Sakya Jetsunma Chime Tenpai Nyima (rje btsun ma ‘chi med bstan pa’i nyi ma) (1756-?)
was born in Sakya and was an extraordinary teacher and practitioner. She was the
teacher of four Sakya Trizins, their brothers, sons and daughters plus many other tulkus
and significant teachers in the Sakya tradition. Her two important legacies are that she is
the sole woman in the Sakya transmission lineage of the Vajrayogini teachings and she is
one of the few women who had the authority to teach both Lamdre Tsogshe (common)
(lam ‘bras tshogs bshad) and Lopshe (uncommon Lamdre) (lam ‘bras slob bshad). It is
unclear when she died but she must have lived a long life since among her disciples
included four Sakya Trizins with the youngest born in 1842. She is remembered as a
siddha of Vajrayogini practices.
Sakya Jetsunma Chime Tenpai Nyima (1756-?)
Jetsunma Chime Tenpai Nyima (rje btsun ma ‘chi med bstan pa’i nyi ma) was born in
Sakya, Tibet. Her father was Ngawang Thutob Wangchuk (nga dbang mthu stobs dbang
phyug), who is the younger brother of the famous Sachen Kunga Lodro1, and her mother
was Tsemo Tashi Yangchen (sras mo bkra shis yang chen), from lThags Tsampa Gerpa
family. Chime Tenpai Nyima was born in 1756 (the 13th Rabjung, Fire Mouse year) on the
22nd day of the 11th month. She was named Chime Bukhrid (‘chi med bu khrid).
From a very young age, she studied with her illustrious paternal uncle, Sachen Kunga
Lodro (1729-1783). Sachen Kunga Lodro had a vision of Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (ngor
1
Sachen Kunga Lodro or Ngawang Kunga Lodro (Ngag dbang kun dga’ blo gros) (17291783) was the 31st Sakya Trizin (1741-1783). He was a great practitioner, teacher, and
prolific writer. One of his books is the continuation of the Sakya genealogies from
‘Jamgon Ames Zhab. Many illustrious lamas from various sects studied with Sachen
Kunga Lodro, including Jigme Lingpa and the third Tukwan, Lobzang Chokyi Nyima who
received teachings in Sakya while he was visiting central Tibet between 1757-1761.
chen kun dga’ bzang po) (1382-1456), the founder of Ngor Ewam Chodan Monastery,
who prophesized that he will have four pillar and eight beam disciples. Jetsunma will be
one of his four great pillar (ka chen bzhi) disciples, i.e. she will be one of his main
students who will continue his teachings.
Sachen Kunga Lodro bestowed on her the important and essential transmissions of both
the Lamdre Tsogshe (common) (lam ‘bras tshogs bshad) and Lopshe (uncommon
Lamdre) (lam ‘bras slob bshad) and all of the teachings concerning Vajrayogini. He
bestowed on her many major empowerments including the—the Sarvavid Vairocana (kun
rig rnam par snang mdzad), which is part of Sarva Durgati Parishodhana Tantra that is
performed when a person is recently deceased. She became very learned and holder of
different religious master lineages including—“Parting from the Four Attachments” (zhan
pa bzhi bral) and the principal Vajrayogini (Narokhachod) teaching cycle.
In the
Vajrayogini lineage, she is the only female master.2 Sometimes lineages simply include
only part of her name—Tenpai Nyima without the epithet of nun or Jetsunma. Hence one
would not know that this master is a woman since Tibetan names are frequently unisex.
When she was 26 years old in 1782 (water tiger year), she took her nun vows
(sramanera or getsul) from the 25th abbot of the Sakya Lhakhang Chenmo, Jampa
Chokyi Tashi (byams pa chos kyi bkra shis) who gave her the new name, Chime Tenpai
Nyima. In the next year, 1783, her main teacher, Sachen Kunga Lodro died. As a holder
of the Vajrayogini teachings, she was requested to recite the Vajrayogini prayers and
2 2
The lineage is 27th-Kunga Lodro (1729-1783), 28th Thartse Je Namkha Chime (17651820), 29th Jampa Namkha Lekpai Lhundrup and 30th Chime Tenpai Nyima, the 31st is
Ngawang Rinchen (also known as Tashi Richen) (1824-1865) who was the 35th Sakya
Trizin.
accompanying offerings for 49 days after her teacher’s death. Having the honor of being
selected as a young woman to perform these important prayers and rituals indicated her
mastery. Indeed, the famous Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892) proclaimed that
Jetsunma Chime Tenpai Nyima was a veritable Vajrayogini.
Later in her life, her fame as an emanation of Vajrayogini spread. Her main disciple was
Derge Drubpon Ngawang Rinchen (sder sger sgrub dpon ngag dbang rin chen). When
she gave the Vajrayogini teachings to him, her eyesight was weak since she was elderly
and she couldn’t see well. But her eyesight improved as she gave the teachings to
Derge Drubpon Ngawang Rinchen. Later she mentioned to her disciple, “Seeing a Lama
like you in Tibet restored my eyesight.” The present Sakya Trizin commented that this
happened because of their strong lama-disciple relationship.
Furthermore, when she gave Drubpon Ngawang Rinchen the Vajrayogini blessing (byin
brlabs), during the inner blessing ritual (nang mchod) the ambrosia in the cup started to
boil spontaneously. Numerous bubbles surfaced. As Derge Drubpon Ngawang Rinchen
drank much of the bubbling ambrosia, his understanding of sunyata expanded.
Therefore her spiritual deeds and teachings are considered to be special and amazing.
Her reputation spread. Many masters and tulkus in Kham heard about her extraordinary
abilities and spiritual insights. Though they did not have a chance to see her, they
wanted to receive her lineage teachings of Vajrayogini. They made much effort to seek
and receive these teachings. Many important lamas praised her highly.
She had numerous disciples all over Tibet. Most of the Sakya Khon family members
received Lamdre Tsogshed and Lopshe as well as the teachings of Vajrayogini from
Jestunma. These members included the 33rd Sakya Trizin and founder of the Dolma
Palace in Sakya--Padma Dud Dul (padma bdud ‘dul) (1792-1853), his son—Tashi
Rinchen (1824-1865) who became the 35th Sakya Trizin and his daughter, Jetsunma
Kelzang Tsultrim Wangmo.
The 34th Sakya Trizin and the founder of the Phuntsok
Palace--Dorje Rinchen (also known as Kunga Rinchen) (1819-1867) and his son-Nagwang Kunga Sonam (1842-1882) who became the 36th Sakya Trizin. Also the 2
brothers of the founders of both Palaces--Kunga Ngodrup Palbar and Ngawang Kunga
Gyaltsen3 (1792-1841); the 44th Abbot of Ngor Thartse, Byams pa Nam mkhai Chime
(1765-1820)4 (whose reincarnation was Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo 1820-1892) and 44th
Abbot’s nephew—the 47th abbot of Ngor Thartse, Byams pa Kunga Tenzin (1776-1862)
and many others.5 Most of the Sakya and Ngor chief lamas were her disciples. Not only
was she recognized as a transmission lineage holder of the Vajrayogini teachings, she
also was one of the few Jetsunmas who taught Lamdre—both the commom and
uncommon teachings.
She is considered to be a siddha or an accomplished one. Her last residence was the
Rigzin Palace (rig ‘dzin pho brang), which was located near the Great Temple (Lhakhang
Chenmo) in Sakya. People called her Rig rmo’u Dung (old noble woman of Rigzin
Palace) or Jetsunma rMol Dung Chime Tenpai Nyima since she lived a long life. It is
unclear when she died but she must have lived a long life since among her disciples
In Dragshul ‘phrinlas rinchen’s Sakya genealogy (pp. 397-398) it states that the
powerful siddha (grub pa’i dwang mo) Chime Tenpai Nyima gave Ngawang Kunga
Gyaltsen the complete teachings of Vajrayogini—the blessing, transmission and
experiential commentary and the teachings of Hevajra. Note: he has the same father as
Padma Dul Dud and Dorje Rinchen but has a different mother. Ngawang Kunga
Gyaltsen’s mother is the younger Rang Byon ma Damtsig Dolma.
4
It is interesting to note that he was a major disciple of both Sachen Kunga Lodro and
Jetsunma Chime Tenpai Nyima.
5
Jackson, David, “Sources of the Chronology and Succession of the Abbots of Ngor Ewam-chos ldan,” Berliner Indologische Studien, 1989, Vol. 4/5:57.
3
included four Sakya Trizins with the youngest born in 1842. When she died, a memorial
statue of Vajrayogini with a beautiful silver crown and ornaments inlaid with precious
gems was made in her honor. In the statue are her relics (tsha tsha). This statue was
located in the Great Temple of Sakya. She is remembered as a great siddha and an
emanation of Vajrayogini.
Sources:
Drag shul ‘phrin las rin chen, 2009, gDung rabs yang skong ngo mtsar kun ‘phel sring
shi’I dpal ‘byor lhun grub mdzad pa po, brtan bshugs tshogs pa, 1-567. This is a reprint
of an earlier text © sa skya'i gdung rabs ngo mtshar rin chen kun 'phel
drag shul 'phrin las rin chen; 1 volume; 864 p.. W27310. However, the page
numbers are completely different. The Long-life Offering Committee of the Golden
Jubliee for the 41st Sakya Trizin printed this text. It is not clear where it was printed.
In this aforementioned genealogy, one of the main, but brief source is the biography of
Jetsunma Chime Tenpai Nyima that is embedded in Kunga phan bde rgyatso’s (also
known as Ewam bZangpo) biography (1766-1788) who was her paternal first cousin and
son of Sachen Kunga Lodro, (pp342-343). Also much information is from interviews with
His Holiness Sakya Trizin.