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NYIMALUNG MONASTERYChumey, Bumthang, Bhutan

Thubten Shaydrup Darjay Choling

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A fortuitous 1933 meeting inBumthang, central Bhutan, betweena Tibetan lama and a local Bhutanesedignitary led to the establishment ofThubten Shaydrup Darjay Choling¹monastery, known more popularlyby its local place name, Nyimalung,²meaning “sun and wind.”

Doring Tulku, Jamyang KunzangLungrig Choki Nyima (1902-1952),³was born in the village of Doring inthe eastern Tibetan area of Kham. Hewas recognised as the third mindemanation of Jigme Lingpa,⁴ whichplaced him in the illustriousLongchen Nyingthik⁵ lineage of theNyingmapa⁶ school of TibetanBuddhism.

Briefly, his lineage antecedentsemanated from the great scholarKuenkhen Longchen Rabjam (1308-1363),⁷ continued to Jigme Lingpa(1729-1798) and then Jigme Lingpa’sfirst and second mind incarnationsDo Khyentse Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje⁸and Jigme Dechen Lingpa.⁹

By the age of 13, Doring Tulku hadalready finished his basic Buddhiststudies and had become acquaintedwith the writings and times of therevered Kuenkhen LongchenRabjam, known more simply asLongchenpa. Inspired by his lifestory, Doring Tulku left home at thistender age to travel around Khamand Tibet, studying with variousmasters. This he did for seventeenyears before leaving for Bhutan.

Longchenpa himself had travelledsome 600 years earlier from Tibet to

Bhutan, and here had establishedeight monasteries, the most famousof which is Tharpaling¹⁰ Monasteryin Bumthang. Doring Tulku,following in the footsteps of hismentor Longchenpa, arrived atTharpaling at the age of about 30determined to read the great saint’sKuenkhen Zoeduen¹¹ one hundredtimes.

Unfortunately, Doring Tulku wascalled away from his admirableundertaking, before he couldcomplete the one hundred readings,to help perform funeral rites for alocal official named Chumey DashoZhelngo Jamyang,¹² father-in-law ofHis Majesty Jigme Wangchuck, theSecond Druk Gyalpo (or, King).¹³This official’s son and hereditaryheir, Chumey Drungpa GoempoDorji,¹⁴ would now inherit hisfather’s title and position as drungpa,the regional administrator.

Despite the apparent setback forDoring Tulku’s original intentions ofpersonal meditation practice, it washere at these funeral ceremonies in

1933 that he met Drungpa GoempoDorji. After talks together, DoringTulku and Drungpa Goempo Dorjiagreed they would establish a newmonastery at Nyimalung, only a fewkilometres from Tharpaling, tofurther the teachings of the Buddhaand the Longchen Nyingthik lineagein particular. Since Drungpa GoempoDorji was descended from Bhutan’sgreat terton¹⁵ Pema Lingpa (1450-1541), the terton’s Peling lineagepractices would also be taught. Inaddition to these two principallineages, several of the variouslineages of the Nyngmapas are stillrepresented at NyimalungMonastery today.

ContentsHistory 1References, Interviews,Thanks 3

Abbots of Nyimalung 3

Spiritual Director 4

Academic Heads 5

A Centre of Excellence 6

Contact Nyimalung 8

A BRIEF HISTORY

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The proposed monastery wouldtrain monks to help local people attimes of birth, sickness, dying anddeath with appropriate medicines,prayers and ceremonies. The localpopulation would also receiveguidance in both mundane andspiritual matters.

In 1934 construction of the maintemple began. Doring Tulku thusbecame the founding abbot ofThubten Shaydrup Darjay Cholingmonastery at Nyimalung, andChumey Drungpa Goempo Dorji itsfounding sponsor. The monastery’sname, Shaydrup Darjay Choling,encompasses within the word“shaydrup” the aspects of shaydra,or the study of arts and literature,and drupda, or meditation. Darjayindicates spreading ordisseminating, while cholingtranslates as a place of Dharma.

Accordingly, within themonastery the monks learned thearts of medicine, pharmacy,mandala painting, torma¹⁶ making,calligraphy, reading and writing, aswell as meditation. Each dayDoring Tulku gave teachings fromthe precious texts he had broughtfrom Tibet. These included KarmaLingpa’s¹⁷ terma¹⁸ Kaling Zhithro,¹⁹and it was Doring Tulku who firstbrought this text into Bhutan. It hassince spread to many of Bhutan’smonasteries. He also established aKaling Zhithro drubchen,²⁰ still heldat Nyimalung during the first

fifteen days of the first lunar monthof each year.

By 1940, Doring Tulku wanted tomake a short trip back to Tibet forcollecting ritual objects to conductlarge pujas at the monastery.Immediately before leaving on histrip, Doring Tulku had an audiencewith His Majesty Jigme Wangchuckthe Second Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.When the King asked what he mightdo for Doring Tulku, he received avery heartfelt response: DoringTulku requested His Majesty’sassistance in finishing theconstruction of Nyimalungmonastery. The King in responsepromised to do whatever he could.

Doring Tulku then departed forTibet during Saga Dawa²¹ of 1940. Heroamed widely throughout Tibet,seeking out teachers andopportunities for extendedmeditation practice in seclusion. Healso gave teachings to many peoplealong the way. Eventually he wasrequested to tutor the reincarnationof the tenth Rigzin Chenpo,²² whichhe undertook—despite hispreference for solitary retreat—because it seems he felt under someobligation to Rigzin Chenpo'smonastery.

It was during this time that DoringTulku heard the news that theSecond Druk Gyalpo had indeed sentassistance to Nyimalung monasteryin the form of painters andcarpenters to finish the constructionof the first and second floors of the

main building, both inside and out.Doring Tulku was overjoyed tohear of this, and dispatched hisclose Bhutanese disciple Pema, whohad joined Doring Tulku in Tibetsome time earlier, to the King witha letter of thanks.

Pema travelled to Bhutan todeliver the letter of thanks to theKing. He later rejoined DoringTulku in Tibet for furtherpilgrimage, study and meditation.Eventually, while Doring Tulkumet and received teachings fromDudjom Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje,²³ Pemareturned to Bhutan to stay.

The two were never to see eachother again, as Doring Tulku diedsuddenly of an illness in Tibet, agedabout 51, in 1952. Pema, who wouldlater in Bhutan be affectionatelycalled “Lam” Pemala, eventuallyserved as one of the mostoutstanding abbots of NyimalungMonastery from 1993 to 2009.Before his death in 2009, he handedover the role of spiritual director toDudjom Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje’sreincarnation, Dudjom TenzinYeshe Dorje.

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1 Thubten Shaydrup Darjay Choling(Thub bSten bShad sGrub Dar rGyasChos gLing) monastery2 Nyimalung (Nyi Ma Lung), literally“sun and wind”3 Doring Tulku, Jamyang KunzangLungrig Choki Nyima (rDo Ring sPrulsKu ‘Jam dByangs Kun bZang LungRig Chos Kyi Nyi Ma)4 Jigme Lingpa (‘Jigs Med gLing Pa)5 Longchen Nyingthig (kLong Chen

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Nyimalung Monastery

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(1934–1940) Doring Tulku(See Founding above)

(1940–1943) Ngawang Thinley(Kah Thog bLa Ma Ngag dBang PhrinLas)

(1943–1956) Dang la Yeshe Pema(Brang La Ye Shes Pad Ma)

(1956–1959) Geshe Gyaltshen(dGe Shes rGyal mTshan)

(1956–1961) Lama Yeshe(bLama Ye Shes)

(1963–1978) Bairo Tulku(Bairo sPrul sKu)Acquired lands beyond Nyimalungfor growing the monastery’s food,made dance (cham) costumes andmasks, danced role of Dorje Drollo,developed relations with theBhutanese royal family.

(1979–1982) Lama Kunga (bLa Ma Kun dGa’)

Gave dzogchen, tsa lung, yeshe lamateachings. His "study friend" wasDilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He himself was a student of Khyentse ChokyiLodro.

(1982–1985) Tulku Nuden (sKrul sKu Nus Dan)Constructed Nyimalung's Gelephu hostel and temple. His Majesty JigmeSingye Wangchuck the Fourth Druk Gyalpo became a sponsor ofNyimalung.

(1985–1990) Ugyen Tenzin (O rGyan bsTan dZin)Built the shedra. Completed the second story of the main temple,including adding frescoes on the second floor. Constructed mediationcentre adjacent to the current office.

(1990–1993) Thuksey Rinpoche (Lha Lung Thugs Sras Rin Po Che)Third mind incarnation of Padma Lingpa. Made dance (cham) masks ofYeshe Tsogyal, Mandarava and others. Painted thankas.

(1993–2009) Lama Pema (bLa Ma Pad Ma)� Built Kaling Zhithro Lhakang and the

mandala (kyilkhor) within it as a memorialto his teacher Doring Tulku, a master of thepractice (see page 6).

� Constructed new hostel at Nyimalung,other buildings.

� Acquired needed ritual objects, includingthe giant thanka (thongdröl) ofPadmasambhava and his eightmanifestations, courtesy of Japanesesponsors. Unfurled each year, early the lastmorning of the annual Tse Chu held on theeighth, ninth and tenth days of the fifth Bhutanese month.

� Wrote a history of Bhutan and the first grammar book of theDzongkhar language at the request of the King of Bhutan.

� Awarded two gold medals for services to Bhutan by H.M. JigmeSingye Wangchuck, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.

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Abbots of Nyimalung

R��������� ���������Imaeda, Yoshiro. Enchanted by Bhutan.Translated from the Japanese by NorikoMorimoto. Thimphu, Bhutan: KMTPublishers, 2008.ISBN 978-99936-22-77-2.

Pemala, Lama. The Story of the Foundingof Thubten Shaydrup Darjay Choling.Bumthang, Bhutan: NyimalungMonastery, 1980. Unpublished Tibetanmanuscript.

Tulku, Mynak and Karma Ura, YoshiroImaeda, Satoru Tabuchi (photos).Festival and Faith at Nyimalung. Tokyo:Hirakawa Shuppan Inc, 2002. Library ofCongress BQ400.B52 T33 2002.

I��������� �����������Dudjom Tenzin Yeshe Dorje Rinpoche,Lama Rigzin Wangchuk, Lopen OgyenThinley, Lopen Sangay, DungchayTshering Dorji

T����� ��Jamyang LhundupThinley Tobgay DorjiTsering Wangdi

Lama Pemala

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Doring Tulku, depicted here in thegiant Nyimalung embroideredthongdröl. According to Lam Pemala,“He wasn’t as fat as that, but verytall. He was chosen as a body guardfor the 13th Dalai Lama butpreferring practice, ran awayinstead.”

sNying Thig)6 Nyingmapa (rNying Ma Pa)7 Kuenkhen Longchen Rabjam (KunmKhyen kLong Chen Rab ‘Byams), alsoknown as Longchenpa (kLong Chen Pa)8 Do Khyentse Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje (rDomKhyen brTse ‘Jigs bDral Ye Shes rDorJe)9 Jigme Dechen Lingpa (‘Jigs Med bDeChen gLing Pa)10 Tharpaling (Thar Pa gLing)11 Kuenkhen Zoeduen (Kun mKhyen mZadbDun)12 Chumey Dasho Zhelngo Jamyang (ChusMad gZhal Ngo ‘Jam dByang)13 His Majesty Jigme Wangchuck, theSecond Druk Gyalpo (‘Jigs Med dBangPhyug)14 Chumey Drungpa Goempo Dorji (ChusMad Drung Pa mGon Po rDo rJe)15 Terton, a discoverer and revealer of“hidden treasure” Dharma texts.16 Torma (gTor Ma), a ritual offering cake17 Karma Lingpa (KarMa gLing Pa)18 Terma, or hidden treasure teaching19 Kaling Zhithro (Kar gLing Zhi Khro)20 Drubchen, a great prayer offeringextending to several days21 Saga Dawa, the fourth month of theTibetan calendar, considered particularlyauspicious because the month marks thethree anniversaries of the Buddha’s birth,enlightenment and parinirvana.22 Rigzin Chenpo (Rig ‘Zin Chen Po)23 Dudjom Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje (bDud‘Joms ‘Jigs bDral Ye Shes rDo rJe)

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(2005–present)Dudjom Rinpoche,Tenzin Yeshe Dorje

Dudjom Tenzin Yeshe Dorje isrecognized as the heart emanationof the late Kyabje Dudjom JigdrelYeshe Dorje, the first head of theNyingmapa school of TibetanBuddhism.

Born in 1990 as the first of twosons to Yab Kezang Dradul andYum Sonam Choki, he wasformally recognized by H.H. theDalai Lama and given the nameTenzin Yeshe Dorje. He wasenthroned by the late KyabjeTrulshig Rinpoche in Kathmanduat the Dudjom Gonpa near the

Boudhanath stupa in 1992 at thebehest of Sangyum Kusho RigzinWangmo.

Dudjom Rinpochecurrently resides and studiesat Dudjom NamdrolCholing across the valleyfrom the Yanglashoed cavein Parphing, Kathmandu,and at his residence inSartsham Chorten, oppositeTakshang monastery, Paro,Bhutan, where he hasfounded a gomdey, or studyand practice centre for laypractitioners. Rinpoche alsoheads and oversees theactivities of the NyimalungDratshang in Bumthang andGelephu, Bhutan. He wasappointed as themonastery’s head abbot, orspiritual director, in 2005.

In the last few years,Rinpoche has performeddrubchens and conferredinitiations at variousmonasteries in Bhutan andhas presided at the NgagyurNyingma Menlam Chenmoworld peace prayers atBodhgaya, India.

He has received all themajor initiations of the NyingmaKama and Terma teachings fromseveral lineage holders,particularly the late KyabjeTrulshig Rinpoche. Lineageholders from whom Rinpoche hasreceived initiations and teachingsinclude H.H. the Dalai Lama, thelate Trulshik Ngawang ChokyiLodro Rinpoche, the late PenorRinpoche, Dodrubchen Rinpoche,Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche,Dzongsar Jamyang KhyentseRinpoche, Shechen RabjamRinpoche, Namkhai Nyingpo

Rinpoche and the late LhalungThugsey Rinpoche.

On education for the monksand their monastery

“If we can enlarge the monastery wecan improve the quality of theeducation offered. Having morestudents will require more teachers.We will always try to attract the bestpossible teachers, and this will buildour quality.

… Also, if we steadily improve thequality of our education, thentalented Bhutanese students canchoose to study at Nyimalungwithout feeling the need to study inother countries. … If we increase the numbers ofstudents in the dratsang, or middleschool, there will be more monkslearning and performing the ritualactivities and arts. Not only will thisstrengthen the cultural and religiousarts, it will also relieve the advancedshedra students from having to taketime from their studies.”

—Dudjom Rinpoche

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as Dorje Drollo in cham costume

Dudjom Rinpoche, Spiritual Director

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Academic Heads of NyimalungLama RigzinWangchuk

Resident Abbot &Dorji Lopen

Arrived at Nyimalungin 1959, aged 8, andhas taught here since1984.Lama performed aschant master(umdzay) for sevenyears and is knownfor his beautifulchanting voice.

Khenpo TenzinPalzang

Head of ShedraArrived at Nyimalung1993 as a youngstudent, and laterentered NamdrolingMonastery under PenorRinpoche.After topping his shedraclass years one throughnine there, he returnedto Nyimalung in mid-2011 as a khenpo.

Lopen Ogyen ThinleyCo-principal of Lobdra

Started at Nyimalung lobdra in1971 at age 8, becoming a lopenat 27.He is appreciated for his skill attorma and kar gyen making, andgained widespread recognitionusing the black-necked craneand flowers in torma decoration.

Dungchay Tshering DorjiAdministrator

Arriving at Nyimalung in 1982at the age of 16, Dungchaybecame a teacher by 29. Heeventually took the role ofAdministrator.Dungchay is well respected foraccomplishing whatever themonastery needs.

Lopen SangayCo-principal of Lobdra

Entered Nyimalung aged nine in1968, and became a lopen hereat age 28.Lopen would like to remain atNyimalung to teach the youngmonks all his life.

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As recounted by Lama Rinzin Wangchuk, theSpeaking Tara (Dolma) statue in the main templewas brought from Kham, Eastern Tibet by DoringTulku when he first arrived in Bhutan. It is said tobe very special, associated with stories of the statuespeaking to individuals. The monks recite a Tara

puja each day without fail, with all monks togetherwhenever possible, but with only one or two monksif necessary. This situation arises over the winterwhen a skeleton crew of monks are left at Nyimalungwhile the greater body of monks go to NyimalungMonastery at Gelephu in the warmer south of Bhutan.

A Centre of Excellence

C��� (R����� D������)The ritual dancing (or, cham) at Nyimalung is considered among the best in Bhutan.At the annual Tse Chu festival held on the eighth, ninth and tenth days of the fifthBhutanese month (usually June or July), hundreds of peoplefrom the local community come for three days to seethe re-enactment of historic and religious themesin dynamic dances performed by the monastery’smonks. The extravagant and colourful costumesand masks add to the thrilling atmosphere.

Although cham is performed at many monasteries throughout Bhutan,often including lay persons, Nyimalung dancers are exclusively monks. Here,unique to Nyimalung, you can watch the story in dance depicting theassassination of the last emperor of the unified Tibetan Empire. Langdarma(797–841) had brutally suppressed the Buddhadharma in Tibet over theperiod of his three year reign (838–841). At last, a monk named PelgyiDorji of Lhalung, disguised as an entertainer for the king, wore a robe withoverly large sleeves. At the right moment, he drew a bow and arrow fromhis sleeves and shot the king between the eyes, ending Tibet’s darkest periodof suppression of the Dharma until the Chinese invasion of the 20ᵗ� century.

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T�� P������� �� K����� Z������100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities of the Bardo

First brought from Tibet to Bhutan and established atNyimalung by Doring Tulku, this practice is now performed atmany monasteries within the kingdom.

Doring Tulku also established an annual drubchen for thepractice, which continues to the present day at Nyimalung,during the first 15 days of the first lunar month (February orMarch) of each year.

Later, Lama Pemala built the Kaling Zhithro lhakang to housethe 4.5-metre high, 3-dimensional mandala depicting thevisualisation of the practice (see photo left). He did this as anoffering to his root lama Doring Tulku. There are over 130 fineclay statues within the mandala representing the deities andother figures, exquisitely painted in minute detail. Lama RigzinWangchuk, who assisted Lama Pemala in this undertaking, saysthat this mandala (kyilkhor) is unique in the world.

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S�������� (K�� G���)Made and providedto Kurjey Monastery

during 2011 as part ofNyimalung’s community relations

with other monasteries. Tseta are thesurrounds of the tormas, like the onedepicted here with Manjusri’s swordof wisdom and Dharma texts belowit. Note the black-necked cranes,first used by Lopen Thinley,gaining widespread popularity.Gor-tem are circulardecorations, like the auspicioussymbol of the conch shell

shown (right). These decorationsare made of flour, butter and wax.

Many of Bhutan’s monasteries contain exquisitelydetailed and extensive wall paintings in their temples.It is said that a friendly rivalry around 1980 betweentwo painters—one Tibetan and one Bhutanese—produced some of the finest contemporary templepaintings in Bhutan as they strove to outperform one

another at Nyimalung. Showcased here are many of thethemes and personages of the Nyingmapas:Nyenten Chuduk, Gyenduk Choknye, Nyeway Saygyet,Marmay Daksum, Dzogchen Tonpa Chunay, and theyidams Palchen, Phurba, Gurudrak, Gyebang Nyernga,Peling Ketheng and Dungna Rangdrol Lhatsok.

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Endum chörten—promotingharmony within the community

E���� C������Each form of chörten representsan activity of the Buddha.Construction was completed inNovember 2011 by a large teamof local community volunteers,craftspeople, monks and agroup of 30 students fromnearby Chumey Institute of

Civil Engineering. Saidteam leader of the

student engineers,Rinchen Wangmo,“Our lamas are verykind to us. That’swhy we are happy tocome to help.”

NYIMALUNG MONASTERYThubten Shaydrup Darjay Choling

NYIMALUNG MONASTERY

Main centre at ChumeyBumthang, Bhutan

Retreat centres atDordem, Pangtay and Gelephu

Phone: +975 (0)3 641 133(Fax by prior arrangement)

Mobile: +975 1771 4132

admin@nyimalungmonastery.orgwww.nyimalungmonastery.org

Dordem Gonpa Pangtay Gonpa

Gelephu Gonpa

Display of the thongdröl during the annual tse chu festival

Publication copyright © 2012 by Nyimalung Monastery. Written and produced by Stephen AbellPhotos by Jamyang Lhundup, Phuntsho Dorji, Rinchen Khando, Sherab Pelzang, Stephen Abell, Tsering Wangdi