The Treasury of Lives

Jamyang Tubten Nyima, the Third Detri (sde khri 03 'jam dbyangs thub bstan nyi ma) was born in Pelen Nāgan (pe len nA rgan) in Tsezhung (rtse gzhung), Amdo, in 1779, the earth-pig year of thirteenth sexagenary cycle. His parents were Mongolian; their names as recorded in Tibetan sources were Ngawang Puntsok (ngag dbang phun tshogs) and Lhamokyi (lha mo skyid).  A local tantric practitioner named him Tamdrin Kyab (rta mgrin skyabs). Legend has it, however, that as he grew he cried when people called him this name, saying “this is not my deity” (Tamdrin is the Tibetan for Heyagriva). Alternately, some sources report his birth name as Rinchen Dorje (rin chen rdo rje).

At the age of five he went to a public audience with the Second Jamyang Zhepa, Konchok Jigme Wangpo ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 02 'jigs med dkon mchog dbang po, 1728-1791). Jamyang Zhepa, seeing that the boy was weeping, asked him who he was. The child replied that he was Detri, thus identifying himself as the reincarnation of the Second Detri, Jigme Lungrik Gyatso (sde khri 02 'jigs med lung rigs rgya mtsho, 1748-1778). After monastic leaders put him through traditional tests, the Jamyang Zhepa affirmed the identification. He was enthroned at Labrang Tashikhyil (bla brang bkra shis 'khyil) at the age of six, and given the ordination name of Jamyang Tubten Nyima. He started reading, writing and prayers under instruction from Pari Jigme Damcho (dpa' ris 'jigs med dam chos, d.u.).

Beginning at the age of nine he received tantric empowerments from the Second Jamyang Zhepa and the Third Gungtang, Konchok Tenpai Dronme (gung thang 03 dkon mchog bstan pa'i sgron me, 1762-1823). At eleven he was enrolled at Labrang and started his formal education in Buddhist Studies. He received novice vows and further teachings from the Third Gungtang at the age of fourteen. He also received various teachings from Konchok Dechen (dkon mchog bde chen, 1737-1796) and the Second Belmang, Konchok Gyeltsen (P176 dpal mang 02 dkon mchog rgyal mtshan, 1764-1853).

In 1798, at the age of twenty, he received full ordination from the Third Gungtang. He was then in the Madhyamaka class at the college. He applied to go to Lhasa for further studies as was customary for promising Geluk scholars and incarnate lamas from Amdo. The Third Gungtang, however, sent him to Wutai Shan (ri bo rtse lnga, 清凉山), the sacred mountain in northern China, which was a center for Geluk activity as well as Tibetan, Chinese, and Mongolian exchange.

At Wutai Shan he received Kālacakra initiation from Ngawang Dondrub (ngag dbang don grub, d.u), and teachings from Gomang Khenchen Lobzang Chodar (sgo mang mkhan chen blo bzang chos dar, 1732-1812), Jigme Rigpai Sengge ('jigs med rig pa'i seng+ge, d.u) and Drakpa Gyeltsen (rgyal mkhan po grags pa rgyal mtshan, 1762-1835/1837). At some point around this time he served as abbot of Tsagen Peshing (tsha gan pe shing) monastery for about two years.

At the age of thirty he went to Beijing, visiting the Yonghegong temple and other sites. He also traveled to Mongolia and border areas where he received empowerments from lamas such as the Third Akyā, Lobzang Jamyang Gyatso (a kyA 03 blo bzang 'jam dbyangs rgya mtsho, 1768-1816), the fortieth abbot of Kumbum Jampel Ling Monastery (sku 'bum byams pa gling); and Lobzang Tenpel (blo bzang bstan 'phel, d.u).

In Mongolia he established Dolon Bulak (do lon bu lag) Monastery and a Kālacakra college at Horchen Parle (hor chen par le) Monastery. He returned to Wutai Shan for retreat, and there met the Fourth Changkya, Yeshe Tenpai Gyeltsen (lcang skya 04 ye shes bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1787-1846). He returned to Labrang in 1822, as he turned to forty years old, at the request of the Third Gungtang. He gave teachings and organized the construction of a new temple. After the Third Gungtang’s death in the same year he organized the funeral ceremony. In 1822 he was made the thirtieth throne holder of the monastery.

He returned to Mongolia in 1826 and established the Hevajra (or Hayagrīva?) College at Horchen Parle and translated some of Khedrubje Gelek Pelzang's (mkhas grub rje dge legs dpal bzang, 1385-1438) compositions into Mongolian.

As he turned fifty-eight years old, he was invited to Rongwo Monastery, Gonchen Tosam Namgyel Ling (rong bo dgon chen thos bsam rnam rgyal gling) where he met the Fourth Rongwo Drubchen, Lobzang Chodrak Gyatso (rong bo grub chen 04 blo bzang chos grags rgya mtsho, 1795-1843) to whom he gave the Kālacakra initiation. He later gave the empowerment to the Fifth Changkya, Yeshe Tenpai Nyima (lcang skya 05 ye shes bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1849-1874). He made yet another trip to Wutai Shan and then on to Beijing where he gave teachings at Yonghegong to the young lamas there, including the Fourth Akyā, Yeshe Khedrub Gyatso (a kyA 04 ye shes mkhas grub rgya mtsho, 1817-1869). Other important students not mentioned above included the Fourth Chubzang, Lobzang Tubten Rabgye (chu bzang 04 blo bzang thub bstan rab rgyas, 1797-1858) and the Fourth Tukwan Lobzang Shedrub Gyatso (thu'u bkwan 04 blo bzang bshad sgrub rgya mtsho, d.1826).

Following the death of the Third Jamyang Zhepa in 1855, the Third Detri authenticated the identification of his reincarnation, the Fourth Jamyang Zhepa, Kelzang Tubten Wangchuk ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 04 skal bzang thub bstan dbang phyug, 1856-1919).

In 1858 he was given the title of Sertri (ser khri), or "golden throne holder," an honorific traditionally reserved for lamas who have held administrative office in Lhasa, which the Third Detri had not done. This was testament to the esteem in which he was held at Labrang as well as to the Mongolian supporters of the monastery.

At the age of sixty-eight, he finalized the establishment of Shitsang Gonsar (shis tshang dgon gsar), the seat of his incarnation line, as a branch of Labrang.

He passed away at the age of eight-four, in 1862. His compositions were collected in six volumes and printed at Labrang monastery.