The Treasury of Lives

Kunga Wangchuk (kun dga' dbang phyug) was born in 1418, the earth-dog year. His parents were the Seventeenth Sakya Tridzin, Lodro Gyeltsen (blo gros rgyal mtshan), and his wife Machik Drelmo Kyi (ma gcig sgral mo skyid).

He studied with the Sakya teachers of his day, particularly those associated with the Zhitok Labrang (gzhi thog bla brang), and with a focus on the Lamdre (lam 'bras) teachings, for which he was later known.

With the support of the ruler of Gyelkartse (rgyal mkhar rtse) he took firm control of the Zhitok Labrang, the residence of the throne holders of Sakya, the Sakya Tridzin (sa skya khri 'dzin). He is counted as the Fourth Throne Holder of the labrang, and was elevated in 1442 to the throne of Sakya as the Nineteenth Sakya Tridzin.

Kunga Wangchuk is known for the restoration of a small protector temple named Khau Kyele (kha'u skyes lhas). The temple apparently had been regarded as cursed, and several other people had failed to rehabilitate it in the past.

He is said to have had many disciples, but their names are not recorded. He had no children.

He passed away at the age of forty-five in the water horse year of 1462.