The Treasury of Lives

The First Chaktsa Tulku, Kunzang Ngedon Wangpo (phyag tsha 01 kun bzang nges don dbang po) and was born in the middle of the eighteenth century. His father was the chief of the Chaktsa nomad tribe of Dzachuka in Kham. The local monastery was also named Chaktsa and although it had been established by a disciple of Pema Rigdzin (d. 1695), the founder of Dzogchen Monastery (rdzogs chen dgon), Chaktsa Monastery was a branch of Katok.

In his youth Kunzang Ngedon Wangpo was identified as the reincarnation of Bangowa Tsondru Gyatso (sbra 'go ba brtson 'grus rgya mtsho), who was the tutor of Drime Zhingkyong Chokyi Dorje (dri med zhing skyong mgon po dpal chos kyi rdo rje, b. 1724), the preeminent tulku at Katok Monastery (kaH thog) in the mid-eighteenth century. Drime Zhingkyong officiated over his recognition, enthronement, and education. Chaktsa Kunzang Ngedon Wangpo trained in the treasure teachings of the two major revealers of Katok, Dundul Dorje (bdud 'dul rdo rje, 1615-1672) and Longsel Nyingpo (klong gsal snying po, 1625-1692). He was also a master of the traditions representing the earlier traditions of Katok such as the Yangti (yang ti) Cycles of Dzogchen. Guru Tashi's History, which was completed a few years before Chaktsa's passing in 1816, notes that he was a great scholar and emphasizes that he had many visions. According to one enumeration of the Katok lineage he was the twenty-ninth abbot of Katok Monastery.

In addition to Guru Tashi's History, first-person accounts of the first Chaktsa's life are found in the Autobiography of his most important student, the First Getse Paṇchen Gyurme Tsewang Chokdrub (dge rtse 01 paN chen gyur med tshe dbang mchog grub 1761-1829). Getse notes that Chaktsa visited him when he was still a child and still living with his family. More significantly, Chaktsa taught Getse both sutra and tantra traditions and bestowed on him many initiations. In 1802 Chaktsa was the chief officiant of the consecration ceremony for the newly renovated Sangngak Palace at Katok.

According to this work Chaktsa fell ill in 1816 and died the same year, though the nature of the illness is not specified. Before he passed Chaktsa had sponsored the construction of a large Avalokiteśvara statue at Katok and Getse saw the project to completion. Among his other disciples were the Second Drime Zhingkyong, Jigme Rigdzin Gonpo (dri med zhing skyong 02 jigs med rig 'dzin mgon po, d.u.), Moktsa Jikdrel Choying Dorje (rmog rtsa 02 'jigs bral chos dbyings rdo rje, d.u.), Shechen Wontrul Gyurme Tutob Namgyel (zhe chen dbon sprul 'gyur med mthu stobs rnam rgyal, b. 1787), Drubchen Choying Rangdrol (grub chen chos dbyings rang grol, d.u.), Chokdrub Sonam Namgyel (mchog sprul bsod nams rnam rgyal, d.u.), Nyingon Gyurme Ngedon (nyin dgon 'gyur med nges don, d.u.), and Chadrel Namkha Dorje (bya bral nam mkha' rdo rje, d.u.).