Kelzang Khyenrab Gyatso, the Sixth Detri (sde khri 06 skal bzang mkhyen rab rgya mtsho) was born in Teu (the'u), one of five the Rongdrok Communities (rong 'brog tsho khag) in Rebkong (reb gong) in 1898, the earth-dog year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was named Tseten (tshe brtan) and his mother was called Yidam Kyi (yi dam skyid).
When he was six years old the Fourth Jamyang Zhepa, Kelzang Tubten Wangchuk ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 04 skal bzang thub bstan dbang phyug, 1856-1916), identified him as the reincarnation of the Fifth Detri, Jigme Tubten Nyima (sde khri 05 'jigs med thub bstan nyi ma, 1874-1898) and enthroned him at Labrang Tashikhyil (bla brang bkra shis 'khyil) Monastery. The Jamyang Zhepa gave him lay vows and the name Kelzang Khyenrab Gyatso.
At the age of eleven he matriculated at Tosam Ling (thos bsam gling) College at Labrang Tashikhyil (bla brang bkra shis 'khyil) Monastery where he studied under a lama named Lobzang Gyatso (blo bzang rgya mtsho, d.u.). During his study at Labrang he also received teachings and empowerments from the Fifth Gungtang Tenpai Nyima (gung thang 05 bstan ba'i nyi ma,1860-1925) and the Third Belmang, Jamyang Tendzin Gyatso (dbal mang 03 'jam dbyangs bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, 1854-1919). After he completed his studies in the Prajñāpāramitā at the age of nineteen, he was made abbot of Shitsang Monastery (shis tshang dgon), the seat of the Detri incarnation line. He was the thirty-eighth abbot of the monastery.
And later he visited to the Masok (smad sog) region of Mongolia to promote the Geluk tradition there at the invitation of the local chieftain whose name is given in Tibetan sources as Aru Horchen Wang (a ru hor chen wang).
In 1934, at the age of thirty-seven, he was elevated to the throne of Labrang. Two years later at the age of thirty-nine, he received full ordination from the Ninth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Nyima (paN chen 09 chos kyi nyi ma, 1833-1937) and the Fifth Jamyang Zhepa, Lobzang Yeshe Tenpai Gyeltsen ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 05 blo bzang ye shes bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1916-1947). The Paṇchen Lama also gave him the Kālacakra empowerment.
He passed away at the age of forty-two in 1939.
Bibliography
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Cha ris skal bzang thogs med. 1995.Chos sde chen po shis tshang dgon gsar gyi gdan rabs dkar chag. InShis tshang dgon gsar gyi gdan rabs dkar chag g.yas 'khyil dung gi rang sgra.Lanzhou: Kan su'u mi rigs dpe skrun khang, p. 231.TBRC W19255.
Cha ris skal bzang thogs med. 1995.Shis tshang dgon gsar gyi gdan rabs dkar chag g.yas 'khyil dung gi rang sgra. Lanzhou: Kan su'u mi rigs dpe skrun khang, p. 130.TBRC W19255.