Panchen Yeshe Wang-po :



Panchen Yeshe Wang-po was born in the fire dragon year (50th) of the ninth rabjam (1507-1566) at Lungbar in Tulung. The names of his mother and father were Gamo Tsering and Tsering Tashi. When he was one year old he was able to recall very clearly his previous rebirth as Panchen Sönam Dragpa. At the age of four, Drepung monastery sent a request that he be brought there. While at Drepung, the Third Dalai Lama cut his hair and did the offering to the Buddha, Dharma Sangha called "Tsong Per". When he reached nine years and during the full moon of the fifth month, he received getsul vows from the Third Dalai Lama and the previous Gaden Tri Rinpoche. He was given the name of Sönam Yeshe Wang-po. Three years later, he went to Chomaling monastery, the place where Tsong Khapa meditated and studied the Vinaya. While there, he prayed and his teachings naturally flowed forth. The people had strong faith in him. He also studied with Yongzin Tombcho Pember at the monastery of Chekawa.



In the wood dog year at the age of nineteen, Panchen Yeshe Wang-po received complete gelong monk vows from the Third Dalai Lama together with ten monks. He continued to study and became the caretaker of the teachings and also responsible on how to develop these studies in the monastery. This was a cause for many monks to come there.



When the Third Dalai Lama and Panchen Wang-po, then twenty-two years old, were teaching in Kham and Mongolia, the Dharma king of Mongolia, Alten Khan bestowed a special name and high position to Panchen Wang-po. On their return to central Tibet, the Third Dalai Lama and Panchen Wang-po went to Demchok Choling in De-na; Chamdo Jambuling in Kham. The Third Dalai Lama told him to stay in Chamdo to resolve a political problem that was brewing there. He was also put in charge of the making of a large Buddha statue for Gerchen in Litang. The Third Dalai Lama wrote a praise of Panchen Wang-po's works. Panchen Wang-po wrote a poem of praise of the life of the Third Dalai Lama and also wrote a history of Buddhism and many other works. Panchen Wang-po traveled to Cohnja Kayka (which is in the former Soviet Union), Chonay Taucho (Amdo), and Tsong-pa were he taught. He returned to central Tibet in the mouse earth year when he was thirty-three. There he went to Sera, Drepung, Gaden and Chekawa monasteries where he made great offerings.



At Yur-ka, the place when Tsong Kha-pa did mandalas, prostations, meditated, had realizations, he made offering. The leader of this place Yer Panchin Yurchunse offered his services to him.



He went to Chayser and Chomoling where on invitation he taught Sutra and Tantra. Afterward he returned to Yur-ka. Many invitations were sent to him to return to Chamdo and teach, but he passed away in Yur-ka in the first month of the new year when he was tweny-nine years old.



While his body was being cremated relics (resin-ton) came from it and images appeared on parts of the body. These things where placed in a Silver stupa at Cho-khor Gyal-shoe near Yur-ka. This was the monastery of Second Dalai Lama Gendun Gyatso. This monastery, which is located near a lake, was also noted for the body of a woman, recognised as a human manifestation of Palden Lhamo which was kept there.



While Panchen Wang-po was alive Na-chung appeared to him and asked if he had remembered the promise he had made to be a protector specially for the Dharma of Je Tsong Khapa.