Dragshul Thinley Rinchen, the thirty-ninth Sakya throneholder, was the paternal grandfather of His Holiness the Sakya Trichen, the forty-first Sakya throneholder and Her Eminence Jetsun Luding Kushok.

He was born amidst auspicious signs and had since young age demonstrated extraordinary qualities. He received all the precepts, teachings, transmissions, empowerments, and instructions from his father, Kunga Nyingpo Samphel Norbu, Jetsunma Tamdrin Wangmo, Drubwang Ratnabhadra, and many others.

He possessed an inconceivable number of the qualities of learning and accomplishments. He bestowed the Lamdré Tsogshed a total of nine times, Lamdré Lobshed once, parting from the four attachments countless times, the hundred sadhanas and an inconceivable number of initiations, oral transmissions, pith instructions, and tantric explanations for the benefit of both fortunate and ordinary disciples. He also took charge in renovating over thirty temples in the Sakya vicinity as well as overseeing the construction of a golden bronze stupa and life-sized statue in memory of his noble father.

Finally in 1936, he passed into mahāparinirvāṇa for the sake of others. During his passing, many marvelous auspicious signs such as rainbows appeared, and a rain of flowers fell around the Dolma Palace and its surroundings as a confirmation of his great attainment of siddhi.