The Treasury of Lives

The twenty-second abbot of Ngor, Jamgon Pelchok Gyeltsen ('jam mgon dpal mchog rgyal mtshan), was born in Tsang, in 1599, the female pig year of the tenth sexagenary cycle. His father was Tsangpa Chokyong Tashi (gtsang pa chos skyong bkra shis), who was the brother of the sixteenth Ngor abbot, Pelden Dondrub (dpal ldan don 'grub,1563-1636); his mother was named Atri (a khrid).

At a young age he was brought to Ngor Monastery, Evaṁ Choden (ngor e waM chos ldan), where he learned reading, writing and the memorization of daily prayers under the tutorship of his uncle, Pelden Dondrub, who ordained him. His uncle later taught him Lamdre (lam ’bras) and other Sakya traditions, which he also studied with Jamyang Kunga Sonam Gyeltsen ('jam dbyangs kun dga' bsod nams rgyal mtshan, d.u.). Other teachers included the seventeenth abbot of Ngor, Drangti Namkha Sanggye (brang ti nam mkha' sangs rgyas, d.u.), and the eighteenth abbot of Ngor, Sherab Jungne (ngor mkhan chen 18 shes rab 'byung gnas, 1596-1653).

He traveled widely to teach and raise funds for his monastic house, spending many years in Derge (sde dge) and other locations in Kham. He collaborated with the king of Derge, Jampa Puntsok (byams pa phun tshogs) on the expansion of the royal monastery, Lhundrubteng (lhun grub steng), and was the first inhabitant of the Tartse Drubkhang (thar rtse sgrub khang), the residence the king built for the chaplains from Ngor.

In 1667, at the age of sixty-nine, Jamgon Pelchok Gyeltsen was enthroned to the abbacy of Ngor monastery. He retired in 1671.

Among his numerous disciples, the most prominent were the twenty-second Zhalu abbot, Rinchen Sonam Chokdrub (rin chen bsod nams mchog grub, 1602-1681); the twentieth Ngor abbot, Sonam Gyatso (bsod nams rgya mtsho, 1617-1667); the twenty-first Ngor abbot, Lhundrub Pelden (lhun 'grub dpal ldan, 1624-1697); the twenty-third Ngor abbot, Namkha Pelzang (nam mkha' dpal bzang, 1611-1672); the twenty-fifth Ngor abbot, Sanggye Puntsok (sangs rgyas phun tshogs, 1649-1705); and the twenty-sixth Ngor abbot, Sanggye Tendzin (sangs rgyas bstan 'dzin, P1667-1693).

Jamgon Pelchok Gyeltsen passed away at the age of seventy-five in 1673, the water- cow year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle.