Rinpoche|Tsö Patrul of Repkong]]; [[Patrul Namkha Jikmé]] of [[Dzachukha]] (1888-1960), one of [[Dudjom Lingpa]]'s sons; Jikmé Wangpo of Dzagya Gön; and [[Pöpa Tulku]] (according to [[Yukhok Chatralwa Chöying Rangdrol]]).</ref><ref>Biography by [[Alak Zenkar Rinpoche]]<br>{{LH|tibetan-masters/patrul-rinpoche/biography|''Biography of Dza Patrul Rinpoche''}}</ref>
The chief disciples of this great master who did so much to preserve and spread the teachings of the vajra essence of clear light included such learned and accomplished masters of the [[Nyingma]] school as [[Kathok Situ Choktrul Chökyi Lodrö]], the Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche [[Thupten Chökyi Dorje]], Gyarong Namtrul Kunzang Thekchok Dorje, the second and third Dodrupchens, Jikme Phuntsok Jungne and [[Jikmé Tenpe Nyima]], Dechen Rigpé Raldri, who was the son of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, the supreme incarnation Shenpen Chökyi Nangwa [i.e., [[Khenpo Shenga]]], Adzom Druktrul Droddul Dorje, [[Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa]], [[Ju Mipham Namgyal]], Khenchen Pema Damchö Özer [aka [[Khenpo Pema Vajra]]], [[Nyoshul Lungtok]], Alak Dongak Gyatso and others. In addition, his disciples included many great masters and holders of the teachings of the [[Sakya]], [[Gelugpa]] and [[Kagyü]] schools, such as Sershul Lharampa Thubten, Palpung Lama Tashi Özer and Ju Lama Drakpa Gyaltsen.


Finally, on the eighteenth day of [[Saga Dawa]] in the Fire Pig year of the fifteenth calendrical cycle, he displayed the signs of dissolving his form body into the all-pervading space of reality.
==Writings==
[[Image:KLS cave.jpg|thumb|The snowy cave where Patrul Rinpoche wrote the ''Words of My Perfect Teacher'' is situated at the tree-line, just below the massive glacier in this photo.]]
[[Alak Zenkar Rinpoche]] writes:


===His Writings===
:Patrul Rinpoche composed countless works to suit the individual minds of his disciples and fulfil their aspirations, and although they cherished these and kept them for themselves, they were not collected by the master himself or by his attendants, and thus many of them were never carved into printing blocks. Those which were printed and which are now to be found, like nectar upon which we might feast our eyes, comprise volumes equal in number to the [[six paramitas]]. Amongst these compositions, we find all manner of works, including commentaries on and structural outlines (Wyl. ''sa bcad'') for the [[Five Treatises of Maitreya|treatises of Maitreya]], ''[[The Way of the Bodhisattva]]'', ''[[Treasury of Precious Qualities]]'' and other texts, profound crucial instructions for guiding students experientially, such as ''[[The Words of My Perfect Teacher]]'', collections of advice and miscellaneous writings including ''The Drama in the Lotus Garden'', collections of praises and so on. In all that he wrote, he never went into excessive detail simply to show off his knowledge, but explained things in order to fit the capacity of students.
Patrul Rinpoche composed countless works to suit the individual minds of his disciples and fulfil their aspirations, and although they cherished these and kept them for themselves, they were not collected by the master himself or by his attendants, and thus many of them were never carved into printing blocks. Those which were printed and which are now to be found, like nectar upon which we might feast our eyes, comprise volumes equal in number to the [[six paramitas]]. Amongst these compositions, we find all manner of works, including commentaries on and structural outlines (''sa bcad'') for the treatises of Maitreya, ''The Way of the Bodhisattva'', ''Treasury of Precious Qualities'' and other texts, profound crucial instructions for guiding students experientially, such as ''The Words of My Perfect Teacher'', collections of advice and miscellaneous writings including ''The Drama in the Lotus Garden'', collections of praises and so on. In all that he wrote, he never went into excessive detail simply to show off his knowledge, but explained things in order to fit the capacity of students.


The extraordinary and special character of his teachings was described by [[Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima]] in his biography of Patrul:
:The extraordinary and special character of his teachings was described by [[Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima]] in his biography of Patrul:


“If analyzed by the wise, they are found to be very meaningful. If heard by the dim-witted, they are easy to understand. As they condense the vital points, they are easy to remember. Just the right length, everything is coherent and connected from beginning to end. They are delightful to the ear, and whatever words he uses, hard or gentle, they become ‘of one taste’ with the instructions, and so captivate the minds of all, whether wise, confused, or somewhere in between.”
::“If analyzed by the wise, they are found to be very meaningful. If heard by the dim-witted, they are easy to understand. As they condense the vital points, they are easy to remember. Just the right length, everything is coherent and connected from beginning to end. They are delightful to the ear, and whatever words he uses, hard or gentle, they become ‘of one taste’ with the instructions, and so captivate the minds of all, whether wise, confused, or somewhere in between.”


--''Written by Thubten Nyima''
His writings include:


==Writings==
*[[A Brief Guide to the Stages of Visualization]]
*A Garland of Scriptural Transmissions of the Aural Lineage
*[[Heart Treasure of the Saints]]
*[[Self-Liberating Meditation]]
*[[Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King]]
*[[Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King]]
*[[The Brightly Shining Sun]]
*[[The Words of My Perfect Teacher]]
*[[The Words of My Perfect Teacher]]
For more information, see:
*[[Collected works of Patrul Rinpoche]]
==Disciples==
The chief disciples of this great master who did so much to preserve and spread the teachings of the vajra essence of clear light included such learned and accomplished masters of the [[Nyingma]] school as [[Katok Situ Chökyi Lodrö|Kathok Situ Choktrul Chökyi Lodrö]], the Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche [[Thupten Chökyi Dorje]], [[Kunzang Tekchok Dorje|Gyarong Namtrul Kunzang Thekchok Dorje]], the second and third Dodrupchens, [[Dodrupchen Jikmé Puntsok Jungné|Jikmé Puntsok Jungné]] and [[Jikmé Tenpe Nyima]], Dechen Rigpé Raldri, who was the son of [[Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje]], the supreme incarnation Shenpen Chökyi Nangwa [i.e., [[Khenpo Shenga]]], [[Adzom Drukpa Drodul Pawo Dorje|Adzom Druktrul Droddul Dorje]], [[Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa]], [[Ju Mipham Namgyal]], Khenchen Pema Damchö Özer [aka [[Khenpo Pema Vajra]]], [[Nyoshul Lungtok]], [[Alak Dongak Gyatso]] and others. In addition, his disciples included many great masters and holders of the teachings of the [[Sakya]], [[Gelug]] and [[Kagyü]] schools, such as Sershul Lharampa Thubten, [[Khenchen Tashi Özer|Palpung Lama Tashi Özer]] and Ju Lama Drakpa Gyaltsen.<ref>[[Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche]] mentions in ''A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems'' that Patrul Rinpoche had four principal students who were more learned than himself: 1) [[Nyoshul Lungtok]] who surpassed his master with respect to the view, 2) Tendzin Drakpa who was more learned in logical reasoning ([[pramana]]), 3) Minyak Kunzang Sönam aka [[Thubten Chökyi Drakpa]] who surpassed his master in conduct, and 4) [[Orgyen Tendzin Norbu]] who was even greater than Patrul Rinpoche in explaining the teachings.</ref>
==Incarnations==
Among the incarnations of Patrul Rinpoche are:
*[[Patrul Namkha Jikmé]], a son of [[Dudjom Lingpa]]
*[[Tsö Patrul Rinpoche]]
==Photograph?==
[[Image:Possible incarnation of Patrul Rinpoche.jpg|thumb|150px|Photograph of Patrul Namkha Jikmé, son of Dudjom Lingpa]]
According to Matthieu Ricard<ref>''Enlightened Vagabond, The Life and Teachings of Patrul Rinpoche'' (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2017), p.56)</ref>, this is a photo of [[Patrul Namkha Jikmé]], one of the sons of [[Dudjom Lingpa]], not of Patrul Rinpoche himself. This is in line with [[Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche]] who said that when this same photo was shown to [[Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche]] he said that "it is not Patrul Rinpoche himself, but one of his incarnations".
==Notes==
<small><references/></small>
==Further Reading==
===In English===
*[[Khenpo Kunzang Palden]], ''A Vase of Nectar to Inspire the Faithful: A Biography of Patrul Rinpoche'' with Selected Poems by Patrul Rinpoche, translated by Lama Chonam & Timothy Hinkle (Ashland: Light of Berotsana, 2018)
*Matthieu Ricard, ''Enlightened Vagabond: The Life and Teachings of Patrul Rinpoche'' (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2017), ISBN 978-1611803303
*[[Nyoshul Khenpo]],'' A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems: Biographies of Masters of Awareness in the Dzogchen Lineage'', Padma Publications, 2005, pages 223-238.
*[[Tulku Thondup]], ''Masters of Meditation and Miracles'', edited by Harold Talbott (Boston: Shambhala, 1996), pages 201-210.
===In Tibetan===
*[[Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo]], ''Praise to Patrul Rinpoche'', རྒྱལ་བའི་མྱུ་གུ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབང་པོ་རྗེས་སུ་དྲན་པའི་ངག་གི་འཕྲེང་བ་བཀྲ་ཤིས་བིལ་བའི་ལྗོང་བཟང་ཀུན་ཏུ་དགའ་བའི་ཚལ་, Wyl. ''rgyal ba'i myu gu chos kyi dbang po rjes su dran pa'i ngag gi 'phreng ba bkra shis bil ba'i ljong bzang kun tu dga' ba'i tshal''
:{{TBRCW|O00AG016|O00AG0161GS36796$W21807|རྒྱལ་བའི་མྱུ་གུ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབང་པོ་ལ་བསྟོད་པ་, ''rgyal ba'i myu gu chos kyi dbang po la bstod pa''}}
*[[Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima]], ''The Dew-Drop of Amrita''
*[[Khenpo Kunpal]], ''The Elixir of Faith'', རྫ་དཔལ་སྤྲུལ་གྱི་རྣམ་ཐར་དད་པའི་གསོས་སྨན་བདུད་རྩིའི་བུམ་བཅུད་, Wyl. ''rdza dpal sprul gyi rnam thar dad pa'i gsos sman bdud rtsi'i bum bcud''
:{{TBRC|W2CZ5019|རྫ་དཔལ་སྤྲུལ་གྱི་རྣམ་ཐར་དད་པའི་གསོས་སྨན་བདུད་རྩིའི་བུམ་བཅུད་, ''rdza dpal sprul gyi rnam thar dad pa'i gsos sman bdud rtsi'i bum bcud''}}
==Internal Links==
* [[Prayer to Patrul Rinpoche]]
* [[Collected works of Patrul Rinpoche]]


==External Links==
==External Links==
*[http://www.lotsawahouse.org/patrul.html Patrul Rinpoche Series on Lotsawa House]
*{{LH|tibetan-masters/patrul-rinpoche/biography|''Biography of Dza Patrul Rinpoche''}} by [[Alak Zenkar Rinpoche]]
*{{LH|tibetan-masters/patrul-rinpoche|Patrul Rinpoche series on Lotsawa House}}
*{{TBRC|P270|TBRC Profile}}
*[http://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Patrul-Orgyen-Jigme-Chokyi-Wangpo/4425 Biography at Treasury of Lives]


[[Category:Patrul Rinpoche]]
[[Category:Historical Masters]]
[[Category:Historical Masters]]
[[Category:Rimé Masters]]
[[Category:Rimé Masters]]
[[Category:Nyingma Masters]]
[[Category:Longchen Nyingtik Masters]]
[[Category:Longchen Nyingtik Masters]]

Latest revision as of 11:38, 8 June 2022

Patrul Rinpoche courtesy of Shechen Monastery

Dza Patrul Rinpoche (Tib. རྫ་དཔལ་སྤྲུལ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་, Wyl. rdza dpal sprul rin po che) aka Orgyen Jikmé Chökyi Wangpo (ཨོ་རྒྱན་འཇིགས་མེད་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབང་པོ་, o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po) (1808-1887) — an enlightened master, who, though he lived the life of a vagabond, was one of the most illustrious spiritual teachers of the nineteenth century. His principal teacher was Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu, a great master who was one of the foremost students of Jikmé Lingpa. From Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu he received no less than twenty five times the teachings on the preliminary practices of the Longchen Nyingtik, as well as many other important transmissions. From time to time he would write a text of his own and these treatises were later collected into six volumes of his writings. Among them is The Words of My Perfect Teacher, Kunzang Lama’i Shyalung.

Biography

Birth & Early Life

Statue of Patrul Rinpoche, according to Matthieu Ricard.

Dza Palge Tulku or Dzogchen Patrul Rinpoche was born in the Earth Dragon year of the fourteenth calendrical cycle in Getse Dzachukha, in the nomadic area of northern Kham, to a family with the name of Gyaltok. He was recognized by Dodrupchen Jikmé Trinlé Özer as the incarnation of Palgé Samten Phuntsok and was given the name Orgyen Jikmé Chökyi Wangpo.

At an early age, he learned to read and write without any difficulty. He took ordination with Khen Sherab Zangpo. With Dola Jikmé Kalzang, Jikmé Ngotsar, Gyalsé Shenpen Thayé and other teachers, he studied the Trilogy of Finding Comfort and Ease, The Way of the Bodhisattva, Secret Essence Tantra and many other works related to sutra and tantra, as well as the ordinary sciences. From Shechen Öntrul Thutob Namgyal, he received the reading transmission for the Translated Word of the Buddha (Kangyur) and teachings on Sanskrit grammar. He received the transmissions for the Kangyur and Tengyur in their entirety, together with the excellent writings of the omniscient father and son[1] of the Nyingma tradition, as well as the works of Sakya Pandita, Lord Tsongkhapa, and many other great masters of the old and new translation schools, and by studying and reflecting on them with diligence and persistence and without any sectarian bias, he attained a perfect level of scholarship.

Not only did he receive instruction on the Longchen Nyingtik preliminaries some twenty-five times from Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu, he completed the required practices the same number of times[2]. In addition, he received instruction on tsa-lung practice and Dzogchen, and studied many of the cycles of practice found in the canonical scriptures (kama) of the Nyingma school. Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje introduced him directly to the pure awareness of rigpa while exhibiting wild and eccentric behaviour. He trained for a long time in the Longchen Nyingtik tsa-lung practices, and he received immense amounts of nectar-like Dharma from Dzogchen Rinpoche Mingyur Namkhé Dorje and other masters.

Yamantaka cave

While dwelling for long periods near Dzogchen Monastery in the isolated hermitages of Rudam, such as the Yamantaka cave and the Long Life cave, he put all his energy into the practice of meditation and attained a realization that was as vast as space.

Teaching & Parinirvana

From the age of thirty, he travelled to Serthar, Yarlung Pemakö and other places, teaching extensively on the Secret Essence Tantra to gatherings of fortunate vidyadharas. To assemblies in Serthar and in the upper and lower regions of the Do valley he bestowed countless gifts of the Dharma, teaching on The Way of the Bodhisattva, Mani Kabum, Aspiration Prayer of Sukhavati and so on. He put an end to robbery and banditry and abolished the custom of serving meat at special gatherings.

He went to Dzamthang and studied the Six Yogas with Tsangpa Ngawang Chöjor, and he went to Minyak, where he had extensive discussions with Dra Geshe Tsultrim Namgyal on the prajnaparamita and other topics. In this way, he went about as a renunciate, having abandoned all worldly concerns, and worked impartially for the sake of others, without any fixed agenda or itinerary.

Shantideva, author of the Bodhicharyavatara. Patrul was regarded as his emanation.

In Shri Singha college at Dzogchen Monastery and at Pemé Thang and other places, he turned the wheel of Dharma uninterruptedly, teaching on the five treatises of Maitreya, the Middle Way, Abhidharma, Secret Essence Tantra, Treasury of Precious Qualities, Ascertainment of the Three Vows and other topics. In particular, when he taught on The Way of the Bodhisattva in the vicinity of Dzogchen Shri Singha for several years in succession, large numbers of flowers called Serchen, with between thirty and fifty petals, blossomed all of a sudden, and they became known as ‘bodhicharyavatara flowers.’

When Tertön Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa took the terma of Demchok Sangye Nyamjor from Rudam Kangtrö, the snow hermitage at Dzogchen, he appointed Patrul Rinpoche as the custodian of this and other cycles, including The Heart Essence of the Three Families (Tib. Riksum Nyingtik), and offered him all the necessary empowerments, reading transmissions and instructions.

He went to Kathok Dorje Den, where he offered prostrations and circumambulated the reliquaries of the three great masters Dampa Deshek, Tsangtön Dorje and Jampa Bum. At the request of Situ Choktrul Chökyi Lodrö and others, he gave extensive explanations on The Way of the Bodhisattva to the whole assembly of monks. He went to major monasteries of the Riwo Gendenpa tradition such as Sershul, Labtridu, Chuhor and others and taught elaborately on The Way of the Bodhisattva and other topics. Since he taught clearly and succinctly, relating everything to the key points of practice, even many holders of the title Geshe Lharampa scattered flowers of praise and bowed before him in devotion.

He established a teaching centre in the vicinity of Dzagyal Monastery. When repairing the great complex of walls of ‘mani’ stones (do-bum) built by his previous incarnation Palge Samten Phuntsok, it became exceedingly beautiful and even bigger and taller than before, and thereafter became known as the Patrul Dobum.

This great master devoted his life entirely to study, contemplation and meditation for his own benefit and teaching, debate and composition for the sake of others. In so doing, he helped to make the teaching and study of texts such as The Way of the Bodhisattva, the treatises of Maitreya, the Three Sets of Vows and Treasury of Precious Qualities as widespread as the very stones and earth throughout the upper, middle and lower regions of East Tibet. In particular, when the tradition of teaching the Secret Essence Tantra, and the traditions of experiential guidance and tsa-lung practices for the Longchen Nyingtik were just like lamps whose fuel is almost spent, through his great kindness he revived them and made them even stronger and more widespread than before.

Finally, on the eighteenth day of Saga Dawa in the Fire Pig year of the fifteenth calendrical cycle, he displayed the signs of dissolving his form body into the all-pervading space of reality.[3][4]

Writings

The snowy cave where Patrul Rinpoche wrote the Words of My Perfect Teacher is situated at the tree-line, just below the massive glacier in this photo.

Alak Zenkar Rinpoche writes:

Patrul Rinpoche composed countless works to suit the individual minds of his disciples and fulfil their aspirations, and although they cherished these and kept them for themselves, they were not collected by the master himself or by his attendants, and thus many of them were never carved into printing blocks. Those which were printed and which are now to be found, like nectar upon which we might feast our eyes, comprise volumes equal in number to the six paramitas. Amongst these compositions, we find all manner of works, including commentaries on and structural outlines (Wyl. sa bcad) for the treatises of Maitreya, The Way of the Bodhisattva, Treasury of Precious Qualities and other texts, profound crucial instructions for guiding students experientially, such as The Words of My Perfect Teacher, collections of advice and miscellaneous writings including The Drama in the Lotus Garden, collections of praises and so on. In all that he wrote, he never went into excessive detail simply to show off his knowledge, but explained things in order to fit the capacity of students.
The extraordinary and special character of his teachings was described by Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima in his biography of Patrul:
“If analyzed by the wise, they are found to be very meaningful. If heard by the dim-witted, they are easy to understand. As they condense the vital points, they are easy to remember. Just the right length, everything is coherent and connected from beginning to end. They are delightful to the ear, and whatever words he uses, hard or gentle, they become ‘of one taste’ with the instructions, and so captivate the minds of all, whether wise, confused, or somewhere in between.”

His writings include:

For more information, see:

Disciples

The chief disciples of this great master who did so much to preserve and spread the teachings of the vajra essence of clear light included such learned and accomplished masters of the Nyingma school as Kathok Situ Choktrul Chökyi Lodrö, the Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche Thupten Chökyi Dorje, Gyarong Namtrul Kunzang Thekchok Dorje, the second and third Dodrupchens, Jikmé Puntsok Jungné and Jikmé Tenpe Nyima, Dechen Rigpé Raldri, who was the son of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, the supreme incarnation Shenpen Chökyi Nangwa [i.e., Khenpo Shenga], Adzom Druktrul Droddul Dorje, Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa, Ju Mipham Namgyal, Khenchen Pema Damchö Özer [aka Khenpo Pema Vajra], Nyoshul Lungtok, Alak Dongak Gyatso and others. In addition, his disciples included many great masters and holders of the teachings of the Sakya, Gelug and Kagyü schools, such as Sershul Lharampa Thubten, Palpung Lama Tashi Özer and Ju Lama Drakpa Gyaltsen.[5]

Incarnations

Among the incarnations of Patrul Rinpoche are:

Photograph?

Photograph of Patrul Namkha Jikmé, son of Dudjom Lingpa

According to Matthieu Ricard[6], this is a photo of Patrul Namkha Jikmé, one of the sons of Dudjom Lingpa, not of Patrul Rinpoche himself. This is in line with Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche who said that when this same photo was shown to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche he said that "it is not Patrul Rinpoche himself, but one of his incarnations".

Notes

  1. ↑ Longchen Rabjam and Jikmé Lingpa.
  2. ↑ In other words, he completed some two and a half million prostrations, and the same number of hundred syllable mantras, mandala offerings and repetitions of the Seven Line Prayer. Few masters in Tibetan history have accomplished such a feat. Two notable exceptions are the great Jé Tsongkhapa, who famously completed three and a half million prostrations and approximately ten million mandala offerings, and, in more recent times, the Sakya master Gatön Ngawang Lekpa, who accumulated a vast number of prostrations and other practices during his fifteen years of strict retreat.
  3. ↑ Some of his reincarnations were recognized in: Changma Khen Rinpoche Thubten Chöpel (according to the fifth Drubwang Dzogchen); Tsö Patrul of Repkong; Patrul Namkha Jikmé of Dzachukha (1888-1960), one of Dudjom Lingpa's sons; Jikmé Wangpo of Dzagya Gön; and Pöpa Tulku (according to Yukhok Chatralwa Chöying Rangdrol).
  4. ↑ Biography by Alak Zenkar Rinpoche
    Biography of Dza Patrul Rinpoche
  5. ↑ Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche mentions in A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems that Patrul Rinpoche had four principal students who were more learned than himself: 1) Nyoshul Lungtok who surpassed his master with respect to the view, 2) Tendzin Drakpa who was more learned in logical reasoning (pramana), 3) Minyak Kunzang Sönam aka Thubten Chökyi Drakpa who surpassed his master in conduct, and 4) Orgyen Tendzin Norbu who was even greater than Patrul Rinpoche in explaining the teachings.
  6. ↑ Enlightened Vagabond, The Life and Teachings of Patrul Rinpoche (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2017), p.56)

Further Reading

In English

  • Khenpo Kunzang Palden, A Vase of Nectar to Inspire the Faithful: A Biography of Patrul Rinpoche with Selected Poems by Patrul Rinpoche, translated by Lama Chonam & Timothy Hinkle (Ashland: Light of Berotsana, 2018)
  • Matthieu Ricard, Enlightened Vagabond: The Life and Teachings of Patrul Rinpoche (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2017), ISBN 978-1611803303
  • Nyoshul Khenpo, A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems: Biographies of Masters of Awareness in the Dzogchen Lineage, Padma Publications, 2005, pages 223-238.
  • Tulku Thondup, Masters of Meditation and Miracles, edited by Harold Talbott (Boston: Shambhala, 1996), pages 201-210.

In Tibetan

  • Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Praise to Patrul Rinpoche, རྒྱལ་བའི་མྱུ་གུ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབང་པོ་རྗེས་སུ་དྲན་པའི་ངག་གི་འཕྲེང་བ་བཀྲ་ཤིས་བིལ་བའི་ལྗོང་བཟང་ཀུན་ཏུ་དགའ་བའི་ཚལ་, Wyl. rgyal ba'i myu gu chos kyi dbang po rjes su dran pa'i ngag gi 'phreng ba bkra shis bil ba'i ljong bzang kun tu dga' ba'i tshal
རྒྱལ་བའི་མྱུ་གུ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབང་པོ་ལ་བསྟོད་པ་, rgyal ba'i myu gu chos kyi dbang po la bstod pa
  • Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima, The Dew-Drop of Amrita
  • Khenpo Kunpal, The Elixir of Faith, རྫ་དཔལ་སྤྲུལ་གྱི་རྣམ་ཐར་དད་པའི་གསོས་སྨན་བདུད་རྩིའི་བུམ་བཅུད་, Wyl. rdza dpal sprul gyi rnam thar dad pa'i gsos sman bdud rtsi'i bum bcud
རྫ་དཔལ་སྤྲུལ་གྱི་རྣམ་ཐར་དད་པའི་གསོས་སྨན་བདུད་རྩིའི་བུམ་བཅུད་, rdza dpal sprul gyi rnam thar dad pa'i gsos sman bdud rtsi'i bum bcud

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