User:J.S.Halven/sandbox

Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje


Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje (མདོ་མཁྱེན་བརྩེ་ཡེ་ཤེས་རྡོ་རྗེ། Do mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje) was born in 1800 in the Golok region of Amdo to nomadic parents. His father was Chokor Sonampel (chos skor bsod nams 'phal) of the Golok Akyong clan, and his mother was Tsewang Men (tshe dbang sman) of the Dawa clan.

The First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Ozer (rdo grub chen 01 'jigs med phrin las 'od zer, 1745-1821), who would become his main teacher, and the Second Dzogchen Ponlob, Pema Sangngak Tendzin (rdzogs chen dpon slob 02 padma gsang sngags bstan 'dzin, 1731-1805), both recognized him as the body emanation of Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa, 1729-1798). Soon after the recognition his parents moved him to Dodrubchen's encampment, later also following him to Dzogchen Monastery (rdzogs chen dgon) and to the Derge court.

As a child, Yeshe Dorje was taken to U to be enthroned at Jigme Lingpa's seat, Tseringjong (tshe ring ljongs). He received novice vows from the Fourth Drigung Chetsang, Tendzin Pemai Gyeltsen ('bri gung che tshang 04 bstan 'dzin pad+ma'i rgyal mtshan, 1770-1826). After taking teachings and empowerments from other lamas of Tibet such as the Eighth Tsurpu Gyeltsab, Chopel Zangpo (mtshur phu rgyal tshab 08 chos dpal bzang po, 1766-1820), who gave him the Yutok Nyingtik and the collected works of the Karmapas and of Gampopa.

Yeshe Dorje then returned to Kham. At Katok Monastery (kaH thog dgon) he trained in tsalung (rtsa lung) and received empowerments from Getrul Mahapaṇḍita (dge sprul mahApaNDita) and the Second Drime Zhingkyong, Jigme Rigdzin Gonpo (dri med zhing skyong 02 'jigs med rig 'dzin mgon po, d.u.) in Guhyagarbha, Māyājāla, and the Rong tradition of Vajrakīlaya. It was Dodrubchen who served as his root guru, training in the full range of teachings in sutra and tantra of both the new and old translation lineages.

Dodrubchen instructed Yeshe Dorje to live the life of a lay tantrika. Although he would receive students in his encampment he would also wander the region in the guise of a deer hunter, allegedly reviving the animals he struck down. In keeping with his status as a fully accomplished siddha he became known for other supernatural abilities as well, including flight, passing through solid objects, and the subjugation of non-human entities. He was also known to commune with a wide array of deities, including Padmasambhava, hosts of ḍākinī, and great saints of previous eras.