The Treasury of Lives

Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang, also commonly known as Khenpo Ngaga (mkhan po ngag dga') or Khenpo Ngakchung (mkhan po ngag chung),[1] was born in late 1879 in southern Derge County (sde dge rdzong) at a place called Troda Nyakshar (khro rda nyag shar) near a sacred mountain called Katok Shampo Rongmok Pema Drakar (kaH thog sham po rong rmog pad+ma brag dkar), to the southwest of Ganze. His father was named Namgyel (rnam rgyal) and was a member of the Nyoshul (smyo shul) tribe of nomads. His mother was named Pemo Tso (pad+ma mtsho) and came from the Upper Dzachuka (rdza chu kha) region of Kham.

Regarding his name, in Kham, it is common to abbreviate names with the endearing suffix "ga" (dga'), resulting in the name Ngaga. The name Ngakchung is a contraction of his name Ngawang with the suffix chung, meaning small, or in this case "the younger." This name was used in deference to one of his teachers, Terton Orgyen Wangpo Jigdrel Tutob Lingpa (gter ston o rgyan 'jigs bral mthu stobs gling pa, 1858–1914), who was also known as Tutob Lingpa Ngawang Tenzin (nmthu stobs gling pa gag dbang bstan 'dzin), or Ngakchen (ngag chen), "Ngawang the Elder."

In his autobiography, Wondrous Dance of Illusion ('od gsal rin chen snying po pad+ma las 'brel rtsal gyi rtog brjod ngo mtshar sgyu ma'i rol gar)^[2] he recounts that from the time he was born, throughout his childhood, he had innumerable visions and experiences of clairvoyance. In 1886, when he was seven, his uncle began teaching him to read, only to find that the boy seemed to be able to do so almost perfectly already. Instead of continuing the reading lessons, he instructed the boy to read the Chronicles of Padma (pad+ma bka' thang), a biography of Padmasambhava revealed by Orgyen Lingpa (o rgyan gling pa).^[3] It is said that reciting and contemplating this text engendered great faith in Padmasambhava, whom Ngawang Pelzang would later encounter in visions.

In 1887, when he was eight, his father brought him along to tend to a large herd of livestock. He describes watching his father struggle in frustration to manage the animals, as the animals scrambled around in great distress. This dispiriting spectacle gave him firm conviction that life in saṃsāra would never yield anything worthwhile and that he would be better off dedicating himself to the Buddhist teachings. He asked his mother for permission to leave home as a wandering practitioner, but she told him he was too young and to wait until conditions were more favorable. Since he was not yet given leave to attend to a religious mentor, he began a daily practice of reciting a treasure text by Guru Chowang (gu ru chos dbang, 1212–1270) called the Hundred Thousand Names of the Buddha (sangs rgyas kyi mtshan 'bum).

At some point in his early childhood, the Fifth Shechen Rabjam (rab 'byams 05 pad+ma theg mchog bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1864–1909) passed through his region and recognized him as a reincarnation of a lama from Shechen Monastery (zhe chen dgon). He expressed a desire to eventually bring him to train at Shechen and gave him the name Tenpa Rabpel (bstan pa rab 'phel). Soon after, Dzogchen Rinpoche Drubwang Tubten Chokyi (rdzogs chen grub dbang 05 thub bstan chos kyi rdo rje, 1872–1935) also passed through and gave the boy refuge vows and the name Zhonnu Pema Lekdrub (gzhon nu pad+ma legs grub). Later, the Sakya lama Khenchen Lodro Gyatso (blo gros rgya mtsho, d. circa 1905) named him Ngawang Pel Zangpo (ngag dbang dpal bzang po), gave him an empowerment for Sarvavid Vairocana, and expressed a desire to later train him at Penpo Nālanda Monastery ('phan po na len+dra).^[4]

Meeting Lungtok Tenpai Nyima and Early Training

Among the lamas who took an interest in the child was the man who would become his root guru and whose lineage he would inherit—Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpai Nyima (smyo shul lung rtogs bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1829–1901/1902). Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpai Nyima was a renowned disciple of Patrul Rinpoche (dpal sprul rin po che, 1808–1887) and the principal custodian of the Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig) treasure cycle revealed by Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa, 1729/1730–1798).

More than a decade earlier, Patrul Rinpoche had instructed Lungtok to return to his home region and continue practicing in solitude awaiting a disciple who was the combined emanation of the eighth-century Dzogchen master Vimalamitra (bi ma la mi tra) and Longchen Rabjam (klong chen rab 'byams, 1308–1364)—as Ngawang Pelzang would later be recognized.^[5]

When he was five years old, Ngawang Pelzang and his father visited Lungtok at a hermitage called Gyaduk (rgya sdug),^[6] where he had been in retreat for some years. Lungtok told Ngawang Pelzang's father to take good care of the boy and to bring him back in a few years.^[7] After their meeting, it is said that Lungtok extolled Ngawang Pelzang's qualities to the boy's uncle, who reported the fact to the child's parents and noted that Lungtok's praise was rare.^[8] Despite this auspicious first meeting, Lungtok Tenpai Nyima made no strong claim on the boy and continued his quiet life in hermitage while Ngawang Pelzang explored the teachings of other lamas.

In 1887, at nine years old, Ngawang Pelzang went with members of his tribe to a hot spring called Chukol Natsok (chu khol sna tshogs) to receive teachings from Trulshik Chomden Dorje ('khrul zhig bcom ldan rdo rje), also known as Lama Taye (bla ma mtha' yas). This man had been a heart-disciple of Nyakla Pema Dudul (nyag bla pad+ma bdud 'dul, 1816–1872), a great Dzogchen master who had attained the rainbow body. For one week, Ngawang Pelzang listened to him teach the preliminary practices for the Dzogchen cycle of teachings called the Profound Dharma: All-Pervasive Natural Liberation (zab chos mkha' khyab rang grol). In his autobiography, he explains that while he did not understand everything he heard, the experience engendered great devotion and inspiration in Trulshik Chomden Dorje's presence.^[9]

Two years later, when he was eleven, his uncle, Lama Dorje Samdrub, taught him the classic prayer to Manjuśrī attributed to Vajrāyudha,^[10] as well as a commentary on it by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo ('jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i dbang po, 1820–1892).^[11] Later that year, at a ceremonial feast in a place called Dzongkar (rdzong dkar), Ngawang Pelzang gave what seems to have been an unscheduled teaching about the prayer to the entire assembly, much to their surprise.

When he was fourteen, his teacher Tutob Lingpa Ngawang Tenzin taught him the preliminary practices of the Longsel Nyingpo (klong gsal snying po, 1625–1692) tradition, which he completed within one year. A year later the same teacher gave him all the empowerments for Longsel Nyingpo's treasures as well as many reading transmissions.

Later that year, around 1894, Ngawang Pelzang returned to Lungtok Tenpai Nyima and took novice monastic ordination from Lungtok's assistant, Khenchen Gyeltsen Wozer (mkhan chen rgyal mtshan 'od zer, b. 1862), also known as Atob Rinpoche (a stobs rin po che). Lungtok was notoriously reluctant to confer formal vows and empowerments, preferring to only give practical instructions. He therefore almost always delegated the responsibility to qualified students. The four additional monks that comprised the necessary quorum for ordination were Kilung Khenpo Tsultrim Norbu (kiH lung mkhan po tshul khrims nor bu), Karma Damcho Wozer (kar+ma dam chos 'od zer), Tsewang Rigdzin (tshe dbang rig 'dzin), and Dordzin Namdrol Gyatso (rdo 'dzin rnam grol rgya mtsho) of Mindroling Monastery (smin grol gling). At Lungtok's urging Ngawang Pelzang took his vows extremely seriously, even observing stricter vows that he had not yet taken, such as the vow not to eat after mid-day.^[12] Such zeal for the Vinaya was uncommon among Nyingma lamas at the time.

Longchen Nyingtik Training

Despite his enthusiasm for the Vinaya after his ordination, Ngawang Pelzang writes that he then spent about two years preoccupied with other undisclosed matters before returning to Lungtok at the age of seventeen for further instructions.^[13] This time, he immersed himself in Lungtok's Longchen Nyingtik teachings. In preparation for the Longchen Nyingtik preliminary practices, Khenchen Gyeltsen Wozer gave him the relevant empowerments, and at a camp at Pemo Rito (pad+ma ri mtho), Lungtok gave him instructions on the Longchen Nyingtik preliminaries based on Patrul Rinpoche's commentary to the practice, The Words of My Perfect Teacher (kun bzang bla ma'i zhal lung). He also trained for years in the stages of śamatha and vipaśyana meditation, as well as the key points of mind training (blo sbyong).

During these years of intensive training, Ngawang Pelzang wrote that Lungtok forbade him to read a single text about the nature of mind so as not to distract himself with intellectualizations of the goal in lieu of first-hand experience.^[14] Instead of reading about Dzogchen and Mahāmudrā, Lungtok instructed him to study other important texts under Khenchen Gyeltsen Wozer. These included Gyelse Zhenpen Taye's (rgyal sras gzhan phan mtha' yas, 1800–1855) Analysis of the Five Aggregates (phung lnga'i rab dbye) and its commentary by Dzogchen Monastery's Khenpo Jigme Samten (mkhan po 'jigs med bsam gtan); Geshe Drapa Ngonshe's (dge shes grwa pa mngon shes, 1012–1090) Advice on the Kadampa's Ten Inner Treasures (bka' gdams phug nor bcu'i zhal gdams); Ngari Paṇchen's (mnga' ris paN chen,1487–1542) Ascertaining the Three Vows (sdom gsum rnam par nges pa); Śāntideva's Bodhicaryāvatāra; and Getse Panchen's (dge rtse paN chen, 1761–1729) Husks of Unity (zung 'jug snye ma).^[15]

Khenchen Gyeltsen Wozer also taught him Jigme Lingpa's Staircase to Liberation: A Guide to the Seven Points of Mind Training (sems sbyong rnam bdun gyi don khrid thar pa'i them skas); Handbook for the Longchen Nyingtik Common Preliminaries (klong chen snying tig gi thun mong gi sngon 'gro khrid kyi lag len); and Foundations of Mindfulness on the Longchen Nyingtik Uncommon Preliminaries (klong chen snying tig gi thun mong ma yin pa'i sngon 'gro'i khrid yig dran pa nyer bzhag).

After many years of mind training and study of classic texts, Lungtok encouraged him to go deeper in the same vein, saying,

Without hankering after the so-called main practice, thinking it is a higher teaching, you need to establish a firm foundation for the path with these preliminaries… Even if a virtuous attitude comes about through the power of mind training, it can very easily revert back again if we fail to train the mind over and over…Learn Words of My Perfect Teacher by heart.^[16]

He did as his teacher said and made great effort to memorize all the oral instructions on Words of My Perfect Teacher, which he compiled into his Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher (kun bzang bla ma'i zhal lung gi zin bris). The teachings Lungtok gave him included the rare oral instructions of Patrul Rinpoche, which he had not given to any of his other illustrious disciples.^[17] About this transmission, he wrote,

The thought occurred to me that the guidance of Abu's oral transmission, including both the generation and completion stages, had been given to me alone. It was apparently not widely disseminated…He emphasized the importance of not allowing this oral transmission to deteriorate even slightly. He reiterated many times that his genuine lineage had been entrusted to me, so that I was clear about this.^[18]

During this time, he writes that he also received the empowerments and transmissions of a contemporary treasure revealer's works. This was most likely Terton Sogyel (gter ston bsod rgyal, 1856–1926), also known as Lerab Lingpa (las rab gling pa).^[19]

After finally finishing the guru yoga section of his preliminary practices, Lungtok trained him in creation and completion stages based on Patrul Rinpoche's Display of the Three Realms: The Melodious Voice of Brahma (khams gsum rol pa tshangs pa’i sgra dbyangs) and Jigme Lingpa's Stairway to Akaṇiṣṭha ('og min bgrod pa'i them skas).^[20] He also trained him systematically in Longchenpa's Trilogy of Rest (ngal gso skor gsum).

One day, he broached the subject of the academic points of Madhyamaka philosophy, which Tibetan scholars have vociferously debated for centuries. After some discussion of these interesting points, Lungtok said to Ngawang Pelzang, "Scriptures are like deerskins that can be stretched in any direction to suit your particular standpoint." In his view, it was the height of folly to get hung up on the details of academic treatises and to entrench oneself in a sectarian position. Instead, he impressed on Ngawang Pelzang the importance of studying his own mind and what it clings to as truly existent.^[21]

After training him for many months in the theory and practice of the creation and completion stages, Ngawang Pelzang entered a strict months-long retreat on the inner guru yoga sādhana of the Longchen Nyingtik called the Gathering of the Vidyadharas (rig 'dzin 'dus pa) and the sādhana of Yeshe Tsogyel (ye shes mtsho rgyal) called the Sole Mother, Great Bliss Queen (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo).

Ordination

Lungtok, like his teacher Patrul Rinpoche, had been a life-long novice monk who lived as a wandering yogi. By contrast, in 1899, when Ngawang Pelzang reached the age of twenty, Lungtok instructed him to take full monastic ordination, again delegating the task of conferring it to Khenchen Gyeltsen Wozer. At first, Ngawang Pelzang resisted, thinking that it would be more practical for him to remain a novice like his teacher. However, Lungtok insisted, saying, "Full ordination is the sublime support for the three trainings, and like a jeweled lamp, it is the most exalted support for the extraordinary manifest realization of the training in insight."^[22]This command also must have been an important part of Lungtok's plan for Ngawang Pelzang to become an institutional stalwart for the Nyingma tradition. Without full ordination, his influence might be limited at monastic institutions, especially their colleges.

A bit later, Lungtok became sick and Terton Sogyal was consulted for ritual treatment. For many months, dozens of disciples recited the Tantra of Immaculate Confession (dri med bshags rgyud) one-hundred thousand times and ransomed the lives of thousands of animals. Following that, the disciples each did a one-hundred-day retreat on longevity practice for their guru. Before Ngawang Pelzang began his retreat, Lungtok gave him detailed instructions on yogic practices for refining the body's subtle energies.

In 1900, when he was twenty-one years old, Ngawang Pelzang was about to spend the summer helping his mother. However, when he went to say goodbye to Lungtok, his teacher told him that he had just had an auspicious dream and that he must stay and receive in-depth Dzogchen instructions for around one-hundred days. In all the previous years' training, except for the mind-training sections of Longchenpa's Trilogy, Lungtok had not taught him any Dzogchen, so he considered himself immensely fortunate to receive this offer, even though it meant he would be unable to help his mother at home. As Lungtok gave him detailed and extensive instructions, Ngawang Pelzang feared that he would not be able to remember everything and asked if it would be ok to write some of the teachings down. To this, Lungtok replied, "Nonsense! Have you not understood what is meant by 'Do not set forth the Whispered Lineage in writing?'" However, he conceded, "Setting forth this Whispered Lineage in writing would be disastrous, yet its disappearance would be disastrous, too." Based on this comment, Ngawang Pelzang would later compose two compendiums of Lungtok’s Dzogchen instructions, which comprise volume nine of Ngawang Pelzang's collected works.^[23]

Following these months of instructions, he entered retreat for about two months on the Longchen Nyingtik secret guru sādhana. He then left retreat to receive the reading transmission for Longchen Rabjam's Seven Treasuries and Trilogy of Rest from Tutob Lingpa. After Ngwang Pelzang had read and contemplated these for some time, Lungtok gave him instructions on Longchenpa's Precious Treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena (chos dbyings mdzod) and other advanced Dzogchen topics.

Śrī Siṃha College at Dzogchen Monastery

Late in 1900, Lungtok instructed him to go to Dzogchen Monastery to study under the renowned Nyingma scholar Ju Mipam Gyatso ('ju mi pham rgya mtsho, 1846–1912). Ngawang Pelzang was reluctant to leave Lungtok and requested to stay with him as long as his teacher lived, but Lungtok insisted that he go to complete his education.^[24] He predicted that Ngawang Pelzang would eventually teach at Katok Monastery (kaH thog dgon) and told him to accept eventual invitations to go there.^[25] Before Ngawang Pelzang left, Lungtok told him that it was his responsibility to strengthen the Nyingma tradition and he authorized him to teach anything he had ever been taught, including all the Dzogchen teachings. Although he makes frequent mention in his autobiography of wishing he could have lived a quiet life, Ngawang Pelzang would soon become one of the most influential and sought-after Nyingma teachers of his era.^[26]

Ngawang Pelzang reached Dzogchen on the twenty-ninth day of the ninth lunar month of 1900. He would stay there for twenty-three months.^[27] Mipam, who was in poor health in Denkok ('dan khog), had not yet arrived, and Ngawang Pelzang therefore began studying with other lamas. The first teaching he received was from a Lama Ngawang Tenzin (bla ma ngag dbang bstan 'dzin) on Ṣāntarakṣita's Madhyamakālaṃkāra. Mipam's disciple Minyak Lama Rigzin Dorje (mi nyag bla ma rig 'dzin rdo rje) taught Ngawang Pelzang several other important philosophical texts. He also studied classic texts with Khenpo Shenga (mkhan po gzhan dga', 1871–1927), the acting abbot of Dzogchen's Śrī Siṃgha College and numerous other lamas, including Mura Tulku Pema Dechen Zangpo (mu ra sprul sku 03 pad+ma bde chen bzang po), the Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang Tubten Chokyi Dorje, and Khenpo Konchok Norbu (mkhan po dkon mchog nor bu), who had been a close disciple of Patrul Rinpoche and who held Patrul's rare oral instructions on Śāntideva's Bodhicaryāvatāra.^[28]

This Khenpo Konchok Norbu was an unusual character who was not considered one of the monastery's most qualified teachers. However, Ngawang Pelzang valued his connection to Patrul and the Khenpo admired Ngawang Pelzang's sincerity so much that he shared with him all the oral instructions of Patrul that he held.

Ngawang Pelzang also studied with the Geluk teacher Minyak Apel (mi nyag a dpal), who was a disciple of Geshe Kunzang Sonam (kun bzang bsod nams, 1823–1905).^[29] With him, he studied Vasubandhu's difficult Abhidharmakośa and its commentaries, as well as Kadam mind-training and other topics.^[30]

Although he had arrived at Dzogchen as a student without pomp or explicit privilege, Dzogchen Monastery's high lamas surely had heard that he was Lungtok Tenpe Nyima's spiritual heir. Within about a year, recognizing his value as a teacher, the Dzogchen administration pressured him to take some time away from his studies to perform administrative, ceremonial, and tutorial duties. They argued that he should learn how everything was done at a major monastery so that he could later serve as a monastic leader elsewhere.^[31]

In summer of 1901, Mipam Rinpoche finally arrived at Dzogchen Monastery to fulfill the promise he had made to oversee its college for a time. He was still not well enough to teach courses.^[32] Instead, he began composing his Gateway to Erudition (mkhas 'jug), rarely giving audiences. Ngawang Pelzang was among those with limited access to him, no doubt because of his status as Lungtok Tenpai Nyima's heir. After a few months, when Mipam finished the Gateway to Erudition, he gave Ngawang Pelzang its reading transmission and authorized him to teach it. Mipam gave him a few other reading transmissions and, like Lungtok, encouraged him to teach at Katok Monastery, where Situ Chokyi Gyatso (kaH thog si tu 03 chos kyi rgya mtsho, 1880–1925) was establishing a new philosophical college.^[33]

Also while staying at Dzogchen, Drukpa Kuchen Choying Rolpai Dorje ('brug pa sku chen chos dbyings rol ba'i rdo rje, b. 1858), gave him a special transmission for the Khandro Yangtik (mkha' 'gro yang tig) that he had received from Mingyur Namkhai Dorje (rdzogs chen 04 mi 'gyur nam mkha'i rdo rje, 1793–1870). Ngawang Pelzang was charged with the commitment to give detailed teachings on the Khandro Yangtik thirteen times in his life.

Return to Nyoshul

In 1902, Ngawang Pelzang returned to his home region of Nyoshul and learned that his teacher Lungtok Tenpai Nyima had passed away. He stayed there for several months giving teachings to students who were devoted to Lungtok, offering feasts, and accumulating one-hundred thousand prostrations and mandala offerings to his teacher's reliquary. He then did a recitation retreat for more than three months, mostly on Vajrakīlaya.

His autobiography mentions that Nyoshul was not a safe place to be at the time, as restive tribes in nearby Nyarong were embroiled in decades-long conflict with each other and neighboring regions. Therefore, he traveled to an unidentified Karding Hermitage (dkar sdings ri khrod)^[34] where he gave some empowerments and teachings and performed several months of retreat.

While he was at this hermitage, he was visited by Tulku Kunzang Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen (sprul sku kun bzang theg mchog bstan pa’i rgyal mtshan), who gave him guidance in Longchen Rabjam's Wishfulfilling Treasury (yid bzhin mdzod) and Finding Rest in the Nature of Mind (sems nyid ngal gso), as well as empowerments and reading transmissions for the Four Nyingtik Mother-and-Child Cycles (snying thig ya bzhi).^[35]

He then moved on to retreat at a remote place called Kyilko ('khyil kho)^[36] in an unspecified region where he seems to have stayed for about five years. His autobiography is mostly silent about this period, except for the description of a few meditation and visionary experiences.^[37]

In 1907, when he was twenty-nine years old, his mother fell ill and he went to care for her. He stayed at her bedside for four months until she passed away.

After that, he received the reading transmission for the Collected Nyingma Tantras (rnying ma rgyud 'bum) from Tutob Lingpa Ngawang Tenzin to whom he also offered some transmissions to strengthen their karmic relationship.^[38]

Teaching at Katok

Ngawang Pelzang then returned to Dzogchen Monastery and continued his philosophical studies under Khenpo Lhagyel (mkhan po lha rgyal) and his previous teacher, Khenpo Sonam Chopel. He also studied ritual music and shrine keeping with specialists in those fields.

Regarding this second sojourn at Dzogchen Monastery, he wrote that although he intended to stay for some time, after all his years in solitary retreat he was uncomfortable with all the busyness there.^[39] The institution would not let him go easily, however; Dzogchen Rinpoche suggested that he would like to appoint him as the abbot, but this reminded Ngawang Pelzang of the promise he had made to his teacher Lungtok not to stay at Dzogchen too long.

He remained at and around Dzogchen for several months participating in ceremonies and bestowing the reading transmission for Longchen Rabjam's Seven Treasuries and teachings on his Finding Rest in the Nature of Mind. In the midst of his teaching he received a letter from Katok Situ Chokyi Gyatso (kaH thog si tu chos kyi rgya mtsho) requesting him to join the new college he was establishing at Katok Monastery. Despite Lungtok Tenpai Nyima and Mipam's command that he eventually teach there, for undeclared reasons, Ngawang Pelzang delayed for many months until he received indications in his dreams that it was time to go."^[40]

Before making his plans to go to Katok, he met Adzom Drukpa Drodul Pawo Dorje (a 'dzom 'brug pa 'gro 'dul dpa' bo rdo rje, 1842–1924) who gave him empowerments and transmissions for Rigdzin Godemchen's (rig 'dzin rgod ldem chen, 1337–1409) Unimpeded Realization (dgongs pa zang thal) and Longchen Rabjam's Khandro Nyintik and Lama Yangtik. Adzom Drukpa also extolled to him the qualities of Katok Monastery and gave him teachings on one of Katok's most important treasure corpuses—that of Longsel Nyingpo (klong gsal rdo rje snying po, 1625–1692). To strengthen their karmic bond, Ngawang Pelzang offered Adzom Drukpa teachings on the Khandro Yangtik.^[41]

He similarly traded teachings and transmissions with the treasure revealers Rinchen Lingpa (rin chen gling pa) and Godzi Yeshe Jungne (sgo 'dzi ye shes 'byung gnas, b. 1875).^[42]

In 1908, he finally went to Katok and was received by Katok Situ, Katok Wontrul (kaH thog dbon sprul), Khenpo Kunpel (mkhan po kun dpal, 1862–1943), and Khenchen Gyeltsen Wozer (mkhan chen rgyal mtshan 'od zer). Situ Rinpoche appointed Ngawang Pelzang as the head tutor (skyor dpon) of the new monastic college, and he continued his philosophical studies with the more senior Khenpo Kunpel until Khenpo Kunpel took leave from the monastery in 1909.^[43]

For the next thirteen years, from 1909 to1922, Ngawang Pelzang served as Katok's head khenpo, a busy time he summarized in the following way:

During that period, the number of monastic ordinations alone that I conferred totaled around 3,400… I had thirty-seven students who definitely became able to work for the benefit of others, and there were countless individuals who made a connection to me through empowerments and teachings… The curriculum of the tantric college included over two-hundred large and small works… I taught an average of seven sessions every day, and never fewer than three or four. I gave the empowerments and reading transmissions of Longsel Nyingpo's Vajra Essence three times, Longchen Rabjampa's Four Nyingtik Mother-and-Child Cycles twenty-seven times, and his Seven Treasuries thirteen times.

On several occasions I asked permission to step down, but it was not granted. Situ Rinpoche had vast aspirations, so despite enormous personal hardship, I focused on the continuity of the teachings and the purification of my own obscurations. I willingly accepted the difficulties and never once turned anyone away, high or low, who came to receive teachings.^[44]

During these years, he also received extensive teachings from the Katok lamas, including Situ, Wontrul, Lingtsang Khenpo (gling tshang mkhan po, 1883–1945); Khenpo Gyeltsen Wozer, Khenpo Kunpel, a Lama Trinle (bla ma 'phrin las) from Bhutan, Golok Sonam Pelden (mgo log bsod nams dpal ldan), the Second Penor, Tubten Chokyi Langpo (pad nor 02 thub bstan chos kyi glang po, 1887–1932) of Pelyul Monastery (dpal yul dgon), and Drime Wozer Lingpa (dri med 'od zer gling pa, 1881–1924). He also received teachings in the Geluk tradition, including Tsongkhapa's Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path (lam rim chen mo), from Detso Khenpo Sonam Pelden (sde tsho mkhan chung bsod nams dpal ldan) of Golok.

In his memoirs, Blazing Splendor, Tulku Urgyen (sprul sku o rgyan sprul sku, 1920–1996) records a story about Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang told to him by Polu Khenpo Dorje (spo lu mkhan po rdo je), also known as Bomda Khenpo (sbom mda' mkhan po), who studied under him at Katok: Khenpo Dorje had been a standout student at Katok for many years, but he was eager to deepen his understanding and meditative experience of emptiness under Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang. However, because of Ngawang Pelzang's busy schedule, it was very difficult to gain access to him unless you were another high lama or khenpo. Khenpo Dorje therefore requested the seemingly menial position of being his tea server. He held on to that job for eight years, taking every opportunity to discreetly ask him questions during his tea breaks about the subtlest point of Dzogchen meditation.^[45] In this way, Khenpo Dorje became one of Ngawang Pelzang's lineage heirs. Also during this time, the young Chatral Sangye Dorje (bya bral sangs rgyas rdo rje, 1913–2015) trained under Ngawang Pelzang for six years, also becoming one of his lineage heirs.^[46]

Later Years

Around 1922, Katok Situ finally allowed Ngawang Pelzang to wind down his teaching activity at Katok and encouraged him to establish a Katok branch-monastery at the village of Jonpalung in his home region. He therefore founded Nyoshul Jonpalung Monastery (smyo shul ljon pa lung dgon), which would be his primary home later in life.^[47]

In 1923, he helped the Second Penor Rinpoche establish a monastic college at Pelyul Monastery. Penor Rinpoche appointed him as its inaugural khenpo and he taught several texts there, including Śāntideva’s Way of the Bodhisattva.

Following that, at the request of the Fourth Chaktsa Rinpoche Kunzang Pema Trinle (phyag tsha kun bzang pad+ma 'phrin las), he went to Getse Dralak Monastery (dge rtse grwa lag dgon)—which had been founded in the eighteenth century by Katok Getse Pandita Gyurme Tsewang Chokdrub (dge rtse paN chen 'gyur med tshe dbang mchog grub, 1761–1829)—and for six months gave many empowerments and transmissions, including the Treasury of Revelations (rin chen gter mdzod), along with all the extant related instructions compiled by Jamgon Kongtrul ('jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha' yas, 1813–1899) and Khenpo Tashi Wozer (mkhan chen bkra shis 'od zer, 1836–1910) and preserved by Khenpo Tubten Gyeltsen Wozer (mkhan chen thub bstan rgyal mtshan 'od zer, b. 1862). These he had received from Situ Chokyi Gyatso at an unspecified date while he was living at Katok.^[48]  

In 1925, he set up a teaching camp in the upper Nyichu Valley (rnyi chu) where he bestowed the Four Nyingtik Mother-and-Child Cycles and the Longchen Nyingtik, along with instructions on the preliminary practices and Dzogchen. He was then summoned back to Katok by Situ Chokyi Gyatso who had gathered a thousand monks for extensive ceremonies. At the conclusion of the ceremonies, Situ Rinpoche passed away.^[49]

In 1926, Ngawang Pelzang bestowed the Treasury of Revelations at Jangkar Monastery (byang dkar dgon) for five months to a gathering of three or four thousand monks and laypeople. He then traveled to Yaso Monastery (ya so dgon), where he consecrated a reliquary stupa for a Lama Yontan Rinpoche (bla ma yon tan rin po che), who had been a disciple of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo ('jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse'i dbang po, 1820–1892). At Tsopu Monastery (mtsho phu dgon) he gave empowerments and reading transmissions for Terdag Lingpa's (gter bdag gling pa, 1646–1714) treasure cycle, the Wish-Fulfilling Vase ('dod 'jo bum bzang) and the Longchen Nyingtik, for which he also gave guiding instructions.

In 1927, when he was forty-nine, Ngawang Pelzang entered strict retreat for most of the year to prevent obstacles to his life that had been predicted by Katok Situ. During this retreat he composed several treatises on Dzogchen.^[50]

Next, he returned to Katok to preside over an intensive group practice session (sgrub chen) before going to a hermitage at the sacred site of Rakye Shel (rwa skye shel), a day's journey from Katok, for more retreat and writing.

In 1928, he went to his home monastery of Nyoshul Jonpalung, where he contemplated and wrote about the Kadam tradition and constructed a statue of the Kadam protector deity Acala (mi g.yo ba).

In 1929, at the invitation of two scions of the powerful Umda Shelkar Ling (dbu mda' shel dkar gling) and Pangdatsang (spang mda' tshang) families, he traveled to the Markham region where he gave extensive empowerments, reading transmissions, and instructions for five months. He followed this by accepting an invitation of the bursar of Lawok (la 'og), where he again gave several months' worth of empowerments, transmissions, and instructions.^[51]

He then continued touring and teaching throughout Kham, including at the Katok branch monasteries of Wozer ('od zer dgon), Nego (gnas 'go dgon), and Gyelse (rgyal sras dgon), where he gave extensive empowerments and transmissions to the Fortieth Sakya Trichen Ngawang Tutob Wangchuk (sa skya khri chen ngag dbang mthu stobs dbang phyug, 1900–1950) and his large entourage.

In 1932, at the request of Chaktsa Kunzang Pema Trinle, Ngawang Pelzang returned to Getse Dralak Monastery to preside over the opening of a college there. He also attended funeral ceremonies for Terton Drime Wosel (dri med 'od gsal) and the Second Penor Rinpoche of Pelyul Monastery, where he also gave extensive empowerments and transmissions. Ngawang Pelzang either traveled to see the Second Penor, only arriving at Pelyul after his disciple had passed away, or, alternately, the Second Penor, while ill, traveled a great distance by palanquin to visit Ngawang Pelzang in Nyoshul .[52] At Katok, he presided over the enthronement of the Fourth Katok Situ, Chokyi Nyima (kaH thog si tu 04 chos kyi nyi ma, b. 1928).^[53]

He wrote his autobiography in 1933 at the age of fifty-four and no longer recorded the events of his life, which have to be found in secondary sources.

In 1937, the regent of the central Tibetan Government, the Fifth Reting Rinpoche (rwa sgreng 05 thub bstan 'jam dpal ye shes bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1912/1919–1947) wished to receive Dzogchen teachings from Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang, who respectfully declined because of his advanced age. In his stead, he sent his student Chatral Sangye Dorje, who, though young, he had publicly announced as his equal.^[54]

In 1939, he spent most of the year in a retreat doing Vajrakīlaya practice. He followed that by returning to Katok to give extensive empowerments and transmissions.

In 1940, he established a new tantric college at Katok called Kunkyen Do-Ngag Shedrup Ling (kun mkhyen mdo sngags shes sgrub gling) and taught between Katok and Jonpalung for the rest of the year. During this time, he accepted Khenpo Munsel (mkhan po mun sel, 1916–1993) as one of his heart-disciples. He also gave empowerments and transmissions to the young Situ, Moktsa (rmog tsha), and Wonpo (dbon po) tulkus of Katok. 

In April 1941, at the age of sixty-two, he passed away at Jonpalung Monastery. His cremation ceremonies were led by Shedrub Tenpai Nyima and Gyelse Gyurme Dorje. His reincarnation, Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen (theg mchog bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, b. 1944/5), was discovered in eastern Tibet by Polu Khenpo Dorje.^[55]

Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang's Collected Works are held in nine to thirteen volumes. They include poetry, prayers, sadhanas, counsels (gdams pa), meditation manuals, and Dzogchen treatises. Among his philosophical writings are long commentaries on Candrakīrti’s Entering the Middle Way, Āryadeva’s Four-Hundred Verses, as well as an Overview of Madhyamaka (dbu ma stong thun).

Among his close lineage heirs not mentioned above were the Third Pema Norbu of Pelyul (pad nor 03 legs bshad chos kyi sgra dbyangs), Chaktrul Pema Trinle Gyatso (phyag sprul pad+ma 'phrin las rgya mtsho), Tromge Tulku Arik (khrom dge sprul sku a rig), and his master Lungtok's reincarnation, Lodro Shedrub Tenpai Nyima (blo gros bshad sgrub bstan pa'i nyi ma), who was enthroned as his regent at Jonpalung.^[56]