BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO H.H.
DODRUPCHEN DHARMA KING
It is accurate to say that without His
Holiness Dodrupchen Rinpoche there would be no Longchen Nying-thik Great
Perfection, which is the highest esoteric dharma in this world. H.H.
Dodrupchen Rinpoche was the sole holder and fundamental dharma possessor of
the complete Great Perfection Longchen Nying-thik. “Longchen” means the
boundlessly vast dharmadhatu, and “Nying-thik” means mind essence. Thus,
Longchen Nying-thik is a mind essence dharma method that belongs to the
extremely secret Supreme Division within the Great Perfection Dharma. It is
the highest dharma for transforming into the rainbow body. All of the
Longchen Nying-thik lineages of the Nyingma sect around the world,
including those of their six main temples, originated from the dharma
transmission of H.H. Dodrupchen Rinpoche.
In Tibetan, the term “Dodrupchen” means a
greatly accomplished one from the Do Valley. The term derives from the
first Dodrupchen Rinpoche, who was born in the upper Do Valley in the
Gyalrong District of eastern Tibet. When the first Dodrupchen Rinpoche
visited Master Jigme Lingpa, that master recognized Dodrupchen as being the
incarnation of the sacred prince Murub Tsepo that was predicted in the
“Guide to Longchen Nying-thik Predictions” and as being the sole possessor
and successor to the Longchen Nying-thik teachings. Thus, Master Jigme
Lingpa bestowed upon Dodrupchen the complete “Direct Transmission from
Buddha” and “Terma (Hidden Treasures)” lineages and authorized him to be
the fundamental dharma possessor of Longchen Nying-thik.
The first, second, third, and fourth
Dodrupchen Rinpoches not only manifested many incredible feats of
supernatural power and wisdom, they also continually transmitted the
Longchen Nying-thik dharma method to all holy beings who had the required
karmic affinity. They thereby trained many famous people to become greatly
accomplished in the dharma.
H.H. the fourth and current Dodrupchen,
Thupten Trinle Palzang Rinpoche, was born in 1927 in the Tsi Village of the
Ser Valley within the Gyalrong District. Almost every day during the time
the rinpoche was in the womb, rainbows appeared in the sky above his
village. Almost every night during that time, people could see the dharma
protecting deity Rahula over the rinpoche’s roof. Moreover, a fresh flower
never before seen in that area blossomed forth upon his roof without having
been planted. That was the exact type of flower H.H. the third Dodrupchen
Rinpoche liked to plant the most when he was living in seclusion. During
the time the rinpoche’s mother was carrying the rinpoche, he would often
disappear from her womb. During her pregnancy, a mysterious light always
accompanied the rinpoche’s mother such that she was able to find things in
the dark without having to use any form of illumination.
Holy events that were much more amazing
occurred after the rinpoche was born. A mani stone once fell from a cliff
and hit the rinpoche. As a result, many of his bones were broken to pieces.
However, all traces of injury miraculously disappeared almost totally a few
hours later. Sometimes the young rinpoche could be clearly seen standing on
the ground but an instant later was on a roof or cliff. Before monks from
the Dodrupchen Monastery came to his house in search of the child who was
the incarnation of the Dodrupchen, the young rinpoche told his parents, who
at the time did not know such monks were coming, “Today guests will come.”
He then began to sing happily. The team of monks who came to investigate
placed before the young rinpoche books, Buddhist rosaries, and other
objects used by the last Dodrupchen Rinpoche as well as objects of others
people, all of which had been mixed together. They had the young rinpoche
select from among the displayed objects. The young rinpoche picked out the
objects he used in his last life without making one mistake. He then said,
“These are mine.” H.H. the fifth Dzogchen Dharma King personally recognized
that this child was H.H. the fourth Dodrupchen Rinpoche.
After the completion of his enthronement
ceremony at the Dodrupchen Monastery, the four-year-old rinpoche stood up
on his dharma throne and smiled as he chanted some verses from the “Vajra
Seven Line Supplication” and the “Request to Padmasambhava.” This won the
great admiration of all of the people in attendance. From the age of five,
the rinpoche began to open directly his own treasury of wisdom accumulated
since beginning-less time. Additionally, he gave oral accounts of these
dharma teachings.
Moreover, in 2007 the International
Buddhism Sangha Association held an unprecedented Drawing Lots From a
Golden Vase Ceremony to affirm the true reincarnated identity of H.H.
Dodrupchen Dharma King and others. There were ten possible identities
recognized by various rinpoches. One lot was drawn from among 120 lots to
affirm the true reincarnated identity of H.H. Dodrupchen Dharma King. That
drawing affirmed that H.H. Dodrupchen Dharma King is the nirmanakaya of
Guru Padmasambhava, which is the reincarnated identity that H.H. Dorje
Chang Buddha III recognized before that lot was drawn.
After His Holiness grew up, he very
seldom manifested supernatural powers except in certain particular
circumstances. Although he did not need to cleanse his mind, accumulate
good fortune, or engage in any other cultivation of this type, in order to
establish a model of true cultivation for living beings, His Holiness
sought dharma from many human masters and completed many years of solitary
retreat. At the age of fifteen, His Holiness was proficient in painting
mandalas, calligraphy, ceramics, architecture, astrology, and many other
skills.
Based upon the predictions of the Dakinis
in 1957 concerning the circumstances Tibet would face, H.H. Dodrupchen
Rinpoche arrived in Sikkim. At first His Holiness did not reveal His
status. However, a greatly accomplished person in Sikkim who was the master
of the king of Sikkim told the king that the true Padmasambhava had arrived
in Sikkim and strongly urged the king to become a disciple of H.H.
Dodrupchen Rinpoche. Later, after repeated entreaties by the king of
Sikkim, His Holiness assumed the position of National Master of Sikkim. His
Holiness also recognized the identity or status of H.E. the seventh
Dzogchen Dharma King and conducted the enthronement ceremony for that
dharma king.
H.H. Dodrupchen Rinpoche has always had a
gentle disposition and has always been a humble, simple person totally
devoid of all affectation. At every moment and wherever he is, his
compassionate conduct serves as a model to guide living beings. The status
of H.H. the fourth Dodrupchen Rinpoche is higher than that of many other
great and holy dharma kings. His disciples can be found in each of the
major lineages. Numerous disciples of His Holiness are world-renown great
masters of their generation, including many famous lineage-holders.
Examples include H.E. the seventh Dzogchen Dharma King; Sogyal Rinpoche;
H.H. Dharma King Renzeng Nima; H.H. Wish Fulfilling Jewel Dharma King Jigme
Phuntsok; H.H. Wish Fulfilling Jewel Dharma King Tuoga; Dakini Dare Lamu
(Nianlong Holy Mother); the king of Sikkim; the fifth Dodrupchen, H.E.
Tudeng Longyang Renzeng Gyatso Dharma King; and others. H.H. the fourth Dodrupchen
Rinpoche is the greatest master and dharma king of the Nyingma sect.
After reading the book A Treasury of True
Buddha-Dharma in December of 2006, H.H. Dodrupchen Dharma King marveled at
the accomplishments of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu and
promptly wrote a congratulatory letter to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.
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