The Treasury of Lives

Tendzin Puntsok (bstan 'dzin phun tshogs) was born in 1672, the water-mouse year of eleventh sexagenary cycle, in Gonjo (go 'jo), Kham (khams). Some sources say he was born in 1665; the Mina (mi sna) biographical dictionary gives his birth year as 1725, which is certainly incorrect. His father was named Dorje Tashi (rdo rje bkra shis), and his mother was named Lhaga (lha dga'). His family name (rus) was Biji (bi ji / bi byi) a lineage with a long tradition of practicing medicine. He started his basic education at the age of five and later started his training in Tibetan medical science.

He enrolled Dzigar Monastery ('dzi dgar), where he devoted himself to training in the Kagyu tradition under direction of Karma Tenpel (karma bstan 'phel), and the Third Khamtrul Ngawang Kunga Tendzin (ngak dbang kun dga' bstan 'dzin, 1680-1728). He became particularly specialized in Tibetan medicine and Buddhist astrology. Later he also received Dzogchen (rdzogs chen) teachings from Gyurme Pema Wanggyel ('gyur med pad+ma dbang rgyal, 18th century), and obtained a considerable scholarly reputation. Around this period, he founded Mersho Deumar Zabgye Choling (smar shod de'u dmar zab rgyas chos gling) in his native Kham, and also repaired a number of monastic institutions.

During his time at Dzigar Monastery, he fell into an unspecified conflict with other monks and eventually left for Lhatok, a kingdom in Kham located between Derge, Gonjo, Nangchen, and Chamdo. Once there he fell afoul of the local ruler, the Lhatok Gyelpo Lodro (lha thog rgyal po blo gros), who destroyed around forty-two volumes of his academic compositions; some were tossed into the river and others were burned. Threatened with his life, he fled and went on pilgrimage to India, passing through the Yunnan province of China.

After his return to Tibet from India, Deumar Geshe mostly lived at Sera Tekchen Ling (se ra theg chen gling) and Namtso in the Lhasa region. He also spent time at Derge Gonchen (sde dge dgon chen), where he wrote a manual of Tibetan arts and crafts at the request of Zel Lama Pema Wanggyel (zal bla ma pad+ma dbang rgyal), Biji Lama Tashi (bi jib la ma bkra shis, 18th entury), and Ramdo Lhazo Pema Wang (ra mdo lha bzo pad+ma dbang, 18th century).

His academic compositions number over one hundred works and cover Buddhism, Sanskrit, Tibetan grammar, Buddhist astrology, medicine and art. He is especially known for his writings on medical science, having made considerable contributions to the taxonomy of medicinal plants and their medical uses. His Crystal Ball, Crystal Rosary (shel gong shel phreng), a two-volume text on medical substances, continues to circulate widely among students and practitioners of Tibetan medicine. In addition, his works on the production, history, and ritual consecration of Tibetan painting remain important to the contemporary study of Tibetan art.

Tendzin Puntsok trained a great number of disciples including Situ Panchen Chokyi Jungne (si tu paN chen chos kyi 'byung gnas, 1700-1774) the Fourth Khamtrul, Tendzin Chokyi Nyima (khams sprul 04 bstan 'dzin chos kyi nyi ma, 1730-1779/1780) and Dharma Mangala (d+harma mangga la, d.u.).