The Treasury of Lives

The Eighth Chakra Tulku, Ngawang Tenpai Jungne Trinle Chokyi Gyeltsen (lcags ra sprul sku 08 ngag dbang bstan pa'i 'byung gnas 'phrin las  chos kyi rgyal mtshan) was born in Robzho Pel in Chamdo region (chab mdo khul rob zho), in 1861, the iron-bird year of the fourteenth sexagenary cycle. The names of his family and parents are not known. According to the sources his identification as the reincarnation of the Seventh Chakra Tulku, Ngawang Pelden Gyeltsen Chokyi Wangchuk (lcags ra sprul sku  07 ngag dbang dpal ldan rgyal mtshan chos kyi dbang phyug, 1796-1860) was confirmed through use of the Golden Urn, but where and who did it is not mentioned, and it is reasonably possible that the Urn was not in fact used. He was enthroned at Chamdo Jampa Ling (chab mdo byams pa gling), the seat of his predecessors with the usual ceremonial functions.

Thereafter the boy began his studies. Unlike his predecessors he expressed a great interest in meditation and is said to have developed mystic powers, leading people to remark that he was truly the deity Vajrapāṇi, said to be the basis of the Chakra Tulku incarnation line. He himself is said to have declared "I am Vajrapāṇi." His primary practice was that of Yamāntaka.

At the repeated request of the leaders and populace of Chamdo, the Eighth Chakra Tulku assumed the office of Political Director of Chamdo while the Tenth Pakpa Lha, Lobzang Tubten Mipam Tsultrim Gyeltsen ('phags pa lha 10 blo bzang thub bstan mi pham tshul khrim rgyal mtshan, 1901-1937) was too young for the position.

The Eighth Chakra Tulku is said to have predicted the destruction of Chamdo by fire in the year 1912 and also the deterioration of Buddhadharma in Lhasa. The story is told that one day he said, "What will happen if I remove the relics in the statue of the Buddha?" One of his colleagues responded that "People will call you Crazy Chakra!" and he prevented him from doing so. Soon after the monastery was burnt down by the forces of "Phin Thung Lin" (?), followers of "Kra'o Er Phung" (Zhao Erfeng 赵尔丰, 1845-1911) following the collapse of the Qing Dynasty. The episode was soon considered a prediction of the coming destruction.

The Eighth Chakra Tulku took charge of the search of the Fifth Kondor Tulku Lobzang Namgyel Tendzin Lhundrub (dkon rdor sprul sku 05 blo bzang 'rnam rgyal bstan 'dzin lhun grub, 1894-1950) and for his enthronement as the thirteenth abbot of Chamdo Jampa Ling.

He was said to have predicted the year of his death; one day, according to legend, he asked an artist to paint as many birds as he could that day. The artist drew a total of fifty-four birds by the end of the day, and Chakra Tulku declared "So this is my life span!" In 1914, in the wood-tiger year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle, at the age of fifty-four he passed away peacefully.