The Treasury of Lives



Namkha Tsewang Chokdrub (nam mkha' tshe dbang mchog grub) was born in Yilung (yid lhungs), in northeast Derge in 1744, the wood-mouse year of the twelfth sexagenary cycle. His father, evidently a merchant, was called Tsongpon Tsegyel (tsong dpon tshe rgyal) and his mother was named Tsering Dolma (tshe ring grol ma). They gave him the name Gonpo Dondrub (mgon po don grub), which, according to his hagiography, he disliked, announcing one day, "I am Lama Kelzang and I wanted to go to Dzogchen Monastery (rdzogs chen dgon)." Still a child, he had an audience with Pema Kundrol Namgyel (pad+ma kun grol rnam rgyal, 1706–1773), the fourth abbot of Dzogchen Monastery, and is said to have cried when he could not accompany him back to Dzogchen.

He was later identified as a reincarnation of a Dzogchen lama named Gyurme Kelzang Pelgye ('gyur me skal bzang 'phel rgyas dpal bzang po) who had lived in Trehor and was descended from the lineage of Getse (dge rtse) incarnations.

He was then escorted to Dzogchen Monastery and left under the care of Pema Kundrol Namgyel who performed his tonsure ceremony and named him Namkha Chokdrub (nam mkha' mchog grub). Under the tutorship of Shenyen Tendzin (bshes gnyan bstan 'dzin) he received a basic education in reading, writing, and memorization of prayer and other important texts, and later grammar and poetry, astrology and astronomy, and many other subjects.

At the age of thirteen, in 1756, he travelled to U-Tsang. On his way he visited Wosel Drubde in Sindzong (srin rdzong 'od gsal grub sde) and received Vajrakīlaya empowerments and teachings from the Second Nyitrul, Pema Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen (nyi sprul 02 pad+ma theg mchog bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1712–1771). In Lhasa he made customary offerings at the Jokhang (jo khang) and the major monasteries, and received audiences with lamas of multiple traditions.

Having returned to Kham, he received the complete teachings and empowerments of the Nyingma tradition, with particular focus on the Mahāmāyā-tantra, from a lama named Nyitrul Kunzang Tekchok Gyatso (nyi sprul kun bzang theg mchog rgya mtsho), about which little is known. Subsequently he received teachings from Pawo Lerab Tsel (dpa' bo las rab rtsel) on his own treasure revelations and later became authority of his teachings.

Having received the vows of primary and novice monks (śrāmaṇera) earlier at Dzogchen, he received full ordination (bhikṣu) from Nyitrul Kunzang Tekchok Gyatso while he was on a visit to Gyelrong. He later received many teachings from this lama. He also received teachings on various topics from the Second Shechen Rabjam, Gyurme Kunzang Namgyel (zhe chen rab 'byams 02 'gyur med kun bzang rnam rgyal, 1713–1769) and Barla Tashi Gyatso (bar bla bkra shis rgya mtsho, b. 1714).

Pema Kundrol Namgyel took primary responsibility for his training, giving him practical teachings, empowerments, esoteric instructions on Dzogchen Nyingtik (rdzogs chen snying thig) and many other important topics. He engaged in intensive retreat, often not rising from meditation for weeks at a time. It is said that Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa, 1729/30–1798) commented that Tsewang Chokdrub's attainment was not less than his own, and he recommended his own followers to seek his guidance in their practice.

When Pema Kundrol Namgyel passed away in 1773, Namkha Tsewang supervised his nirvana-prayer and other activities relating to the parinirvāṇa ceremony. He also took the full charge of the Dzogchen branch monastery in Gyelrong, Pel Sengge Ri Chode (dpal seng ge ri'i chos sde) and oversaw the construction of the new residence (bla brang) and temple. He identified the reincarnation of Jewon Rinpoche in Kunzang Tenpai Nyima (dbon sprul kun bzang bstan pa'i nyi ma) and enthroned him at the monastery. He also assisted in identifying and enthronements of the reincarnations of the Second Shechen Rabjam and the Third Nyima Drakpa (nyi grags 03 mi 'gyur phan bde rgya mtsho).

After the parinirvāṇa of the fifth abbot of Dzogchen Monastery, the Third Dzogchen Drubwang Ngedon Tendzin Zangpo (rdzogs chen grub dbang 03 nges don bstan 'dzin bzang po) in 1792, he was enthroned as the sixth abbot of Dzogchen Monastery. According to one source, initially the Second Dzogchen Ponlob, Pema Sangngak Tendzin (rdzogs chen dpon slob 02 pad+ma gsang sngags bstan 'dzin, 1731–1805) was made abbot and served for three years, after which Namkha Tsewang Chokdrub was enthroned to the seat as per recommendation of the king of Derge. However the former is not seen recorded in the standard list of Dzogchen abbots.

In any case, after assuming his duties, Namkha Tsewang Chokdrub reviewed the constitution of the monastery and revised the monastic codes, rectifying lax observance of the Vinaya. He also reformed the monastic college (bshad grwa) by reintroducing traditions such as the garcham (gar 'cham), the religious dance on the Tsechu Festival (tshes bcu chen mo), based on the customs of Samye Rabjung Dratsang (bsam yas rab byung grwa tshang). He commissioned masks, costumes, bone-ornaments, and other items required for the dance, as well as multiple supplies for the Monastery.

Also during his tenure he founded a small monastery called Tashi Tenchak (bkra shis rten chags) in Dato Yangshar (zla stod yang shar).

He identified Mingyur Namkai Dorje (mi 'gyur nam mkha'i rdo rje), born in Denkok ('dan khog) in 1793 (alternately 1799, the earth-sheep year) as the reincarnation of the Third Dzogchen Drubwang, Ngedon Tendzin Zangpo. He brought the boy to Dzogchen Monastery where he enthroned him and performed his tonsure ceremony, and he supervised his education.

Among his disciples included the Third Nyidrak, Mingyur Pende Gyatso (nyi grags 03 mi 'gyur phan bde rgya mtsho, b. 1772); the Third Shechen Rabjam, Losel Gyatso (zhe chen rab 'byams 03 blo bsal rgya mtsho); the First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Wozer (rdo grub chen 01 'jigs med 'phrin las 'od zer, 1745–1821), Shechen Lotsāwa Gyurme Tutob Namgyel (zhe chen lo tsA ba 'gyur med mthu stobs rnam rgyal, b. 1787), Shechen Pema Sangngak Tendzin (zhe chen pad+ma gsang sngags bstan 'dzin), the First Gurong, Namkha Jigme (dgu rong 01 nam mkha' 'jigs med, b. 1757), Guru Tashi (gu ru bkra shis), and Troshul Getse Tulku Beme Zhidrol (khro shul dge rtse sprul sku 'bad med gzhi grol, d. 1867).

He is said to have composed a biography of Jewon Pema Kundrol Namgyel as well as other works, as well as several commentaries and liturgical pieces on the Blazing Wrathful Guru, Hayagrīva and Garuḍa (rta khyung 'bar ba), the wrathful male deities of Jigme Lingpa's Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig).

He stepped down from the abbot's seat and enthroned the Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang Mingyur Namkai Dorje in his place, and then moved to Gyelrong. Details of his life after his service at Dzogchen Monastery are not known. Some sources have it that he lived for sixty years, which would place his death in the first decade of the nineteenth century.

Samten Chhosphel earned his PhD from CIHTS in India where he served as the head of Publication Dept. for 26 years. He has a Master’s degree in Writing and Publishing from Emerson College, Boston. Currently he is an adjunct Assistant Professor at the City University of New York, and Language Associate in Columbia University, NY.

Published August 2011

参考书目

Bstan ’dzin lung rtogs nyi ma. 2004.Snga ’gyur rdzogs chen chos ’byung chen mo (snga ’gyur grub dbang rgyal ba rdzogs chen pa’i gdan rabs chos brgyud dang bcas pa’i byung ba brjod pa’i gtam yid bzhin dbang gi rgyal po’i phrang ba).Krong go’i bod rigs dpe skrun khang, pp. 343-345.

Ye shes rdo rje. 1996. Gangs can mkhas dbang rim byon gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus bdud rtsi'i thigs phreng.Beijing:Krung go'i bod kyi shes rig dpe skrun khang, vol. 2, pp. 241-248.

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