Karma Lhawang (karma lha dbang) was born in the middle of eighteenth century, in Achok (a mchog) area of the Pelyul (dpal yul) region, Kham. He was a relative of the founder of Pelyul Monastery, Rigdzin Kunzang Sherab (rig 'dzin kun bzang she rab, 1638-1698).
He received a basic education and then joined Pelyul, where he studied under the guidance of his relative, the First Karma Kuchen, Karma Tashi (karma sku chen 01 karma bkra shis, 1728-1790), who served as the fourth throne holder of the monastery.
Karma Tashi assigned him as his successor on the throne of Pelyul, and he is listed as one of two men to hold the title of fifth throne holder. However, he appears to have been more interested in entering retreat, and so administration was left to others, chief among them his relatives Asam (a sam) and Lama Wangchuk (bla ma dbang phyug), who was posthumously identified as the First Wonpo Wangchuk (dbon po dbang phyug). Following his death Karma Dondam (karma don dam) took the throne, and is also listed as the fifth throne holder.
The First Gyatrul Rinpoche, Dongak Tendzin (rgya sprul 01 mdo sngags bstan 'dzin, 1830-1892) identified his reincarnation in the person of Jamyang Sherab Chokyi Nangwa ('jam dbyangs shes rab chos kyi nang ba, 1854-1893) and gave him the title Pelyul Choktrul (dpal yul mchog sprul).
Bibliography
Mu po. 2004. Dan rabs 05 mkhas grub karma lha dbang dang 'khrul zhig karma don dam. In Dpal yul rnam rgyal byang chub chos gling, pp. 58-59. Beijing: Mi rigs dpe skrun khang. TBRC W27022.
Tsering Lama Jampal Zangpo. 1988. A Garland of Immortal Wish-Fulfilling Trees: The Palyul Tradition of Nyingmapa. Trans. Sangye Khandro. Ithaca: Snow Lion. pp. 84-85.