Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal

1594-1651 - Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, one of the two incarnations of the fourth Drukchen, contributed to unite Bhutan as a state [RY]

Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal

17th century; the 1st, 1594-1651 [RY]

zhabs drung ngag dbang rnam rgyal [17th century founder of Bhutan] [IW]

Short biography of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal

Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal [1594-1651], Was the reincarnation of the 4th Drukchen Pema Karpo ('brug chen pad ma dkar po). Like all previous Drukchen incarnations, he was born into the royal Gya (rgya) family descended from Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje. His father was Mipham Tenpai Nyima (yab chen mi pham bstan pa'i nyi ma) [1567-1619] and his mother Sonam Pelkyi Butri (bsod nams dpal gyi bu khrid), daughter of the ruler of skyid shod.

He was enthroned as the 18th Abbot of Ralung (rwa lung), the first 'brug pa monastery to be established in Tibet. Following the prophecy of pad ma dkar po, zhabs drung ngag dbang rnam rgyal left for western Bhutan, where the 'brug pa bka' brgyud school had already been established, and founded the Cheri Monastery in 1619 in Thimphu valley. In 1629, he founded his first fortress, Dzong Simtokha, near Thimphu. As the temporal and spiritual ruler of Bhutan, zhabs drung ngag dbang rnam rgya unified Bhutan for the first time in its history.

Written Sources

1. Author: gtsang mkhan chen 'jam dpal bshes gnyen (1610-1684). Title: dpal 'brug pa rin po che ngag dbang rnam rgyal gyi rnam thar rgyas pa chos kyi sprin chen po'i dbyangs.

1. Title: dpal ldan 'brug pa'i gdul zhing lho phyogs nags mo'i ljongs kyi chos 'byung blo gsar rna ba'i rgyan.