About the 12thShabdrung Choewang Drakpa

Shar Chen Namkha Gyaltsen, the second Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa, was born in the province of Kham in the Gomde (sgom-sde) region in the year of the Male Water Dragon, 1532 AD. As a child, he was ordained as a monk and received many teachings on the Perfection of Wisdom and empowerment from the great Pandit Chab-do Choeje, rebirth of the Vajra-holder wearing blue robes. He then joined the great religious college Sera monastery and wholeheartedly relied on Panchen Delek Nyima in receiving the empowerments of Vajrabhaivara and Wrathful Hayagriva with their commentaries, and studied Prajnaparamitha (Perfection of Wisdom), Madhyamaka (Middle Way Treatise) and Vinaya (Monastic Discipline) based on Je-Tson Choeki Gyaltsen’s presentation. He also received the empowerments of the various Mandalas, Vajra-Garland, Sadhana (sgrub-thabs rgya-mtso), and listened to a Je-Nang (permission ceremony) on the peaceful and wrathful Guru, etc. At this time, he skilfully explained the profound meanings of the texts to a gathering of scholars, thereby fascinating many of them and was highly praised for his convincing explanations. Thus he came to be regarded as the Gomde Kunkhyen (Omniscient One). In Gyuto Tantric University, he received the teachings and commentary of Guhyasamaja from Choeje Peljor Gyatso, as well as receiving many initiations and teachings from Je Shakya Rinpa, the great pandit Rigpe Senge and from His Holiness the second Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, and many others. He pleased many masters by writing extensive commentaries on several sutras and tantras. After that he was appointed as the abbot of Sera Je and spent his time there working for sentient beings. In the year of the Wood Dog, he rose to fame when appointed as abbot of Gyuto Tantric University. Gradually, he moved to Ganden monastery, became the abbot of Shartse College and opened up the opportunity to receive rare empowerment, oral transmission and explanation. It was said that a large number of scholars had to crowd into the Shartse College to hear him. The disciples of the Master include: Panchen Lobsang Choegyen, Thongkhor Yonten Gyatso, Meti Dhondup Gyaltsen, the great scholar Lobsang Gyatso, Pangtsa Chen-nga and many other great lamas. Finally, in the year of the Male Water Dragon, he passed away at the age of sixty six in front of the great Mepham Choe-Je. His literary works include: A General Description of the Six Perfections A Commentary on the Middle Way Treatise called the Gateway for the Fortunate One Who Wishes to Seek Liberation A Commentary on the Prayer of Supplication to Bhairava (a wrathful deity) called Rigzin Kunde Gaton (rig-‘zin kun-d’i dga’-ston) Advice for Bhiksus in Verse Form Commentaries on Various Sutras and Tantras The Praise of the Superior Beings and Lamas A Collection of Letters A Critical Response to an Emphatic Explanation of Mahamudra called Chagchen gi Shejar Gyalwe Ganzoe (pyag-chen gyi bshad-sbyar rgyal-w’i gan-mzod) by Druk Mephem Pema Karpo, in which he criticized Lama Tsongkha pa. Shar Chen Namkha Gyaltsen wrote this critique of Pema Karpo while he was composing a commentary on Bodhicitta.

Kyi-sho De-pa Tenzin Lobsang Gyatso, the third Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa, was born at Lhaden Kyishoe, to Mewang Depa Yulgyal Norbu, his father, and Zhol-sa Jamsem, his mother. Kyi-sho De-pa, alias Zhabdrung Rinpoche was the youngest son among their three children and was born at Lhaden Kyishoe in 1593. Re-lha Rinpoche, of the lineage of Nyo Gyawa Lha Nangpa, prophesied that the master was the rebirth of Gomde Namkha Gyaltsen and he accepted the title when he was very young. He became proficient in writing and reading, as well as in whatever he learned. At the age of eleven, he was ordained, receiving the novice monk vows from the great abbot, Gedun Gyalsten, of Ganden monastery, and was given the name Tenzin Lobsang Gyatso. He fully engaged himself in studying Collected Topics, The Six Perfections, The Middle Way Treatises, Monastic Discipline and the Treasury of Knowledge. On top of that he received the initiations, oral transmissions and explanations of the four classes of tantra from the master Tsethang Jangma Khangsar Wa Peljor Sonam Lhundrup. He extensively studied the common sciences (thun-mong gyi rig-gnas) such as poetry and so on. He exerted himself jointly in practices and studies at different places including Lho-Kha. (Unclear what ‘all three’ refers to) In 1615, at the age of twenty three, he did all three: the abbot, the master who gives ritual guidance (las-slob) and the secret preceptor (gsang-ston), and received full novice monk vows. He took final examinations in two main areas: the Middle Way Treatises and Buddhist Epistemology and Logic at Ja-goe Shong (bya-rgod gshong). He went on a Buddhist academic tour to twenty five monasteries of the Sakya and Gelug schools of Tibetan Buddhism in the Ngam-ring area. This was principally concerning the four Kachen and the eighteen volumes of scriptural texts. In Tashi Lhunpo monastery, he listened to many sutra and tantric teachings including the Panchen Dhun (Seven Panchen), Mita (Mi-tra), Dhor Treng (rDor-phreng), and the Four Interwoven Commentaries (‘grel-pa bzhi-sbrags). After that he lived alone in several secluded places in the Tsang region in order to make more effort in his practice. He also visited Kubum, Pari, Gon-long and many other monasteries in Dho-me province, and directly conferred the initiation of Dhor Treng and many others to numerous disciples including Kowu Choekyi Gyaltsen, Dhenma Tsultrim Gyatso, the great yogi Choepa Yab-sey, Goshir Tenzin Choegyal and Hung Thi Ji. Lastly, he gave Kalachakra initiation in Ja-Kyung and consecrated Rongpo Jamyang Kunsig (rong-po ‘jam-dbyang kun-gzigs). He then passed away at the age of forty six, in the year of the Earth Tiger in the seventh rabjung cycle, 1638 AD. His literary works are evident in the catalogue of his Collected Works, which include thirty eight titles and an Explanation of the Three Principal Paths is one among them.

Kyi-sho Ngawang Tenzin Trinley, the fourth Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa, was recognized as the rebirth of the Kyi-sho Zhabdrung Tenzin Gyatso. He was born in the year of the Earth Hare in the eleventh rabjung cycle, 1639 AD, to Ah-Khe Choekur, his father. He was a disciple of the great fifth Dalai Lama and the fourth Panchen Lama, Lobsang Choekyi Gyaltsen and so on. He used to visit the U and Tsang regions of Tibet. In the concluding note of his Collected Works (T: gsung-mgur lung-bstan, E: The Prophesied Spiritual Song), it says that since his death in the year of the Earth Sheep, seventeen years have passed. According to this statement, he seems to have passed away in the year of the Male Fire Hare, in the twelfth rabjung cycle, 1693 AD. Although the lists of ancient Tibetan scholars and realized ones indicates so, if we consider that he passed away in the year of Earth Sheep and seventeen years had passed since, it appears that he passed away in the year of the Wood Pig, in the twelfth rabjung cycle, 1694 AD. However, I have never seen his biography in detail. His literary works: The Key for Opening the Store of the Profound Meaning of the Initiation of the Glorious-Buddha-Vajrabhaivara Another thirty titles are obvious in the catalogue of his Collected Works.

Master Ngon Choe Thunga Sangye Thutop Pel was the fifth Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa. The details about this master are unfortunately not known.

Kyishoe Zhabdrung Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, the sixth Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa, was a disciple of Drung Ram Pa Lobsang Thutop and teacher of Ngag Ram Pa (Doctor of Tantra) Lhundrup Pelbar of Gyume (Lower Tantric University). Drung Ram Pa Lobsagn Thuptop, Kyishoe Zhabdrung Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, Ngag Ram Pa Lhundrup Pelbar, Kagyur Pa Lobsang Thabkhe Gyatso, Chakra Tulku Ngawang Trinley Pelsang and Drakri Khyab Dak Dev’i Dorje were enumerated in the teachings of Kyabje Phabong Kha Dechen Nyingpo and the Collected Works of Kyishoe Zhabdrung Ngawang Tenzin Trinley.

The biography of Lobsang Gyaltsen, the seventh Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa, is not available to this present day. He became well known as a master of sutra and tantra.

The great practitioner, Ngawang Lobsang Tenpe Wangchuk, the eighth Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa, was born in the Tri-Ru Dril-Da Peta family. He treated all beings just as a mother cherishes her own child, with immeasurable loving-kindness. In order to help all beings, who were karmically connected with him and lead them to the state of Buddhahood, he manifested as a hunter in the eyes of ordinary beings. It is said that he tried to lead some of the animals that he had killed with hunting dogs, to the pure land, and some of the first killed he tried to revive in order to tame their bad temper. In the appearance of the ordinary beings it seemed as if he was a merciless man always engaged in the illegal act of hunting animals. Therefore, he was banished from his place for violating the laws of the country. He realized through the power of his karmic force and prayer that his actual disciples were living in a place where rivers flowed through beautiful forests. He made a journey to Nagshoe Dri-Ru and continued to engage in the activity of hunting by using hunting dogs. One day while he was hunting in the Thapu Ri-Gya region he was arrested by some servants and monks of Choede monastery. They took him in the monastery to punish him. The case was immediately brought to the great Thaphu lama [abbot]. He instructed the monks not to punish the hunter but instead to bring him at once to his residence. Meanwhile he prepared another throne the same as his own for the hunter. As soon as the hunter arrived accompanied by some monks, he hung his hunting tool, an arrow, upon a beam of sunlight that shone in through the window and the arrow didn’t fall down. Thaphu Rinpoche gazed in great wonder at the hunter’s magical power and took off his own red shawl to hang on the same beam of light but it fell. Upon seeing this, everyone including the attendants were deeply amazed and begged for forgiveness with deep regret for what they had done to him. They sat on two similar thrones and had a friendly conversation for a long time. Then the hunter was recognized as the seventh Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa. As per the instructions of the great Thaphu Lama, he was enthroned on a golden seat in Namgyal Pelbar Ling. Since that time, his line of succession has continued through rebirth carrying out both spiritual and political activities in that monastery. From the Nagshoe Dri-Ru region, the fame of his enlightened activities spread throughout the country without any obstacles, due to his compassionately looking after all beings by various methods. Finally, he passed away in Dri-Ru monastery in Namgyal Pelbar Ling after completing his responsibilities. At the time of his death, he was standing in exactly the same dancing posture as the most venerable Vajrayogini (rdo-rje rnal-‘byor-ma) as a gesture of his attainments. Those fortunate people sensed his many other supernatural and enlightened powers.

Lobsang Yeshe Tenpe Gyaltsen, the tenth Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa, was born to an extremely poor family in Nagshoe Dri-Ru Chuma Zhung, to Tangmo Nyi-lha, his mother. On the evening of his birth it snowed on an unprecedented scale. Everybody in the village witnessed that the surrounding places had become wet the following morning, after the snow had melted. They said, “How early Tangmo Nyi-lha got up this morning!”( Nyima Lha: Sun Deity). During that night there were many auspicious occurrences such as water in a bucket turning to milk and so on. Not long after, the boy moved from Dri-Ru Chuma to spend his life at U-dhuk (dbu-gdugs) hermitage. He had adored and relied on a Terrific Female Guardian Deity (chos-skyong dregs-pa lcham-sring) and Dharma King (sprul-p’i chos-rgyal chen-po) since his birth. He was recognized as the rebirth of Ngawang Geleg Tenpe Gyaltsen when he was very young and enthroned at Namgyal Pelbar Ling monastery. Soon after, he joined Sera monastery in central Tibet, and studied both sutra and tantra and their commentaries with the great teachers. After completing his study, he took the academic tours [in different debate courtyards of monasteries]. Usually and by his demeanour he looked as if he had not learned or gained much knowledge. However, he proved his real qualities by shining in the five major sciences before a large gathering of Buddhist scholars and monks from various monasteries, mainly from the three great monastic seats: Sera, Drepung and Ganden. At this time he opened the eyes of students by clarifying controversial points which monks were in dilemma over. He raised these points during the debate and discussion on the root texts and their commentaries. He also analyzed the philosophical standpoints of each of the different tenet systems without violating the principles of the Interpretable and Definitive Meanings of Buddha’s teaching. He gave outstanding answers to every question raised by the monks by maintaining his own philosophical position unmistakably. As a result, he became well known for his excellent spiritual qualities and was highly respected as a great inspiration to all. Although he was in fact one of the great teachers who had attained high spiritual qualities he never showed off and always remained humble. After fulfilling his wishes to lead his fortunate disciples to the state of liberation, he passed away in his monastery, Namgyal Pelbar Ling.

Dri-ru Zhangdrung Khedrub Tenzin Jigdral Choekyi Gyaltsen, the eleventh Zhang Zhung Choewang Drakpa, was one of the Three Lamps of Dharma (Three Great Buddhist Teachers) in the Nagshoe region. He was born at Tsang Khal-Khar to his father, Jampel Khunsang and mother, Sonam Dolma, in 1924. His birth was marked by many auspicious events. His father was said to be a lineage holder of the six yogas of the Kalachakra tantra in Manlung Ladrang. He was the second eldest of four children. His elder brother, Thupten Choekyi Gyaltsen Rinpoche was once the tutor of Kyabje Phaphongkha Ngawang Lobsang Trinley Tenzin. His younger brother Pelbar Trulku Ngawang Lobsang Damchoe Gyaltsen was the 13th rebirth of Rinchen Jangchub. Rinchen Jangchub was the 13th abbot of Gomang monastery. The youngest one was his sister, Ngawang Lhadon. In 1927, His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama, in a letter containing seven lines, recognized him as the reincarnation of Lobsang Yeshe Tenpe Gyalsten. In the same year he was enthroned in Dri-Ru monastery in the tradition of the previous masters. He then studied Tibetan linguistic sciences from the basics, starting with reading and writing, with the great tutor Tsondue Gyatso. As a child, he was endowed with many of the qualities of superior beings. He established a fine tradition of logical debate in Namgyal Pelbar Ling. He had the intention of preserving the Buddha’s teaching through exposition, debate and composition. The section for debate on the five major sciences of Buddhist tradition was the first of its kind in the Nagshoe Dri-Ru region. Soon he travelled to central Tibet. Having the honorary title of a high Tulku, he joined Sera Thegchen Ling, Sermey Thoesam Norling and Sermey Gungru colleges respectively in line with his predecessors. He studied the extremely advanced topics of Prajnaparamitha (Perfection of Wisdom), Madhyamaka (Middle Way Treatise), Vinaya (Monastic Discipline), Abhidharma (Treasury of Knowledge) and Pramanavartika (Valid Cognition) under the guidance of his tutor Gyarong Jangtse Choeje Ngawang Nyima and the great teacher Lobsang Jampa (Gyen Loga). The master was renowned for his excellent scholarship in both Indian and Tibetan Buddhist texts. He clarified doubts about the meaning of texts by successively engaging in various spiritual activities such as Tsog-Lang (a sort of logical debate before a large assembly of monks). He took the final examination of Geshe Lharampa (a degree roughly equivalent to a Ph.d) during Lhaden Monlam Chenmo (the Great Prayer Festival in Lhasa). He received many esoteric empowerments (ripening; smrin-byed) and instructions (liberating; grol-byed) from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, his two tutors, Kyabje Phabong Kha Dechen Nyingpo and many others. Not content with what he had received or learned from these teachers he also put this profound knowledge into practice uniformly by means of analytical and stabilizing meditations in harmony with the philosophical system of the Great Trail-Blazers [Nagarjuna and Asanga]. As a result of this, he achieved both the common and uncommon realizations and became a universally respected Buddhist learned and realized teacher. Further, he practiced tantra in the great tantric university (gsang chen rigs pa ‘zin p’i sde) and became a great scholar of both sutra and tantra teachings. Kyabje Choeden Rinpoche, one of the great masters of sutra and tantra in general and of the Oral Transmission of the Gelug School in particular, highly praised him as a holder of Buddha Dharma and as a master of the five fields of knowledge. Most importantly, he attained a high spiritual level by gaining deep experience and insight into the Generation and Completion Stages as explained in tantra, as well as practicing the meaning of the Root Tantra (rtsa-rgyud) that is explained by its own Explanatory Tantra (bshad-rgyud). Due to the power of his clairvoyance whatever he prophesied, whether it was about government policy or religious matters, became fact. As the central pillar of his daily practices he concentrated on the cultivation of Bodhicitta, the first and foremost gateway to the state of Buddhahood, and on the very profound philosophical standpoint of the Middle Way Treatise, which is freed from the two extremes of eternalism and nihilism. In the year of the Female Water Sheep in the 16th rabjung cycle, 1943, the master Khedrub Tenzin Jigdral Choekyi Gyaltsen visited Dri-Ru monastery in Namgyal Pelbar Ling. He taught the Great Treatise on the Stages of Path to Enlightenment (lam-rim chen mo) to the hundreds and thousands of local and foreign devotees. This great text is based on the precious instructions of Atisha Dipamkara Srijnana’s teachings on how to lead fortunate beings to the state of liberation by practicing the three paths of the three capacities of persons. This treatise of Lama Tsongkha Pa is principally designed to tame the mind and it is characterized by the four greatnesses and the three distinctive qualities. It is complete, clear with an uncluttered order and contains stainless lines of logical argument. He also gave extensive teachings on sutra and tantra including the empowerment of the Quick Path of the Vajra Vehicle and the Oral Transmission of the Explanatory Tantra. All these enlightened activities were carried out solely to lead sentient beings to the state of freedom and to restore the Buddha’s teaching, particularly in this degenerated time. From this point of view we are deeply indebted to this great master for his compassionate help and kindness. Moreover, he introduced strict discipline for spiritual communities by perceiving that spiritual activities and having a sound ethical discipline were closely related. Venerable Kelsang Lhabsum, teacher (student?) of Tenzin Jigdral Choekyi Gyaltsen, related that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama praised this master’s wonderful deeds. When the time came for him to take the role of cantor of Dri-Ru monastery he was offered a special exemption by the two sections of Dri-Ru monastery. Therefore, without having to become cantor or abbot he, as requested, travelled to his hometown and gave extensive teachings to a large number of people. He once again visited the Nagshoe region, particularly certain monasteries, to give empowerment, transmission and instruction, as well as to eliminate wrong ideas or mistaken thoughts by explaining the profound meaning of the sutras and tantras. He renovated Tashi Riwo Kunga Choeling monastery and established the debate system on the Five Major Treatises of Buddhism. He also wrote the texts: The Seven Limbs of Engagement in the Ocean of Treasure (nor-bu rgya-tso’i ‘jug-gi yan-lag bdun-pa) The Lotus-eyed Ocean of the Upper Part of Body (sku-stod pad-dkar rgya-tso) The Benediction of the Ocean of Treasure (nor-bu rgya-tso’i smon-shis) The Ganachakra of the Ocean of Treasure (nor-bu rgya-tso’i tsogs-‘khor) The Quintessential Prayer of Supplication to His Holiness the Dalai Lama (rgyal-wa’i gsol-‘debs snying-po’i snying-po) Wangzhi Jinlhab (dbang-gzhi byin-rlabs) The Commentary of the Ocean of Treasure The Series of the Acknowledgement of the Official Letters (‘byor-len chab-shog gi rim-pa) An Explanation of Festivals (dus-chen bshad-pa) and so on.