The Treasury of Lives

The Seventh Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Ngawang Jampel (rdo rje brag rig 'dzin 07 ngag dbang 'jam dpal) was born at Monkhar Namseling (mon mkhar rnam sras gling), a palace and monastery belonging to the Namseling family located on the south bank of the Tsangpo river opposite from Samye Monastery (bsam yas dgon pa). This was also the birthplace of the Fourth Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Pema Trinle (rdo rje brag rig 'dzin 04 rigs 'dzin pad+ma 'phrin las, 1641-1717). There is some discrepancy on the dates of his birth, but according to the birth year of his successor, he was most likely born around 1810. The names of his parents are unknown, but it is said that his mother passed away when he was very young and he became ill. Legend has it that one day near the palace, he encountered hundreds of nāgā (subterranean serpent spirits) at a lake named Mahe (ma he'i mtsho). They gave him a wish-granting piece of amber the size of an old man's fist and the amber produced milk which Ngawang Jampel was able to suck out of the stone for six years while his body regained strength. It is said that a worn-out piece of amber with his fingerprints on it could be seen on his reliquary until recently.

At some point, a party led by Chuzang Namkha Longyang (chu bzang nam mkha' klong yang, d.u.), a disciple of the Sixth Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Kunzang Gyurme Lhundrub (rdo rje brag rig 'dzin 06 kun bzang 'gyur med lhun grub, b. 1770s), identified him as the reincarnation of his teacher. He presumably brought him to Dorje Drak monastery (thub bstan rdo rje brag e waM lcog sgar) to begin his education. Chuzang Namkha Longyang became his principal tutor and supplied him with his foundational Buddhist education and gave him transmissions, empowerments, and instructions from the Jangter (byang gter), or Northern Treasures tradition, which was upheld by his incarnation line. By the time he was thirteen it is said he had already become an accomplished scholar—he is recorded as composing a prayer to the dharma protector Dorje Yudronma (rdo rje g.yu sgron ma) as well as notes for a maṇḍala offering to the Dalai Lama.

Ngawang Jampel was known for strictly maintaining his monastic vows, and for being a master of the Dzogchen teachings of the Jangter tradition, titled the Gongter Namkha Dzod (dgongs gter nam mkha' mdzod) and other esoteric teachings.

He fell ill and passed away at the age of thirty-four. His subsequent incarnation, Kelzang Pema Wanggyel (skal bzang pad+ma dbang rgyal), was born in 1848.