I have just come across a recent picture posting on DS website about a High Lama from Chatreng now established in Canada, see this link:
http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/index.php?s=chatreng.Here is more biographical information:
ZAWA TULKU RINPOCHE
extracted from http://www.khenrab.org/zawatulku.htmThe previous incarnation of Zawa Rinpoche was born in the Province of Kham in the region of Chating.
He became a monk at the Ganden Shartse Monastery in Tibet and was guided by his Root Gurus, the previous
Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and
Kyabje Zong Rinpoche.
There, he achieved his Geshe Lharampa Degree.
This entailed countless hours of study and debate, passing through the various levels of increasing profundity of Buddhist philosophy and practice.
After he had accomplished this superior training, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche sent him back to the Chating area in order to care for the spiritual needs of that community.
Using the meditation house of Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and with his blessings, he began many years of rigorous retreat practice.
Having engaged in Nyung-nye and Chabtrul purification countless times over months and years, he developed the power of healing others.
Never sleeping very much, only eating meditation pills and devoting himself to the Bodhisattva practices, he helped many recover from various illnesses merely by blowing on them and giving them blessing pills.
Much loved and respected by those who lived in Chating and elsewhere, he stayed within this region of Tibet until he showed impermance at the age of 73.
At that time, he entered into meditation on the clear light of death and remained in this state for days, the body retaining heat and showing certain signs of accomplishment.
At the time of his cremation, many ribus (sacred relics) were discovered.
His devoted community, torn by their loss, wished to quickly find his rebirth.
But due to conditions in Tibet, this was very difficult.
The people of Chating contacted Ganden Shartse Monastery in India for help.
His reincarnation was discovered in India, born of his Mother, Lhamo and his Father, Ngawang.
Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche instructed his father to send his young son to Ganden Shartse monastery where he gave him the name Tsering Dorje.
He received his ordination as a gesul (novice ordained monk) from the illustrious teacher
Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche, and he was given the name Jangchub Ngawang by
Venerable Lati Rinpoche.
This was in 1982, and having been recognized by various Yogis and high Lamas as the incarnation of the previous Geshe Zawa Rinpoche, he started intensely his monastic studies.
In 1997 during an elaborate and large ceremony at Ganden Shartse Monastery, he was enthroned and the title bestowed upon him was
Zawa Tulku Lobsang Dorje Chokye Gyaltsen Rinpoche.
He had achieved the highest levels of oral philosophical debate during his final examinations.
Then, in 2001, because of frequent requests from the people of Chating and the monks from Chating monastery, he visited his old homeland in Tibet.
There again an enthronement ceremony was performed by his devoted community of monks and laypeople.
He also met the members of his family and the family of his previous incarnation that had remained in Tibet. The people of the region renewed their devotion to Zawa Tulku, and he performed many pujas and prayers for them both at the monastery and in their homes.
He visited Chinghai province and met the
Ven. Dema Gonsar Rinpoche and took the bhikshu (full ordination) vows.
He also made pilgrimage to many holy sites, such as the Kumbum monastery of Je Tsongkhapa, the five mountains of Mañju?r? at Otéshan, and the four great monasteries of Central Tibet (
Ganden,
Drepung,
Sera, and
Tashi Lhunpo).
This was both a happy and melancholy visit for Rinpoche: happy because of the great love and good fortune of the community, but also melancholy because of history of the recent past where conditions in Tibet which had changed so much and the old community of friends and students were now separated so often.
Many of the people of Chating were quite sad also when Rinpoche left them to travel and teach the Buddha dharma throughout the world.
They made many heart-felt requests that he return to his monastery, and Rinpoche keeps these requests close to his heart and plans to return as soon as it is auspicious.
Returning to the world outside of Tibet, at the request of many Dharma centers he has traveled extensively giving teachings, empowerments and constructing sacred sand mandalas.
Following the advice of his root Guru
Geshe Tsultrim, in 2003 Rinpoche together with his assistant, Gen Lobsang Tashi came to teach Je Tsongkhapa’s pure lineage to students in Montreal.
While Rinpoche has been living at TBT we have received visits from several high lamas of our tradition:
Lama Gangchen Rinpoche and
Lama Michel,
Kyabje Dragom Rinpoche,
Dagpo Rinpoche,
the Dorje Shugden oracle from Taiwan,
Geshe Tsultrim several times, and many other geshes and monks residing in Canada, the United States, and Europe who have given teachings on sutra, tantra, and ritual.
Since taking up residence in Montreal Rinpoche has also cultivated close relations with Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche and the Trijang Buddhist Institute in Vermont USA.
He and Trijang Rinpoche together received tantric commentaries from
Kyabje Yonggyel Rinpoche in Los Angeles in 2009.
Rinpoche has regularly attended teachings, empowerments, and retreats with Trijang Rinpoche, and there are close ties between the communities in Montreal and Northfield.
In 2006, Rinpoche received a request from Prof Dinh of University of Moncton to establish a Buddhist centre and undertake the care of the Buddhist education of people in the Moncton.
Seeing their devotion in August 2009 the Moncton Buddhist Centre was inaugurated as a place for Rinpoche to give teachings.
The inauguration was attended by many monks and geshes including Rinpoche’s own guru Geshe Tsultrim, and also by the Mayor of Moncton and the Senator from New Brunswick.
In 2010 Rinpoche was elected a member of
Shar Ganden monastery in South India and has undertaken the project of establishing a tantric college for the certification of Tibetan geshes when they have completed their studies of sutra and enter into tantric studies.
The same year Rinpoche worked with members of the Tibetan communities of the United States and Canada on the establishment of the North American Geluk Buddhist Association which has as aim the development and protection of a pure lineage of Geluk Buddhism that is preserved in Tibet, and the development of virtuous actions throughout the world.
At its inauguration in February 2011 he was elected to the administration of the Association, and happily undertakes this responsibility.
He has now become a Canadian citizen.
As Resident Teacher at Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Montreal he has taken in hand responsibility for Temple affairs and advising its members.
Due to his presence and active participation many dharma activites are now being offered: teachings, initiations, ritual ceremonies, and the publication of Buddhist practice texts (sadhanas) which are available for all.
Rinpoche is very happy to see that there are now many senior students at the temple who are sincere practitioners, and who have worked hard to become able to show others the beginnings of the Buddhist path.
Rinpoche’s heart advice to his students is that we should always devote ourselves to learning and practising the stages of the path to enlightenment as explained by the great lineage Lama Kyabje Pabongkha Rinpoche in “Liberation in the Palm of our Hand.”
We should receive teachings on sutra and tantra many times, to rejoice in the kindness of the Lama, in our good fortune, and in the kindness of sentient beings.
We should respect the teachings of all schools of Buddhism and particularly our lineage of practice from Je Tsongkhapa through the lineage lamas to Trijang Dorjechang, and to always make sure our practice is harmonious with Atisa’s Kadam instruction.
We must always remember the kindness of Geshe Khenrab, founder of TBT, and pray that his wish that this temple benefit all beings by means of meritorious practice of Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings is perfectly fulfilled.
This is an aspect of our Guru commitment, and so, respectful of one another, we must practice to mutually develop the temple in accordance with his wishes.
By practising like this our small merits will be harmoniously combined with the merits of our Lamas, and our practice will develop without any obstacles.
Rinpoche wishes to say that it is his good fortune to be able to share the Buddhadharma with his students, and that these merits are not for the purposes of this life, but dedicated to the perfect attainment of great enlightenment.
