The Treasury of Lives

The Forty-second Ganden Tripa, Lobzang Donyo (dga' ldan khri pa 42 blo bzang don yod) was born in a poor family in Zhokdrampu in Penyul ('phen yul zhogs gram phu) in 1602, the water-tiger year of the tenth sexagenary cycle.

Lobzang Donyo was ordained at a young age and matriculated in the Sera Je College (se ra rje) of Sera Monastery (se ra dgon). He began his studies with the course in logic and then studied Abhisamayālaṃkāra, Madhyamaka, Abhidharmakośa, Pramāṇavārttika and Vinaya, the major subjects of the Geshe courses of studies, and became a recognized scholar specializing in logic and dialectical subjects.

After completing his studies in Sera Monastery, he joined Gyume College (rgyud med) where he studied advanced tantra, covering the four sections of tantra according to the Geluk doxography, with rites and rituals of tantric practice according to the Gyume tradition. He gave teachings to many monk students thereafter, subsequently serving as an educator at Gyume College and later Jangtse College (byang rtse) of Ganden Monastery (dga' ldan).

In 1668, the earth-monkey year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle, Lobzang Donyo was enthroned as the Forty-second Ganden Tripa, the throne holder of Ganden. He served for seven years, until 1675, giving teachings and leading religious programs, including the teachings during the annual Great Prayer Festival of Lhasa, the Lhasa Monlam Chenmo, attended by the monks of the three Geluk seats, Ganden, Drepung ('bras spung), and Sera monasteries. Examinations for the highest rank of geshes, Geshe Lharampa (dge bshes lha ram pa) were also held during this festival. Thus it was one of the major duties of Ganden Tripas to lead this annual religious festival in Lhasa.

After his retirement from the Golden Throne of Ganden, Trichen Lobzang Donyo served as the abbot of Reting (rwa sgreng) and Rinchen Ling (rin chen gling) monasteries where he taught the monks until his death, at the age of seventy seven in 1678, the earth-horse year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle. A stupa of enlightenment (byang chub mchod rten) manufactured in silver and ornamented with various precious gems was installed in Ganden as a reliquary.