The Treasury of Lives

The Thirty-third Ganden Tripa, Drakpa Gyatso (dga' ldan khri pa 33 grags pa rgya mtsho) was born in Gere Town in Uto (dbu stod dge re grong) in 1555, the wood-hare year of the ninth sexagenary cycle.

At a young age, Drakpa Gyatso was admitted in the Gonsar Monastery (dgon gsar) where he ordained and received basic monastic training and education. He studied both sutra and tantra under the scholars of the monastery, as well as some common subjects such as grammar, poetry, composition, and so forth. He stood for the traditional examination for the degree of Rabjampa at Ngam Ring (byang ngam ring) Monastery in Jang, and became a well-known scholar. Although not mentioned in the biography it can be presumed from his later service at Gyuto College (rgyud stod grwa tshang) that he studied advanced tantra there after completion of his studies in the traditional philosophical course and Vinaya.

Rabjampa Drakpa Gyatso served as educator at the Gyuto College in Lhasa and taught courses in tantra. He also served as the patron-lama of some monasteries including Tre Rinchen Drak (spras rin chen brag) Monastery and Ganden Shartse Monastery (dga' ldan shar rtse grwa tshang).

In 1623, in water-pig year of the tenth sexagenary cycle, at the age of seventy, Rabjampa Drakpa Gyatso was enthroned as the Thirty-third Ganden Tripa. Most sources have it that he served only one year, although some state that he served the abbacy for five years, from 1623 to 1627. During his tenure he gave a great variety of teachings, especially on the topics of sutra and tantra and also led religious activities, events, and great festivals of Geluk tradition. He is said to have guided a large number of disciples, although their names are not known.

Trichen Drakpa Gyatso passed into nirvana at the age of seventy-five, in 1627, the fire-hare year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle.