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Khentrul Rinpoche came to the United States in September of 2003, under the invitation of His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, who requested that he start a program for studying Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and meditation in a traditional way (known as a shedra). This past fall, 2006, was the fourth successful year of the shedra program. Khentrul Rinpoche has been traveling constantly around the United States, tirelessly teaching and sharing his knowledge. Rinpoche’s style for presenting these profound and sacred teachings to Western minds is phenomenal. His teachings are always very clear and comprehensible, in
a way that is easily applied to one's experience. It is quite
rare to have a teacher of his caliber and traditional training
from Tibet here in the West, and his students feel extremely fortunate to
have him here. Rinpoche has spent over thirty years studying at Mardo Tashi Choling and Katog monasteries in eastern Tibet, Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok’s Serthar Buddhist Institute in Kardze, Tibet, and Penor Rinpoche’s monastery Namdroling in India. Acknowledged as a scholar of the highest level, he thrice received the title of Khenpo (equivalent to a Doctor of Philosophy), making him a triple Khenpo. He has also been recognized by His Holiness Katog Moktza Rinpoche as a tulku (a reincarnate master) of Drubtop Namkha Gyamtso of Katog Monastery. Hence, the name "Khentrul" denotes one who is both a khenpo and a tulku. In addition to having completed over three years of retreat, he has received the entire Nyingt'hig lineage (including Nyingt'hig Yabzhi, Dzod Dun, Ngalso Khorsum, Yeshe Lama, and Chetzun Nyingt'hig), as well as many empowerments, scriptural transmissions, and explanations on the pith instructions for Great Perfection (Dzogchen) practice. Khentrul Rinpoche has also received the rarely bestowed oral transmission
of Khenpo Ngakchung’s Nyingt'hig lineage. From Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche,
Dodrubchen Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche, and Katog Moktza Rinpoche,
he received all of the empowerments and scriptural transmissions
for the Kama and Terma cycles
of the Nyingma school. Letters of Recommendation
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. There are over 300 monks and 100 children in Mardo Tashi Choling, for whom he provides food, lodging, education, a temple, and other facilities. In addition, Khentrul Rinpoche helps to send support to the main monastery of Katog as much as he can, as well as a few other branch monasteries of Katog. |
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