Nechung,
the Oracle of the Dalai Lama
Forewords by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
and Kyabje Ling Rinpoche
Forewords by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
and Kyabje Ling Rinpoche
“Over the years, I have encouraged Tibetans, especially those who have been in positions of responsibility, to write their memoirs. I believe their recollections can be a source of inspiration to younger Tibetans, and also serve to extend a wider awareness of the situation in Tibet and our efforts to keep our culture and identity alive. Therefore, I am pleased that Venerable Thupten Ngodup has composed this account of his life… I am sure readers will find this book interesting and a valuable source of information on another aspect of Tibetan Buddhist culture.”— HIS HOLINESS THE FOURTEENTH DALAI LAMA
In this compelling memoir, Venerable Thupten Ngodup offers a rare glimpse into his life as one of the most revered figures in Tibetan Buddhism. As the Kuten, or medium, of the Nechung Oracle—Protector of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan people, and Tibet’s sacred traditions—his journey is singular.
Through vivid personal stories, Venerable Thupten Ngodup shares his transformative experience, one that is both mystical and deeply human. Devoted to preserving his endangered culture and spiritual heritage, his path is shaped by ancient traditions that entrusted an ordinary monk with an extraordinary role.
Venerable Thupten Ngodup was born in Phari, in southern Tibet, in 1957. Following the Chinese occupation of Tibet, he and his family fled their homeland and took refuge in India, traveling by way of Bhutan. In 1971 he enrolled at Nechung Monastery, then newly reestablished in modest quarters in Dharamsala, where he underwent rigorous training in the spiritual and artistic traditions of the monastery. In 1984 he was appointed Master of Offerings and Ritual Preparations.
That same year the previous medium, Venerable Lobsang Jigme, passed away, and for three years the Nechung Oracle was without a Kuten. The monks of Nechung and Drepung, and the Tibetan community, prayed daily for the swift recognition of a new medium.
Then, on March 31, 1987, during a ceremony conducted by the monks of both monasteries at Nechung, Venerable Thupten Ngodup entered a spontaneous trance for the first time. At the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama he undertook an extended retreat, and on September 4, 1987 he was formally enthroned as the seventeenth Nechung Kuten, the medium of the Chief State Oracle of Tibet. He also serves as abbot of Nechung Monastery in Dharamsala.