The Treasury of Lives



The Fourth Drubgyud Tulku was born in 1739 to a father named Khyungpo Namgyel (khyung po rnam rgyal) and a mother named Serza Khyungtso (ser bza' khyung mtsho). His personal name is unrecorded. The Eighth Tai Situ, Chokyi Jungne (ta'i si tu 08 chos kyi 'byung gnas, d.1774) recognized him as the reincarnation of the Third Drubgyud Tulku, Jangchub Nyima (sgrub rgyud sprul sku 03 byang chub nyi ma, (1666–1747).

He ordained and trained under the Thirteenth Karmapa, Dudul Dorje (karma pa bdud 'dul rdo rje, 1733/4–1797/8) and the Seventh Tsurpu Gyaltsab, Konchok Wozer (mtshur phu rgyal tshab 07 dkon mchog 'od zer, 1699–1765). 

He eventually assumed the throne at Tana Monastery (rta rna dgon), the seat of the Yelpa Kagyu tradition, and looked after about three-hundred monks. He passed away in 1828 at the age of eighty-nine.

Joseph McClellan received a PhD from Columbia University's Department of Religion in 2013. He has taught humanities at colleges in several countries and is now an independent translator and writer based in Asia.

Published October 2023

参考书目

Unknown. Yel pa bka' brgyud pa'i dgon rnams. 1999. In Khams sgom sde nang chen pa'i dgon khag rnams kyi byung ba phyogs bsgrigs rin chen sgrom brgya 'byed pa'i deb ther gser gyi lde mig, p. 536–537. Nang chen rdzong srid gros rig gnas lo rgyus gzhung don khang. BDRC MW00EGS1016686_7C0D4C