The Treasury of Lives

Drubtob Tsangzhikpa (grub thob gtsang zhig pa) was a disciple of Jikten Gonpo Rinchen Pel ('jig rten mgon po rin chen dpal, 1143-1217), the founder of Drigung Til Monastery ('bri gung mthil). As a young man, he was well known for being a lover of Tibetan barley beer (chang) and was said to drink with friends until sunrise.

After Jikten Gonpo passed away, Tsangzhikpa became a disciple of Nyo Gyelwa Lhanangpa Sanggye Rinchen (gnyos rgyal ba lha nang pa sangs rgyas rin chen, 1164-1224). He received ordination from the Kashmiri Paṇḍita Śākyaśrībhadra (kha che paN chen shAkya shrI b+ha dra, 1127-1225) and Chak Lotsāwa Gelong Drajom (chag lo tsA ba dge slong dgra bcom, 1153-1216).

Tsangzhikpa traveled to Nyelzhik (gnyal zhig) and built a hermitage there called Ngangkyel Chode (ngang skyal chos sde), after which he became known as Gyelwa Ritropa Sengge (rgyal ba ri khrod pa seng ge), the Victorious Hermit Sengge. The hermitage was later converted to the Geluk tradition.

At some point he encountered a lama known as Chumikpa (chu mig pa), who apparently was a Drukpa Kagyu teacher; the two exchanged teachings – Tsangzhikpa taught Mahāmudrā to Chumikpa – and henceforth Tsangzhikpa was said to practice a combination of Drigung and Drukpa teachings.

A monk name Seljewa (gsal rje ba) succeeded Tsangzhikpa as abbot at Nangkyel Chode, and a statue was built there in Tsangzhikpa's honor. It seems his reputation as a lover of beer outlived him, as the local people paid homage to the statue with offerings of beer. According to legend, his reincarnation was identified in the person of a monk named Zara Geshe (za ra dge bshes) on the basis of his becoming intoxicated whenever beer was offered to the statue.