Mikyö Dorje’s was born in a village two hours from Changdu City in 1507. Gyaltsap Tashi Namgyal gave him the monastic name Chökyap Drakpa Pal Sangpo.
We must know what to adopt or discard and put this into practice. For the Theravada path to take root we must want to achieve Nirvana. For the Mahayana path to take root we must turn away from fame, respect etc and consider others as more important. When practicing tantra we should meditate on the world as a pure realm, but for us everything appears as an enemy or something we dislike. We confuse the practices of the three vows and just act as Dharma practitioners but are not. Mikyö Dorje said it is like the husk which needs to be discarded and not something to keep.
Mikyö Dorje’s guru the 2nd Gyaltsap Tashi Namgyal was born in Nyemo in Central Tibet 1487. Chödrak Gyatso recognised him as the reincarnation of Goshri Paljor Döndrup in 1503 and gave him a red crown consecrated with the essence of speech of the Vajra Amitabha Lama Gongdü practice. After 7th Karmapa passed away he receiving the title Gyaltsap. He built a golden stupa for the Karmapa’s remains and recognised and enthroned the 8th Karmapa. He passed away in 1515 aged 29. Mikyö Dorje met Gyaltsap Tashi Namgyal in 1513 when enthroned as the 8th Karmapa. He took Mahayana fasting vows from him, received the name Chökyap Drakpa Pal Sangpo and received monastic vows.
Mikyö Dorje regarded the 5th Shamar and the 3rd Gyaltsap’s reincarnations his gurus but had most faith in Sangye Nyenpa who was born in the 1440s in Denma, Kham. Sangye Nyenpa shed tears when he first heard the name Karmapa. Aged 6 he met Karmapa -it was like father and son uniting. He received the name Tashi Paljor and went forth as a monk aged 8. Aged 9 -16 he studied various sutras and tantras. After studying philosophy made the request to practice to 7th Karmapa Chödrak Gyatso. From then he never separated from his guru. He subsisted on food scraps, his nickname was Gnarled Blue Nyenpa. Aged 23 he devoted himself to practice. For 8 yrs he ate only leftovers from tormas and used leftover tea leaves, surviving on a practice of visualizing eating and maintained a vow of silence. Aged 40 he planned to go to Uddiyana with his friend Ser Jadralwa. But his friend passed away so plans were abandoned.
Sangye Nyenpa dreamt of his mother. Karmapa told him to return home, but he realised his mother had already passed away and was reborn as a dakini. In a vision she requested the Chakrasamvara empowerment so through his samadhi he gave her it.
There was a war between Sangye Nyenpa’s homeland of Denma and Adro and his brother was killed. His adversary set out to kill Sangye Nyenpa. When reaching his cave he saw him emaciated with tattered robes. Hatred subsided and he felt faith. The people of Denma and Adro requested help in resolving the conflict but Sangye Nyenpa had no wish to engage in worldly activities.
Karmapa requested Sangye Nyenpa build a monastery. He declined feeling he lacked qualities, after receiving another order Sangye Nyenpa followed the guru’s demands. He returned to Denma resolved the dispute with Adro then built a monastery at Urgyen Mountain Retreat, teaching those who had killed his brother. They developed faith and gained accomplishment.
Other monasteries of Denma were jealous and waged war. Sangye Nyenpa’s monks mainly stayed in retreat. An earthquake destroyed the adversarial monasteries and the retreat quarters partially collapsed. People assumed Sangye Nyenpa used miraculous powers to fly to safety when seen sitting unharmed on a remaining wall. He built a new monastery named Jangchup Ling and helped restore damaged monasteries promoting harmony in the region. He became the 8th Karmapa’s guru before passing away at Karma Gön aged 65.
When 4yr old Mikyö Dorje was asked who his your guru was he replied “Sangye Druptop.” He wished to follow the guru but lacked the freedom. The 4th Shamar Chökyi Dragpa was the most suitable teacher, but he suggested Gyaltsap Rinpoche, who then passed away so Sangye Nyenpa Denma Druptop became teacher to the 10yr old. They spent 2 yrs together. He never missed a day of teachings never saw himself equal to his guru nor saw him an ordinary person. Each day he contemplated his guru’s teachings, offered the mandala and Seven Branch Prayer and envisioned his guru as Vajrasattva taking empowerments. During teachings he listened assiduously, worked diligently to ascertain the meaning and developed experience during meditation. Though young he served his guru and couldn’t bear to be apart from him. Seeing the guru as Buddha is the profound point of devotion. Pleased with Mikyö Dorje’s accomplishments all blessings of body, speech, and mind were transferred. Through the kindness of the guru he gained understanding and renunciation and became a great being whose name and meaning are in accord with the Dakpo Kagyu.
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