Lapchiwa Namkha Gyaltsen
la phyi ba nam mkha' rgyal mtshan, 1372-1437.
An outstanding master of several traditions, most commonly remembered today as a Drikung Kagyu master. His biography suggests that he was among the most important disciples of the 5th Karmapa Deshin Shegpa, if not even his main student. However, he is virtually unknown in the present-day Karma Kagyu tradition. He was born in Kham/Eastern Tibet in 1372 and grew up under the care of an aunt of his. The family was close to several Bonpo masters and so he at first received some of their instructions and practiced a little accordingly. At age nine an uncle of his, Bu dben sha dKon mchog bzang po, encouraged him to take responsibility for certain worldly affairs and educated him to become his personal assistant. Ten years later, the young man traveled to Central Tibet and took on a position as a lay-official in Drikung. He married a local princess and fathered a daughter. However, on a journey undertaken with a friend, that friend died unexpectedly.
Having thus been confronted with the simple truth of death and impermanence, he gave rise to the strong wish to emulate the Lord of Yogins, Jetsun Milarepa. He requested and received teachings and empowerments and strongly wished to immerse himself fully in contemplation. Against strong resistance from his family he left all worldly ties behind and received ordination in Drikung at age twenty-five. After three further years there, for the purpose of familiarizing himself with the dharma to such an extent that he could safely wander off into mountain wildernesses in order to practice, he went for his first long retreat in Lapchi.
After a yearlong break, during which he visited several of his teachers for further instructions, he returned to Lapchi for many more years of solitude. Afterwards he went to Dagla Gampo for eight years, where he did further retreats and guided many practitioners. Lapchiwa Namkha Gyaltsen then returned to Lapchi where he stayed until his passing away in 1437. He had become a lineage holder of the Sakya, Karma Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu and Shangpa Kagyu traditions and also held the lineage of the Oral Tradition of Rechungpa. He met many of the greatest master of his time, including the Mahasiddha Thangtong Gyalpo, who visited him in Lapchi itself. This event is not mentioned in Namkha Gyaltsen's biography, but in Thangtong Gyalpo's, where it says that the Mahasiddha saw the Lapchiwa as a sphere of light and the Lapchiwa saw him as Guru Dragpo. It also informs us that they compared their understanding of the Doctrines of Naropa and Niguma.
Namkha Gyaltsen earned the title of "Lapchiwa" because he spent more time in the sacred place of Lapchi than anyone before or after him. All in all he spent 31 years there and also passed away there. His relic stupa remains in Lapchi to the present day and is kept in one of the larger caves there, the Rechen Cave, which was the assembly place for hermits until Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol came in the 1830's and built a small temple and monks quarters at the foot of the mountain. This small monastery, Chöra Gephel Ling, has been renovated several times and exists to the present day.
[TSD]
Primary Teachers[edit]
- 5th Karmapa Deshin Shegpa
- Drubchen Rindzongpa Wangchuk Gyaltsen
- Nyernyipa Dzamling Chögyal
- Rechen Denchigpa
- Thegchen Chögyal Kunga Tashi Gyaltsen
Primary Students[edit]
- Duldzin Ngawang Gyaltsen
- Namkha Samdrub Gyaltsen