Item: Teacher (Lama) - Taglung Tangpa Chenpo

Taglung Tangpa Chenpo, Tashi Pel (1142-1210): founder of Taglung Monastery (1180), central Tibet - north of Lhasa, the head monastery for the Taglung sub-lineage of the Kagyu Tradition. (Read a short biography).

At the center of the composition is Tashi Pel, the first throne holder of Taglung Monastery. He has the hands placed in a teaching gesture at the heart, wears monastic attire, and sits in vajra posture. Directly above his head is a small figure of Pagmodrubpa Dorje Gyalpo (1110-1170 [TBRC P127]).

Seated on the proper right side of Tashi Pel is Gangpa Rinchen Ozer (1175-1249 [TBRC P1AG4]), wearing similar attire and in the same posture as Tashi Pel. (See short biography below).

Seated on the left of Tashi Pel is another of the principal students Kuyalwa Rinchen Gonpo (1191-1236 [TBRC P1784]), the 2nd throne holder of Taglung Monastery.

Along the bottom of the composition are two registers. In the upper register beginning on the left side is a donor figure wearing monastic attire, followed by both meditation deities and protector deities, Chaturbhuja Mahakala, Hayagriva, Mahachakra Vajrapani, Ushnisha Chakravartin, Nila Achala, Vaishravana Riding A Lion, and Kurukulla.

In the bottom register, starting on the left side, are Vajrabhairava, Chakrasamvara (Krishnacharin), Chakrasamvara (Maitripa), Yogambhara, Mahamaya, Varahimukha Yogini, and Shri Devi Dorje Rabtenma.

Jeff Watt 3-2017

Choje Gangpa Rinchen Ozer (chos rje sgang pa rin chen 'od zer) was born in 1175, the wooden sheep year, in a place called Gyawa (gya ba). His father was a Nyingma practitioner, possibly a teacher, but his name is not known.

He took ordination and received the name Rinchen Ozer (rin chen 'od zer), although it is not recorded from whom. According to Drigung history, he became a disciple of Gurawa Tsultrim Dorje (gu ra ba tshul khrims rdo rje, 1154-1221), the second abbot of Drigung Til Monastery ('bri gung mthil). He also received teachings from Jikten Gonpo Rinchen Pel (jig rten mgon po rin chen dpal, 1143-1217), the founder of the monastery. He is also said to have studied with many of the other major Kagyu lamas of his day, including Taklungtangpa Tashi Pel (stag lung thang pa bkra shis dpal, 1142-1209), the First Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa (karma pa 01 dus gsum mkhyen pa, 1110-1193), and Śākyaśrībhadra (1127-1225). He likely was a teacher to Zang Samlingpa (zang bsam gling pa, 1189-1260)

After his studies had come to an end, he went to White Flat Rock (pha bong dkar leb) in Jomo Gang (jo mo gangs) to meditate. He was said to have attained realization and then began to teach there.

He passed away at the age of seventy-five in 1249.

Evan Yerburgh is a translator and member of Esukhia. Published May 2015. Extracted from Treasury of Lives.