“Gelong-ma” is the title for a Buddhist nun who has received the full set of monastic vows. Around 364 vows in all. Also called Bhiksuni. Gelongma Palmo is the founder of the Nyungne practice.
In the eleventh or twelfth century, there was once a beautiful princess in Afghanistan called Gelongma Palmo. She was born into a family of high stature and high intellect. Gelongma Palmo was well-educated, but she wanted to abandon the household life and dedicate her life to the Dharma. So, she became a nun. Slowly, she became highly learned in the five Buddhist sciences.
Ripening Negative Karma
As the years went by, Gelongma Palmo’s past Karma ripened. This appeared as leprosy, a contagious and deadly skin disease. She became so infected that her skin began to fall off. Leprosy causes the person to lose sensation of one’s hands and feet. Later, even her arms and feet fell off. She also emitted a foul smell due to her wounds. Even the nuns in her nunnery could not take it that they abandoned her in the forest.
Gelongma Palmo was at the lowest point in her life. She practiced the Dharma, dedicated her life to studies and contemplation. Still, her beauty is lost and all her fellow nuns abandoned her. Legend says that King Indrabodhi, through a voice in the sky, told her to practice 1000-armed Chenrezig in a specific temple of Chenrezig.
Gelongma Palmo’s tests
After seven days of travelling, she met seven red dakinis. They told her that they would carry her to her destination if she promises to take them as her disciples when she succeeded in her practice.
Through the aid of dakinis, she was lifted quickly to this temple. It was said that because she was too ugly and too foul-smelling, even the temple turned its back towards Gelongma Palmo.
Another version of the story tells us that a young boy seated on a lion appeared to Gelongma Palmo in the forest. The young boy introduced himself as Manjushri and prophesized that Gelongma Palmo is most suited to practice 1000-armed Chenrezig in a place called Pundravardhana. Then, the seven dakinis appeared to her and carried her to that place.
Upon reaching Pundra-vardhana, Gelongma Palmo saw the self-arisen statue of 1000-armed Chenrezig. She vowed not to leave the place until she achieved success in her practice.
Success
A year later, she cured herself of her leprosy. Her hands and feet were also restored. She practiced Nyungne for another 11 years. Then, on the first day of the fourth Lunar month (Saga Dawa), Green Tara appeared to her. Gelongma Palmo achieved the level of a first-bhumi Bodhisattva. Green Tara prophesized that she will benefit a lot of sentient beings like a Bodhisattva.
On the eighth day of the month, she saw all the deities of the mandala of Kriya Yoga. On the fifteenth day, she finally saw Chenrezig. She also saw uncountable Buddha realms in each pore of his body.
Gelongma Palmo said to him, “I have been waiting for you for 12 years, wishing that you appear. But you have not.”
Chenrezig replied, “ I have been here all along. See, my clothes even have your blood from your leprosy wounds. You could not see me before simply due to the thickness of your obscurations.”
She attained the tenth-level bodhisattva level. She became inseparable from Chenrezig. It is said that she even turned golden. Starting from that, she engaged in the activities of a Bodhisattva.
From this instance, the lineage of the Nyungne practice was born. She passed this lineage to Dawa Shonnu (Tib. Youthful Moon). Then, he passed the lineage to Yeshe Zangpo (Tib.: Excellent Wisdom). Then, Pandita Penyawa received from Yeshe Zangpo, and so on, up to today.
Each of these lineage holders all benefited from Nyungne practice immensely. Their worldly health problem and their spiritual practice improved to the fullest through Nyungne.