The Treasury of Lives



According to the Blue Annals, Lotsāwa Chokden received the Abhidharmasamuccaya in the tradition of Drangti Darma Nyingpo (brang ti dar ma snying po, 11th c.) from Shong Lotsāwa Lodro Tenpa (shong lo tsA ba blo gros brtan pa, d.u.) and transmitted it to Pang Lotsāwa Lodro Tenpa (dpang lo tsA ba blo gros brtan pa, 1276-1342), a master in the Ngok tradition of the Prajñāpāramitā. He also received the Abhidharmasamuccaya in a separate lineage, stemming from Pakpa Zhonnu Lodro ('phags pa gzhon nu blo gros, 1358-1412), who studied it in Nepal, from Lochen Sanggye (blo chen sangs rgyas, d.u.). He also taught Bakton Zhonnu Tsultrim, a thirteenth-century Sakya Prajñāpāramitā master.

The Blue Annals places Lotsāwa Choden in a Guhyasamāja lineage that that entered Tibet through Rinchen Zangpo (rin chen bzang po, 958-1055), receiving it from Rongpa Chogon (rong pa chos mgon, d.u.), and a lineage of Cakrasaṃvara, which he received from from Lotsangpa (lho tshang pa, d.u.). Lotsāwa Chokden transmitted both of these tantric systems to a disciple named Pelden Sengge (dpal ldan seng ge, d.u.), who passed them on to Buton Rinchen Drub (bu ston rin chen grub, 1290-1364). Lotsāwa Chokden also taught Pelden Sengge Sanskrit grammar, which he had learned from Shong Lotsāwa Lodro Tenpa.

Among his other teachers were Lodro Gyeltsen (blo gros rgyal mtshan, 1235-1280) and Ra Lotsāwa Namgyel Dorje (rwa lo tsA ba rnam rgyal rdo rje, 1203-1282).

Alexander Gardner is Director and Chief Editor of the Treasury of Lives. He completed his PhD in Buddhist Studies at the University of Michigan in 2007. He is the author of The Life of Jamgon Kongtrul The Great.

Published April 2010

Images

Sanggye Sengge

Sanggye Sengge, the eleventh throne holder of Ngor Ewam Monastery.

Bibliography

Roerich, George, trans. 1996.The Blue Annals. 2nd ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, pp. 345, 374, 385, 785, 786, 1046.

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