Lopön Rinchen Gyaltsen was born as the son of Zangtsa Sonam Gyaltsen and his wife Jomo Dro. His uncle was the fourth Sakya patriarch, Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen. Drogön Chögyal Phagpa, the fifth Sakya patriarch was his half-brother.

Rinchen Gyaltsen became the eighth Sakya throne holder. He also served as a Tibetan imperial preceptor at the court of Yuan dynasty of China.