Ga Lotswa Zhonnu Pel (rgwa lo tsA ba gzhon nu dpal) was born in Denma (sdan ma) in

Amdo some time in the eleventh century. His year of birth was likely before 1105, although
scholars have also proposed the years 1110 and 1114. His family belonged to the Ga (rgwa)
clan.
He received novice vows and full ordination in Amdo. As a young man he went to U-Tsang
and studied Sanskrit at Samye Chimpu (bsam yas 'chims phu), Podrang Neudong (pho brang
sne'u gdong), Nartang (snar thang), Tsetang (rtses thang) and other monasteries.
At some point Zhonnu Pel went to India, where he became a student of both Tsami Lotswa
Sanggye Drak (tsa mi lo tsA ba sangs rgyas grags, d.u.), a Tangut lama who held the abbacy
of Vajrsana and Nland, and also with Abhaykara (P4004 1104?-1125?). (Tsami Lotswa
is mistakenly remembered in many Tibetan histories as having been a Tibetan.) Zhonnu Pel is
said to have initially refused to study with Tsami Lotswa, reasoning that as he had come all
the way to India he ought to study with an Indian.
He is credited with practicing in the famous Cool Grove cemetery outside of Bodhgaya. There
he is said to have subjugated a form of Mahkla named the "Crow-faced Dharma Protector"
(chos skyong bya rog can). Back in Tibet he became famous for propagating this deity, and
became known by the title Ga Lotswa, Translator of Ga.
He is also said to have practiced for six years at Namtso (gnam mtsho), a lake to the north of
Lhasa that has long been popular with yogic practitioners. There he was in the company, at
least for some time, of OlkawaChoyung ('ol kha ba chos g.yung, 1103-1199), and early Kagyu
practitioner.
In the late 1140s Ga Lotswa was staying at Naksho (nags shod), where, in 1149 a young
Lama Zhang Yudrakpa Tsondru Drakpa (zhang g.yu brag pa brtson 'grus grags pa, 1123-
1193) encountered him. Zhang quickly developed considerable faith in him, and requested
teachings.
Ga Lotswa replied with the following statements and actions. He said "If you become my
follower, you will starve to death. Meditate on the union of emptiness and compassion." He
then gave Lama Zhang some soup to drink that contained cumin and brown sugar, and
continued to say, "My instructions have no mouth, eyes, or ears. There is no harm now."
Lama Zhang interpreted these to mean 1) he must be willing to die for the dharma; 2) Ga
Lotswa was giving him the core of his teachings; 3) Ga Lotswa was transmitting to him his
experiences; 4) it is not appropriate to teach others if one is not liberated; and 5) if one is
realized, there is no harm in teaching others.
Ga Lotswa gave Lama Zhang many instructions and initiations, including the Six Yogas of
Nropa, Cakrasavara, Klacakra, and the Mahkla rituals. He also told Zhang to stop being
a vegetarian and to eat bones and meat in order to cure his headaches, at least until his
headaches went away.
Lama Zhang accompanied Ga Lotswa back to U, where Ga Lotswa then went into a three-
year retreat, most likely in the early or mid 1150s.
In addition to teaching Lama Zhang, Ga Lotswa also taught the Six Yogas of Nropa
to Pakmodrupa Dorje Gyelpo (phag mo gru pa rdo rje rgyal po, 1110-1170) and the First
Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa (karma pa 01 dus gsum mkhyen pa, 1110-1193).
Ga Lotswa is credited with translating eight works in the Tengyur.
The year of Ga Lotswa's death is not certain, but is likely to have been before 1193, although
scholars have also posited 1198 or 1202.

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Alexander Gardner