In Tibet, during the time of the great Buddhist king, Songtsen Gonpo, he took rebirth as the religious minister Thoenmi Sambhota, and Geylong (lit. monk) Purna Shri in Belmo Tshawa Rong, benefiting many sentient beings through his altruistic activities.  Later, in the 8th Century, during the time of Khen-Lop-Choe-Sum (the trio of Khenpo Shantarakshita, Lopon Padma Jungne, and Choegyal Thrisong Deutsen), he took rebirth as the great translator Vairocana and illuminated the darkness in the land of Tibet by spreading the buddhadharma, which was like the luminosity of hundreds of suns.

He then benefited the sentient beings and the buddhadharma in the form of 13 great saints: Terton Drapa Ngoenshe, Guru Nyoentse, Rongzom Choezang, Rashak Terton, Zhikpo Nima Singye, Drubthob Ngedup, Chungdrak Lhabum, Khyungpo Naljor, Tempa Zhungdzin, Jodhar Choezang, Yakdhe Panchen, Geshe Nyamdro and Tshelthang Trulku.

Likewise, as per the prophesy of Guru Rinpoche, Terton Dorji Lingpa was born at Dranang Oentsa of Tibet to father Khutoen Sonam Gyeltshen and mother Karmo Gyen, in 1346 C.E., corresponding to the Fire Dog Year of the 6th Rabjung Cycle, and was named Ugyen Zangpo. As a child, he could vividly say about his previous life, and he could understand everything upon merely teaching just the concepts. In his vision, he saw Guru Rinpoche and was prophesied to discover tantric treasure teachings from Namchag Drag. At the age of seven, he received novice vows from  Kuenkhen Threpa. He received the teachings on both old and new traditions of the secret mantra from Lama Menlung, Trulku Shakya Zhoenpa, and Tokdhen Dorji Gyeltshen, and became accomplished in receiving teachings, analyzing, and contemplating.

As prophesied, for the first time, he revealed the treasure teachings on accomplishing lama, yidham, and khandro (guru, deity, and dakini) from Thradruk, at the age of thirteen. After that, when he was revealing treasures at Namkoe Drag, he saw Guru Rinpoche in person. Guru Rinpoche bestowed empowerments and blessings, and entrusted him with treasure teachings, treasure wealth, and treasure pills. Likewise, from other places, he revealed treasure teachings like: Duepa Korzhi (Four Concise Cycles), Zurpa Gyed (Eight Accessory Cycles), Longyang Phama Nyi (Father-like and Mother-like Cycles on Free-Expanse-Teachings), Dzogchen Korchu (Ten Cycles on Dzogchen),  Nyime Nyidha Khajor (Non-Duality Cycle called “The Union of Sun and Moon”), and Hungkor Nyingthik, (Hung-called Cycle on Essential-Drop-Teachings), and others.

Further, he discovered many treasure statues such as the life-size statue of Dorji Sempa (Vajrasattava) made of white bronze, a Guru Rinpoche substitute statue called Tongwa Dhondhen (lit. granting the boon of productivity upon seeing), a statue of Drakpo Ugu (nine-head ferocious deity), a statue of Ta-Phag (union of Hayagriva and Vajravarahi), a vaseful of sacred water of longevity, sacred pills, and others. As per the prophesy of Guru Rinpoche, he bestowed the empowerments of Zhithro Drildrup (an integrated practice of peaceful and wrathful deities), and also performed sinon (a ritual performed to subdue evil spirits), jinsek (fire offering ritual), and shakong (expiation ritual) for one hundred and eight times each in order to overcome the frontier war of Lhasa and for the welfare of entire sentient beings.

At the age of 25, he had a vision of a young disciplined monk holding shang (a ritualistic musical instrument of Bon religion), and a vajra in his hand. Pointing towards the south, the monk said, “Your prosperity and welfare of sentient beings is better in that direction. Take the general and detailed instructions, and head there.” As prophesied, he visited Lhomon (currently known as Bhutan). At Paro Taktshang, he bestowed empowerments and also performed the rituals–shakong, tordhok, nyenpa (same as sinon), and a hundred times of jinsek–to keep the sentient beings of Lhomon away from sufferings of future frontier wars.

Moreover, he discovered the Bon treasures like the secret mantra of Chipung (lit. general compilation), dzogchen teachings of Bon called Serthur (lit. golden spoon), and so forth.  He even discovered treasure teachings, sacred pills, and others from Dzongdrakha, Lingmochu Warphu, Goen Tshephu, Baeyul Langdra, and Umteng Tsho. He also visited and built monasteries in places like Khothang Rinchenling, Shar Dhangchu Choedzong Gang, Bumthang, and others. Lingmokha became his main seat and was named Dechen Phodrang. There, he extensively engaged in spiritual activities, due to which the profound buddhadharma flourished widely in Lhomon. His biographies state that the seat was later looked after by his lineage holder Dungse Choeying Jamtsho and his hereditary sons for a long time.  However, it is really disheartening that even the ruins of the seat can’t be seen to these days.

As prophesied, Terton (treasure revealer) went to places near Dejong (Sikkim) and greatly benefited the beings there through activities like discovering treasures, and others, so that the place came to be known as Dorji Ling. However, due to changes in their accent, the place is currently known as Darjeeling. From there, he went back to Tibet and revealed many treasures from Riwo Phukmoche. Among the treasures, texts on Yamantaka and five kinds of Zambhala were handed over to the 4th Karmapa, Roelpai Dorji, as prophesied.

In the later part of his life, he lived in Lhodrak, Tibet, and the lineage-holders of his profound teachings hailed mostly from the regions of Kham, Utsang, and Kongpo. To briefly mention about the discovery of treasures by Terton: the biography states that he had discovered around 43 major and 108 minor treasures. His devotees referred to him as Terchen as his treasures include major treasure teachings like La-Dzog-Thug-Sum (the trio of practices on guru, great perfection, and mind), and others. Moreover, he is also referred as Terchen since in Khathangs (chronicles of Guru Padmasambhava), he is mentioned as one of the five kings of treasure revealers–third in the line.Most of the treasures he obtained were publicly discovered or were offered directly by the guardians of the treasures.

Five other names of him include Dorji Lingpa, Pema Lingpa, Choeki Shenyen, Kuenchong Lingpa, and Dorji Drolo. According to the Bon religion, he was known as Bonzhik Yungdrung Lingpa. He knew 64 written languages, could translate 300 languages, and speak 1600 dialects. Because of this, he was highly revered by noble ones and was respectfully addressed as Kuenkhyen Trulku (an incarnation of the omniscient one). He displayed miracles and supernatural perceptions. In order to install devotion and faith in the hearts of the beings of future, he left his handprints and footprints on many caves and rocks. After completing spiritual activities for the welfare of sentient beings, he attained nirvana in the year 1405 C.E., corresponding to the 7th Rabjung Cycle, at Chukher Bentsa temple a.k.a. Goensar Sangag Phodrang (name of a palace) in Lhodrak, Tibet.

Later, when his own sons and heart-sons conducted funeral rites, many auspicious signs appeared from his kudung (honorific term for a corpse): miraculous words, ‘(I) Have blessings’ appeared from the kudung; his right leg fell down to his heart-son Dromtoen Tashi, and his left leg fell down to Thokmey of India as a bessing. Likewise, according to the biographies in Dharma-histories, it is said that the relics from his kudung were plenty enough to be distributed in the whole Utsang province of Tibet.

Dorji Lingpa had many disciples: buchhen-chudruk (sixteen great sons), thugsey-sum (three heart-sons), thiklay-nga (five essential sons), drubthob-gonga (ninety-five siddhas), keldan-chobgay (eighteen fortunate ones), sermo-thri  (ten thousand monks) and so forth. His direct descendants include his elder son Choeying Rangdrol a.k.a. Jatang Ngonpo, who resided in Dejong (Sikkim), and is said have spread his lineage there but it is not very clear. His younger son, Dungsey Choenying Jamtsho, went to Lhomon and settled in Lingmo Khar. From there his descendants gradually spread to Bumthang Buli and Chakhar lineages.

Further, his other son, Kuenkhen Sonam Lhuendrup, established the Ugyen Choling lineage of Bumthang, and another son, Pema Tenzin, established the Tsiblok lineage of Shar. The profound teachings and lineages of Terton Dorji Lingpa can be seen to this day in Bhutan.

Written by Lama Kuenga Gyaltshen