The Treasury of Lives



The Fifth Amdo Zhamar, Lobzang Shedrub Tendzin Gyatso (a mdo zhwa dmar 05 blo bzang bshad sgrub bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho) was born into a nomadic family in a village named Arik (a rig) in northern Amdo in 1914, the wood-tiger year of the fifteenth sexagenary cycle. His father was named Magyel Dondrub (rma rgyal don grub) and mother was named Tsering Kyi (tshe ring skyid).

At the age of six he was identified as the reincarnation of the Fourth Amdo Zhamar, Gendun Tendzin Gyatso (a mdo zhwa dmar 04 dge 'dun bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, 1852-1912). This was later affirmed by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso (tA la'i bla ma 13 thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1876-1933).

The following year he was granted preliminary monastic vows by the Seventh Zhabdrung Karpo, Gendun Tendzin Norbu (zhabs drung dkar po 07 dge 'dun bstan 'dzin nor bu, 1873-1929), who gave him the name Lobzang Shedrub Tendzin Gyatso. He was then brought to Ditsa Monastery, Pel Mingyur Ganden Tashi Choding (dhi tsha dpal mi 'gyur dga' ldan bkra shis chos sdings). There he studied under the guidance of Lobzang Rabgye (blo bzang rab rgyas), the seventy-eighth abbot of Jakhyung Monastery (bya khyung).

At the age of eleven he enrolled in the general classes at Lamo Dechen (la mo bde chen) and began the standard Geluk curriculum, studying logic, Madhyamaka, Prajñāpāramitā, Abhidharma and Vinaya under Lobzang Rabgye. Afterwards, under the behest of the Seventh Zhabdrung Karpo, he matriculated at Labrang Tashikyil (bla brang bkra shis 'khyil). There he received the empowerments of Vajramala, Mitra (mi tra), and Drubtab Gyatso (sgrub thabs rgya mtsho), and instructions on Lamrim (lam rim) and Ngakrim (sngags rim) from Lakho Jigme Trinle Gyatso (bla kho 'jigs med 'phrin las rgya mtsho, 1866-1948), who also gave him complete ordination as well. Later he invited Lako Rinpoche to Ditsa for further teaching; Lako then composed the regulations for the monastery.

In 1937, at the age of twenty four, under the command of the third abbot of Ditsa, Ngawang Khetsun Gyatso (ngag dbang mkhas btsun rgya mtsho, d.u) and the local subjects there, he was appointed as the monastery's fourth abbot.

In 1952, at the age of thirty nine, he passed away at Ditsa monastery.

Tsering Namgyal is a scholar in Xining.

Published January 2013

Bibliography

Bstan pa bstan 'dzin. 2003. Chos sde chen po dpal ldan 'bras spungs bkra shis sgo mang grwa tshang gi chos 'byung dung dkar g.yas su 'khyil ba'i sgra dbyangs. Mondgod: Dpal ldan 'bras spungs bkra shis sgo mang dpe mzhod khang, vol. 1, pp. 625-626. TBRC W28810.

Bshad sgrub rgya mtsho. 1995. Mdo smad byang rgyud kyi bshad sgrub chos kyi dga' tshal dpal mi 'gyur dge ldan bkra shis chos sdings kyi gdan rabs. Xining; Mtsho sngon mi rigs dpe skrun khang, pp. 95-108.

View this person’s associated Works & Texts on the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center’s Website.