The Treasury of Lives

Ngawang Kunga Wanggyel (ngag dbang kun dga' dbang rgyal) was born in 1592 in the Puntsok Palace (phun tshogs pho brang). His father, Drakpa Lodro (grags pa blo gros, 1563-1617), the Twenty-fifth Sakya Tridzin, and his mother, Lhase Sonam Gyelmo (lha sras bsod nams rgyal mo), gave him the name Ngawang Kunga Wanggyel.

According to tradition, as soon as he knew how to read and write he memorized all the main tantric texts associated with the Sakya lineage, including the Cakrasaṃvara, Hevajra, Vajrakīlaya, Guhyasamāja Tantras. He also learned all their rituals and traditional dances. He is said to have led Vajrakīlaya ritual was thirteen years. When he was fifteen, he received tantric transmissions and explanations from his father.

When he was sixteen, at the request of his father and two of his uncles, he received the transmission of the Lamdre (lam 'bras) teachings from Jamgon Sonam Wangpo ('jam mgon bsod nams dbang po, 1559-1621) in a retreat center named Dorje Drakdzong (rdo rje brag rdzong). He then practiced Vajrakīlaya in retreat for the next two years. Other teachers included Namkha Pelzang (nam mkha' dpal bzang, 1532-1602), the thirteenth abbot of Ngor Monastery (ngor dgon)

In 1618, following the death of his father, he ascended to the throne of Sakya Monastery (sa skya dgon) as the Twenty-sixth Sakya Tridzin. He held the seat until his death in 1620, the iron monkey year of 1620.