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. He was recognised as the speech incarnation of Dudjom Lingpa, and of Gyalwa Chokyang, one of the twenty-five disciples of Guru Rinpoche. 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 . He was always busy revealing terma to at least 4 tor 5 scribes who would gather around him, receiving different aspects of the terma. Amazingly, if one of the scrives were to make a spelling or error, or add something extra, the Tertön woudl know this without looking, and would correct them.

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”. At this time, only 27 seven volumes of his termas remain in this world, the rest have been lost.

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:

• Dodrupchen Rinpoche
• Gyatrul Rinpoche
• Khenpo Jikme Phuntsok
• Tulku Theglo Rinpoche
• Tulku Thondup Rinpoche

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.

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. According 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.

Internal Links

• Dudjom Lingpa Family Lineage

Further Reading

• Nyoshul Khenpo, A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems: Biographies of Masters of Awareness in the Dzogchen Lineage, Padma Publications, 2005 (page 515).