The Treasury of Lives

The Third Dzogchen Drubwang, Ngedon Tendzin Zangpo (rdzogs chen grub dbang 03 nges don bstan 'dzin bzang po) was born at Hopa (ho pa), a place in the lower Mekong River (zla chu) Valley, in 1759, the fire-hare year of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle. His father, Tashi Bum (bkra shis 'bum), was from hereditary lineage of a popular physician.

At a young age he was identified as the reincarnation of the Second Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin (rdzogs chen 02 'gyur med theg mchog bstan 'dzin, 1699-1757/58) with confirmation done through divination of lamas and deities in Lhasa. The child was also examined through his recognition of certain personal belongings such as vajra and bell, rosary and cup of his predecessor.

At the age of four he was brought to his seat, Rudam Dzogchen Orgyen Samten Choling (ru dam o rgyan bsam gtan chos gling) by Jewon Pema Kundrol Namgyel (rje dbon pad+ma kun grol rnam rgyal, 1706-1773), the fourth abbot of the monastery, under the patronage of the king of Derge, Lodro Gyatso (1722-1774). The Second Nyidrak, Pema Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen (nyi grags 02 pad+ma theg mchog bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1712-1771) performed the tonsure ceremony and named him Kunzang Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen (kun bzang theg mchog bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan). Pema Kundrol Namgyel changed his name to Ngawang Pema Namgyel (ngag dbang pad+ma rnam rgyal) at the time of his enthronement ceremony at the monastery. The Thirty-first Sakya Tridzin, Ngawang Kunga Lodro (sa kya khri 'dzin 31 ngag dbang kun dga’ blo gros, 1729-1783) also sent him the name Rigdzin Trinle Wangchuk Ati Tenpai Gyeltsen (rig 'dzin phrin las dbang phyug a ti bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan).

At the age of seven in 1765 he began his education and training, learning reading and writing, and memorization of prayer texts, and ritual practices under Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen. He is said to have memorized the Wish-fulfilling Treasury (yid bzhin mdzod) of Longchenpa, the Domsum (sdom gsum) of Ngari Paṇchen Pema Wanggyel (mnga' ris pan chen pad+ma dbang rgyal, 1487-1542) and other texts. He received commentarial teachings, empowerments, and esoteric instructions on the treasure teachings from the revelation of Terchen Nyima Drakpa (nyi ma grags pa, 1647-1710), by then a standard part of the teaching and practice tradition of Dzogchen Monastery.

He was given novice monk vows (śrāmaṇera) by Pema Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen and Jewon Pema Kundrol Namgyel with the ordination name Ngedon Tendzin Zangpo, the name by which he is most commonly known in historical sources. Pema Kundrol Namgyel later gave him teachings on the Dzogchen Nyingtik (rdzogs chen snying thig). He received the complete transmission of the treasures of Rigdzin Dudul Dorje (rig 'dzin bdud 'dul rdo rje, 1615-1672) from Drime Zhingkyong Gonpo (dri med zhing skyong mgon po, 1724-1760); practical commentary on Nyingtik from Nyidrak Dentsab Kelzang Donyo (nyi grags gdan tshab skal bzang don yod, d.u.); and transmission of many additional teachings from Barchung Tashi Gyatso ('bar chung bkra shis rgya mtsho, d.u.). He also received teachings from Pawo Lerabtsel (dpa' bo las rab rtsal, d.u.), Tendzin Nyingpo (bstan 'dzin snying po, d.u.), Namkha Chokdrub (nam mkha' mchog grub, d.u.), Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa, 1729/30-1798), Pema Chokdrub (pad+ma mchog grub, d.u.), and Getse Paṇchen Gyurme Chokdrub (dge rtse paN chen 'gyur med mchog grub, 1761-1829).

Pema Kundrol Namgyel transferred the abbacy of Dzogchen Monastery to him in 1773, shortly before he passed away. As he was only fifteen at the time, he presumably had a regent.

At the age of twenty, in 1778, Ngedon Tendzin Zangpo went on pilgrimage to Lhasa. There he had an audience with the Eighth Dalai Lama Jampel Gyatso (ta la’i bla ma 08 'jam dpal rgya mtsho, 1758-1804) from whom he received an official seal. He made offerings to the Sixty-first Ganden Tripa, Ngawang Tsultrim (dga' ldan khri pa 61 khri chen ngag dbang tshul khrims, 1721-1791), and visited the major monasteries of the city and its surroundings. He continued on to Lhodrak and then to Tsang, where he received Jangter (byang gter) teachings from Drubchen Pema Shenyin (grub chen pad+ma bshes gnyen, d.u.), the founder of Orgyen Drodren Ling Monastery (o rgyan 'gro 'dren gling). He received the vows of his full ordination (bhikṣu) from Minling Khenchen Orgyen Tendzin Dorje (smin gling mkhan chen o rgyan bstan 'dzin rdo rje, 1742-c.1789) who also gave him teachings.

Back in Kham he supervised or sponsored the expansion of several temples and monasteries including Chaktsa (phyag tsha), Takgon (stag dgon), Katok (kaH thog), and Nyikok (snyi khog dgon). He also sponsored the construction of several temples at Dzogchen, installing in them gold-plated copper statues and other objects of faith such as paintings and texts. During his tenure he also arranged for what was possibly the first printed version of Nyima Drakpa's (nyi ma grags pa, 1647-1710) arrangement of the Bardo Todrol (bar do thos 'grol), popularly known in the West as the "Tibetan Book of the Dead."

Ngedon Tendzin Zangpo initiated traditions of tantric practices such as Tongwa Gyupai Chakzhe (mthong ba brgyud pa'i phyag bzhes) and he revised the monastic code. He is remembered as a tireless administrator who was forced by his busy schedule to perform his religious practices late in the night. It is said that he was personally protected by two dharmapālas: Pelgon Maning (dpal mgon ma ning) and Ngaksungma (sngags srung ma), over whom he was said have full command.

Among his disciples thirteen are said to have attained rainbow-body ('ja' lus): the First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Ozer (rdo grub chen 01 'jigs med 'phrin las 'od zer, 1745-1821); Barchung Jigme Gocha (bar chung 'jigs med go cha, b. 1763); Jigme Ngotsar ('jigs med ngo mtshar, 1730); Sengdruk Pema Tashi (seng phrug pad+ma bkra shis, b. c.1798), the first abbot of Dzogchen Monastery's Śrī Siṃha college (shrI sing+ha bshad drwa); and Jula Sanggye Ozer ('ju bla sangs rgyas 'od zer, d.u.). Other prominent disciples included the First Ling Lama Sonam Jinpa (gling bla ma 01 bsod nams sbyin pa, d.u.); Getse Paṇchen Gyurme Chokdrub (dge rtse paN chen 'gyur med mchog grub, 1761-1829); the Second Shechen Rabjam, Gyurme Kunzang Namgyel (zhe chen rab 'byams 02 'gyur med kun bzang rnam rgyal, 1713-1769), the Fifth Yolmo Tulku Karma Trinle Dujom (yol mo sprul sku 05 karma 'phrin las bdud 'joms, 1726-1789); Namkha Tsewang Chokdrub, the sixth abbot of Dzogchen Monastery (rdzogs chen gdan rabs 06 nam mkha' tshe dbang mchog grub, b. 1744); the Third Nyidrak, Mingyur Pende Gyatso (nyi grags 03 mi 'gyur phan bde rgya mtsho, b. 1779); the First Gurong, Namkha Jigme (dgu rong 01 nam mkha' 'jigs med, b. 1757); the Second Troshul Getrul, Tsewang Pelgyi Dorje (khro shul dge sprul 02 tshe dbang dpal gyi rdo rje, d.u.); and Guru Tashi Ngawang Lodro (gu ru bkra shis ngag dbang blo gros, d.u.), the author of the famous religious history (gu bkra'i chos 'byung) that bears his name.

At the age of thirty-four, in 1792, the water-mouse year of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle, he passed away, having served the monastery for about nineteen years. His reincarnation was found in the person of Mingyur Namkhai Dorje (rdzogs chen grub dbang 04 mi 'gyur nam mkha'i rdo rje, 1793-1870).