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KHENPO TSEWANG DONGYAL RINPOCHE
BIOGRAPHY
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Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche and Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche founded Padmasambhava Buddhist Center, based at Padma Samye Ling in New York state, in 1989. Padmasambhava Buddhist Center includes over twenty local centers in the United States, Puerto Rico and Russia, as well as retreat centers and monastic institutions in the United States and India. The authors are still the spiritual directors of Padma Samye Ling in western upstate New York. |
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These two brothers, Venerable Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Venerable Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche, were born into a family that had practiced Vajrayana Buddhism for generations; among their ancestors were many great scholars and practitioners. They are from the Dhoshul region of Kham in eastern Tibet near the sacred mountain Jowo Zegyal, with strong ties to Gochen Monastery.
They were among the Tibetans who fled to India in 1950. Losing several family members on their journey, they reached India with their father, after this narrow escape.
Shortly after his birth, Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche was recognized as a Tulku, the reincarnation of the Venerable Sherab Khyentse Rinpoche, a renowned Abbot of Gochen Monastery. Beginning his education at the age of five, Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche entered Gochen Monastery; however, his studies were interrupted by the Chinese occupation.
In India he was continuing his studies and writings for a few years, when his brother was asked by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche to join scholars and leaders of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism for a one-year conference, overseen by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to discuss ways to maintain the culture and spiritual heritage of Tibet and collect the sacred Buddhist texts which were scattered throughout India in varying communities. With the help of numerous people, including monks, high Lamas, merchants, and even children, they collected holy books numbering in the thousands. Each person had taken as many scriptures as they could physically carry out of Tibet, or had hidden them in the mountains for future retrieval. Through the Tibetan people's deep devotion to preserving their spiritual heritage, the complete cycle of teachings were salvaged. This unique conference of senior monastic leaders led to the formation of a university, the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, India.
In the early 1960s Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche traveled to northern India to attend Tso Pema, Rewalsar, a Nyingma monastic school close to one of the holy lakes of Guru Padmasambhava. In 1967, he went to Sanskrit University where he received BA and MA degrees in Buddhist studies. Then in 1978, he was enthroned by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche as Abbot of the Wishfulfilling Nyingmapa Institute of Kathmandu, Nepal. He was later appointed Head Abbott of the Institute's Department of Dharma Studies.
The two scholarly brothers (also known as the Khenpo Rinpoches) made their first trip to America in 1980, and in 1982 moved to New York to work closely with His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. In 1985, the Khenpos founded Dharma Samudra, a non-profit publishing organization which began by publishing a Tibetan edition of 11 volumes of the hidden treasure teachings revealed by the great terton Tsasum Lingpa in the 17th century. Together they have authored a number of works on Tibetan language, poetry, grammar, Buddhist philosophy and practice, logic and tantra, and historical perspectives. Many of their books dealing with Tibetan Buddhism are available in English.
They maintain active travel and teaching schedules that include annual visits to their centers where they give talks, teachings, and individual meditation instruction to their devoted sangha (community) of students. Their dynamic teachings, skillful insights, vibrant personalities and humorous wit make the simplest to the most complex teachings of Buddhism applicable to every aspect of our busy Western lives.
The Rinpoches are fully versed in the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Schools, and are considered masters of Dzogchen, the most advanced tradition of meditation practice in Tibetan Buddhism. The Khenpo Rinpoches hold the transmissions of the Nyingma Kama, and Terma Lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, and have received many honors, appointments, and recognition from His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and other Tibetan spiritual leaders.
BOOKS
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