An Introduction
Presented by Dr.Nida Chenagtsang

Contents
• What is the Ngakpa
•
Tradition (NT) ?
•
• History of the Ngakpa
Tradition
•
• The Life Philosophy of NT •
• Education System of the NT •
• Ngakpas in Different
•
Schools of Tibetan
Buddhism.

Women’s equality
The Spiritual Practice of
NT
NT’s past and future
Rebkong Ngak-Mang
Ngak-Mang Institute
Conclusion

What is the Ngakpa Tradition?
• The NT is the cultural and •
non-monastic spiritual
tradition of the Tibetan
people.
• Lay practitioners of
Tibetan Buddhism and
especially practice Tantric
Buddhism.
• Lay women practitioners
are called Ngakmo or
Ngakma.

Tibetan lay people’s Tantric
lineage is called the lineage of
the Ngakpa Tradition.

•

In Sanskrit known as Yogin
and yogini, or Mantri and
mantrini.

•

In the west it’s known as white
Sangha tradition, or Tibetan
yogic tradition, also
weathermen.

History of the Ngakpa Tradition
• Padmasambava
founded NT in the 8th century so that lay people could
receive spiritual and cultural education.
• The king Trisong Detsan (742-797) not only made large
contributions to the development of the Ngakpa tradition
but, as an example to the people, he became a Ngakpa
himself.

History of the Ngakpa Tradition
• The Ngakpa Community is
originally called
'Go kar Chang lo’ De
which literally means
'The community with white dress
and long hair'
or more simply 'The group of
white Sangha'.

• The first Ngakpa centre
was a branch of Samye
college and was called
the
Ngakpa 'Dud dul Ling'.
There, people were
trained in the subjects of
Literature,Translation,
Astrology, Meteorology
and especially Vajrayana
studies and practice.

Historical Ngakpa Practitioners
• Many Ngakpas have shown their great abilities by
becoming highly educated people and practitioners.
• An example is the founder of Traditional Tibetan
Medicine (TTM) Yuthok Yonten Gonpo(708-833 A.D). He
was a Ngakpa, as were many of his lineage physicians.
• In the 9th Century, Tri Ralpa Chan(866-?), the 3rd
Tibetan Dharma King, became involved in the Ngakpa
Tradition. Through his dedication and support the
Ngakpa Tradition grew all over Tibet.

Ngakpas in Different Schools
Tibetan Buddhism is divided into 5
schools and each of them has
their own way of Ngakpas.
• Tibetan Indigenous Ngakpa
Bonpo school Ngakpa, Dransong.
• Most prevalent Ngakpa
Nyingma school Ngakpa, Ngakmo,
Kyimngak, Drongngak. Tertons and
Rigzin.

• Renouncing Ngakpa
Kagyu school Naljorpa,
Naljorma,Togtenpa.
• Special Ngakpas
Chod school Ngakpa, Chodpa.
• Family lineage Ngakpas
Sakya school Ngakpa,
Gongma.
• Monastic Ngakpas
Gelug school Ngakpa,
naljorpa, Ge-nyen. Sumdan
Dorje zinpa.

Women’s Equality
• Tibetan women are recognized as one of the largest
contributors to the Ngakpa tradition.
• Ngakmo (yogini) such as Yeshe Tsogyal(777-837 A.D),
Machin Labdron(1103-1201), Sera Khadroma(18991952) Chusep Jetsun(?-1951) Tare Lhamo(1938-2002)
were highly respected practitioners and were an
inspiration to many Tibetan women.
• Khadro Tsering Chodon, Drikong Khadroma and
Ngakmo Tsekyid are highly qualified living Ngakmos.

Equal Realization

Highest spiritual
realization can be
achieved by both men
and women

Free from any sectarian
beliefs, the Ngakpa
Tradition continues today
in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal,
India, Mongolia and more
recently in the West, both
men and women studying
and practicing throughout
their daily lives.

The Difference Between Ngakmo and Nun
The nuns

The ngakmos

• Ordination
Through an ordination ritual

• Ordination
Through Tantric empowerment

• Life style
Renouncing of normal life,
Living in monastic tradition

• Life style
Living with family in dynamic
society

• Study and practice
Combination of Sutra and tantra

• Study and practice
Mainly tantra.

The Life Philosophy of NT
The transformation.
• The logic mental poisons or
negative emotions can be
transformed into wisdoms.

Keeping the state of nature
• Subject - the Mind
• Object - the matter

Daily life philosophy
The three non changeable
points;
1.
2.
3.

Uncolored White dress
Uncut Long hair
Unchanged Natural mind

The Spiritual Practice of NT
•
Preliminary practice
Ngondro (sNgon ’Gro)
Common and uncommon

According to Nyingma school

•
Creation practice
Kyedrim (bsKyedrim)

•
Total perfection
Dzogchen. (rDzogchen)

Deity practice, peaceful and
wrathful expression of
compassion and wisdom.
•
Completion practice
Dzorim (rDzogrim)
Energy and mind work, such as six
yoga of Naropa.

1.
2.

Emptiness (khegs chod)
Appearance (thodrgal)

The Samayas in NT
•
• In Tibetan is called
Damtshig which refers to
Buddhist Vows or rules
• 14 root Samayas
• 25 branch Samayas

Routine rules

Being present in three
aspects: Body,
speech and mind
•
•
•

• Hundreds of thousands of
Samayas

Appearance – illusory vision
Sound – illusory mantra
Thought – illusory pleasure

Education System of the NT
Subjects
Basic Tibetan studies

•

•
Education sources
Training from family members
• Fundamentals of Buddhism

•

Local Ngakpa houses

•

Village group study

•

At monasteries and temples.

•

Individual masters.

•

Tantric studies; philosophy,
anatomy and physiology.etc.

•

Additional studies such as;
Astrology and Traditional
Tibetan Medicine, including
healing rituals and mantras,
charts.

Ngakpa’s Activities and Social Roles
Spiritual activities
• Make divinations.
The existence of the NT is
extremely important for everybody• Performance of tantric rituals.
in Tibetan society; Ngakpas and
Ngakmos are always willing to • Controlling the weather.
kindly help others through their
daily activities.

Cultural activities

Social activities
•
Medical advice.
•
Astrological suggestions.
•
Guidance to individual people,
groups and communities.

•

Preservation and development
of holistic Tibetan general
studies, such as: literature, art,
Medicine and so on.

Survival of NT
One thousand years ago.

The last King, Lhang Tharma(802-842) did his best to
eradicate the Buddhist tradition in Tibet but he was not
able to destroy the Ngakpa Tradition. It is fundamental to
native Tibetans.
One thousand years later.

During the Chinese Cultural Revolution all aspects of
Tibetan culture were heavily damaged, especially the
tragic toll on Buddhism, but the NT survived and
continued once more.

The future of NT
As an impermanent philosophy the Ngakpa Tradition is facing the
danger of being lost. Even though it’s extremely close to the native
Tibetans daily life, due to people’s misunderstanding, the value of
this culture is not highly respected or preserved in correct way.
Preservation and development of Ngakpa Tradition in modern
society is very important and Ngakpa Tradition must be integrated
in to the new life style.
The life philosophy of Ngakpa can benefit all humans at large.

Rebkong Ngak-Mang
• Rebkong (Tib. Rebgong) is a well known region of
north eastern Tibet (Amdo)
• Ngak-Mang (Tib. sNgags Mang) means many
ngakpas or a great group of Ngakpa.
• Rebkong Ngak-Mang is the largest Ngakpa group
in the history of Tibet.

The origin of Rebkong Ngak-Mang
•

In the 9th century, Lhalung
Paldor, a famous Ngakpa,
traveled to Amdo and planted
the Vajra seed of the NT in
Rebkong. He was particularly
skilled in the practices of
Vajrayana.

•

The descendants of Lhalung
Paldor, known as the Eight
Great Ngakpa of Rebkong,
practiced in eight different
places. All of them
successfully completed their
practices and achieved
realization.

The disciples of the
Eight Great Ngakpas
continued their ancient
and secret spiritual
knowledge,
integrating it into
their daily lives.

The History of Rebkong Ngak-Mang
•

Rigzin Palden Tashi (16881743) was the greatest
contributor to the Rebkong
Ngak-Mang, known as the king
of Rebkong Ngakpas.

The most important historical
Ngakpa house in Rebkong is called
Rigzin Rabpel Ling

Kyanglung Palchen Namkha
Jigmed (1757-1821) was one
of the Rebkong Ngak Mang’s
head master.
•

The founder of the 1,900
Ngakpa Group in Kyung gon
Rebkong, Amdo.

•

(Tib. Rebgong sNgagsmang
Phurthog Cigstong dGubgya.)

Ngak-Mang Institute (NMI)
•

•

NMI was founded in 1999, in
Xining, Qinghai, (Amdo) China.
Its aim is promoting the
cultural continuity and
preserving of Ngakpa Tradition
in modern and dynamic
society.

•

NMI is maintaining the status
of Rebkong Ngak-Mang.

•

The only official institute for
Ngakpa Tradition in Tibet.

– NMI collects existing Ngakpa
texts,
preserves
them
through
a
process
of
rewriting and republishing,
and publishes new works.
– The institute also records
teachings
from
elder
practitioners to protect the
future of Ngakpa culture.

Ngak-Mang Students
NMI has projects in fields of culture, education and health since
2000.
Ngak-Mang Schools
There are two main Ngak Mang schools; Ngakpa boy’s school and
Ngakmo girl’s school.
Students spend the first two years studying Tibetan and math, and
then spend three years specializing in an elective subject such
as handicrafts, traditional art, or medicine. They spend their final
five years learning traditional Ngakpa studies, including tantric
philosophy and practice.

Ngak-Mang International
• Ngak-Mang Institutes (NMI) exist throughout the world in
order to preserve and maintain the Ngakpa culture in
modern society.

• NMI was developed as a worldwide non-profit
organization in 2000. There are several associated
branches throughout the world, all collaborating to bring
the knowledge and support of the Ngakpa Tradition of
Tibet to the forefront.

Conclusion
The Ngakpa Tradition is an
ultimate knowledge, of having a
perfectly balanced life.