Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo
Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo was a major disciple and lineage holder of the treasure teachings of Traktung Dudjom Lingpa, and was the root teacher of His Holiness Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje.  In the practice of the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro (preliminary practices), veneration of this great lineage master begins in the Field of Merit of the refuge tree.

In the upper lineage of Dudjom Lingpa's treasure teaching, Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo was not only a prophesied lineage holder to whom Dudjom Lingpa entrusted the entire cycle of his teachings, but he was also prophesied as one who would spread the authentic teachings in Golok and Pemaköd through teachings and practice. Gyurme Ngedon Wangpo also wrote many commentaries on Dudjom Lingpa's treasure teachings, most notably on The Sharp Vajra of Awareness.

For His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo played a most significant role. He was His Holiness's root teacher, who recognized His Holiness, enthroned His Holiness, and taught His Holiness all aspects of authentic ritual performance, enabling His Holiness to become one of the most renown and respected vajra masters of the 20th century. Most importantly, Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo spent sixteen years of his life in Pemaköd offering the young HH Dudjom Rinpoche all empowerments, oral transmissions, and sacred teachings of Dudjom Lingpa so that His Holiness, as the immediate reincarnation of the great Dudjom Lingpa, could fulfill his sacred responsibility of holding, preserving and propagating the sacred teachings of Dudjom Lingpa's lineage.

According to A Crystal Mirror, "Every lineage that converged in Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo was passed on flawlessly to the reincarnation of his teacher.  By serving this supreme master through two incarnations, he guaranteed the seamless continuation of the Dudjom lineage in the modern world."

After completing his responsibilities, Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo passed into parinirvana amid many signs of high accomplishment.  After his holy body was cremated, among the many relics, the subtle essence of the master – his heart, tongue and eyes – remained, blending together to form an image of the aspect of Padmasambhava called "Guru Dewachenpo," Guru of Great Bliss.

For the welfare of all beings and particularly for the Dudjom lineage, Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo's sacred relics were enshrined in a reliquary Stupa, which initially remained in Khorlo Dratsang, HH Dudjom Rinpoche's tantrika sangha community in upper Pemaköd.  During the political turmoil of 1959, in accordance with the aspiration of HH Dudjom Rinpoche, the tantrika sangha community in upper Pemaköd came to an end and migrated to lower Pemaköd -- to the retreat land in Yoldong established by Tokden Kunzang Longdrol, Tulku Orgyen Rinpoche's previous incarnation.  His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche had repeatedly expressed the importance of these sacred objects for the entire Hidden Land of Pemaköd, and entrusted them to Tokden Kunzang Longdrol explaining the significance of this guardianship for the future.

With much hardship, Tokden Kunzang Longdrol was finally able to transport the sacred reliquary stupa and many other sacred objects to his land in Yoldong, lower Pemaköd, India, where the Khorlo Dratsang tantrika sangha continued its practices uninterruptedly.  In fulfillment of His Holiness's aspiration, Tokden Kunzang Longdrol built the Deden Tashi Chöling temple, and ever since, the sacred reliquary stupa of Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo has been enshrined as one of the main sacred objects in the temple.

Tokden Kunzang Longdrol also constructed a reliquary stupa to enshrine the sacred remains of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche's mother, Yum Namgyal Dolma, a Dakini in human form, as well as three kaya statues and other statues that were to be placed in the three levels of the Zangdok Palri temple that Tokden aspired to build.

Fulfilling the aspirations of HH Dudjom Rinpoche and other great masters of the past, as well as the aspirations of Tokden Kunzang Longdrol, Tulku Orgyen Rinpoche recently completed construction of the three-story Zangdok Palri Temple in Yoldong, Pemaköd -- Deden Tashi Chöling Temple.  Deden Tashi Chöling Temple now houses and preserves all of these sacred objects which both serve as support for Dharma practitioners and benefit all beings, now and for many future generations to come.