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The First Petseling, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub

From Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia
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The First Petseling Tulku Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub (pad tshal gling sprul sku 01 sgrub thob rnam rgyal lhun grub) was born in 1718 at Chapcha Rimtangkar (skyab khra rim stangs khar) in Thimphu. As a boy, he went to live with Je Ngawang Drukpa (rje ngag dbang 'brug pa) at Tsangdra Monastery (mtshams brag dgon pa). Je Ngawang Drukpa gave him the name Namgyel Lhundru.

During a visit to Tsangdra Monastery, Sakya Rinchen (shAkya rin chen), who later became the Ninth Je Khenpo, gave Namgyel Lhundrub novice ordination (dge tshul). After the death of this master, in 1748, Namgyel Lhundrub went to Paro Taktsang (spa gro stag tshang) and meditated on Purba Yangsang Lamey (phur pa yang gsang bla med), a treasure text of Ratna Lingpa (rat na gling pa, 1403-1478). There, according to his biographies, the tutelary deity Vajrakumāra appeared and blessed him.

At Paro Taktsang, Namgyel Lhundru is said to have discovered several hidden treasures: a self-emanated red stone ritual cake, a holy bowl and a skull, all of which can be seen at Petseling monastery today. Most important was the discovery of a purba dagger made of unknown material believed to be useful for subduing evil spirits and zombies (ro langs).

Namgyel Lhundru then left Taktsang and went to Tibet. In front of Lhasa Jowo (lha sa jo bo), he began one billion recitations of the Aspiration Prayer of Good Conduct (phags pa bzang po spyod pa’i smon lam). According to legend, at that time an evil spirit fatally possessed a government minister and no effective remedies could be found to prevent further harm.

Hearing that there was a Bhutanese ritual specialist praying at the feet of Jowo, the Governor Doring Gazhigung Paṇḍita Gonpo Ngedrub (rdo ring dga' bzhi dgung paN Di ta mgon po dngos grub, 1721-1792) sent for him and requested him to vanquish the spirit.


Successfully completing the task, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub became renowned as a Drubtob (sgrub thob), a siddha, or accomplished one, capable of vanquishing evil spirits.


The governor offered him a place to stay in Tibet, which Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub declined. The governor then decreed that wherever Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub travelled and stayed in Tibet he should receive all kinds of services, including horses.

Drubtob Namgyel Lhundru returned to continue his recitation before Lhasa Jowo. According to legend, as he was reciting, the Jowo spoke:

Son! Do not be too ambitious
Go instead to the south.
At a place east of Bumthang Kurje Lhakhang
Make your monastic seat.
You will achieve your dreams.
Name it Jangchub Pelri.


Before leaving Tibet, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub was recognized by Tekchen Lingpa (theg chen gling pa, 1700-1775), also known as Drime Lingpa (dri med gling pa), as a man destined to reveal further treasure teachings.

In preparation for that work, he transmitted to him all his treasures. Practicing what he had received, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub soon was able to visualize the various tutelary deities, and pleased with his his progress, Drime Lingpa gave him further empowerments to aid him in teaching.


After the Doring Paṇḍita Gonpo Ngedup insisted on giving Namgyel Lhundrub extravagant gifts, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub remembered a dream he had had in which a monk mentioned three tangka (thang ka) paintings that were in the possession of Doring Paṇḍita: the eleven-headed Avalokiteśvara, the Buddha Śākyamini, and Padmasambhava, all said to be painted by the Tibetan king Trisong Deutsen (khri srongde'u btsan, 790-844). After Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub explained how these scrolls would benefit the dharma, the governor hesitantly gave them to him as offerings. All three paintings remain preserved at the Petseling monastery today, and they are revealed to the public every year during the Petseling Kuched (sku mchod), or commemorative ritual.

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Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub then returned to Bhutan via Lhodrak (lho brag), visiting places sacred to Padmasambhava such as Sengge Dzong (seng ge rdzong) at Kurto (kur stod) along the way, and ultimately arriving at Bumthang Kurje (sku rjes).

Soon after his arrival in Kurje, the people of Sengor (seng sgor) pleaded with Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub to subjugate a malicious spirit residing at Dochutigang (rdo chu sti sgang). He agreed and meditated for three days at the place where the spirit was believed to reside andsuccessfully vanquished the spirit. Marks on the rock there are said to be the body imprints (sku rjes) of the spirit and the footprints (zhabs rjes) of the master.

With a growing reputation for subjugating evil sprits, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub received additional requests to rescue communities. The people of Saleng (sag ling) asked him to come subjugate a spirit that had taken the life of a man named Ura Dung Nagpo ('u ra gdung nag po) and continued to terrorize them.

He subdued this spirit and built five stupa in the four cardinal directions, with one in the center as a deterrent against future evil. Similarly, Pekar (pad dkar), the dzongpon of Zhongar (gzhong dkar rdzong dpon) who, in 1768, became the Fifth Trongsa Penlop, requested he subdue an entity named Golong Tsendu ('go long btsan bdud).

Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub subjugated the spirit and bound him with an oath not to harm any living beings. Following a prophecy, he requested the Dzongpon to commission several purba daggers; the Dzongpon summoned a craftsman named Logzo Tralko (blugs bzo spros rko) who made the daggers according to Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub’s instructions. These purba are presently preserved as the main relics at Petseling.

Returning to Kurje with gifts from the Zhongar Dzongpon, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub sought out the site prophesied by Lhasa Jowo. Thinking first that it might be the location of the present day Takar Zhong (rta dkar gzhong), he was told by the local guardians that the site he was seeking was further uphill.

With the assistance of the people of Takar Zhong, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub reached the site where he would establish Petseling, for which their descendants are honored with the task of carrying the giant tongdrel (mthong grol) image when it is unveiled to the public during the Petseling Drubchen (sgrub chen).

After arriving at the proper site, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub set up camp and prepared to lay the foundation of his monastery. At the time, the chosen land was a grazing ground for the successive governors of the Jakar Dzongpon (bja dkar rdzong dpon). When the Dzongpon saw the smoke from the Drubtob’s fire, he sent two of his attendants to drive him away.

According to legend, soon thereafter an unusual equine disease broke out in Jakar Dzong, one that no rituals could control. As the disease ravaged the area, the Dzongpon was advised to seek the help of Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub. After the Drubtob performed a gegtro (bgegs khro) ritual, an evil force in the guise of a donkey-sized pig fled from the stable, ending the plague.

The Dzongpon apologized for his actions and formally offered the grazing ground to the Drubtob. The Drubtob finished the building of Petseling Jangchub Pelri Monastery (pad tshal gling byang chub dpal ri dgon pa) on the site in 1769.

After the completion of the monastery, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub returned to Tibet, where he received the teachings of Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig) from Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa, 1729-1798). Upon his return to Bhutan, he obtained approval to perform the Longchen Nyingtik rituals, which became part of the annual ritual schedule of the monastery.

Some time after, Norbu Pekar (nor bu pad dkar), a student of the Tongpon (stong dpon) of Acharya Kapuchen (a tsar a kha spu can) invited Namgyel Lhundrub to Dungsam. There he taught under the patronage of Arti Sonam Dargye (ar sti bsod nam dar rgyas).

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At the time, during the reign of the sixteenth Druk Desi Sonam Lhundrub (bsod names lhun grub, r.1768-1773) the first Anglo-Bhutan war was raging around Pasaka (dpag bsam kha). In the east another battle was underway between Dungsam Jadrung (gdung bsam rgya drung) and the king of Assam. As requested by Dungsam Jadrung, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub proceeded to Yongla Monastery where he performed a ritual to drive back armies (phur pa’i dmag bzlog). His efforts defeated the enemies, and the local population, along with a grateful Dungsam Jadrung, made huge offerings to the Drubtob.

After his return to Bumthang, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub hosted ceremonies for reciting mantra to make good use of his patrons' and devotees' offerings. Now advanced in age, Namgye Lhundrub was having difficulty climbing uphill to Petseling. Thus, the people constructed a temple, the Dorjebi Lhakhang (rdo rje sbi lha khang) at a lower and more accessible level.

Around the same time, back in Tibet, Jigme Lingpa sent his disciple Jigme Kundrol ('jigs med kun grol, d.u.) to fulfill a vision in which he saw a site of Vajrakīlaya activity in the south.

After living at ]]Tang Towa Drak]] (]]mtho ba brag]]) in Bumthang for three years, Jigme Kundrol Namgyel went to see Namgyel Lhundrub and received teachings from him. Not long after, Norbu Pekar (nor bu pad dkar),a student of Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub who lived at Dungsam Norbuling (gdung bsam nor bu gling), requested his master to performDutsiMendru (bdudrtsi sman sgrub) ritual at Dungsam Kidpai Jong (gdung bsam skyid pa'i ljong). As his advanced age kept him from moving about comfortably, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub sent Jigme Kundrol Namgyel as his representative, conferring on him the name of Yongla Lama. Soon after, Jigme Kundrol Namgyel founded Dungsam Yongla Tengye Riwo Pelbar Ling (gdung bsam yongs la bstan rgyas ri bo dpal 'bar gling), establishing his seat as charged by Jigme Lingpa.

Later, Norbu Pekar desired to meet Jigme Lingpa and requested Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub to take him to the great master. Unable to refuse the request, [[Drubtob [Namgyel Lhundrub]] accompanied Norbu Pekar to Tibet to meet Jigme Lingpa. He then returned to Bumthang.

Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub died in 1786 at the age of ninety-nine. Thousands of followers and devotees attended his funeral. Relics were said to have been found among the cremation ashes.

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Petseling Incarnation Line

First Petseling, Drubtob Namgyel Lhundrub (sgrub thob rnam rgyal lhun grub) Second Petseling, Jigme Tenpai Gyeltsen ('jig med 'bstan pa’i rgyal mtshan, 1788-1850) Third Petseling, Jigme Drodon Dorje ('jigs med 'gro don rdo rje, 1853-1883) Fourth Petseling, Kunzang Trinle Namgyel (kun bzang 'phrin las rnam rgyal, 1892-1957)



Sources


Pad tshal gling grwa tshang las byed tshogs chung. 2010. Bum thang pad tshal gling dgon pa’i chags rabs dang sprul sku rim byon gyi rtogs brdzod. Thimphu: byang chub dpal ri grwa tshang, pp. 13-40.


Dorje Penjore February 2011

Source

www.treasuryoflives.org