The Treasury of Lives

Namgyel Draksang (rnam rgyal grags bzang) was born in the ruling family of Ngamring (ngam ring) in the Jang (byang) district of Tsang. He became a great Buddhist master, especially of the Kālacakra tradition, and is remembered as one of the most important physicians in Tibetan history. The Jang school of Tibetan medicine continued Namgyel Draksang's teachings. He also received the title Tai Situ (ta'i si tu) from the Ming emperor of China and ruled the Jang region for many years. He was known by the epithets Kalki puṇḍarīka (rigs ldan padma dkar po) and Mahākalki (rigs ldan chen po), allusions to his identity with the Kalki emperor of Shambhala known as puṇḍarīka.

From a young age Namgyel Draksang engaged in intensive studies under masters such as Lochen Jangchup Tsemo (lo chen byang chub rtse mo, 1303-1380), Ka Ngapa Peljor Sherab (bka' lnga pa dpal 'byor shes rab), the Indian Mahāpaṇḍita Vanaratna, and Bodong Paṇchen Chokle Namgyel (bo dong paN chen phyogs las rnam rgyal, 1376-1451). He also experienced visions of many deities and masters, such as Śākyamuni Buddha, Padmasambhava, and the Shambhala emperor Sucandra.

From about 1435 Namgyel Draksang began ambitious projects at the Jang capital of Ngamring, including the great Ngamring Chode (ngam ring chos sde) and the construction of a large three-dimensional Kālacakra maṇḍala created from gold and silver and adorned with jewels. With his brother, Konchok Lekpai Gyeltsen Pel Zangpo (dkon mchog legs pa'i rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po), he later completed a huge image of the future buddha Maitreya at Ngamring in 1466. Namgyel Draksang composed many treatises, especially concerning the Kālacakra traditions of meditation and astrology, and also wrote many medical texts.

Namgyel Draksang considered Dolpopa Sherab Gyeltsen (dol po pa shes rab rgyal mtshan, 1292-1361) to be the ultimate authority on the Kālacakra tradition and declared himself a member of the Jonang tradition. He was also one of the main influences on the Sakya master Serdok Paṇchen Shākya Chokden's (gser mdog paN chen shAkya mchog ldan, 1428-1507) acceptance of the zhentong (gzhan stong) view. Two of Namgyel Draksang's main disciples who upheld his tantric teachings were the eighteenth holder of the monastic seat of Jonang Monastery (jo nang dgon), Namkha Chokyong (nam mkha' chos skyong, 1436-1507); and Shongton Kunga Pelden (shong ston kun dga' dpal ldan, d.u.).