TSULTRIM ZANGPO (1884-c.1957)*

Tsultrim Zangpo, also known as Tulku Tsurlo, one of the greatest Tibetan scholars of recent times, was an important student of Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa, as well as the author of his secret biography and a lineage-holder of his terma teachings. He was also a student of the Third Dodrupchen Jikmé Tenpé Nyima and of Amye Khenpo Damchö Özer of Dodrupchen Monastery. Khenpo Damchö said of him on one occasion, “I am just a dog, but I have a lion for a student.” Although it was notoriously difficult to meet Dodrup Jikmé Tenpé Nyima in his later years, Tsurlo was able to do so because of his work as a scribe. He copied many texts for Dodrupchen Rinpoche’s personal library and used the work as an opportunity to get access to Rinpoche and to receive clarifications.

Tsultrim Zangpo’s father was Gonpo Wangyal and his mother was Shyiwam Tso, daughter of Khordong Terchen Nuden Dorje. His main residence was at Shukjung (shugs ‘byung) monastery in the Do Valley, which is located about 15 to 20 miles from Dodrupchen Monastery and which belongs to the Northern Treasures (byang gter) tradition. He also spent time at Khordong monastery, which was under the care of his younger brother, Gyurme Dorje.

Tsultrim Zangpo was a monk who upheld the Vinaya, as well as an accomplished tantric adept, and among his writings is a two-volume commentary on Ngari Panchen’s Ascertainment of the Three Types of Vows (sdom gsum rnam nges), as well as several texts on Dzogchen, including an instruction manual (khrid yig) for the Gongpa Zangthal, which has been translated into English by Tulku Thondup#, and a commentary on the famous Prayer of Kuntuzangpo. His other writings include a commentary to Padmasambhava’s Garland of Views+ and many works related to the tantras of the New Translation tradition.

Those who saw him say that he looked statuesque, seated in meditation posture, hardly ever moving, and with an impressive white beard.

He was the root teacher of Khordong Tertrul Chhimed Rigdzin Rinpoche, popularly known as C.R. Lama (1922-2002), as well as Tulku Gyenlo and Zhichen Öntrul, who passed away recently in Tibet.

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Footnotes

* The birth year of 1884 is given in Tulku Thondup’s Masters of Meditation and Miracles. According to the Khordong monastery website he died at the age of seventy-three. We know that he wrote the secret biography of Tertön Sogyal in 1942.

# This translation of the commentary to the Gongpa Zangthal is not yet published.

+ The Garland of Views by Padmasambhava was translated by James Low and is available in his book Simple Being: Texts in the Dzogchen Tradition (Wisdom Books, 1998). Also available in French and German.

Links

Table of Contents for Tulku Tsullo's Collected Works on Lotsawa School

With friendly permission partly taken from the Lotsawa School website: http://www.lotsawahouse.org/

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