Drodul Dorje Tendzin
Drodul Dorje Tendzin (gro 'dul rdo rje bstan 'dzin) was born in 1921, the son of Tulku Namkha Dorje (sprul sku nam mkha' rdo rje, 1883-1941), also known as Buli Tulku (bu li sprul sku), and Dorje Tsomo (rdo rje mtsho mo) of Chungkar Choje (khyung mkhar chos rje). At the age of three he was recognized as a reincarnation of Dromten Zhenpen Namrol ('brom ston gzhan phan rnam rol) who was a Dzogchen (rdzogs chen) lineage holder of Dorje Lingpa (rdo rje gling pa, 1346-1405).
Drodul Tendzin Dorje's mother died two weeks after his birth and as a result he had a difficult childhood. At the age of eighteen, a year before he died, his father gave him the entire transmission of Dorje Lingpa of Dorje Lingpa's treasure teachings. After his father's death, he continued his preliminary practice and basic meditation at Yarab (yar rab) and Aja (a brgya) in Mongar.
At the age of twenty-four, Drodul Tendzin Dorje performed the Tsari Rongkor (tsa ri rong skor) pilgrimage, a pilgrimage route circumambulating Tsari mountain in southern Tibet. The following year he again returned to Tibet, but this time in search of a teacher in order to advance his studies. He stayed for nine months at Okar Drak (o dkar brag), a cave sacred to Padmasambhava and later visited by Dorje Lingpa. There he met Lama Tubten (bla ma thub bstan) from Kurto Pangkhar (kur stod spang mkhar), who was one of the senior disciples of Sakya Shri (shAkya shrI, 1865-1932). From him Drodul Tendzin Dorje received empowerment, transmission and instruction on Dzogchen.
At Samye he studied language and literature from a lama named Rinchen Zangpo (rin chen bzang po) for one year, and under Lama Tsatrul (bla ma tsha sprul) he studied language, grammar and poetry in Lhasa for nine months. For next one and half years, he studied under Chamdo Drugu Sangnying Tulku (chab mdo gru gu gsang rnying sprul sku, d.u.) and Dzogchen Purtsag Tulku (rdzogs chen phur tshag sprul sku, d.u.) of Kham. It was at Lhasa that he met his root guru Tokden Yeshe Nyingpo (rtogs ldan ye shes snying po, d.u.) from whom he received Mahāmudrā teachings and meditation lessons for three years.
His two other teachers were the Sixteenth Karmapa Rangjung Rikpai Dorje (rang 'byung rig pa'i rdo rje, 1924-1981) and Dudjom Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje (bdud 'joms ye shes rdo rje, 1904-1987). He spent nine months at Tolung Tsurpu (stod lung mtshur phu) receiving the Rinchen Terdzo (rin chen gter mdzod) initiation from the Sixteenth Karmapa.
In Lhasa, Drodul Tendzin Dorje received additional Dzogchen initiation and meditation lessons from Dudjom Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje for one year. He also received pith instruction on Dzogchen from Karak Yongdzin ([kha rag yongs 'dzin]]); the Second Jamgon Kongtrul ('jam mgon kong sprul 02, 1902-1952); and Zhechen Rabjam Gyurme Kunzang Tenpai Nyima (zhe chen rab 'byams, 'gyur med kun bzang bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1910-1959).
In 1951 at the age of thirty-two, Drodul Tendzin Dorje returned to Bhutan. Soon after, he took as his consort Ani Pema Lhazom, the youngest daughter of Ura Gaidan Lama Yeshe Dorje (u ra dge ldan bla ma ye shes rdo rje), who was a descendant of Pajo Drugom Zhigpo (phajo 'brug sgom zhig po, 1184-1251), and Yeshe Pedon (ye shes dpal sgron) of Jare Zhelgno (rgya ras zhal ngo).
Residing primarily at Aja and popularly known as Aja Lama (a brgya bla ma), Drodul Tendzin Dorje took care of Dungkar Choling Monastery (dung dkar chos gling dgon pa), which had been built by his father, devoting his life for the spiritual wellbeing of the people of central and eastern Bhutan.
Drodul Tendzin Dorje was enthroned as Ladrong Lama ([[la grong bla ma) by the people of Jare while the public of Mongar revered him as Yarab Lama (ya rab bla ma). He moved frequently between the, Aja and Ladrong residences. Toward the end of his life, he stayed primarily at Ladrong Sanggye Choling Gonpa (la grong sangs rgyas chos gling dgon pa) built by Ura Gaiden Lama.
Despite serving two communities, he adopted the lifestyle of a hidden yogi as advised by his late father, maintaining in absolute secrecy the nature of his religious accomplishments. To meet his basic needs he relied on annual rounds of alms begging. This helped him interact with individuals directly, and attend to their religions needs.
Drodul Tendzin Dorje is said to have had multiple clear dreams and visions of Padmasambhava during tenth day ritual performances (tshe bcu), the Medicine Buddha and of Dorje Lingpa. In 1990, on the last day of the Dorling Chokhor (rdor ling chos skor) ritual at Buli, Drodul Tendzin Dorje dreamed of a "purba treasure" (phurpa'i gter) inside a cave known as Jale Draphu located above Buli Monastery. In the morning he saw a Tibetan dressed like a Khampa who offered him a purba; before Drodul Tendzin Dorje could even thank the man, the Tibetan had disappeared.
His Bhutanese contemporaries like the Sixty-fifth Je Khenpo Yeshe Sengge (rje mkhan po ye shes seng ge, 1965-1968), the Sixty-seventh Je Khenpo Nyizer Tulku Trinle Lhundrub (rje mkhan po nyi zer sprul sku 'phrin las lhun sgrub, b. 1971), and the Sixty-eighth Je Khenpo Tendzin Dondrub (rje mkhan po bstan 'dzin don grub]]) recognized his scholarship and realization. Je Yeshe Sengge gave Drodul Tendzin Dorje transmission of all the Drukpa Kagyu teachings.
Drodul Tendzin Dorje primarily dedicated his life to upholding the treasure teachings of Dorje Lingpa. He conducted the Dorling Chokhor in Trongsa, Bumthang, Lhuntse, Mongar, Tashiyangtse and Paro. Himself an adept mask dancer, he instituted masked dances at the annual Tenth Day (tshes bcu) festival at Ladrong.
He died in 2005 at the age of eighty-five.
Source
Lam Kezang Chhoephel and Tshering Gyaltshen (2005). A'brgya bla ma gzhen phan 'gro 'dul rdo rje bstan 'dzin ring po che'i mdzad rnam mdor bsdus (A Brief Biography of Aj Lama Zhenphen Drodul Dorji Tenzin Rinpoche (1921-2005). Trashiyangtse: Lam Kezang Chhoephel
Dorje Penjore February 2011
