The Treasury of Lives

The Second Kondor Tulku, Lobzang Wangchuk (dkon rdor sprul sku 02 blo bzang dbang phyug) was born in Nangchen (nang chen) in 1689, the earth snake year of the twelfth sexagenary cycle. He was nephew of the Fifth Pakpa Lha, Gyelwa Gyatso ('phags pa lha 05 rgyal ba rgya mtsho, 1644-1713), who became one of his first teachers. At some point he was identified as the reincarnation of Khedrub Shakya Lhawang (mkhas grub shAkya lha dbang, 1586-1655) -- no explanation is giving in his biography for the thirty-four year gap between the two lives. Lobzang Wangchuk was also known as Jewon Konchok Dorje (rje dbon dkon mchog rdo rje), and an abbreviation of this title provided his incarnation name, Kondor. Khedrub Shakya Lhawang was posthumously given the title of First Kondor.

Lobzang Wangchuk received his basic education in Kham and travelled to Lhasa for his further studies. He was enrolled in the Khenyin House of Sera Je College (se ra bye grwa tshang) of Sera Monastery (se ra dgon) near Lhasa, where he studied the traditional texts of philosophy and tantra under a number of scholars. These included: the Fifth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Yeshe (paN chen bla ma 05 blo bzang ye shes, 1663-1737); Drubkhang Gelek Gyatso (sgrub khang dge legs rgya mtsho, 1641-1713); Zhok Donyo Khedrub (zhog don yod mkhas grub, d.u.); Jamyang Dewai Dorje ('jam dbyangs bde ba'i rdo rje, 1862-1741); the Fifty-fourth Gaden Tripa, Ngawang Chokden (dga' ldan khri pa 54 ngag dbang mchog ldan 1677-1751), later identified as the First Reting (rwa sgrengs 01); and Purchok Ngawang Jampa (phur lcog ngag dbang byams pa, 1682-1762).

He also received teachings and empowerments from the Fourth Gyara, Lobzang Tendzin Trinle (rgya ra 04 blo bzang bstan 'dzin 'phrin las, 1681-1731); the Seventh Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 07 bskal bzang rgya mtsho, 1708-1757); the Sixth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Pelden Yeshe (panA chen bla ma 06 blo bzang dpal ldan ye shes, 1738-1780); and the Third Changkya, Rolpai Dorje (lcang skya 03 rol pa'i rdo rje, 1717-1786).

From these lamas Lobzang Wangchuk received teachings, empowerments, initiations, transmissions, and both general and esoteric instructions and became a renowned scholar and practitioner. He used teachings on the Jangchub Lamrim (byang chub lam rim) that he received from Purbuchok as the guidelines of his daily practices.

Following the completion of his studies in Lhasa, Lobzang Wangchuk Rinpoche travelled to Kham and settled in the Chamdo Ganden Jampa Ling Monastery (chab mdo dga'i ldan byam pa gling) and took active part in religious performances, monastic education, and relevant programs of the monastery. The Sixth Pakpa Lha, Pakpa Jigme Tenpai Gyatso ('phags pa 'jigs med bstan pa'i rgya mtsho, 1714-1754), who was then the abbot at Jampa Ling, and also Changkya Rolpai Dorje, from whom he previously received teachings, exchanged teachings, transmissions, empowerments, and instructions with him.

In 1740 the Second Kondor Tulku composed The Biographies of the Activities of the First through Sixth Phakpa Lha Incarnations ('phags pa lha sku phreng dang po nas drug pa 'tsho gzhes bar gyi mdzad pa rag rim) as a supplement to the religious history entitled An Uncommon History of the Lineage Masters (zhal snga bka' brgyud kyi thun mong min pa'i chos 'byung) that the First Kondor Tulku had composed in 1640.

This great scholar and practitioner died at the age of seventy, in 1758, the earth-tiger year of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle.