The Treasury of Lives

The Fourth Chonyi Gyatso, Jampel Dorje (chos nyid rgya mtsho sku 'phreng 04 'jam dpal rdo rje) was born in Litang (li thang), a vast highlands area in southern Kham in the nineteenth century.

His teachers included the Second Katok Situ, Chokyi Lodro (kaH thog si tu 02 chos kyi blo gros, 1820-1879), Konchok Chopel (lcam sprul dkon mchog chos 'phel, d.u.), Sonam Pelden (rig 'dzin bsod nams dpal ldan, d.u.), and the Third Drime Zhingkyong, Jigme Yonten Gonpo (dri med zhing skyong 03 'jigs med yon tan mgon po, d. 1898).

He spent the majority of his life at Katok furthering Katok's distinctive traditions of initiations, instructions, and rituals of the Kama and Terma. It is said he had visions of many tutelary deities and was able to dispatch certain deities to further his enlightened activities.