The Treasury of Lives

Lingtrul Tubten Nyinje Gyeltsen (gling sprul thub bstan nyin byed rgyal mtshan) was the seventh abbot of Śrī Siṃha College (shrI sing+ha bshad drwa) at Dzogchen Rudam Orgyen Samten Choling Monastery (rdzogs chen ru dam o rgyan bsam gtan chos gling). He was born in the Derge (sde dge) region of Kham (khams) in the nineteen century.

As a child he was identified as the reincarnation of Ling Drubtob Sonam Jinpa (gling grub thob bsod nams sbyin pa, d.u.) by the Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang, Mingyur Namkhai Dorje (rdzogs chen grub dbang 04 mi 'gyur nam mkha'i rdo rje, 1793-1870), and was subsequently brought to Dzogchen Monastery where he began his studies in ritual and ceremony.

He studied the spoken word and treasure  (bka' gter) teachings of the Nyingma tradition under a number of notable teachers including Mingyur Namkhai Dorje; the second abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Gyelse Zhenpen Taye (rdzogs chen mkhan rabs 02 gzhan phan mtha' yas, 1800-1855); Dza Patrul (rdza dpal sprul, 1808-1887); and the treasure revealer Chokgyur Lingpa (mchog gyur gling pa, 1829-1870).

He received his full ordination (bhikṣu) from Gyelse Zhenpen Taye, who gave him the name Tubten Nyinje Gyeltsen. He is said to have maintained strict observance of his vows. He was enthroned as the seventh abbot of Śrī Siṃha College where he taught extensively on both the sutras and tantras, strictly maintained his vows, and continued the tradition of observing the three basic practices (gzhi gsum) of the Mahāyāna Vinaya: the confession ceremony, summer retreat, and conclusion ceremony.

Minling Khenchen Tsultrim Dorje (smin gling mkhan chen tshul khrims rdo rje, d.u.) received his vows of full ordination from Tubten Nyinje Gyeltsen during a visit to Kham. From him, this lineage passed on to Dordzin Khenpo Gyurme Ngawang Norbu (rdor 'dzin mkhan po 'gyur med ngag dbang nor bu, b. 19th century), and through him eventually to Trulzhik Ngawang Chozang ('khrul zhig ngag dbang chos kyi blo gros, 1924-2011), who lived in Nepal after escaping from Tibet.

Some of Tubten Nyinje Gyeltsen's prominent students include Purtsa Khenpo Akon (phur tsha mkhan po a dkon, c.1837-c.1897); the ninth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Kelden Gyatso (skal ldan rgya mtsho); the fifteenth abbot Śrī Siṃha College, Konchok Drakpa (dkon mchog grags pa, d.u.); Gyurme Ngawang Norbu (mkhan po 'gyur med ngag dbang nor bu, d.u.); the seventeenth abbot Śrī Siṃha College, Khenpo Munsel (mkhan po mun sel, 1916-1993); the twenty-third abbot Śrī Siṃha College, Khenchen Tubten Nyendrak (mkhan chen thub bstan snyan grags, 1883-1959); Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpai Gyeltsen (smyo shul lung rtogs bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, b. 1829/1830); Orgyen Tendzin Norbu (o rgyan bstan 'dzin nor bu, b. 1851); Lakla Sonam Chokdrub (glag bla bsod nams chos 'grub, 1862-1944); and the Second Troshul Getrul, Tsewang Pelgyi Dorje (khro shul dge sprul 02 tshe dbang dpal gyi rdo rje, d.u.).

Details of his later life and time of death are unknown.

He was succeeded by Pema Vajra (pad+ma badz+ra, c.1807-1884) as the eighth abbot of Śrī Siṃha College.