The Treasury of Lives

The Third Belmang, Jamyang Tenzin Gyatso (dbal mang 03 'jam dbyangs bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, 1854–1919) was born on February 17, 1854 in Chokhor Shitsang (chos 'khor shis tshang), Amdo. His father, Konchok Kyab (dkon mchog skyabs), was the chieftain (dpon) of Chokhor Shitsang, which comprised of the "Twelve Chokhor Communities" (chos 'khor tsho ba bcu gnyis) and is currently administered under Luchu Dzong (klu cho rdzong). His mother was named Tsering Kyi (tshe ring skyid). The local astrologer, who the family invited to chart a natal horoscope, named the child Lama Tsering (bla ma tshe ring).

A few years had passed since the demise of the Second Belmang, Konchok Gyeltsen (dbal mang 02 dkon mchog rgyal mtshan, 1764–1853) and the search for the reincarnation by high lamas and local monasteries was underway. The Third Detri Rinpoche, Jamyang Tubten Nyima (sde khri 03 'jam dbyangs thub bstan nyi ma, 1779–1862), received a list of child candidates on July 20, 1858, which coincided with Chokhor Duchen (chos 'khor dus chen), the holiday celebrating the Buddha's first teaching, i.e., "first turning of the wheel of dharma. The Third Detri was at the time the head of Labrang Tashikhyil (bla brang bkra shis 'khyil), the seat of the Belmang incarnations. After performing lamp divinations (sgron me'i brtag pa) through the night, he identified the young child Lama Tsering as the reincarnation of the Second Belmang Rinpoche the following day.

As the Second Belmang had taught extensively at the nearby Amchok Monastery (a mchog dga' ldan chos 'khor gling dgon), upon hearing the news of the discovery hundreds of people from Amchok and neighboring regions traveled to the birthplace and set up tent camps for celebration. There, representatives of high lamas and the abbot of Amchok Monastery extended gifts such as monastic robes. Locals, including disciples of Second Belmang, made offerings and sought his blessings. The abbot of Amchok, Sera Ponlob Lobzang Nyima (se ra dpon slob blo bzang nyi ma, d. circa 1890) held an enthronement ceremony in his honor. The young incarnation was then invited to the monasteries of Chone Gon (co ne dgon) and Dzoge Garsar (mdzo dge sgar gsar). 

Then on September 29, 1858, the young reincarnate arrived at Labrang Tashikhyil where he was received by the Third Detri Rinpoche, the Fourth Hortsang Sertri Jigme Tenpai Nyima (hor tshang gser khri 04 'jigs med bstan pa'i nyi ma, b. 1816), and the Fourth Gungtang, Konchok Tenpai Gyatso (gung thang 04 dkon mchog bstan pa'i rgya mtsho, 1824–1859).

In 1859, at the age of six, the Third Detri gave the young Belmang Tulku the layperson's vows (dge bsnyen gyi sdom pa), followed by the probationary monastic vows (bar ma rab byung gi sdom pa), and bestowed upon him the ordination name of Jamyang Tenzin Gyatso. He also gifted his well-used square-mat (gding ba) to ensure the young lama a successful monastic life. Amchok Chojor Gyatso (a mchog chos 'byor rgya mtsho), who was a disciple of the former Belmang Rinpoche, was assigned to serve as his personal tutor. The young incarnate began his training in monastic chants and rituals, the fundamentals of language and grammar, and other fields of religious and philosophical studies.  

In the spring of 1864, the young Belmang Rinpoche formally joined Labrang Monastery. There he began his formal monastic training, starting from the fundamentals of dialectics, logic, and epistemology. Like other novice monks, he memorized the monastery chants and prayers.  

After his basic training, he began his advanced training in the five traditional fields—logic, soteriology, metaphysics, philosophy, and ethics. At the same time, he received tantric initiations, transmissions, and instructions (dbang lung man ngag) from multiple lamas. The Third Detri conferred an oral transmission of all his own writings, which were already compiled in six-volumes. The Third Tranye, Ngawang Tubten Gyatso (pra nye 03 ngag dbang thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1836–1869), who was a disciple of his previous incarnation, gave him the transmission of the collected works of Je Tsongkhapa (tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa, 1357-1419) and those of his two disciples, as well as the collected works of the Third Changkya Rolpai Dorje (lcang skya 03 rol pa'i rdo rje, 1717–1786), the Second Jamyang Zhepa Konchok Jigme Wangpo ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 02 dkon mchog 'jigs med dbang po, 1728–1791), and the Third Gungtang Konchok Tenpai Dronme (gung thang 03 dkon mchog bstan pa'i sgron me, 1762–1823).

The Third Tranye also gave him the transmission of the collected works of his predecessor, the Second Belmang, which contain more than eight volumes of writings on multiple traditional fields and topics. The Second Belmang's History of India, Tibet and Mongolia (rgya bod hor sog gi lo rgyus), for example, not only provides historical facts on Tibet, India, China, and Mongolia but also contains information on Tibetan-Mongol relations on the Tibetan frontier. This prepared the young Third Belmang for a life of diplomacy between the three main powers of the region. Hortsang Rinpoche gave him the transmission of the collected works of Lhodrak Namkha Gyaltsen (lho brag nam mkha' rgyal mtshan, 1326–1401). After nearly two decades of training, young Belmang Rinpoche not only grew into a monastic scholar, but became a holder of multiple textual transmissions.

In the mid-1870s, he received his bhikṣu (dge slong) ordination at Labrang Monastery. He continued his training in the traditional fields of religious and philosophical studies for nearly a decade.

He then served as the throne-holder of the general assembly (tshogs chen khri pa) and consecutively as abbot of Gyume Dratsang (rgyud smad grwa tshang) as well as Kyedor Dratsang (kyai rdor grwa tshang), which was then newly founded in 1879 by the Fourth Jamyang Zhepa, Kelzang Tubten Wangchuk ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 04 skal bzang thub bstan dbang phyug, 1856–1916).

He later became the abbot of Amchok Monastery and Shitsang Gonsar (shis tshang dgon gsar). In 1894, the Fourth Jamyang Zhepa appointed him the sikyong (srid skyong), or chief administrator, of Shitsang Gongsar. He was offered a palanquin, a canopy, and other official items. He was also honored with the title of sertri (gser khri), meaning "[the holder of] the golden throne." After assuming the position, he lived in Shitsang Gonsar and oversaw its administration and religious education and practice for over two decades.

Later, when Jamyang Zhepa died in 1916, he left a will appointing the Third Belmang as his gyeltsab (rgyal tshab), i.e., regent. Belmang then moved to Labrang Monastery and appointed Li Tsondru (lis brtson 'grus) as the chandzo (phyag mdzod), or treasurer, of Labrang Monastery. Li secretly communicated with the Hui warlord brothers then based in Xining (zi ling), Ma Bufang (1903–1975) and Ma Buqing (1901–1977), who were plotting to gain greater control over the region. When locals discovered the collusion, Li Tsondru fled to the Hui warlords, and in the ensuing years the warlords attacked Labrang Monastery as well as other lay and monastic communities. Belmang fled to Ngulra (rngul ra) in Gyarong.

Although the Tibetans fought against the Ma forces, they were defeated. The Ma forces ransacked Labrang Monastery and its communities. They also looted and destroyed over thirty monasteries, including Amchok Monastery, where they razed the assembly halls of the three monastic colleges, a library that served as repository of thousands of xylographic blocks, and some two hundred monastic quarters built over more than a hundred years.  

The Third Belmang died in Ngulra on the thirteenth day of the seventh month of Tibetan Earth-Sheep Year, September 8, 1919, at the age of sixty-five. The monks of Shitsang and Amchok conducted funerary rites and built a stūpa at the cremation site. Before his death, he was said to have summoned his aides and disciples and gave them the letter in which the Fourth Jamyang Zhepa appointed him to his administrative positions, asking them to keep it safe until his return. A few years later, Jigme Tsultrim Namgyel (dbal mang 04 'jigs med tshul khrims rnam rgyal, 1918/20–1957), the younger brother of the Fifth Jamyang Zhepa Yeshe Tenpai Gyaltsen ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 05 ye shes bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1916–1947), was identified as his reincarnation.

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