The Treasury of Lives

Arik Geshe Jampa Gelek Gyeltsen (a rig dge bshes a rig dge bshes byams pa dge legs rgyal mtshan), was born in 1728, the fire-male horse year of twelfth sexagenary cycle, in a village called Arik Khyeb (a rig khyeb), not far from the sacred mountain Amnye Machen (a myes rma chen). His father, a member of the Arik clan, was named Makhye Pakpa Kyab (ma khye 'phags pa skyabs), and his mother was named Akyi Zangmo Chokkyi (a skyid bzang mo cog skyid). At a very young age he was taken in and brought up by Gyali Tulku Lobzang Tendar (rgya li sprul sku blo bzang bstan dar, d.u.).

At the age of seventeen he made pilgrimage to U-Tsang and matriculated in Sera Je (se ra bye) college of Sera monastic university. For thirteen years he studied Madhyamaka, Prajñāpāramitā, Vinaya, and Abhidharma and earned a Rabjampa (ram 'byams pa) degree of during the Lhasa Monlam Chenmo.

He then practiced at Purbuchok (phur bu lcog) hermitage above Sera under the guidance of the First Purchok, Ngawang Jampa (phur lcog 01 ngag dbang byams pa, 1682-1762), who was counted as the fifty-third holder of the Lamrim lineage, the teaching on which he concentrated his efforts. While there he gave the transmission and instructions of the Kangyur to Ngawang Chodrak (ngag dbang chos grags, 1707-1778), who served as the Fifty-eighth Ganden Tripa from 1764 to1770 and who was the tutor of Eighth Dalai Lama, Jampel Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 08 'jam dpal rgya mtsho, 1758-1804).

While the Sixth Paṇchen Lama, Lobzang Pelden Yeshe (paN chen bla ma 06 blo bzang dpal ldan ye shes, 1738-1780) was giving Kālacakra teachings to the Third Changkya, Rolpai Dorje (lcang skya 03 rol pa'i rdor rje, 1717-1786), he also participated.

After returning to Amdo, in 1769, at a place called Ragya Tashi (ra rgya bra shis), at the command of the Sixth Paṇchen Lama he established a monastery, named Ganden Tashi Jungne (dga ldan bkra shis 'byung gnas). He gave nominal control of the monastery to the Sixth Paṇchen, who agreed to supervise the teaching curriculum. The Paṇchen Lama gave Arik Geshe the title of Erdeni Mergen Khenpo (er ti ni mer gan mkhan po). Under the Paṇchen Lama's instructions and patronage he established a monastic college modeled on Sera Je.

Arik Geshe led the monastery for about twenty-four years, imparting teachings and empowerments to the monks and the community. Around 1792 he entrusted his disciple, Shingza Paṇḍita Lobzang Dargye Gyatso (shing bza' paN+Di ta blo bzang dar rgye rgya mtsho, 1752-1824), who had, on Arik Geshe's command, established new colleges at Ragya Ganden Tashi Jungne Monastery: the Tantric College, the Kālacakra College, the Medical College, and the Hayagrīva College,

In his rest life, he traveled in different hermitages places, mostly in the Tongkhor (stong skor) region of Amdo for practicing meditations and gave teachings on both sutra and tantra traditions. He taught at regional monasteries including Kumbum (sku 'bum), Chubzang (chu bzang), and Tongkhor (stong khor).

Arik Geshe's students included the Fourth Changkya, Yeshe Tenpai Gyeltsen (lcang skya 04 ye shes bstan pa’i rgyal mtshan, 1787-1846); the Seventh Tongkhor, Kelzang Jamyang Gyatso (stong 'khor 07 skal bzang 'jam dbyangs rgya mtsho, 1799-1811); the Fourth Zhabdrung Karpo, Lobzang Tubten Gelek Gyeltsen (zhabs drung dkar po 04 blo bzang thub bstan dge legs rgyal mtshan, 1729-1796); the fifty-eighth abbot of Jakhyung Monastery, Ngawang Nyendrak (ngag dbang snyan grags, 1766-1841); and Lobzang Tenzin Gyatso (blo bzang bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, 1780-1848).

He composed works on Lamrim, Guhyasamāja, and monastic regulations. A single volume of his writings survives.

Arik Geshe Chenmo passed away in 1803.