The Treasury of Lives

The Eighteenth Ngor Khenchen, Sherab Jungne was born in Sakya in 1596, the fire-monkey year of the tenth sexagenary cycle. His father was named Kunga Pel (kun dga' dpal) and mother was Padma Tsering (pad+ma tshe ring).

At the age of nine he was brought to Ngor Monastery, Pel Evaṁ Choden (dpal e waM chos ldan), where he was granted lay vows and empowerments by his uncle, the fourteenth abbot of Ngor Khenchen, Jamyang Kunga Tashi ('jam dbyangs kun dga' bkra shis, 1558-1603) who also gave him the name Sherab Jungne.

When he turned twelve he received novice monastic vows from Dakchen Kunga Tashi (bdag chen kun dga' bkra shis, d.u) and Konchok Gyeltsen (dkon mchog rgyal mtshan, d.u). Soon after, in 1616, at the age of twenty-one, he was granted full monastic ordination by the fifteenth abbot of Ngor monastery, Kunga Sonam Lhundrub (kun dga' bsod nams lhun 'grub, 1571-1642) at a residence named Tsedong Chokle Namgyel (tshe gdong phyogs las rnam rgyal).

He studied Lamdre and other Sakya traditions under a number of masters, including Sanggye Lodro (sangs rgyas blo gros, d.u); the sixteenth abbot of Ngor, Khedrub Pelden Dondrub (mkhas grub dpal ldan don grub, 1563-1636); Lopa Channgar Kunga Dondrub (blo pa spyan lngar kun dga' don grub, d.u); and Kunga Sonam (kun dga' bsod nams), who was a mantra holder from Sakya Monastery.

In 1625, at the age of thirty, he was enthroned to the abbacy of Ngor, becoming the eighteenth abbot. He held the post until 1653. During his tenure he supervised a considerable amount of monastic construction.

In 1638, at the age of forty-two, he was appointed to the abbacy seat of Zhalu (zhwa lu) Monastery.

Among his disciples were Lhundrub Pelden, the twenty-fourth abbot of Ngor (lhun grub dpal ldan, d.u.); Dakchen Yeshe Zangpo (bdag chen yes shes bzang po, d.u.); Khenchen Kongton Dondrub Pelzang (mkhan chen kong ston don grub, d.u.); Ngawang Tanpel Dorje (ngag dbang bstan pa'i rdor rje, d.u.); Tashi Tsenchen (bkra shis mtshan can, d.u.); Gonpo Sonam Chokden (mgon po bsod nams mchog ldan, d.u.); Rikchok Tendul (rigs mchog btan dul, d.u.); Namkha Rinchen (nam mkha' rin chen, d.u.);  Chakdor Norbu (phyug rgor nor bu), and Jampa Puntsok (byams pa phun tshogs), the first abbot of Derge Lhundrubteng (sde dge lhun grub steng).

Sherab Jungne  passed way at the age of fifty eight in 1653, the water-snake year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle.