The Treasury of Lives

The Fourth Gyara Tulku, Lobzang Tendzin Trinle (rgya ra sprul sku 04 blo bzang bstan 'dzin 'phrin las), was born in Langrong Netramo (glang rong gnas phra mo) in 1681, the iron-bird year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle. The name of his father is not known; he was from the Redawa Libu lineage (res mda' ba li bu'i rgyud) and was said to have gone on pilgrimage to many places in India, China, and Nepal. His mother, whose name is not known, was from Drayab in Kham (khams drag gyab).

The Fifth Pakpa Lha, Pakpa Gyelwa Gyatso ('phags pa lha 05 'phags pa rgyal ba rgya mtsho 1644-1713), then the nineteenth abbot of Chamdo Jampa Ling Monastery (chab mdo byams pa gling) identified the boy as the reincarnation of the Third Gyara Tulku, Lobzang Puntsok Namgyel (rgya ra sprul sku 03 blo bzang phun tshogs rnam rgyal, 1646-1676) and brought him to Chamdo Jampa Ling where he gave him novice vows. He later moved to Drugu Tang Drubde (gru gu thang sgrub sde) founded in 1622 by the First Gyara Tulku Drubchen Sherab Puntsok (rgya ra 01 grub chen shes rab phun tshogs, 1566-1632) and commenced his basic education and training, studying there until the age of thirteen.

Tendzin Trinle then returned to Chamdo Jampa Ling where he received teachings and empowerments, including on Yamāntaka from the Fifth Pakpa Lha. After remaining at Chamdo for about five years, he returned to Drugu and resumed his duty as the head of the monastery. At the age of about twenty, at Chamdo, the Fifth Pakpa Lha gave him the vows of full ordination. Thereafter he did some construction at Drugu, including the new general assembly hall and other temples.

Tendzin Trinle received teachings at least two times from Third Zhiwa Lha, Zhiwa Zangpo (zhi ba lha 03 zhi ba bzang po, 1625-1717), the eighteenth abbot of Chamdo. He also received teachings, initiations, empowerments, transmissions, and instructions from many other scholar lamas including Lobpon Pakpa Samten (slob dpon 'phags pa bsam gtan, d.u.) and Lama Gedun Gyeltsen (bla ma dge 'dun rgyal mtshan, d.u.).

He later entered an intensive retreat, during which he gave teachings, transmissions, initiations, and empowerments from time to time at Drugu Monastery. He also gave teaching, transmission and empowerment on Mitra Tridruk (mitra khrid drug) to the Second Kondor Tulku, Lobzang Wangchuk (dkon rdor sprul sku 02 blo bzang dbang phyug, 1689-1758). He invited the Sixth Pakpa Lha, Jigme Tenpai Gyatso ('phags pa lha 06 'phags pa 'jigs med bstan pa'i rgya mtsho 1714-1754), the twenty-first abbot of Chamdo, to Drugu while the Pakpa Lha was on his way back to Chamdo from Chakra. Lobzang Tendzin Trinle gave the Sixth Pakpa Lha long-life empowerment and other rites.

Lobzang Tendzin Trinle passed away in 1731, the iron-pig year of the twelfth sexagenary cycle, at the age of fifty-one. The Sixth Pakpa Lha appointed the Second Kondor Tulku to arrange the nirvana-prayer and building the reliquary stupa.