Summary of the biography of Khordong Choktrül Gyurmé Dorjé (1887-1967)

Khordong Choktrül Gyurmé Dorjé

There is a 10 pages biography of him in the large Jangter Chöjung by Khenpo Chöying.

He was born in 1887 and died in 1967. He was regarded as an emanation of Gyalwa Chok Yang. The texts gathers prophecies about him as usual. It is Tertön Sogyal who said to Tülku Tsullo: «Your brother is the [predestined] master of a mind-treasure…». He was the son of Gönpo Wangyal who told him that he had a special connection with Hayagriva, so he put him to practice Tamdrin Drekpa Wangdü (one of the two Jangter cycles of this deity) and then a horse neighing from above his head was heard in Khordong […] There are prophecies about him in the termas of Nüden Dorje. [….] He was the younger brother of Tülku Tsullo, so, the son of Gönpo Wangyal and Khordong Terchen’s daughter.

In 1896, together with his brother Tsullo, he received from Gönpo Wangyal the instructions from the Jangter Lung Phagmo Zabgya, the Kadak [Rangjung Rangshar] and the Gongpa Zangthal “with the manual composed by Ado Könchok Gyaltsen” (this perplexing indication means the Kathok tradition that was, it seems, preserved in Shukjung Monastery).

In 1899, they received the complete transmissions for the Jangter, the terma of the “Ngari Brothers”, those of Jandak [Tashi Namgyal], the complete works of [Rigdzin] Pema Trinley, the Visions of Pema Wangchuk [the next Rigdzin Chenpo, 18th Century], etc.

In 1900, he (or they) received the transmissions (lung) for the Collection of the Nyingma Tantras and the empowerments in the 13 mandalas of the oral uninterrupted transmission (that is, the empowerments of the Do Gongdü, the Sutra Gathering the Intentions, the main Anuyoga tantra). 

In 1904, they got the transmissions for the two volumes of their father’s terma.

In 1905, they received again the Do Gongdü transmissions in a very detailed form, according to the special system of Rigdzin Pema Trinley (the uncommon tradition of Dorjedrak).

He got other teachings from his father, his brother Tülku Tsullo and the 9th Rigdzin Chenpo, Nyamnyi Dorjé. 

He was of great service to Khordong and the surrounding area; it is said that his clairvoyance was unimpeded. It seems that in the times of the Chinese invasion, his prophecies were of a great help to many, including Geluk monasteries. It is from his that Khenchen Chöying Khyabdal received the complete transmissions of Nuden Dorje’s termas. 

The author of the biography then tells stories of Khordong Choktrül Gyurmé Dorjé’s miracles that he heard from various people who have known him.

It is also him (still paraphrasing the same biography) that recognized the two tülkus of Tulku Tsullo. In 1958, due to the “Chinese war” and all the chaos it brought up, he left the Khordong area and reached Lhasa. After staying some time there, he moved to Janglam Zanzang Lhadrak (where the orginal Jangter was found by Rigdzin Gödem). There he practiced Dorje Drakpo Tsal for three months. – Then he moved to Mongolia (Sokyül). There, “in 1967, in the fire-sheep year of the 16th cycle, on the 8th of the 5th Tibetan month,” he passed away without any sign of illness, in the posture of the resting lion… White rainbows came from the West… etc.


OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Stéphane Arguillère (December 26, 2022). Summary of the biography of Khordong Choktrül Gyurmé Dorjé (1887-1967). Northern Treasures Histories. Retrieved May 13, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/opeh


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