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Jigme Tromge Rinpoche is a tulku of Tsewang Norbu, the son of the first Chokgyur Lingpa. In a previous life Jigme Rinpoche was also Yudra Nyingpo, one of the twenty-five close disciples of Guru Padmasambhava. Born in 1964, he received a traditional Buddhist education in Asia and then completed a three-year retreat in the United States. Jigme Rinpoche has received empowerments and teachings from many masters, including his father, H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche.
Chagdud Khadro met His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche in March 1978, married him in November 1979, and remained his devoted student for twenty-three years. At the time of her ordination as a lama in 1997, Rinpoche invested her as the During her time with Rinpoche, Khadro received constant training from him both in organizing dharma activities and in the teachings and practice of Vajrayana. She was among the collaborators for his autobiography Lord of the Dance and with his guidance, she compiled commentaries of his teachings on the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro, the Longsal Nyingpo Phowa, and the concise version of Apong Terton's Red Tara. Formerly the managing editor of Padma Publishing in the United States, Khadro has edited many translations of Tibetan works.
Today Chagdud Khadro is tireless in cultivating the seeds planted by H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche: the construction of Padmasambhava’s Pureland, translation and publishing of texts in Portuguese and Spanish, projects related to education and to death and dying. Khadro supervises the activities and teaches in all the Chagdud Gonpa Brasil centers and Chagdud Gonpa Hispanoamérica. She also teaches in Europe, United States and Australia.
Lama Orgyen Zangpo studied the Dharma under His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche for over twenty years and was ordained in 1996. He lives and works at Chagdud Gonpa’s main center, Rigdzin Ling, in the Trinity Alps of California and teaches throughout North America. Known for good heartedness and clarity, Lama Zangpo is an inspiration to many people into the study and practice of meditation.
Lama Inge Zangmo made her first connection with Buddhism by taking refuge with H.E. Kalu Rinpoche in 1977. While attending a Green Tara empowerment given by H.H. the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa in 1980, she met her two most influential teachers, H.E. Gyaltrul Rinpoche and H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche. Under Chagdud Rinpoche’s guidance, she engaged in a three year retreat. In 1987, Chagdud Rinpoche ordained her as a Lama in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Since that time, Lama Inge has been the resident lama at Padma Ling, Spokane, Washington, and teaches throughout Canada, the United States and Germany.
Lama Padma Yontan Gyatso (Richard Baldwin) began his formal Buddhist training in India in 1970 with the outstanding meditation master, the late Venerable Kalu Rinpoche. Returning to the U.S., he entered the Buddhist Studies Program at the University of Washington. At this time he also received many teachings at the feet of the late Venerable Dezhung Rinpoche, a master of all lineages. He received his degree in 1974 and subsequently embarked on a number of meditation retreats. In 1982 he became a student of H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche. In 1996, Chagdud Rinpoche ordained him as a lama and appointed him as the teacher at Chagdud Gonpa Amrita, Seattle.
Khentrul Lodrö Thayé Rinpoche was born in Eastern Tibet, in a region called Golok, which is the home of the monastery of which he is the abbot, Mardo Tashi Choling. At the age of seven, he began the formal practice of the Dharma by taking monastic ordination as a supportive foundation.
Rinpoche studied and practiced under his main root guru, His Holiness Khenpo Jigmed Phuntsok Rinpoche – the sole life-force of the Buddha’s teachings – for over twenty years. He also spent many years studying in Katog Gonpa under His Holiness Katog Moktsa Rinpoche in Tibet, as well as with His Holiness Penor Rinpoche for five years, in Namdroling Monastery in India. During that time, not only did he study, contemplate, and meditate on all of the scriptures of Sutra and Tantra, -- including Mahamudra and the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) -- but also received all of the empowerments, reading transmissions, and oral instructions.
Thus, he was given a khenpo degree (equivalent to a PhD [in Buddhist philosophy]) in each of the three monasteries [note: Serthar, Katog Gonpa, and Namdroling]. During that time, Rinpoche also spent three years in retreat.
H.H. Moktsa Rinpoche has formally recognized Khentrul Rinpoche to be a reincarnation (trulku) of Katog Drubtobchhenpo Namkha Gyamtso,a mahasiddha of the Katog lineage, and gave an elaborate enthronement ceremony for him in the mother monastery of Katog Gonpa, amongst an assembly of monks, lamas, khenpos, and laypersons. Thus, he is called Khentrul – someone who is both a khenpo and trulku.
H.E. Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche, one of three main lineage holders of the Pema Lingpa tradition, is the abbot of Gangteng Monastery known in Bhutan as the Second Glorious Copper Coloured Mountain. Rinpoche is also a lineage holder in other Nyingma and Kargyu traditions of Vajrayana Buddhism.
At an early age Rinpoche was recognized by H.H. Karmapa and H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche as the body emanation incarnation of Pema Lingpa, the extraordinary spiritual master and Terton (Dharma Treasure Revealer) predicted by Guru Padma Sambhava in the 8th century C.E. Guru Padma Sambhava first established the lineages of Vajrayana Buddhism in the Himalayan region of present day Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal and Tibet in the 8th century C.E.
Pema Lingpa (1450 - 1521 C.E.) was the direct incarnation of Longchenpa (Gyalwa Longchen Rabjampa 1308 - 1363 C.E.), the perfectly realized Nyingma Dzogchen master, mystic, scholar and poet. Pema Lingpa was born and displayed realization in Bhutan. He travelled and taught in both Bhutan and Tibet.
Pema Lingpa is revered as the patron saint of Bhutan and stories of his daring exploits in revealing terma (dharma treasures) and confronting sceptics are part of Bhutanese cultural lore. Pema Lingpa specified the location and name of Gangteng Monastery, which was built in the mid 1500's C.E. by his incarnation, the first Gangteng Tulku. In accordance with prophecy, all subsequent Gangteng Tulkus have taken birth in Bhutan. The present Gangteng Tulku is the 9th incarnation in this lineage.
Rinpoche was born in 1955 near Tongsa in central Bhutan and following the traditional education of an incarnate lama at Tongsa Monastery, he was formally enthroned at Gangteng Monastery. He has received transmissions and intensive training from some of the greatest masters of our time, including H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, H.H. Penor Rinpoche, Venerable Chatral Rinpoche, and Je Khenpo Tensin Dhendup, the spiritual courterpart in Bhutan to the King. Rinpoche has spent 12 years in retreat, studying and meditating to fully accomplish realization of the teachings. He has perfected transmission of the Nyingma and Kargyu traditions. In addition to Gangteng Monastery, Rinpoche is responsible for 35 other monasteries, temples, hermitages and universities in Bhutan, including a study and meditation centre for women and girls, the first of its kind in Bhutan. His students number in the thousands and live throughout the Himalayan countries, India, Europe, North America, Asia and Africa.
Rinpoche first visited North America in 1986 and Canada in 1989. Since then, under his spiritual guidance, Yeshe Khorlo centres have been established in Canada, the United States, Europe and Singapore. These centres are places where people can study and practice the teachings of Vajrayana and in particular the teachings of the Pema Lingpa Lineage.
