The Treasury of Lives

The Thirty-fifth Ganden Tripa, Trichen Konchok Chopel (dga' ldan khri pa 35 khri chen khri chen dkon mchog chos 'phel) was born in Dranang Gonzhol in Southern Tibet (lho kha grwa nang dgon zhol) in 1573, the water-bird year of the tenth sexagenary cycle. Names and details of his parents are not known. At a very young age he expressed his parents for his strong desire to attend the summer session of dharma studies at Sangpu (gsang phu); and he was said to have recollection of the past places and strong mental imprints of his dharma activities of his previous life. He was brought to Tashi Choling (bkra shis chos gling) and granted vows of upasaka by Sonam Gyal (bsod nams rgyal, d.u.). He was then admitted in Dakpo Dratsang (dwags po grwa tshang) at the age of twelve and granted vows of novice monk (dge tshul) by Lobpon Lobzang Chopel (slob dpon blo bzang chos 'phel, 17th century) who gave him the name Konchok Chopel.

Konchok Chopel thereafter studied extensively both sutra and tantra and successfully took the traditional examination of Rabjampa (rab 'byams grwa skor) at the age of twenty-two in Tsetang (rtse thang) Monastery. He then matriculated at Kyishod (skyid shod) Monastery and furthered his education in both sutra and tantra, and gradually became a renowned scholar. He actively participated in the discussion-seminar of the general assembly of Ganden Monastery and demonstrated his knowledge on dharma. At the age of twenty-four, Konchok Chopel became fully ordained monk, with vows given by the Twenty-fifth Ganden Tripa, Gyelkhang Tsepa Peljor Gyatso (dga' ldan khri pa 25 rgyal khang rtse pa dpal 'byor rgya mtsho, 1526-1599). He presumably studied advanced tantra in Gyuto Tantric College.

In the year 1600, Konchok Chopel visited the Kham region to collect offerings and donations. After his return to Lhasa he served as educator of Sangpu Rawato (gsang phu ra ba stod) and Gyuto College, making a name for himself as a teacher. Around that time he gave teachings and initiations on Avalokiteśvara and Acala to the Fourth Dalai Lama, Yonten Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 04 yon tan rgya mtsho, 1589-1617).

Lingme Choje Konchok Chopel was enthroned as the Thirty-fifth Ganden Tripa at, according to some sources, the age of fifty-four, in 1626, the fire-tiger year of the tenth sexagenary cycle, and served for about twelve years. The dates of this individual Ganden Tripa encounter certain discrepancy in many cases including his years of assuming the office of Ganden Tripa and death. The dates of 1626 to 1637 are problematic as the previous Tripa assumed the office in 1627 and left in 1629. It is more likely that he served from 1629 to 1637, for about nine years.

At the age of thirty-nine, in 1612, Konchok Chopel was enthroned to the seat of abbot of Gyuto College. Four years later, in 1616, he was made the abbot of Rinchenling (rin chen gling) at the age of forty-three, and then the abbot of Sangpu Monastery at the age of forty-seven, in 1620. He gave comprehensive teachings during his abbacy in these monasteries, and earned considerable fame and the name “Lingme Choje” (gling smad chos rje) during the tenure, after the region of his birth. He also performed as the chief lama, or abbot of Kyormolung (skyor mo lung), Sang Ngag Khar (gsang sngags mkhar), Wolkha Dzingchi ('o kha rdzing spyi) monasteries. Konchok Chopel also taught at Loseling (blo gsal gling) Monastery in 1623 and Ganden Shartse Monastery (dga' ldan shar rtse grwa tshang) in 1625, and gave teachings on practical topics.

In 1627, the fire-hare year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle, Trichen Konchok Chopel served as the tutor to the Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso, the Fifth Dalai Lama (ta la'i bla ma 05 ngag dbang blo bzang rgya mtsho, 1617-1682). He also regularly led the Great Prayer Festival of Lhasa (lha sa smon lam chen mo) that was held for twenty-one days in the first Tibetan month.

Trichen Konchok Chopel was invited to Lhokha (lho kha) by Zurkhang Sharpa (zur khang shar pa) and he performed rain-making ritual for that resulted in sufficient rain to save farmers from a dangerous drought. Local inhabitants were impressed by his tantric power and promoted his popularity. Most of the young Geluk lamas of his period in the U region became his disciple.

Among the teachers of Trichen Konchok Chopel some of the known names included Thirtieth Ganden Tripa, Lodro Gyatso (dga' ldan khri pa 30 blo gros rgya mtsho, 1546-1618), the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 03 bsod nams rgya mtsho, 1543-1588), Dakpo Dratsang Lobzang Chopel (dwags po grwa tshang blo bzang chos 'phel, 17th century), and Dromtawa Lodro Chopel (grom mta' ba blo gros chos 'phel, b. 16th century).

Some of the well-known disciples of Trichen Konchok Chopel included the Fifth Dalai Lama; Lhawang Peljor (lha dbang dpal 'byor, c. 16th-17th century), a holder of the transmission lineage of the Pramāṇa-samuccaya; and Khenchen Konchok Tendzin (mkhan chen dkon mchog bstan 'dzin, 1623-1684).

Trichen Konchok Chopel spent most of his later life guiding disciples in the religious life and in the activities of a traditional scholars: teaching, discussion, and composition of texts, though titles are not known. Thus, finally in the year of fire-dog of the eleventh sexagenary cycle in 1646, Trichen Konchok Chopel passed into nirvana at the age of seventy-four, in Sang-ngag Khar. A stupa of complete victory (rnam rgyal mchod rten) was built in his memory and installed at the second position on the right of rows of main-objects on eastern side of Lima Lhakhang in Ganden Monastery.

The year of his death is sometimes given as 1644.