Zimwock Tulku Lineage

 

  Tibet has been blessed by many great beings, who through their infinite compassion, have manifested themselves    as translators, scholars, teachers, hermits and Bodhisattvas; in this way they have caused the spread of Dharma for the benefit of all sentient beings for a long time to come. Each of the great traditions of Tibetan Buddhism has produced many eminent masters who are regarded as incarnations of Bodhisattvas. They are believed to have come knowingly to the world to spread the Buddha-dharma.

 
6th Zimwock Tulku
 
 
 

Zimwok Tulku is one of these many great Tibetan Tulkus and Rinpoches. The lineage of the Zimwok Tulkus can be traced right back to the great Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (1511-1588), the regent and chosen successor of Kunkhyen Rongton Sheja Kunrig (1367-1449).

Rongton founded Nalendra monastery in 1436, naming it after the famed Nalanda Mahavihara near Rajgir in India. Kamalashila and Acharya Sinhabhadra are the two of the many past incarnations that Rongton has acknowledged as his predecessors. Rongton was a celebrated disciple of Mahapandita Vanaratana of India, and also the Tibetan teachers Yakton Sangye Pal and Thekchen Choeje Kunga Tashi (1349-1425)—as such he became a jewel in the crown of all the Tibetan scholars.  His collected writings cover sixty major subjects in the Buddhist scriptures. These included the complete commentaries on the Five Dharmas of Maitreya, the only extant commentary on Kamalashila’s Bhavanakarma: Stages of Meditation, and some monumental commentaries on Vinaya and Prajnaparamita. Rongton’s works are respected and studied by all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He was the teacher of many eminent scholars such as, Tashi Namgyal, Choeje Gewa Gyaltsen, Gorampa Sonam Senge (1429-1489), Panchen Shakya Chogden (1428-1507), the first Panchen Gendun Drupa (1475-1542), Gungru Sherab Sangpo, and many others. Sakyapas proudly claim to hold the views and doctrines of Gorampa, but Gorampa would have given the credit to his eminent teacher, Rongon. Most rivers have their source in the high mountains, and in this respect Rongton is acknowledged as having attained the sixth bhumi. Tsongkhapa is among the many undisputed masters who recognised Rongton as an emanation of Maitreya. Owing to this, the lineage of Zimwock Tulkus can be seen as a reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha.
 
Rongton’s successor was Dakpo Tashi Namgyal. It is said that Tashi Namgyal taught as many as thirty two teaching sessions a day from heart without using any texts. He had visions of many deities, such as Hevajra, Yamantaka and Kalachakara. He founded Thong-mon Dratsang and caused the expansion of Nalendra until it became a home for the greatest Sakya Buddhist philosophical Colleges in central Tibet. Even though he was the chosen successor of Rongton, it appears that he did not serve as its abbot for very long. He appointed Gewa Gyatsen as the throne holder of Rongton and had him reside in Rongton’s upper house.  Tashi Namgyal then established a new residence for himself below Rongton's.  Since then this has been known as Zimwok, meaning 'lower house'. The word Zimwok is an abbreviation of gzim khang (zim khang = house) and 'og ma (wok=lower)—thus "lower house".  In his later life Tashi Namgyal became even more well-known and revered by the other Tibetan traditions than he was amongst the Sakyapas. Outside the Sakya tradition, Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, in particular, is remembered for his monumental work on Mahamudra, and is highly revered by the Kagyupas.

The 1st Zimwok Tulku was Shabdrung Ngawang Norbu. Born in the Kushang family. He is regarded as an emanation of both Rongton and Tashi Namgyal. He was a student of Khyenrab Jampa (1633-1703).
 
The 2nd Zimwok Tulku was Jampa Ngawang Sangye Tenzin. He was recognised as the emanation of Tashi Namgyal by many Lamas and deities. He was a great Vinaya holder and became a celebrated and accomplished master in the two stages of meditation after completing retreats on many supreme deities.
 
The 3rd Zimwok Tulku was Jampa Ngawang Tenzin Trinle (1744-1798), who remembered many of his past lives and became an excellent scholar in all fields of studies. He was also a celebrated disciple of Sachen Kunga Lodro (1729-1783) and Gendun Tashi Paljor. He had visions of Guru Padmasambhava on numerous occasions and wrote a Guru Yoga practice of Padmasambhava among many other writings. Whatever he did he was never moved from his stabilisation in clear light meditation. He was instrumental in the growth of Thubten Rawa Med as a great seminary for the study of Buddhist philosophy. It is through Zimwok Tenzin Trinle that the Sakya Vajrayogini lineage first spread to the Gelukpa lineage.

 

The 4th Zimwok Tulku was Jampa Ngawang Tenzin Nyendrak (1799-1884). He was a brilliant scholar and meditator. He was able to cause many protectors such as Lhamo Rabten to act as his protector and his companion, and he had them at his disposal at any time when he needed their services. He was a celebrated disciple of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892) and Paltrul Choekyi Wangpo (1808-1887). He became a revered teacher of the 12th Dalai Lama, Trinley Gyatso (1856-1875), the 7th Panchen Lama, Tenpe Nyima (1782-1853) and many others. Since this time he became known as Zimwok Dorje Chang. Because of his expertise in Tibetan medicine and literature he even served as the head professor of medicine, poetry and Tibetan Buddhist literature at Chakpori Medical College in Lhasa. Tenzin Nyendrak restored Nalendra’s Thongmon Dratsang as a great university of Buddhist philosophy and established special funds to finance the living cost of the students who came to study at Nalendra.

It is believed that Tenzin Nyendrak had five emanations: The 5th Zimwok Jampa Kung Tenzin (1884-1963) was the body emanation, Dezhung Ajam Rinpoche (1885-1952) was the speech emanation, and the mind emanation was the Sakya monk Jamyang Thupten Sangpo ((1885-1928), the younger brother of Drakshul Trinle Rinchen (1871-1935) of the Khon family. Zimwok Kunga Tenzin was a student of Chogye Rinchen Khyentse Wangpo (1869-1927), Khenpo Nyendrak Tharpa and the 13th Dalai Lama Thupten Gyatso (1876-1933). He mainly spent his time in retreats on the major meditational deities. He gave Lamdre Lobshe twenty times, and gave the oral transmission of Kagyur and Tengyur as well as all the major Sakya teachings. He was one of the main root gurus of the late Chogye Trichen Ngawang Khyenrab Legshe Gyatso (1919-2007). H.H. Sakya Trizin, Deshung Rinpoche,  Dagchen Jigdral Rinpoche and Jetsun Chime Luding all received empowerments from Zimwok Kunga Tenzin in Nalendra. He also gave many Three Red Deity and other Sakya teachings to Phabongkhapa Dechen Nyingpo (1878-1941). As an elderly monk Zimwok Rinpoche escaped into exile with Chogye Trichen Rinpoche through Mustang in 1959. He was very grateful to Chogye Rinpoche for helping to bring him into safety from the invading forces. Zimwok Rinpoche also gave many teachings to both Ling Rinpoche (1903-1983), the 97th Gaden Tripa and Trijang Rinpoche in Dharamsala. Zimwok Rinpoche was highly revered by all, including many Gelukpas from all the three major monasteries of Sera, Drepung and Gaden. He passed away in Dharamsala amidst many auspicious signs.

The 6th Zimwok Tulku Ngawang Tenzin Norbu was born in India in 1970, as the son of Dzongsar Gang-na Tulku Rinpoche in India. He was recognised by H.H. Sakya Trizin as the emanation of the 5th Zimwok Tulku. H.H. 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ling Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Kham Kathok Tulku and many high Lamas endorsed and praised the recognition and enthronement of the young Zimwok Tulku. After his recognition was formally endorsed by H.H. the Dalai Lama, a grand enthronement ceremony was held in 1972 at the Sakya Centre, Rajpur. The ceremony was presided over by H.H. Sakya Trizin, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche and many hundreds of monks and devotees. Zimwok Rinpoche was one of the first high Lamas to be recognised and enthroned in exile. He received the Lamdre and the Collection of Sadhanas from Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, and also the Lamdre from H.H. Sakya Trizin. Zimwok Rinpoche studied with the most Venerable Khenpo Appey Rinpoche and graduated from Sakya College. He has spent nearly fifteen years living in Switzerland with his young family. Rinpoche speaks five languages.

At the urging of Lama Choedak Rinpoche, the founder of Rongton Buddhist College and the Sakya International Buddhist Academy, Zimwok (Zimwock) Rinpoche will migrate to Australia in December 2008 and resume the role and activities of his predecessors and revive the legacy of Rongton, Tashi Namgyal and all great lineage holders of Nalendra monastery. Zimwock Rinpoche has been invited to be the resident teacher of Jamchen Buddhist Centre in Melbourne. It is the wish of both Lama Choedak Rinpoche and Zimwock Rinpoche that Nalendra monastery and its unique practices to be preserved in exile and that help be offered to assist the restoration work of the monastery in Tibet.
 

May all the blessings of the great lineages masters and oath-holding Dharma protectors assist the fulfilment of these wishes and clear away any obstacles!

 

 

Gallery Of Photos Of

His Eminence Zimwock Tulku Rinpoche

Resident Teacher and Spiritual Director