Chakzampa Thangtong Gyalpo: The Iron Bridge Yogi of Compassion and Innovation

Than Tong Gyalpo - ཐང་སྟོང་རྒྱལ་པོ། - 汤东杰布

Thangtong Gyalpo, born in 1384 in Rinchen Ding and believed to have lived as long as 125 years, is one of Tibet’s most beloved saints: a Mahāsiddha, master engineer, and radiant embodiment of enlightened compassion. Known as “the King of the Empty Plains” and affectionately revered as the Iron Bridge Yogi, he is remembered not only for his spiritual depth but also for his bold vision and practical genius. 

In sacred arts, he is often shown seated in lotus posture on a double lotus throne, wearing a white cotton garment and a red cloak, with his hair tied in a large topknot and a long white beard. In his left hand, he holds the skull cup with the nectar vase while in his right, he holds a few iron chain links which signify his mission to connect lands and lives across dangerous rivers. 

A universal genius with supernatural abilities, Thangtong Gyalpo was a yogi, philosopher, blacksmith, and doctor, mastering both sacred ritual and ironcraft. He founded the Chakzampa lineage, rooted in the Shangpa Kagyu and Jangter traditions, which is still invoked today for long life, protection from evil, and the blessing of safe passage. In many Himalayan homes, his image is placed on the altar before all else as a symbol of fearless compassion and the power to transform obstacles into gateways. 

Iconography of Than Tong Gyalpo

    The Saint Who Refused to Be Born 

    In a world clouded by misunderstanding and suffering, Thangtong Gyalpo’s very birth was wrapped in miracle. According to legend, he refused to be born, remaining for sixty years in his mother’s womb, deep in meditation, contemplating the pain of sentient beings. When he finally emerged, grey-haired and radiant, he immediately began teaching. Another legend also shares that he uttered the sacred mantra Om Mani Padme Hum at his birth. 

    In one tale, he subdued a terrifying demon that haunted a sacred place, a creature that sometimes appeared as a black snake, and other times, as a nine-headed tortoise. With his supernatural power, he tamed the threat and raised a chörten above its lair, named Dungtsi Lhakhang, a temple that stands as both fortress and mandala, guarding the path of enlightenment. 

    Legends tell of him forging chains with his knee, building two bridges in a single day, and surviving burial under falling stones only to rise stronger than before. He was known as the mad saint, the destroyer of illusion, the performer of miracles, the medicine man who dispelled epidemics, protector from Hor invasions, and the mender of harmful geomantic configurations. 

    References

    Gerner, M. (2007). ChakzampaThangtongGyalpo: Architect, Philosopher and Iron Chain Bridge Builder (G. Verhufen, Trans.). Center for Bhutan Studies.

    Other forms of Than Tong Gyalpo

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