His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang

Short Biography

His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, the 37

throne holder of the Drikung KagyuLineage and 7

reincarnation of the Chetsang Rinpoche is a manifestation of Chenrezig(Avalokiteshvara).Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, Konchog Tenzin Kunsang Thrinle Lhundrup, was born on the4

day of the 6

Tibetan month of the Fire-Dog-Year 1946 into the aristocratic family of Tsarong in Lhasa. This auspicious day marks the anniversary of the Buddha’s first turningof the Wheel of Dharma. Many prodigious signs and visions accompanied his birth. Hisgrandfather, Dasang Damdul Tsarong (1888-1959), has been the favorite of the 13

DalaiLama (1876-1933), Commander General of the Tibetan army and one of the mostinfluential political figures in the early 20

century in Tibet. Chetsangs father, DundulNamgyal Tsarong (b. 1920), held a high office in the Tibetan Government and he was stillactive in important positions for the Exile Government in Dharamsala after the escape of the Dalai Lama and the cabinet ministers. His mother, Yangchen Dolkar, is from the noblehouse of Ragashar, which descended from the ancient royal dynasty.Few years after the passing of the previous Drikung Kyabgon, Shiwe Lodro (1886-1943),two parties began to look for his reincarnation throughout Tibet. Based on a vision of theDrikung regent Tritsab Gyabra Rinpoche (1924-1979) at the oracular lake Lhamo Latsoand on many additional divinatory signs, in 1950 the son of the Tsarong family wasrecognized as the reincarnation of the Drikung Kyabgon. The boy subsequently passednumerous tests, such as identifying religious items and ritual objects of his formerincarnations. His incarnation was further confirmed by divinations performed by TaktraRinpoche (the Regent of Tibet), H.H. the 16

Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, and H.H.Taklung Matrul.In the fall of 1950 the formal enthronement as Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang took place atDrikung Thil, the main monastery of the Drikung Kagyu order. Immediately thereafter thefirst Chinese invasion of Tibet took place. Rinpoche was allowed to travel to Kalimpong inNorthern India with his family, in order to stay in a safe place. His older brother and histwo sisters were attending boarding-schools in Darjeeling. After some months Rinpochewas met by a delegation from the Drikung monastery and brought back to Tibet.According to ancient tradition, Chetsang Rinpoche resided in turns in one of the four mainmonasteries: In the spring in Drikung Tse, during the summer in Yangrigar, in autumn inDrikung Thil, and during the winter in Drikung Dzong, which also served as theadministrative center of Drikung. His spiritual instructors (yongzin), Tritsab GyabraRinpoche and Ayang Thubten Rinpoche (1899-1966), were responsible for his education.His curriculum included reading, writing, memorizing, astrology, and grammar. From hisyongzin and from Bhalok Thupten Chodrak Rinpoche, Lho Bongtrul Rinpoche, andNyidzong Tripa he received the basic empowerments, transmissions, and teachings of theKagyu tradition and the Drikung Kagyu tradition in particular.

At the age of eleven, Drikung Kyabgon gave his first public teaching and transmission, along-life empowerment, during the 1956 Monkey Year ceremonies of the Great DrikungPhowa. Subsequently he began his philosophical studies at the Nyima Changra monasticcollege of Drikung. Although he was four years younger he studied together with thesecond Drikung lineage holder, Chungtsang Rinpoche. His instructor was Bopa TulkuDongag Tenpa (1907-1959), introducing him to the philosophy of Madhyamaka. He firststudied basic texts, like

The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva

by Ngulchu Thogme Zangpoand

Introduction to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life

(

Bodhicharyāvatāra

) by Shāntideva.Soon thereafter Tibet underwent a great upheaval. In the wake of the Tibetan uprising of 1959, as many Tibetans fled the country, among them the Dalai Lama, the cabinetministers and a host of spiritual dignitaries, several attempts were launched to bringChetsang Rinpoche and Chungtsang Rinpoche out of Tibet into safety. These attemptsfailed because of the inexorable resistance of the monastery manager. Rinpoche’s familyhad already fled to India in 1956.The monks in the Drikung monastery were put under house arrest, and ChetsangRinpoche had to endure with them for months Communist indoctrinations. After somemonth Tritsab Gyabra, who had left the monastery some years before, took Rinpoche tolive with him in Lhasa under rather dismal conditions. In 1960, Drikung Kyabgon wasadmitted into an elementary school in Lhasa. In very short time he mastered the subjectmatters of several classes, being able to finish the six years of education in only threeyears. Thereafter he was admitted to the Jerag Lingka middle school. The subjects thereincluded Chinese, natural sciences, history, and biology. Chetsang Rinpoche excelled inhis studies, especially in Chinese. He also became a keen athlete and a passionate andbrilliant soccer player.When the Red Guards infiltrated the schools at the onset of the Cultural Revolution in1966, Chetsang Rinpoche found himself caught up in the midst of the factional fighting of two opposing groups of Red Guards. Classes and business came to a halt. Manyaristocrats and Rinpoches had to undergo brutal “people’s tribunals” known as strugglesessions. Chetsang could no longer stay with Tritsab Gyabra, who had fallen from grace.He lived at the school, where he cooked for the few remaining schoolmates and studiedthe books he found in the school’s library. Lhasa sank into chaos. In this atmosphere of anarchy Rinpoche several times was saved by a fraction from certain death.In 1969, he was assigned to a commune in the countryside, where he had to carry outthe hardest physical labor. A partly decayed verminous shack on top of a sheep pen washis shelter. He did not own more than a pot and a cup and some slats to sleep on. Anuncle, who came to visit him one day, struggled against his tears, stunned that hisnephew was living in such squalor. But Chetsang Rinpoche always reacted with greatequanimity to all the many upheavals in his live. When the uncle became aware of theserene calmness pervading every aspect of Chetsang’s being, he compared him withMilarepa, who lived in comfortless caves and outwardly austere, but inwardly excessivelyrich spiritual life.In the spring and in summer Chetsang Rinpoche drudged on the fields of the work unit.In autumn he had to climb high mountains to cut firewood for the commune and carry

home heavy loads. In the winter he had to shovel out the sewage from the cesspits inLhasa and carry it to the farm. Despite the strenuous labor, Chetsang helped others,whenever he could. Nobody knew that he was the Drikung Kyabgon Rinpoche, but hisextraordinary deeds amazed many.Due to his class background as aristocrat and high incarnate lama there was no prospectfor Chetsang in Communist occupied Tibet. After meticulous planning, he finally found ameans of escape in 1975. This was at a time when China had established a tight systemof spies and informers all over Tibet and the military had a close grip of control, so thatonly few succeeded to take flight. He set out alone and without help to cross the borderof Tibet into Nepal across high passes and glaciers. The Drikung Kyabgon accomplishedwhat was thought to be impossible. Unscathed he reached Nepal and eventually theresidence of the Dalai Lama at Dharamsala.Rinpoche conceded to the appeals of the Drikung lamas in exile and so he was againsymbolically enthroned as the Drikung Kyabgon during a ceremony with the Dalai Lama.By this act he expressed the promise to take responsibility for the lineage in the future.Initially though, he traveled to the USA, where his parents had in the meantimeemigrated to. There he learned English, while earning his living as a part-time at aMcDonald's and other restaurants.During the third year of his stay he received a very rare ancient Tibetan text uncoveredin Nepal dealing with the history of the throne holders of the Drikung Order and writtenby his former incarnation, the 4

Chetsang Peme Gyaltsen (1770-1826). He startedanalyzing this work and studying the history of Tibet, of the Drikung Kagyu, and of hisformer incarnations. Shortly thereafter he returned to India in 1978, to take on the leadof the Drikung Kagyu Lineage as its throne holder.For many years in occupied Tibet and in the USA, Drikung Kyabgon had outwardly led thelife of a layman. Nonetheless he had always strictly kept his monk’s vows. Now heresumed his monastic lifestyle once again and took up residence at Phyang Monastery inLadakh. Instantly he entered a traditional three year retreat at Lamayuru Monasteryunder the guidance of the stern meditation master Kyunga Sodpa Gyatso (1911-1980).Drikung Kyabgon studied with numerous highly accomplished lamas and Rinpoches of different traditions and received from them teachings and initiations. He regards DilgoKhyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991) as one of his most important teachers. He received fromhim the essential teachings of the Eight Practice Lineages of Tibetan Buddhism (

DamNgag Dzo

), the highest Dzogchen teachings (

Nyingtig Yashi

), as well as the collectedwritings of Jamgon Kongtrul (

Gyachen Kadzo

) and the treasury of the oral Kagyutransmissions (

Kagyu Ngag Dzo

). In addition he received precious teachings andempowerments from H.H. the Dalai Lama (

Chakrasamvara

Kālachakra,

and

Yamantāka