The Treasury of Lives

The First Chakra Tulku, Drubtob Sanggye Peljor (lcags ra sprul sku 01 grub thob sangs rgyas dpal 'byor), was born in 1449, the earth-snake year of the eighth sexagenary cycle. He was nephew and close disciple of the First Pakpa Lha, Gyelwa Pakpa Lha ('phags pa lha 01 rgyal ba 'phags pa lha 1439-1487). Later in life Sanggye Peljor was said to be an emanation of Vajrapāṇi.

Sanggye Peljor was a close disciple of his uncle, whom he served and accompanied for most of his life. Pakpa Lha gave him extensive teachings and transmissions on both sutra and tantra, and he became known as an accomplished scholar and practitioner.

He appointed two monks to recite Pakpa Lha's collected works of daily at a place where they could be heard by Pakpa Lha himself, a recitation that continued until his uncle's death.

He acted as director of the construction project of the Maitreya statue sponsored by Pakpa Lha at in Lho Chotritang (lho chos khri thang), a monastery founded by Pakpa Lha. As his reputation grew, Sanggye Peljor received considerable offerings, which he used for making statues, paintings, and other religious and ritual objects.

While his uncle was still living, Sanngye Peljor made a statue of him in copper with gold plating, together with a throne and back-stand. The statue was later installed in Tangda Jangchubling Monastery (thang gra byang chub gling), which Pakpa Lha had founded. He sponsored the manufacture of one hundred eight tanka paintings of Pakpa Lha. Among them was a painting that was made by the hand of Pakpa Lha himself and installed in the Pende Monastery (phan bde dgon) in Nyangpo, a monastery established by the Second Pakpa Lha, Pakpa Sanggye Pel ('phags pa sangs rgyas dpal, 1507-1566).

Sanggye Peljor sponsored other statues that were housed in Tashi Cholung (bkra shis chos lung), a monastery in Nyang po (nyang po) established by Pakpa Lha. Following the death of his uncle, he sponsored the construction of a golden canopy and roof for the reliquary of Pakpa Lha housed in his main seat, Tashi Cholung.

Sanggye Peljor is known to have had gold leaves added to the first page of the two volumes of Pakpa Lha's collected works.

Sanggye Peljor passed away in 1523 at the age of seventy-five, in the water-sheep year of the ninth sexagenary cycle. An extensive nirvana-prayer ceremony was held and a golden reliquary, containing his body, was built and installed in Tashi Cholung. His reincarnation, Choje Ngawang (chos rje ngag dbang, 1525-1591), was identified by the Second Pakpa Lha.