Longchen nying tig
Sangye Nyenpa Tashi Paljor
(sangs rgyas mnyan pa bkra shis dpal 'byor), (1457-1525), the 1st Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche. Also known as Denma Drubthob ('dan ma grub thob) or Denma Drubchen ('dan ma grub chen). A great and important lineage master of the Kamtshang or Karma Kagyu tradition. At the age of six, he met the 7th Karmapa Chödrag Gyatso in whom he developed extraordinary faith. From him he received the name Tashi Paljor. At the age of eight, he received novice vows (later on the full ordination), empowerments and profound instructions from the Karmapa and studied all the outer and inner sciences with great diligence under the guidance of both Bengar Jampal Sangpo (ban sgar 'jam dpal bzang po), (15th-16th cent.) and Geshe Paljor Döndrub (dge shes dpal 'byor don sgrub).
For seven years he did not part from Karmapa Chödrag Gyatso and received the complete transmission of all empowerments and instructions of the Karma Kagyu lineage from him. The Karmapa then instructed him to meditate for three years at Kampo Nenang (kam po gnas nang), for two years at Tsurphu (tshur phu), for two years at Palpung (dpal spung) and for one year in the Tangla mountains (thang la). It is said, that for these eight years he relied solely on the "food of meditative absorption". After that he spent another five years meditating in seclusion on the Semodo island (se mo do) in the great lake known as Namtsho (gnam mtsho). He became the root teacher of the young 8th Karmapa Mikyö Dorje (1507-1554), who had a clear vision of the protector Mahakala, telling him to take Sangye Nyenpa as his guru.
When Tashi Paljor was 43 years old, he stayed in his native place of Denma ('dan ma, 'dan yul). At one time he stayed on the top floor of a four storeyed building, when a great earthquake occured. Instead of being killed and buried under the rubble, he flew up into the air and escaped unharmed. Many people witnessed this and since this time he was called Denma Drubthob, or "Mahasiddha of Denma". He passed into Nirvana at the age of 65. According to H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Sangye Nyenpa Tashi Paljor's "emanation basis" (sprul gzhi) is the future Buddha Maitreya. He is also considered to be an emanation of the Indian master Jnanagarbha (ye shes snying po), one of the teachers of the great translator Marpa.
The picture shows a precious silver statue that is kept in Tsurphu, the Karmapa's seat in Central Tibet. It was made by the 8th Karmapa and is said to have floated in the air for several days after the Karmapa had consecrated it.