Drakpa Wozer (grags pa 'od zer) was born in Changkya (lcang skya) village in the Tsongka (tsong kha) region in Amdo. The year of his birth is not known. A tree is said to mark the where a drop of blood from the cutting of this umbilical chord dropped to the ground, a story that clearly parallels the birth story of Tsongkhapa, which became part of the founding legend of Kumbum Monastery (sku 'bum).
At a very early age, he received the novice monastic vows and matriculated in Gonlung Jampa Ling (dgon lung byams pa gling), one of the oldest and largest Geluk monasteries in Amdo. There he began his Buddhist studies under the guidance of the First Gonlung Trichen, Sumpa Damcho Gyatso (sum pa dam chos rgya mtsho, d. 1651).
He later traveled to U-Tsang for further studies, and enrolled in Gomang College (sgo mang grwa tshang) of Drepung Monastery ('bras spungs). He also studied at Ngamring (ngam ring) Monastery and there received the title of Rabjampa (rab 'byams pa).
Back in Amdo, in 1630, he ascended to the abbacy of Gonlung monastery and served for three years as the sixth abbot of the monastery. After his retirement he was invited to give philosophic teachings at Tangring Monastery, Ganden Shedrub Ling (thang ring dgon dga' ldan bshad sgrub gling), which was founded a decade earlier, in 1619, by the Thirty-seventh Ganden Tripa, Gendun Rinchen Gyeltsen (dga' ldan khri chen 37 dge 'dun rin chen rgyal mtshan, 1571-1642).
During this period he spent some years in a retreat at Dentik (dan tig), after which he returned to Gonlung to teach.
He passed away in 1641.
Bibliography
Bstan pa bstan 'dzin. 2003. Sde khri rin po che blo bzang don grub sku phreng rim byon. In Chos sde chen po dpal ldan 'bras spungs bkra shis sgo mang grwa tshang gi chos 'byung dung g.yas su 'khyil ba'i sgra dbyangs, pp. 1-21. Mundgod: Dpal ldan 'bras spungs bkra shis sgo mang dpe mdzod khang, p. 20.
Grags pa 'byung gnas and Rgyal ba blo bzang mkhas grub. 1992. Gangs can mkhas grub rim byon ming mdzod. Lanzhou: Kan su'u mi rigs dpe skrun khang, pp. 526-527. TBRC W19801.
Bstan pa bstan ‘dzin. 2003. Chosde chen po dpal ldan ’bras spungs bkra shis sgo mang grwa tshang gi chos ’byung dung dkar gyas su ‘khyil ba’i sgra dbyangs. Vol.1. p.526-527 Dpal ldan ’bras spungs bkra shis sgo mang dpe mzhod khang.