The 1st Jamgon Kongtrul lived from 1813 until 1899 and is revered worldwide to this day as one of the most brilliant stars in the galaxy of scholars and saints from Tibet.(1) He became learned in the ten ordinary and extraordinary branches of knowledge, and it became his responsibility to explain and compose texts, which incorporated a great number of teachings from both the old and new traditions, including the lineages of oral teachings, hidden treasures (terma), and teachings of pure vision.(2)
❀ Buddha Shakyamuni’s Prophesy ❀
Jamgon Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye was prophesied by Buddha Shakyamuni in the Samadhirajasutra and foretold in many Treasure Teachings by Guru Padmasambhava. The following line from the Lankavatarasutra is taken as a prophecy referring to him: “In a later age there will come a great hero, called Lodrö the Guide, a teacher of the five sciences.”(3)
❀ Jamgon Kongtrul’s Family ❀
Jamgon Kongtrul was born into a Bönpo family on December 14th in the year of the water-horse in Rong-gyab. This little village is situated near Pema Lhatse, which is one of three sacred mountains in Do-Kham, East Tibet. His father, Yungdrung Tenzin (an illustrious Lama of the Kyunpo clan) was killed in a war that raged in his homeland. Jamgon Kongtrul’s mother, Tashitso, married Sönampäl after her husband’s death. He was a lay practitioner of Bön and transmitted the teachings and rituals of the indigenous tradition of Tibet to his stepson.(4)
❀ A Terton ❀
The 1st Jamgon Kongtrul was supposed to be a Terma Revealer, a Terton (revealer), just like Chokgyur Lingpa, but after seeing how the very ancient, sacred Termas of the past had been lost from this world he decided to preserve the past Termas by compiling them into volumes. He formally requested Chokyur Lingpa to please see if Guru Rinpoche would allow him to begin, while he also realized that by doing this work it might well mean that he would have to give up his own Terma that he was suppose to reveal during this time.
A few days later Chokgyur Rinpoche replied to the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul, “Guru Rinpoche is very happy with your proposal. Please proceed.” That is how we have the the Rinchin Terdzod today. Guru Rinpoche granted his permission for the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul to give up his duty of being a Terton (revealer) in paving the way for the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul to compile the Termas of the past.
❀ The Five Great Treasures ❀
Jamgon Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye the Great authored and compiled more than ninety volumes of scriptures. They are referred to as “The Five Great Treasures, mDzöd chen lnga.” In the chronological (and not hierarchical) order in which he composed them, they are:
“Shecha Dzö, Shes bya kung khyab mdzöd – The Encompassment of All Knowledge“ (an extensive compendium that succinctly elucidates the logical progression through the study and practices of the paths taught in Sutra and Tantra and the final fruition);
- “The Kagyü Ngagdzö, bKa’ brgyüd sngags mdzöd – The Treasury of Mantra of the Kagyü School” (a compendium of practices, ancient and new Tantras, accompanied by the completion stage of the Tantra, the rites of empowerment, and various authorizations);
- “Dam Ngagdzö, gDams ngag mdzöd – The Treasury of Precious Key Instructions” (the collected instructions of the Eight Great Lineages practiced in Tibet. These teachings reveal the essence of Jamgon Kongtrul’s open-mindedness since they are a collection of instructions gathered impartially from other sources rather than from his own summary of them);
- “Rinchen Terdzö, Rin chen gter mdzö – The Precious Treasure Teachings” (a collection of the Termas that Jamgon Kongtrul found, gathered, compiled, and arranged for initiations with the help of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Chogyur Lingpa);
- “Gyachen Kadzö, rGya chen bka’ mdzöd – The Treasury of Vast Teachings“ (a collection of writings, such as praises and advice, as well as compositions on medicine, science, and so on).(5)
❀ Like A Second Buddha ❀
The 1st Jamgon Kongtrul served all traditions of Dharma without any bias, through his teaching, practice, and activity. At the age of eighty-seven on January 19, 1899, he passed away.(6)
References:
[1][3-5] take from the Kagyu Golden Rosary, http://bit.ly/db1h5e
[2 & 6] http://www.jamgonkongtrul.org/namthar1.htm