The Treasury of Lives

Ngawang Chodrak (ngag dbang chos grags) was born in Semchar (sems cher) village near Sakya Monastery (sa skya dgon), in 1572, the water-male monkey year of the ninth sexagenary cycle. His father, a famous doctor, was named Drungtso Puntsok (drung tsho phun tshogs) and his mother was called Pentok Kyi (phan thogs skyid).

He began learning reading and writing at an early age. When he turned eleven he joined Chokhor Lhunpo Monastery (chos 'khor lhun po), near Sakya, for one year where he was tutored by Kunkhyen Ngawang Drakpa (kun mkhyen ngag dbang grags pa, d.u.). The following year he matriculated at the Karma Kagyu monastery Yangpachen (yang pa can), which had been established in around 1503 by the Fourth Zhamar, Chodrak Yeshe (zhwa dmar 04 chos grags ye shes, 1453-1524). There he received the novice vows from Chennga Drenchok Konchok Gyatso (spyan snga 'dren mchog dkon mchog rgya mtsho, d.u.), who gave him the name Ngawang Chodrak. He studied logic, Prajñāpāramitā, Madhyamaka, Vinaya, the Abhidharmakośa, and the Bodhisatvāvatāra under Je Wangchuk Pelzang (rje dbang phyug dpal bzang, d.u). He also studied under the eighteenth abbot of Zhalu Wangchuk Rabten (dbang phyug rab brtan, 1558-1636).

At the age of eighteen he took the examination on the Treasury of Valid Cognition (tshad ma rigs gter) of Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyeltsen (sa skya paN+Di ta kun gya rgyal mtshan, 1182-1251), at Sakya Monastery (sa skya dgon), and continued to study there. He then went to Ngamring Ganden Jampa Ling (ngam rings dga' ldan byams pa gling) for further studies, an ancient Sakya monastery that was later converted to the Geluk tradition.

During that time, at a hermitage named Lobshe Norbu Ling (slob bshad nor bu gling), he received the empowerments, transmissions and instructions of Lamdre (lam 'bras) from a teacher named Yongdzin Ludrub Gyatso (yongs 'dzin klu sgrub rgya mtsho, 1523-1596). He also studied with Tāranātha Kunga Nyingpo (tA ra nA tha kun dga' snying po, 1575-1634), Muchen Sanggye Gyeltsen (mus chen sangs rgyas rgyal mtshan, 1542-1618), Tutob Wangchuk Sonam Chopel (mthu stobs dbang phyug bsod nams chos 'phel, d.u.); Khenchen Jampa Zangpo (mkhan chen byams pa bzang po, d.u.); and Drubri Khedrub Gyurme (grub ris mkhas drub 'gyur med, d.u.).

At the age of thirty he was granted the full ordination vows from Tubten Khenchen Wangchuk Tenpel Pelyon (thub bstan mkhan chen dbang phyug bstan pa'i dpal yon, d.u.). He was then appointed to the position of instructor, the successor of Lobpon Je Butrak Ngawa (slob spon rje 'bum phrag lnga ba, d.u.) of Tubten Tramo (thub bstan khra mo) Monastery.

He received the transmission of the Six Dharmas of Niguma and other transmissions of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition from Lochen Gyurme Dechen (blo chen 'gyur med bde chen, 1540-1615), and later wrote instruction manuals on the various Shangpa practices according to Tangtong Gyelpo's (thang stong rgyal po, 1361-1485) teachings.

At the age of thirty-five, in 1607, he ascended to the abbatial throne of Yangpachen Monastery, succeeding Mu Rabjampa Tukje Pelzangpo (mus rab 'byams pa thugs rje dpal bzang po, d.u.). We do not know whether there were any objections to a Sakya lama serving as abbot of this Kagyu monastery. He served the position for six years, teaching on Abhidharma, Vinaya, and other sutra traditions. He later served as abbot of Samdrub Gonsar Monastery (bsam 'grub dgon gsar), succeeding Lodro Drakpa (blo gros grags pa, d.u.). There he gave Lamdre teachings four times. He also taught Lamdre at Ladrang Dzong (bla brang rdzong), Dar Drangmoche ('dar grang mo che), and Zangden (bzang ldan) monasteries. According to Dungkar, he served as an abbot of Sakya Monastery, but we have no details of such service, and his name does not appear on lists of Sakya Tridzin (sa skya khri 'dzin).

Among his disciples were Khenchen Ngawang Tenpel Dorje (mkhan chen ngag dbang bstan pa'i rdo rje); the fifteenth abbot of Ngor, Jamyang Kunga Sonam Lhundrub ('jam mgon kun dga' bsod nams lhun grub, 1571-1642); Tukje Chenpo Jikten Wangchuk (thugs rje chen po 'jig rten dbang phyug, d.u.); Dakchen Jampa Sonam (bdag chen byams pa bsod nams, d.u.); Gonpo Sonam Chokden (mgon po bsod nams mchog ldan, 1603-1659); and Khyechok Namgyel (mkhas mchog rnam rgyal), the tenth abbot of Tubten Namgyel Monastery; and Jamgon Amyezhab Kunga Sonam ('jam mgon a nye zhabs ngag dbang kun dga' bsod nams, 1597-1659/1960), to whom he served as a preceptor.

His writing collections were collected in six volumes. He passed away at the age of seventy, in 1641, the iron-female snake year of the tenth sexagenary cycle.