Tare Lhamo

(khyab bdag gter chen bla ma ‘ja lus pa dpal mnyam med nam mkha gling pa rin po che dang mkha ‘gro rin po che ta re lha mo zung gi zab gter nam mkha mdzod kyi chos sde), Chengdu: Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 13 volumes, 2013.

After that, one day, Tāre Lhamo donned her best robes and ornamented her hair. She gathered her disciples and offered her heart advice. They begged her to take rebirth quickly and to return to them. Shortly after, Tāre Lhamo laid down on her side in the dying position and died. As soon as she had died, her skin turned white. She glowed and was beautiful. Her body became fragrant. These were some signs of her realization. Her body was taken to Nyenlung Monastery and displayed. According to the practice of Dzogchen, her body began to shrink. Finally, it was the length from your fingerprints to your elbow. It was placed on a plate and offered up at the cremation. During the cremation, there were still more signs that she had attained the realization of a Dzogchen master, such as rainbows in the sky and flowers raining down. After her passing, Namtrul Rinpoche vigorously continued their activities until he died in 2011.

Jetsunma Kunga Trinley Palter Sakya was born January 2, 2007, as the daughter of Dagmo Kalden Dunkyi and Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, the current Sakya Trizin, whose father was the rebirth of Apang Terton. The Dalai Lama has recognized her as the rebirth of Tare Lhamo.

Tāre Lhamo died on March 26, 2002, in a Chengdu hospital. She had been healthy and strong throughout her life. However, according to Tulku Orgyen Zangpo Rinpoche, in 2000, she started feeling that she would soon die. With Namtrul Rinpoche, they consulted with Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok. Everyone agreed that the indications of her forthcoming death were undeniable. They arranged for medical tests, but nothing helped. When they prayed to extend her life, hopeful signs did not arise. It was clear that the dakinis would soon escort her from this world.

Another biography is Jewel Lamp of Blessings (gter ston grub pa'i dbang phyug gzhi chen nam sprul dang mhka' 'dro tva re bde chen lha mo zung gi mdzad rnam nyer bsdud byin rlabs norbu'i sgron me), written by Abu Karlo and published in 2001.

After Tare Lhamo's marriage to Namtrul Rinpoche, her biography is continued in Pema Osal Thaye's biography of Namtrul Rinpoche, Jewel Garland: The Life of Liberation of Namtrul Jigme Phuntsok (nam sprul 'jigs med phun tshogs kyi rnam thar nor bu'i do shal), published in Cloud Offerings to Delight The Vidyadharas and Dakinis (skyabs rje nam sprul rin po che 'jigs med phun tshogs ang mkha' 'gro ta re lha mo mchog gi rnam thar rig 'dzin mkha' 'gro dgyes pa'i mchod sprin), 1997.

In 1992, the couple went on pilgrimage to central Tibet. When they were approaching the sacred mountain of Nyenchen Thanglha to the northeast of Lhasa, orange-colored clouds appeared at the summit and accompanied them along the way. They visited Lhasa and then Kangri Tokar, where they wrote a new treasure text, The Blazing Blue Dakini: Samantabhadra’s Heart-Mind Quintessence, Pith Instructions Pointing Out Wisdom Luminosity. They bestowed empowerments at Shuksep and at Tsogyal Latso, the birthplace of Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal in Drakda. At Tsogyal Latso, they arranged for the temple to be restored and refurbished with new statues commissioned in Lhasa. While they were giving the Blue Blazing Dakini empowerment, the sky was enveloped in an orb of iridescent light. And nearby, on the slopes of Lady Mount Turquoise, a walking trail appeared. People remarked that it must be the processional path for people coming to the empowerments! Before leaving, the couple also performed rituals to expunge and purify the site, at which time, beautiful vajra melodies spontaneously arose. After visiting Samye, Chimphu, and Tradruk, they journeyed to Tashilunpo Monastery in western Tibet and then returned to Nyenlung.

Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo has compiled a catalogue of these thirteen volumes. She is a lineage holder of The Dakini Heart Essence (mkha 'gro thug thig), a mind-treasure of Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, enthroned by Repkong Lama Tharchin Tsedrup Rinpoche in 1992. This is a synopsis of her catalogue:

In 1990, from Dola Tulku Jigme Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, one of Dudjom Rinpoche's sons who remained in Tibet, Tāre Lhamo and Namtrul Rinpoche received the complete cycle of the Dudjom New Treasures. Later she recognized his son as a rebirth of Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje.

In 1988, at age 50, Tāre Lhamo had a dream in which she saw her home monastery of Nyenlung as a pure buddha field. In this dream, a young princess appeared, and flying together, they traveled to dakini pure realms and received teachings from Yeshe Tsogyal.

In 1981, Namtrul Rinpoche fell seriously ill, to the point that pujas were performed to turn back the dakinis. Rinpoche's body was stone cold, and he was unable to utter a sound. Tare Lhamo yelled his name three times while waving the longevity arrow, and Rinpoche gradually regained consciousness. When he was finally able to speak, he said, "Numerous dakinis, appeared on a celestial path of silk ribbons. Singing various melodies, they came to meet me. When you threw the longevity arrow, it cut through the rainbow path and the silken ribbons. This irritated the dakinis and they left. So for now, there is no more problem."

In 1980, Tāre Lhamo left her home in Qinghai (against the wishes of her relatives and in contravention of government restrictions), to become the wisdom consort of Namtrul Rinpoche. They rebuilt and lived at Nyenlung Monastery, where they served as its principal teachers until their deaths.

In 1978, her dreams were telling her that she must meet Namtrul Rinpoche Jigme Phuntsok, who lived in Sichuan Province. She initiated a correspondence and courtship with him, and through a secret messenger, they exchanged 58 letters over a two-year period, during which time they met only once. These letters—perhaps unique in Tibetan literature—contain expressions of affection and many prophetic statements of their joint destiny to uplift the Buddhist doctrine. They are now translated and published as Inseparable Across Lifetimes: The Lives and Love Letters of the Tibetan Visionaries Namtrul Rinpoche and Khandro Tare Lhamo, Holly Gayley, Snow lion, 2019.

At age 22, Tāre Lhamo was exposed to the turbulence of the Cultural Revolution (1966 to 1976). In eastern Tibet, all religious institutions were destroyed, and the practice of Buddhism was banned.

At age 40, Tāre Lhamo became the wisdom consort of Namtrul Rinpoche Jigme Phuntsok, aka Orgyen Namkha Lingpa (1944–2011), the Fourth Namkai Nyingpo and the rebirth of her father, Apang Terchen. The eminent couple worked tirelessly to restore and expand religious study and practice in their communities. Their home base was Nyenlung in Serta County, Sichuan, close to Dodrupchen and Larung Gar.

At age 40, Tāre Lhamo became the wisdom consort of Rinpoche Jigme Phuntsok, aka Orgyen Namkha Lingpa (1944–2011), the Fourth Namkai Nyingpo and the rebirth of Tāre Lhamo's father, Apang Terchen. The couple worked tirelessly to revive Tibetan Buddhism in eastern Tibet, restoring institutions, conducting religious services, building religious structures, and revealing thirteen volumes of treasures (listed below). Nyenlung (snyan lung dgon pa) in Serta County, Sichuan, their home monastery, is now under the direction of Namtrul Rinpoche's only son, Shitrul Tulku Lhaksam Namdak.

Tāre Lhamo, a.k.a. Tāre Dechen Gyalmo (Earth Tiger Year 1938–2002), was a Tibetan Buddhist master, visionary, and treasure revealer (gter ston) who gained renown in eastern Tibet. She was especially praised for her life-saving miracles during the hardships of the Cultural Revolution and for extending the life-span of many masters. It was said that her activities to benefit others swelled like a lake in spring.

When she was 19, Tāre Lhamo was advised to marry Tulku Mingyur Dorje (1934–1959), a rebirth of Vairocana and the son of Dzongter Kunzang Nyima. Their only son, Wangchuk Dorje, also known as Tulku Ngaro, died from an undetermined illness in 1976. Tāre Lhamo's mother died shortly after that, leaving her bereft.

The couple became disciples of Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok Jungne (1933–2004), the founder of Larung Gar. He transmitted to them Kalachakra, the entire corpus of Apang Terton, and the Chetsun Nyingtik. In 1986, he enthroned them as great treasure revealers (gter ton), at which time, many long-life prayers were composed for their longevity. In 1987, they traveled on pilgrimage with Jigme Phuntsok to Wutai Shan, near Beijing, with an entourage of 10,000.

Dodrupchen Rigzin Jalu Dorje (rig 'dzin 'ja lus rdo rje) (1927–1961) gave her Longchenpa's Nyingthik Yabshi.

When she was one year old, she went on pilgrimage with her parents to faraway central Tibet. In Lhasa, the family met many masters. It was at that time that Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje (1904–1987), recognized Tāre Lhamo as an emanation of Yeshe Tsogyal and wrote this aspirational prayer: "Joint emanation of Varahi, the mother of all the buddhas, and Tsogyal, the dakini from Kham who bears the name of Sukha (Sera Khandro), has come again as the mantra-born, Tāre. Her deeds and activities will spread to India, Tibet, and China, and she will bring all those connected to her to the pure realm of Khechara." In this way, Tāre Lhamo was regarded as an emanation of Sera Khandro, although no formal enthronement ever took place.

From Dzongter Kunzang Nyima (rdzong gter kun bzang nyi ma) (1904–1958), the grandson and speech incarnation of Dudjom Lingpa, she received his 60-volume treasure-cycle and the treasure-cycle of Dudjom Lingpa. He appointed her the Dharma Custodian (chos bdag) of his own Yeshe Tsogyal cycle. Following his instructions, she planted a long-life arrow at the treasure-door rock at Nyenpo Yurtse.

Tāre Lhamo was born in the nomadic region of Golok, eastern Tibet, in Padma county. Her father was the miraculous son of Dudjom Lingpa, Apang Tertön (a phang gter chen), Orgyen Trinley Lingpa (o rgyan 'phrin las gling pa), aka Pawo Choying Dorje (dpa' bo chos dbyings rdo rje) (1895–1945). Her mother, Damtsik Drölma (dam tshig sgrol ma), was a speech emanation of Yeshe Tsogyal.

Sera Khandro Deway Dorje (se ra mkha' 'gro bde ba'i rdo rje), aka Kunzang Dekyong Wangmo (1892-1940), an emanation of Yeshe Tsogyal, was born in Lhasa but came to live most of her life in eastern Tibet. One day, she gave a red protection cord to Tāre Lhamo's future mother saying, "keep this in a safe place. When the knot in the cord has disappeared, I will come back to your house."

Tāre Lhamo was also the rebirth of Tra Gelong Tsultrim Dargye (khra dge slong tshul khrims dar rgyas) (1866–1937), a scholar and emanation of Naropa. When Tāre Lhamo's future mother went to receive a Vajrayogini empowerment from him, he told her that one day he would be born into her family. Then on his deathbed, he told his disciple, In the year of the Male Earth Tiger (1938), go to Apang Terchen. I will have been born there. Because of these words, Tāre Lhamo was quickly recognized as the rebirth of Tra Gelong Tsultrim Dargye. And, as soon as she could speak, she requested that his ritual implements be returned to her.