The Treasury of Lives

The Third Chesho, Lobzang Jangchub Tenpai Dronme was born in Tsongkha (tsong kha) area, near Kumbum (sku 'bum) monastery, in 1861, the iron-bird year of the fourteenth sexagenary cycle. His father, a tantric practitioner, was named Ngakchang Wanggyel (sngags 'chang dbang rgyal) and his mother was named Kato (ka to). His parents named him Rinchen Dondrub (rin chen don 'grub).

At the age of three, on fifth day of first month in the water-pig year, Wonchung Choje Jamyang Chopel (dbon chung chos rje 'jam dbyangs chos 'phel, d.u.) and Dadrang (zla grangs), the steward of the Fourth Tashul, Gendun Chokyong Gyatso (thar shul 04 dge 'dun chos skyong rgya mtsho. 1810-1884/1888), recognized him as the reincarnation of the Second Chesho, Ngawang Shedrub Tenpai Nyima (ngag dbang bshad sgrub bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1787-1859).

That same year he received the lay vows from Arik Geshe Monlam Zangpo Rinchen (a rig dge bshes smon lam bzang bo rin chen, d.u.), who gave him the name Lobzang Tenpai Gyeltsen (blo bzang bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan). At the age of seven he was enthroned at Kumbum on the seat of his predecessor by Akya Zhabdrung Lobzang Ngawang Tendzin (a kyA zhabs drung blo bzang ngag dbang bstan 'dzin, d.u.). He was then given novice monastic vows by Kachupa Jangchub Rinchen (dka 'cu pa dbang chub rin chen, 1798-176), the thirty-eighth throne holder of the medical college at Kumbum, who gave him the name Lobzang Jangchub Tenpai Dronme.

At Kumbum he began his initial education in reading, writing and memorization of daily prayers under the guidance of Geshe Lobzang Chojor (dge bshes blo bzang chos 'byor, d.u.) and his uncle, Lobzang Puntsok (blo bzang phun tshogs, d.u.). He also studied with the previous Chesho's domestic chaplain, Tritse Tenpa Dargye (khri tse bstan pa dar rgyas).

When he was eight years old Mongolian troops severely damaged the monastery and Lobzang Jangchub fled together with other monks, spending about a year at Ditsa (ldi tsha) Monastery. He returned to Kumbum at the request of Jamyang Chopel, receiving teachings at that time from Kachupa Jangchub Rinchen. He then traveled to Mongolia where he met an important patron, Aba Gawang (a ba g+h wang).

At the age of eleven, Lobzang Jangchub Tenpai Dronme received teachings from the Sixth Tukwan, Shedrub Gyatso (thu'u bkwan 06 bshad sgrub rgya mtsho, 1839-1894) in Chahar (cha har), Mongolia. The following year he went on pilgrimage to Wutai Shan (ri bo rtse lnga, 清凉山), the Chinese mountain sacred to Mañjūśrī in Shanxi that was a center of Tibetan religious activity in China.

Around at the age of thirteen he went to U-Tsang, passing through Chengdu in Sichuan, and Dartsedo (dar rtse mdo) and Litang (li thang) in Kham. In Lhasa he had audiences with many Geluk lamas including the Twelfth Dalai Lama, Trinle Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 12 'phrin las rgya mtsho, 1856-1875) and the Eighth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Tenpai Wangchuk (paN chen bla ma 08 blo bzang bstan pa'i dbang phyug, 1855-1882) at Tashilhunpo (bkra shis lhun po) monastery in Shigatse. There he retook his lay and novice vows with the Third Purchok, Jampa Gyatso (phur lcogs 03 byams pa rgya mtsho, 1825-1901), who was one of official preceptors of both the Twelfth and the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 13 thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1876-1933).

In 1875, at the age of fourteen, he returned to Amdo and the following year began his advanced studies at Kumbum under Lobzang Nyima (blo bzang nyi ma), earning the degree of menrampa (sman rams pa).

At the age of twenty-three, in 1883, he became an instructor of the Kālacakra College at Kumbum monastery. The following year he was installed as the abbot of the Tantric college.

In 1889, at the age of the twenty-eight, he became the seventy-first throne holder of Kumbum. In the same year he returned to U-Tsang to further his education, studying with more than ten prominent Buddhist scholars including the Third Purchok, who also gave him full monastic vows. At Tashilhunpo he attended the installation of the Ninth Paṇchen, Lobzang Tubten Chokyi Nyima (paN chen 06 blo bzang chos kyi nyi ma, 1883-1937).

In his remainder years he spent most of his time teaching in Mongolia, U-Tsang, Amdo and China. His composition, on topics such as medicine and monastic codes, were collected in five volumes.

He passed way at the age of seventy three, in 1933, the water-bird year of the sixteenth sexagenary cycle.