The last great throne-holder at Jonang , Taranatha was a successor to the reincarnation line of Kunga Dolchok. He recieved the entirety of major transmissions from the Kadam, Zhalu, Sakya, Shangpa Kagyu and Kamtsang Kagyu traditions, and was an expert on the tantras from the later translation period (gsar bsgyur). He recieved the Dro lineage of the Kalachakra from his teacher Kunga Palzang at Jomonang, and the transmissions according to Buton’s Zhalu Rwa tradtion from Kenchen Lunrig Gyatso.

As one of the most prolific authors in the Jonang tradition, his 23 volumes of collected works encompass topics on history, tantric ritual practice, zhentong thought, autobiography, pilgrimage, astrology, medicine, meditation, etc. In the year 1615, Taranatha founded Takten Damcho Ling Monastery (Phuntsok Ling) south of the Richo Chenmo mountain hermitage and Great Stupa of Jonang.

Taranatha was born in Drong, Tibet, supposedly on the birthday of Padmasambhava. His original name was Kun-dga’-snying-po, which means Anandagarbha. He reportedly used a Sanskrit name as an indication of the value he placed on his Sanskrit scholarship in an era when mastery of the language had become much less common in Tibet than it had once been. His exceptional qualities are said to have been recognized by others at a young age, as is often the case with great masters. He studied under such masters as Je Draktopa, Yeshe Wangpo, Kunga Tashi and Jampa Lhundrup, although his primary teacher was an Indian, Buddhagupta.

Taranatha was recognized by Khenchen Lungrik Gyatso as the rebirth of Krishnacarya and the Khenchen’s own teacher, Jetsun Kunga Drolchok.

Probably not long after 1614, Taranatha went to Mongolia, where he reportedly founded several monasteries. He passed away probably in Urga, Mongolia. His rebirth became known as Zanabazar, the First Bogd Gegen, or Jetsun Dampa of Mongolia. His current reincarnation is known as Khalkha Jetsun Dampa.

Taranatha was a prolific writer and a renowned scholar. His best known work is the 143-folio History of Buddhism in India (dpal dus kyi ’khor lo’i chos bskor gyi byung khungs nyer mkho) of 1608 which has been published in English. His other major work, The Golden Rosary, Origins of the Tantra of the Bodhisattva Tara of 1604 has also been translated into English. In 1614 Taranatha founded the important Jonangpa center Puntsokling Monastery, in the Tsangpo Valley about 200 miles west of Lhasa. After the take-over by the Gelug in 1642, it became known as Ganden Puntsokling.