The Treasury of Lives

Drakpa Gyeltsen (grags pa rgyal mtshan) was born in Gyagar Tang (rgya sgar thang), in the Bora ('bo ra) region of Amdo, in 1762, the water-horse year of thirteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was named Yumkyab (yum skyabs) and his mother was Lhamotso (lha mo mtsho). At the age of seven he learned reading and writing under a tutor named Tsultrim Gyatso (tshul khrims rgya mtsho, d.u). When he turned eleven he was given initial monastic vows (rab byung) by Lobzang Chopel (blo bzang chos 'phel, d.u) who gave him the name Lobzang Dondrub (blo bzang don 'grub).

In 1773 he matriculated at Labrang Tashikhyil Monastery (bla brang bkra shis 'khyil). There he first studied memorization under Ngawang Trinle (ngag dbang 'phrin las, d.u), and then the basic subjects of the Geluk monastic curriculum under the direction of Lobzang Pelden (blo bzang dpal ldan, d.u). At the age sixteen, he received the novice vow from Sonam Drakpa (bsod nams grags pa, d.u).

That same year the Second Jamyang Zhepa, Konchok Jigme Wangpo ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 02 dkon mchog 'jigs me dbang po, 1728-1791) identified him as the rebirth of Gomang Lama Sanggye Dorje (sgo mang bla ma sangs rgyas rdo rje, d.u), who had been a disciple of the first Jamyang Zhepa, Jamyang Zhepai Dorje ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 01 'jam dbyangs bzhad pa'i rdo rje, c.1648-1721).

In 1782, at the age twenty-one, he took the full ordination vow from the Second Jamyang Zhepa, who gave him the ordination name of Drakpa Gyeltsen.

He studied poetics under directions of Rikdra Lobzang Jigme (rigs grwa blo bzang 'jigs me, 1745-1792), who was the twenty-first throne holder of Labrang; Lobzang Nyendrak (blo bzang snyan grags, 1718-1800), the thirteenth throne holder; Konchok Jigme Wangpo (dkon mchog 'jigs med dbang po, 1728-1791), the eleventh throne holder, and Sonam Wanggyel (bsod nams dbang rgyal, 1726-1793), the fifteenth throne holder.

In 1783, with the financial support of the Second Jamyang Zhepa, Drakpa Gyeltsen went to Lhasa and enrolled in Gomang College (sgo mang grwa tshang) at Drepung ('bras spung) monastic university. There he studied under Kelzang Ngodrub (hor skal bzang dngos grub, d.u) and the Third Gungtang, Konchok Tenpai Dronme (gung thang 03 dkon mchog bstan pa'i sgron me, 1762-1823).

At the request of the Tibetan Government he took the abbacy of Chokhor Gyel (chos 'khor rgyal) in 1786, from which his title Gyel Khenpo (rgyal mkhan po) derives. Soon after he earned a Geshe Lharampa (dge bshes lha rams pa) degree.

He returned to Labrang in 1790 and administered monastic education. In 1801 he was appointed throne holder of the monastery, serving the post until 1804. Drakpa Gyeltsen organized the search for the reincarnation of the Second Jamyang Zhepa, helping to identify the Third Jamyang Zhepa, Tubten Jigme Gyatso ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 03 thub bstan 'jigs med rgya mtsho, 1792-1855), and enthroned him. It is important to note that the confirmation of the Third Jamyang Zhepa involved complex negotiations between the leaders of Labrang and the Qing Court, which insisted on the use of the "Golden Urn" to make the identification. Paul Nietupski points out that while the Qing-mandated ritual was indeed employed, the child selected was the same that the Tibetans had already determined to be the Third Jamyang Zhepa.

The remaining decades of his life were primarily spent in retreat, at a hermitage called Tashi Gepel (bkra shis dge 'phel) and other places. He also established a hermitage in Selung (gser lung). He briefly occupied the throne of Labrang a second time, although the years of his service are not available.

Among his most prominent students were the Seventieth Ganden Tripa, Ngawang Chopel (dga' lhan khri pa 70 ngag dbang chos 'phel, 1760-1839); the Third Detri, Jamyang Tubten Nyima (sde khri 03 'jam dbyangs thub bstan nyi ma, 1779-1862); and Ngawang Lobzang Tenpai Gyeltsen (ngag dbang blo bzang bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1770-1845), an influential Mongolian lama at the Qing Imperial Court.

He passed away in 1836, at the age seventy-six. His compositions were edited into six volumes and published by the Labrang Parkhang (bla brang par khang).