The Treasury of Lives

Tri Songwanggyel (khri srong dbang rgyal) was born to the prominent family of Lhagyari (lha rgya ri). The Lhagyaris were the local rulers of Eyul (e yul), situated between Yarlung (yar klung) and Dakpo (dwags po) in central Tibet. The family claims descent from the Pugyel (spu rgyal) emperors of Yarlung (yar klung) through King Namde Osung (gnam lde 'od srungs, b.842), the son of King Tri Udumtsen (khri ur dum btsan, r.836-842), also known as Langdarma.

Trisong's father was Zilnon Wangchuk (zil gnon dbang phyug, 19th c.), the twelfth head of the family, and his mother was Deden Wangmo (bde ldan dbang mo, d.u.), the daughter of Lukhangpa Tsewang Gyurme (klu khang pa tshe dbang 'gyur med, 19th century). As the eldest of his four brothers, Zilnon was invested as the thirteenth head of the family after his father.

During his administration, he also introduced the practice of Mani Prayer ritual (ma Ni dung sgrub) to the thirteen monastic institutions under Lhagyari authority. To the south of the Lhagyari castle, he constructed an assembly hall large enough for a thousand monks with a two story Buddha statue. He also built a golden reliquary stupa for his father.

Tri Songwanggyel married Tashi Gyelmo (bkra shis rgyal mo, 19th c.) from the aristocratic Tetong family (bkras mthong) which had an estate near Shigatse (gzhis ka rtse). They had seven children: Tobjor Wangchuk (stobs 'byor dbang phyug, 19th c.), Guru Rinpoche (gu ru rin po che) at Tawang Monastery (rta dbang), Yondo Rinpoche (yon mdo rin po che) at Yardrok Yondo Monastery (yar 'brog yon mdo), Namgyel Wangchuk (rnam rgyal dbang phyug), Ogyen Chodron o rgyan chos sgron), Yeshe Wangmo (ye shes dbang mo), and Tseten Chodzom (tshe brtan chos 'dzoms, b. 19th c.). Tseten Chodzom married into the Surkhang family (zur khang) and Tobjor Wangchuk, the eldest son, became the fourteenth head of the Lhagyari family.