The Treasury of Lives

The Fourth Shechen Rabjam, Garwang Chokyi Gyeltsen (rab 'byams 04 gar dbang chos kyi rgyal mtshan) was born around 1811, the iron-sheep year of the fourteenth sexagenary cycle. He was identified as the reincarnation of the Third Shechen Rabjam, Rigdzin Peljor Gyatso (rab 'byams 03 rig 'dzin dpal 'byor rgya mtsho, 1771-1807) and educated by a number of distinguished teachers including the Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang, Mingyur Namkai Dorje (rdzogs chen 04 mi 'gyur nam mkha'i rdo rje, 1793-1870), and Gyeltsab Tendzin Chogyel (rgyal tshab bstan 'dzin chos rgyal, d.u.). He received instruction on the treasure teachings and oral transmissions of the Nyingma school.

He is said to have received the location of several treasure teachings and earth treasures (sa gter) from the deities upon which he meditated, but whether he successfully produced treasure is unknown. Later in life he moved to a place named Bachak Shrī (rba lcags shrI) and ultimately became a wandering teacher with no permanent residence. It is thought that he most often visited the regions of Kongpo (kong po), Dakpo (dwags po), and Nyangtri (nyang khri), near Lhasa.

Based on the years of death of the Third Shechen Rabjam (1807/1809) and birth of the Fifth Shechen Rabjam (1864), he presumably lived until his fifties. Nothing about the death is mentioned in his biography, though some sources place it in or around 1862. His reincarnation was identified in Gyurme Kunzang Tenpai Gyeltsen (rab 'byams 05 'gyur med kun bzang bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan).