The Treasury of Lives

Lobzang Tubten Jigme Tsultrim Gyatso (blo bzang thub bstan 'jigs med tshul khrims rgya mtsho) was born in Norbu Khuk (nor bu khug) in Drango (brag 'go), Kham, in 1896, the fire-monkey year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was named Rigdzin (rig 'dzin, d.u) and his mother was named Namgyel Drolma (rnam rgyal sgrol ma, d.u). He was given the birth name of Lobzang Lhundrub (blo bzang lhun grub).

Following the death of the the Eighth Tongkhor, Ngawang Dogyu Yonten Rabgye (stong 'khor 08 ngag dbang mdo rgyud yon tan rab rgyas, 1853-1895), a delegation from Tongkhor Tashilhunpo invited a certain Trehor Kyabgon (tre hor skyabs mgon, d.u) to head the effort to locate his reincarnation, but he refused, advocating instead that the decision should be made by the Dalai and Paṇchen Lamas. A list of possible candidates was thus sent to Lhasa, and the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 13 thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1876-1993), selected Lobzang Lhundrub, on whom he bestowed the name of Lobzang Tubten Jigme Tsultrim Gyatso.

The fact that the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, who was, at least in some capacity, a student of the other Ninth Tongkhor, Tubten Jigme Gyatso (stong 'khor 09 thub bstan 'jigs med rgya mtsho, 1820-1882), who had been based at Amdo Tongkhor Monastery, suggests that the two rival incarnation lines were not in serious conflict.

Trehor Kyabgon oversaw the enthronement ceremony, and the boy received lay and novice vows from Drakar Lobzang Tendzin Nyendrak (brag dkar blo bzang dpal ldan bstan 'dzin snyan grags, 1866-1928) around the same time. He received full ordination from the same teacher at the age of twenty.

At the age of five he was tutored in reading and writing by Naktsang Dorjechang (nags tshang rdo rje 'chang, d.u), who also gave him several tantric empowerments. Lobzang Chodrak (blo bzang chos grags, d.u), who was said to be the incarnation of a Yongdzin Yeshe Gyeltsen (yongs 'dzin ye shes rgyal mtshan, d.u) taught him from the age of seven, and Trehor Kyabgon tutored him in grammar, poetics, and medicine. Later Drakar Lobzang Tendzin Nyendrak gave him a number of advanced teachings, including some based on the writings of the Fourth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyeltsen (paN chen bla ma 04 blo bzang chos kyi rgyal mtshan, 1570-1662).

When he was twelve years old he went first to Drango and then to Lhasa, where he enrolled at Sera Me (se ra smad) for formal studies. There he studied under Gendun Drakpa (dge 'dun grags pa, d.u.). In either 1924 or 1933 (see below) he received the Geshe Rabjampa (dge bshes rab 'byams pa) degree during the Lhasa Monlam. While in Lhasa he received teachings from Pabongkapa Dechen Nyingpo, (pha bong kha pa bde chen snying po, 1878-1941).

He earned his Geshe Rabjampa degree at the relatively young age of seventeen and returned to Tongkhor at the age of eighteen, in 1913, the water-ox year.

Following his return to Tongkhor he spent most of his time serving his monastery, both teaching and sponsoring new buildings. Most significantly, he sponsored the printing of a large number of important works, including the collected works of Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa (tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa, 1357-1419); Gyeltsabje Darma Rinchen (rgyal tshab rje dar ma rin chen, 1364-1432); Khedrubje Gelek Pelzang (mkhas grub rje dge legs dpal bzang, 1385-1438); the Sixth Tongkhor, Jampel Gendun Gyatso ('jam dpal dge 'dun rgya mtsho, 1754-1803), and others. During this period he also arranged for the woodblocks for his own compositions. The status of the woodblocks, and the existence of any surviving prints, is not known.

According to our source he passed away in wood-dog year, which would be 1934. A reliquary stupa was installed at Tongkhor Tashilhunpo Monastery. The status of his reincarnation is not known. The rival Tongkhor incarnation line, based at Tongkhor Monastery in Amdo, is known to have continued.