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Tulku Tsulo (Tsultrim Zangpo) (1884-c.1957)

Tulku Tsurlo (Tshulthrim Zangpo)

TULKU TSULO aka TSULTRIM ZANGPO (1884-c.1957)*

Tulku Tsulo, also known as Tsultrim Zangpo**, one of the greatest Tibetan scholars of the last century, was an important student of Tertn Sogyal Lerab Lingpa, aswell as the author of his secret biography and a lineage-holder of his terma teachings. He was also a student of the Third Dodrupchen Jikm Tenp Nyima and of AmyeKhenpo Damch zer of Dodrupchen Monastery. Khenpo Damch said of him on one occasi

,I am just a dog, but I have a lion for a student.

Although it was notoriously difficult to meet Dodrup Jikm Tenp Nyima in his later years, Tsulo was able to do so

because of his work as a scribe. He copied many texts for Dodrupchen Rinpoches personal library and used the work as an opportunity to get access to Rinpoche and to receive clarifications.

Tsultrim Zangpos father was Gonpo Wangyal and his mother was Shyiwam Tso, daughter of Khordong Terchen Nuden Dorje. His main residence was at Shukjung (shugs byung) monastery in the Do Valley, which is located about 15 to 20 miles from Dodrupchen Monastery and which belongs to the Northern Treasures (Byang gTer) tradition. He also spent time at Khordong monastery, which was under the care of his younger brother, Gyurme Dorje.

Tulku Tsulo was a monk who upheld the Vinaya, as well as an accomplished tantricadept, and among his writings is a two-volume commentary on Ngari Panchens Ascertainment of the Three Types of Vows (sDom gSum rNam Nges), as well as several texts on Dzogchen, including an instruction manual (Khrid Yig) for the Gongpa Zangthal, which has been translated into English by Tulku Thondup#, and a commentaryon the famous Prayer of Kuntuzangpo. His other writings include a commentary toPadmasambhavas Garland of Views+ and many works related to the tantras of the New Translation tradition.

Those who saw him say that he looked statuesque, seated in meditation posture, hardly ever moving, and with an impressive white beard.

He was the root teacher of Khordong Tertrul Chhimed Rigdzin Rinpoche, popularly

known as C.R. Lama (1922-2002), as well as Tulku Gyenlo and Zhichen ntrul, who passed away recently in Tibet.

He had two main reincarnations, Chkyi Nyima Rinpoche of Nango Gonpa Trango and Tulku Longtok or Lungtok.

Footnotes:* The birth year of 1884 is given in Tulku Thondups Masters of Meditation and Miracles. According to the Khordong website he died at the age of seventy-three. Weknow that he wrote the secret biography of Tertn Sogyal in 1942.** There are several ways to transcribe his names: Tshulthrim Zangpo, Tulku Tsurlo, Tulku Tsollo, Tulku Tsorlo and others. The Tibetan writing in Wylie is TshulKhrims bZang Po aka Sprul sKu Tshul Lo.

# This translation of the commentary to the Gongpa Zangthal is partly now available here The Five Nails A Commentary on the Northern Treasures accumulation praxis.+ The Garland of Views by Padmasambhava was translated by James Low and is available in his book Simply Being: Texts in the Dzogchen Tradition (Antony Rowe Publishing Services, 2010). Also available in French and German.

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