These biographies come to us courtesy of The Tibetan Meditation Center in Frederick, MD.
THE MOST VENERABLE KHENCHEN KONCHOG GYALTSHEN RINPOCHE
Khenchen Rinpoché was born in the village of Tsari, an important pilgrimage site in southwestern Tibet, in 1946. Rinpoché lived there until 1959 when his family was forced to flee to India due to the political unrest of the time. While in India Rinpoché attended school and took the complete monk’s vows from Kyabjé Kalu Rinpoché in 1968. He was among the first group of students to graduate from the then newly established Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Varanasi. Among the great teachers from whom Rinpoché received extended teachings were the 16th Karmapa and Khunu Lama Rinpoché. Subsequently, Rinpoché entered into the traditional 3-year retreat with a group of young Drikung Kagyu lamas (including His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoché) under the guidance of Vajradhara Kyungka Rinpoché.
In the 1980s, Rinpoché arrived in the US and spent the next twenty years building and supporting the Tibetan Meditation Center (TMC) and other centers and groups in the US. During these years, Khenchen Rinpoché translated critical Drikung Kagyu practices, prayers and histories into English and publishing several highly regarded books such as the translation of Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Garland of Mahamudra Practices, Jewel Treasury of Advice, and A Complete Guide To The Buddhist Path. This priceless work formed the essential base from which the holy Dharma could be taught and practiced.
In recent years Khenchen Rinpoché spends a great deal of his time traveling in order teach the Dharma, dividing his time between teaching at traditional Tibetan monasteries in India, Nepal and Tibet and at centers in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. In 2007, Rinpoché returned to the TMC to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the center.
KHENPO CHOEPEL RINPOCHE
Khenpo Choepel Rinpoché comes to us from Drikung Thil Monastery, the head monastery of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. Khenpo Rinpoché’s recent arrival marks the fulfillment of Khenchen Rinpoché’s wish that TMC function as a branch of Drikung Thil.
Khenpo Rinpoché was ordained as a monk by Vajradhara Pachung Rinpoché at a young age and thus has been a monk most of his life. While at Drikung Thil he received many teachings and instructions first from Pachung Rinpoché and later from Pachung Rinpoché’s successor, Gelong Rinpoché, Vajradhara Tenzin Nyima. Aside from having received extensive teachings in Mahamudra from these two great masters, he is also a master in the ritual traditions of Drikung Thil Monastery and has also received training in debate and philosophy at Drepung Monastery in Tibet. Before he left Drikung Thil for Nepal, Khenpo Rinpoché served as the chant master of the monastery. In 2007, he was appointed “Khenpo” by Drikung Thil Monastery and sent as its representative to TMC.
Quiet, gentle and unassuming in nature, Khenpo Rinpoché’s teachings are incisive, direct and heart-felt. As Khenpo Rinpoché slowly adjusts to life in the West and outside of the context of a traditional monastery, we anticipate that Khenpo Rinpoché will be playing a more central role at the center in the near future.
KHENPO TSULTRIM TENZIN RINPOCHE
Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin took his monk’s vows at the age of 14 and a few years later was selected from his home monastery to begin his study of Buddhist philosophy at Samyé Monastery, the first monastery ever built in Tibet. While there, he studied the thirteen major texts with Khenchen Nawang Gyalpo Rinpoché and other khenpos. Because of the strong Sakya and Nyingma influence at Samyé, he also received the entire Lamdré cycle of empowerments of the Ngor-Sakya lineage from Khensur Khenchen Rinpoché. From Lama Togden Rinpoché and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoché he received many Nyingma empowerments and teachings. In 1987, Khenpo Rinpoché arrived at Drikung Kagyu Institute at Jangchub Ling in Dehra Dun and there met His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoché. The spontaneous devotion he felt for His Holiness resulted in his request to His Holiness to join the monastery there and continue his education. Having already completed the first four years of his studies at Samyé Monastery, Khenpo Rinpoché quickly completed his education at Jangchub Ling. After three years teaching lower classes in the monastic college, he was enthroned by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoché as as a “Khenpo” in 1998 and spent three more years teaching Buddhist philosophy at the institute. In between his busy schedule first as student and later as instructor, Khenpo Rinpoché completed the Ngondro, Cakrasamvara, and other practices while in retreat. In April 2001, Khenpo Rinpoché arrived at the TMC to assist Khenchen Rinpoché and also to improve his mastery of the English language so that he can be of more benefit in spreading the Dharma. He began teaching at TMC in August of that year and was subsequently appointed as co-spiritual director of TMC by Khenchen Rinpoché. Khenpo Rinpoché is known and loved for his engaging teaching style as well as his complete lack of pretensions.
DRUPON THINLEY NINGPO
Drupön Thinley Ningpo became a monk at Drong Ngur Monastery in Nakchu, northern Tibet. At that time, he became a student of the eminent scholar, Lama Kedrub Siddhi Rinpoché. During this period, he also received instructions from Vajradhara Pachung Rinpoché, the great retreat master of Drikung Thil. Later, he arrived at Jangchub Ling in Dehra Dun and requested permission from His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoché to stay at the monastery. His request was granted and he continued his training there.
While at Jangchub Ling, he taught Buddhist philosophy and also served as the monastic disciplinarian for several years. In order to deepen his understanding of the Dharma, Drupön Rinpoché eventually entered and completed the traditional three-year retreat in 1999 at Almora under the guidance of Gelong Yeshé Rinpoché. In this retreat he studied and practiced the Five-fold Path of Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa. Subsequently, he was enthroned by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoché as “Drupön” (“retreat teacher”) based on these accomplishments.
In 2001, Khenchen Rinpoché brought him to the US to be one of the two resident lamas at the center. He has continued Khenchen’s schedule of retreats and teachings there and has taught at other Drikung centers throughout the country. Subsequently, he was appointed as a co-spiritual director of the center. Drupön Rinpoché’s grounding presence and warm demeanor have inspired many to practice the Dharma so that they too can actualize those same qualities.
KHENMO TRINLAY CHODRON
Khenmo Trinlay Chödron is one of Khenchen Rinpoché’s senior students as well as editor of several of Rinpoché’s books. She first met Rinpoché in 1990 and since then has devotedly served Rinpoché and helped build TMC. In 1997 she renounced her lay life and joined the monastic order, finally taking her bhikshuni vows in 2005. In December 2006, she was honored with the title of “Khenmo” in a letter from His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoché. Khenmo Trinlay is only the second woman in the lineage honored with this title. She was officially recognized and celebrated at the 25th anniversary of the founding of TMC in 2007. Aside from TMC, Khenmo Trinlay has also been teaching at affiliated centers in Virginia, Florida, Wisconsin, Illinois and Sweden.
