The Treasury of Lives

Kyoton Monlam Tsultrim (skyo ston smon lam tshul khrims) was born into the Kyo (skyod) clan at a place named Tanakyang (rta nag yang), in U (dbus), in 1219, the earth-rabbit year of fourteenth sexagenary cycle.

He studied the complete Kadam traditions under the guidance of the sixth abbot, Sanggye Gompa Sengge Kyab (sangs rgyas sgom pa seng ge skyabs, 1179-1250) and the seventh abbot of Nartang Monastery (snar thang dgon), Chim Namkha Drak (mchims nam mkha’ grags, 1210-1285).

Due to his extensive practice of Vajrapāṇi, of whom he was believed to have been an emanation, he was said to have been capable of curing diseases caused by malicious spirits. He was also said to have been an emanation of Avalokiteśvara and Mañjuśrī.

In 1285 he was appointed to the abbatial throne as the eighth abbot of Nartang Monastery. During his tenure he established the printing house and had a wall built around the monastery.

He composed a commentary on Prajñāpāramitā, but this does not appear to be extant. Among his disciples were Chomden Rikpai Reldri (bcom ldan rig pa'i ral gri, 1227-1305) and Drakpa Tsondru (grags pa brtson 'grus, 1253-1316), the tenth abbot of Nartang.

He wrote a biography of his master, Chim Namkha Drak, which is stored in the Cultural Palace of Nationalities (民族文化宫) in Beijing.

He passed away at the age of eighty one, in 1299, the earth-pig year of the fifth sexagenary cycle.