The Treasury of Lives

The Tatsak Jedrung incarnation line is also known as the Olga Jedrung. The first to hold the title was Ngawang Chokyi Wangchuk who became the Fifth Tatsak Jedrung. Previous incarnations were identified as the first through the fourth, the first being Baso Chokyi Gyeltsen, who was a disciple of Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa and the younger brother of Khedrubje Gelek Pelzang. Wonpo Lhakyab, a nephew of the First Pakpa Lha, Dechen Dorje, was given the title of Second Tatsak Jedrung, and a fictional person named Liyul Chogyel was created to bridge the gap between the Second and the Fourth. Beginning with the Ninth Tatsak, the incarnation line also became known as the Kundeling Hutuktu after the Kundeling temple, which was offered to this incarnation line in perpetuity by the Qing emperor. The Eighth Tatsak, Yeshe Lobzang Tenpai Gonpo and the Tenth Tatsak, Ngawang Pelden Chokyi Gyeltsen both served as regent of Tibet.

Timeline

Biographies

Baso Chokyi Gyeltsen

b.1402 - d.1473

Baso Chokyi Gyeltsen was an early holder of the Ganden Mahāmudrā lineage of the Geluk tradition. He served as the Sixth Ganden Tripa, from 1463-1473. He was the disciple of Jampel Gyatso and the teacher of Chokyi Dorje. He is considered to be the first incarnation of the Tatsak Jedrung line.

Wonpo Lhakyab, the nephew of the First Pakpa Lha, was identified as the reincarnation of Baso Chokyi Gyeltsen during his lifetime or posthumously. During the life of the Fifth Tatsak Jedrung he was given the of Second Tatsak Jedrung.

Liyul Chogyel is a figure likely invented in order to bridge the lives of the Second and Third Tatsak Jedrung when the line was established during the life of the Fifth Jedrung.

Jedrung Lhawang Chokyi Gyeltsen was an important Geluk scholar and poet who served as twelfth abbot of Chamdo Jampa Ling. He was identified as a child as the reincarnation of Baso Chokyi Gyeltsen and studied under a number of great masters including the Third Dalai Lama.

Ngawang Chokyi Wangchuk was identified as the reincarnation of Tatsak Lhawang Chokyi Gyeltsen and given the title of Tatsak Jedrung. Although this initiated the incarnation line, he was enumerated as the fifth, and previous incarnations were identified as the first through fourth. He was a grand-nephew of the Third Dalai Lama.

Ngawang Konchok Nyima was the Sixth Tatsak Jedrung. He was sent to teach in Amdo by the Fifth Dalai Lama in the 1680s and summoned to the Qing Court in Beijing, where he passed away.

Lobzang Pelden Gyeltsen was the Seventh Tatsak Jedrung. He served in Beijing as a representative of the Seventh Dalai Lama.

The Eighth Tatsak Jedrung, Yeshe Lobzang Tenpai Gonpo served as the regent of Tibet during the last decade of eighteenth century, during the Gurkha invasions. He was educated at Kumbum and spent much of his youth in the Chinese Imperial palace at Chengde in the company of the Third Changkya, Rolpai Dorje and the Qianlong Emperor before continuing to study at Drepung Gomang. He was the first Tatsak Jedrung to be based at Kundeling Temple in Lhasa.

The Ninth Tatsak Jedrung, Lobzang Tenpai Gyeltsen, was born in Kham and educated in Lhasa, at Kundeling and Drepung Gomang, where he earned at Lharampa degree. He gave teachings to the Eleventh Dalai Lama and the Fourth Gungtang. Since the time of the Eighth Tatsak the line was also known as the Kundeling Hutuktu.

The Tenth Tatsak Jedrung, Ngawang Pelden Chokyi Yeshe, served as Regent of Tibet during the infancy of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama.

Ngawang Tubten Kelzang Tenpai Dronme was the Eleventh Tatsak Jedrung, a line of incarnations based at Pasho Monastery in Kham and Kundeling Monastery in Lhasa.