The Treasury of Lives

Rinchen Pel (rin chen dpal), known widely by his Sanskrit name Ratnaśrī, was born in the Gyelrong (rgyal rong) region of Kham in a place called Jematang (bye ma thang).

At a very young age, Rinchen Pel secretly left his parents to study under the tutorship of Ripa Sherab Pel (ri pa shes rab dpal, d.u.), a master who was renowned for his wisdom. He received novice vows from Sherab Pel and was given his name, Rinchen Pel.    

At the age of eighteen Rinchen Pel traveled to Tsang where he pursued advanced studies in both sutra and tantra under the prominent masters of the Jonang tradition at that time. His teachers included Sabzang Mati Paṇchen Lodro Gyeltsen (sa bzang ma ti paN chen blo gros rgyal mtshan, 1294-1376), Chokle Namgyel (phyogs las rnam rgyal, 1306-1386), Nyawon Kunga Pel (nya dbon kun dga dpal, 1285-1379), Trinle Zangpo ('phrin las bzang po, d.u.), Jangchub Sengge (byang chub seng ge, d.u.) and Jangchub Tsemo (byang chub rtse mo, 1303-1380), who granted him full ordination vows. He trained in yoga and the ritual arts with both Drigung Lotsāwa Maṇikaśrījñāna ('bri gung lo tsA ba ma Ni ka shrI dza nya, 1289-1363) and Chopel Gonpo (chos dpal mgon po, d.u.).

When he was thirty years old, his primary teacher, Chokle Namgyel told him that Dolpopa Sherab Gyeltsen (dol po pa shes rab rgyal mtshan, 1292-1361) had made a prophecy about him to the effect that he was to travel eastward towards the Kham and Amdo regions. As supports for his journey he was given a dharma conch and a stupa that were loaded on the back of a donkey. The prophecy dictated that when the donkey lied down and the conch resounded on its own, at that very moment, in that exact place, he was to establish a monastery. According to tradition, this occurred when he arrived at a place called Paki Bageleb (pha ki bga rges leb) in the Dzamtang ('dzam thang) area of Amdo. At that moment he is said to have spontaneously chanted, “This is an excellent establishment of the Victory Banner of the Dharma!”            

As he set up his camp that night, Rinchen Pel noticed a Bon monastery located across the valley. He sent over a pair of shoes as a gift, and in return, was given a white cushion. This was interpreted as a sign that the Bon followers would leave and that he would be able to set up his own institution. Local lore has it that Rinchen Pel gave them an ultimatum of five mornings to leave; threatening that if they had not departed by the fifth he would conjure a mighty army to destroy them. Later Tibetan historical sources dispute this, asserting that Rinchen Pel had no tolerance for black magic. Nonetheless, the Bon community was expelled.  

Thus, in the year 1425, Rinchen Pel founded Choje Gyache Monastery (chos rje rgya che dgon) there in Dzamtang. This became a central place for the study of the Jonang monastic curriculum, and would eventually serve as a haven for the Jonang monks driven out of U and Tsang. The monastery gradually expanded and merged with later Jonang monasteries, the nexus of the Dzamtang monastic complex.

Rinchen Pel was a mentor and guru to numerous students, among the names listed are: Pelku Chedzung (dpal sku mched zung, d.u.), Konchok Gyeltsen (dkon mchog rgyal mtshan, d.u.), Tsechu Ratnakīrti (tshe bcu rat+na kIrti, d.u.), Arge Nyima Ozer (a rge nyi ma 'od zer, d.u.), Yowa Namkha Pel (yo ba nam mkha' dpal), Raktrom Kunga Pel (rag khrom kun dga' dpal, d.u.), Choje Gyelwa Zangpo ( chos rje rgyal ba bzang po, 1419-1482), Kasar Nyima Gyeltsen (kha sar nyi ma rgyal mtshan, d.u.), Sempel Namkha Gyeltsen (sems dpal nam mkha' rgyal mtshan, d.u.), Gazha Gyabo (ga gzha' rgya bo, d.u.), Abol Gyawo (a 'bol rgya bo, d.u.), Jamyang Rinchen Dorje ('jam dbyangs rin chen rdo rje, d.u.), Trimon Tashi Pel (khri smon bkra shis dpal), Choje Zhonnu Gyeltsen (chos rje gzhon nu rgyal mtshan), Kunpang Yeshe Gyeltsen (kun spangs ye shes rgyal mtshan, d.u.), Sengge Gyeltsen (seng+ge rgyal mtshan, d.u.), Tashi Rinchen (bkra shis rin chen, d.u.).

Though many of Rinchen Pel’s writings are currently unavailable, a list of titles that he composed include,  

gsung rab spyi 'grel
legs bshad rdo rje 'phreng ba
gzhi lam 'bras bu'i gsal byed
sbyor drug gi khrid gzhung
gong ma mchog gi dbang bzhi'i cho ga
'khor lo sdom pa che chung
rgyu phrul drwa ba
gsang 'dus rnams kyi sgrub thabs
dus 'khor lha dgu'i sgrub thabs
dus 'khor gyi cho ga
dus 'khor mgnon rtogs rnam bshad
blo sbyong 'grel pa
lung sbyor rin chen 'phreng ba
mkhan grags rdor gyi rtsod lan che chung

Rinchen Pel passed away at the age of eighty-six in the year 1435.