The Treasury of Lives

The First Detri, Lobzang Dondrub (sde khri 01 blo bzang don grub) was born in Trika (khri ka), Amdo, in 1673, the water-ox year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle. His father was named Genyin (dge bsnyen). It is said that even as an infant he would spontaneously bow whenever he saw a religious building, and, when he saw a beggar, would weep and give whatever he had in his hands.

When he turned six he matriculated at Lamo Dechen (bla mo bde chen) monastery in Chentsa (gcan tsha) where he studied Tibetan writing, reading and some other relevant prayers with an uncle there, whose name is not known.

As a youth, it is said that he had a recurring dream in which a white man led him west to Lhasa and gave him a tour of the city's monastery's and temples. Although his family was poor, when he reached the age of sixteen a sister was able to send him to Lhasa on pilgrimage and sponsor his studies there. He enrolled in Gomang college of Drepung monastic university, initially studying under Gendun Puntsok, who served as the Fiftieth Ganden Tripa (dga' ldan khri pa dge 'dun phun tshogs, d.u.). He then studied philosophy with  Dondrub Gyatso, who served as the Forty-eight Ganden Tripa, (dga' ldan khri pa 48 don grub rgya mtsho, d.u.) and other relevant courses from Gomang Lobpon Kunga Ozer (sgo mang slob dpon kun dga' 'od zer, d.u.). It was said that he memorized texts effortlessly, and could recite scriptures all night long.

Due to his accomplishments, at the command of his teacher Kunga Ozer, when he was twenty-five he joined the debating program during the Lhasa Monlam festival, where all the monks of the three monastic universities gathered, and distinguished himself with his performance, earning a Geshe Lharampa (dge bshes lha ram pa) degree. During this time, he received requests from his homeland to return, but he declined, and instead pursued tantric practice.

At Gomang he came to the attention of the Regent, Sanggye Gyatso (sde srid sangs rgyas rgya mtsho, 1653-1705), and became an attendant to the Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso (tA la'i bla ma 06 tshangs dbyangs rgya mtsho, 1683-1706). At the age twenty eight he was assigned the treasurer for Jamyang Zhepai Dorje ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa'i rdo rje, 1648-1721/1722), the abbot of Gomang College. During this time, the Regent was attempting to replace the textbooks of Paṇchen Sonam Drakpa (paN chen bsod nams grags pa, 1478-1554) with those of the Fifth Dalai Lama, and to refute his teachings, part of a systemic repression of the influence of Drepung's founder Drakpa Gyeltsen (paN chen grags pa rgyal mtshan, 1374-1434). Lobzang Dondrub organized the monks at Gomang to apply to Jamyang Zhepa to write another textbook for the courses, in cooperation with two regents of the Gomang at the time. The text written at the time was widely used in monasteries in Amdo, and called the Gomang Textbook.

During his tenure as the regent at Gomang, Jamyang Zhepa was a strong ally of Lhazang Khan, the Quoshot Mongolian ruler who then controlled Tibet with the backing of the Manchu Dynasty. When Lhazang and Sanggye Gyatso fell into conflict, Jamyang Zhepa, and Lobzang Dondrub supported the Mongolian, refusing to attend meetings with the Regent.

In 1709 Lobzang Dondrub returned to Amdo in the company of Jamyang Zhepa. He assisted his teacher in establishing Labrang Tashikhyil (bla brang bkra shis 'khyil) in 1709, overseeing the monastic rules and teaching from the Gomang Textbook.

Following the death of the First Jamyang Zhepa, in 1721, both Detri and his close colleague Ngawang Tashi (ngag dbang bkra shis, 1678-1738), who was posthumously known as the First Setsang (bse btshang), backed separate candidates for his reincarnation. Although Ngawang Tashi was then the throne holder of Labrang, it was Detri's candidate, Konchok Jigme Wangpo (dkon mchog 'jigs med dbang po, 1728-1791) that won out, and was declared the Second Jamyang Zhepa. He was enthroned only after Ngawang Tashi passed away in 1738, however, and the Detri took the throne of Labrang, in 1739.

In 1723, following the death of the Kangxi Emperor, Mongolian tribes and Tibetans in the Tso-ngon region rebelled against Qing rule there. The Qing responded with intensity, destroying scores of villages and monasteries, including Serkhok and Gonlung Jampa Ling. Many prominent lamas and officials were killed and imprisoned, but due to Lobzang Dondrub's negotiations, Labrang was spared.

During his tenure on the throne of  Labrang he trained dozens of students, including Jamyang Tenpai Nyima ('jam dbyangs bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1686-1738); Sherab Dorje (shes rab rdo rje, 1711-1784); Gendun Gyatso (dge 'dun rgya mtsho, 1662-1737); Sonam Wanggyel, later the fifteenth throne holder of Labrang (bsod nams dbang rgyal, 1726-1793); Tsultrim Tendzin Gyatso (tshul khrims bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, 1722-1793).

Lobzang Dondrub passed away in 1746.