The Sixty-Third Ganden Tripa, Lobzang Khechok

The Sixty-third Ganden Tripa, Lobzang Khechok (dga' ldan khri pa 63 blo bzang mkhas mchog) was born in Penyul ('phen yul) in U in 1736, the fire-dragon year of the twelfth sexagenary cycle. His father was Samdrub Tsering (bsam grub tshe ring) and the mother was named A-so (a so). In his childhood, Lobzang Khechok escaped from his home and got admitted in the Tsador House (tsha rdor khang) of Serame Tosamling College (ser smad thos bsam gling) of the Sera Monastic University when he was about ten.

Lobzang Khechok started his basic education in reading, writing, and memorization of texts under the Trichen Tsador Ngawang Tsultrim, who later served as the Sixty-first Ganden Tripa (dga' ldan khri pa 61 khri chen tsha rdor ngag dbang tshul khrims, 1721-1791). He then studied logic and related topics and then Abhisamayālaṅkāra, Mādhyamaka, Abhidharmakośa, Pramāṇavārtika, and Vinaya, the five major subjects of the Geluk monastic curriculum, under the eminent tutors Lobpon Ngawang Rabten (slob dpon nga dbang rab brtan, d.u.), Drakpa Trinle (grags pa 'phrin las, d.u.), Khenchen Lobzang Rinchen (mkhan chen blo bzang rin chen, d.u.), and Jinpa Chozang (sbyin pa chos bzang, d.u.), ultimately earning the degree of Geshe Lharampa (dge bshes lha ram pa).

Lobzang Khechok also studied under the First Purchok, Ngawang Jampa (phur mchog 01 ngag dbang byams pa, 1682-1762); Gyel Khenchen Kelzang Rabgye (rgyal mkhan chen bskal bzang rab rgyas, d.u.); Kyabgon Gyelwai Sepo (skyabs mgon rgyal wa'i sras po, d.u.); Je Drubkhangpa Jampel Gelek Gyatso (rje sgrub khang pa 'jam dpal dge legs rgya mtsho, d.u.); and the Sixth Chakra Tulku, Ngawang Trinle Pelzang (lcags ra sprul sku 06 ngag dbang 'phrin las dpal bzang, 1730-1794).

Lobzang Khechok matriculated in the Gyuto College (rgyud stod grwa tshang) to study Tantra, both scripture and rituals. His teachers included Sharchen Lobzang Tendrel (shar chen blo bzang rten 'brel, d.u.). After successfully completing the courses, Lobzang Khechok was appointed as the chant leader (bla ma dbu mdzad) and then the abbot of Gyuto. He was later enthroned to the seat of abbot and then as Sharpa Choje (shar pa chos rje) in the Ganden Shartse Monastery (dga' ldan shar rtse grwa tshang).

At the age of fifty-seven, in 1792, the water-mouse year of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle, Lobzang Khechok ascended to the Golden Throne of Ganden as the Sixty-third Ganden Tripa. However, after serving for only about six months, Trichen Lobzang Khechok passed into nirvana on the full-moon day of the eleventh month of the same year. A stupa of enlightenment (byang chub mchod rten) was built in his memory. Trichen Lobzang Monlam, his predecessor returned to the seat in 1793 and served further as Ganden Tripa for nearly two years.

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, p. 101.

Grags pa 'byung gnas and Blo bzang mkhas grub. 1992. Gangs can mkhas grub rim byon ming mdzod. Lanzhou: Kan su'u mi rigs dpe skrun khang, pp. 1371-1373.

Grags pa mkhas grub.1810? Khri thog drug cu re gsum pa khri chen tsha rdor blo bzang mkhas mchog gi rnam thar in Dga' ldan khri rabs rnam thar, pp. 323-332 (TBRC digital page number); pp. tsa 1-5b (original text page number).

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, pp.73.

Samten Chhosphel
January 2011