Biography of Dudjom Lingpa

A Concise Biography of the Wrathful Tertön Dudjom Lingpa

“Swiftly Bestowing Blessings”
(Blessed Essence of His Liberated Life)

He who wields the thunderbolt of non-human spontaneous presence,
Who bursts open the treasury of Samantabhadra’s wisdom from the expanse,
The actual wrathful king, the sky-wandering yogin beyond fixation---
To the dance-master, the heroic Dudjom Lingpa, I offer my prayer.

Name: His principal name was Dudjom Lingpa, known as the Wrathful Tertön.
Previous Incarnation: His immediate previous incarnation was Düd’dül Rolpa Tsal. He himself stated that he was an emanation of Droban Khye’u Chung, the young nomadic boy who was a disciple of Guru Padmasambhava.
Birthplace: He was born at Drak Lhak Khung, in the Rabgang area of Minyak, in the region of Do-Kham (eastern Tibet).
Lineage: His clan lineage was Gnubs (Nup).
His father was A-ten, of the Gnubs clan.
His mother was Domu Tsomo Dzok.
Birth: He was born in 1835 CE,
Corresponding to the Wood Sheep year of the 14^th^ Rabjung, on the 10th day of the first lunar month.
Prophecies: He was prophesied in more than ten ancient treasure (terma) cycles, and was widely recognized as the emanation of the nomadic boy Khye’u Chung.
Early Life and Signs: From the age of three onwards, he experienced numerous pure visions, including appearances of heroes and ḍākinīs, life-binding rituals, and practices for removing obstacles. At one point, he journeyed in vision to the northern pure realm of Berya Nangwa, where he met the Buddha-King “Invincible by Others” (Dön-mi-za) and was appointed as his regent. Through this visionary experience, memories of his former lives were awakened, and all obstacles were decisively overcome. At the age of ten, due to his extremely wild and unrestrained nature, his uncle attempted to force him into monastic ordination.
Teachers and Training: In accordance with prophecy, he entered the presence of Lama Jamyang at Dünchö Gor, where he received teachings, including preliminary instruction in reading and writing, as well as the complete treasure cycles of Dud’dül Dorje. He then engaged in the practice of Tögal (direct transcendence).
Direct Visions and Awakening: Guru Padmasambhava appeared to him directly and bestowed the complete introduction to the view of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), along with numerous oral instructions. Without relying on ordinary effort, the latent familiarity from previous lives spontaneously awakened. He was embraced by the wisdom-illusory bodies of non-human teachers of spontaneous presence, including the Great Mother Tröma, Saraswati, the Eight Vidyādharas, the Twenty-Five Lords and Disciples, Longchen Rabjam, and many others. His discriminating wisdom blazed without limitation, and profound mind-treasures burst forth from the expanse of awareness.
Treasure Revelations: At the age of twenty-five, urged by Guru Padmasambhava, his consort, and the ḍākinīs, he revealed numerous treasure inventories:
- From Rwa-gu Rock, he extracted a principal treasure catalogue
- From Ngül-gö Rock, a secondary catalogue
- From Ser-mé Dorje Drak, seven treasure chests containing teachings of the Three Roots and their Dharma protectors

For a time, he resided in Lithang, where patrons referred to him as the Lithang Tertön. Later, he established seats at Mardo Trashi Gakyil and Dröphug Khandro Düling.
In his fifty-fifth year, the Wood Ox year, he unlocked the seals of the profound treasures and gradually transcribed them from yellow scrolls into ordinary script.
Whatever arose spontaneously, he enacted the conduct of a victorious one, and thus all regarded him as an object of awe and reverence.

Disciples and Activities

Among those foretold by prophecy, eight heart-sons of the incarnation lineage appeared. Although he intended to open the hidden land of Pemakö (Padma-kod), circumstances temporarily prevented this. More than ten tertöns who were direct disciples, thirteen rainbow-body achievers, hundreds of accomplished vidyādharas, and countless others arose. His enlightened activities spread in all directions. His revealed treasures and collected works comprise nineteen volumes.

Passing into Peace

At the age of sixty-nine, on the 8th day of the 11th lunar month of the Water Hare year (1904), he passed peacefully into the expanse. (Those wishing for a more extensive account should consult his own secret autobiography, the Zhal-gsung Ma.)
May the profound treasure teachings of the Lotus lineage of the Early Translation Great Perfection -
The essential chariot of definitive meaning revealed by Dudjom Lingpa---
Remain undiminished until the end of existence,
And be upheld through explanation and practice!

Compiled and published by the Dudjom Tersar Empowerment and Transmission Committee. Virtue!