The Treasury of Lives

Shingza Paṇḍita, Lobzang Dargye Gyatso (shing bza' paN Di ta blo bzang dar rgyas rgya mtsho) was born at a place called Arik (a rig) in Amdo, in 1752, the earth-rabbit year of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was called Gonshul Chakdor Kyab (mgon shul phyag rdor skyabs) and mother was named Tsewang Kyi (tshe dbang skyid). They gave him the name was Tashi Puntsok (bkra shis phun tshogs).

At the age of eight he received the vows of primary monks from a lama from Tsang, Lobzang Chopel (blo bzang chos 'phel, d.u.). Subsequently, from the age of ten, he was instructed by the great Arik Geshe Jampa Wozer (a rig dge bshes byams pa 'od zer, 1728-1803), who recognized him, at the age of thirteen, as the rebirth of an previous lama, Shingza Gomchenpa (shing bza' sgom chen pa, d.u). He was brought to the new monastery of Ragya Ganden Tashi Jungne (ra rgya dga' ldan bkra shis 'byung gnas) in Golok and enthroned.

At the age of seventeen Arik Geshe sent him to U-Tsang to enroll in Sera Je (se ra bye) college of Sera Monastery. There he focused mainly in Madhyamaka and Yogācāra, and received a number of empowerments, transmissions and secret instructions under outstanding masters including the Sixth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Pelden Yeshe (paN chen 06 blo bzang dpal ldan ye shes, 1738-1780), who gave him full ordination and the name Lobzang Dargye Gyatso; Tsechokling Yongdzin Yeshe Gyeltsen (tshe mchog gling yongs 'dzin ye shes rgyal mtshan, 1713-1793); Longdol Lama Ngawang Lobzang (klong rdol bla ma ngag dbang blo bzang, 1719-1794); the Fourth Won Gyelse, Jigme Yeshe Drakpa ('on rgyal sras 04 'jigs med ye shes grags pa, 1696-1750); and the Sixth Chakra, Ngawang Trinle Pelzang (lcags ra 06 ngag dbang 'phrin las dpal bzang, 1730-1794).

He received the highest ranking in his geshe lharampa (dge bshes lha rams pa) degree at the Lhasa Monlam in 1787, and was awarded the title of paṇḍita. He then enrolled in Gyume (rgyud smad) where he studied tantra.

He then returned to Amdo, at the command of Arik Geshe, and, over the next two decades he established four new colleges at Ragya  Monastery: the Tantric College, the Kālacakra College, the Medical College, and the Hayagrīva College, performing the extensive consecration rites beginning in the year 1806. He was made abbot of Ragya around 1792, when Arik Geshe stepped down.

Around 1804 or 1805 he recognized Aka Drubchen Lobzang Chopel (a ga grub chen blo bzang chos 'phel, d.u.) as the reincarnation of Arik Geshe, who had passed away in 1803.

In 1813 he was elevated to the throne (khri) of Kumbum Monastery (sku 'bum), and held the post of throne holder (khri 'dzin), the forty-fourth, for three years, until 1815/16. In 1818 he was made abbot of Rongwo Tosamling (rong bo thos bsam gling), holding the post, the twenty-eighth abbot, for five years, until his death. In between appointments he gave a public Kālacakra initiation. He also served briefly as abbot of Lamo Dechen (bla mo bde chen) Monastery, but the dates are not known.

Between 1814 and 1820 he supervised the carving of woodblocks for the Kangyur, based on the Dege edition, correcting errors that he found.

In addition to extensive teachings, he composed numerous works of commentary on topics such as the Prajñāpāramitā in Eight Thousand Verses, and various points of doctrine, as well as commentaries on the works of Arik Geshe.

He passed away in 1824, wood-monkey year of the fourteen the sexagenary cycle.