The Treasury of Lives

强贡阿旺坚赞是一位不丹竹巴噶举派的喇嘛,他曾担任早期不丹政府派驻拉达克以及德格地区的政治使节。他的家庭因政治阴谋历经惨痛的悲剧,他父亲和兄长也因此遭到暗杀。即便如此,他不但在不丹的外交上留下了宝贵的遗产,在艺术及仪轨修行上也做出了弥足珍贵的贡献。


Jamgon Ngawang Gyeltsen (byams mgon ngag dbang rgyal mtshan) was born in 1647, the year of the female fire pig, at Gon Amorimu (dgon a mo ri mu). His father was Ngawang Rabten (ngag dbang rab brtan, 1630-c.1680) and his mother was Jam Butri (b. c.1625).  His father descended from Terkhungpa (gter khung pa, fl. 12th century), and his mother from Phajo Drugom Zhigpo (pha jo 'brug sgom zhig po, c.1164-1251) by way of Phajo's son Wangchuk (dbang phyug, fl. 13th century). This means that Jamgon united the lineages of two major disciples of Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje (gtsang pa rgya ras ye shes rdo rje, 1161-1211), the founder of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition.

Shortly after his birth, Jamgon was brought to Punakha (spu na kha) to meet Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (zhabs drung ngag dbang rnam rgyal, 1594-1651).  The Zhabdrung was reportedly very enthusiastic, as the boy came from a family of patrons who had helped him establish himself in Bhutan only years before.  The Zhabdrung named the boy Druk Peljor ('brug dpal 'byor) and gave him protective blessings and substances. In 1651, when Jamgon was five years old, he met again with the Zhabdrung in Punakha.

At age ten, Jamgon began studying under Lobpon Sanggye Lingpa (slob dpon sangs rgyas gling pa; d.u.) in Punakha. In 1656, Jamgon went to Cheri (lcags ri) for the funeral rites of his great uncle, the First Desi, Tendzin Drukgye (bstan 'dzin 'brug rgyas, r. 1651-1656).  It was at Cheri that Jamgon first met the Second Desi, Tendzin Drukdra ('brug sde srid bstan 'dzin 'brug grags, r. 1656-1667), who encouraged Jamgon to join a monastery. Jamgon's parents were not enthusiastic and initially refused their son's request to join the monkhood. However, once the Second Desi summoned Ngawang Rabten and directly requested him to give one son (obliquely referring to Ngawang Gyeltsen), his father had little choice, and offered the young boy as fulfillment of the “monk tax” (btsun khral) prevalent during the time.

In the male water tiger year of 1662, Jamgon was ordained as a novice by First Je Khenpo Pekar Jungne (pad dkar 'byung gnas, 1604-1672/73), who was also part of Phajo lineage, albeit through one of Phajo's other sons, Nyima (nyi ma, fl. 13th century).  The First Je Khenpo would be Jamgon's senior tutor, though the young monk had other teachers for ritual dance ('chams), ritual practices, astrology, grammar and poetry.

Pekar Jungne passed away unexpectedly, and so it was under the Second Je Khenpo Sonam Odzer (bsod nams 'od zer, r. 1672-1689) that Jamgon Ngawang Gyeltsen was given his final ordination at Punakha Dzong.  Sonam Odzer became Ngawang Gyeltsen's root lama. Soon after his ordination, Jamgon received the full teachings of the Drukpa Kagyu in an empowerment presided over by Fourth Desi Tendzin Rabgye (bstan 'dzin rab rgyas, r. 1680-1695) at Punakha.

There was military tension and conflict with Tibet throughout Jamgon's life, but it was about to become more intense. In 1675, in response to a major Tibetan invasion, the Third Desi Mingyur Tenpa (mi 'gyur brtan pa, r. 1667-1680) appointed Jamgon's father Ngawang Rabten military commander of the modern Bumtang region. Ngawang Rabten's military successes endeared him to the Third Desi, yet created animosity with other Bhutanese leaders. This hostility led to the murder of Ngawang Rabten's brother (Jamgon's uncle) in 1677, who had been serving as an attendant to the Zhabdrung's remains. Deeply distressed, Jamgon went into retreat at Cheri with the support of the Second Je Khenpo. Meanwhile, the intrigue grew, and when angry Bhutanese tried to capture the Third Desi Mingyur Tenpa and force him to reduce the high taxes he had imposed, instead, Jamgon's father and younger brother were arrested and imprisoned. Jamgon's mother and sister fled, though they were later captured and exiled. Ngawang Rabten was eventually stoned to death and the surviving family established themselves in Uma (u ma).  Within a couple years, Jamgon arrived in the area to reunite with them.

By this time, Jamgon had left retreat and was serving as attendant to Fourth Desi Tendzin Rabgye, who had established a tenuous peace in the young country. Tendzin Rabgye appointed him to be an ambassador on a mission to Sanggye Tenpa, the King of Derge (sde dge), between 1688-1695. Just before Jamgon's departure, his family was allowed to return from their exile in Ura back to their ancestral home of Amorimu, and Jamgon's two brothers accompanied him on the journey to Derge. Jamgon remained there seven years, counseling the King, settling controversies and giving instruction.

On his return to Bhutan in 1695, Jamgon learned of the death of his root lama, the Second Je Khenpo Sonam Odzer, and the retirement of Fourth Desi. Jamgon requested to resign from further government service, but was denied his appeal. Meanwhile, old familial and political conflicts reignited. Jamgon's older brother and nephew were imprisoned and assassinated soon after. Jamgon's mother and younger brother were again exiled, stripped once more of their home and property at Amorimu.

After spending significant time in retreat, in 1706 Jamgon suddenly found himself invested as government representative to the court of the King of  Ladakh, Nyima Namgyel (nyi ma rnam rgyal, r. 1694-1729) in Leh (sles).  He stayed there for six years, primarly based in Hemis, giving empowerments, performing rituals, undertaking pilgrimage and visiting sites throughout the kingdom. In 1711, Jamgon received a divination that said he should leave immediately for Bhutan; otherwise, he would never make it home.  After a difficult journey fraught with detention, imprisonment and illness he finally arrived in Bhutan in 1712. He went immediately to Thimphu, and again sought permission to resign from government service. Again, Jamgon was denied. Instead, he was appointed Chila (spyi bla, or regional governor) of Paro (spa gro).

While visiting in Punakha, Jamgon noticed that Drukpa monks were not behaving according to the precepts, and he authored a new code of conduct, which was distributed throughout Bhutan in 1724. After serving as Paro Chila for one year, Jamgon was finally allowed to resign and dedicate himself to religious practice. going into retreat at Yulsar (yul gsar) near Seula (se'u la), where he settled. Jamgon had a serious illness, and was moved to the warmer climes of Punakha, where he established a retreat residence. Jamgon gave teachings and initiations, and ordained the minor vows of Shakya Rinchen Drime Lekpai Lodro (shAkya rin chen dri med legs pa'i blo gros, 1710-1759), the future Ninth Je Khenpo and main biographer of Jamgon Ngawang Gyeltsen.

Towards the end of his long and storied life, Jamgon rebuilt his small hermitage at Seula and founded Chokhor Dorjeden (chos 'khor rdo rje ldan) in 1715. There he gave many instructions and empowerments to students and other masters alike.  After bouts of illness and intermittent travel throughout central and western Bhutan, in 1732, Jamgon returned to Seula Chokhor Dorjeden and immediately entered into retreat. According to Shakya Rinchen's biography, Jamgon drank only milk and would eat no food.

In 1732, the fourth day of the sixth month of the Male Water Mouse year, Jamgon passed away. The Seventh Je Khenpo Ngawang Trinle (ngag dbang 'phrin las, r. 1762-1769) performed the funeral ceremonies.  Later, a Jamgon incarnation lineage would arise, with Yeshe Dorje (ye shes rdo rje, 1757-1805), the Seventeenth Je Khenpo of Bhutan, being recognized as the reincarnation of Jamgon Ngawang Gyeltsen.

Ariana Maki is Associate Director of the Tibet Center and Bhutan Initiative at the University of Virginia and holds a Ph.D. in Art History with specializations in Buddhist and Himalayan Art. http://virginia.academia.edu/ArianaMaki

Published November 2010

Images

Drukpa Kagyu Lineage of Bhutan

Nineteenth century painting of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage of Bhutan.

参考书目

Ardussi, John A. 2000. “The House of 'Ob-mtsho: The History of a Buddhist Gentry Family from the 13th to the 20th century.” Journal of Bhutan Studies, vol. 2 (1). Thimphu: Centre for Bhutan Studies, pp. 1-29.

Bray, John and Chris Butters. 1999. “An Eighteenth-Century Lama's Visit to Ladakh.” In Ladakh: Culture, History and Development between Himalaya and Karakoram. Recent Research on Ladakh. Vol. 8. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, pp. 49-57.

ShAkya rin chen. 1733-1735. Sku bzhi'i dbang phyug rje btsun ngag dbang rgyal mtshan gyi rnam par thar pa thams cad mkhyen pa'i rol mo. Punakha.

Dargye, Yonten and Per K Sorensen. 2008. Play of the Omniscient: Life and Works of Jamgon Ngawang Gyeltsen, An Eminent 17th-18th Century Drukpa Master (1647-1732). Thimphu: National Library and Archives of Bhutan.

Dargye, Yonten and Per K Sorensen. 2008. “The Diplomatic Career of Jamgon Ngawang Gyeltsen, Great 18th Century Bhutanese Siddha and Artist.” In Terese Tse Bartholomew and John Johnston, eds. The Dragon's Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan. Honolulu: Serindia, pp. 100-113.

Phuntsho, Karma. 2013. The History of Bhutan.London: Haus Publishing, pp. 277-340.

Vitali, Roberto. 2004. “Glimpses of the History of the rGya Clan with Reference to Nyang stod, Lho mon and Nearby Lands (7th-13th Century)” in The Spider and the Piglet. Karma Ura and Sonam Kinga, eds. Thimphu: Centre for Bhutan Studies, pp. 6-20.

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