Kurey Monastery Great Abbot Rabjampa Ngawang Lobsang

Rabjampa Ngawang Lobsang, also known by his ordination name of Ngawang Thubten (or Ngawang Yeshe Thubten) is the Mongolian abbot from Kurey Monastery and an accomplished master who was known to be able to perceive Tara directly.

He was born during the 19th century. Like many great masters, he had a very early start in Dharma and took the lay vows at the mere age of 7. Naturally, the ordination vows followed which he took when he was 17. They were granted to him by his teacher Ngawang Kedrup.

He then proceeded to take tutelage from some of the most eminent Lamas of his time which included the 10th Dalai Lama Tsultrim Gyatso, the 4th Panchen Rinpoche Tenpa Nyima, and the First Trijang Rinpoche Jangchup Chopel (1756-1838) who also happened to be the Ganden Tripa at that time. After completing his studies in Tibet, Rabjampa Ngawang Lobsang was styled Kurey Kenpo Nomonhan and returned to Mongolia.

It is particularly interesting to note that the collection of Rabjampa Ngawang Lobsang’s works contains a number of Dorje Shugden related materials, one of which is a Panchen Sonam Dragpa’s biography, followed by an account of the precious incarnations of Dorje Shugden. This tallies with the account found in Buton Rinpoche’s biography. This account clearly explains that Panchen Sonam Dragpa was famously known to be an incarnation of the masters Buton Rinchen Drup and Shakya Shri.

Besides this, Rabjampa Ngawang Lobsang had a set of unique works credited under his name including writings on Tara’s Tantra, a number of hagiographies and various other Dorje Shugden ritual texts which have been included in the Dorje Shugden Pe Bum. Many highly attained Gelug masters, including Pabongkha Rinpoche, would later make significant references to his works, especially with relations to Dorje Shugden.

Within his work, Rabjampa Ngawang Lobsang clearly states that it was Pehar who requested Panchen Sonam Dragpa to arise as a Dharma protector, as well as various evidence, accounts and reasonings that Dorje Shugden is an enlightened being who specifically swore to protect the Gelug lineage.

For example, he mentions in particular, how Panchen Sonam Dragpa fulfilled the requests made to him by Pehar, in his later incarnation as Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen when he arose as a Dharma Protector. This is yet another piece of evidence that disproves the claims of modern day scholars that Dorje Shugden is but a recent invention by Pabongkha Rinpoche.

It is interesting that such scholars would have omitted such significant texts by these great masters and asserted that there were not many great old masters who supported Dorje Shugden.