The Treasury of Lives

Alak Lokho Jigme Trinle Gyatso (a lags blo kho 'jigs med 'phrin las rgya mtsho) was born in 1866 in Karing (gwa ring), eastern Amdo. His father, Abo Tamdrin (a bo rta mgrin), was a close blood-relation with the Bido chief's family (bis mdo dpon tshang), the same family to which the Tenth Paṇchen Lama, Chokyi Gyeltsen Trinle Lhundrub (chos kyi rgyal mtshan phrin las lhun grub, 1938-1989) belonged. His mother, Lhamojam (lha mo byams), was the daughter of the niece of Lako Lasar Jamyang Gyatso (bla kho'i bla gsar 'jam dbyangs rgya mtsho, 1803-1865), the fiftieth throne holder of Labrang Tashikhyil Monastery.

When the boy was four or five he came down with a serious illness, which was diagnosed as being due to some kind of karmic defilement. He was brought to Tarpa Ling Monastery (thar pa gling), in Karing, for a cure by religious purification rituals. It is said that while there be memorized scriptures that had been assigned for recitation by the monastery's monks by the Fourth Takge Tulku Ngawang Gyatso (stag ge sprul sku 04 ngag dbang rgya mtsho, d.u.), which was taken as a sign that he was the reincarnation of a high lama. His parents were told this, and returning home would be against his best interests, and so he was left with a monk at Tarpa Ling, where he delighted in dressing up in monk's robes.

He was soon considered a candidate for the reincarnation of his great-uncle, Lako Lasar Jamyang Gyatso, and at the age of seven he was formally recognized as such by the Fourth Jamyang Zhepa, Kelzang Tubten Wangchuk ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 04 skal bzang thub bstan dbang phyug, 1856-1916). Following his enthronement he lived in Tarpa Ling and studies Tibetan writing, reading and some other relevant prayers under the instructions from the Fourth Takge Tulku.

When he turned eight, he accompanied his teacher to Sechang Monastery (se chang), where the Takge Tulku had been assigned abbot. The following year they transferred again, now to the great Geluk monastic university of Labrang Tashikhyil. There he received novice monastic vows from Aku Sherab Gyatso (a khu shes rab rgya mtsho, 1803-1875) and started taking philosophical courses from Dorampa Trinle Gyatso (rdo rams ba 'phrin las rgya mtsho, d.u.) and other courses from Lobzang Tsultrim Gyatso, the eighteenth abbot of Ngayul Gomang (rnga yul sgo mang khri rabs 18 blo bzang tshul khrims rgya mtsho, 1841-1907), and the Fifth Gungtang Jamyang Tenpai Nyima (gung thang 05 'jam dbyangs bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1860-1925).

When he was thirteen years old he participated basic philosophical debating and made an impression on the scholars. From the next year, he started receiving various tantric initiations. Around this period, he participated in more monastic exams of debating and reciting.

At the age twenty, he received full monastic ordination from Lobzang Tsultrim Gyatso and Konchok Gyatso (dkon mchog rgya mtsho, d.u.). During his twenties, he spent most of his time in meditation, also studying Sanskrit grammar, metrics, and medicine. When he turned twenty nine, he was appointed as the regent of the Third Welmang Tulku, Jamyang Tendzin Gyatso (dbal mang 03 'jam dbyangs bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, 1854-1919 ).

During his time at Labrang, Jigme Trinle Gyatso received instructions from numerous teachers, such as Ngawang Tubten Gyatso (ngag dbang thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1836-1899), the fifty-first throne holder of Labrang; Jamyang Kyenrab Gyatso (a mchog 03 'jam dbyangs mkhyen rab rgya mtsho, 1849-1944); Zhangton Tenpa Gyatso (zhwang ston bstan pa rgya mtsho, 1825-1897) and others.

In addition to Labrang, he also taught at Kumbum, Shelgon (shel dgon), Dzoge (mdzod dge), Karing, Dutsa, Jakhyung (bya khyung), Chone (co ne), and Bido (bis mdo) monasteries.

Following the death, in 1916, of the Fourth Jamyang Zhepa a member of the regions' ruling Alo family, the Hui general Maqi (马麒, 1869-1931) took the opportunity to expand his territory, and, in 1918, attacked with his Army. (Maqi was later the military president of Qinghai during the rule of Chiang Kai-shek.) Jigme Trinle Gyatso, who was then teaching at Labrang, fled the attack. Later, in 1926, after the Tibetans had retaken Labrang and Maqi again attacked, Jigme Trinle Gyatso is said to have remained at Labrang and organized the monks to perform rituals to protect the monastery, and he also negotiated with Maqi to refrain from harming the monastery.

At the age of seventy-four Jigme Trinle Gyatso encouraged Jigme Gyatso ('jigs med rgya mtsho, d.u.), later a teacher of the Tenth Paṇchen Lama Lobzang Trinle Lhundrub Chokyi Gyeltsen (paN chen 10 blo bzang phrin las lhun grub chos kyi rgyal mtshan, 1938-1989) and Konchok Samdrub (dkon mchog bsam grub, d.u.), later a teacher of the Sixth Jamyang Zhepa, Jamyang Lobzang Jigme Tubten Chokyi Nyima ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 06 'jam dbyangs blo bzang 'jigs med thub bstan chos kyi nyi ma, b. 1948), to get the teaching lineage of the Kangyur, the lineage of which was in danger of disappearing at Labrang. They both received the transmission from Kangyurwa Jamyang Zopa (bka' 'gyur ba 'jam dbyangs bzod pa, d.u.).

In 1924, when the Ninth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Tubten Chokyi Nyima (paN chen bla ma 09 blo bzang thub bstan chos kyi nyi ma, 1883-1937), made a pilgrimage to China, he requested teachings from Jigme Trinle Gyatso at Lanzhou. Jigme Trinle Gyatso declined the request, but later agreed when the Paṇchen Lama wrote from Mongolia to meet him at Kumbum. Following the Paṇchen Lama's death, in 1937, he was involved in choosing the candidates for his reincarnation, and later, when he was seventy-nine, gave teachings to the Tenth Paṇchen Lama, as well as giving him his novice vows.

Among Jigme Trinle Gyatso many prominent disciples were the Sixth Gungtang Tulku, Jigme Tenpai Wangchuk (gung thang sprul sku 06 'jigs med bstan pa'i dbang phyug, 1926-2000), the Seventh Tukwan, Kelzang Damcho Nyima (thu'u bkwan 07 skal bzang dam chos nyi ma, 1895-1959), Lhamo Tsultrim (lha mo tshul khrims, 1889-1958), and many others.

He passed away in 1948 at the age eighty-three. Later his writings were collected and edited into six volumes. His detailed biography was written by Muge Samten Gyatso (dmu dge bsam gtan rgya mtsho, 1914-1993), one of his disciples, at the command of the Tenth Paṇchen Lama.