Jamyang Chojey, a disciple of Master Tsongkhapa, was a revered monk of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in the early Ming Dynasty. He founded Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, one of Tibet’s three major monasteries. Jamchen Chojey, also known as Tashi Paldan, was born in 1379 in Samye, Tibet (now Dranang County, Shannan, Tibet). He came from a wealthy Buddhist family.
Jamyang Chojey displayed intelligence from a young age. He joined Tsedang Monastery, belonging to the Padrup Kagyu Sect. Later, he moved to Juemolong Monastery in Lhatse where he studied the “Vinaya Sutra” under the guidance of master Khenchen Gayupa. Afterwards, he returned to Tsedang Monastery, now skilled in Prajna and precepts, and took up the role of a leading monk at Tsedang Temple.
In 1409, Master Tsongkhapa established the Ganden Monastery, the main monastery of the Gelug Sect, on Wangguri Mountain on the south bank of the Lhasa River in Dazi County, marking the formation of the Gelug Sect. Jamyang Chojey, a devoted follower, received the monk precepts and studied under Tsongkhapa at Ganden Monastery. He focused on comprehensively studying the five major treatises of the Gelug School, with a particular emphasis on the Madhyamaka.
He possesses exceptional comprehension and has successfully tackled numerous challenging problems in “Tengyur” under the guidance of the master’s lectures. According to Master Lobsang Chogyi Nyima’s “Mirror History of the Origin and Flow of Schools,” Jamyang Chojey is hailed as a highly knowledgeable individual with an impressive ability to memorize, as he would recite everything from memory. Master Tsongkhapa assigned him the task of reciting one hundred scriptures, establishing him as the foremost disciple to have both heard and retained the teachings among Master Tsongkhapa’s disciples.
In 1414, Master Tsongkhapa taught hundreds of masters in Tashiduoka, invited by Drakba Gyaltsan, the leader of the Padru local regime. He imparted deep and extensive teachings like the Middle path theory, the cause of enlightenment, the stage of the Bodhi path, and “Entering the path of enlightenment”. Jamyang Chojey, who hails from a wealthy family and has influential friends, also attended the scriptures. Recognizing Jamyang Chojey’s affluent background, Tsongkhapa advised him solemnly: “You can construct a Consummation Buddhist Temple, which will surpass the mother temple (Gandan Temple) in prosperity.”
As per the “Jamyang Chojey Biography,” he visited Neiwu Zong and had a unique dream. In the dream, a sage named Nanmu Degapo appeared near Gepei Mountain and urged him to build a temple at that location, promising to provide him with 5,000 monks. In the dream, he reached a spacious ravine filled with swamps, which the master informed him was a swamp of profound knowledge, contemplation, and cultivation. On another night, he dreamt of many individuals struggling to cross a wide and fast river. Witnessing this, he jumped into the river to rescue them, and a bridge suddenly materialized, allowing everyone to reach the other side safely.
Based on a dream reminder and Master Tsongkhapa’s trust, Jamyang Chojey held discussions with Nei Zong Zongben Namka Sangpo, a close associate, and decided to build a temple on the slope of Mount Gepei Wuzi, located five kilometres from the western outskirts of Lhasa. Following Tsongkhapa’s prophecy, Jamyang Chojey initially excavated a dharma conch in Wangpulri Mountain, adjacent to Ganden Monastery, the previous year. With Namka Sangpo’s support, Jamyang Chojey began constructing another avenue for the Gelug Sect on Gepel Uzi Mountain’s slope the following year.
In 1416, the temple named “Auspicious Rice Gathered in Ten Directions” was completed. In Tibetan, Rice Heap is referred to as “Drepung,” hence the shortened name Drepung Temple. Upon Drepung Monastery’s completion, Master Tsongkhapa emphasized its significance by personally visiting the monastery and overseeing its consecration ceremony.
