The Treasury of Lives

Dakchen Sherab Gyeltsen (bdag chen shes rab rgyal mtshan) was born in Sakya in 1436 or 1439. One additional source gives 1376. His father was the Eighteenth Sakya Tridzin, Jamyang Namkha Gyeltsen (sa skya khri 'dzin 18 'jam dbyangs nam mkha' rgyal mtshan, 1398-1472), and his mother was Machik Peljung Gyelmo (ma cig dpal 'byung rgyal mo). He had a younger brother, Lodro Gyeltsen (blo gros rgyal mtshan, 1444-1495) who served as the Twenty-First Sakya Tridzin.

He trained with Jamyang Konchok Zangpo ('jam dbyangs dkon mchog bzang po, 1398-1475).

At the age of twenty-seven Sherab Gyeltsen went to Kham. According to legend he lost his way and found himself in a Mongolian region; deciding that it was suitable for dharma, he established Dondrub Ling (don grub gling). The monastery, in Jyekundo (skye rgu mdo), occupies a site that previously had a Bon temple and later two small Karma Kagyu temples. Legend has it that Pakpa Lodro Gyeltsen ('phags pa blo gros rgyal mtshan, 1235-1280) had converted the Bon temple to Sakya when he passed through the area, and that in the intervening years the Sakya and Kagyu had contested the site.

Some sources list Sherab Gyeltsen the twentieth Sakya Tridzin, although most lists have him as the twenty-first, an office he held from 1463 until his death 1472, after which his younger brother took the office.

Among his students were Sakya Lotsāwa Jampai Dorje (sa skya lo tsA ba 'jam pa'i rdo rje, 1485-1533).

Sherab Gyeltsen passed away at Shabdeding (shab dge sdings). A single golden manuscript volume of his works is said to exist.