The Treasury of Lives

Lachok Sengge (lha mchog seng ge) was born at Sakya in 1468. His father's name was Ponne Kunga Gyeltsen (dpon ne kun dga' rgyal mtshan) and his mother was Genyen Kunchok Bum (dge bsnyen kun mchog 'bum); she was a niece or granddaughter of Gushri Namkha Zangpo (gu shrI nam mkha' bzang po). His family was related to Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (ngor chen kun dga' bzang po, 1382-1456), the founder of Ngor Evaṃ Chodan Monastery (ngor e waM chos ldan).

The child took novice vows at age eleven with the sixth Ngor abbot, the great master Gorampa Sonam Sengge (go bo rab 'byams pa bsod nams seng ge, 1429-1489) who named him Lachok Sengge. Gorampa gave Lachok Sengge teachings and a Hevajra empowerment, after which he experienced many visions in dreams. After taking his novice vows he lived and studied at Sakya Labrang Shar (sa skya bla brang shar), a palace at Sakya Monastery (sa skya dgon).

From an early age Lachok Sengge was trained in foundational Madhyamaka teachings and given Hevajra practice instructions. In addition to Gorampa, he studied closely with the eighth abbot of Ngor, Muchen Sanggye Rinchen (mus chen sangs rgyas rin chen, 1450-1524), who gave him extensive instructions, initiations, and empowerments in the Hevajra tantra. Lachok Sengge's teachers also included Sonam Lhundrub (bsod nams lhun grub, 1456-1532) who was a master from the Mustang area of present day Nepal; Konchok Pelwa (dkon mchog 'phel ba, 1445-1514), the seventh Ngor abbot; Konchok Sengge (dkon mchog seng ge, d.u.); Lekpai Jungne (legs pa'i 'byun gnas, d.u.); and Dakchen Lodro Gyeltsen (bdag chen blo gros rgyal mtshan, d.u.).

From these masters Lachok Sengge received Vajrakīlaya and Yamāntaka empowerments, Lamdre instructions, as well as many other teachings. In general, many great teachers and yogis gave him instructions in different aspects of Buddhist teachings and ascetic practices. Biographical accounts indicate that his learning was vast. Due to his skills in practice and the fine quality of his mind he became widely known as an excellent practitioner. When he had accomplished a high level of study and practice from various great teachers, he began to teach at Chudu Norbuling (chu 'dus nor bu gling), which is possibly another name for Nyetang Rawato (mnyes thang rwa ba stod) and Ngor.

Before passing away in 1489, Gorampa made several predictions about Lachok Sengge's future. He also established Muchen Sanggye Rinchen in his own monastic residence and ensured that in time he would be enthroned as abbot. After Gorampa passed away and his remains were cremated, it was said that there was a rain of flowers which Lachok Sengge gathered and put in a vase. He performed all the appropriate rites such as fire pujas, consecration and so forth. He took some of the master's bones to Tubten Dargye Ling Monastery (thub bstan dar rgyas gling) in present-day Mustang and passed on Gorampa's teachings to the abbot there. He returned to Ngor and took over Muchen Sanggye Rinchen's residence, preparing to eventually become abbot himself.

Lhachok Sengge ascended to the abbot's throne of Ngor in either 1516 or1524, serving as the Ninth Ngor Khenchen for either eighteen or ten years, until the year before his death in 1534. In the course of his career Lachok Sengge did a great deal to develop and spread the Ngor tradition. He commissioned countless paintings, and is remembered as a great patron of the arts. His main students were Namkha Pelzang (nam mkha' dpal bzang, 1532-1602), the Thirteenth Ngor Khenchen; Konchok Lhundrub (dkon mchog lhun grub, 1497-1557), the Tenth Ngor Khenchen; Sanggye Sengge (sangs rgyas seng ge, 1504-1569), the Eleventh Ngor Khenchen; and Gelek Shenyen (dge legs bshes gnyen, d.u.).