Venerable Lama Jampa Ngodup

From humble beginnings and extreme hardship, jewels and steel are forged. From the Cultural Revolution in Tibet and the resulting purge comes a being of determination and compassion.

Lama Jampa Ngodup

The illustrious Lama Jampa Ngodup started out as a teacher in a primary school in the region of Bangdak, Tibet. At a time when religions were frowned upon, he discovered Tibetan Buddhism and secretly took his vows from Yogi Jampa Genga who gave him both Sutra and Tantra teachings.

Lama Jampa Ngodup received his first sadhana from a disciple of Rinchen Gonpo Rinpoche, an old Abbot of Yuan Ke Su Monastery in Markam, Chamdo. The sadhana came with the condition that Lama Jampa Ngodup had to continue the lineage by spreading the teachings, which originated from a book of Tantra titled “The Oral Transmission of Great Bliss”. As most of the books and sadhanas had been destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, the teachings were very precious.

At a public event, Lama Jampa Ngodup blesses hundreds of devotees in a single day.

Many opportunities for Lama Jampa Ngodup to practise renunciation arose. Rinpoche worked untiringly to help those suffering from the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution. Soon after, the old Abbot entered clear light. Lama Jampa Ngodup then joined the great monastery of Sera to continue his studies under the tutelage of Rinchen Gonpo Rinpoche.

One night, Rinchen Gonpo Rinpoche appeared in Lama Jampa Ngodup’s dream and Lama Jampa Ngodup affirmed to his teacher that he had memorised the complete Lamrim teachings. The next day, his teacher told him that if he was able to transmit the entire Lamrim Chenmo three or five times in his life, he would confer upon him the oral transmission of the Lamrim Chenmo. Lama Jampa Ngodup answered that he would transmit the teachings if he understood them.

Lama Jampa Ngodup was also advised to familiarise himself with the Vipasyana teachings of Arya Nagarjuna contained within the Lamrim texts in order to be better able to transmit the teachings effectively. This is the reason why Lama Jampa Ngodup begins all his Lamrim discourses with the Vipasyana teachings of Arya Nagarjuna.

Lama Jampa Ngodup commands thousands of students across China and even abroad.

On another occasion, Lama Jampa Ngodup was instructed to extract and understand the teachings of Chandrakirti. This would ensure that the essence of the Lamrim Chungba teachings (the Middling Exposition of the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment) would be transmitted. Lama Jampa Ngodup took this advice to heart and would discuss the finer points of each discourse with his master before giving any teachings.

Lama Jampa Ngodup’s actions ensured that both the Lamrim and the “Oral Transmission of Great Bliss” were simultaneously transmitted. When the required number of Lamrim discourses had been completed, his teacher Rinchen Gonpo Rinpoche said to him,

You have fulfilled your promise of expounding the Lamrim but has all I taught you become deep like the imprints on a carved rock or the imprints in sand?

Lama Jampa Ngodup replied immediately,
Deep as the imprints on a carved rock.

With the blessings of the Guru and the Three Jewels coupled with Lama Jampa Ngodup’s wish to benefit others, the “Oral Transmission of Great Bliss” is now the main text of learning in the Norbuling Buddhist institute.

Lama Jampa Ngodup with His Eminence Gangchen Rinpoche (left)

Lama Jampa Ngodup continues to give many teachings on the Lamrim and Dorje Shugden as well as initiations to both ordained and lay people on the high plateaus of Tibet. Due to his good works, he was recently the first Tibetan lama sent by the Chinese government to teach abroad. Lama Jampa Ngodup has given teachings at Gaden Yongyal Phuntsok Ling, Rabten Choeling and met many great masters living in the West.