A Dakini Prophecy says:
From the Buddha’s treasure of ocean-like knowledge,
To take a few of drops of water,Lhamo Youdon,
who attained the tenth ground of bodhisattva
Emanation of Sarasvati, pleasure to express about,
Present Lama Lobsang Tenzin Thinley Kunkyab
Born in a noble family
Will have five future reincarnations born in
Shambhala’s lineage and will protect from sufferings,
Unfortunate beings.
These beings will be reborn as the first disciples of Lord Maitreya, the future Buddha.
He will teach and take the Buddhist Council.
In the same way, Ngawang Lobsang Thupten Nyingpo Thinley Kunkyap Pal Zangpo, the Thirteenth Tritul was born at Logong Chotod in Kham province. His family was initially Bonpo but converted to Buddhism following the advent of Buddhism to Tibet. Since his family’s original religion was Bon, their family was known as Bonpo-Tsang. He was born in 1952, Sixteenth Rabjung Water Dragon year during summer season. There were many miraculous signs. His father was Sherab Tharchen and his mother was Dotsang Pomo (‘Dotsang’s daughter’ in Tibetan). Many great scholars with great accomplishments such as Abbot Pema Namgyal and others were born in the past from this family. Under the guidance of prophecy from great scholars, like Situ Pema Wangchok Gyalpo and Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro, he was recognised as the incarnation of the Twelfth Tritul.
When he was four years old, on the day coinciding with the descend of Shakyamuni Buddha from heaven, he became the throne holder of Ganden Thupten Ngelek Ling monastery. Due to propensities from his past lives, he was completely different from other children. He was highly intelligent and had foreknowledge of the future. He was a student of the great Khenpo Gyurme Dakpa and studied about reading, writing and Tibetan grammars. He memorised scriptures from the general sutras to the tantras and was able to fluently recite them from memory. He received many teachings and initiations such as the generation and completion stages, teachings on grounds and paths and the ultimate results, various collections of vajra songs and commentaries, etc.
He became fully ordained before a Drepung Lama, Jamphel Thinley Gyatso and other monks. From Geshe Lobsang Senge of Sera (a Mongolian), he received many initiations and other tantric teachings.From a Khenpo in Sera Monastery, he received the Manjushri Treasure of Wisdom and all its related initation and teachings. From a Chamdo Jhana Tulku, he received the initiation and teachings of Red Yamantaka, Ta-Chak-Khyung-Sum (Hayagriva-Vajrapani-Garuda) and a longevity initiation. He received Jakata tales, mind-training texts like “Rays of Sun”, Palden Lhamo and other teachings from Dema Locho Rinpoche; Mahamudra from Twelfth Tai Situ Pema Dhonyod; “One Point that Liberates All” teaching, new terma teachings, Cakrasamvara, Lam Rim Chenmo and others from the great Khenpo Chime Rabten; the Great Perfection from Abbot Karma Tseten; oral transmission of consciousness transference, the method to achieve the blissful land of Lord Infinite Buddha etc from great Abbot Karma Lhachok. From His Holiness Sakya Trizin, he received lineages of Sakya starting from Khon Konchok Gyalpo about the Lamdre, Black Manjushri, and other traditional teachings. In the Beijing Buddhist College founded by Panchen Rinpoche, he studied many treatises of Buddhist Philosophy and other commentaries from great modern scholars like Setsang Lobsang Palden, Dukar Lobsang Thinley, Choshe Lobsang Lunrik, Kanzai Naktsang Jampa Ngawang, Khenpo Sonam Gyatso and others.
He received a degree upon graduation.He received from Lhabu Sonam Tsemo Rinpoche the Tsongkhapa and Three Protectors (Chenrezig, Manjushri and Vajrapani), Yamantaka, Hayagriva, Long-life initiations, all of the Ganden Ear-Transmission Lineage practices and other important practices. From Ganda Tritul, Montuo Grodeng Rinpoche, he received the Yamantaka Great Retreat Thirteen Stages and Eighteen Stages teachings and the 60 Torma Offerings to Yama. From His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama, he received Lamp on the Path to Enlightenment by Lama Atisha, Lam-Rim Chenmo, Six Yogas of Naropa, Powa, White Tara and Four-armed Chenrezig initiations, 37 Practices of Bodhisattva by Gyalse Thogme Sangpo and Kalachakra Initiation. Without having any distinction between the four schools, he listened to teachings from all traditions, becoming a real ornament of Buddhism. He went to many holy places in both India and Nepal and made great offerings. Especially, he offered golden paint to Jovoje’s face. He made thousands of butter lamps in Lhasa Tsuklakhang. He was a firm practitioner of second stage of Liberation Path.
Since the time he took charge of Ganden Thupten Ngelek Ling monastery in 1659, for about 346 years, there were four Lama estates and a Tsuklakhang (monastery) that had the capacity for containing more than a thousand monks. But due to changes since that time, the Tsuklakhang was completely destroyed. Restoration started in 1985. The renovation works were carried out to the prayer hall, meditation centers and lama estates. The renovation was also carried out towards main shrines like the statue of Lord Buddha, Je Tsongkhapa, Bhishma, four statues of Gong Chusye (Mahakala, Mahakali, Yama, Namtose) and masks of the deities. Rinpoche had also commissioned new block prints of all daily prayers to be made, as well as the large prayer wheels of hundred syllable mantras and six-syllable mantras to be constructed. According to the capacity of individuals, he gave teachings on both Sutra and Tantra. He was especially kind to poor people and resolve conflicts among the clans residing near the monastery. He also constructs sanitary for animals in order to protect them from being hunted. Rinpoche also employ to his best capabilities for the conservation of the sacred buildings.
In conclusion, the activities of the great Lama are dedicated for the benefit of all sentient beings.The story of the Thirteenth Tritul was based purely on what we have seen and his teachings. Since the life story of the Lama is too short here, the readers are requested to refer to other books. The brief life story is written and composed by Ngelek Ling Monastery and Sera Je Gomde Khangtsen.
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