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Mindrolling History Project1
Mindrolling History Project1
language, but because of his radiant and wondrous appearance, they bore him on their
shoulders and revered him as a celestial being.
The humans called him Jachung Karpo or White Garuda. This was because he was very
majestic and beautiful to look upon and had flown down to earth. He was a deva from
the deva realms but due to the close proximity with humans who were enthralled with
him and kept him surrounded at all times, this devaputra (son of devas) became tainted
by mi grib or drib of humans and couldn't return back to his deva realm. He is described
as having been slightly "intoxicated" by human defilements and thus the descendants
born from Ja Chung Karpo (the White Garuda of Ny) were called Ny. The Tibetan
word smyos is derived from the original word myos. The word myos literally means
intoxicated and smyos means crazy in the literal sense. Since then many members of the
Ny lineage have also been described as demonstrating crazy wisdom and many
mahasiddhalike activities and have therefore added to the multi layered meaning and
organ of the word Ny (smyos) in the name of the lineage.
Ny Jachung Karpo married the princess of rmu, Ding Mo Tsn Sh (rmu lcam ding mo
btsun bshos), who was herself a wisdom dakini and their descendents were called the
Ny and the lineage was thereafter known as Palden Nyrig or the Glorious Ny lineage.
The Ny Lineage
The lineage of the Ny descendants is as follows:
Ny Jachung Karpo (smyos bya khyung dkar po) married M Cam Ding Mo Tsn Sh
Ny Je Tsenpo (smyos rje btsan po) married Dongza Karmo
Ny Senge Shakya (seng ge shakya) married M Za Menmo Tsn Sh (rmu gza' sman mo btsun
bshos) and had four sons- Dra Khar Je, Je Phen, Yag Je and Gur Je
Ny Dra Khar Je (smyos gra mkhar rje) had two sons- Thug Je and Zhang Nge
Ny Zhang Nge (zhang nge)
Ny Dri De (smyos 'bri lde) - son of Zhang Nge
Ny Dri Chung (smyos 'bri chung)
Ny Palgyi Ynten (smyos dpal gyi yon tan)
Ny Lopn Tshulyon (smyos slob dpon tshul yon)
Ny Guru (smyos guru)
Ny Lhaphen (smyos lha phan)
Ny Thugyal (smyos mthu rgyal)
Ny Lo Ynten Drag (smyos lo yon tan grags)
Ny Tsang Dorje Lama (smyos gtsang rdo rje blama)
Ny Palgyi Senge (myos dpal gyi seng ge)
Ny Nag Dragpa Pal (smyos nag grags pa dpal)- emanation of Dharma King Ashoka
The older family history records seem to mention only the male members who succeeded
in heading the clan during their generation.
2.
3.
The sons' lineage ended with the 8th Mindrolling Trichen- Tri Gyurme Dechen
Chogdrub. During the time of Tri Gyurme Dechen Chogdrub, there were only daughters
and no sons to carry on the family lineage. It was then that the daughter of Tri Gyurme
Dechen Chogdrub, Mindrolling Jetsn Chimed Donden Dolma, married the son of the
great treasure master-Tertn Rangrig who was an emanation of Terdag Lingpa. His son,
Pema Wangchen, married into the family of Mindrolling and became the Tritsab or
regent. In this way of enumerating the Trichens of Mindrolling, Tri Pema Wangchen is
counted as the 9th Mindrolling Trichen. The son from his marriage to Jetsn Chimed
Donden Dolma became the 10th Trichen, Tri Dondub Wangyal who was the father of His
Holiness Kyabje Mindrolling Trichen, our root Guru.
9. Tri Pema Wangchen
10. Tri Dondrub Wangyal
11. Mindrolling Trichen Gyurme Kunzang Wangyal
However, according to the more widely acknowledged way of enumerating the Trichens,
we consider Terdag Lingpa's eldest son Pema Gyurme Gyatso, the 2nd Trichen. Due to
the forces of degenerate times and obstacles, he was killed at a young age by the Dzungar
Mongol army. However, he did hold the throne for the short period between the
parinirvana of Terdag Lingpa and his own passing.
His younger brother Drinchen Rinchen Namgyal thus became the 3rd to be enthroned as
Mindrolling Trichen. Thus, in this way of enumeration, Pema Gyurme Gyatso is the
second Trichen in the Trichen lineage. Tritsab Pema Wangchen, although greatly revered
as the regent of Mindrolling who kept the profound tradition of Mindrolling entirely
intact through a very delicate period in the history of Mindrolling, is not counted
amongst the Trichens of Mindrolling in this enumeration of Trichens. Tri Gyurme
Dechen Chogdrub is counted as the 9th Trichen and His Holiness Mindrolling Trichen
Gyurme Kunzang Wangyal's father, Tri Dondub Wangyal, is counted as the 10th
Mindrolling Trichen and Rinpoche himself the 11th Throne holder of Mindrolling.