The Treasury of Lives

The Seventy-eighth Ganden Tripa, Jamyang Damcho (dga' ldan khri pa 78 'jam dbyangs dam chos) was born in Gyelrong in Kham (khams rgyal rong) in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century.

Although details of Jamyang Damcho’s life are not known, the educational and professional development of Ganden Tripa during his era was fairly standard. It can be assumed that he studied logic and related topics, Abhisamayālaṃkāra, Madhyamaka, Abhidharmakośa, Pramāṇavārttika, and Vinaya, the five major subjects of the Geluk monastic curriculum, at one of the main Geluk monasteries near Lhasa (Sera, Drepung, or Ganden), and, earned his Geshe Lharampa degree after having passed the traditional examination during one of the annual Lhasa Monlam Chenmo in a high rank.

Jamyang Damcho certainly studied Tantra at Gyume College (rgyud smad grwa tshang) and presumably earned ngakrampa (sngags rams pa), master’s degree in tantra. It was customary for Ganden Tripas to first serve as disciplinarian (dge bskos), and chant leader (bla ma dbu mdzad) and then abbot at the College, after which he would take the post of Jangtse Choje (byang rtse chos rje) at Ganden Jangtse College. However, those who arrive from Gyuto will serve as Sharpa Choje (shar pa / shar rtse chos rje) at Ganden Shartse College (dga' ldan shar rtse). The two Chojes were sure to ascend the Golden Throne in alternate sequence unless their lives fall short.

Jamyang Damcho ascended from the position of Shartse Choje to the Golden Throne as the Seventy-eighth Ganden Tripa in 1861, and served for seven years, from 1861 to 1867, or, alternately, from 1860 to1866.

Lobzang Jinpa (blo bzang sbyin pa) was his successor on the Golden Throne.