The Treasury of Lives

Tumton Lodro Drakpa (gtum ston blo gros grags pa) was born into a family of Tum (gdum) clan, in the village of Wumang (dbu mang) in Tsang, in 1106, the fire-bird year of the twelfth sexagenary cycle. 

In Tsang he studied Vinaya under the guidance of Gya Duldzin Wangchuk Tsultrim (rgya 'dul 'dzin dbang phyug tshul khrims) who was the disciple of Sok Tsultrim Lama (sog tshul khrims bla ma, d.u.).

He then went to the U (dbus) region where he studied Kadam traditions under the tutorship of Sharawa Yonden Drak (sha ra ba yon tan grags, 1070-1141) for ten years. He is considered to have been one of Sharawa's four best disciples. He also studied with Zangkar Lotsāwa Pakpa Sherab (zangs dkar lo tsA ba 'phags pa shes rab, d.u.) and Chumikpa Sherab Drak (chu mig pa shes rab grags, d.u).

In 1153, at the age of forty-eight, in accordance with the last will of his master Sharawa, he founded Nartang Monastery (snar thang) in Tsang. There he served as the first abbot for fourteen years from until 1166.

In 1166 he passed the abbacy to his disciple Doton Sherab Drakpa (rdo ston shes rab grags pa, 1127-1185). Then he went in to retreat at hermitage Tade Cholung (rta sge chos lung) until his death later that year. His reliquary was installed in the Maitreya temple at Nartang.