The Treasury of Lives

Yonten Gyatso (yon tan rgya mtsho) was born in 1516, the fire-mice year of ninth sexagenary cycle, in Pusum Burtso (phu gsum sbur tsho), near Sakya (sa skya) monastery in U-tsang (dbus gtsang). His father was Dorje Gyeltsen (rdo rje rgyal mtshan, d.u.) and mother was Tsogyel (mtsho rgyal, d.u.). He was from a family with a long tradition of practicing medicine; his father was also a great medical master trained by Drangti Pelgon Dorje (brang ti dpal mgon rdo rje, d.u.) of the Dragti medical lineage.

Yonten Gyatso started his basic education in reading and writing around the age of eight, and later as he turned fourteen, Chokyi Dorje (chos kyi rdo rje, d.u.) performed monastic tonsure rituals, renaming him Yonten Gyatso at Chokhor Tse (chos 'khor rtse). He was educated mainly at Chokhor Tse and Sakya Monastery (sa skya dgon). After the death of his brother, Samdrub (bsam 'grub), who was a master of medical science, his family urged him to study medicine to continue the family lineage. He studied for three years with the well-known doctor Konchok Pendar (dkon mchog 'phan dar, 1511-1577) and attained a sufficient mastery to start practicing. He winters in religious retreat. 

At some point, he made pilgrimage to the Lato (la stod) region to visit Konchok Pendar and to receive further teachings. Soon after arriving, he left for home as he was summoned to attend to an epidemic that had spread in the area. Yonten Gyatso also went on a pilgrimage to Lhasa at the behest of his root-guru, but due to severe illness he was forced to return to Sakya. He had a number of disciples, among whom Tsarong Pelden Gyeltsen (tsha rong dpal ldan rgyal mtshan, b. 1535) became a master of medical science.

Yonten Gyatso passed away in 1551, iron-pig year of ninth sexagenary cycle.