The Treasury of Lives

Ngawang Norbu (ngag dbang nor bu) was born in the Rudam Valley in Kham near Dzogchen Monastery, Orgyen Samten Choling Monastery (rdzogs chen ru dam o rgyan bsam gtan chos gling) in 1886, the fire-dog year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was named Adroi Lodro Chophel (a gro'i blo gros chos 'phel) and his mother was named Barchung Riklha ('bar chung rig lha). His elder brother was Adroi Khenchen Sonam Chopel (a gro'i mkhan chen bsod nams chos phel, d.u.), sixteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha.

The Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang, Tubten Chokyi Dorje (rdzogs chen 05 thub bstan chos kyi rdo rje, 1872-1935) performed his tonsure ceremony and named him Tubten Ngawang Norbu (thub bstan ngag dbang nor bu). Though his hagiography reports he received his novice monk vows (śrāmaṇera) from the eighth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College (shrI sing+ha bshad drwa), Pema Vajra (pad+ma badz+ra, c.1807-1885), this is unlikely because Pema Vajra is recorded to have died the year before he was born. It is possible he received his vows from one of Pema Vajra's disciples.

He received teachings on the spoken word (bka' ma) and treasure (gter ma) traditions of the Nyingma tradition, along with related empowerments, esoteric, and oral transmissions. His main teacher was the nineteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Zhenpen Chokyi Nangwa (gzhan phan chos kyi snang ba, 1871-1927), from whom he received comprehensive teachings on the thirteen Indian classics of the Śrī Siṃha curriculum and instructions on the complete cycle of Dzogchen Sangwa Nyingtik (gsang ba snying thig). 

He also received teachings on a great variety of topics from many other distinguished lamas including his elder brother, Adroi Khenchen; the Third Mura Tulku, Pema Dechen Zangpo (mu ra sprul sku 03 pad+ma bde chen bzang po, d.u.); Khenpo Kunzang Pelden (mkhan po kun bzang dpal ldan, 1862-1943); Minyak Khenpo Apel (mi nyag mkhan po a dpal, d.u.); the twentieth abbot of Śrī Siṃha, Pema Tekchok Loden (pad+ma theg mchog blo ldan, 1879-1955); and Yilung Jalupa Sonam Namgyel (yid lhung 'ja' lus pa bsod nams rnam rgyal, 1881-1954), who was said to have accomplished rainbow-body.

Around the age of twenty, he received his vows of full ordination (bhikṣu) from the fifteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha, Domtson Konchok Drakpa (sdom brtson kon mchog grags pa, c.1830). He is said to have been a strict observer of his vows, and received the title of Sthavira (gnas brtan pa) during a summer retreat, indicating he had observed his vows without any breaches for a total of ten years.

In 1920, around the age of thirty-five he was enthroned as the twenty-fifth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College. While in office taught the traditional curriculum, and was particularly well known for his unique explanations of Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakośa.

Ngawang Norbu went on a teaching-tour in 1928, visiting various monasteries including Yakzer Monastery (gyag zer gon). The Fifth Dzogchen requested that he to go to U-Tsang, but Ngawang Norbu initially refused. The Fifth Dzogchen replied, "You go ahead; I will come to Lhasa in two or three years and then we'll return together." He then gave Ngawang Norbu a large copper-pot for boiling tea. He tried to turn it down, saying, "This pot is too big for a single man! It will be a burden to carry." Dzogchen Rinpoche reassured him that they would need the pot once they returned together to their monastery.

Ngawang Norbu travelled to U where he did intensive practice at Chode Tsering Jong (chos sde tshe ring ljongs), Gangri Tokar (gangs ri thod dkar), and Chimpu (mchims phu), all sites connected to Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa, c.1730-1798). During the breaks between his mediation sessions, he would teach to the devotees who had gathered to request instructions from him, focusing on the preliminary practices of the Dzogchen tradition and on instructions from the Yeshe Lama (ye shes bla ma).

According to his hagiography, he received a secret instruction from both human teachers and the deities to find a tantric consort. Afterwards he gave up his vows and married a woman named Tsering Chodron (tshe ring chos sgron). In the latter part of 1935, they had a son who was identified as the incarnation of the Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang by Dzogchen Tulku Drime (rdzogs chen sprul sku dri med, d.u.), thus, according to tradition, fulfilling the Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang's prophesy that they would meet again in U-Tsang. Ngawang Norbu returned to Dzogchen Monastery with his wife and son, who was given the name Jikdrel Jangchub Dorje ('jigs bral byang chub rdo rje).

Once they returned to the Rudam Valley, he chose to live away from the monastic campus in accordance with the Vinaya, as he no longer held monastic vows. They settled in a hermitage named Damchen Gang (dam can sgang), located about four miles away from Dzogchen Monastery. From there he continued to practice meditation and give teachings to the disciples who gathered there seeking instructions.

In 1958, at the age of seventy-three Ngawang Norbu went to stay at the Lama's residence at Dzogchen Monastery for eight or nine days. He then proceeded to Śrī Siṃha where he made prayers and is reported to have said, "I may come back here one more time in my next life." He returned to his residence at Damchen Gang and soon fell ill for four days. In the evening of the last day, he gave detailed instructions on how to take care of his body to his close student Lingkar Samten (gling dkar bsam gtan, d.u.). Immediately afterwards he sat up straight and passed away.

Many of his disciples were active in revitalizing the propagation and preservation of the Dzogchen teachings after they had nearly been destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and subsequent suppression of religious practice in Tibet. Some of his prominent disciples include Drolma Tsering (sgrol ma tshe ring, d.u.); Ase Khenpo Chodrak (a se mkhan po chos grags, d.u.); Minyak Tsara Tubten Chokyi Drakpa (mi nyag rtsa ra mkhan chen thub bstan chos kyi grags pa, 1916-2005); Mewa Khenchen Jampel (rme ba mkhan chen 'jam dpal, 1919); and the Third Zenkar, Tubten Nyima (gzan dkar 03 thub bstan nyi ma, b.1943).

He was succeeded by Chime Yeshe (mkhan po chi med ye shes) as the twenty-sixth abbot of Śrī Siṃha. It is not clear when Chime Yeshe became abbot, raising the question of whether Ngawang Norbu relinquished the abbacy when he renounced his vows.