A Brief Biography of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche (The first Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition)
His Holiness Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje was born in the year 1904, to father Kathog Trulku Norbu Tenzin and mother Namgyal Drolma. He was recognised and enthroned as the reincarnation of Dudjom by Phugtrul Gyurmed Nedon Wangpo, a chief disciple of the previous Dudjom. He received numerous empowerments, oral transmissions and explanations from many great masters of his time. Phugtrul Nedon Wangpo and Jedrung Jampa Jungne were his two foremost masters. In particular, as he took the practice as the heart essence, he had accomplished numerous signs of ac-complishments like the attainments of great glorious Vajrakilaya and so on. He was a great Treasure revealer and discovered many treasure teachings. He had also printed and published a new set of Ngagyur Kama teachings (the Canonical Teachings of earlier Translation). He left behind a priceless collection of works of more than twenty volumes for the benefit of future generations. His Holiness also bestowed numerous empowerments, oral transmissions and instructions of Rinchen Terzod (The great Treasury of pre-ciousTermas) andsoforth, onheartsonslike Minling Khenchen and his brother, Dodrak Rigzin Chenpo and so on. He had established monasteries at the sacred Hidden Land of Padmakod and other places in Tibet and India. He served as the first Supreme head of Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition for 27 years (1960-1987). Finally, having completed his enlightened activities for the beings of this world, he attained Mahaparinivana in 1987.
Read more: www.dudjomtersar.org
A Brief Biography of H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (The 2nd Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition)
His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rabsal Dawa Rinpoche was born to father Dilgo Tashi Tsering and mother Wanthog Lhatso, in 1910. Kunkhyen Mipham Rinpoche gave him the relic pills of Manjushri and Sarasvati and sealed his tongue with the syllables of Hri and Dhi. He was recognised as the reincarnation of Khyentse Wangpo by Shechen Gyurmed Pedma Namgyal from whom he received the vows of novice and the empowerments, oral transmissions and the explanations of many Kama and Terma teachings. He also received numerous empowerments, oral transmissions and explanation from many other masters like Dzogchen Khenpo Zhenga, Dzogchen Khenpo padma Losal, and so forth. Then, he remained in strict retreat for twenty years to put them into practice. His works including the mind trea- sures, means of accomplishments and so forth, makes more than twenty five volumes. He had bestowed countless empowerments, oral transmissions and explanations. Specifically, he had bestowed many general teachings of Ngagyur Kama and Terma and the pith instructions of the great perfection to H.H. the fourteenth Dalai lama. He had established the Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling Monastery in Nepal in 1980 and Shechen Ogyen Chozong retreat Center in Bhutan. He also restored the Shechen Ten- gon Monastery in Tibet. He had served as the Second Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma tradtion for four years (1988-1991). Finally, having accomplished his enlighened activies in this world, at the age of 82, he attained Mahaparinirvana in 1991.
Read more: www.shechen.org
A Brief BIography of H.H. Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (The Third Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition)
His Holiness Drubwang Padma Norbu was born in Powo in the Dokham province of Tibet, in 1932, to father Sonam Gyurmed and mother Dzomkyid. He was recognized and enthroned as the flawless reincarnation of the 2nd Drubwang Palchen Dupa in accordance with prophecy by 5th Dzogchen Thubten Chokyi Dorje. His root Master was Chogtrul Thubten Chokyi Dawa from whom he received the vows of novice and the fully ordained monk and many other profound empowerments and instructions. He also received the entire secret teachings of Ngagyur Nyingma from numerous other masters. He had bestowed vows of fully ordained monks and the empowerments, oral transmissions and instruction of countless profound secret teachings like Rinchen Terzod and so forth. In 1962, His Holiness began to establish Namdroling Monastery in South India, which is one of the greatest Buddhist institutions in the world today. It has many divisions like: Monastic junior High School, Ngagyur Nyingma Institute, Dratsang, Retreat centre and Nunnery. Hundreds of graduates from this monastery are serving the Buddha-dharma in general and the Ngagyur Nyingma in particular throughout the world. He also visited Tibet several times and restored the mother and branch monasteries of Palyul and bestowed empowerments, oral transmissions and instructions. His Holiness also built homes for old people, hospitals, roads and bridges as service for the communities. In recognition of his tireless service, the Defending Community of Humanity and Tradition of the Karnataka government honoured H.H. with its fifth National Awards in 2005. His Holiness served as the Third Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition for ten years (1993-2002). He had also rendered selfless service as the president of the Ngagyur Monlam Chenmo for sixteen years (1993-2009). His Holiness compassionately graced every Monlam Chenmo right from the very beginning. Finally, having completed his enlightened activities in this world, at the age of 78, His Holiness attained Mahaparinivana in 2009.
Read more: www.palyul.org
A Brief Biography of H.H. Minling Thrichen Rinpoche ( The fourth Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition)
His Holiness, the 11th Minling Thrichen Gyurmed Kunzang Wangyal was born in 1930, to his father the tenth Minling Thrichen Gyurmed Dhondup Wangyal and mother Dawa Drolma. He had received numerous empowerments, oral transmissions and instructions of Kama and Terma teachings of both earlier and later translations from his father and many other realized masters. Later, when he was coming to India via the Indo-Bhutan border, H.H. the Dalai Lama sent a special group to receive him. In India, he was enthroned as the 11th throne holder of Mindroling Monastery according to the noble wishes of H.H. the fourteenth Dalai Lama, H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche and H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Then he arrived at Ogmin Ogyen Mindroling Ngedon Gawai-Tsal in Dehradun, at the invitation of Paltrul Zongnang Rinpoche Jampal Lodro and Khokhyim Rinpoche Gyurmed Dogyud Gyatsho. There he restored the ancient traditions of Mindroling such as the 10th day Offering Ceremony, Great Accomplishment Ceremony and so on. He served as the fourth Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma for seven years (2002-2008). When Rinpoche was ill, H.H. the Dalai Lama personally visited and offered the prayers and ceremony for his longevity several times. He also slept continuously for day and night, in the state of clear light for many months. Finally, having completed his enlightened activities in this world, he attained Mahaparinirva, at the age of 78, in 2008.
Read more: www.mindrolling.org
A Brief Biography of H.H. Trulshik Rinpoche (The fifth Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition)
His Holiness Trulshik Ngawang Chokyi Lodro was born in 1924, in a meditation cave in Yardrog Taglung Onre Drubde, a province in upper Tibet, as prophesied in the Queen’s chronicles. Dzatrul Rinpoche Ngawang Tenzin Norbu recognized and enthroned him as the reincarnation of previous Trulshik Rinpoche. He received the vow of fully ordained monk from Chung Gyurmed Ngawang Chokyi Dargpa of Mindroling. He received the entire teachings of both sutras and tantras by relying on Dzatrul Rinpoche as his root Master. He also received empowerments, transmissions and explanations such as Rinchen Terzod, Translated Word of Buddha (108 volumes) and so on from H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama and numerous other masters. He remained in strict retreat for three years from the age of eighteen to twenty. In 1959, he arrived at Dechen Cho- khor-Ling Monastery of Solukhumbu in Nepal. Gradually, he came to Shong-rong Chi-wang Monastery and established Thubten Dongag Choling Monastery in 1967. In 1989, he bestowed the empowerments and oral transmissions of Ngagyur Kama and in 1990, he bestowed the empowerments of Rinchen Terzod. At Tengboche, he gave the oral transmissions of Nyingma Gyudbum. Thus, he had bestowed Kama and Terma teachings of both earlier and later translations many times. He had also bestowed teachings of the Three cycles on Relaxation and the Seven Treasuries of Longchenpa, and so on to His Holiness the 14th Dalai lama. In 2010, Rinpoche was enthroned as the fifth Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma. Finally, at the age of 87, he attained Mahaparinirvana with numerous auspicious signs, on 2nd September, 2011.
A Brief Biography of H.H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche (The Sixth Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition)
His Holiness Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Shedrub Nyinjyed Thrinley was born in a village called Yardrog Nyakar Tsekyil, a province in upper Tibet, to father Namgyal Dragpa and mother Dorje Dolma, in 1927. He was recognized as the reincarnation of Thubten Chokyi Nyima, by the 6th Dodrag Rigzin and Chuzang Khenchen Tenpai Nyima. At the age of five he was enrolled in the Taglungtse Monastery. Khenchen Tenpai Nyima had performed his first hair cutting ceremony and bestowed on him the empowerment of long life and the explanations of the ‘Conduct of Bodhasattavas’. At the age of eight, he was invited to Thubten Dorje Darg, the Mother Monastery of Dorje Darg, where he studied the ritualistic arts and collected liturgical texts of Jangter (Northern Treasures, revealed by rigzin gödem). He received the vows of novice and the fully ordained monk, from Minling Dorzin Rinpoche and Minling Khenchen Khyentse Norbu respectively. He had received the empowerments, oral transmission and instructions of Kama and Terma teachings of both earlier and later translations from lama Powo Rinpoche and so forth. He had served as the temporary abbot of Dorje Drag for two years and as its abbot for three years in Tibet. In India, he established the Dodrag Monastery, at Simla in Himachal pradesh. He had bestowed the empowerments of Jangter, Rinchen Terzod and so on to the great assemblage of Lamas, Khenpos,Trulkus and monks led by H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche, Chetsang Rinpoche and so forth. In 2009, he bestowed the empowerments, oral transmissions and instructions of Yuthog Nyingthig at Nechung Dratsang, as requested unanimously by the medical association of the Tibetan government. In 2012, H.H. was enthroned as the Sixth Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma tradition. Finally, at the age of 89, he attained Mahaparinirvana with numerous auspicious signs, on 23rd December, 2015.
A Brief Biography of H.H. Kathok Getse Rinpoche (The Seventh Supreme Head of Ngagyur Nyingma Tradition)
His Holiness Kathok Getse Rinpoche was born in Golok, Eastern Tibet in 1954, and was recognized by the 16th Karmapa, Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö and Adzom Gyalse Gyurme Dorje as the reincarnation of the Third Katok Getse, Gyurme Tenpa Namgyal. From a very early age, he received teachings and empowerments from many masters such as Katok Moktsa Rinpoche, Khenpo Jikme Phuntsok, Tubten Pema Trinle, the reincarnation of Adzom Drukpa, Tulku Nyida, son of Tulku Lhatop, himself a son of Dudjom Lingpa. Katok Getse Rinpoche spent many years in retreat and was known for his mastery of Dzogchen.
After coming to exile in 1997, Getse Rinpoche received teachings and empowerments from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche and Penor Rinpoche among others.He divided his time between Kathmandu, where he oversaw Katok Ritrod, Chagdud Gompa a small retreat center in Pharping (Nepal), India, and Bhutan. In January 2018, Rinpoche was appointed to be the Seventh Supreme Head of the Nyingma Tradition.
He maintained the lifestyle of an “ascetic (ja-dral in Tibetan)”, meaning one free from worldly concerns and activities. He does not keep a place of residence but chooses to wander, traveling in Nepal, Bhutan, India, and other countries without a definite home, from one mountain solitude and rural country to another.
On 19 November 2018, Rinpoche attained Mahaparinirvana around 11:30 am, following an unfortunate accident in Pharping, Nepal.
Sourced from Tibetan's Who Who & Rigpa Wiki