The Treasury of Lives

Ngakchang Ngawang Kunga Rinchen (sngags 'chang ngag dbang kun dga' rin chen) was born at Tsedong in 1517, into the branch of the Khon family line based at the Ducho Labrang (dus mchod bla brang). His father was Jamyang Namkha Dondrub Tseten Tashi Gyeltsen ('Jam dbyangs nam mkha' don grub tshe brtan bkra shis rgyal mtshan, d.u.) and his mother was Buden Kyi ('bu 'dren skyid).

At the age of nine Kunga Rinchen received his lay and novice ordination vows from the Twenty-second Sakya Tridzin, Sakya Lotsāwa Jampai Dorje (sa skya lo tsA ba 'jam pa'i rdo rje, 1485-1533), and received the name Jamyang Ngagi Wangpo Kunga Rinchen Tashi Drakpa Gyeltsen Pelzangpo ('jam dbyangs ngag gi dbang po kun dga' rin chen bkra shis grags pa rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po).

Kunga Rinchen studied with numerous lamas, including Kunga Sonam, who gave him teachings and many tantric empowerments, transmissions, and instructions. He received the Lamdre teachings from the Tenth Ngor Khenchen, Konchok Lhundrub (ngor mkhan chen 10 dkon mchog lhun grub, 1497-1557). From Pakchen Pelden Tashi ('phags chen dpal ldan bkra shis, d.u.) he received the Neljor Chuchik (rnal 'byor bcu gcig), a tantric practice related to the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra, and he received the Kālacakra from the Thirteenth Zhalu Khenchen, Tsarchen Losel Gyatso (zhwa lu mkhan chen 13 tshar chen blo gsal rgya mtsho, 1502-1566/67). He received the Tikle Chudruk (thig le bcu drug) from the Kadampa monk Chennga Ngawang Chodrak (spyan snga ngag dbang chos grags, d.u.). His other teachers included Paṇchen Lekpai Lodro (paN chen legs pa'i blo gros, d.u.), the Eleventh Ngor Khenchen, Sanggye Sengge (ngor mkhan chen 11 sangs rgyas seng+ge, 1504-1569), Terton Nangtsewa Zhikpo Lingpa (gter ston snang rtse ba zhig po gling pa, 1524-1583), and Trengpo Terton Sherab Ozer ('phreng po gter ston shes rab 'od zer, 1518-1584).

In 1534, at the age of sixteen, Kunga Rinchen ascended to the seat of Sakya as the twenty-third throne-holder, holding that office for fifty years, until his death in 1584.

During his tenure Kunga Rinchen was faced with numerous conflicts between Sakya and neighboring monastic estates and principalities, including Drigung ('bris gung) and Jang (byang), and he was forced to repair Sakya buildings on several occasions.

At Chumik Dzongka (chu mig rdzong kha) he built the Demchok Podrang (bde mchog pho brang) and he installed new statues and ritual accoutrement in the Serkhang (gser khang) temple in the Ducho Labrang (dus mchod bla brang), one of the four traditional palaces of Sakya Monastery. He also established the Nangso Putrakhang (nang so pu tra khang) and the Lhundrub Podrang (lhun grub pho brang).

Kunga Rinchen established the Chodra Chenpo Tubten Lhachen (chos grwa chen po thub bstan lha chen), the Sangngak Dechenling (gsang sngags Bde chen gling). Repairing the cave site where Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (sa chen kun dga' snying po, 1092-1158) practiced, he also built the Tubten Lhakang (thub bstan lha khang) and the Sangngak Demchokling (gsang sngags bde mchog gling).

In addition to his new construction, Kunga Rinchen restored numerous buildings, including the hermitage at Khau Kyelhe (kha'u skye lhas sgrub gnas) and the main temple at Samye (bsam yas gtsug lag khang), where, in 1561 he established the Samye Rabjung Dratsang (bsam yas rab byung grwa tshang).

At the request of the monks and sponsors of Sakya, Kunga Rinchen took three wives and sired two sons: Jamyang Wangpo Drakpa Gyeltsen ('jam dbyangs dbang po grags pa rgyal mtshan) and Drakpa Lodro Gyeltsen (grags pa blo gros rgyal mtshan).

Among Kunga Rinchen's students were Jamgon Amyezhab Ngawang Kunga Sonam ('jam mgon a nye zhabs ngag dbang kun dga' bsod nams, 1597-1659/1960), one of the greatest of the Sakya writers and author of a lengthy biography of Kunga Rinchen; the Thirteenth Ngor Khenchen, Namkha Pelzang (ngor mkhan chen 13 nam mkha' dpal bzang, 1532-1602); the fourteenth Ngor Khenchen, Jampa Kunga Tashi (ngor mkhan chen 14 byams pa kun dga' bkra shis, 1558-1603); Jonang Jetsun Kunga Drolchok (jo nang rje btsun kun dga' grol mchog, 1507-1566/7); The Twenty-fourth Sakya Tridzen (sa skya khri chen 24 'jam dbyangs bsod nams dbang po, 1559-1621); and the Twenty-fifth Sakya Tridzen, Drakpa Lodro Gyeltsen Pelzangpo (sa skya khri chen 25 grags pa blo gros rgyal mtshan dpal bzang po, 1563-1617).

Among his many compositions in his three volume collected works are biographies, sadhana, instructions, letters, and hymns of praise.

Kunga Rinchen died in 1584 at Lhundrub Podrang (lhun grub pho brang) at the age of sixty-seven.

It should be noted that there is no standard list of holders of the Sakya Trichen office; in some listings Kunga Rinchen is counted as the Twenty-fourth Sakya Trichen, whereas in others he is listed as the Rwenty-second.