With the availability of new sources, it can now be established that there were two contemporary masters who went by the name of Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen (’Jam dbyangs Rin chen rgyal mtshan) and who were associated with the principality of Gyantse (rGyal rtse) and its rulers of the Sharkhawa (Shar kha ba) dynasty.
The slightly older Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen (1348–1430) was the abbot of Pökhang (sPos khang) monastery who led the Chölung Tsokpa (Chos lung tshogs pa), one of the four Joden Tsokpas (Jo gdan tshogs pa), the four monastic communities in the tradition of the Kashmiri scholar Śākyaśrī (1127–1225), based at Pökhang. He and his successors as abbot maintained close relations with the Sharkhawa family, in whose principality their monastery was located. For example, Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen was involved in designing and consecrating parts of the main temple and murals at Pelkhor Chöde (dPal ’khor Chos sde), designed the protector chapel of the castle, and his portrait in statue and painting can also found in the great Kumbum (sKu ’bum) stūpa (Figs. 1–2). In the colophon to his 1423 commentary on the sDom gsum rab dbye of Sakya Paṇḍita (1182–1251), he also mentions Rapten Künzang Pak (Rab brtan kun bzang ’phags, 1389–1442), the ruler of Gyantse, and the latter’s brother among those asking him to compose his commentary. Fig. 3 shows Jamyang Rinchen Gyaltsen as a miniature in this commentary. On Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen and details of Figs. 1–3, see also the post: How to identify members of the four communities in the Vinaya tradition of Śākyaśrī.
Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen of Pökhang is to be distinguished from his slightly younger namesake Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen (1364–1422), the great Sakya affiliated abbot of Nenying (gNas rnying) monastery. As Nenying was part of the principality of Gyantse, the abbots of Nenying maintained close ties with their Sharkhawa patrons and acted as their religious tutors. Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen, for example, is recorded as the teacher of fifteen Sharkhawa officials, including Pakpa Rinchen (’Phags pa rin chen, 1320–1376), Künga Pakpa (Kun dga’ ’phags pa, 1357–1412), Rapten Künzang Pak (Rab brtan kun bzang ’phags, 1389–1442), and Sönam Pel (bSod nams dpal, b. 1367) and his son. He is also recorded as having consecrated parts of the murals of the main temple at Pelkhor Chöde in 1422, the year of his death. The Sharkhawa officials also patronised and attended the official installation ceremonies of new Nenying abbots. Furthermore, when the family line of abbots of Nenying was about to die out, Künga Pakpa pa and Lhadopa Chöje Delek Rinchen (lHa do pa Chos rje bDe legs rin chen) asked Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen to produce an heir, and he fathered two sons: Khenchen Jamyang Rinchen Drup (mKhan chen ’Jam dbyangs Rin chen grub, 1403–1452) and Je Gyeltsen Rinchen (rJe rGyal mtshan rin chen, 1405–1468).
These details on these two contemporary masters by the name of Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen have been extracted from Heimbel 2023. On the connection between Pökhang and Gyantse, see Heimbel 2013: 209–213.
The main source on the life of Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen of Phökhang is his autobiography, the dPal ldan bla ma’i rnam thar ngo mtshar gtam gyi phreng ba; his full-length biography has yet to be published. The most detailled sketch of Jamyang Rinchen Gyeltsen’s life can be found in the gNas ryning gyen tho (pp. 148–161), a religious history of Nenying told mainly through the lives of its masters.
Bibliography
Works in Tibetan
gNas ryning gyen tho = sKyes bu dam pa rnam par thar pa rin chen gter mdzod. In Bu byung dbang ’dus (ed.), Nyang stod zhing mchog dpal gnas rnying gi gyen tho skyes bu dam pa rnams kyi rnam par thar pa rin po che’i gter mdzod. Lhasa: Bod ljongs bod yig dpe rnying dpe skrun khang, 2011, pp. 1–282.
sPos khang ’Jam dbyangs Rin chen rgyal mtshan (1348–1430). dPal ldan bla ma’i rnam thar ngo mtshar gtam gyi phreng ba. In sMon bzang dpe rnying ’tshol bsdu khang (ed.), sPos khang mkhan chen ’jam dbyangs rin chen rgyal mtshan zhabs kyi gsung ’bum. 5 vols. Lhasa: Bod ljongs bod yig dpe rnying dpe skrun khang, 2018, vol. 1, pp. 1–82.
sMon bzang = sMon bzang dpe rnying ’tshol bsdu khang (ed.). sPos khang mkhan chen ’jam dbyangs rin chen rgyal mtshan zhabs kyi gsung ’bum. 5 vols. Lhasa: Bod ljongs bod yig dpe rnying dpe skrun khang, 2018.
W3CN2601 = sPos khang ’Jam dbyangs Rin chen rgyal mtshan (1348–1430). sDom gsum gyi gzhung legs par bshad pa. Manuscript, dbu med, 212 fols. BUDA by BDRC W3CN2601.
Works in European Languages
Heimbel, Jörg. 2013. “The Jo gdan tshogs sde bzhi: An Investigation into the History of the Four Monastic Communities in Śākyaśrībhadra’s Vinaya Tradition.” In Franz-Karl Ehrhard and Petra Maurer (eds), Nepalica-Tibetica: Festgabe for Christoph Cüppers. 2 vols. Beiträge zur Zentralasienforschung 28. Andiast: International Institute for Tibetan and Buddhist Studies GmbH, vol. 1, 187–242.
———. “Nenying Monastery and Its Murals.” In Knud Larsen (ed.), Wall Painting in Tibet: History, Technique, Survivals, Environment. Langhus: Tronfjell Publications, 176–183.