The Treasury of Lives

Lodro Namgyel (blo gros rnam rgyal) was born in 1618, the earth-horse year of the tenth sexagenary cycle, in a place named Jecho Zarawa ('jad 'chos za rwa ba). His father was named Lha Dargye (lha dar gye) and his mother was named Chukmo Peldzin (phyug mo dpal 'din).

At the age of sixteen he met Tāranātha Kunga Nyingpo (tA ra nA tha kun dga snying po, 1575-1634), the famed abbot of Jonang Monastery (jo nang dgon) in Tsang. Tāranātha gave him lay and novice vows, and a full range of teachings in both sutra and tantra. It was Tāranātha who gave him the name Lodro Namgyel.

Some time after Tāranātha passed away Lodro Namgyel received full ordination from Kunga Rinchen Gyatso (kun dga' rin chen rgya mtsho, d.u.), from whom he also received empowerments and teachings. Having become an expert in the Jonang tradition of the Kālacakra and zhentong (gzhan stong), or "other emptiness," it is said that Lodro Namgyel impressed the Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 05 ngag dbang blo bzang rgya mtsho, 1617-1682) with his explanations of the topics.

Lodro Namgyel went east and matriculated at Dzamtang Monastery ('dzam thang) in Amdo. There he participated in over fifty ordination ceremonies and gave teachings and empowerments in Gyelrong (rgyal rong) under the sponsorship of a local king named Sanggye Bum (sangs rgyas 'bum). After twelve years in the Amdo area he returned to U-Tsang, travelling briefly in Mongolia beforehand.

Among his disciples were Nangso Nyingpo Nangdze (nang so snying po snang mdzad, d.u) and Kunga Pelzang (kun dga dpal bzang, 1629-1686), the founder of Drokge Monastery ('brog dge).

Lodro Namgyel passed away in 1684 in U-Tsang.