The Treasury of Lives

The Third Kondor Tulku, Lobzang Chokle Namgyel (dkon rdor sprul sku 03 blo bzang phyogs las rnam rgyal) was born in Gomde Nangchen (sgom sde ngang chen) in 1762, the water-horse year of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle. He was recognized as the reincarnation of the Second Kondor, Lobzang Wangchuk (dkon rdor sprul sku 02, blo bzang dbang phyug, 1689-1758).

Following his basic education in Kham, Lobzang Chokle Namgyel travelled to Lhasa to continue his studies. He enrolled in the Khenyin House of Serje College of Sera Monastic University near Lhasa. He studied the traditional texts of philosophy and tantra under a number of scholars at Sera and also received teachings and empowerments from many other prominent lama scholars. These included: Longdol Lama Ngawang Lobzang (klong rdol bla ma ngag dbang blo bzang, 1719-1794); the Fourth Zhiwa Lha, Pakpa Gelek Gyeltsen (zhi ba lha 04 'phags pa dge legs rgyal mtshan, 1720-1799); The Sixth Chakra Tulku, Ngawang Trinle Pelzang (lcag ra sprul sku 06, ngag dbang 'phrin las dpal bzang, 1730-1794); and the Seventh Pakpa Lha, Jigme Tenpai Gonpo ('phags pa lha 07 'phags pa 'jigs med bstan pa'i mgon po, 1755-1794).

He was said to have composed a number of works, but only the title of one is known, a manual on the practice of Vajrabhairava: Dpal rdo rje 'jigs byed kyi 'khrul 'khor gyi yig cha.

Lobzang Chokle Namgyel became the successor of the Seventh Pakpa Lha as abbot of Chamdo Jampa Ling (chab mdo byams pa gling) in 1794. His appointment letter was issued by the Lhasa government, and stated that the Zhiwa Lha and the Chakra Tulku were too young and were then studying in the monasteries in U-Tsang. This was a peculiar statement as the Fourth Zhiwa Lha was then about seventy-five years old, and the Sixth Chakra Tulku had only just passed away that year. The death date of the Fourth Zhiwa Lha or the date of the appointment letter is perhapse in error.

His administration and rule in the Chamdo region was peaceful and satisfactory, and after about ten years, in 1805, he ceded the office to the Eighth Pakpa Lha, Lobzang Jigme Pelden Tenpai Nyima ('phags pa lha 08 blo bzang 'jigs med dpal ldan bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1795-1847).

Lobzang Chokle Namgyel, after his retirement from the post of religious and political head of Chamdo, spent most of his times in teaching and meditation. He died in 1839, the earth-pig year of the fourteenth sexagenary cycle, at the age of seventy-eight.