Brief History of Karphu Goenpa and its Historical Background.

Karphu Lhakhang.

Karphu Goenpa is one of the main residence of Terton Ratnalingpa and carries rich historical significance with numerous treasures. Karpu Goenpa is located about 30 minutes drive from Khomo/Khoma Gewog Centre on the top of the hill between Baptong and Berpa Village. It was founded by Terton Ratna lingpa (1403-1478) and left with numerous treasures which includes the Phurpa named Karma Heru (the ritual dagger) is one of the main relics of Karphu Goenpa. 

Historical Reason for naming as Karphu Goenpa.

During the time of Terton Ratnalingpa’s visit to Bhutan, he went to the hill between Baptong and Berpa village and found that there is small lake (where present Lhakhang located) and he discovered pair of Dungkar (the ritual Conch). Hence the lake was vanished after his discovery of treasure from that lake and he found his main residence at this hill and named as Karphu, meaning kar is derived from Dungkar (Retual Conch) and phu is meaning of hill. Hence, the name of that place was called as Karphu Goenpa. One of the Dungkar was lost in latter part and one can be found on the floor of the Lhakhang sometimes in early 2000’s but due to security reason now placed inside the treasure box. 

Brief History of Terton Ratna lingpa the founder of Karphu Goenpa. 

Statue of Ratna Linpa.

Terton Ratnalingpa was born in 1403 from wealty family of father Dode Dar and mother Sithar Men in a Drushul of Lhodrak. He was incarnation of Langdro Konchok Jungne, one of the 25 disciple of Guru Padma Sambhava. He started to learn how to read and write from small age and had numerous pure visions. When he was 27, he experienced a vision of Padmasambhava who showed him three scrolls, a white, red and a blue to choose by Ratnalingpa but he ask for all three scrolls and due to that auspicious connection created by his answer, he was able to reveal treasures of three successive life time in a single life. Thereafter, he was also known as Zhigpo Lingpa and Drodul Lingpa. Starting from age of 30, he started to revealed treasures across the southern Tibet at Khyungchen Drak, Dritang Koro Drak, Kharchu Pelgi Puk and so on. Later reach to Karphu and Namkhar of Khoma Gewog and founded residence and also left with numerous treasures and started Noble Family of Ratnalingpa (Choejue Dungjue) at Karphu Goenpa.

About the treasures of Karphu Goenpa.

Hole of Karma Heru on Rock.

One of the most important treasure of Karphu Goenpa is Karma Heru (Phurpa – The ritual Dagger). It is considered as one of the most important treasure of Karphu Goenpa as we can still be heard the voice of Karma Heru if we have luck and also during Tsezang Duezang (the auspicious days). Sometime the voice of Karma Heru can be heard from its head and sometimes from middle or a tails of the dagger. This treasure is discovered from the rock near Khomo Chagzam where we can still see the hole of ritual dagger. Some of the other treasures of Karphu Gonpa are Thug Namcha Doje (Discovered from Wangla), Jetsuen Drolma (Discovered from Pillar of Lhasa), Toenpa (discovered from Dorje Dhen), Small tenpa (Discovered from Khomdangma by one of the Dungjue of Ratnalingpa), Wangdre of an elephant (discovered on the way to Dungsam, current Samdrup jongkhar by Ratnalingpa from the head of an elephant), Tse bum of Ratnalingpa, Auzha (the hat) of Ratnalingpa, Phurpa 108 (Discovered along with Karma Heru), Dunkar (Discovered from Lake of Karphu) and so on. The pictures and details of Treasures will be posted in upcoming posts.