ABSTRACT
Tenpai Nyima and his twin brother Jamyang Drakpa Özer (1382-1442) lost their father when they were three years old.27 Till the age of twenty-nine they took it in turns to sit on the family throne at Sombrang. Tenpai Nyima then embarked on a course of study in Tibet which brought him into contact with the most accomplished lamas of his day: the First Dalai Lama, Gendündrup (1391-1474), the Fifth Karmapa Lama, Deshin Shekpa (1384-1415), the author of the Blue Annals, Gö Shönupel (1392-1481) and the great bridge-building mahāsiddha, Thangtong Gyalpo (1385-1464).28 It was Gendündrup who is said to have persuaded him to accept only minor ordination to enable him later to marry and so perpetuate his "lineage of bodhisattvas". After returning home to Ura at the age of thirty-five, his twin continued to occupy the family throne and he himself founded the monastery of Gön Langdrang. There he gathered many disciples, including a nun from the family of the Tsampa Lama in whom he is said to have perceived the physical qualities of a dākinī. He took her as his consort. After the birth of a daughter his disciples performed rites to ensure a male heir, "by making offerings above and giving alms below". This is said to have resulted in the birth of Pemalingpa's father, Döndrup Zangpo (the date of his birth is not known). Another son, Künzangphel, came later.
