The Treasury of Lives

Ngawang Khyenrab Jampel Nyingpo (ngag dbang mkhyen rab 'jam dpal snying po) was born in 1868, the earth-dragon year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle.^[1] He was born into the Zhalu Kuzhang (zha lu sku zhang), a prominent family with connections to Ngor Ewaṃ Choden (ngor e waM chos ldan dgon) and Nalendra (na len dra) monasteries. His father was named Dawa Dondrub (zla ba don grub) or Dawa Gyeltsen (zla ba rgyal mtshan).^[2]  His paternal uncle was the fifty-ninth Ngor abbot, Ngawang Lodro Nyingpo (ngag dbang blo gros snying po, d. 1905/1906). His brothers were the Seventeenth Chogye Trichen, Jampa Rinchen Khyentse Wangpo (bco brgyad khri chen 17 byams pa rin chen mkhyen brtse dbang po, c. 1869–1927); Zhalu Tripa Wangdu Norbu (zhwa lu khri pa dbang 'dus nor bu, 1885–c. 1954); and Sonam Sengge Wangchuk (bsod nam seng ge dbang phyug, 1873–1928), the father of the Eighteenth Chogye Trichen (bco brgyad khri chen 18, 1929–2007).

As a young child he was selected to serve as a Khangsar Zhabdrung (khang gsar zhabs drung), or abbatial candidate of Ngor Monastery from the Khangsar Labrang (khang gsar bla brang). He received monastic vows and Lamdre teachings from his uncle, and additional transmissions and empowerments from numerous other masters, including one named Trichen Jigme Wanggyel (khri chen 'jigs med dbang rgyal).

Around the year 1890 he was installed as abbot of Ngor, succeeding his uncle, and served until about 1895. Heimbel numbers him the sixtieth abbot, while Loter Wangpo (blo gter dbang po, 1847–1914) and Jackson number him the fifty-ninth.^[3]

After the completion of his tenure, he went to Derge and gave teachings to the king and his court. Depending on when he went, the king would have been Pelden Chime Takpai Dorje (dpal ldan 'chi med rtag pa'i rdo rje, 1850/51–1898) or one of his sons, Dorje Sengge (rdo rje seng ge, 1877–1919) and Ngawang Jampel Rinchen (ngag dbang 'jam dpal rin chen, d. 1918), who fought each other for the throne and were both in power at various points until 1911. Like his uncle, the fifty-ninth abbot of Ngor, he was an ardent worshiper of Shukden (shugs ldan), and played a role in the spread of that deity in the Derge region.^[4]

While in Derge he established a tradition of Vajrakīla practice at Tromdo Monastery (khrom mdo dgon).^[5]

According to Loter Wangpo, Jampel Nyingpo was a self-taught master of handicrafts.^[6]

In later life Ngawang Khyenrab Jampel Nyingpo lived at the Khangsar Labrang at Ngor. In the mid-1930s he came into conflict with Ngawang Yonten Gyatso (ngag dbang yon tan rgya mtsho, 1902–c.1963), who was serving as the sixtieth abbot. Possibly due to Ngawang Khyenrab Jampel Nyingpo's Shukden worship, the younger abbot, who was firmly opposed to the controversial deity, declined to show the expected deference to the former abbot, angering the Khangsar community. The monks ultimately tied Ngawang Yonten Gyatso to a column in the Khangsar temple intending to force him to show respect to Ngawang Khyenrab Jampel Nyingpo. He refused to do so, and continued to insult the elderly abbot, accusing him of collecting sheep from nomads to butcher. Although he was released and restored to the abbot's throne, Ngawang Yonten Gyatso left Ngor the following year^.[7]

Ngawang Khyenrab Jampel Nyingpo continued to live at Khangsar until he passed away, in 1949, the earth-ox year.^[8]

 

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