The founder of this great monastery was the chief disciple of the Great Tsongkhapa, Jamyang Choje Tashi Palden. He was born in Samye, a place to the South of Lhasa which had been visited by many great Indian and Tibetan scholars, including Guru Padmasambhava, the great Abbot Shantirakshita and Palden Atisha. He was born in 1379 A. D., Female Iron-Sheep Year, the son of Lhaje Shonnu who was a very powerful Tantric Lama and a descendant of the famous Genyen family.

Jamyang Choje left his home in childhood to become a monk, and began his practice at a young age. He thought that in order to spread the Dharma successfully he first needed to listen, to study, and then to meditate on the Buddha´s teachings. So he went to a place calle Sangphu and became the disciple of the learned lamas, Nyalko Rinsam and Danma Konchog Senge. There he studied Pharchin (Wisdom Gone Beyond) and Tsema (Logic). Next he studied Vinaya and Abhidharma under the Great Abbot Kashipa at a place called Kyomolung. At Gaden Monastery, he received teachings on Drangngee Namje (Direct and Indirect Meaning of Buddha´s Teaching), Tashe (Root Wisdom), U-ma Jugpa (Commentary to Root Wisdom), Lamrim texts on both Sutra and Tantra and Guhayasamaya Tantra from Je Tsongkhapa.

Before the Chief Abbot Tsongkhapa, Dulzinpa, Gyaltsab Choeje and the appropriate number of monks, he took the vows of a fully ordained monk. By relying upon many gurus, he received many profound teachings on Sutra and Tantra, transcended oceans of teachings, and gained clear understanding of all the teachings he had received. He made continuous reatreat on many meditation deities seeing them as inseparable from his Lamas. While doing retreat he attained continuous visions of Lord Manjushri; in the middle, Nagarjuna; on the right, the Great Abbot Shantirakshita; on the left, as well as Je Rinpoche in front. Having taken and safeguarded the three levels of vows, he developed the precious enlightened attitude and attained profound realisation of all esoteric Tantric practices.

Whenever he gave teachings, he taught eight related sutras simultaneously. In general he memorized 130 scriptures and performed innumerable amazing deeds.

After he had performed these extensive meritorious deeds, the Great Tsongkhapa requested him to establish a monastery in order to propagate the teachings of Sutra and Tantra and to preserve them from degeneration. Tsongkhapa prophesied that, if Jamyang Choeje were to undertake this project, the teachings would flourish in all directions and attract many disciples. He gave him a conch shell, found on Gaden Gokpa Hill, for auspiciousness and requested a wealthy chieftain of Neu, called Namkha Zang, to serve as benefactor for the building of Drepung Monastery.

Jamyang Choeje had a dream in which he saw the god called Lhanamde Karpo. This god showed him the place where the present Drepung is built and told him to establish a monastery there. If this was done he promised to send 5,000 disciples to study there. Nearby, at a place called Bakpashik, there were many small ponds that would be beneficial for the monks. Jamyang Choeje saw the many ponds at western side of the monastery, by Elephant Hill, in his dream. At one pond he saw Je-Rinpoche who told him to drink water from the pond which quenches the thirst for teaching and contemplation. Such was his auspicious dream.

In accordance with the dream, Jamyang Choeje Tashi Paiden went to that place and stayed at the eastern side, at what is now known as Drakthog-khang, and gave many teachings on Sutra and Tantra. At the back of what later became the main hall, he gave teachings on Madhyamika and Pranama as well as the Prajnaparamita. Once he began giving teachings many disciples gathered, and gradually he constructed both the main hall and the hall for Tantric practice.

Many of his disciples were renowned scholars and practitioners, such as Lodro Rinchen Senge, Nyanton Shakya Gyaltsen, Khanchen Palowa, Acharya Galebtakleb, Narthang Rabchog and Lotsawa Sherab Rinchen (who later founded the seven big colleges of Drepung within the vast monastic comlex).

At Loseling College, Acharya Lekdenpa gave the first teachings on the great texts. Later, Archaya Shusol Palden Lodro and others helped the Dharma to flourish. At Gomang College, the first teachings were given by Drakpa Rinchen. Gradually Galetakle, Gungrung Choesang, Chenmo Palkye and others made it their centre for expounding the Dharma. At the Deyang College, the first teachings were given by Chokpa Jamphel, and later by other learned scholars such as Drung Chopel Drachung and Yonten Gyaltsen. At the Sharngog College, the first discourses were given by Narthan Rabchok, and later, by Nyale Dorje, and Acharya Nyenchungtso. At the college of Thoesamling the first teachings were given by Drungtsondru Drakpa, and later by scholars like Rinchen Kunpa Gyaltsen and others. At Ngagba College, the first teachings were given by Acharya Gyaltzonba, Jinchokba, and others. The above mentioned scholars from the seven colleges of Drepung gave extensive teachings on both Sutra and Tantra. Eventually, these seven colleges were combined into two main colleges Gomang and Loseling, and were further internally subdivided into four colleges. These colleges produced large numbers of gifted scholars and the Dharma flourished extensively as prophesied.

From the age of 38 until the age of 70, Jamyang Choje dedicated his life to giving teaching on Sutra and Tantra, leading countless fortunate beings along the path to enlightenment. Gradually, many learned beings studied and taught at Drepung Monastery, including Palden Senge, Rinchen Jangchub, Jepon Losang Nyima, Losang Drakpa, Shakya Rinchen, Jemon Lamterwa, Jamyang Lekpar Choechog and Kaetsun Yonten Gyatso. From the time of All Knowing Gedun Gyatso, the Second Dalai Lama, all the successive Dalai Lamas made Drepung the centre of their studies and their teaching of the Dharma. Thus, the Dharma spread far and wide, especially the teachings of Je-Tsongkapha. In this way, the great Drepung Monastery was established and became renowned throughout the Buddhist world.

At present, because of the misfortune of the Tibetan people, this famous monastery, as well as its scriptures, have been destroyed to the core by the actions of the barbarous Red Chinese. A few exceptional lamas from this great learning centre were able to escape to India. By the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and with the help of the Indian Government, Drepung Monastery has been reestablished in South India at a place called Mundgod.

However, at present the monks are still facing many difficulties acquiring facilities in order to further their study and practice of the Dharma. These learned monks are doing their best in attempting to restore and preserve the traditions of Sutra and Tantra as taught by Je-Tsongkapha, but they face numerous problems on all sides. So, in this time of tremendous need, I have great hope that some may feel inclined to help this worthwile cause of protecting the precious Dharma.