Ngawang Sonam Gelek: Youthful Master of Discourse
Ngawang Sonam Gelek
The unmistaken incarnation of Sonam Yeshe Wangpo was Ngawang Sonam Gelek Pelzang (1594‐1616 CE). As has been explained in the past, some high incarnations do not live very long lives. This occurs for a variety of karmic reasons including obstacles brought on by broken samaya or a disrupted spiritual bond between the students of the lama’s previous lives; insufficient collective merits of the disciples to sustain the incarnation; or that the lama himself had planned his premature departure for reasons only known to him. Ngawang Sonam Gelek Pelzang is one such incarnation.
He was born at Olka Ribuk, during the Wood Horse Year of the 10th 60‐Year Cycle according to the Tibetan calendar. His father was named Tsepel and his mother was named Sonam Drolma. He was an exceptionally brilliant child, able to recite dharanis (long mantras) easily and had clear knowledge of his previous life. Representatives of his previous life’s ladrang (official residence), named Ponsa, Choje Ngawang and Chokyong Lozang travelled from Olka Tagtse to see him. They then escorted him back to his ladrang in order to recognise and formally enthrone him as the incarnation of Sonam Yeshe Wangpo.
At the age of three, he was escorted by Sakyong Yulgyel Norbu to Kyisho. There, he had an audience with the great master Paljor Gyatso and offered him his hair as a symbolic gesture of his promise to receive monastic ordination at a later time. During the same year, the young boy recited a Guru Yoga liturgy from his throne to the masses gathered at the Great Prayer Festival in Lhasa. Through these actions, he left everyone amazed and filled with deep faith and devotion for he was so young of age.
His Holiness the 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso
He then went on to study at Tashi Jong Monastery. He was given novice vows by his older brother Paljor Sonam Lhundrub from Jama Kangsar, as well as the name Ngawang Sonam Gelek Pelzang. A significant event took place in the Year of the Fire Sheep, when he was 14 years old. His Holiness the 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso came to visit him while returning to Tibet from Mongolia. They had a private audience and his conversation pleased the Dalai Lama so much that he received personal teachings from Ngawang Sonam Gelek.
In the Iron Boar Year, upon coming of age at 18 years old, Ngawang Sonam Gelek received all of the 45 empowerments of the Vajra Garland Mandala from His Holiness the 4th Panchen Lama Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen at Ganden Podrang of Drepung Monastery, together with the 4th Dalai Lama.
When he was 20, in the Water Bull Year, he received full monastic ordination from the 4th Panchen Lama in the presence of other high lamas at Drepung Monastery. In the summer of that year, he travelled to Tashi Lhunpo in Tsang to study the scriptural tradition under his guru’s guidance. It was there that his wisdom of debate and so forth increased greatly. He was also requested to give discourses and explanations in front of the monastic assembly, which delighted the 4th Panchen Lama. The Panchen Lama had great regard for him and praised him as a virtuous spiritual guide.
Later, Ngawang Sonam Gelek returned to central Tibet and went on an extensive pilgrimage to various holy sites in Tsang, beginning with the great Sakya Monastery. He then visited places such as Marlam Gongkar Dorje Den, Jampa Ling and Tsethang, Olka and Gyal. He went to Kyisho from Gyal, travelling with the 4th Dalai Lama who was both his guru and disciple. While traveling, he bestowed many profound teachings on Sutra and Tantra on the Dalai Lama. That year, he also received many Mongolian pilgrims bearing abundant offerings and in turn, he gave teachings and personal advice to them.
The sacred relics of Ngawang Sonam Gelek were interred in an Amitayus statue like this one.
As recorded in the 4th Dalai Lama’s biography, when the Dalai Lama was 25, during the 10th Tibetan month of the Wood Tiger Year, he received full monastic ordination vows at Drepung Monastery from the 4th Panchen Lama, who acted as abbot and was assisted by Ngawang Sonam Gelek, who acted as the action master.
Throughout his life, Ngawang Sonam Gelek gave teachings to thousands of practitioners, including Tulku Jamyang Sangye Gyatso. He was also given the honoured role of leading the chants during the Great Prayer Festival of Lhasa.
Unfortunately, on the full moon of the 2nd month of the Wood Hare Year of the 10th 60‐Year Cycle, Ngawang Sonam Gelek Pelzang contracted smallpox and passed into clear light. He was just 22 years old. Many relics and deity images emerged after his cremation. These precious items were interred in a reliquary statue of the Buddha Amitayus.
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Another great incarnation in Rinpoche’s lineage of incarnations – Please continue to inspire and bless us in our practice till we have developed your excellent qualities Rinpoche. You are a precious master indeed.
Thank you Pastor David for this interesting article and also believe on what you quoted here…”As has been explained in the past, some high incarnations do not live very long lives. This occurs for a variety of karmic reasons including obstacles brought on by broken samaya or a disrupted spiritual bond between the students of the lama’s previous lives; insufficient collective merits of the disciples to sustain the incarnation; or that the lama himself had planned his premature departure for reasons only known to him.”
As i have personally observed for the past few years and also know that not many friends and students of our Guru likes to do dharma work like social media and sadhana even it’s at their fingertips. True but really sad the lama has to leave earlier because of this some other reasons. And hopefully they will learn from this experience and work harder for the Lama to come back soon to spread the dharma and be close with him again as what Rinpoche mentioned in this video ..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXL-dZuLBos. It’s really unfortunate for Ngawang Sonam Gelek Pelzang to passed into clear light at such a young age of 22 years old by contracted smallpox, or whatever other reasons only he knows. 🙏☸🙏🕉
Interesting read of this great Lama Ngawang Sonam Gelek Pelzang born in Olka Ribug. Amazing as a young boy for his age he could recite long Dharani mantras and had clear knowledge of his past life. He as then escorted back to his previous life’s official residence and had an audience with the great master Paljor Gyatso. The same year at the Great Prayer Festival in Lhasa, he recited a Guru Yoga liturgy from his throne to a great numbers of people that gather there. He travelled extensively and giving teachings to thousands of practitioners throughout his life.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David for this interesting post of a GREAT Lama .