Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup

The Fifth Chakra Tulku, Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup (lcags ra sprul sku 05 ngag dbang bstan 'dzin lhub grub) was born in 1671, the iron-pig year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle, in Longpo Topa in Upper Konpo (kong stod long po stod pa). Tsering Samdup (tshe ring bsam grub) was his father; his mother, Tashi Buti (bkra shis bu khrid), belonged to the family of the Fourth Pakpa Lha, Chokyi Gyelpo ('phags pa lha 04 chos kyi rgyal po, 1605-1643). He was their youngest son.

He was recognized as the reincarnation of the Fourth Chakra Tulku, Ngawang Trinle Zangpo (lcags ra sprul sku 04 ngag dbang 'phrin las bzang po, 1607-1667) by the Fifth Pakpa Lha, Pakpa Gyelwa Gyatso ('phags pa lha 05 'phags pa rgyal ba rgya mtsho, 1644-1713) and confirmed by the Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso, (ta la'i bla ma 05 ngag dbang blo bzang rgya mtsho, 1617-1682). He was initially enthroned at the Tashi Cholung (bkra shis chos lung) and subsequently brought to Chakra where he was given vows of lay and the name Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup by the Fifth Pakpa Lha. Later, at the age of seven, he was brought to Chamdo where he learned reading and writing and received teachings and empowerments on Yamantaka and Heruka from the Fifth Pakpa Lha. He remained at Chamdo for several years before returning to Chakra.

In 1679, at the age of nine, Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup travelled to U-Tsang. He had an audience with the Forty-third Ganden Tripa, Jampa Tashi (dga' ldan khri pa 43 byams pa bkra shis, 1618-1684) at Ganden, and subsequently made detailed pilgrimage of the temples and monasteries in Lhasa and around where he made offerings and prayers. He was granted novice vows by the Fifth Dalai Lama, who later gave him teachings. Ngawang Tendzin, a former abbot (rgyal mkhan zur ngag dbang bstan 'dzin) also gave him a great variety of empowerments and initiations on the Twenty-one Taras. Thereafter he returned to Chamdo via Kongpo and resumed his studies under the Fifth Pakpa Lha who gave him essential initiations, empowerments, esoteric instructions, and commentarial teachings on practical parts of sutra and tantra according to the tradition of the monastery.

At the age of sixteen Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup travelled to Nagshod (nags shod) in Kham and gave audience to his devotees. There he received transmission and initiation on the Twenty-one Taras from the First Tagpu Lama, Ngawang Chodrak (stag phu bla ma 01 ngag dbang chos grags, d. c.1713). He visited Chakra and then returned to the Chamdo region where he gave a number of public audiences. At the age of twenty he decided to pursue further studies, and travelled to U-Tsang via Chakra. He enrolled as an ordinary monk in Drepung Loseling ('bras spungs blo gsal gling) Monastic University and studied in the traditional subjects for some years. He returned to Chakra to receive empowerments and teachings on Mitra and Heruka from the Third Zhiwa Lha, Zhiwa Zangpo (zhi ba lha 03 zhi ba bzang po, 625-1717).

Again Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup travelled to Lhasa, at the age of twenty-seven, to attend the enthronement ceremony of the Sixth Dalai Lama Tseyang Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 06 tshe dbyangs rgya mtsho, 1683-1706) and returned to Drepung to resume his study. He studied poetry and Sanskrit under Lobzang Rinchen (blo bzang rin chen), and a great number of topics such as the Drubtab Gyatso (sgrub thabs rgya mtsho), the Oral Transmission of Lhodak (lho brag snyan brgyud), and the Six-armed Mahakala from the Jamyang Zhepai Dorje, First Jamyang Zhepa  ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 01 'jam dbyangs bzhad pa'i rdo rje, 1648-1721/1722), the thirty-second abbot of Drepung Gomang Monastery and one of the greatest Gelug scholar of the seventeenth century. He also received teachings and empowerments etc. from other highly distinguished scholars and lamas including the Forty-fifth Ganden Tripa, Tsultrim Dargye (dga' ldan khri pa 45 tshul khrims dar rgyas, 1632-c.1701). He received the vows of full ordination from the Second Panchen Lama Lobzang Yeshe (paN chen bla ma 02 blo bzang ye shes, 1663-1737), and thereafter returned to Chakra.

In Chakra, Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup constructed new residence for lamas, developed the Assembly Hall, and commissioned the statues of Thirty-Five Buddhas of Confession and gave extensive teachings and empowerments. At the age of thirty-eight, in 1708, he was summoned to Chamdo by the Fifth Pakpa Lha. During this time he reportedly studied a number of Nyingma treasure cycles, although the titles are not known.

In 1713 the Fifth Pakpa Lha passed away, at the age of seventy. In response to the request from the Board of Management of the Monastery, Chakra Rinpoche took over the abbacy of Chamdo Jampel Ling the following year, serving as the monastery's twentieth abbot. He built the great golden reliquary for the Pakpa Lha with a temple to house it. At completion of the mass nirvana-prayers in Chamdo, he travelled to U-Tsang and made significant offerings and prayers at monasteries such as including Ganden and Tashilhunpo in the memory of his predecessor. He also made significant offerings to high lamas including the Seventh Dalai Lama Kelzang Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 07 skal bzang rgya mtsho 1708-1757), and the Second Panchen Lama. While on his way back to Chamdo, he visited monasteries and gave public audiences and blessings.

After his return to Chamdo Jampel Ling, Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup installed statues of Buddha Shakyamuni made of white and red sandal wood, and also statues of the Thirty-Five Buddhas of Confession, and Maitreya manufactured by Nepelese craftsmen. He also produced many other statues, built stupas, and printed complete sets of Kagyur. At Chakra he commissioned statues of one thousand buddhas, a complete set of Litang edition of the Kagyur, a gold and silver Kagyur, as well as other important texts. He also donated fund for construction of a large Summer Retreat House for Jampel Ling monastery.

Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup also supervised the funeral of Zhiwa Zangpo, the eighteenth abbot of Chamdo Jampel Ling. He also arranged for the search and identification of the Fifth Pakpa Lha's reincarnation, the Sixth Pakpa Lha, Jigme Tenpai Gyatso ('phags pa lha 06 'jigs med bstan pa'i rgya mtsho, 1714-1754). He brought the young tulku to Jampel Ling and enthroned him to the seat of abbot of the monastery in 1718. Subsequently, he arranged the basic education of the young tulku and gradually gave him transmissions, initiations, empowerments and other necessary teachings.

Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup travelled to Lhasa a final time in the 1720s and visited a number of monasteries on his way to give teachings and empowerments. At his arrival in Lhasa, he had audience of the Seventh Dalai Lama and made offerings. He also made offerings to the monasteries near Lhasa including Sera and Drepung. He attended the Lhasa Monlam of the year and made significant donations. When he was about to return, the Dalai Lama summoned him and gave some memorable presents. Thereafter he left Lhasa and travelled through Southern Tibet and on his way he visited all the holy places including Samye and Tradrug (khra 'brug). He continued his journey to Chakra, visiting monasteries in Powo (spo bo) including Chodzong (chos rdzong) where he gave public teachings and performed rituals.

While staying in Degon (sde dgon) Ngawang Tendzin Lhundup felt ill and despite the considerable rituals and prayers to lengthen his life, he passed away at the age of fifty-seven, in 1727, the fire-sheep year of the twelfth sexagenary cycle, sitting for some time in tukdam (thugs dam). An extensive mass nirvana-prayer was held in the monastery, for which the Sixth Pakpa Lha was invited from Chamdo. A silver stupa with height of one-storey was built for reliquary of his relics and other remains from the ashes of his cremation.

Source

Byams pa chos grags. N.d. Chab mdo byams pa gling gi gdan rabs. Chamdo: Chab mdo par 'debs bzo grwa par btab, pp. 309-319, 520.

Samten Chhosphel
July 2010