The Treasury of Lives

The Ninety-Fourth Ganden Tripa, Lhundrub Tsondru (dga' ldan khri pa 94 lhun grub brtson 'grus) was born at Shang Namling (shangs rnam gling) in Tsang some time in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Details of his birth and parents are not known. At a young age he was admitted in the local monastery, Shang Ganden Chokhor (shangs dga' ldan chos 'khor dgon) where he presumably received his monastic vows and basic education and training in the religious life. Some sources also have it that Lhundrub Tsondru was born at Karchok Pangpur (dkar cog spang spur), on the border of Rong (rong) and Yakde (g.yag sde).

In his youth Lhundrub Tsondru matriculated in the Tsangpa House of Sera Je College of the Sera Monastic University (ser byes gtsang pa khang tshan) where began his studies with logic and epistemology, before moving on to the major texts of Abhisamayālaṃkāra, Madhyamaka, Abhidharmakośa, Pramāṇavārttika, and Vinaya, the five main subjects in the Geluk monastic curriculum. After years of study he attained the Geshe Lharampa (dge bshes lha ram pa) degree in the top rank.

He then enrolled in Gyume College (rgyud smad grwa tshang) to study the tantric scriptures and train in rites and rituals according to the Gyume tradition, and earned the title Ngakrampa (sngags rams pa), Master of Tantra. Thereafter he first served as the disciplinarian for few months followed by chant-leader/head of education (bla ma dbu mdzad) and then as abbot, each for three years, after which he was promoted to the post of Jangtse Choje (byang rtse chos rje) at Ganden Jangtse College, placing him in line to ascend to the Golden Throne of Ganden.

Probably in early 1940, the iron-dragon year of the sixteenth sexagenary cycle, Lhundrub Tsondru was elevated to the Golden Throne as the Ninety-fourth Ganden Tripa and he served the post for customary tenure of seven years, until 1946. He gave teachings and led religious ceremonies and festivals including the Lhasa Monlam Chenmo held annually for twenty-one days in the first month of the year.

He retired in 1946, probably late in the year, and was succeeded by Tashi Tongtun (bkra shis stong thun). Lhundrub Tsondru passed into nirvana in 1949, the earth-ox year of the sixteenth sexagenary cycle, a few years after the retirement.