The Treasury of Lives

The Forty-ninth Ganden Tripa Lobzang Dargye (dga' ldan khri pa 49 blo bzang dar rgyas) was born at Aziktang in Chone, Amdo (mdo smad co ne'i a gzigs thang) in 1662, the water-tiger year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle. His father was called Hortsang Gonpo Samdrub (hor tshang mgon po bsam grub) and mother was named Lhaza Lhamo Chuk (lha bza' lha mo phyug).

At a young age he received the vows of primary monk (rab byung) from Duldzin Lodro Gyatso ('dul 'dzin blo gros rgya mtsho, the Forty-fourth Ganden Tripa?) and Khenchen Tabke Gyatso (mkhan chen thabs mkhas rgya mtsho, d.u.) and was given the name Lobzang Dargye. Later they taught him reading and writing, and memorization of prayer texts, and trained him in the necessary skills and tasks of a monk. He enrolled in Chone Shedrub Ling (co ne bshad sgrub gling) and learned ritual dance, chanting, basic art drawings of maṇḍalas and so forth.

At the age of twenty, Lobzang Dargye travelled to Lhasa and matriculated in the Zhungpa House of Sera Me College of the Sera Monastic University (se ra smad grwa tshang gi gzhung a khang tshan) near Lhasa. There he started his advanced education in logic and epistemology. He then studied various texts on Abhisamayālaṃkāra, Madhyamaka, Abhidharmakośa, Pramāṇavārttika and Vinaya, the major subjects of Geshe course in accordance with the Geluk monastic curriculum under the eminent teachers in the monastery.

Lobzang Dargye received the vows of novice monk (dge tshul) from Pabongkapa Ngawang Tendzin (pha bong kha pa ngag dbang bstan 'dzin, d.u.) who later gave him teachings. At the age of thirty-two he served as the general disciplinarian (dge bskos) of Sera Monastic University. At the age of thirty-five, in 1696, Lobzang Dargye received the vows of full ordination (dge slong) from Duldzin Chenpo Jamyang Drakpa ('dul 'dzin chen po 'jam dbyangs grags pa, d.u.).

Lobzang Dargye then enrolled in Gyuto College and studied the traditional courses in the four sections of tantra according to the Geluk tradition, together with related topics of rituals, drawings of maṇḍala, and other tantric performances according to the Gyuto tradition.

After the successful completion of his studies in advanced tantra, in 1698, at the age of thirty-seven, Lobzang Dargye was appointed to the chant leader (bla ma u mdzad) at Gyuto, the post generally held before ascending to the abbot's seat; two years later he was enthroned as abbot. He served the post for about nine years during which he gave extensive teachings. Besides his service in educational field he also enhanced the quality of the occasional meal-offerings to monks. Thereafter, at the age of forty-five, in 1706, Lobzang Dargye was enthroned to the seat of abbot of Shartse College of Ganden Monastic University.

In 1708, the year of earth-mouse of the twelfth sexagenary cycle, Lobzang Dargye was enthroned as the Forty-ninth Ganden Tripa, the post which he served for roughly eight years, giving teachings and leading religious activities. He supervised the construction of new temples, commissioned statues and other many objects of faith in the monastery, and had erected a number of huge prayer-flag poles around the Ganden Monastery. He had built a large three-level assembly hall supported by hundred and eighty pillars, with balconies in the upper levels and stable in the bottom level. There is some uncertainty about the dates of his tenure on the Golden Throne. According to some sources Lobzang Dargye served for six years, from 1707 to 1712. One biography has it that he ascended to the throne at the age of forty-nine, in 1708 that do not match if he were born in 1662 as mentioned in the same biography. It also mentions his service as Ganden Tripa for eight years, which is unlikely since from the time of the Thirty-sixth Tripa the post was restricted to seven years, and his successor took charge in 1714.

Lobzang Dargye also served as patron-lama at Sang Ngag Khar (gsang sngags mkhar), Rinchen Ling (rin chen gling), and Dakpo Dratsang (dwags po grwa tshang) by giving teachings and guiding them in their important dharma projects and activities. He is the first in line of lineage holders of the Dakpo Monastery (dwags po dgon pa). In 1720, the year of iron-mouse, Trichen Lobzang Dargye was appointed as personal tutor to the Seventh Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 07 bskal bzang rgya mtsho, 1708-1757). He served the Dalai Lama for about four years, teaching mainly philosophical courses starting from logic through to the last chapter of Abhisamayālaṃkāra.

According to sources, the main teacher of Trichen Lobzang Dargye was the Forty-seventh Ganden Tripa, Lobzang Chopel (dga' ldan khri pa 47 blo bzang chos 'phel, d.u.). Among his other disciples were the Fifty-first Ganden Tripa, Trichen Pelden Drakpa (dga' ldan khri pa 51 khri chen dpal ldan grags pa, d.1729).

In 1723, the year of water-hare in the twelfth sexagenary cycle, at the age of sixty-two, Trichen Lobzang Dargye passed into nirvana. A silver reliquary was built as part of the nirvana-prayer and installed in Dakpo Namgyel Ling Monastery.