The Treasury of Lives

Tubten Jigme Gyatso (stong 'khor 09 thub bstan 'jigs med rgya mtsho), one of two men to hold the title of Ninth Tongkhor, was born Rakewar (ra ke bar) in 1820. In his youth he was recognized as the reincarnation of the Eighth Tongkhor, Tubten Jigme Kelzang (stong 'khor 08 thub bstan 'jigs med skal bzang, 1812-1819) of Tongkhor Ganden Chokhor Ling (stong 'khor dgon dga' ldan chos 'khor gling), which had been established by the Fourth Tongkhor, Dogyu Gyatso (stong 'khor 04 mdo rgyud rgya mtsho, d. 1683), in 1646.

He received lay, novice, and full ordination vows from the Fourth Chubzang, Lobzang Tubten Rabgye (chu bzang 04 blo bzang thub bstan rab rgyas, 1797-1858), together with extensive instructions and empowerments.

At the age of seventeen he went to Kumbum (sku 'bum) for formal studies. There he studied with Chukar Geshe (chu dkar dge bshes, d.u.); Sertok Yeshe Tubten Gyatso (gser tog ye shes thub bstan rgya mtsho, b. 1786), the forty-seventh abbot of Kumbum; Māyang Paṇḍita Ngawang Lekshe Nyima (mA yang paNDi ta ngag dbang legs bshad nyi ma, d.u.); and Serkhang Lobzang Tendzin Gyatso (gser khang blo bzang bstan 'dzin rgya mtsho, 1780-1848). From these and other lamas he trained in logic and epistemology and Prajñāpāramitā.

He briefly served as abbot of Chorten Tang Monastery (mchod rten thang), which the Fourth Tongkhor, Dogyu Gyatso, established in 1647 in Pari (dpa' ris).

He then went to Beijing, where he spent the better part of the next four decades serving four Qing emperors: Daoguang (道光, r. 1820-1850), Xianfeng (咸豐, r. 1850-1861), Tongzhi (同治, r. 1861-1875), and Guangxu (光緒, r. 1875-1908), during a period of intense upheaval in Chinese society. He was awarded the title Serkhang Fuyin Lama (gser khang hphu yin bla ma) and Nubchok Lama Sermowa Tadakgi Ledon Jekhen Drangyin Tanga Lama (nub phyogs bla ma ser mo ba mtha' dag gi las don byed mkhan draang yin tham ga bla ma).

He is said to have served the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso (tA la'i bla ma 13 thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1876-1933), although our source does not specify any details such as where the two met; the Thirteenth Dalai Lama is not known to have gone to Amdo or Kham until the twentieth century.

Tubten Jigme Gyatso passed away in 1882 at the age of sixty-two.

Among his students is listed a much older man, Pa Zhabdrung Shedrub Trinle Rabgye (pa zhabs drung bshad sgrub 'phrin las rab rgyas, 1797-1856). He is known to have composed several works including guru yoga liturgies related to the Kālacakra and Yangsang Tropa (yang gsang khros pa), a history of the Guhyagarbha Tantra (dpal gsang ba'i dus pa'i rgyud kyi 'byung khungs mi bskyod mgon po'i gsung rgyun), and a recital manual for the mantra of Vajrasattva. None of these appear to be extant.