The Treasury of Lives

The First Lhatse Tulku, Karma Ngawang Drakpa Chokdrub was born in 1837 to a father named Makza Gondrak (ma gza' mgon grags) and a mother named Riza Sodron (ris bza' bsod sgron). He had an older brother named Gonpo Dargye (mgon po dar rgyas).

He took full monastic ordination from Dabzang Rinpoche Karma Ngedon Tenpa Rabgye (zla bzang rin po che karma nges don bstan pa rab rgyas, 1808–1867) of Pelpung Monastery (dpal spungs dgon) and he trained in tantra under Lama Karab (bla ma ka rab) of Jang Tana Monastery (byabg rta rna dgon). From Sabchu Rinpoche (sab chu rin po che) he learned the major and minor fields of knowledge, including Buddhist doctrine, astrology, grammar, and poetry, and he became skilled in teaching, debate, and composition.

He spent five years training closely with the First Tsoknyi, Pema Drime Wozer (tshogs gnyis 01 pad+ma dri med 'od zer, b. 1828), who designated him his heart-son (thugs sras), or lineage holder, and gave him the name Karma Ngawang Drakpa. Tsoknyi Rinpoche also recognized him as an emanation of Padmasambhava's close disciples Chokro Lui Gyeltsen (cog ro klu'i rgyal mtshan), Lang Pelgyi Senge (rlangs dpal gyi seng ge) and Namkhai Nyingpo (nam mkha'i snying po). He also linked him to a prophecy attributed to Padmasambhava in a treasure of Namcho Mingyur Dorje (nam chos mi 'gyur rdo rje, 1645–1667) predicting that he would reveal his own treasures. Accordingly, later on at Jomo Zegyel (jo mog ze rgyal) and around Tana Monastery, he revealed several volumes of treasure texts, a few of which are still extant.

Many miracles are attributed to him. It is said that while reciting a restoration liturgy in Tana Monastery's protector shrine, witnesses saw the dramatic form of the deity Tseringma (tshe ring ma) above his head, fully manifest. It is said that at another time, when performing the "descent of blessings" (byin 'bebs) onto the ritual maṇḍala of a great-accomplishment ceremony (sgrub chen), all the monks there saw him stand up on his throne and teleport instantly across the temple hall to the maṇḍala structure. Another time, when on pilgrimage to Wutai Shan (ri bo rtse lnga) in China, he reportedly soared into air off a large cliff while singing songs of realization.

His principal students were Tongnak Tulku (stong nags sprul sku), Lachab Ngawang Trinle (bla chab ngag dbang phrin las), and many lamas and yogis at Gechak Monastery (ge chags dgon) and Namtsang Sar Monastery (gnam tshangs sar dgon).

He passed away in 1912 or 1913 at the age of seventy-six.