The Treasury of Lives

The Seventy-ninth Ganden Tripa, Lobzang Jinpa (dga' ldan khri pa 79 blo bzang sbyin pa) was born in Nangzang in Kham (mdo stod snang bzang) in the early nineteenth century, the late thirteenth sexagenary cycle. Details of his birth and parents are not known.

In his youth Lobzang Jinpa travelled to Lhasa and matriculated in Pukang House of Shartse College of the Ganden Monastic University (dga' ldan shar rtse'i phu khang khang tshan) from where derived his title Pukang (phu khang). There he studied major subjects of the Geluk monastic curriculum and obtained Geshe Lharampa degree (dge bshes lha ram pa) after the traditional examination during the Lhasa Monlam Chenmo.

He subsequently enrolled in Gyuto College (rgyud stod grwa tshang) in Lhasa to train in tantra and related rituals. He served the various posts, including abbot, of the college as per the customary requirement for becoming Sharpa Choje (shar pa chos rje) at Ganden Shartse (dga' ldan shar rtse), one of the two Ganden posts from which the Ganden Tripa ascends to the Golden Throne.

In 1867, the fire hare year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle, Lobzang Jinpa ascended to the Golden Throne as the Seventy-ninth Ganden Tripa, the post that he served for four years, until 1870. Alternately, he served only two years, although this leaves a two year gap between his tenure and that of the Eightieth Ganden Tripa, Drakpa Dondrub (dga' ldan khri pa 80 khri chen Grags pa don grub). As it was customary to serve for seven years, it can be assumed that Lobzang Jinpa passed away while in office.