The Treasury of Lives

The First Tewo Lungzang Nangwa, Lobzang Samten (the bo lung bzang nang ba 01 blo bzang bsam gtan) was born in 1687, the fire-rabbit year of the twelfth sexagenary cycle, to a farming family in the Drelung Yare (dren lung ya re) village of Teworong (the bo rong) in northeastern Amdo. His father was named Peltsa Sherab Zang (dpal tsha shes rab bzang, d.u.) and his mother was named Tarza Ngolungma (thar bza' sngo long ma, d.u.).

At the age of seven he began to study reading and recitation of daily prayer tests for one year under the instruction of an uncle, Lobzang Tashi (blo bzang bkra shis, d.u.). When he turned eight, he accompanied his mother, who had come down with smallpox, and other relatives on a pilgrimage to Drakkar (brag dkar) monastery, where he met Drakon Tenpa Dargye (brag dgon bstan pa dar rgyas, d.u.), who advised him to become a monk.

At the age of twelve he received his lay and novice ordination vows from Drakon Tenpa Dargye, who gave the name Ngawang Monlam (ngag dbang smon lam). With this master he studied writing and painting for two years.

At the age of seventeen, he accompanied Tenpa Dargye on a tour of Amdo, visiting Chone (co ne) and Chodzong (chos rdzong) monasteries.

When he turned twenty he received full ordination vows from Chepa Lobzang Trinle (chas pa blo bzang 'phrin las, 1698-1764), the second incarnation of Chepa line, who had established the Kunzang Dechen Ling hermitage (ri khrod kun bzang bde-chen gling).

When he was twenty-eight he traveled to Lhasa. He visited Ganden and Tashilhunpo monasteries, and had an audience with the Second Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Yeshe (paN chen 02 blo bzang ye shes, 1663-1737), from whom he again received the vows of full ordination and the name Lobzang Samten. At Tashilhunpo a lama named Konchok Tashi (dkon mchog bkra shis, d.u.) gave him a Mañjūśrī empowerment. At Junang (ju nang) he had an audience with the Seventh Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso (tA la'i bla ma 07 skal bzang rgya mtsho, 1708-1757) who gave empowerments for practice traditions of Mahākāla, Avalokiteśvara, Mañjūśrī, Vajrapāṇi.

He returned to Amdo at the age of thirty. There he continued his studies with a number of masters, including Angmon Ponlob (ang smon dpon slob, d.u.); Lobzang Chopel (blo bzang chos dpal, d.u.); Paṇḍita Lobzang Jinpa (paN Di ta blo bzang sbyin pa, d.u.), Chone Drakpa Shedrub (co ne grags pa bshad sgrub, 1675-1748), who established the Gyupa Dratsang (rgyud pa grwa tshang) at Chone monastery; and Kagyurpa Lobzang Nyima (bka 'gyur pa blo bzang nyi ma, 1639-1718).

At the age of thirty six he established the Ganden Jangchub Chopel Ling (dga ldan byang chub chos 'phel gling) at Lungzang Ritro (lung bzang ri khrod). He continued to develop the monastery over the course of his life, building a temple there at the age of fifty-eight.

His compositions were collected in four volumes.

Tewo Lungzang Nangwa Lobzang Samten passed away in either 1748 or 1749.