The Treasury of Lives

The Fourth Amdo Zhamar Gendun Tendzin Gyatso (a mdo zhwa dmar 04 dge 'dun bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho) was born in Zhamar (zhwa dmar) village in Dabzhi (mda' bzhi) in the Tsongon (mtsho sngon) region of Amdo, in 1852, the water-mouse year of the fourteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was named Benyen (ban yan) and his mother was called Machik (ma gcig). He was the youngest of his brothers and sisters. Dabzhi was a place with strong connections with Lamo Dechen Monastery.

At a very early age he was identified as the reincarnation of the Third Amdo Zhamar, Ngawang Tendzin Gyatso (a mdo zhwa dmar 03 ngag dbang bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, 1807-1848), which was confirmed by the Seventh Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Pelden Tenpai Nyima (paN chen 07 blo bzang dpal ldan bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1782-1853) and Lobzang Tenpai Gyeltsen (blo bzang bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, d.u).

When he turned four, he was enthroned to the throne of his predecessor at Lamo Dechen (la mo bde chen) Monastery where he studied reading and writing under Geshe Rongpo Alag (dge bshes rong po a lags, d.u) and Kunpangpa Tendzin Gyeltsen (kun spangs pa bstan 'dzin rgyal mtshan, d.u)

At the age of eight he received the novice vows from Tarshul Gendun Chokyong Gyatso (thar shul dge 'dun chos skyong rgya mtsho, d.u.) who gave him the name Gendun Tendzin Gyatso. After three years he began to study logic and other subjects under the tutorship of Takri Rabjampa Lobzang Nyima (stag ri rab 'byams pa blo bzang nyi ma, d.u). He then joined the general monastic education and studied the five standard subjects of logic, Madhyamaka, Prajñāpāramitā, Abhidharma and Vinaya under the instruction of Drungchen Sherab Gyatso (drung chen shes rab rgya mtsho, 1803-1875).

When he turned sixteen he became secretary of the monastery, a post he seemed not have enjoyed, as three years later he fled to Rongpo (rong po) Monastery in Rebkong (reb gong) in order to enter into meditation retreat. There he had an audience with the Second Arol, Lobzang Lungrik Gyatso (a rol 02 blo bzang lung rigs rgya mtsho, 1805-1886).

Soon after, at the command of the Second Arol, he matriculated in Labrang Tashikyil (bla brang bkra shis khyil). There he studied with numerous masters, including Khewang Gendun Zangpo (mkhas dbang dge 'dun bzang po, d.u); Zhangton Tenpa Gyatso (zhang ston bstan pa rgya mtsho, 1825-1897); and Drungchen Sherab Gyatso, with whom he had studied at Lamo Dechen, and who gave him novice ordination at the age of twenty. When he was either twenty-three or twenty-seven he received full ordination from Khuluk Geshe Nyima Richen (khu lugs dge bshes nyi ma rin chen, d.u).

He returned briefly to Rongpo to receive teachings from the Second Arol, and then went back to Labrang to continue his studies with Drungchen Sherab Gyatso. He also studied astrology with Nyalung Ngarampa Gendun Tendzin (nya lung sngags rabs pa dge 'dun bstan 'dzin, d.u.), medicine with Chukya Tsoje (chu kya 'tso byed, d.u), and grammar with Tsadampa Jamyang Tsultrim Gyatso (tsha 'dam pa 'jam dbyangs tshul khrims rgya mtsho, d.u). He gave his first empowerment, on Dudul Namgyal (bdud las rnam rgyal) at Gomar Ganden Puntsok Ling (sgo dmar dga' ldan phun tshogs gling). At the age of thirty four, in 1885, at Ragya Monastery (ra rgya), he completed his education and received his Geshe (dge bshes) degree.

The Amdo Zhamar spent much of the next fifteen years in retreat. Beginning at the age of thirty-six, at the command of the Second Arol and of Shingza Paṇḍita Lobzang Dargye Gyatso (shing bza' paN+Di ta blo bzang dar rgyas rgya mtsho, 1752-1824), he entered retreat at Samten Choding (bsam gtan chos sdings) Hermitage. A large number of practitioners gathered around him and as a group they began to wander the region. Eventually they settled at a place that was given the name Ditsa (lde tsha, or dhi tsha), and Horchen Yeshe Gyatso (hor chen ye shes rgya mtsho, d.u.) was invited to teach.

In 1903 the site was formally established as a monastery, Pel Mingyur Deden Tashi Choding (dpal mi 'gyur bde ldan bkra shis chos sdings), commonly known as Ditsa. A local patron named Tashi Tsering (bkra shis tshe ring) gave financial support.

The monastery grew dramatically from the outset, its reputation bolstered by its strict regimen of teaching that attracted around three thousand students before the Fourth Zhwa dmar died

In 1896, when he was forty-five, he spent the winter months at Madram Dorje Drak (rma 'gram rdo rje brag) hermitage. There, under the guidance of Dharmakīrti Pelzang (d+harma kirti dpal bzang, d.u.) he edited works on Madhyamaka with Geshe Sherab Gyatso and the Seventh Zhabdrung Karpo, Gendun Tendzin Norbu (zhabs drung dkar po 07 dge 'dun bstan 'dzin nor bu, 1873-1927). In 1902 he supervised the carving of the collected works of Tarshul Gendun Chokyong Gyatso and composed the table of contents.

During this period he also traveled occasionally to give teachings at monasteries in the region, including Kumbum (sku 'bum), Jakhyung (bya khyung), Serkhok (gser khog), Gonlung (dgon lung), Bido (bis mdo), Arik Gonchen Ganden Chopel Ling (a rig dgon chen dga' ldan chos 'phel gling), Kangtsa (rkang tsha), and Ngagar Jangchub Ling (rnga sgar byang chub gling).

Some time between 1905 and 1907, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso ( tA la'i bla ma 13 thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1876-1933), who had fled Lhasa in advance of the British Younghusband invasion of Tibet in 1904, was residing at Kumbum Monastery. The Amdo Zhamar met him there and gave him extensive empowerments and instructions, and so impressed the Dalai Lama that the later gave him the title of paṇḍita together with a seal and a large number of gifts. Thereafter he was known as Zhamar Paṇḍita.

Among the many important Geluk lamas of twentieth century Amdo that he trained were the Eleventh Tongkhor, Lobzang Jigme Tsultrim Gyatso (stong 'khor 11 blo bzang 'jigs med tshul khrims rgya mtsho, 1891-1909); Sertok Nominhan Lobzang Tsultrim Gyatso (gser tog no mo han blo bzang tshul khrims rgya mtsho, 1845-1915); the Third Chesho, Lobzang Jangchub Tenpai Dronme (che shos 03 blo bzang byang chub bstan pa'i sgron me, 1861-1935); the seventieth abbot of Rongpo, Lobzang Lungtok Chokyi Gyatso (blo bzang lung rtogs chos kyi rgyal mtshan, 1880-1959); Jamyang Tubten Gyatso ('jam dbyangs thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1866-1928); the Third Arol, Lobzang Lungtok Tenpai Gyeltsen (a rol 03 blo bzang lung rtogs bstan pa'i rgyal mtshan, 1888-1959); the Fourth Minyak, Ngawang Lekshe Gyatso (mi nyag 04 ngag dbang legs bshad rgya mtsho, 1902-1958); Deyang Lobzang Tendzin Norbu (bde yangs blo bzang bstan 'dzin nor bu, 1839-1911); Abhya Jigme Damcho Gyatso (a bhya 'jigs med dam chos rgya mtsho, 1898-1946); Giteng Lobzang Pelden (sgis /sge'u steng blo bzang dpal ldan, 1880-1944); and Pelri Lobzang Rabsel (dpal ris blo bzang rab gsal,1840-1910). The famous iconoclast Gendun Chopel (dge 'dun chos 'phel, 1903-1951) is also said to have studied under the Fourth Zhamar for several years in his youth, likely from the age of six or seven until around eight or nine, although it is possible he arrived at Ditsa only after the master had passed away.

His compositions, on over fifty-eight different topics, were collected into nine volumes.

He passed away at the age of sixty one, in 1912, the water-male mouse year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle.