1st jamgon kongtrul lodro thaye

The great being, who was prophesied again and again in several Sutras and Tantras by the Buddha, manifested as an emanation of the noble Manjushri in human form. 

First Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye (1813-1899) was born in the hidden valley of Rongyap in eastern Tibet. His father was Tendzin Yungdrung, an accomplished practitioner of the royal Khyung clan, and his mother was the yoginī Tashi Tso.

From the age of five he learned the basics of the alphabet. Then, from about the age of ten, he began to study on a massive scale and without sectarian bias, receiving teachings from a number of spiritual leaders from different traditions, including Gyurme Thutob Namgyal of Zechen, Tai Situ Pema Nyinche Wangpo and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. He learnt all the general sciences such as Sanskrit grammar, logic and epistemology (pramāṇa), arts and crafts, medicine. He studied, contemplated and meditated on all non-traditional subjects of learning, including Madhyamika, Prajñāpāramitā, Vinaya and Abhidharmakośa from the vehicle of qualities, as well as the tantras, commentaries (āgama) and pitha instructions (upadeśa) from the vehicle of mantra, both from the kama and terma, and from both the old and new schools of translation.

To provide guidance to fortunate disciples, he compiled and edited a ninety-volume collection of texts, commonly known as the 'Five Great Treasure Trove'.

Among his disciples were the lineage leaders of the Kagyu School, headed by the 14th and 15th Karmapa and the 10th and 11th Tai Situpas, as well as masters of the Sakya and Ngor traditions, including Jamyang Loter Wangpo and Chöje Kunga Jamyang, holders of the early translation teachings, including Mipham Jamyang Namgyal and Tertön Lerab Lingpa, and masters of the Riwo Gendenpa tradition, including Gyüme Khenpo Yeshe Gongphel and Drakyab Dongtrul Khechok Ngawang Damchö Gyatso. In short, his disciples were incredibly numerous, coming from all over Tibet, from the Ü and Tsang provinces of central Tibet, and from the upper, middle and lower regions of eastern Tibet.