Chadrel Kunga Palden

Chadrel Kunga Palden (b. 1879, d. ?) was born in Derge’s capital of Dokham. His father and uncle were both successful businessmen but he soon saw through the futility of cyclic existence and developed renunciation towards worldly life.

Vowing to attain enlightenment and escape samasaric suffering, he traveled to Dzogchen Monastery to receive monastic vows. There, he met one of his root teachers, Onpo Tenzin Norbu, from whom he received all the teachings on the outer and inner preliminaries as well as the main practices of the Longchen Nyingtik. These teachings led him to directly experiencing the mind’s true nature.

From the time he entered the path, he lived as a simple renunciate in secluded mountain retreats. When he died he showed no signs of illness. He simply put on his three monastic robes, sat cross legged in mediative equipoise, and slipped into the luminous nature just as if he were falling asleep.