Gyalwa Kunga Paljor
རྒྱལ་བ་ཀུན་དགའ་དཔལ་འབྱོར། -(rgyal ba kun dga' dpal 'byor) (1428-1476)
Small Biography
The 2nd Gyalwang Drukpa Gyalwa Kunga Paljor Rinpoche was the fourteenth throne holder of Ralung Monastery and second Gyalwang Drukchen. Son of Drukpa Sherab Zangpo. Popularly known as Gyalwang Je this famed master of the Drukpa tradition was born in 1428 at Ralung Tagsangkha, Rwa lung Stag tshang kha, son of Drukpa Sherab Zangpo (chos rje shes rab bzang po), a scion of the Gya (rgya) lineage of Ralung, and Kunga Dzom (kun dga' 'dzom), a niece or granddaughter of Tshul bzangs Du dben sha. Although all previous Ralung throne holders had been born into this branch of the Gya family desended from Lha Nyen and Lha Bum the elder brothers of Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje, Kunga Paljor was the first to be recognised as the actual rebirth of Tsangpa Gyare (1161-1211) the founder of the Drukpa School and an emination of Avalokiteshvara. Thus he came to be regarded as the Second Gyalwang Drukchen.
He began his studies at an early age with Lobpon Konchog Dorje (slob dpon dkon mchog rdo rje). He received teachings from such masters as Khenchen Kunga Pal (mkhan chen kun dga' dpal), Ngaripa Yonten Senge (mnga' ris pa yon tan seng ge), Gomde Wangchok Lodro (sgom sde dbang phyug blo gros), Trulshik Yonten Zangpo ('khrul zhig yon tan bzang po), Ngok Jangchup pal (rngog byang chub dpal), his 'uncle' Drungdorwa (drung rdor ba), Kharak Drupchen Sogyalwa (kha rag grub chen bsod rgyal ba), Vanaratna, Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (ngor chen kun dga' bzang po), Choje Dondrup Pal (chos rje don grub dpal), Choje Sonam Namgyal (chos rje bsod nams rnam rgyal), Go Lotsawa Zhunnu Pal ('gos lo tsa ba gzhon nu dpal), etc.
He was active in spreading Buddhist teachings in Bhutan, where he went three times and spent a number of years in the Bumthang (bum thang) and Paro areas establishing many temples. He died in 1476 after a life rich in spiritual experience. His biography is filled with extremely interesting information about the religious & secular life of the 15th century.
- (adapted from introduction to reprint of his collected works)
Literary Works
See: Drukchen 2 Works
Main Teachers
- Drukpa Sherab Zangpo ('brug pa shes rab bzang po) [1400-1438]
- Trülshig Namkha'i Naljor ('khrul zhig nam mkha'i rnal 'byor)
- (nags kyi rin chen)
- ('gos lo tsa ba gzhon nu dpal)
- Ratna Lingpa (ratna gling pa) [1403-1478/79]
- (bsod nams rnam rgyal)
- (kun dga' bzang po)
- (dbang blo ba)
- (don grub dpal)
- (byang chub dpal)
- (dbang phyug blo gros)
- (dkon mchog rdo rje)
- (kun dga' dpal)
- (yon tan seng ge)
- (yon tan bzang po)
- (drung rdor ba)
- (bsod rgyal ba)
Main Students
- Tsang Nyön Heruka,"Madman of Tsang" (gtsang smyon he ru ka, rus pa'i rgyan can) [1452-1507]
- U Nyön Kunga Zangpo, "Madman of Central Tibet" (dbus smyon kun dga' bzang po): [1458-1532]
- Druk Nyön Kunga Legpa, "Madman of Bhutan" ('brug smyon kun dga' legs pa) [1455-1529] = Drukpa Kunleg
- sku bsrung ba rgyal mtshan lhun grub
- Drukchen Ngawang Chögyal ('brug chen ngag dbang chos rgyal) [1465-1540]
- lha btsun kun dga' chos kyi rgya mtsho [1432-1505]
- bsod nams mchog ldan
- grub chen shAkya yar 'phel
- shar kha ras chen
- Ava duti pa rinchen rnam rgyal
- rgyal sras 'od gsal klong dbyangs
Main Lineages
- Kagyu
- Drukpa Kagyu
- Middle Drukpa (bar 'brug) / Ralung Tradition
Alternate Names
- Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpoche
- Gyalwang Drukchen Rinpoche
- Gyalwa Drukpa
- Gyalwa Drukchen
- 2nd Drukpa Rinpoche Tendzin Khyenrab Gelek Wangpo
- Gyalwang Je Kunga Paljor (rgyal dbang rje kun dga' dpal 'byor)
- Gyalwang Choje (rgyal dbang chos rje)
- Gyalwang Je (rgyal dbang rje)
References
The Collected Works (Gsung 'bum) of Rgyal dbang Kun dga' dpal 'byor, reproduced from the ms. set preserved at Pha jo lding Monastery, Kunzang Tobgey, Thimphu 1977, in 2 vols.
Other Reference Sources
- Author: Ava duti pa rinchen rnam rgyal; Title: rgyal dbang kun dga dpal ‘byor gyi rnam thar ngo tshar bdud
rtsi’i thigpa.
- Author: dge 'dun rin chen [1926-1997] ('brug rje mkhan po 69); Title: dpal ldan 'brug pa'i gdul zhing lho phyogs nags mo'i ljongs kyi chos 'byung blo gsar rna ba'i rgyan (lho yi chos 'byung blo gsar rna rgyan).