Ven. Ngawang Tenzin Chogyal Rinpoche
(Re-incarnation of Maratika Lama, Ngawang Chophel Gyatso)
Venerable Ngawang Tenzin Chogyal Rinpoche was born in May 28, 2000 in Sikkim India and recognized by His Holiness KyabjeTrulshik Rinpoche (the supreme head of Nyingmapa Buddhism) as the re-incarnation of Maratika Lama, Ngawang Chophel Gyatso Rinpoche
In earlier 1996 Lama Ngawang Chophel Gyatso had dreams indicating he would leave this world soon. For this reason he went to speak with his guru His Holiness Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche at Thubten Choling monastery in Solokhumbu, usually His Holiness Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche visits Maratika for a yearly retreat, but this time Lama Ngawng Chophel made a special request to His Holiness inviting him to Maratika a little earlier. His Holiness accepted this invitation and arrived in Maratika and soon after His Holiness and Lama Ngawang Chophel entered retreat, during the retreat Lama Ngawang Chophel had a very special dream in which a Dakini appeared and told him he would be taking rebirth in Sikkim in the hidden valley of Padmasambhava . Lama Ngawang Chophel told this dream to His Holiness Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche and a few days later Lama Ngawang Chophel passed away with many auspicious signs. He stayed seven days in “Thukdam” (heart meditation) and because of his devotion to the root guru, His Holiness Trulshik Rinpoche had been there when he passed. After that by the request of his lineage holder son, Ngawang Jigdral Chokyi Wangchuk, His Holiness KyabjeTrulshik Rinpoche has written the swift return prayer for Lama Ngawang Chophel Gyatso.
In early 1998 His Holiness Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche had a vision that Lama Ngawang Chophel Gyatso had been reborn in Sikkim and gave the prediction letter to Ngawang Jigdral Chokyi Wangchuk which contained the birth place, family name and year of the birth of the child. Ngawang Jigdral began to search the reincarnation in Sikkim according with the Prediction letter. He appointed the four representatives from east, west, north and south of Sikkim were asked to search for a child born in the Iron Dragon Year (2000). In this way after few years the genuine reincarnation child was found.
When this child was born the parents realized that the child was different from other children in that he didn’t cry, was mature, kind hearted towards others and was upset by dirty places. He further remembered past lives, friends and places, when he began to speak at age three announced he had a monastery in Nepal where he can go to only by helicopter.
Because of that he was taken by his parents to His Holiness Kyabje Dodrub Rinpoche for blessing and was given the name Kalzang Dondrub, His Holiness Dodrub Rinpoche instructed the parents that this child was special and to be kept very clean.
The family and the birth place of reincarnation in Sikkim has a deep connection with Lama Ngawang Chophel himself. Many years back when the Lama Ngawang Chophel was in Sikkim reconstructing theTsemothong Stupa, he had traveled extensively throughout Sikkim and one time encountered a family in which the grandfather paid a great deal of respect to Lama Ngawang Chophel. Since this family did not have a regular home they requested Lama Ngawang Chophel to do a divination regarding the place they should build their home. The divination indicated the house be built next to a blessing rock which is exactly where the present re-incarnation was born.
It is reported that Lama Ngawang Chopel said that if they built their house there it would be easier for him to come and stay in the near future at their home. After their home was built at this location Lama Ngawang Chophel visited them few times doing much practice, especially reciting of one hundred thousand Tara Mantras to bless their home.
Just before the re-incarnation was born the grandfather had a dream in which he saw a huge Awalokiteshvara with many other deities emitting rays of light appear and dissolve into the blessing rock near his house. Then gradually coming from that rock Awalokiteshvara and deities emitting light rays proceeded to dissolve into his home.
In 2003 the young child was taken to Nepal for confirmation to His Holiness Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche, when His Holiness first saw the child he clearly recognized him as the reincarnation of his disciple Maratika Lama, Ngaswang Chophel Gyatso and was given the name Ngawang Tenzin Chogyal Rinpoche.
In 2005 His Holiness Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche wrote a letter to the Trulku’s family that the child should return in 2005 to his own Monastery.
The family,community and government representatives of Sikkim heartily handover the reincarnation of Lama Ngawang Chophel Gyatso to Ngawang Jigdral Chokyi Wangchuk (the son of Lama Ngawang Chophel)
Ngawang Tenzin Chogyal Rinpoche was recognized and enthroned by His Holiness Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche at Maratika Chimey Takten Choling Monastery and later enthroned again at the Sherpa community Monastery in Kathmandu, currently he is studying in Mindroling Monastery Derahdun India.