The Treasury of Lives

Choje Tsadrelwa (chos rje rtsa bral ba) was a disciple of Jikten Gonpo Rinchen Pel ('jig rten mgon po rin chen dpal, 1143-1217), the founder of Drigung Til Monastery ('bri gung mthil). Little is known of his life, not even his name; Tsadrelwa simply means "One Who Has Nothing."

Because he subsided solely on alms he was also known as Dombu Tsadrelwa (ldom bu rtsa bral ba), or "The Mendicant Who Has Nothing." Together with Won Sherab Jungne (dbon shes rab 'byung gnas, 1187-1241) he was charged with writing down and gathering all of the teachings of Jikten Gonpo. His work came to be considered authoritative, such that many later Drigung texts state that they are direct transcriptions of one of Choje Tsadrelwa's manuscripts. Among his compilations that are still extant are The Jewel Rosary of Collected Instructions (bsre ba'i zhal gdams nor bu'i phreng ba).