The Treasury of Lives

Jedrung Kunga Lodro (rje drung kun dga' blo gros) was born into a Bon family in Tsawa (tsha ba), Kham in the water-hare year of the eighth sexagenary cycle, the year 1483.

He likely joined the Geluk monastery Chamdo Jampa Ling (chab mdo byams pa gling) in Kham and from there was went to Lhasa and the surrounding region to study the texts of sutra and tantra in the Geluk monasteries there. After a number of years he became an accomplished scholar and returned to Kham to teach at a few local monasteries. Because of his compositions in all aspects of dharma, he was honored with the title choje (chos rje), king of dharma. It was said that he experienced visions of Mañjuśrī.

When Jedrung Kunga Pelden (rje drung kun dga' dpal ldan, 1457-1540), the Sixth abbot of Jampa Ling, passed away, the seat remained vacant for about three years. Kunga Lodro was requested to accept the position, which he did, in 1543, at the age of sixty-one.

He gave regular teachings and dutifully performed the duty of the abbot. Unfortunately, due to internal arguments and discord, a disappointed and displeased Kunga Lodro left the monastery after less than three years. He went north to the Khyungpo (khyung po), after which he was known as “Choje Yarjonpa” (chos rje yar byon pa), meaning "the choje who went up (north)." There he continued to teach. Among his disciples was Jedrung Sherab Wangpo (rje drung shes rab dbang po, 1500-1586), the tenth abbot of Jampa Ling.

At the age of eighty-four, in the fire-tiger year of the ninth sexagenary cycle, the year 1566, Kunga Lodro passed away. Relics and other holy objects such as images were discovered in the ashes of his cremation and put in a gold statue in the Gyak Gonsar ('gyag dgon gsar), a monastery in Khyungpo.