Dzongter Kunzang Nyima
Dzongter Kunzang Nyingma (1904-1958), aka Dzongter Rigdzin Chenpo Kunzang Nyima, or Rigdzin Nuden Dorjé, or Sungtrul Kunzang Nyima, was recognized as the speech incarnation of Dudjom Lingpa.
His Birth
He was born in Pemakö as a grandson of Dudjom Lingpa. His father was Khyentse Tulku Dzamling Wangyal, who was himself a son of Dudjom Lingpa.
Dzongter Kunzang Nyingma had a beautiful and powerful face with wide, smiling eyes, a brownish complexion, and long hair tied around his head and wrapped in a silk turban. In his fifties, he had a strong and vital body. Although his voice was powerful and far-reaching, he spoke in a stream of gentle and soothing words.
Gyatrul Rinpoche recounts that when he met him, he found:
- He was someone who enjoyed the simple gifts of life with deepest contentment. I remember the feeling of unconditional and unpretentious love in his heart, which wasn't only for me but for all around. In the sunny presence of Dzongter Kunzang Nyingma, I became so natural. There was no place to harbor darkness or anxiety anymore. Rinpoche's joy and calm seemed pervasive. Immediately upon meeting him and for all the time I was there, the world appeared to be a very peaceful place. As I looked around, I vividly felt that his presence had somehow transformed my surroundings, that nothing was separate from this wonderful peacefulness. The trees, the mountains, my companions, myself -- everything was united in calm and peace. It wasn't the mountains and people that changed, but my mind's way of seeing and feeling them. Because of the power of his presence, my mind was enjoying a greater degree of peace and joy, almost a state of boundlessness. That feeling enabled me to see all mental objects through those qualities. For a while, no attractions or disappointments mattered. Even today, when I remember that experience from more than four decades ago, I feel joy and completeness. The heat of that memory helps me to melt the ice of obstacles as they come up on life's journey.
His Training
When the boy was older, he was invited to Dudjom Lingpa’s home region of Serta, in Eastern Tibet. He studied with many tutors and masters and thus attained a high degree of erudition and accomplishment. In particular, he studied with Tertön Sogyal, who became his root master. From him, he received the complete transmission of the Dzogchen Nyingtik, and Tertön Sogyal’s own termas.
His Termas Revelations
Dzongter Kunzang Nyima revealed 60 volumes of terma in Tibet, teachings, objects of wealth and sacred substances. He always kept his writings of terma close at hand in his big black tent. He was a highly realized and respected Tertön of the 20th century. Among his termas are cycles of practices focusing on Vajrasattva, the Three Roots, Tara, and Kurukulle.
Dzongter Kunzang Nyima used to dictate several terma at a time to different scribes [1].
Dudjom Rinpoche once said that “As he revealed 60 volumes of termas, it was obvious that Dzongter Kunzang Nyima was the speech incarnation of Dudjom Linpa”.
His Activity
Dzongter Kunzang Nyingma gathered around him innumerable students who came from all the regions of eastern Tibet, including Repkong to the north, Golok, Serta and Doyul. Among his students are:
His Family
Among his sons is Tulku Theglo Rinpoche, a contemporary lama, and main holder of the Dudjom Tersar lineage and of his father’s own termas lineage. The empowerment for the whole Dzongter Kunzang Nyima's termas cycle have been
His Final Years
In 1958, Dzongter Kunzang Nyingma (the speech incarnation of Dudjom Lingpa) and Tulku Natsok Rangdrol (the the body incarnation) were alive, and they met on one occasion [2]. Acoording to Gyatrul Rinpoche, ‘Even though they had no illnesses, they died together. Immediately following after their deaths, which occurred in the winter, there was thunder, which is very unusual in that season. Also, there was an earthquake, and people saw strange snowflakes like flowers falling from the sky. For days after that, the sky became utterly serene and clear’.
Samdrup Rinpoche has been recognised as the incarnation of Dzongter Kunzang Nyingma.
Further Reading
- Nyoshul Khenpo, A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems: Biographies of Masters of Awareness in the Dzogchen Lineage, Padma Publications, 2005 (page 515).