The Treasury of Lives

Taktsang Lobzang Rabten (stag tshang blo bzang rab brtan) was born in 1676, the fire-dragon year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle, in eastern Amdo. His father, Wanggyel Kyab (dbang rgyal skyabs, d.u.) and mother, Tamdrin Tso (rta mgrin mtsho, d.u.) gave him the name Dondrub Tsering (don 'grub tshe ring). When he turned three his father and grandparents died; two years later he was sent to herd livestock.

At the age of seven he began reading and writing under his uncle, also named Dondrub Tsering, and he requested permission to become a monk. His mother refused, due to the fact that he was to inherit the family property. However, when he reached the age of twelve his mother passed away. With her last breath she is said to have given him her blessing to take ordination.

At the age thirteen he received the lay lows from Detang Tulku Lobzang Namgyel (bde thang sprul sku blo bzang rnam rgyal, d.u.), who gave him the name Lobzang Rabten. At the age of sixteen he received oral transmission of the three protectors (Avalokiteśvara, Mañjūśrī, and Vajrapāṇi), and Niguma (grub rgyal ma) from Tulku Lobzang Tendzin (sprul sku blo bzang bstan 'dzin, b. 1605).

At the age of nineteen Lobzang Rabten traveled to Lhasa under the guidance of Tenpa Yarphel (bstan pa yar 'phel, d.u.). On the way they passed through Reting (rwa sgreng) monastery, where they made a number of offerings and gave of alms to other pilgrims. In Lhasa Lobzang Rabten matriculated at Gomang College of Drepung Monastery and received novice vows from Gomang Lobpon Kunga Ozer (sgo mang slob dpon kun dga' 'od zer, d.u.), under whom he studied Prajñāpāramitā. From Gomang Lobpon Dondrub Gyatso (sgo mang slob dpon don 'grub gya mtsho, 1655-1727), who served as the Forty-eighth Ganden Tripa, he received the teachings of Tsonkhapa's Lamrim Chenmo, the Five Books of Maitreya, and Madhyamaka.

Lobzang Rabten received further instruction on the Lamrim Chenmo from the Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 06 tshang dbyangs rgyal mtsho, 1683-1706). He had an audience with the Fifth Paṇchen Lama Lobzang Yeshe (paN chen bla ma 02 blo bzang ye shes. 1663-1737), and studied with Jamyang Zhepai Dorje ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa'i rdo rje, 1648-1722), for seven months in a hermitage named Riwo Gepel (rib o dge 'phel) above Drepung.

In 1701, when Jamyang Zhepai Dorje was enthroned as abbot at Gomang college of Drepung, Lobzang Rabten, at the age of twenty-five, received Lamrim teachings from him. He was put in the charge of building dwelling for monks, and, after completing the construction, came down with a disease that was ascribed to the nāgā spirits. He went to Gepel hermitage for a retreat-cure.

At the age of twenty seven, Paṇchen Lobzang Yeshe gave him full ordination vows. Soon after Tenpa Yarphel encouraged him to return to Amdo, which he did in the winter of 1702. Not interested in performing village rites, Lobzang Rabten went into retreat with Rabjampa Lobzang Tashi (rab ‘byams pa blo bzang bkra shis, 1647-1713) to study the Kangyur. Following that he resided at Shardzong (shar dzong) monastery, living on alms as he studied with Churukapa (cha ru kha pa, d.u.) and Dechen Drakpa Gyatso (bde chen grags pa rgya mtsho, d.u.) for five years. Then he returned home and lived in hermitage of Chumik (chu mig) valley.

In 1713, at the age of thirty seven Lobzang Rabten founded Taktsang monastery (stag tshang dgon) at the command of Paṇchen Lobzang Yeshe; the name the Paṇchen Lama gave it was Tashi Choling (bkra shis chos gling). Over the next thirty years he worked to expand the monastery, building temples, monastic colleges, and enforcing monastic discipline. He educated numerous disciples, among whom were Ngagod Tulku Namkha Sengge (rnga rgod sbrul sku nam mkha seng ge, 1712-1780), Kachen Lobzang Rabgye (dka' chen blo bzang rab rgyas, d.u.) and Gonge Lobpon (gong dge slob dpon, d.u.).

He composed his autobiography, entitled Childish Play: The Mirror of Good Fortune (byis ba'i spyod pa skal byed me long), among other works, but these appear to not be extant.

Taktsang Lobzang Rabten passed way in 1745, the wood-ox year of twelfth sexagenary cycle, at the age of seventy.