H.H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche Shedrub Nyinje Thinley Palzangpo

His Holiness Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche Shedrub Nyinje Thinley Palzangpo who was the sixth head of the Nyingma tradition. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso praised him with these words: “Like the sun in the sky, free from attachment and obstacles to upholding the Buddha’s teachings through explanation and practice, your excellent activities liberate beings. I pray to you as a sibling of the lotus-born Buddha (Padmasambhava).”

Similarly, His Holiness Dudjom Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje acclaimed him: “Great chariot of the vast ocean of Buddha’s teachings, sutra and tantra, Shedrub Nyinje Thinley Palzangpo…” Many other scholars and accomplished masters offered flowers of praise to this great elder who embodies discipline, this supreme being who holds the precious jewel of knowledge.

Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche was born in the Fire Rabbit year of the 16th Rabjung cycle (1927) in a place called Phunkyil in Nakartse, Yardrok region of Central Tibet, to father Namgyal Dorje and mother Dorje Drolma. The 9th Drodrak Rigzin, Thupten Chowang Nyamnyi Dorje, recognized him as the reincarnation of Taklung Tulku Thupten Chokyi Nyima. In 1931, he offered his first hair-cutting ceremony to Chuzang Pema Ngedon Tenpai Nyima, who bestowed upon him the name Shedrub Nyinje Thinley Zangpo and granted him many teachings.

He entered Thupten Dorje Drak Monastery as an ordinary monk and studied comprehensively under the tutors Thupten Yeshe and Thupten Wangyal, from basic reading and writing to all traditional practices, eventually becoming a Vajra Master. He received countless profound teachings, empowerments, transmissions, and instructions in sutra, tantra, and all fields of knowledge from teachers including Lama Pawo Rinpoche, Gotsa Khenchen Thekchok Tenzin, the 14th Dalai Lama, Previous Shechen Rabjam, Kagyur Rinpoche, Polo Khenpo, Minling Khenchen Gyurmed Khyentse, Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, Trulshik Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and Nyoshul Khenchen.

In 1959, he arrived in India as a refugee and established Thupten Dorje Drak Monastery with its sacred objects in Yangchen Gatsal settlement in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. He founded Thubten Lungtok Shedrub Phende Ling for Higher Buddhist study and Thekchok Osal Ling for Three-year retreat, thus preserving, maintaining, and propagating the teachings through both study and practice, and restoring the traditions of the Awareness Holders lineage.

He also established a branch monastery called Do Ngak Ling in Choglamsar, Ladakh, and, as requested by the Tibetan Administration, founded Dudul Ling Monastery at Serthi (Sakti) in Ladakh. The monastic community grew to over two hundred monks. He bestowed novice and full ordination vows and disseminated various profound teachings including the Precious Treasury of Terma (Rinchen Terdzo) and Kama transmissions throughout India, Nepal, Bhutan, Poland and many other countries.

In 2012, following the request of the entire Nyingma community, he accepted the position of the sixth head of the Nyingma tradition, bestowing great kindness upon the teachings until his passing in 2015.

His written compositions include: Notes on the Northern Treasures (Jangter) Avalokiteshvara practice and instructions; Manual for Drowa Kundrol; Notes on the necessary practices for the Rigzin Dungdrup; Notes on the daily ritual and tenth-day feast offerings connected with the medium-length manual of the Thugdrup Drakpotsal; Arrangement of the four-session recitation for the Vajrakilaya practice; The cloud of offerings pleasing to the Dharma protectors called “The Vajra Steadfast Protectress” (Neysung Dorje Rabten mai Solcho); Supplication to the red-faced yaksha (Tsiu Mar); Notes on the torma offering and exorcism of the Northern Treasures Vajrakilaya; The treasure texts of the Northern Treasures practice cycles; Text on the tenth-day sacred dances; History of the Dorje Drak lineage at Shimla; History of the Drak Monastery lineage; Autobiography; Abbreviated White Umbrella exorcism (Dukkar Duipa); Abbreviated Vajrakilaya exorcism (PhurDok Diupa); Calling the Lama from afar; Several extensive and abbreviated Guru Yoga practices; Various long-life prayers and many other minor compositions.

All the activities of his enlightened body, speech, mind, and secret qualities are beyond conceptual understanding. Even bodhisattvas dwelling on the grounds who have attained the vajra speech could not describe even a fraction of these, so how could they be within the scope of experience for ordinary beings like us? Nevertheless, to plant seeds of faith in disciples, we can describe what appeared commonly to disciples:

He spread the vows and tradition of the Vinaya (monastic discipline), the root of the teachings. In accordance with the dispositions and interests of disciples, he showered the nectar rain of all profound teachings from the ocean of scriptures, treasures, tantras, and pith instructions. He beat the great divine drum, raised the banner of renown, and excellently hoisted the victory banner of Dharma.

Abiding as the embodiment of the all-pervading lord Vajradhara, the universal ancestor of all the buddhas, throughout his entire life he never engaged even slightly in worldly concerns or activities inconsistent with the sacred Dharma. He was extremely precise in his practice of the Vinaya, the root of the Buddha’s teachings. He attained high realization and experiences of great bliss, Dzogpachenpo. Yet in his daily conduct, he never displayed any flamboyant behavior, but rather practiced accepting and rejecting according to the subtle law of cause and effect, remaining humble, peaceful, and gentle while working solely for the benefit of the teachings and beings.

Finally, at the supreme place where a thousand and two fortunate buddhas attain perfect enlightenment, the great Vajrasana stupa (at Bodhgaya), he circumambulated morning and evening while making pure aspirations, including the Noble Aspiration for Excellent Conduct. In his residence during evening sessions, he would recite the Liberation from Attachment practice without interruption, and especially the complete supplication to the lineage masters of his own Northern Treasures tradition, followed by extensive dedication prayers.

At the end, in the female Wood Sheep year of the 17th Rabjung cycle, Tibetan Royal Year 2141, on the 13th day of the 11th Tibetan month (December 23, 2016), at dawn, earlier than usual at 1 o’clock, he arose and completed his regular morning meditation session and offering of tormas. Immediately afterward, for the sake of disciples attached to permanence, he temporarily withdrew his outer luminous form into the inner luminous primordial expanse (entered into Parinirvana).