Drigum Tsenpo
Encyclopedia
Drigum Tsenpo was an emperor of Tibet. According to Tibetan mythology, he was the first king of Tibet
to lose his immortality
when he angered his stable master, Lo-ngam. Legend states that rulers of Tibet descended from heaven
to earth
on a cord
, and that they were pulled back up when their time came. Lo-gnam cut the cord, leading to Drigum Tsenpo's death; he thus became the first Tibetan ruler to be buried
on earth.
There is a detailed, if rather fabulous, account of his life in the Old Tibetan Chronicle
.
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
to lose his immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
when he angered his stable master, Lo-ngam. Legend states that rulers of Tibet descended from heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
to earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
on a cord
Cord
Cord may refer to:* String or rope* Cord , a trimming made of multiple strands of yarn twisted together* The spinal cord* Cord Automobile, a former American car marque founded by Errett Lobban Cord* The cord , used to measure firewood...
, and that they were pulled back up when their time came. Lo-gnam cut the cord, leading to Drigum Tsenpo's death; he thus became the first Tibetan ruler to be buried
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
on earth.
There is a detailed, if rather fabulous, account of his life in the Old Tibetan Chronicle
Old Tibetan Chronicle
The Old Tibetan Chronicle is a scroll containing 536 lines, however the end is missing. There are Chinese Buddhist texts on the reverse side of the scroll...
.