Ngagchang Shakya Zangpo
Small Biography[edit]
Yolmo Tulku Shakya Zangpo 15th c.
Shakya Zangpo was born in the southern region of Latod to a noble family of yogins. In Yolmo, a valley northeast of Katmandu in Nepal identified by Buddha himself as a naturally holy place, he found several treasures. At Samye Monastery, he found a treasure text of Padmasambhava on the great stupa at Boudhanath. He also found teachings from King Songsen Gompo, the grandfather of Trisong Debsten and king of Tibet in the seventh century who is regarded by Tibetans as an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara.
Shakya Zangpo was the rebirth of the minister of Trisong Detsen and a disciple of Padmasmabhava. During that life, he had taken a vow to protect various holy places in the future. Shakya Zangpo is generally credited with excavating the original stupa which had become partly buried and creating the various levels surrounding the stupa.
He became the teacher of the Northern Treasures to Legden Dorje and Padma Wangyel. Traveling to Western Tibet to spread the teachings there, he returned to Yolmo in his later years where he lived until the end of his life.