Jamgon Kongtrul Tibetan Buddhist lama. Country: India

Content:

1. Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye
2. Vast Knowledge and Teachings
3. Literary Legacy: "The Five Great Treasuries"
4. - The Treasury of Excellent Explanation
5. Other Works
6. Death and Legacy

Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye

Birth and Lineage

Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, a renowned Tibetan Buddhist lama, was born on December 2, 1813, in Rongyab, near Pema Lhatse, in Drida Salmgang, Eastern Tibet. His adopted father, Sonam Pel, was a tantric layman from the Bön tradition, while his mother was Trashi Tso.

In his autobiography, Kongtrul revealed that his biological father was Yungdrung Tendzin, a notable lama from the nearly extinct Kyungpo or Garuda lineage. His mother's marriage to Yungdrung Tendzin was intended to perpetuate this precious lineage. Kongtrul meticulously recounted the divine lineage of the Kyungpo ancestors, which included eminent figures from both Buddhist and Bön traditions: the Buddhist Milarepa, Kyungpo Naljor, and the first Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa; and the Bönpo tertons Lodën Nyingpo and Trashi Gyeltshen.

Vast Knowledge and Teachings

Jamgon Kongtrul received extensive teachings and empowerments from masters of all Tibetan Buddhist schools. Along with Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Chogyur Lingpa, he established the non-sectarian Rime tradition.

Literary Legacy: "The Five Great Treasuries"

Kongtrul authored or compiled approximately ninety volumes covering various subjects. His principal work, traditionally known as "The Five Great Treasuries" (mDzod chen lnga), was named by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.

- The Treasury of Excellent Explanation

- The Treasury of Kagyü Mantrascontains mandala practices of thirteen tantric deities, along with ancient and new tantras (some transmitted by Marpa the Translator), teachings on tantric completion stages, empowerment rituals, and various lungs. It comprises six volumes.

- The Treasury of Precious Gem Termascontains empowerments, teachings, rituals, and instructions for performing retreats on all the terma cycles discovered by Kongtrul. It begins with "earth treasures" from tertons such as Nyamrel Nyima Öser, Guru Chokyi Wangchuk, Longchenpa, Rigdzin Gödem, Tangtong Gyalpo, and various lingpas (gling-pa), including Rinchen Lingpa, Dorje Lingpa, Karma Lingpa, Padma Lingpa, Lhatro Lingpa, and Chokling, as well as Bön treasure discoverers. The second part contains teachings from the "mind treasures" and "pure visions" of tertons like the Fifth Dalai Lama, Dorje Thogsmed Tsal, Namchö Mikyur Dorje, and Jigme Lingpa. The final part collects terma teachings that had become rare transmissions; it includes a collection of texts on the minor termas with commentaries. The entire work consists of sixty volumes.

- The Treasury of Key Instructionscontains empowerments and instructions related to eight Tibetan lineages of practice: Nyingma, Kadam, Sakya, Marpa-Kagyu, Shangpa-Kagyu, pacifying harm (zhi byed), yoga of indestructible states (rDo-rje rnal-’byor), the three indestructible states of approach and accomplishment (rDo-rje gsum-gi-bsnyen-sgrub), and a ninth section on various teachings from other lineages. It comprises twelve volumes.

- The Treasury of Extraordinary Secret Instructions, for which Jamyang Khyentse wrote fifteen introductory essays, includes "The Union of the Minds of the Three Roots" and other teachings traced back to the Yellow Scrolls (containing terma teachings) and mind treasures discovered by Kongtrul himself. It consists of seven volumes.

Other Works

In addition to these extensive works, Kongtrul wrote on rituals, recorded instructions for disciples, authored philosophical treatises, and addressed Indian and Chinese astrology, medicine, grammar, and more. His vast literary legacy gives the impression of a life dedicated to writing. However, he devoted most of his time to personal retreats and various practices, often writing, as he stated, "in between meditation sessions."

Death and Legacy

Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye passed away at the age of eighty-seven, on Thursday, December 28, 1899, amidst many auspicious signs.

Religious figure

Jim Humble	Oswald Chambers	Stanislaw Dziwisz
Mordecai Kaplan	Marino Falier	Gilliom Monfor