Name Variants: Cho Dorje; Drubchen Chokyi Dorje; Wensa Nyomba

Chokyi Dorje was born near the Nyingma monastery Tanak Dorjeden  in 1457 to two wandering ascetics from the Tsongkha region of Amdo. His father was Kunga Gyalpo and his mother was Paldzom. He spent his childhood on pilgrimage, ending at age eleven when his parents brought him to Ganden Namgyeling.

At Ganden, Chokyi Dorje met his root teacher, Baso Chokyi Gyaltsen, the Sixth throne holder of Ganden (Ganden Tripa). Forewarned of the arrival of his future disciple, Chokyi Gyaltsen welcomed the boy and his parents warmly, supplying them with food and goods, and requesting of the parents that they give him their child. The boy soon took novice ordination and received the name Chokyi Dorje.

Under Chokyi Gyaltsen's instruction, Chokyi Dorje proved himself to be an exceptional scholar. He received teaching in the standard course of Gelug training, beginning with the Bodhicaryavatara and proceeding through the Lamrim, or Stages of the Path. In due course, he received the lineages of the Lamrim, the initiations of Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, Vajrabhairava and Kalachakra.

In particular, he received the transmission of the oral tradition of Tsongkhapas lineage of Ganden Mahamudra, which Tsongkhapa is said to have received from Manjushri himself, together with the root text of the transmission, the Trulpai Legbam Chenmo.

Following his time at Ganden, Chokyi Dorje continued his studies at Drepung Monastery, where he trained in Madhyamaka philosophy with Delek Tobden and took full ordination under Jepon Lobzang Nyima (1439-1492), the Ninth throne holder of Depung.

Chokyi Dorje then journeyed to the province of Tsang to deepen his understanding of the scriptures. He took teachings from Jamyang Monlam Pelwa (1414-1491) and Lodro Bepa (1400-1475).

Finally, following the instructions of his heart teacher, Chokyi Dorje sought to intensify his experience of the path, and began to practice in solitary retreat in the wilderness of Tibet. At the sacred site of Pema Chan, important to the lineages lamas of the Ganden Mahamudra, he had a vision of Tsongkhapa, receiving from him the complete lineage of the secret oral tradition.

Towards the end of his life, Chokyi Dorje took Wensapa Lobzang Dondrub (1505-1556) as his disciple.

According to legend, Chokyi Dorje found Wensapa at home, stricken with smallpox. He sang a song outside his door, inspiring his future disciple with faith. Wensapa joined Chokyi Dorje at his hermitage, Garma Chodzong, near Wensapa monastery and received from him the complete transmission of the Ganden Mahamudra. He passed away after spending a number of years with his disciple, both at Garma Chodzong, Pema Chan, and visiting monasteries in U and Tsang.

Teachers

• Baso Chokyi Gyaltsen b.1402 - d.1473 (Name Variants: Chokyi Gyaltsen; Ganden Tri 06 Chokyi Gyaltsen; Lhanwa Sowa Chokyi Gyaltsen; Tatsang 01 Chokyi Gyaltsen)

Students

• skyabs mchog dpal bzang
• Wensapa Lobzang Dondrub b.1505 - d.1556 (Name Variants: Lobzang Dondrub)

Source:

1. Willis, Janice D. 1995. Enlightened Beings: Life Stories from the Ganden Oral Tradition. Boston: Wisdom Publications, pp. 48-55.
2. Willis, Janice D. 1985. Preliminary Remarks on the Nature of rNam-thar: Early dGe-lugs-pa Siddha Biographies. In Soundings in Tibetan Civilizations. Barbara Aziz and Matthew Kapstein, eds. Delhi: Manohar, pp. 304-319.
3. Miranda Adams August 2007
4. http://www.tibetanlineages.org/biographies/view/160/12883/lineage