History of the Rin chen gter mdzod

Though it seems to have initially been intended by Jamgon Kongtrul(‘jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha’ yas, 1813-1899)as a collection of terma teachings and instructions that had himself received and would thus compile for use with his own transmission of those termas, once he broached this subject with his teacher Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (‘jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse’i dbang po, 1820-1892), the latter ended up writing a four volume compilation of minor termas, which he presented to Kongtrul and suggested that he might use as the basis for his collection. Furthermore, Khyentse Wangpo is credited by Kongtrul as suggesting tables of contents for all of Kongtrul's Five Treasures, including the Rinchen Terdzo.

1855-56 Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo entrusted a number of minor terma text that he had collected in four volumes to Kongtrul who expanded the collection to ten volumes. These were known as the gTer phren collection and became the precursor for Rinchen Terdzö. (For Kongtrul’s version of this exchange see Gem, pgs 102-103)

1857 On the first day of losar of the fire snake year, 1857, Chogling came to see Kongtrul. Among his recently revealed terms on the 25 holy sites (gnas chen nyer lnga’i gsung gi gnas mchog ‘og min kar+ma’i gnas yig), Kongtrul finds verses that indicate to him that he has permission from Guru Rinpoche to put together his terma collection in whatever way he sees fit. (See Gem, pg 111)

Publications of the RTZ

dPal spungs edition in 60 volumes. This was the first of the woodblock-printing versions. The carving of the blocks began in 1875 and the project was completed and the first printing done in 1895.

stod lung mtshur phu edition in 63 volumes. The blocks were carved over the course of the years 1909-1912, and the entire project was done under the guidance of the 15th Karmapa Khakhyap Dorje (mkha’ khyab rdo rje, 1870-1921). He added three volumes to the original edition, which included Terdag Lingpa and Lochen Dharma Shri's sadhana compilation known as the sgrub thabs 'dod 'jo'i 'bum bzang (a collection which Kongtrul had given the empowerments for eight times, see Gem, 275), a biography of Kongtrul, as well as Chogyur Lingpa's Lam rim ye shes snying po along with Kongrul's commentary to that. The inclusion of this seems to be suggested in Kongtrul’s bio (see Gem, pg 269) Of the various early editions, the Palpung edition has the greatest reputation for accuracy.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche published an edition in 111 volumes (or 70 volumes depending on the printing) put together over the years 1976-1980, which was based on the Tsurpu edition as supplemented with blockprints from Palpung and other great monasteries of Kham. DKR appended the following terma cycles to the Tsurpu edition: rtsa gsum 'od gsal snying thig (re)discovered by Khyentse Wangpo, the Padma gsang thig revealed by Jedrung Thrinle Jampa Jungne, Jigme Lingpa's Longchen Nyingthig, and Chogyur Lingpa's rdzogs chen sde gsum.

There was a printing done in Chengdu during the 1990's, which was a reproduction of the Palpung block printing in 63 volumes.

2007 - 2008 - 2016? A new Tsadra edition is being created in 70 volumes, 50 volumes of which were already published by Shechen Publications, 2007-2008. This will be a new edition based on all previous editions with multiple levels of editing based on all existing editions of individual texts and research of rare manuscripts done by Dakpo Tulku. The final volumes should be available by 2016. In the following years two supplemental volumes of practice materials will also be produced.