30 July 2006 * Memories of Dege: Jamje Tulku Rinpoche

We met Jamje Tulku Rinpoche, who is a genuine Lama and a Siddha. His face bears the mark of a Siddha: highly evocative and able to express laughter and sadness simultaneously. We saw Rinpoche 3 times and I really enjoyed my time with him.

Rinpoche was born in Denkhok, the same place where H.H. Karmapa XVI was born. After recognition, Rinpoche was taken to Serxiung Monastery in Kutse Valley, where he began training as a monk. But, his training ended when the Chinese invaded Khams, sacked the monastery, and arrested all of the lamas. Rinpoche, who was 14 at the time, was sent to prison, but he was one of the lucky ones, because he was transferred to a work gang after a couple of months of incarceration. He estimated that over 300 people in the Kutse Valley were imprisoned and only 6 survived.

As it turned out, Jamje Rinpoche was on the same wood-gathering crew as Egg’s brother Tse Sung, who was imprisoned for 22 years after the local party boss wrongly accused the crew of plotting to murder the party boss. But that particular day, when Tse Sung and the other elderly workers were arrested, Rinpoche had been sick and unable to work…otherwise, he would likely have been imprisoned as well.

Rinpoche was consigned to hard manual labor for about 12 years, until he escaped from the work gang at the age of about 26 or 27. He fled, alone, into the forest and found an isolated cave to dwell in. He lived and meditated there, without human companions for 6 years.

The cave had a very small opening, but a large interior space and it was not dry, for the ceiling dripped when it rained. Also, the cave was inhabited by a monkey family, which apparently adopted Rinpoche. He said that the monkeys would go out scavenging for food in the daytime, but when they returned with fruit and other items, they would give some to him! Later, when Rinpoche moved away from the cave he heard that the monkeys were searching everywhere for him.

Jamje Tulku Rinpoche has had many many other experiences, and shared some with Tara as we sat on the carpet cushion in his study. I sat in bemused wonder as I sipped butter tea and watched a batch of flies hover and circle silently in the mid-room space. Vibrant light filtered in from the carved wooden window frame behind Rinpoche, transforming the room into a magical and mystical place.

Rinpoche was interrupted every so often by a phone call or divination request. He would take out his mala and enter a sudden meditation – I could feel the space become immediately charged-up and bright. Then he would click through some beads and come to a conclusion, explaining the results to the requestor, while always adding that he or she should use their own best judgment and need not necessarily follow the indications of his divination.

Tara and Palmo requested a divination regarding the decision to send Aje to study Tibetan medicine with Dr. Lodrö Phuntsok. Before starting, Rinpoche advised that if one really wants to do something, don’t seek a divination, just do it. But if one is not really sure about something, a divination might be helpful. Then Rinpoche began divining, but the answer was almost immediately obvious and clear: “Of course it’s good to send her for such training, because it’s an excellent kind of education!”

The last time we met Rinpoche, it was not at his home. Instead, he unexpectedly came to see us at our hotel. We were returning from an afternoon at the Dege Printing Academy when a lama found us on the street and told us Rinpoche was waiting for us back at the hotel. We hurried back and then invited Rinpoche to join us in the hotel tea garden, where we passed a pleasant while in conversation.

We had requested a short text, which Rinpoche said he had contemplated every day for many years. He gave us this text and we recorded a short transmission and teaching on this text. We promised Rinpoche to learn this text and contemplate its meaning. I intended to translate it after my return home. But, I have not completed this task yet. Here is a draft of the first two stanzas:


Then Rinpoche gave us scarves, a beautiful Buddha statue, and a huge bag full of snacks and drinks. I remarked to Tessa that this was really unusual, for a high lama to visit regular people, and bring gifts for them. Usually, it’s the other way around! Jamje Tulku Rinpoche is a very great and highly realized man. Anyone lucky enough to meet him is fortunate indeed.