H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche's Birthplace in Pema Köd

H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche's previous incarnation, Dudjom Drodul Lingpa, prophesied that he would be reborn in Pema Köd. Just before he passed away, he urged all of his disciples to depart for this region. Just as he had prophesied, H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, head of Nyingma Lineage until his death,was indeed born in Pema Köd, in 1904. He established a monastery there known as Terkhung Gon, which became his main seat in Pema Köd. After the Chinese invasion in 1959, Dudjom Rinpoche directed his disciples in Tibet to relocate to Indian-controlled Pema Köd, instructing them to take important sacred objects from his monastery. Due to the power of H.H.'s blessings, even in the midst of the turbulent and brutal Chinese invasion, a number of precious objects were successfully brought across the border to southern Pema Köd.

Once all these objects were safely installed in southern Pema Köd, Dudjom Rinpoche expressed his strong aspiration that these sacred objects never be removed from Pema Köd, where they would serve as a source of blessings to this holy land in this degenerate age. To this end, he entrusted these precious objects to his disciple Togden Sithar, to whom he also gave a letter of intention stating his wish that Togden Sithar preserve these sacred objects in this land.

Togden Kunzang Longdrol (Togden Sithar), Tulku Orgyen Phuntsok's former incarnation:
Togden Sithar was a highly realized Dzogchen master who hailed from the Powo region of southeastern Tibet (A “togden” is a yogi who engages in lifelong retreat). He was very influential in spreading the Buddhadharma, and established a well-known retreat center, Yongon, in Powo. When the Chinese invaded Tibet in 1959, Togden Sithar fled, taking many of his disciples with him to southern Pema Köd. After a brief search for a suitable environment in which to continue his spiritual practice, he settled in a village that he later named Yoldong, which means "the mountain curtain," for the distinctive feature of its landscape: a linked series of long, ridged mountains that border the village to the west. This mountain range has the appearance of a curtain from outside the village, and thus forms a natural partition from the rest of the region. It was said that the land to the east of this mountain curtain comprised the heart of the Pema Köd region. Dewakota, where Dudjom Rinpoche gave the empowerments of the Rinchen Terzod for the first time in his life, is located only a few miles away from Yoldong village, where the present retreat land is situated.

Here in Yoldang, Togden Sithar became closely associated with The Hidden Land by means of his spiritual practice and through his Buddhadharma activities. At this time, this land was also home to many other great masters and numerous hidden yogis and yoginis. Today, this land continues to be home to many pure practitioners.

Togden Sithar’s Retreat Lands

Togden Sithar’s original retreat land in Powo, Tibet, called Yang Gon Chos Khor Ling, is perched on a spectacular mountain known as Yuri, which means "turquoise hill." It commands a view of villages set in a breathtaking landscape, and is considered to be ideal for the practice of Dzogchen Thogal, or "crossing over."

It is said that long ago, a great yogi known as Gyalwa Yang Gonpa blessed the land, named it Yang Gon, and prophesied that here, an excellent yogi would one day build a temple and fulfill the needs of sentient beings.

When the time ripened, the Dzogchen yogi Togden Sithar who had been practicing as a mendicant, established Yang Gon Chos Khor Ling as his residence on the very spot foretold; there he benefited sentient beings, thus fulfilling Gyalwa Yang Gonpa's prophecy.

As Togden Sithar established himself at this retreat land, a number of ordained and lay practitioners joined him, devoting their entire lives to the practice of Buddhadharma. Many practitioners from various other regions of Tibet frequented the land as well, visiting to receive the pith instructions from Togden Sithar. Extensive group practices likewise came to be a regular feature of life at Yang Gon Chos Khor Ling, many held on an annual or monthly basis.

Togden Sithar lived and practiced on this land until his departure in search of a suitable and safer environment in southern Pema Köd. When he arrived in the village of Yoldong, Togden Sithar found there an old temple called Theg Chog Wod Sal Choling, where practitioners gathered from time to time to receive teachings and empowerments. Extensive Nyung Ney practices were performed, called Nyung Ney Cha Gya, which means "One Hundred sets of Nyung Ney." Two days of practice is considered one set. These great practitioners, who were Togden Sithar's main students, included some of the great masters of Powo: Lama Tshering Chodrag, Lama Tashi Gyaltsen, and Lama Dolma Tsering. They would perform this practice for six months and twenty days at a time. Whenever a drupchen (extensive group retreat practice) was performed, numerous auspicious signs would appear. Many people still alive today can bear witness to these phenomena. On the retreat land, many tsakhangs—large wooden huts filled with tsatsas, built in many locations by many practitioners—can still be found today.

Togden Sithar invited many other great masters to visit and live in this retreat land. One of the most revered teachers was the great realized master Phulung Sangjee Rinpoche. He was the teacher of other masters, including H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche himself. Terton Chojeelingpa, one of the most important treasure revealers in the Nyingma tradition, also lived here for many years. He was one of the incarnations of the three revealers of the land of Pema Köd, known as "Beyul Rigzin Namsum," or "Three Vidayadaras of the Hidden Land."

Terton Chojeelingpa, Phunlung Sanjee Rinpoche, and Togden Sithar were very
devoted to one another and would often do meditation practice retreats together in one single mandala. On this retreat land, there is a small creek, and it is said that these three masters together revealed this water source for the retreat land.

Deden Tashi Choling Temple and Activities

In accordance with Dudjom Rinpoche's wishes, Togden Sithar built another temple in the village of Yoldong and named it Yoldong Deden Tashi Choling. Here he preserved not only the sacred objects entrusted to him by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, but the Dudjom lineage itself. In time, this temple became the second most important lay-oriented, or "Ngakpa," monastery in the Pema Köd region. At H.H.’s recommendation, many of the yogis and yoginis from the original Terkhung Gompa in Chinese-controlled Pema Köd eventually made their way to Yoldong village, living out the rest of their lives around this temple.

Inside the temple, Togden Sithar built six main statues: Amithaba, Avaloketishavara, Padmasambhava, Guru Dorje Drolo, Guru Senge Dradrog, and Sengdongma, or Lion-Face Dakini. A number of precious objects that had been taken from Terkhung Gompa were placed inside these statues according to Dudjom Rinpoche's instructions. Besides these statues, other precious objects that have been preserved include two stupas, each of which are more than two feet tall. One of these stupas houses the relics of Dudjom Rinpoche's root teacher, Jurme Nedon Wanpo, who enthroned him. The other houses the precious remains of Dudjom Rinpoche's mother, Namgyal Drölma, who was well known as a dakini in human form. These relics are among the most revered objects in this temple.

Since Togden Sithar’s passing in 1970, up to the present, his advanced students have continued their Dharma practice in their own small retreat cabins around the temple, Deden Tashi Choling. In addition, all the traditions Togden Sithar established for group practice on a monthly and annual basis are faithfully maintained by his disciples, and performed exactly as they were when their master was alive.

Monthly practices include an extensive Guru Rinpoche Tsok on the 10th day;
the practice of One Hundred Deities (Shi-tro) on the 15th day (the full moon); and Dakini Tsok on the 25th day of the month. A drupchen (extensive retreat) is
conducted annually during the first month of the Tibetan calendar, and a Nyung Ney retreat is held for several weeks during the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar.

Other occasional group practices include Tara practice and Tsok Bum (one hundred thousand tsok offerings), which were Togden Sithar's favorite group practices and highly recommended by the master.
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