The Treasury of Lives

Tsenden Namgyel Kara (mtshan ldan rnam rgyal ka ra) was the son of Drusha Ozer Gyeltsen (bru sha 'od zer rgyal mtshan). It is said that in his early youth, he showed unusual intellectual capacities which enabled him to memorize teachings very easily and to understand them without difficulty. At the age of eleven, he was already giving oral explanations on the causal vehicles (rgyu’i theg pa) and the teachings of sutras.

Later in life, he received the direct introduction to the Great Vehicle (theg chen, i.e. Dzogchen) as well as essential oral instructions from his master Tsungme Sonam Lodro (mtshungs med bsod nams blo gros), the preceding lineage holder of the Atri (a khrid) transmission.

After the direct introduction and the detailed guidance received from his master, Namgyel Kara decided to go to the mountains and to live in a very secluded hermitage. There, he practiced without distractions or interruptions and eventually reached a non regressive understanding and experience of Awareness (rig pa).

It is reported that his spiritual qualities would manifest because of the power he developed in his yogic training. The tradition recalls that he was endowed with foreknowledge, enabling him to see everything without obscuration. The total mastery he reached over his Awareness enabled him to purify all his remaining negative karma and delusions. When he reached that level, everything appeared to him as being non-substantial.

Despite spending most of his time in isolated hermitages, Namgyel Kara gave teachings to all the student that came to him. He thus turned the Wheel of Bon (bon gyi 'khor lo) numerous times for the benefit of fortunate ones.

According to tradition, at the age of fifty-six he manifested signs indicating that he would soon pass into nirvana. These signs, such as wild animals coming to the place where he passed away and rainbows filling the sky, are said to have continued until the forty-fifth day after his nirvana.

Namgyel Kara’s disciples came from across Tibet, even from the far-off regions in Western or Eastern Tibet. His heir in the Atri lineage of transmission was Kedrub Rinchen Lodro (mkhas grub rin chen blo gros).