The Treasury of Lives

This sixteenth century painting shows the Drigung founder, Jikten Gonpo, with two men who stood at the beginning of the two main incarnation lines at monastery, the Drigung Chetsang and the Drigung Chungtsang.

The Northern Rigsum Gonpo temple or shrine is one of the four Rigsum Gonpo Lhakhangs all built in the seventh century during the time of King Songtsen Gampo, each situated in a cardinal direction with the Jokhang at the center. Popular legend credits Songtsen Gampo with building the four Rigsum Gonpos to protect the Jokhang. The Rigsum Gonpo are Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani, a triad of deities known as Lords of the Three Families, representing the body, speech and mind of all buddhas of all times. In addition to the four Rigsum Gonpo Lhakhang, the four Tsam Rigsum Gonpo, the Intermediate temples, were constructed at a later time. Together, these temples make a full circle around the Jokhang. Of the four cardinal Rigsum Gonpos, the Northern Rigsum Gonpo and the Southern Rigsum Gonpo are still extant.

In addition to the four cardinal Rigsum Gonpo lhakhangs built in the seventh century to protect the Jokhang temple, four Tsam Rigsum Gonpo lhakhangs, the Intermediate Rigsum Gonpo temples, were built in the eighth century. Together, these lhakhangs made a full circle around the Jokhang. The Rigsum Gonpo are Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani, a triad of deities known as Lords of the Three Families, representing the body, speech and mind of all buddhas of all times. The South-Eastern shrine was one of the Tsam Rigsum Gonpo shrines. It was demolished in 1910.

In addition to the four cardinal Rigsum Gonpo lhakhangs built in the seventh century to protect the Jokhang temple, four Tsam Rigsum Gonpo lhakhangs, the Intermediate Rigsum Gonpo temples, were built in the eighth century. Together, these lhakhangs made a full circle around the Jokhang. The Rigsum Gonpo are Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani, a triad of deities known as Lords of the Three Families, representing the body, speech and mind of all buddhas of all times. The South Western Rigsum Gonpo lhakhang was one of the Tsam Rigsum Gonpo lhakhangs.

The Southern Rigsum Gonpo temple or shrine is one of the four Rigsum Gonpo Lhakhangs all built in the seventh century during the time of King Songtsen Gampo, each situated in a cardinal direction with the Jokhang at the center. Popular legend credits Songtsen Gampo with building the four Rigsum Gonpos to protect the Jokhang. The Rigsum Gonpo are Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani, a triad of deities known as Lords of the Three Families, representing the body, speech and mind of all buddhas of all times. In addition to the four Rigsum Gonpo Lhakhang, the four Tsam Rigsum Gonpo, the Intermediate temples, were constructed at a later time. Together, these temples make a full circle around the Jokhang. Of the four cardinal Rigsum Gonpos, the Northern Rigsum Gonpo and the Southern Rigsum Gonpo are still extant.