Phajo Drugom Zhigpo is the embodiment of Avalokitesvara who first introduced the Drukpa Kagyu to Bhutan in the 13th century A.D. following the prophecies of Guru Rinpoche and Tsangpa Gyarey. Phajo Drugom Zhigpo came to Bhutan from Ralung, Tibet in 1224 A.D. and propagated the Drukpa-Kagyud School in the western region of Bhutan.
In the religious history of Bhutan, he is deeply revered as the pioneer and dynamic Drukpa leader whose life and deeds are intimately linked with establishing the Drukpa Kagyu tradition in Bhutan. Phajo Drugom Zhigpo is also known as Tobdhen Phajo in Bhutan. Later, his descendants played a significant role in the history of Bhutan.
There are 17 strongholds of Sacred Sites linked with Phajo Drugom Zhigpo which are the twelve meditation sites of Phajo entrusted to him by Guru Rinpoche and five other sites are of the five clans of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo’s descendants. These include Lingzhi Jago Dzong, Taktsang Senge Samdrup Dzong, Tango Choying Dzong, Yangtse Thuwo Dzong, Gomdrak, Thujedrak, Dechen Drak, Tshechu drak, Tsendong Dowaphu, Langthangphu, Sengyephu, Gawaphu, Hungrelkha, Changangkha, Wachen, Goen Sangmey and Dodeyna. Among all Taktsang, also known as Tiger’s Nest, is the most iconic monastery built in Bhutan.
These sacred sites associated with Phajo Drugom Zhigpo and his descendants are part of the Tentative list of Bhutan for inclusion in the World Heritage List.
The Birth of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo and His Early Years
Phajo Drugom Zhigpo is the incarnation of Phagpa Thuje Chempo and Pel Tandin. He was born in 1184 A.D. to Tshongpon Ranzang (Dawa Zangpo) and Palmo Deki in the village of Bapchu in Trashi Yangtse in Dokham, Eastern Tibet. He belongs to the Gya clan. He was the youngest one and named Dondrub Gyaltsen.
At a young age, he had a vision of Guru Tshoki Dorji in his dream. He began his studies under a local Nyingma teacher who taught him reading and writing at seven. According to the prophecy granted by Guru, he went to study under Lam Tharpa Lingpa from whom he received teachings of Sanga Nyingma at the age of 12. He was named Tharpa Gyaltsen.
From this teacher, he received instructions on generating the great thought of enlightenment, teachings on the Maha, Anu, and Ati levels of Tantra, Dzogchen, and in particular empowerment and teachings on “all the Cycles of Mahākāruṇika”. He also received all the cycles and empowerments of the Eight Commandments. He went to a sacred site of the Guru in Linka Drag and meditated there for a long time. As a result, he gained a very profound realization and insight.
Hearing the name of Tsangpa Gyarey
One day Phajo met a trader from the region of U Tshang while fetching food provisions. He learned of the spiritual reputation of the Lord of the Dharma, Tsangpa Gyare who was the incarnation of the great Indian Pandit Naro Penchen (Naropa) from a trader of Jang Taklung. Merely hearing the name of Tsangpa Gyare generated a deep sense of devotion in him and tears came to his eyes.
Moved with great devotion, he decided to go to Ralung to see Tsangpa Gyare. He sought his teacher’s permission to go on a pilgrimage to Lhasa and Samye. After receiving the remaining instructions from his teacher, he set off on his journey. It took him almost a year to reach the U-Tsang region of Tibet.
When he reached Lhasa, he enquired about this Lord of the Dharma. Unfortunately, he was told that the master had died three months before. At this news, he immediately lost consciousness. When he regained his senses, he was told about Onre Darma Sengye, the incarnation of Lhodra Marpa the great translator, who was a nephew and holder of the teachings of Tsangpa Gyare.
Meeting of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo with Onre Darma Senge
At 33 years of age, Phajo finally reached Ralung and as instructed by Tsangpa Gyare before his death, Onre Darma Sengye took him as his disciple. The founder of the Drukpa school, Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje just before he died told his nephew and Regent, Onre Darma Senge that:
“A Khampa son from Kham is coming. But he won’t meet me. You look after him. Send him to the southern valley (Bhutan) that has been visited and blessed by Orgyen Padma Jungne. He will be of great service to the Buddha Dharma.”
According to this verbal will of Tsangpa Gyare, Sangye Oenrey also gave Tharpa Gyaltsen comprehensive empowerment of Drukor and Six Yogas of Naropa. After receiving the teachings for about a year, Tharpa Gyaltsen meditated at Jekar and Longdol and “strenuously practiced meditation for three years and fully actualized the realization. In particular, he perfected his mastery of Mahamudra.”
He then went back to his master Onre Darma Sengye. He related his experiences and, impressed by his realization, Onre gave him the name Phajo Druggom Zhigpo, i.e. “Pha or patriarch, the Accomplished Asetic (Zhigpo), the One Meditating on the wellbeing of the Living Beings” and bestowed on him the complete empowerments and teachings of Rechungpa’s Ear Whispered Transmission of Samvara.
The Prophecy to Visit Bhutan
One day when Sangye Oenrey was drinking tea, he shared with Drugom Zhigpo from the same cup, conveyed the prophecies of Tsangpa Gyare, and gave him instructions about his activities in Bhutan. The prophecies read:
“In the future, in all the regions of U
In the dark regions of the southern valley
The teachings will flourish for a long time
A pre-destined disciple from Kham will submit before you
Give him all the teachings and send him south (Bhutan)
He will benefit the Drukpa teachings
Besides, the sun of prosperity will shine in the southern valley
In the future, I will also be born there
And then, the dual tradition of monastic and civil systems
will be turned
Then, I pray that I will meet my disciple there”.
Thus, conveying the verbal will of Tsangpa Gyare, Sangay Oenrey gave Phajo Drugom Zhigpo a skull full of Duetsi Rilbu, a rosary made of Buddi-citta, a Mani Kabum and a garment he was wearing, and then sent him to Bhutan.
Phajo Drugom Zhigpo’s Visit to Bhutan
As instructed by Sangay Oenrey, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo came to Bhutan in 1224 A.D., at the age of 40. He crossed the border between Tibet and Bhutan and entered the southern valley via Jomolhari. Aum Jomo, the goddess of Jomolhari peacefully welcomed him. The local man in that village offered him a bull. Phajo then proceeded upward with the bull.
On the way, Jomo greeted him and the place became known as sNgon-lung, the Valley of Welcome. The bull guided the way through the glacier, and the place was called Glang La, Bull Pass. On this pass, the self-created six-syllable mantra Ma-ni, an outmost clear image of the yogini, and many other manifestations appeared on a huge stone. He then concealed the self-created images in the cliff as treasure and stayed there for one month. The cliff called Srin-phug-brag later came to be known as Jagoe Dzong.
The prophecy of Guru Rinpoche
From there he went to Paro Taktsang Senge Samdrup Dzong and meditated in Khandro Palphug for one month. Guru Tshokey Dorje instructed him in a vision that he should meditate in four fortresses, four cliffs, and four caves.
From Taktsang, he returned to Lingzhi Tsedong Phug Gawaphu and stayed for three months. There, he subdued an evil spirit with the head of a snake and the tail of a yak. Four rich persons, each owing a thousand cattle and thus called Tongpen, assembled at Tara Lakha and received the blessing of empowerment for life from Phajo Drugom Zhigpo. As a token for these initiations, they offered Phajo Drugom Zhigpo, all the people and the pastures under their control.
To accomplish the prophecy of Guru Rimpoche in the 12 sacred places, Guru also prophesized that he would have a consort from Chudo of Wang who would be the incarnation of Machig Labdon. Phajo was instructed to go to Gomdrak and Wang-Seng-Phug, located above Chizhi Goenpa. Per the prophecy, he went to Gomdra via Tshelung Nye and Thujedrak, meditating and later discovering Drupchhu from the rock.
Also Read: Drupchhu or Holy Spring Waters in Bhutan: Beliefs and Benefits
At Gomdrak, after one and half months, the pious practice and the successful experience of clear light never seen before appeared constantly to Phajo every day and night.
The Birth of First Son, Dampa Sangay, the Second Descendent of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo
Then Phajo Drugom Zhigpo went to the cave of Draphu Sengay Gyeltshen in Wang, Thimphu. When Phajo Drugom Zhigpo was meditating in Draphu Sengay Gyeltshen, many girls from Wang Chudo frequently visited him to pay their respects. Among these girls, the lady Achog, a dakini belonging to the lotus family from Wang Chudo showed much greater devotion and attended to him with deep reverence.
At that time, Phajo knew through his insight that the great Indian saint Pha Dampa Sangay would be reborn. Realizing the moment to be auspicious, he gave five sacred pills to the lady Achog. After consummating his spiritual union with her to beget his son Dampa, he told her that the incarnation of Pha Dampa Sangay would be born to her a year later. Therefore, it was important for her to maintain unadulterated faith and devotion. Since there would be a possibility of great risk for the child, she needed to keep secret the forthcoming birth of the venerable incarnate.
As instructed by Phajo, an extraordinary son gifted with exceptional intelligence was born to her a year later. He was named Dampa, meaning the best. When the child was born, Phajo was staying at Tango Choying Dzong. His mother looked after him with great care till he was 15 years of age. His growth in one month was more than the growth of any other child in a year.
The Birth of Daughter from Dakini Sonam Paldron of Wang Sinmo
When Phajo went to Wang Sinmo, he met Sonam Paldron, a girl with the signs of a Dakini, at Chagzam Bridge. Since meeting her had been prophesied to Phajo in a vision, he took her also as his consort. The bridge came to be known as Lungten Zampa, or the ‘Bridge of the Prophecy’. There is a Phajo Drugom Zhigpo Stupa near the bridge.
Then they meditated at the cave of Dodeyna, where the Tango monastery stands today. Phajo gave her all the instructions and empowerments of the Drukpa tradition. In a vision during the meditation, Hayagriva instructed Phajo to continue his line through children to spread the traditions of the Drukpa lineage. After nine months Sonam Paldron gave birth to a daughter.
Leaving his consort and daughter at Dodena, Phajo went to Gawaphu of Thed, Punakha, and meditated for twenty-one days. After that, he stayed in a hermitage of Tshechu Drak for a month conducting Ganacakra of the Four Types of mKha’-’gro-mas, and for three days a rain of nectar fell from the sky.
The Birth of Four Miraculous Sons from Dakini Sonam Paldron
One day, while he was at the Dechen Drak in Wangdue Phodrang, he saw the face of the Mandala of Eight Commands and obtained supernatural powers, both the highest and the ordinary. At that time, a string of his rosary broke, and the beads scattered in ten directions. While thinking about what it could signify, an immaterial voice from the above spoke:
“Do not be worried, it is a sign that your teaching will spread all over the Southern Direction. Go back to the place where the prophecy was spoken. Meditate there and protect the living beings by way of your heroic yogic discipline and eliminate the enemies of the Dharma through your magical powers!”
Going back, Phajo finally arrived at his place Dodedra. Later Khandro Sonam Paldron gave birth to seven sons. One day, Phajo took all seven sons to a bridge, and invoking the deities to decide which of his sons were demons and which would preserve his lineage, he threw all of them into the river. Three sons drowned and four remained unharmed. The four sons were Garten, Nima, Wangchuk and Lama.
The Victory over the Lama Lhakpas
The story of Phajo throwing his sons into the river spread across the country and Lhakpas, the descendants of the Lhanangpa became envious and hostile. Before the arrival of Phajo Druggom, Nyoe Gyalwa Lhanangpa, a disciple of Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon, the founder of the Drikung Kagyu, had great influence and controlled a large part of western Bhutan. However, the growing reputation of Phajo began to threaten the spread of his Lhapa teaching brought by Gelwa Lhanangpa. Lhakpas sent a letter to Phajo saying:
“You cannot spread your teaching without mutual consent since I have started teaching in this country for the first time. You should either look after the monastery of Jathel Dzong or serve mutually. Else we will have a dispute”.
Phajo dismissed the threat and wrote back saying that Onre Darma Sengye sent him, following the prophecy of Tsangpa Gyare, to spread the teachings of the Drukpa lineage. Then the dispute erupted between the Lhapas and Phajo, exchanging forces and power, where the Phajos effort made it to succession by overcoming the Lhapas to spread the Drukpa Kagyu. When this news was conveyed to Noge Gelwa Lhanangpa, he said to his followers that:
The Drukpa Kagyu spread was predestined for the small kingdom, while the rulers of the kingdom would remain from his lineage.
Phajo began to spread the teachings of the Drukpa lineage systematically. He firmly established the Drukpa lineage teachings as the main school in western Bhutan and exerted considerable political and spiritual influence in the rest of the country.
Phajo Drugom Zhigpo’s Death at Choying Palace of Tango
Before his death, Phajo gathered all his five sons. When all sons were gathered, he told them the following:
“My sons, who are the incarnations of high noble lineages
My sons, who are sidhis having gained deep insight
My sons, who are the jewels ‘Norbu Rinchen Samphel’
Who assume mortal guises to benefits sentient beings,
Five sons, who resemble the lineages of lion, listen.”
Composing such verses, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo gave his sons advice and instructions regarding the Dharma and how to look after his patrons. He appointed his son Garten as the lama and ruler of Dung, Hed, and Dong and as the authority of eastern Bhutan. Nima was appointed as the lam and ruler of Gung and Chang, and as the authority of the frontier territories; Wangchuk was appointed the lama and ruler of Thed and controller of Wodi. As predestined, Lama became a monk and was asked to be in Paro and Thimphu. Dampa was instructed to replace his father at Tango and look after both the teachings and patrons of Drukpa Kagyu.
He prophesized that:
In the future, the promoters (Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal) of the teaching of Durkpa Kagyu would come from Ralung in Tibet and that the descendants of his sons needed to become their patrons and serve them.
Saying this, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo passed away at age 68 in 1251 A.D. at his Tango Choying Dzong. On the fifteenth day of the first lunar autumn month, just as the sun rose, the physical form-body of Phajo Rinpoche dissolved into the Realm of Ultimate Reality.
The Contribution of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo in Bhutan
According to the biography, Phajo traveled extensively in the western part of Bhutan and is credited with establishing at least three major temples, palaces, and hermitages. Among these are the Tango Choeying Dzong, the hermitage of Dodedra situated at the foot of the hillock leading to the present-day Chari Monastic complexes, and the cliff hermitage of Thuji Dra which is located above the present-day Phajoding Monastery.
The biography of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo also mentions the twelve meditation places entrusted to him by Guru Rinpoche where he meditated at these sites to fulfill the prophecy of Guru to salvage sentient beings from suffering through the teaching of Drukpa Kagyud.
The Twelve Meditation Sites of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo in Bhutan
When Phajo Drugom Zhigpo was meditating in Paro Taktsang for a month, in a vision, Guru Rinpoche instructed him to travel throughout the country and meditate at twelve places. These places include four fortresses (Dzongs), four cliffs (Drags), and four caves (Phugs) scattered within Thimphu, Paro, Punakha, and Gasa districts.
The Twelve Sacred Sites are:
Four Dzongs (Fortresses)
- Taktsang Sengye Samdrup Dzong,
- Tango Choying Dzong,
- Lingzhi Jagoe Dzong and
- Yangtse Thuwo Dzong.
Four Draks (Cliffs)
- Gom Drak, located above Nangkor in Chang, Paro,
- Puemodraka known as Thuje Drak, is located above Phajoding Monastery,
- Goen Dutsidra, known today as Tsechu Drak and
- Sha Dechen Drak or Dechen Draphu, located in Khothangphu.
Four Phugs (Caves)
- Tsedong Dowaphug in Lingzhi,
- Gawa Phug, Gawaphu in Thed Kabisa, Punakha,
- Langthang Phug in Wangdue and
- Draphu Sengay Gyeltshen/Sangayphu in Dagala.
The influence of the Drukpa-Kagyu tradition in Bhutan gradually gained strength by prevailing over groups of other Buddhist traditions from these centers. Later in the 17th century, these sites took significant roles becoming strategic footholds during the consolidation and unification of the country under the one rule by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal who is believed to be the re-birth of Tsangpa Gyaray and also an emanation of Avalokitesvara.
Five Sites of Five Clans of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo’s Descendants
The other five sites had been the regional centers of the five clans of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo’s descendants who controlled different regions: Hungrelkha in Paro, Dodeyna and Changangkha in Thimphu, Wachen in Wangduephodrang and Goen Sangmey in Punakha.
Many of these sites have greatly transformed their physical state and functions, reflecting the dynamism of western Bhutan’s socio-political changes. For instance, the main foothold of Hungrelkha was replaced by a magnificent fortress of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, and only a few related important sites remain including a shrine of the deity called Hungrel Gyem Lhakhang. At the same time, Wache Dzong, a medieval Dzong in ruin was renovated and consecrated recently. Changangkha Lhakhang is an important temple of a protective deity in the region and is frequented by the inhabitants of Thimphu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Druk Kagyu come from in Bhutan?
The Drukpa Kagyu was brought to Bhutan from Tibet.
Why did Phajo Drugom Zhigpo come to Bhutan?
Phajo Drugom Zhigpo came to Bhutan from Ralung, Tibet in the year 1224 A.D. to propagate the Drukpa-Kagyud School of Buddhism following the prophecies given by Guru Rinpoche and the Drukpa kagyu founder Choeje Tsangpa Gyarey.
Who prophesied the arrival of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo to Bhutan?
Phajo Drugom Zhigpo was prophesied to arrive in Bhutan by Guru Padmasambhava and the Drukpa Kagyu founder Choeje Tsangpa Gyarey.
Who established the Drukpa Kagyu tradition in Bhutan?
While Phajo Drugom Zhigpo first brought the Drukpa Kagyu teachings to Bhutan in the 13th century, it was Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal who established it as the state religion in the 17th century and founded the modern nation of Bhutan.
What are the contributions of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo in Bhutan?
The significant contributions made to Bhutan by Phajo Drugom Zhigpo in the 13th century are:
- Introduction of Drukpa Kagyu School in Bhutan;
- Establishment of Temples and Hermitages;
- Twelve Meditation Sites.
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