Panchen Namkha Pelsang

Namkha Pelsang (nam mkha' dpal bzang) was born in Sangyul (bzang yul) in the Tsang region. He studied a wide range of sutra and tantra teachings under many different masters. In particular, he received the complete Kalacakra initiation, explanation of the Kalacakra Tantra, and the esoteric instructions of the Jonang tradition from Namkha Chokyong (nam mkha' chos skyong), who was the eighteenth holder of the monastic seat of Jonang Monastery. He also received the Jang tradition (byang lugs) of the Kalacakra from the great Kalki Namgyel Draksang's (rigs ldan rnam rgyal grags bzang) disciple Shongton Kunga Pelden (shong ston kun dga' dpal ldan). He received further Kalacakra transmissions from the master Sherab Ozer (shes rab 'od zer). When Namkha Pelsang practiced the six-branch yoga of Kalacakra he gained unimpeded clairvoyance, and, when the ten vital winds were drawn into the central channel during meditation, a great experience of bliss erupted and the ten signs of clear light and other indications of accomplishment became stable.

Namkha Pelsang founded the monastery of Drepung ('bras spungs, not to be confused with the great Gelug monastery of the same name), where he continuously taught the six-branch yoga to many male and female practitioners. He also held the monastic seat of the Dharma king Namgyel Dragsang at Ngamring (ngam ring) for eighteen years. The Jang (byang) ruler Namkha Lekpa Gyeltsen Pelsangpo (nam mkha' legs pa rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po) and his family and court became his disciples and received these teachings from him. In the monasteries of Lega (sle ga), Drepung, and Lhundrup Ding (lhun grub sdings) Namkha Pelsang gave the Kalacakra initiation, the explanation of the Kalacakra Tantra, and the esoteric instrucitons of the six-branch yoga to many thousands of ordained and lay men and women.

Namkha Pelsang also illuminated the essence of the doctrine of definitive meaning when giving many other transmissions, such as the collected writings of the Dolpopa (dol po pa shes rab rgyal mtshan), the teachings of Cakrasamvara, Hevajra, Guhyasamaja, Vajrabhairava, the Six Dharmas of Niguma, the teachings of Machik Labdron (ma gcig lab sgron), Mind Training (blo sbyong), and so forth. When he passed away, many marvelous signs occurred, and heaps of relics were found in his remains.

Namkha Pelsang had many disciples, such as Lochen Ratnabhadra (lo chen ratna bha dra) and the great expert Sherab Tashi (shes rab bkra shis).

Sources

'Jam mgon a mes zhabs ngag dbang kun dga' bsod nams. 2000. Dpal dus kyi 'khor lo'i zab pa dang rgya che ba'i dam pa'i chos byung ba'i tshul legs par bshad pa ngo mtshar dad pa'i shing rta. In The Collected Works of A-mes-zhabs Ngag dbang kun dga' bsod nams, vol. 19: 1-532. Kathmandu: Sa skya rgyal yongs gsung rab slob gnyer khang, pp. 227–29.

Cyrus Stearns
August 2008