The Treasury of Lives

Tashi Wozer (bkra shis 'od zer) was born in Kongpo Nenang (kong po gnas nang) in southeastern Tibet, probably in the second quarter of the seventeenth century, in the eleventh sexagenary cycle. He was the younger brother of the influential treasure revealer Rigdzin Longsel Nyingpo (gter ston rig 'dzin klong gsal snying po, 1625-1692), associated with the Katok tradition (kaH thog rdo rje ldan). His father, Kunga Dondrub (kun dga' don grub), was a tantric practitioner and his mother, Konchok Drolma (dkon mchog sgrol ma), was said to have been blessed by White Tārā and was regarded as a holy woman in the region.

He received novice monk vows (śrāmaṇera) at a young age, and later was granted the vows of full ordination (bhikṣu) by Katokpa Drung Rinchen Bumme (kaH thog pa drung rin chen 'bum me, d.u.) at Katok Monastery. He studied treasure revelation (gter ma) and other topics of the Vajrayāna under Rigdzin Dudul Dorje (rig 'dzin bdud 'dul rdo rje, 1615-1672), another prominent treasure revealer (gter ston) and the teacher Tashi Wozer's brother, Longsel Nyingpo.

Tashi Wozer was highly regarded for his mastery in all fields of tantra, particularly in the performance of rituals. He served at Katok Monastery for number of years, promoting the treasure revelations of his teacher and elder brother. He was known for systemizing the related empowerments and rituals from the two masters' revelations, establishing a firm tradition that later became the basis for Katok's curriculum in Vajrayāna studies.

He passed away, probably in Katok, at the age of sixty-three. Tashi Wozer is included in a list of thirteen lamas of the Mok lineage (rmog rabs bcu gsum) of Katok Monastery, referring to the main treasure-revealing lamas of Katok of the mid-17th to early-18th centuries. The list begins with Dudul Dorje and Longsel Nyingpo and ends with Longsel Nyingpo's son. Apart from Dudul Dorje, all the Mog Rab lamas belonged to the same family; only six of the thirteen names are known.