The Treasury of Lives

Zilnon Wangchuk (zil mnon dbang phyug) was born in the prominent family of Lhagyari (lha rgya ri) in Lhokha. They were the local rulers of Eyul (e yul), situated between Yarlung (yar klung) and Dakpo (dwags po) in central Tibet. The family claims descent from the Pugyel (spu rgyal) emperors of Yarlung (yar klung) through King Namde Osung (gnam lde 'od srungs, b.842), the son of King Tri Udumtsen (khri ur dum btsan, r.836-842), also known as Langdarma.

Zilnon Wangchuk became the twelfth head of the family, following Dechen Trinle Rolpa (bde chen 'phrin las rol pa, 18th c.), whose kinship relation to Zilnon is not recorded although he was likely Zilnon's father. Zilnon Wangchuk married Deden Wangmo (bde ldan dbang mo), the daughter of Lukhangpa Tsewang Gyurme (klu khang pa tshe dbang 'gyur med, 19th century). They had at least four children, of whom the oldest son, Tri Songwanggyel (P8LS4346 khri srong dbang rgyal, 19th c.) would become the thirteenth head of the family. The others were Kham Nyidrak Rinpoche (kham nyi brag rin po che, d.u.), a son named Pema (pad+ma, d.u.) who became a scholar, and yet another unnamed son who went as a bridegroom to the family of the Fifth Jamyang Zhepa, Lobzang Jamyang Yeshe Tenpai Gyeltsen (blo bzang 'jam dbyangs ye shes bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1916-1947) in Amdo.

Since the time of Lha Tsering Pelbar (lha tshe ring dpal 'bar, 18th c.), the family had begun to mine in Eyul which had rich gold deposits. During his administration of Zilnon Wangchuk the family produced an edition of the Kagyur (bka' 'gyur) and Tengyur (bstan 'gyur) written in golden ink. He also constructed, to the north of Rigo Tashi Chodzong Castle (ri sgo bkra shis chos rdzong) at a place called Budel (bu del), a temple of Vairocana surrounded by the eight bodhisattvas. He built a statue of Padmasambhava (pad+ma 'byung gnas, 8th c.) and Tangton Gyelpo (thang stong rgyal po, 1361-1486) in a cave facing Zangmo mountain where Tangton Gyelpo was said to have meditated.