The Treasury of Lives

Jedrung Miyowa Zhonnu Lodro (rje drung mi g.yo ba gzhon nu blo gros) was born in the fire-snake year of the eighth sexagenary cycle, the year 1497, in Arvor Takdem Shi ('ar 'aur ltag ldem gshis). It is said that in his youth he asserted that he was the reincarnation of a teacher named Kuton Sonam Drakpa (khu ston bsod nams grags pa) and showed some power of natural clairvoyance and small miracles such as forming votive offerings (tsa tsa) in water.

Zhonnu Lodro was brought up in the Arvoor Monastery and then admitted in the Loseling College of Drepung Monastery ('bras spung blo gsal gling grwa tshang). He studied under a number of great masters including Gendun Gyatso (dge 'dun rgya tsho, 1475–1542), who was posthumously identified as the Second Dalai Lama, and Wensapa Lobzang Dondrub (dben sa pa blo bzang dun grub, 1505-1568), who was posthumously identified as the Third Paṇchen Lama (according to one ennumeration system). Because of his highly distinguished scholarship in both sutra and tantra, he was honored with the title Paṇchen Miyowa (pAn chen mi g.yo ba), meaning The Great Unshakable Scholar.

Zhonnu Lodro wrote several texts including A General Commentary on Prajnaparmita (phar phyin gyi spyi don) with appendices and supplementary. He spent most of his time in scholarly works.

Jedrung Miyowa Zhonnu Lodro was invited to succeed Jedrung Kunga Pelden (rje drung kun dga' dpal ldan, 1457-1540), the sixth abbot of the Geluk monastery Chamdo Jampa Ling (chab mdo byams pa gling) in Chamdo in Kham. He politely refused the request. However, Jedrung Ngakrampa Gendun Tashi (rje drung sngags ram pa dge 'dun bkra shis, 1486-1557), the eighth abbot of the monastery successfully invited him to succeed him. Gendun Tashi invited Zhonnu Lodro to the consecration ceremony of a statue of the Buddha he had commissioned, and the enthronement took place at that time, in 1553. Zhonnu Lodro was fifty-seven at the time.

Soon after his enthronement Zhonnu Lodro reviewed and reformed the monastery's code of discipline. He is remembered as a skillful administrator and a strict disciplinarian who encouraged the monks to study the Indian and Tibetan classics and taught them accordingly. During his tenure there was a considerable development in monastic educations and all five monastic houses produced many outstanding scholars.

At the age of sixty-four, after eight years of serving as abbot, in the iron-monkey year of the ninth sexagenary cycle, Zhonnu Lodro appointed Jedrung Sherab Wangpo (rje drung she rab dbang po, d. 1586) as his successor on the abbatial throne. He gave teachings and initiations to Sherab Wangpo on topics such as the Vimalaprabhā, a comprehensive commentary on the Kālacakra, and made auspicious prayers for the success of his dharma activities. Thereafter, he returned to his hometown for meditation and retreats. He sent whatever offerings or donations he received there at his hermitage to the Gelukpa monasteries in U and Tsang and Chamdo for distribution to the monks and also for maintenance of temples and so forth.

At the age of sixty-eight, in the wood-mouse year of the ninth sexagenary cycle, the year 1564, Zhonnu Lodro passed away. Relics and images found in the ashes of his cremation, as well as his head and tongue were put in the statue of Amitabha built in his memory in Ganden Monastery outside of Lhasa.