Under auspicious signs, Lungtok Gyatso was born near the monastery of Dan Chokhor (or Denchokor), on 1 December 1805.

[1] A contestant to be the next Dalai Lama since early infancy, the boy was brought to Gungtang monastery near Lhasa, where he was examined by Tibetan officials, including the Qing representatives, the ambans.

He was ultimately identified by the Seventh Panchen Lama, Gedun Choekyi Nyima, who performed the tonsure ceremony and gave him the name Lobzang Tenpai Wangchuk Lungtok Gyatso in 1808.

[2] The Seventh Panchen Lama gave the boy the vows of novice monk in Lhasa in 1812, on 22 September.

[1] Lungtok Gyatso is said to have had a great interest in dharma and sharp intellect, memorizing lengthy prayer texts, root-texts of Abhisamayālaṅkāra, Mādhyamaka and Abhidharmakośa.