The Birth of His Holiness

His Holiness' elder brother passed away as a child. Dagmo Sonam Drolker did not conceive another son, despite all attempts, including a lengthy pilgrimage to many sacred places in Nepal and Tibet. When they reached Nalanda Monastery in Phenpo, they had almost given up hope. There, His Eminence Chögye Trichen Rinpoche and the Lamas and monks of Nalanda Monastery requested them thus:

'The Khön family of the Glorious Sakya Order has been of great benefit to all the people of Tibet, to the teachings of the Lord Buddha, and especially to the Sakyapa tradition and its followers. Even the Whispered Lineage of the teachings held by Ladrangs, have all come through many generations of the Khön lineage holders of the Dolma Phodrang. It would be very benevolent of you to continue this holy lineage. To assist in this, we all will certainly do whatever is necessary. Please take with you our Nalanda Abbot Lama Ngawang Lodroe Rinchen Rinpoche (Ngaglo Rinpoche) who is powerful in religious rites, giving mantras and other blessings. With his assistance, you will be guaranteed results.'

The Abbot then accompanied His Holiness' holy family and performed many spiritual rituals and rites. By the spiritual powers of these prayers and rituals, His Holiness entered his mother's womb. Before conception, His Holiness' mother had dreamt repeatedly of a yellow horse descending from the clear blue sky towards her and being driven away by terrifying birds. Many special initiations and prayers were undertaken and subsequently the birds retreated and the horse came closer and closer until it merged with her body. At this time she conceived and thereafter experienced continuous pleasure and happiness. In similar way Lama Ngaglo Rinpoche dreamt that the sun, moon and stars appeared simultaneously in the sky and the light of the three became indistinguishable. He also heard a voice in the sky saying: 'This is the son for whom you wished.'

His Holiness was born at sunrise on the morning of September 7, 1945 on the first day of the eighth lunar month of the year of the Wood Bird. His birth occurred painlessly in the very same blessed room where Vajradhara Kunga Rinchen, who revitalised the Sakya Doctrine, had been born more than ten generations earlier. There were many auspicious signs. During his birth, the entire sky was festooned with extraordinary rainbows. Soon afterwards, an eighty year old man with white hair offered a Thangka of long life deities, and also butter and cheese. The milk of one hundred dris (female yaks) was offered in a crystal vessel by a handsome youth clad in white, who claimed to have been sent by the chieftain of Tsedong. However, when enquiries were made later, no trace of this young man could be found.

Many prayers, special initiations, and rituals were performed to safeguard the life of His Holiness. Soon after his birth, in keeping with the tradition of the Dolma Palace, he received the initiation of a long life deity from Ngaglo Rinpoche. His Noble Father and Ngaglo Rinpoche gave him the Sanskrit name Ayu Vajra (Long Life Vajra). This inaugurated a tradition of giving Sanskrit names to the sons of the Khön family.

The supreme spiritual Master of the time, the great abbot Vajradhara Dhampa Rinpoche (Ngawang Lodroe Shenphen Nyingpo), said to Lama Ngaglo Rinpoche, 'In bringing about the birth of this child, you have performed a great deed. Now the future of the doctrine of the Sakya Order is well assured. I am an old monk. Now, even if I die, I shall have no regrets.'

There were a number of signs which indicated that His Holiness was the reincarnation of the great Terton Orgyen Thrinley Lingpa (Apam Terton). Apam Terton was the real regent of Padmasambhava, possessing the attributes of a noble being with great spiritual realization. His body could pass through solid objects and he had discovered many 'treasure teachings.'

The first indication that His Holiness was a reincarnation of Apam Terton occurred when a Dakini prophesied to Apam Terton that he would hold the throne of Sakya in his next life. When His Holiness' Noble Father and mother asked him when he was a very young child where he came from, he answered that he came from far away and that his home was a tent. When he learned to talk, he spoke in Golok dialect, which was the dialect spoken by Apam Terton. Later on, Apam Terton's son came to visit the Khön family. When His Holiness' aunt asked him who this man was, His Holiness replied that this was his son. When he met a disciple of Apam Terton called Sheija, His Holiness repeated a piece of advice given to him in the same words that Apam Terton had spoken earlier. He even called him Thubten Sheija. Only Apam Terton and a few close people had known that Thubten was Sheija's first name. There were also many other signs to show that he was the reincarnation of Apam Terton. On the day of His Holiness' birth, someone offered an image of Padmasambhava. This is considered to be an auspicious sign and a further indication that he was the reincarnation of Apam Terton. Another auspicious connection is the fact that during his first meeting with Jamyang Khyentse Choekyi Lodroe, he received the transmission of the complete cycle of Longchen Nyingthig teachings from him.

When His Holiness was a few weeks old, a large celebration was held, during which his birth was publicly announced. At that time he received his formal name, which is Ngawang Kunga Thegchen Palber Thrinley Samphel Wanggi Gyalpo. His aunt, who took care of him after his mother passed away, said he was a child with exceptional qualities. The extraordinary signs that have always accompanied him bore witness to his realization. He was a very well behaved child and showed many signs of special qualities. As a young child, he pretended to do fire pujas and made toy tormas, which he tossed away in imitation of the ritual of disposing of the effigy. He also used to imitate chanting and rituals. When Lama Ngaglo Rinpoche saw these things he said, 'There is no doubt that he will be a great teacher, with high accomplishment and spiritual power.'

His Holiness' mother passed away in the twelfth lunar month of the Tibetan year in 1948. When he was told this, though too young to understand, he went into deep mourning.

{ page 3: Childhood }