The Forty-Fifth Ganden Tripa, Tsultrim Dargye

The Forty-fifth Ganden Tripa, Tsultrim Dargye (dga' ldan khri pa 45 tshul khrims dar rgyas) was born at Zhozang (zho bzang) near the Ganden Shedrupling Monastery (dga' ldan bshad sgrub gling) in Chonne, Amdo (mdo smad co ne) in 1632, the water-monkey year of the eleventh sexagenary cycle.

At a young age Tsultrim Dargye was granted the primary vows of  monk (rab byung) by the abbot of Jakyung Monastery, Nomon Khang Donyo Gyeltsen (bya khyung mkhan po no mon khang don yo rgyal mtshan, d.u.) assisted by Noyon Choje Gyeltsen Pelzang (no yon chos rje rgyal mtshan dpal bzang, d.u.). The ordination rituals were done in accordance with the tradition of Lachen Gongpa Rabsel (bla chen dgongs pa rab gsal, 832-915), and he was given the name Tsultrim Dargye.

Tsultrim Dargye travelled to Lhasa and then matriculated in the Pomra House of Serame College of Sera Monastic University (ser mad spom ra khang tshan) and commenced his studies in the basic subjects of Geluk monastic education and training, including the common subjects of grammar, poetry, composition and so forth, under the scholars of the monastery. After the completion of his studies in the sutra section, Tsultrim Dargye enrolled in the Gyuto College and studied the three major tantric systems, Yamāntaka, Cakrasaṃvara, Guhyasamāja, and related topics. In addition, he was also trained in rituals, basic-drawings of maṇḍala, and so forth according to the Gyuto tradition. He also received teachings including treatises of Mañjuśrī from Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso, the Fifth Dalai Lama (ta la'i bla ma 05 ngag dbang blo bzang rgya mtsho, 1617-1682). According to sources, Ngawang Tendzin Trinle (ngag dbang bstan 'dzin 'phrin las, 1639-1682), also called Kyisho Zhabdrung (skyid shod zhabs drung) was his main teacher.

At the age of thirty, Tsultrim Dargye was appointed as educator at Serame College and taught for about fourteen years. Subsequently he served as abbot and taught at a number of monasteries, including Olkha Dzingchi ('ol kha rdzing phyi), Samling Lebri (bsam gling sleb ri), Tsel Gungtang (tshal gung thang), and Sang-ngag Khar (gsang sngag mkhar). He restored many ancient sacred objects and commissioned many items including statues at these monasteries.

In 1676, the year of fire-dragon in the eleventh sexagenary cycle, at the instruction of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Tsultrim Dargye acted as mediator in the disputes between Mongolian kings and successfully reconciled the discords. According to the Tibetan sources, the reconcilement was done between Aoro and Jungkar (ao rod jun gar gyi chings sgrig). He also helped the people suffering from starvation by arranging for the delivery of food.

At the age of forty-seven, Tsultrim Dargye was re-ordained into a fully ordained-monk by the Fifth Dalai Lama at the Potala Palace according to the tradition of Kashmiri Pandit Shakya Shri (kha che paN DI ta shA kya shi rI) that passed through Je Tsongkhapa. Subsequently, Tsultrim Dargye served as abbot of Ganden Shartse College for many years. Thereafter, he travelled to Beijing and visited the Manchu Kangxi Emperor in Beijing (r. 1661-1722) where he gave extensive teachings to the Emperor and his ministers.

In 1685, at the age of fifty-four, Tsultrim Dargye was enthroned as the Forty-fifth Ganden Tripa, serving until 1692, returning to the post after about three years, in 1695, and serving until 1699. During the tenures Trichen Tsultrim Dargye led the Lhasa Monlam Chenmo by attending the sessions and sitting at the beginning of the front row. He gave teachings on topics from both sutra and tantra, and commissioned a number of gilt statues including of Buddha Maitreya, the Sixteen Arhats, and Tsongkhapa, and also many tangkas. He also built the assembly hall of Ngagkar (sngags mkhar), a silver reliquary temple at Ganden; and also sponsored the printing of sets of Kangyur. Trichen Tsultrim Dargye served as tutor to the Sixth Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso (ta la'i bla ma 06 tshang dbyangs rgya mtsho, 1683-1706) and gave him teachings on Lamrim and other important topics.

Trichen Tsultrim Dargye retired from the responsibilities of the Golden Throne at the age of sixty-eight and returned to his Olkha Dzing Monastery to pursue his practice and he gave frequent teachings on both sutra and tantra there. He passed into nirvana presumably in the first years of the seventeenth century. Gelek Yonten (dge legs yon tan) was his main disciple, according to sources.

Sources

Bstan pa bstan 'dzin. 1992. 'Jam mgon rgyal wa'i rgyal tshab gser khri rim byon rnams kyi khri rabs yongs 'du'i ljon bzang. Mundgod: Drepung Gomang Library, pp. 86-87.

Don rdor and Bstan 'dzin chos grags. 1993. Gangs ljongs lo rgyus thog gi grags can mi sna. Lhasa: Bod ljongs mi dmangs dpe skrun khang, pp. 675-676.

Grags pa 'byung gnas and Rgyal ba blo bzang mkhas grub. 1992. Gangs can mkhas grub rim byon ming mdzod. Lanzhou: Kan su'u mi rigs dpe skrun khang, pp. 493-494.

Grong khyer lha sa srid gros lo rgyus rig gnas dpyad yig rgyu cha rtsom 'bri au yon lhan khang. 1994. Dga' ldan dgon pa dang brag yer pa'i lo rgyus, grong khyer lha sa'i lo rgyus rig gnas deb 02. Lhasa: Bod ljongs shin hwa par 'debs bzo grwa khang, p. 69.

Sde srid sangs rgyas rgya mtsho. 1989 (1698). Dga' ldan chos 'byung baiDU r+ya ser po. Beijing: Krung go bod kyi shes rig dpe skrun khang, pp. 93-95.

Samten Chhosphel
December 2010