The Treasury of Lives

Chime Yeshe ('chi me ye shes) was born in the nineteenth century in Bakok (ba khog), a small town near Dzogchen Monastery, Rudam Orgyen Samten Choling (rdzogs chen ru dam o rgyan bsam gtan chos gling) in the Rudam Valley (ru dam) in Kham. His mother, Jigong (byis sgong), was the daughter of local leader and his father was named Bakok Dongang (ba khog don sgang).

He took his novice monk vows (śrāmaṇera) at Dzogchen Monastery at the age of eight or nine and commenced his studies in reading, writing, memorizing prayers and other texts, and general subjects. When he came of age, he began to study the traditional Buddhist texts of India and Tibet with the nineteenth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College (shrI sing+ha bshad drwa), Zhenpen Chokyi Nangwa (gzhan phan chos kyi snang ba, 1871-1927); and the twentieth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, his maternal uncle Pema Teckchok Loden (pad+ma theg mchog blo ldan, 1879-1955). At the age of twenty-one, Zhenpen Chokyi Nangwa gave him his vows of full ordination (bhikṣu) and named him Tubten Gelek Chokyi Nangwa (thub bstan dge legs chos kyi snang ba).

Chime Yeshe was enthroned as the twenty-sixth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College at the age of twenty-five. He served in this position for eight years, during which he taught on a wide range of general subjects such as Sanskrit phonology, epistemology, monastic arts, and medicine, as well as traditional Buddhist topics including the Madhyamaka, Abhisamayālaṃkāra, Abhidharmakośa, Pramāṇavārttika, and Vinaya. Abhisamayālaṃkāra

His disciples included Mewa Tsewang Rigdzin (rme ba tshe dbang rig 'dzin, d.u.), Jamyang Pelzang ('jam dbyangs dpal bzang, d.u.), Perab Torchok (spes rab thor cog, d.u.), and Dzingpa Dorje ('dzing pa rdo rje, d.u.).

After completing his post at Śrī Siṃha, Chime Yeshe settled at Tsering Meditation Cave (tshe ring sgrub phug) in the Rudam Valley to engage in intensive meditation. He would regularly give advanced teachings during the break after his mid-day practice session to a group of several dozen students, focusing on the seven treasuries of Longchen Rabjampa (klong chen rab 'byams pa, 1308-1364).

Despite many volunteers, he never accepted any domestic assistance, choosing instead to fetch his own water and cook his own meals. According to his hagiography, at the age of forty-eight he passed away suddenly; the cause given in the hagiography is that his disciples broke their tantric vows. It is said that Chime Yeshe's cremation was marked by an incredibly clear and cloudless blue sky, which was taken as an auspicious sign, and that many relics were discovered amongst his ashes.

Khenchen Jigme Tamdin Yonten Gonpo (mkhan chen 'jigs med rta mgrin yon tan mgon po, 1899-1959) succeeded Chime Yeshe as the twenty-seventh abbot of Śrī Siṃha College.