The Treasury of Lives

The Sixty-fourth Ganden Tripa, Lobzang Tashi (dga' ldan khri pa 64 blo bzang bkra shis) was born in Trehor (tre hor) in Kham in 1739, the earth-sheep year of the twelfth sexagenary cycle. The name of his father was Pema Tsering (pad ma tshe ring) and his mother was called Bumo Chok (bumo mchog).

At the age of eight Lobzang Tashi was admitted to Trehor Dargye Monastery (tre hor dar rgyas dgon), a major Geluk monastery outside of Kandze (dkar mdzes) that had been founded in 1548 by Jedrung Sherab Wangpo (rje drung shes rab dbang po, 1500-1586). There he was taught reading, writing, poetry, and other subjects.

Lobzang Tashi received the vows of primary ordination (rab byung) followed by those of the novice monk from Trehor Lobzang Tendrel (tre hor blo bzang rten 'brel, d.u.) who later gave him many teachings. At the age of twenty he travelled to Lhasa and matriculated in the Trehor House of Sera Je College of the Sera Monastic University (ser byes tre hor khang tshan). There he studied logic and epistemology and related topics, and then Abhisamayālaṃkāra, Madhyamaka, Abhidharmakośa, Pramāṇavārttika, and Vinaya, the five major subjects of the Geshe course of studies in the Geluk monastic curriculum, under several eminent teachers including Khedrub Jampa Monlam (mkhas grub byams pa smon lam, d.u.). After his successful examination Lobzang Tashi received title of Geshe Lharampa (dge bshes lha ram pa), the highest degree awarded by the Geluk tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Sixth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Pelden Yeshe (paN chen bla ma 06 blo bzang dpal ldan ye shes, 1738-1780) granted Lobzang Tashi the vows of a fully ordained monk (bhikṣu) at the age of twenty-five, and later the Paṇchen Lama gave him commentarial transmission of Lamrim Duton (lam rim bsdus don) and teachings on Lamrim Delam (lam rim bde lam), as well as empowerments on Yamāntaka, Cakrasaṃvara, and Guhyasamāja. He also received commentarial teachings, transmissions, and empowerments on the Eight Great Commentaries on Tantra according to the system of Gyume College (dpal ldan smad rgyud lugs kyi khrid chen brgyad) and other important tantric texts from a number of tantric scholar and teachers including Drakri Ngawang Dondrub (brag ri ngag dbang don grub, d.u.), Longdol Lama Ngawang Lobzang (klong rdol bla ma rin po che ngag dbang blo bzang, 1719-1794), and Lobzang Nyandrak (blo bzang snyan grags, d.u.).

It was customary for a Geshe Lharampa who aspired to someday occupy the Golden Throne of Ganden to join either of the tantric colleges, Gyume (rgyud smad grwa tshang) or Gyuto (rgyud stod grwa tshang) in Lhasa. At the age of thirty-three Geshe Lobzang Tashi enrolled in Gyume. There he studied the texts, rites and rituals, and basic drawings related to tantric performances under a number of outstanding teachers including Khenchen Ngawang Pelden (mkhan chen ngag dbang dpal ldan, d.u.).

After successfully completing the courses, followed by the traditional examination in tantra, Lobzang Tashi was appointed as the chant leader (bla ma dbu mdzad), serving as the educational head of the monastery, at the age of thirty-seven. Ten years later he was made abbot of Gyume Monastery. Subsequently at the age of forty-nine Lobzang Tashi was enthroned to the seat of abbot of Ganden Jangtse Monastery. He served these monasteries by giving comprehensive teachings and leading the religious activities maintaining their traditions intact. Later Lobzang Tashi also gave many teachings on both sutra and tantra at a number of monasteries such as Yonghegong Monastery in Beijing (pe cin gyi gyung dgon), Ngacho Monastery (dar mdo lnga mchod dgon pa) in Dartsedo (dar rtse mdo), Batang Chode Ganden Pendeling ('ba' thang chos sde dga' ldan phan bde gling), Litang Tubchen Jampa Ling (lit hang thub chen byams pa gling), and Zeto Monastery (rdzi mtho dgon).

At the age of fifty-six, in 1794, the wood-tiger year of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle, Lobzang Tashi ascended to the Golden Throne of Ganden as the Sixty-fourth Ganden Tripa. He served the post for the traditional seven years, from 1794 to 1800. During his tenure, in addition to giving extensive teachings, he renovated the General Assembly Hall and the entrance-porch of Ganden. He also commissioned many objects of faith that representing the body, speech, and mind of the Buddha.

Sources also mentioned that Lobzang Tashi visited Beijing as part of the Tibetan mission to the Manchu Court in relation to Qing involvement in repelling the invading Nepali Gurkha army. Details are not currently available, and it is not clear whether this would have been before the Qing intervened or after. It is possible he went with the former minister, Doring Tendzin Peljor (rdo ring bstan 'dzin dpal 'byor, b. 1760).

Trichen Lobzang Tashi passed away at the age of sixty-three in 1801, the iron-bird year of the thirteenth sexagenary, at Tritokkhang (khri thog khang), the residence of Ganden Tripas in Lhasa. Cremation and nirvana-prayer was done with rites and rituals as per the tradition. A reliquary was installed in Sera Je Monastery.

Gendun Tsultrim (dga' ldan khri pa 65 khri chen dge 'dun tshul khrims, 1744-1807) born in Gyaltang in Kham in 1744, the wood-mouse year of the twelfth sexagenary cycle, succeeded Trichen Lobzang Tashi as the Sixty-fifth Ganden Tripa.