The Second Ngago, Namkha Sengge

The Second Ngago Lama, Namka Sengge (rnga rgod 02 nam mkha' seng ge) was born in 1712 in a village named Sewodo (ser bo mdo) in Sangchu, Amdo, in the vicinity of Ngok Gyelmo (rngog rgyal mo) monastery. His father was named Gonpo Tsering (mgon po tshe ring) and his mother was Bande Tso (ban de mtsho).

At the age of five, under the order of Ngago chieftain, he was recognized by Chokor Zhabdrung (chos 'khor zhabs drung, d.u.) as the embodiment of the first Ngago Lama, Dorje Gyeltsen Sherab Gyatso (rdo rje rgyal mtshan shes rab rgya mtsho, d.u.). It appears that he was the second reincarnation of this lama that had been identified; an earlier candidate passed away as a youth.

At the age of seven he studied reading and writing with a monk from Bora ('bo ra) monastery and received the lay vows from Tapon Tulku (ta'a dpon sprul sku, d.u.) who gave him the name Namkha Sengge. That same year he was formally installed on the seat of his predecessor.

Namkha Sengge commenced his formal studies in grammar, poetry, and medicine under the guidance of Tse Upa Sonam Gyeltsen (rtse dbus pa bsod nams rgyal mtshan, d.u.). From his uncle Rabjampa Lobzang Peljor (rab 'byams pa blo bzang dpal 'byor, d.u.) he received teachings on Vairocana and the biography of Milarepa.

At the age of nineteen, Namkha Sengge received complete ordination from Tapon Tulku  and in the same year went on pilgrimage to Lhasa in accompany with Rabjampa Lobzang Peljor. In Nakchu (nag chu) they had an audience with the Sixth Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 06 skal bzang rgya mtsho, 1708 -1757). In Lhasa he also had an audience with the Sixth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Pelden Yeshe (paN chen 06 blo bzang dpal ldan ye shes, 1738-1780) at Tashilhunpo (bkra shis lhun bo). He then returned to Amdo.

In Amdo he practiced meditation at Kyiling (gyi ling) hermitage for several years. He established Amchok (a mchog) monastery in eastern Amdo at the command of the Second Jamyang Zhepa Konchok Jigme Wangpo ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 02 dkon mchog 'jigs med dbang po, 1728-1791). He quickly established both a monastic college (bshad grwa) and practice center (sgrub grwa) there.

Later in life he gave teaching at a number of monasteries, including Taktsang (stag tshang), Khyage (khya ge), Gonlung (dgon lung), and Kangtsa (rkang tsha) as well as at hermitages.

His most illustrious disciples were the Second Tsayu Tulku, Trinle Tendzin Gyatso (tsa yus 02 'phrin las bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, 1745-1812); Akhyung Ngawang Khyenrab (a khyung ngag dbang mkhyen rab, d.u.), the rebirth of Akhyung Drungrampa Khachok Yeshe (a khyung drung rams pa mkhas mchog ye shes, d.u.), Zhabdrung Tulku Akyi Tobden (zhabs drung sprul sku a skyid stobs ldan) and Tsakho Ritropa (tsha ko ri khrod pa).

Among his compositions are works on Buddhist philosophy, grammar, poetry, mathematics, medicine and science.

Sources

Blo bzang bkra shis. 2007. Nam mkha' seng ge dpal bzang po'i rnam thar dpag bsam ljon pa dge legs 'byung gnas. In Nyi thang sman mkhyen gyi sman yig dang nam mkha' seng ge'i sman rtsis, pp. 75-211. Beijing: Mi rigs dpe skrun khang. TBRC W2DB13644. Also published in The Collected Works of Namkha Sengge, vol. 1, pp. 11-180. New Delhi: Ngawang Gelek Demo, 1982.

Grags pa 'byung gnas and Rgyal ba blo bzang mkhas grub. 1992. Gangs can mkhas grub rim byon mingmdzod. 465-463 Lanzhou: Kan su'u mi rigs dpe skrun khang.

Mi nyak mgon po. 1996. Gangs can mkhas dbang rim byon gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus, 493-496. Beijing: Krung go'i bod kyi shes rig dpe skrun khang.

Tsering Namgyal
October 2011