The Treasury of Lives

Jedrung Sherab Wangpo (rje drung shes rab dbang po) was born in Kham with some auspicious signs in the fire-monkey year of the eighth sexagenary cycle, the year 1500, in Khyungpo Jangshod Kyi Datang (khyun po ljang shod kyis zla thang). His father was Lhachen Agur (lha chen A 'gur, d.u.) and his mother was Triza Tso (khri bza' mtso, d.u.). As a child he was said to have had intrinsic and strong faith in dharma, compassion to sentient beings, and enthusiasm and intelligence to learn things fast. Moreover, it was said that the Indian Mahasiddha Mitrayogin personally appeared and blessed him with the name “Prajna Indra” and predicted his benefit for sake of sentient beings, and that, when he was merely a child of five, the dharmapala of Chamdo requested him to be throne holder of Jampa Ling.

He was given lay vows and the name Sherab Wangpo by Choje Trisum Peltsek (chos rje khri gsum dpal brtsegs, d.u.) at the age of seven. Thereafter he was admitted to Dilgo Monastery (dil mgo dgon) where he did basic study including memorizing the root verses of some fundamental sutra and tantra texts. He was ordained to novice monk by abbot Sanggye Gyeltsen (sangs rgyas rgyal mtshan) who also granted him empowerments of Guhyasamāja and Yamāntaka.

At the age of seventeen Sherab Wangpo studied under a lama named Tenpai Nyima (bstan pa'i nyi ma), and thereafter at twenty-three, he left for U, and, after several supernatural signs pointed him there, he entered the Khe-nyen monastic house of Sera Je College (se ra byes khe nyen grwa tshang). There he studied traditional subjects under the great master  Chokyi Gyeltsen (chos kyi rgyal mtshan, 1469-1544), the author of Sera Je text books. He also received teachings from Gendun Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 02 dge 'dun rgya mtsho, 1476-1542), posthumously identified as the Second Dalai Lama, on various important texts including the Gonpa Rabsal (dgongs pa rab gsal), a comprehensive commentary on Madhyamaka by Tsongkhapa, and the Naro Chodruk (nA ro chos drug). After completing his studies he performed a traditional recitation of commentary of the  Pramāṇavārttika in Sera Monastery (se ra dgon), and participated actively in a scholarly seminar in Drepung Monastery ('bras spungs) that witnessed his profound knowledge of Buddhist philosophy.

At Ganden Monastery (dga' ldan) Sherab Wangpo received teachings from Paṇchen Sonam Drakpa (paN chen bsod nams grags pa, 1478-1554), the Fifteenth Ganden Tripa, the head of Geluk tradition. The Sixteenth Tripa, Chokyong Gyatso (chos skyong rgya mtsho, 1473-1539) gave him teachings on fundamental texts of tantra. He also trained in the corresponding ritual techniques of chanting and maṇḍala drawings and so forth. In 1529, at the age of thirty he was fully ordained by Gendun Gyatso, assisted by  Chokyi Gyeltsen and other senior monks in Sera Monastery.

Soon after, Sherab Wangpo requested Chokyi Gyeltsen to visit Kham, but the proposal was reversed; both Chokyi Gyeltsen and the Gendun Gyatso both recommended that he return to Kham. At their request, after making offerings to the Buddha in Lhasa and praying for success in his dharma activities, he went to Kham, where he initially served as the head of Dilgo (dil mgo) and Gyak ('gyag) monasteries, and gave teachings on both sutra and tantra. He also administered the vows of novice and full ordinations to a great extent.

In 1533, at the age of thirty-four, Sherab Wangpo served as the abbot of Zhertsa Chode (zher rtsa chos sde) and gave comprehensive teachings on Lamrim and the five traditional texts of the Geluk monastic curriculum. In 1536 he established the seat of Potima (po ti ma'i gdan sa), installing in its temples statues of Śākyamuni, Maitrya, Mahākāla, and so forth. In addition to the construction and developmental program, he gave regular teachings. In the meanwhile he also received initiations from the yogi Lodro Rinchen (bya bral blo gros rin chen) and teachings from the Second Pakpa Lha, Sanggye Pel (phags pa lha 02 sangs rgyas, 1507-1566), and empowerments from Jedrung Ngakrampa Gendun Tashi (rje drung sngags ram pa dge 'dun bkra shis, 1486-1557), the eighth abbot of Chamdo Jampa Ling (chab mdo byams pa gling).

In 1559, with Potima as model, Sherab Wangpo established Ngushod Dargye Monastery (rngu shod dar rgyas dgon). The identification of this monastery remains unclear; the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center has it that Sherab Wangpo established the famous Dargye monastery in Ganzi in 1543 and again a Dargye monastery in Chamdo in 1548, but neither of these are attested in the biography of Sherab Wangpo in the history of Chamdo Jampa Ling.

Soon after Sherab Wangpo was invited, and accepted, to assume the abbacy of Chamdo Jampa Ling. Thereafter in 1560 he went to the monastery where he was traditionally welcomed by the ninth abbot, Jedrung Miyowa Zhonnu Lodro (rje drung mi g.yo ba gzhon nu blo gros, 1497-1564), and thousands of monks. He was said to have vision of Mahākāla upon his arrival. On the same day he was enthroned to the seat of abbot and gave a teaching on The Praise of Dependent Arising (rten 'bral bstod pa) to make the occasion auspicious. Sherab Wangpo accepted teachings from the previous abbot, on Lamrim, Vinaya, Abhidharmakosha, Madhyamaka, and Prajnaparmita for the winter session.

Sherab Wangpo briefly went to Darge Monastery (dar rgyas dgon) in Kham and assisted in the plans of future projects there such as the installation of statues. He returned to Chamdo and settled in the Khujug Residence (khu byug gzim khang). He reviewed the monastic discipline and made amendments in the code. He also continued teachings on various topics, according to the needs of the audience. His teachings were mainly based on the texts by Tsongkhapa, his two chief disciples and various Kadampa lamas; stories of the past lives of the Buddha; and certain commentaries on the major Geluk tantras. His major construction project was a large gold statue of the Buddha in the Central Hall of the monastery.

After serving as abbot for six years, in the fire-tiger year of the 10th sexagenary cycle, the year 1566, he passed the thone to Jedrung Jamyang Shenyin (rje drung 'jam dbyangs bshes gnyen, 1502-1569). He left Chamdo with a promise to return soon, keeping busy in dharma-related work in the southern Kham for about three years.

Unfortunately, Jedrung Jamyang Shenyin passed away after three years, and Sherab Wangpo was requested to again take up the abbacy. He returned to the throne in the iron-horse year of the tenth sexagenary cycle, the year 1570, serving for ten years.

During his second tenure of abbotship, Sherab Wangpo continued to give teachings on sutra and tantra, transmissions, initiations, and empowerments. He also gave vows of different levels of ordination. He commissioned an edition of the Kangyur (bka' 'gyur) in one hundred ten volumes, printed in gold and silver. He had many paintings made, and was said to have commissioned over one thousand statues of Tsongkhapa in addition to many others, particularly for the Mahākāla temple. He also composed a text on Madhyamaka that was widely studied by his followers.

Sherab Wangpo was widely said to be effective in invoking Yamataka for aid in subduing obstacles to religious activity. It is said that when he endeavored to built a statue of Yamāntaka, most of it arose naturally. His supernatural abilities were compared to Ra Lotsāwa (rsa lo tsA ba, 1016-c.1198), the famous translator who employed a wide variety of unorthodox methods, including the murder of thirteen lamas.

In 1577 Sherab Wangpo mediated a dispute between the Third Pakpa Lha, Tongwa Donden ('pags pa lha 03 mthong ba don ldan, 1567-1604) and the local leaders of Tsawa, inviting them all to Chamdo to air their grievances. He also settled disputes between Rijang (ri sbyang) and Gomngom (sgom ngom).

In 1579, his age becoming an increasing burden, Sherab Wangpo traveled to southern Kham. The following year, the iron-dragon year, 1580, he appointed Jedrung Lhawang Choekyi Gyeltsen (rje drung lha dbang chos kyi rgyal mtsan, 1537-1604) to the seat of abbot of Chamdo Jampa Ling and retired. Thus, he served a total of about sixteen years as abbot of Chamdo Jampa Ling.

Following his retirement Sherab Wangpo spent most of his time in meditation on preparation for death, sleeping little. In 1587, at the age of eighty-seven, in the fire-dog year of the tenth sexagenary cycle, he passed away in Poti Chode (po ti chos sde). His body was put in a gold plated copper stupa in the Poti monastery. His followers identified his incarnation in Zeto Danak (rdzi tho brag nag, d.u.), henceforth known as the Zetho Danak Tulku (rdzi tho brag nag sprul sku).