Gyalrong Khensur Ngawang Thekchok of Sera Mey Monastery

Gyalrong Khensur Ngawang Thekchok

Khensur Rinpoche Ngawang Thekchok was born in 1928 in Eastern Tibet. At the young age of 8, Rinpoche expressed his wish to enter monkhood and work for the welfare of sentient beings. He was admitted into a local monastery and in 3 years, memorized most of the important texts. Rinpoche went to Sera-Mey Monastery to further his studies and graduated as a Geshe Lharampa, the highest degree. Throughout this monastic education, he received teachings from some of the highest masters within the Gelugpa tradition, including His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche and Pabongka Rinpoche.

Rinpoche went to India in 1960′s and was appointed by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to be the abbot of the re-established Sera-Mey Monastery in Bylakuppe, South India. Gyalrong Khensur Ngawang Thekchok has become one of the most senior scholars in residence at the Mey College of Sera Monastery. He is from Gyalrong House and served as the abbot of Sera Mey College for some eleven years, between 1966 and 1976. He taught monks in the traditional Gelugpa curriculum of Buddhist philosophical studies for many years.

In the past 40 years, other than practising in retreat a few times, Rinpoche has also worked continuously and selflessly for the monastic education at Sera Monastery. On a typical day, Rinpoche would teach up to 6 sessions, totaling 16 hours, to different groups of students.

He continues to live at Sera Mey today.

Sources:
Mahayana Sutra & Tantra Center (http://www.mstp.us/mstc/Schedule.php?page=m3&mo=9&yr=2008)
Buddhist International Alliance (http://www.b-i-a.net/khensur%20rinpoche.htm)
Singapore DharmaNet (http://www.buddha.sg/htm/update/cal00c.htm)