The Treasury of Lives

Sherab Gyatso (shes rab rgya mtsho) was born in 1803, the water-pig year of the thirteen sexagenary cycle, in Tsezhung (rtse gzhung) in eastern Amdo. He was born to a Mongolian family, said to belong to the lineage of the Gushri Khan. His father was named Nokho (noa'i kho) and his mother was named Tsinatar (tsi na thar)

At the age of seven he began to study reading and writing, both Tibetan and Mongolian, with his uncle Jesang Ngawang Duldzin (je sang ngag dbang 'dul 'dzin, d.u.). In the same year, the Third Jamyang Zhepa, Lobzang Tubten Jigme Gyatso (jam dbyangs bzhad pa 03 blo bzang thub bstan 'jigs med rgya mtsho, 1792-1855) was invited to Tsezhung by the local chief named Saching (sa ching). Sherab Gyatso's uncle put him forward to take ordination, at which point he also received some teachings and transmissions.

At the age of sixteen he went on pilgrimage to the Geluk monastic university of Labrang Tashikhyil (bla brang bkra shis 'khyil) in the company with some Mongolian businessmen from his village. There he received lay and novice vows from Dorampa Konchok Gendun (rdo rams pa dkon mchog dge 'dun, 1790-1858), the forty-fourth throne holder of the monastery. He enrolled in the Tosam College (thos bsam grwa tshang) on the tenth month of the same year and studied under Konchok Dondrub (dkon mchog don grub, d.u.). When he turned seventeen he took ordination vows from the Third Gungtang, Konchok Tenpai Dronme (gung thang 03 dkon mchog bstan pa'i sgron me, 1762-1823), who gave him the name Konchok Tendzin (dkon mchog bstan 'dzin).

He briefly served as secretary to Second Belmang, Konchok Gyeltsen (dbal mang 02 dkon mchog rgyal mtshan, 1764-1853), until the Third Jamyang Zhepa requested his services. At the age of twenty he began studying Prajñāpāramitā with Dorampa Konchok Wangchuk (rdo ram pa dkon mchog dbang phyug), the thirty-first throne holder of Labrang. When he turned twenty-four he studied Madhyamaka under the Third Gungtang and the Second Belmang, Konchok Gyeltsen (dbal mang dkon mchog rgyal mtshan, 1764-1853), who was the twenty-fourth throne holder of Labrang. He also attended courses in Abhidharmakośa. He studied poetry, grammar, and tantra with the Third Gungtang and Gyel Khenpo Drangpa Gyeltsen (rgyal mkhan po grang pa rgyal mtshan, 1762-1837), the twenty-third throne holder of Labrang. He also studied under the Second Amchok, Konchok Tenpai Gyeltsen (a mchog 02 dkon mchog bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1783-1848); the Third Detri, Jamyang Tubten Nyima (sde khri 03 thub bstan nyi ma, 1779-1862), who also was the thirtieth throne holder of Labrang.

At the age of twenty-eight he received full ordination from the Third Jamyang Zhepa, Lharampa Lobzang Chodzin (lha rams pa blo bzang chos 'dzin, d.u.), and Lushopa Lobzang Konchok (klu shod pa blo bzang dkon mchog, 1742/1743-1802/1803), the forty-fourth throne holder of Labrang. They gave him the name Sherab Gyatso.

He is remembered as a generous donor to his monastery, sponsoring the installation of statues of Tsongkhapa and other figures in multiple temples.

His compositions were collected in twenty manuscript volumes, with a printed edition in seven.