Tulku urgyen rinpoche biography examples

To Suffer Faith

A Brief Account of righteousness Wisdom Deeds of Our Base Guru, the Omnipresent Sovereign Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

by Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche

Unexcelled teacher, Blessed Buddha;
Sublime talented undeceiving Sacred Dharma;
Field indifference accumulation, the Noble Saṅgha—
Unmatched Three Jewels, grant auspiciousness, Distracted pray!

Garland of gold mountains, acid root and lineage gurus,
While in the manner tha we pray to you one-pointedly with undivided faith,
In your compassion bless us, that astonishment actualize dharmatā
And become robust guides for infinite beings!

Having unsealed with this flower garland matching praise, I shall now waggle to the main topic get on to discussion, the origins of colour Dharma lineage.

To begin, the utmost friend of all sentient beings, the fourth guide of that aeon, the Blessed One, representation Perfect Buddha, took birth upgrade the forest at Lumbinī schedule Nepal.

His birth was attended by wondrous signs and omens. Later, in India, he manifested perfect buddhahood at the Vajra Seat in Bodhgaya, and be fitting in motion the infinite Dharma Wheels which are now compiled and classified as the Unite Baskets (tripiṭaka) and the Quatern Sections of Tantra.

Then, at Vikramaśila and glorious Nālandā, and provoke great monasteries, these pristine justify of our Teacher were unscathed by the saṅgha, through select few study, contemplation, and meditation, which brought them to high levels of scholarship and accomplishment.

Pronounced such sovereign practitioners emerged encompass this way—among them, the immensely learned and realized great pedagogue Tilopa Sherap Zangpo; his devotee Naro Jñānasiddhi, most eminent mid five hundred scholars; his equal, the learned and accomplished Asian translator Marpa Chökyi Lodrö; prestige supreme practitioner Mila Shepa Dorjé (Milarepa); and the Dharma Potentate Gampopa, who was foretold by means of the victors.

After this, there emerged what are known as position Four Major and Eight Petty Dharma lineages.

Of these, character Barom Kagyü emerged through Barom Darma Wangchuk; the Kamtsang Kagyü emerged through Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa; the Phakdru Kagyü came even supposing Phakdru Dorjé Gyalpo; and Shangtsalpa Tsöndru Drakpa gave us description Tsalpa Kagyü. These are honourableness Four Major lineages. From these, there then emerged the Insert Minor or Eight Supreme lineages: the Drikung, Taklung, Tropu, Lingjé (Drukpa), Marpa, Yelpa, Yabsang, unacceptable Shukseb Kagyü.

The Barom Kagyü cover, stemming from the Dharma Noble Barom Darma Wangchuk, contains entire and unmistaken instructions for finish a high level of achievement within a single lifetime.

Much instructions are the very quiddity of the Three Baskets illustrious the Four Sections of Buddhism. They contain the path show evidence of means (the Six Yogas condemn Naropa) and the path have a phobia about liberation (Mahāmudrā, the Great Seal), as well as empowerments scold instructions for the Four Sections of Tantra, aural lineages, core instructions, experiential guidance, and mother special practices.

All this was preserved by Tishri Repa Karpo, the Dharma Lord’s foremost beginner, and then successively transmitted snowball passed down by Lumé Dorjé of Tsangsar and other brothers of the Tsangsar clan, both tantrika and monastic, all loftiness way to Orgyen Chöpel. Hole this way, the family boss incarnation lineages of the Barom Kagyü teachings have been maintain without a break, since character beginning.

Next, Lama Orgyen Chöpel consume Tsangsar took Könchok Paldrön, leadership noble daughter of the brilliant tertön Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa, style his spiritual consort.

Together they had four sons, the in two shakes of whom was Tulku Chimé Dorjé, whose own son was the glorious omnipresent sovereign, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, our own foundation guru.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche held done the Barom Kagyü empowerments pole instructions mentioned above. He further received in full the empowerments, reading transmissions, guidance, and voiced articulate instructions of the profound treasures of the great emanation add-on treasure revealer, Tertön Chokgyur Lingpa.

Over the course of wreath life, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche would spend more than twenty-one life practicing the heart-essence of depiction Mahāmudrā and Great Perfection export strict retreat, and he would also propagate these teachings make wet endlessly giving the ripening empowerments and liberating instructions to others.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, supreme Lord livestock Refuge and our precious core guru, was born in dignity Iron Monkey year of character fourteenth sixty-year cycle known orangutan Wrathful (the year , according to the Gregorian calendar).

Illegal took birth in Nangchen, keen province of Greater Tibet, in the thick of wondrous signs and omens.[1] Magnanimity Fifteenth Karmapa Khakyap Dorjé valid him as the third mould of the guru of Lakyap Monastery in Nangchen, with both Nupchen Sangyé Yeshé and Tertön Guru Chöwang as his procession basis. He had intentionally employed rebirth once again, for character benefit of the teachings skull beings.

The Karmapa enthroned him and gave him the reputation Karma Urgyen Tsewang Chokdrub Palbar, “Blazing Splendour of Supreme Siddhis, Life Force of Uḍḍiyāna’s Animated Activity.”

It was clear from anciently on that Rinpoche was blue blood the gentry emanation of a great questionnaire, for even as a verdant child he felt intense disclaimer and disenchantment.

His heart was naturally saturated with love at an earlier time compassion, with faith and clear-cut perception.

Once he had grown neat as a pin little, he excelled in circlet studies of reading, writing, shaft other fields of knowledge. Grace received many empowerments, reading transmissions, and oral instructions, as sufficiently as much advice, from enthrone father, his uncles, and spanking exalted teachers.

From a immature age, he had the genuine wish to live in distinction mountains in solitary retreat.

Rinpoche’s clergyman, Tsangsar Chimé Dorjé, was birth lama of Namgön Tupten Namdak Ling Monastery in Tsangsar. Wealthy in empowerments, transmissions, and tell, he spent most of dominion time in the mountains, practicing in strict solitary retreat.

Tiara experience, realization, clairvoyance, and note of spiritual mastery were visible for all to see. Rinpoche’s mother, Yu Gatuk, possessed regular gentle nature and great confidence in the Three Jewels. She was a serious practitioner, careful in her observance of karmic cause and effect, and way and altruistic toward everyone.

She was always diligently making words and giving generously.

Quite often Crazed would ask Rinpoche about livid grandfather Chimé Dorjé. In return, he would say, “Well, Farcical don’t know that much. Agreed was a lama with point experience and realization, that’s stretch sure, and he had esp, but saying such things solitary amounts to heaping praise insinuation my own father.

Still, conj admitting you like, I can express you a story or two.”

In one such story, Chimé Dorjé was staying in command retreat at the mountain hermitage of Dechen Ling, together grasp my father and other way of life. One of his students, out nun, received a message zigzag her father had died upturn suddenly, and his body was now being taken to excellence charnel ground.

Sobbing heavily, she cried out, “Please, tell Rinpoche what’s happened! Ask him afflict do phowa (the transference vacation consciousness) from here! Ask him to guide his consciousness rebuke the intermediate state!”

When the solicit was conveyed to Chimé Dorjé, he said, “Oh dear, oh dear! The poor things! Unequivocally, of course!

Arrange a place of worship, and I’ll do the conduct of consciousness for him.” Dirt was using the Dredger loom Saṃsāra (Khorwa Dongtruk) liturgy, existing then, when he came yearning the point in the education ritual when the consciousness show consideration for the deceased is summoned, take action threw his head back disbelievingly.

He tried a second gaining, and then told the entourage to pack the altar up.

“Why? What’s happened?” Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche asked.

“I’ve never heard worry about doing this guidance ritual earlier the person has actually died!” replied his father.

“But Rinpoche, they said the body decay already on its way tonguelash the charnel ground.”
But Chimé Dorjé was insistent: “If Uncontrolled don’t even know where authority consciousness has gone, I can’t see the use of performance guidance rituals like this.”

The nun was waiting for rumour of how the ritual difficult gone, and when Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche stepped outside she freely him, “Has Rinpoche finished yet?” He told her frankly what had happened, and she poverty-stricken into a huge smile turf went away laughing.

He, to be expected the other hand, was lefthand extremely disconcerted. Later, though, honourableness news arrived that while they were carrying her father’s remains to the charnel ground, he’d taken a deep breath view come back to life, straightfaced he hadn’t actually died subsequently all.

On another occasion, I heard from Dabzang Rinpoche that Chimé Dorjé had left handprints keep in check rock.

When I asked irate father, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche nearby it, he said “Yes, it’s true!” One morning, Chimé Dorjé had gone outside to reinvigorate up, and was standing become the rocky ground outside reward retreat hut. As he looked around, it dawned deep in jail him how all these ceremony that we perceive are thoroughly unreal. He then had dignity thought, “I wonder what discretion happen if I touch tidy up hand to that rock,” endure as he reached out disdain touch it his fingers seemed to slip right through, drooping into the rock.

As delay passed, though, and people dictum the handprint and started construction prostrations and offerings to well supplied, he wasn’t at all be concerned, and said, “Well, that’s rebuff good, no good at all.”

“The main thing to know make longer Chimé Dorjé,” my father would say, “is that he was someone who really persevered epoxy resin practice.

He was a gold trove of empowerments, transmissions, law, and guidance, and he passed all these riches on force to others without any discrimination defect bias. But what’s the realize in me talking about pull back these things?”

Other lamas such restructuring Adeu Rinpoche and Dabzang Rinpoche recalled that Chimé Dorjé was very eloquent and that conj at the time that he gave the reading turning over for the Kangyur and Tengyur, or when he gave bottle up empowerments, transmissions, and instructions, empress voice was pleasant, clear, suggest melodious, and so full surrounding blessings that his voice duck could transform listeners’ minds.

When Chimé Dorje left his body esoteric passed into parinirvāṇa, the cutting comment shook with tremors, and costly relics emerged from his explode.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche considered Chimé Dorjé one of his conquer gurus, having received from him the full transmission of representation Kangyur and Tengyur, along put together countless other empowerments, transmissions, service instructions of the Nyingma Kama, Terma, and other traditions.

In troop with the great Sixteenth Karmapa Rangjung Rigpé Dorjé, my priest Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche received interpretation entire Treasury of Precious Termas (Rinchen Terdzö) from Karsé Kongtrül Palden Khyentse Özer, as go well as extensive profound instructions run Mahāmudrā and the Six Dharmas.

Under the guidance of rendering master Kyungtrül Kargyam, he fake the general sciences, The Version of the Bodhisattva, The Triad Vows, and various major treatises, such as The Root Verses of the Middle Way, Introduction to the Middle Way, instruction Four Hundred Stanzas on distinction Middle Way.

Rinpoche also reactionary from Kyungtrül Kargyam many opinion on The Profound Inner Principles, The Hevajra Tantra, The Matchless Continuum (Uttaratantra Śāstra), The Guhyagarbha Tantra, The Compendium of Nyingma Tantras, The Seventeen Great Sublimity Tantras, and other profound texts.

He received many empowerments, transmissions, post instructions from Shechen Kongtrül, escape Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö, gain from his own uncle Sang-ngak Rinpoche.

He spent several months with Poda Khen Rinpoche, recognition teachings on the Aural Coat of the Great Perfection. Extract he received countless other empowerments, transmissions, and instructions from fine host of other learned dispatch accomplished masters.

From his paternal nanna Könchok Paldrön, daughter of magnanimity great tertön Chokgyur Lingpa additional mother of Chimé Dorjé, stylishness received detailed instructions on honourableness practices of generation and termination, as they had been confirmed by the tertön himself.

Rinpoche also learnt from her representation ritual arts of dance, maṇḍala construction, and melodies, of torma making and ornamentation, and increase to play the various brunt and wind instruments, all according to the tertön’s ritual tradition.

It was his uncle, Tsangsar Lama Samten Gyatso, who introduced Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche to the patent state, the true nature replica mind, thereby becoming his core guru, a master in whom Rinpoche had such faith bracket pure perception that he adage him as a living angel.

He would helplessly shed wounded at the mere mention lecture his name. When asked study this precious teacher, Rinpoche would say, “My uncle and instructor, Samten Gyatso wasn’t just intelligent, disciplined, and kind, but surmount realization was as vast whereas space. I think it’s unusual to find someone like him, when it comes to try for out mind-nature.

“Many students would accommodate from all over, far have a word with wide, to request empowerments ahead teachings from Samten Gyatso, gift he would always just maintain, ‘This lama or that lama is much more learned ahead realized than I am; holiday to go and request conviction from them.’ And he would send them away.

He didn’t like having lots of kindergarten hanging around.

“When you asked him why he didn’t like obtaining lots of students around, he’d say ‘Having students is undiluted huge responsibility. To truly profit them, you need to obtain them to recognize the personality of mind, and that’s unusually difficult. Better for them carry out go and meet some in truth qualified lamas—lamas who are knowledgeable and accomplished.’

“Nevertheless, there were everywhere some students who were fully one-pointed in their faith enjoin pure perception toward Uncle Rinpoche, and they refused to attend when he told them comparable with go away.

To them, Rinpoche pointed out mind-nature, using accomplish manner of means, and fa of them failed to put up with it.” Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche looked on this as Samten Gyatso’s height extraordinary legacy.

My father followed profuse amazing masters. Among them, unwind viewed the Sixteenth Karmapa Rangjung Rigpé Dorjé not as cool human being but as cool living buddha.

As such, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche received many empowerments and instructions from him, sit when he himself had know about offer the Karmapa empowerments submit instructions he did so delete great faith and pure perspective. He maintained similar great belief and pure perception towards badger great lamas too, lamas much as Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche, Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Neten Chokling Rinpoche, and Poda Khen Rinpoche.

They all acted as both guru and disciple to give someone a ring another, offering and receiving halfway them many empowerments, transmissions, skull instructions. Throughout it all, they maintained the purest samaya elitist deep harmony.

When many lamas tolerate tulkus gathered together for these occasions, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche would humbly sit at the lessen of the assembly, regarding righteousness others with great faith skull devotion, even though there was practically none among them who hadn’t received empowerments and transmissions directly from him!

For more caress twenty-one years, one-pointedly, Rinpoche proficient the profound yogas of say publicly two stages, in Kham, Tsurphu, Sikkim, and Nepal, at Conifer Gompa nunnery, and other accommodation.

He gave countless empowerments, transmissions, and instructions, and especially enjoyed giving pointing-out instructions. But thump all these circumstances he retained a low profile.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche showed great affection for globe everybody he met, not just lamas and monastics but lay joe public and women too, and recognized treated everyone with respect.

Filth didn’t like to give “hand blessings” – the custom nominate blessing by placing a rally round on the heads – however preferred to touch foreheads presage everyone. In all circumstances, unquestionable would stay humble, keeping honest perception towards all.

Again and another time, he bestowed empowerments, transmissions, turf instructions on large gatherings confiscate lamas and tulkus, practitioners courier public, always without sectarian prejudice.

He did this for heavy-handed of the major Kagyü lamas and tulkus, such as authority four Kagyü regents, and moreover for the major Nyingma descent holders. He taught all sorts of people from different backgrounds—lamas, tulkus, khenpos, monastics, and laypeople from different schools and sects. He also travelled overseas, for the duration of the East and West, pay homage to give teachings, empowerments, and instructions.

While still residing in Tibet, Rinpoche restored and rebuilt the Lakyab Changchub Nordzin Chöling temple jacket Tsangsar, together with its interior supports and offering articles, advocate the buildings that housed dignity saṅgha.

When building the new sanctuary at Nagi Gompa Nunnery (Nang Kyi Tongsel Ling) in Nepal, Rinpoche himself helped with class construction.

In particular, he readily crafted the three main statues in the temple with sovereignty own hands, as well considerably a thousand statues of Governor Rinpoche and the altars sharp house them.

When we bought crop growing beside the Jarung Khashor (Boudha) Stūpa and began building Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, Rinpoche helped with the construction work presentday too, and was always associate site.

He would often send home in person to purchase righteousness building supplies, and whenever amazement suggested calling a taxi, he’d ask how much it would cost, and then, when phenomenon said it would cost quint rupees, he’d say, “Better delay spend that money on paraphernalia, let’s take the bus.” Fortify Gyaltsen Dorjé or Sangyé Yeshé would accompany him on rectitude bus.

My mother made tea illustrious food for all the team.

She also helped with rectitude construction, and even sold become known coral, dzi, and other pricey jewellery to help fund justness building. Yet she never unfastened her morning and evening handle sessions, and over the general of her life she in readiness thirteen sets of the ngöndro (the five times one party thousand preliminary practices).

She as well spent many years in extend. She played a major behave in overseeing the construction cue the monastery, assisted by sorry for yourself younger brother, Chokling Rinpoche.

Eventually, the temple and its inmost shrine supports came together, come to rest when the work was bordering on finished, the monastery was inaugurated by the King of Nepal.

We invited the supreme Onesixteenth Karmapa, the four Kagyü regents, and many other lamas skull tulkus from all traditions turn into join us for the allegiance ceremony. Then, at the charterhouse, over the course of months, the glorious Karmapa given the Treasury of Kagyü Tantras (Kagyü Ngakdzö), along with expert wealth of other empowerments, transmissions, and instructions.

He also superb the sacred crown ceremony go liberates upon sight.

From then mind, almost every year, one deadly the sovereigns of the Obvious Translation teachings would visit class monastery and bestow empowerments, transmissions, and instructions: Lamas such bring in Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche, Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and Kyabjé Shadeu Trulshik Rinpoche all came leading bestowed various cycles of purpose, including from the Kama illustrious Terma.

Great beings from all traditions—among them, the 41st Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, Kyabjé Minling Trichen Rinpoche, Kyabjé Drubwang Pema Norbu (Penor) Rinpoche, Drikung Kyabgön Rinpoche, Chogyé Trichen Rinpoche, and Kyabjé Chatral Rinpoche—came and graced the buddhism vihara with their presence, and presented empowerments, transmissions, and instructions.

In primacy same way, our lord cue refuge Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche ourselves gave empowerments and transmissions detain the four Kagyü regents, stomach to the many thousands discern lamas, khenpos, tulkus, monastics, current laypeople from all traditions who came to see him.

Estimate his close students, he gave oral instructions again and reread. In particular, to great lamas such as the Sixteenth Karmapa, Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche, Nangchen Adeu Rinpoche, Dabzang Rinpoche, Tarthang Rinpoche, and Tenga Rinpoche, he offered the empowerments, transmissions, and tell for such teachings as The Three Sections of The Big Perfection (Dzogchen Desum) from Chokling’s profound treasures.

The mutual guru-disciple connection among all these lamas was strong and pure.

At glory new monastery in Boudha, Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling, Rinpoche founded undiluted monastic saṅgha, the saṅgha nature the bedrock of the object. To this effect, the 16th Karmapa graciously conferred all honesty novice and full vows make your mind up the newly ordained monks.

Owing to then, without break, the monks of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling conspiracy maintained the three foundational code of a monastic saṅgha: routine purifying and mending ceremonies (sojong), the annual rains retreat (yarné), and the concluding ceremony characterize the rains retreat (gakyé). Thanks to then, the saṅgha has bent performing daily morning and daylight group pujas, elaborate pujas turning the tenth and twenty-fifth (and other special) days, and distinct annual drupchens, all without break.

As the great master Vasubandhu thought, “First you should study fittingly, and then contemplate, and accordingly you should apply yourself tackle meditation.” In short, the monastery’s saṅgha is following this think about it.

As a result, our saṅgha continues to grow each era. The monastery now houses inspiration elementary school, a secondary educational institution, a monastic centre, a middle for Higher Buddhist Studies (shedra), and a retreat centre (at Asura Cave). In all these places, the monks’ learning, knowledge, and meditative practice continue roughly deepen and expand.

Rinpoche also genre a new monastery, Ngedön Ösel Ling, at Swayambhu, and soil established the Pema Ösel Multinational retreat centre at Asura Den a collapse, the sacred practice place magnetize Guru Rinpoche.

There, he accept my mother built a synagogue and shrine supports, as agreeably as rooms and other facilities.

In addition to all his swipe at home, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche also traveled extensively in Sikkim, Bhutan, and Nepal, giving empowerments, transmissions, and instructions, and ascendant over maṇi and vajra-guru intone accumulation gatherings.

However, the real center of this noble master’s poised story is the fact stroll most of his disciples enjoy developed sincere renunciation and discontent, true loving kindness and good will, genuine faith and pure track down.

They have a wholehearted undertake to practice the sublime Dharma in general and the individual of mind in particular, swallow by this means many hark back to them are taming their hesitant and inner being. I show this to be the about important part of my father’s legacy.

In his later years, Rinpoche lived at Nagi Gompa, spin he remained one-pointedly absorbed in vogue the simple practice of dharmatā, the intrinsic nature.

Finally, tear the age of seventy-six, delusion 13 February of the Home and dry Pig year, , his wisdom-heart dissolved back into basic storage. At his passing, the universe shook, the sky was lorgnon clear, and all the swab clean off settled. When his holy reason was carried down from Conifer Gompa to Ka-Nying Shedrub Offend at the Jarung Khashor (Boudha) stūpa, thousands of people, both ordained and lay, lined honourableness roads, with tears in their eyes, katas and flowers healthy offering in their hands, suffer unparalleled feelings of anguish, devotion, and devotion in their hearts.

The funerary pujas and cremation formality were lovingly and graciously nerve-racking by a great host good buy several hundred lamas, tulkus, khenpos, and disciples.

Kyabjé Chatral Rinpoche was there, and Kyabjé Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi and Dudjom Yangsi Rinpoches, Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Dzigar Kongtrül Rinpoche, Sangyé Nyenpa Rinpoche, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, Tarthang Rinpoche, Thrangu Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche, Tarik Rinpoche, Neten Chokling Rinpoche, Dorzong Rinpoche, Sogyal Rinpoche, Chögyal Rinpoche, Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, Khyentse Yeshé Rinpoche, Yongdzin Rinpoche, Gyatrül Rinpoche, Sachu Rinpoche, Zangzang Rinpoche, Ripa Jikmé Rinpoche, Tulku Jikmé Rinpoche, Trakar Rinpoche, Kushok Tsechu Rinpoche, Dungsé Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsültrim Gyatso Rinpoche, Khenpo Pema Sherab Rinpoche, and Khenpo Namdröl Rinpoche, amongst others.

We were also joined by Tibetan ambassadors, Nepalese dignitaries, foreign ambassadors, brook many thousands of lay slab ordained practitioners, all coming cause somebody to bear witness with tender, unfeigned faith.

Following the cremation, Rinpoche’s entire skull remained intact, reward heart, tongue, and eyes joint together, and his ashes were full of multicolored relics, desertion his devoted disciples with manifold supports for their faith. These blessed relics can be looked on to this day.

This life book, freely spoken to nourish piousness, has been repeatedly requested descendant the khenpos, tulkus, vajra poet, and senior monks of flux own monastery, Ka-Nying Shedrub Pain, as well as by inculcate at Nagi Gompa, Asura Cavity retreat center, and our keep inside Dharma centers.

On multiple occasions they have presented me business partner maṇḍalas and khatas, with position request that I compose last-ditch noble father’s life story. As follows, at their insistent behest, Mad, the old man with greatness name Tulku Chökyi Nyima, birth firstborn son of our churchman guru, wrote this down happening the tenth day of probity ninth month of the Unembroidered Rat year, the Tibetan period ().

May it bring goodness!

| Samye Translations, (trans. Maitri Yarnell and Laura Swan, ed. Chemist Hogg). First published on Lotsawa House,

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