The Treasury of Lives

Makzor Gonpo (dmag zor mgon po) was born in 1686, the fire-tiger year of eleventh sexagenarian cycle, in Chone (co ne), Amdo. He inherited the Sakyong (sa skyong) position at the age of six, in 1692, the year his father Lobzang Dondrub (blo bzang don drub) passed away.

From the age of twelve, Makzor Gonpo studied Chinese and Tibetan traditions of Buddhism, and later also studied Buddhist astronomy under the direction of Drakpa Ozer (gnas rten pa grags pa 'od zer).  When he turned sixteen, he married Menjangma (sman byang ma), the daughter of a local Mongol Chieftain in Alashan, also known as Alxa, in what is present-day Inner Mongolia, and Sonam Drolma (bsod nams sgrol ma), a descendant of Chodzong Nangso (chos rdzong nang so).

In 1707, there were rebellions in Wuping (武坪 ) against the Qing dynasty. Since the area fell under the administration of the Chone Sakyong, Makzor Gonpo intervened; he is credited with pacifying the revolts. As a result, the clans under the rule of the Chone Sakyong grew to six hundred and forty-two. In 1709, local Tibetans also revolted against the Qing dynasty but the uprisings were repressed by military forces from Taozhou (Ch. 洮州) and Minzhou (Ch. 岷州).

In 1716, Makzor Gonpo and his brother Ngawang Trinle Gyatso (phrin las rgya mtsho, b.1688) travelled to Beijing, visiting the Emperor Kangxi (康熙, r.1662-1722), receiving substantial gifts and official titles.

When the Dzungar Mongols invaded Tibet in 1717, Lhazhang Khan (lha bzang han, d.1717), the Qoshot Mongol ruler and grandson of Gushri Khan (P5578 1582-1655), was killed in Lhasa. The Dzungars remained in Lhasa until 1720. Throughout this period of upheaval, Makzor and his army were directed by Emperor Kangxi to protect their territory. An army of five hundred men was stationed at the riverbanks of the Drichu river ('bri chu), in Yushul (yul shul), to defend the border. Thus, having successfully defended their territory in the name of the Qing Empire, Makzo Gonpo received several official titles and substantial rewards. In the Chone Tengyur Catalog, written by the Second Jamyang Zhepa, Konchok Jigme Wangpo ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 02 dkon mchog 'jigs med dbang po, 1728-1791), describes the military exploits of Makzor Gonpo's army—he is even elevated to the status of a god:

This great leader was extremely intelligent and possessed amazing physical skill. Even learned Chinese and Mongolian leaders could not conceive of the depth of his knowledge. He immediately recognized any deceit by his opponents and put an end to them, and he blazed like lightning in the presence of virulent enemies of religious teachings and political order. Therefore, it was said by many that he must certainly be an emanation of a great god such as Visnu or Brahma. (Translation by Bryan Cuevas in Schaeffer and Kapstein, 2013).

In addition to recounting the political activities of Makzor Gonpo, the Chone Tengyur Catalog also recounts his devotion to Buddhism. He received numerous teachings and initiations from outstanding masters including the Fifth Tongkhor, Sonam Gyatso (stong 'khor 05 bsod nams rgya mtsho, 1684-1752), Jamyang Zhepai Dorje ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa'i rdo rje, 1648-1721/1722), Sera Paṇḍita Lobzang Jinpa (se ra'i paN+Di ta blo bzang sbyin pa), Khyage Lodro Gyatso (khya dge blo gros rgya mtsho, 1664-1740), and Tobden Gyatso (stobs ldan rgya mtsho, 1696-1759).  He established the Philosophical College and the Tantric College at Chone Gonchen Ganden Shedrub Ling (co ne dgon chen dga' ldan bshad sgrub gling) and the construction of eight stupa there.  

Perhaps the most enduring legacy of Makzor Gonpo was his sponsorship of the production of woodblocks for the printing of the Kangyur (bka' 'gyur). The project began in 1721 and was completed in 1731. At the time, only three copies were printed each year. This edition of the Kangyur, along with the Chone Tengyur printed in succeeding years, would become one of the main editions of the Tibetan Buddhist Canon.

Nearly two centuries later, folios were printed from these woodblocks on the order of the Eighteenth Chone Sakyong Lobzang Tendzin Namgyel Trinle Dorje (co ne sa skyong 18 blo bzang bstan 'dzin rnam rgyal 'phrin las rdo rje, 1889-1937) for the Austrian-American botanist Joseph F. Rock (1884-1962) who travelled to Chone in the 1920's and spent several years in the region. Rock sent the folios, among the best-preserved and highest quality editions of the Tibetan Buddhist Canon, to the Library of Congress, where they are still preserved.

Makzor Gonpo had three sons, Jamyang Norbu ('jam dbyangs nor bu, b.1703), Lobzang Peljor (blo bzang dpal 'byor), and Lobzang Tenpai Gyeltsen (blo bzang bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, b. 1708). Jamyang Norbu inherited the Sakyong position in 1728, which suggests that Makzor Gonpo died that year. Per tradition, the younger sons became monks.