A Brief Timeline of Jikten Sumgön's Life

 
"The Serkhang Chojé," a most blessed statue of Kyobpa Rinpoché enshrined in the Golden Temple at Drikung Thil Monastery.

1143 - Jikten Sumgön (1143-1217) was born in eastern Tibet. His birth was prophesied in many sources. As he was born to a religious family, his Dharma education started while he was still very young.

1157 - his father, Dorjé, an accomplished Yamāntaka yogi, passes away after a severe drought causing great famine in the local area.

1158 - one of his close teachers from the time he was six passes away.

1159 - his mother, Tsünma, a secret yoginī, passes away.

1160 - left his hometown in search for more Dharma instructions in the southern part of eastern Tibet. 

1163 - returns to hometown and later enters into retreat for three years to practice Mahāmūdra and Vajrayoginī.

1168 - leaves eastern Tibet and arrives in central Tibet and joins Phakmo Drupa (1110-1170) at Densa Thil, southeast of Lhasa.

1168-1170 - Jikten Sumgön remained with Phakmo Drupa and received many profound instructions.

1170 - Phakmo Drupa manifests signs of illnesses and passes away - Jikten Sumgön having spent two years and six months with Phakmo Drupa. After completing the funeral rites, Jikten Sumgön mostly remained in retreat or only travelled to receive Dharma instructions and transmission.

1172 - Jikten Sumgön retreats to Echung cave and while in retreat attains complete enlightenment.

1177 - receives full-monk's ordination and from this point on abstained from meat and alcohol completely. Fulfills Phakmo Drupa's wish by becoming head of the monastic community at Densa Thil.

1179 - leaves Densa Thil when the monastic community refuses to abide by his insistence on strict monastic discipline. Arrives at Drigung Valley, northeast of Lhasa on the fullmoon day of the twelfth month and establishes the foundations of what would become Drigung Thil Monastery. Continues to travel to spread the Dharma.

1182/83 - begins a two-year meditation retreat at Drigung.

1183 - 1191 - disciples came from all over Tibet to train under Jikten Sumgön. Many other great masters came to Drigung to visit Jikten Sumgön and the thriving community. During the first Black Hat Karmapa's visit, he had of vision in which he saw Jikten Sumgön and his two chief disciples as Buddha Sakyamuni flanked by Śāriputra and Mahāmaudgalyāyana.

1191 - as thousands of monks were gathered at Drigung, Jikten Sumgön decided to send most of them into retreat at the holy mountains such as Tsari, Lapchi and Kailash.

1193 - although intending to make pilgrimage to India, Jikten Sumgön was forced to return to Phakmo Drupa as some local political forces were threatening to invade Densa Thil unless Jikten Sumgön was in residence.  He gave many profound teachings while there and many great teachers gathered to receive those teachings.

1193 - Lama Zhang (1123-1193), a great disciple of Phakmo Drupa and close friend of Jikten Sumgön announced that the dākinīs have also come to invite him, the first Black Hat Karmapa (1110-1193) and Jikten Sumgön to the purelands. But since, "the Drigungpa understands interdependent-origination well, he does not have to go but we two have to."

1199/1200 - at Tsari (?), Jikten Sumgön once again sent many disciples to the various holy mountains for extended retreats.

1203 - some negative signs manifested with regards to Jikten Sumgön's health during his 60th year (considered by Tibetans to be an "obstacle year") and many thought he would die but he regained his health after engaging in some special practices for a night.

1208 - the great Kashmiri master, Śākyaśrībhadra (Sakya Pandita's [1182-1251] monastic preceptor) made attempts to see Jikten Sumgön but failed. He did manage to send Jikten Sumgön a special white lotus that was given to him by an arhat from Sri Lanka, recognizing that Jikten Sumgön is the reincarnation of Nagārjuna.

1208-1217 - continues to give teachings and disciples gathered from all corners of the known world, from areas such as China, India, Central Asia, Tangut and Mongolia. During one tsok-offering gathering, it is said that 55,525 monks were present.

1217 - passes away after manifesting signs of illness. His last advice was "This meditation-rock (i.e. Drigung Thil) is inseparable from me throughout the three times (of past, present and future). After I pass away, there is no need for you to make my image or stūpa in gold or silver. (Instead, remember that) Mahāmūdra and the ethical-vows are
inseparable - therefore keep the precious vows."