The Treasury of Lives

Konchok Lhundrub (dkon mchog lhun grub) was born at Sakya Monastery (sa skya dgon) in 1497. His mother, Yongzin Konchok Pelwe Ponmo Lhamo (yongs 'dzin dkon mchog 'phel ba'i dpon mo lha mo), was the niece of Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (ngor chen kun dga' bzang po, 1382-1456). His father was called Kunga Dar (kun dga' dar). The child's birth name was Lhago Dar (lha rgod dar). As a child he became highly accomplished in calligraphy and other scholarly skills.

At age thirteen Lhago Dar took novice vows at Ngor Evam Choden (ngor e waM chos ldan) with Konchok Pelwa (dkon mchog 'phel ba, 1445-1514) and was given the name Konchok Lhundrub. At age twenty he received esoteric teachings from Muchen Sanggye Rinchen (mus chen sangs rgyas rin chen, 1450-1524), Je Jetangpa (rje bya btang pa, d.u.), and Lhachok Sengge (lha mchog seng ge, 1468-1535), the ninth abbot of Ngor. While staying in the Mu valley, he received extensive training from these teachers as well as Jamyang Namkha Tenpa ('jam dbyangs nam mkha' brtan pa, d.u.), Muchen Namkha Pelzang (mus chen nam mkha' dpal bzang, d.u.) and others. From the age of twenty-five to thirty-seven he focused his studies on the Ngor tradition and lived at Ngor.

Konchok Lhundrub was enthroned as the tenth abbot of Ngor at the age of thirty-eight. He is recorded to have excelled in teaching, debate, and writing, and demonstrated the classic Buddhist qualities of being learned, virtuous, and noble. He had disciples in many distant regions, including Kham, Amdo, U, and Ngari. Konchok Lhundrub did not stay full time at Ngor but traveled to Nalendra and other monasteries to teach. Many powerful families such as the Khon ('khon) and the Rinpung (rin pungs pa) relied on his instructions.

Konchok Lhundrub held the throne at Ngor for almost twenty-five years, until he passed away in 1557. During that time, he gave the Lamdre (lam 'bras) teachings thirty-three times, in addition to many other beneficial activities such as commissioning works of art.

In addition to the masters already mentioned, Konchok Lhundrub's teachers included the Twenty-third Sakya Trichen, Jamyang Kunga Sonam Drakpa Gyeltsen ('jam dbyangs kun dga' bsod nams grags pa rgyal mtshan, 1485-1533); Lowo Khenchen Sonam Lhundrub (glo bo mkhan chen bsod nams lhun grub, 1456-1532) and Konchok Pelwa (dkon mchog 'phel ba, 1445-1514).

His closest students included Ngwang Kunga Rinchen (kun dga' rin chen, 1517-1584), the Twenty-fourth Sakya Tridzin; Namkha Pelzang (nam mkha' dpal bzang, 1532-1602), the thirteenth abbot of Ngor; Konchok Pelden (dkon mchog dpal ldan, 1526-1590), the twelfth abbot of Ngor; Sherab Gyeltsen (shes rab rgyal mtshan, d.u.); and Sanggye Sengge (sangs rgyas seng ge, 1504-1569), who was Konchok Lhundrub's successor as the eleventh abbot of Ngor.