Jamgon Kongtrul

Jamgon Kongtrul
Tibetan name
Transcriptions Wylie 'Jam-mgon Kong-sprul

Jamgon Kongtrul is a Tibetan Buddhist lama and tulku. The first Jamgon Kongtrul, Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye, was one of the preeminent scholars in 19th century Tibet. Tibetan Buddhists believe that he had multiple simultaneous emanations; only one of these, Khyentse Özer, was called the second Jamgon Kongtrul. The recognition of the fourth Jamgon Kongtrul is presently in dispute, complicated by the ongoing controversy regarding the recognition of the genuine reincarnation of H.H. the 17th Karmapa.

The Jamgon Kongtruls are honored as lineage-holders of all the lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, although they are primarily identified with the Karma Kagyu lineage. The Jamgon Kogtruls have had a profound influence on many teachers and masters of the different schools.

The First Jamgon Kongtrul (1813-1899)

The first Jamgon Kongtrul, named Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye (Wylie: 'jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha' yas) was one of the most prominent Buddhist masters in Tibet in the 19th century. He is credited as one of the founders of the Rime movement of Tibetan Buddhism and he compiled what is known as the Five Great Treasuries. He achieved great renown as a scholar and writer, and authored more than one hundred volumes of scriptures.

Subsequent Jamgon Kongtruls

The 15th Karmapa's biography mentions that he had a vision in which he saw 25 simultaneous emanations of the master Jamgon Kongtrul. Preeminent among these was Karsey Kongtrul (Wylie: kar sras kong sprul) (1904-1953), who was said to embody Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye's mind. Karsey Kongtrul was born as the son of the 15th Karmapa. Karsey means "son of the Karmapa"; his formal religious name was as Jamgön Palden Khyentse Özer (Wylie: 'jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i 'od zer).

The third Jamgon Kongtrul, a tulku of Khyentse Özer, was born in 1953. He fled to India in 1959 in the aftermath of the Chinese occupation of Tibet, and grew up at Rumtek Monastery under the care of the 16th Karmapa. Following the Karmapa's death, the third Jamgon Kongtrul was actively involved in the search for his successor. However, he died in a car accident in 1992 before the search could be completed.

The recognition of the fourth Jamgon Kongtrul is presently in dispute, complicated by the ongoing controversy regarding the recognition of the genuine reincarnation of H.H. the 17th Karmapa. There are two candidates both of whom are listed below:

One was born as the son of His Eminence Beru Khyentse Rinpoche on the 17th of December, 1995 in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal on the anniversary of the birth of Tsongkhapa (the 25th of the Tibetan month). In December of 1996, Thaye Dorje named Jamgon Yangsi as Karma Migyur Drakpa Senge Trinley Kunkhyab Palzangpo. When Thaye Dorje first visited Bodhgaya on the 23rd December of 1996, Yangsi Rinpoche despite his young age was able to spontaneously pick up some rice and toss it into the air as a mandala offering, signifying the auspicious connection between Karmapa and Jamgon Kongtrul. In 1997, at H.E. Beru Khyentse Rinpoche's request, H.H. Dalai lama performed the hair-cutting ceremony for Jamgon Yangsi in Bodhgaya. In the year 2000, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, then head of the Nyingma sect, again reconfirmed Jamgon Yangsi as the genuine reincarnation of the Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye.

The other was born around January 1, 1996 near Chushur Dzong in Central Tibet. He was recognized as the reincarnation of the third Jamgon Kongtrul in August of 1996 and was formally tonsured by Urgyen Trinley Dorje later that year. In 1997, he travelled to India and has since lived at the monastery established by the previous Jamgon Kongtrul in Lava, West Bengal. This recognition was confirmed by H.H. the Dalai Lama, H.H. Sakya Trizin, the head of the Sakya sect, and H.H. Mindroling Trichen, now the head of the Nyingma sect. All three performed hair-cutting ceremonies and bestowed names, as is traditional.

Other tulkus of Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye

In addition to Khyentse Özer, there were four other reincarnations of the first Jamgon Kongtrul, including Kalu Rinpoche, who is seen as the incarnation of Lodrö Thaye's activity; Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche; and Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche, among others.

Books by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye

• The Treasury of Knowledge, Book One: Myriad Worlds Snow Lion Publications, 2003. ISBN 1-55939-188-X

• The Treasury of Knowledge, Book Five: Buddhist Ethics Snow Lion Publications, 2003. ISBN 1-55939-191-X

• The Treasury of Knowledge, Book Six, Part 4: Systems of Buddhist Tantra Snow Lion, 2005, ISBN 1-55939-210-X

• The Great Path of Awakening : The Classic Guide to Using the Mahayana Buddhist Slogans to Tame the Mind and Awaken the Heart translated by Ken McLeod, Shambhala, 2000. ISBN 1-57062-587-5

• Buddha Nature, The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra with Commentary Arya Maitreya, with commentary by Jamgon Kongrul Lodro Thaye and Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, Snow Lion, 200. ISBN 1-55939-128-6

• Cloudless Sky commentary by Jamgon Kongrul the Third. Shambhala, 2001. ISBN 1-57062-604-9

• Jamgon Kongtrul's Retreat Manual translated by Ngawang Zangpo. Snow Lion Publications, 1994. ISBN 1-55939-029-8

• The Torch of Certainty Foreword by Chogyam Trungpa. Shambhala, 2000. ISBN 1-57062-713-4

• Creation and Completion: Essential Points of Tantric Meditation translated by Sarah Harding. Wisdom Publications, 2002. ISBN 0-86171-312-5

• The Autobiography of Jamgon Kongtrul: A Gem of Many Colors translated by Richard Barron, Snow Lion Publications, 2003. ISBN 1-55939-184-7

• Sacred Ground: Jamgon Kongtrul on Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography Snow Lion Publications, 2001. ISBN 1-55939-164-2

• Enthronement: The Recognition of the Reincarnate Masters of Tibet and the Himalayas Snow Lion Publications, 1997. ISBN 1-55939-083-2

• The Teacher-Student Relationship Snow Lion Publications, 1999. ISBN 1-55939-096-4

• Essence of Benefit and Joy Siddhi Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9687689-5-4

• Timeless Rapture : Inspired Verse from the Shangpa Masters Snow Lion, 2003. ISBN 1-55939-204-5

• Light of Wisdom, Vol. 1 by Padmasambhava, commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul, translated by Erik Pema Kunsang, Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1999. ISBN 962-7341-37-1

• Light of Wisdom, Vol. II by Padmasambhava, commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul, translated by Erik Pema Kunsang, Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1999. ISBN 962-7341-33-9

• Light of Wisdom, Vol. IV by Padmasambhava, commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul, translated by Erik Pema Kunsang, Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 2001. ISBN 962-7341-43-6 (restricted circulation)

Terma

• Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo

External links

• A Brief Biography by Ven. Bokhar Rinpoche
• A Brief Biography by Alak Zenkar Rinpoche
• 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Karma Lodro Chokyi Senge
• 4th Jamgon Kongtrul Karma Migyur Drakpa Senge