The Treasury of Lives

Lobzang Tsultrim Jigme Gyatso, the Fifth Taktser (stag mtsher 05 blo bzang tshul khrims 'jigs med rgya mtsho) was born in 1856, the fire-dragon year of the fourteenth sexagenary cycle, in Chikyā Taktser (chi kyA stag mtsher) village, near Kumbum. His father was named Drolma Kyab (sgrol ma skyabs) and his mother was named Kelzang Kyi (skal bzang skyid). As a child he was recognized as the reincarnation of Fourth Taktser (stag mtsher 04), about whom nothing is known, not even his name. According to the authors of the Mingdzod (ming mdzod) it was the Eighth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Tenpai Wangchuk (paN chen 08 blo bzang bstan pa'i dbang phyug, 1854/1855-1882) who identified him, but given that they were born only a few years apart, this seems unlikely.

When he turned seven he was enthroned at Kumbum Jampa Ling (sku 'bum byams pa gling), the seat of the incarnation line. He matriculated at Pelden Shedrub Ling (dpal ldan bshad sgrub gling), one of Kumbum's colleges, and received renunciation vows from the Third Shingza, Lobzang Tenpai Wangchuk (shing bza' 03 blo bzang bstan pa'i dbang phyug, 1825-1897), and studied under a teacher named Chikyā Rabjampa Yeshe Sherab (chi kyA rab 'byams pa shes shes rab, d.u.).

In 1868 a Muslim army attacked Kumbum and Jigme Gyatso fled to Mongolia with his tutor, passing through the Oro (o rod) region in Inner Mongolia and arriving at Takhurel Kunga (tA khu ral kun dga'). There he attracted a large number of followers and from them acquired considerable wealth, which he was able to use to restore Kumbum. During this period of time, he continued in his studies.

In 1880, at the age of twenty-five, he was appointed to the throne of Kumbum as the sixty-sixth throne holder, serving for three years.

After stepping down he went to Lhasa and enrolled in Gomang College (sgo mang grwa tshang) of Drepung Monastery ('bras spung). While there, he met the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 13 thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1876-1933). He renovated the houses for Kumbum monks, having found them in poor condition. He also received teachings at Sakya Monastery (sa skya dgon pa).

The Thirteenth Dalai Lama sent him back to Kumbum, where, in 1892, he again served as throne holder of the monastery, the seventy-third. He went to Mongolia in 1894, avoiding the wars in the Salar region, and returned to Kumbum only in 1906, when the Dalai Lama was there, returning to Lhasa from Beijing. The Dalai Lama remained at Kumbum for about four months, taking an active role in its administration; with Taktser's cooperation, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama instituted new regulations and expelled monks who had broken their vows. Their actions engendered some animosity, and, after the Dalai Lama left, Taktser also left, returning to Mongolia, where he remained for an extended period of time.

He passed away at Kumbum in approximately 1920. His reincarnation was idenfied as Tubten Jigme Norbu (stag mtsher 06 thub bstan 'jigs med nor bu, 1922-2008), elder brother of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama (tA la'i bla ma 14 bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, b. 1935).