The Treasury of Lives

The Third Zamtsa Sertri Lobzang Trinle Gyatso (zam tsha gser khri 03 blo bzang phrin las rgya mtsho) was born in 1822, the year of iron-snake in the fourteenth sexagenary cycle, into the Mongolian family of Surukchin Tsongon-tsang (su rug chin mtsho sngon tshang). He was identified as the reincarnation of the Second Zamtsa Sertri Lobzang Jigme Namkha (zam tsha gser khri 02 blo bzang 'jigs med nam mkha', 1768-1821/22). The origin of his incarnation line was the Fifty-fifth Ganden Tripa, Trichen Ngawang Namkha Zangpo (dga' ldan khri pa 55 khri chen ngag dbang nam mkha' bzang po, 1690-1750) whose reincarnations continued in the name of Zamtsa Sertri and were based at Labrang Tashikhyil (bla brang bkra shis 'khyil), a major Geluk monastery in Amdo, and with Gomang Dratsang of the Drepung Monastery ('bras spungs sgo mang grwa tshang).

Lobzang Trinle Gyatso passed away in 1832, the year of water-dragon, at the age of about eleven or twelve. Jigme Samdrub Gyatso (zam tsha gser khri 04 ’jigs med bsam grub rgya mtsho 1833-1874) born in Amdo (mdo smad kho tshe) in 1833, the year of water-snake of the fourteenth sexagenary cycle was identified as his reincarnation, the Fourth Zamtsa Sertri.