** Zumrang Kagyud Monasteries - Historical Notes

Zurmang Kagyud monastery, part of Dupgyu KarmaTsang, was established in 1423 following the accomplishment of Gonkang Due Pung Zil Non and Tasir Ma. Dupchen, the saint, gathered a lot of Khenpos and asked his followers to spread herbal grass everywhere with a burning desire to witness some auspicious signs.

Not long after, he was being informed that more grasses have grown on the site of Zurmang. Therefore, he suggested that the monastery should be named Tashi Zurmang Monastery.

That is the historical background of how the monastery got the name as Zurmang Monastery. The founder of the monastery was Trung Mase Lodroe Rinchen, a saint and reincarnantion of Tilopa (a great Indian Mahasiddha)

Trung Mase Lodroe Rinchen was an eminent and extraordinary spiritual master who possessed all the quintessential instructions and teachings of Nyenyud (Whispering Lineage), a teaching passed from one spiritual guru to his disciple secretly.

The three Nyenyud Norbu of Zurmang were intially practiced by Choeki Yeshi Kado and passed to Tilopa in succession till Karma Deshin Shegpa for thirteen lines in the means of secrets.

However, Trung Mase Lodroe Rinchen unselfishly imparted the teachings and his extensive knowledge to his dedicated spiritual sons and a considerable number of learned followers appeared out of his generosity.

Among his devoted disciples, including those leading isolated lives in caves pursuing spiritual realizations and those in the religious community at the monastery Thokthan Ya Dyi (eight single knowledgeable masters), were the outstanding highly realized and compassionate Chamo Mi Sum, Tsunma Gyan Shi and A Do Tsunma Rigden.

Thokthan Ya Dyi were Jee Gyaltsab Thokthan Sonam Yeshi, commissioned lineage of Tsalung Chosduk, yogic practice to understand the ultimate nature of phenomena, Thokthan Tashi Gyaltsen, commissioned lineage of Kasung Gonpo, Lhayak Choepal Rinchen, the commissioned lineage of Kathup Nyengyud, Thokthan Dung Dawao Kunga Gyaltsen, commissioned lineage of Tsok Gar, Thokthan Rakshi Sonam Paldup, commissioned lineage of clear light and physic heat, and Tsabshi Nyoesar Gyalpo, commissioned lineage of Dupa and Shenlok.

The there Jamo masters were Shak Sherab Sangpo, Jee Gyaydor and Tsabshi Nyoesar Singey. The twelve successive reincarnated spiritual masters from Trung Mase Lodroe Rinchen to present Venerable Gharwang Rinpoche have been the core contributors and pillars of the Zurmang Kagyud Lineage. They played paramount important roles for the promotion and spread of Buddhism.

Zurmang Monastery flourished from the time its establishment until seventeenth century when it suffered indiscriminate destructions in the midst of various unfavorable circumstances. Thereafter, followed by extensive damages inflicted around 1960s, but the protector shrine was left intact.

However, during the 1980s when the situation appeared calmer and brighter, two dedicated and prominent spiritual gurus, Tenzin Galig Rinpoche (Tenga Rinpoche) and Kunsang Rinpoche undertook with unflinching determination to rehabilitate the Protector Shrine, Tasarma (temple) and Tsamten Tse.

In 1991, the present Venerable Gharwang Rinpoche visited Tashi Zurmang Shedeup Lhungkyi Dup Pee Monastery surveying the site in detail and decided to set up Namgyal-tse and Sherda.

He dedicated all his vigorous energy and resources for the accomplishment of the above two projects so as to promote the Buddha Dharma extensively.

The fruit of his inexhaustible efforts ripen in July 2002 when he visited the newly constructed monastery to inaugurate and gave teachings to the devout devotees.

Morever he invited high-ranking Lamas such as Shaptang Rinpoche, Drugpa Rinpoche and Kunsang Rinpoche to abroad with pure sincerity of spreading Buddhism worldwide.

Presently, both the Sherda and Monastery have considerable number of monks studying the extensive Buddhist philosophy in Tibet.

Fundamentally speaking, Venerable Gharwang Rinpoche is a prominent spiritual master who has devoted all his abilities for spiritual advancement and spread of Buddhism with a message of peace and harmony during this period of degeneration.

He performed an indelible significant role in the promotion of Buddha Dharma that history can never ignore forever.

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