In my little conventional scholarly research training of past years, it had somewhat become part of my habitual way to verify information received especially in regards to Buddhist Teacher(s) recommended to me, or I encountered via connection to the present Teacher. One of the most interesting Buddhist Masters whom I have not met is my Buddhist Teacher's root Lama - Tokden Lama Lodoe Gyatso. After assisting to publish the book "A Garland of Flowers: Q&A on the Highly Secret Clear Light Great Perfection " composed by Kunde Rinpoche, I had a few rounds of chats with the author about his root Lama, partly of my curiosity of his 'respectful devotion' towards his root Guru, and from the profound contents presented in Part II, though I could not really understand the actual practice due to lack of practical training in those meditation methods presented (in addition to the fact that I have not really study Vajrayana Buddhism), but I felt strongly the student's ability to compose such oral tradition reflected the depth of the mind's attainment of his root Teacher!
Thus I started my own 'research' of this Great Dzogchen Master who is the 40th lineage holder of the transmission of Lama Yangtig in Dzogchen lineage. Unfortunately, I could not find any translated text in English nor through Websites accessible written about his biography, published nor manuscript(s) in 2011. I could not help but felt the most enlightened Teachers are still remained 'secret' to many of us who do not read the native language, Tibetan.
In my impure perception, furthermore, I could not help but to ask myself a few 'sceptical' questions: Is the traditions grown out from Tibet after the 1950an becoming 'self-adorable', influenced by the culture of 'ego' exertion development? - within the enthusiasm to promote a lineage in the public space by the lay student(s) of many Buddhist Masters, had we forgotten the old traditional way of the past great masters who humbly learning and receiving Buddhist teachings (even empowerments etc.) from recognized Masters of various traditions of Vajrayana? May be the information had been ignorantly diminished/omitted, or is diminishing, or being marginalized? Have we forgotten the virtue of 'rejoice' in our way of seeing the 'accomplishment' of many Masters of the Masters left from Tibet due to political conditions who might be 'student' of the 'unpublicised' Yogis/Yoginis, and many great Lamas whose names may not had been translated (nor acknowledged in so called 'ethical' research manner) into the language we understand? In some publications or articles I had read, I am still curious about who is the Great Master (or root Lama) of the targeted described Great Master of the Master (in the description as respectful manner required by our samsara standard?) mainly I could not visualized any 'continuous' (continuity?) lineage in the description! As the word 'Lineage传承' from my little understanding, is the core of Vajrayana School though its origin was 'the third turning of Dharma Wheel of Sakyamuni Buddha' historically. But then - the big trunk tree had branches grown due to its richness of conditions - this is the problem of research, never ending if the questions remained unanswered questions!
Last year till this year, It was this curiosity of unfounded English biography of this Dzogchen Master in the published materials (or being mentioned thus far, except by Kunde Rinpoche's book*), I started the searches on the net (can we classified these personal blogs as semi-grey literature?). After searching and reading through a maze of hay stacks of blogs and websites, in crossed-references based on the scattered oral history I gathered from my chats with Kunde Rinpoce, I would like to share one of the narrative writings in a blog written in Chinese language about Tokden Lama Lodoe Gyatso (which was re-posted in other sites without citation sometimes).
Until lately, as more information are emerging in different blog posts (written in Chinese), then only I realized the transliteration of the name was different or somewhat different in words! Though my transliteration of this great Master's name in the past posts at this blogspace I had edited in accordance to the Dzogchen Shriseng Monastery website (Chinese language) - 大成就者阿江多丹·洛珠将措.
Nevertheless, I thought it is good I compiled the variations of the transliterated name(s) presented by different writer(s) of some blog posts.
There were also some articles I found the narrative stories were written based on oral history given by the Lamas/Tulkus/Rinpoches/Khenpos who were the students, or related grand student(s) of His great student(s), but I have not kept those sites' information, which I believe interested readers could locate them through many other links.
Thus far, the below-mentioned first blog post on the short biography of Tokden Lama Lodoe Gyatso was my pick mainly it tallies much information given by my Teacher, Kunde Rinpoche who had learned directly under this compassionate Token Lama Lodoe Gyatso for nearly a decade. Also the writer acknowledged it was compiled from the oral narration of a Khenpo (name mentioned in the post) who was a student of this Dzogchen Master, at Dzogchen Shriseng Monastery. the name was transliterate and addressed in a well mannered, refined words:
- 圣者大圆满金刚上师阿琼多丹罗珠嘉措仁波切略传
source: http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_564b08a101009ln7.html (Note: posted Jun 20, 2008)- other transliteration & sources:
阿琼多丹罗珠嘉措仁波切
http://www.fjwhlt.com/fmcc/2012/0615/2.html (Note: a re-post of the above site, and expanded, 2012/06/15)
大成就者阿炯多丹罗珠嘉措仁波切
阿炯多丹仁波切 简介
http://www.fgdym.cn/ajiang/ (posted 2013)
May the information helps the readers here, just as it cleared my clouds of doubts, and arising of confidence in this vehicle on the importance of having a Teacher receiving mind training, teachings etc. from a rooted tradition, especially learning from the learned to unveil our precious inner Bodhicitta - wishing all Sentient Beings to attain Enlightenment!
May All Beings be Well and Happy, May the world be Peaceful!
Tashi delek
* Note: "A Garland of Flowers: Questions and Answers on the Highly Secret Clear Light Great Perfection" / H.E. Kunde Rinpoche; translated by Geshe Lhakdor & Dr. Chok Tenzin Monlam. pp.i,x,6,10,68.
