Trehor Khangsar Rinpoche
During the time of the 13th Dalai Lama Thupten Gyatso, Trehor Khangsar Rinpoche was the Abbot of the Tantric College of Gyumey. Among his students were high lamas such as Jampa Chodak, who held the post of the 90th Gaden Tripa. Jampa Chodak was also the student who wrote a biography of Trehor Khangsar Rinpoche….
Dagpo Kelsang Khedrup
Most Gelugpas would have known or heard of the great Lama Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. After all, Pabongka Dorje Chang is the very reason we are all fortunate enough to have the precious text, Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. This text is still being studied and used in Gelug monasteries and Dharma centers throughout…
Sera Ngatsang Gyi Abbot Namka Tenkyong
Born in the year of 1799, Namkha Tenkyong showed a lot of affinity towards the Dharma. He spent most of his younger days doing retreats, studies and debates in Sera Monastery which he entered at a young age. He grew up to be a very well respected Lama to the point that his tenure as…
Kurey Monastery Great Abbot Rabjampa Ngawang Lobsang
Rabjampa Ngawang Lobsang, also known by his ordination name of Ngawang Thubten (or Ngawang Yeshe Thubten) is the Mongolian abbot from Kurey Monastery and an accomplished master who was known to be able to perceive Tara directly. He was born during the 19th century. Like many great masters, he had a very early start in…
Jigme Norbu (1831-1861), the Fourth Zhabdrung Mind Incarnation
High Lamas can manifest in different forms, such as the Mind emanation, Body emanation or Speech emanation. Jigme Norbu was a layman who was recognised as the Mind emanation of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1651). To understand the importance of this incarnation, we must look at the achievements of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who was the reincarnation…
Jaya Pandita (1642 – 1708)
A boy with promising signs was born in Mongolia to the royal bloodline of the legendary Chinggis Khan. He would emerge as a most important figure between the Mongolian and Tibetan worlds, who would come to be among the most significant students of the renowned master Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen. He is famous for having preserved…
Dragshul Trinley Rinchen (1871-1935) – the 39th Sakya Trizin
Traditionally, the Sakya Throne Holders (Sakya Trizins) are considered to be incarnations of divine beings and succession is via a hereditary line, from father to son. Over the past hundred years, the position of Sakya Trizin evolved to alternate between two “houses” or Phodrangs, called Drolma and Phuntsog. Throughout the Sakya tradition, there has been…
Nyungne Lama Yeshe Zangpo (in the 1700s)
This great master became famous because of his long and intense fasting retreats to the 1000-armed Avalokiteshvara. Hence, he was bestowed the title Nyungne Lama and also sometimes known by his Sanskrit name, Jnanabhadra. At a young age, he was enrolled into the monastery and was ordained by one of the most influential Gelug masters…
Ngawang Khedrup (1779-1838)
A very special boy was born in 1779 in Mongolia. The boy would come to be known as Ngawang Khedrup, one of the greatest Mongol teachers of the Gelug tradition. He received his novice vows in Urga (modern day Ulaan Bator) and was enrolled into Tashi Chophel Monastery. When he was old enough, he traveled…
Retreng Rinpoche Trichen Tenpa Rabgye
Tritul Tenpa Rabgye (1759-1815) is a native of Lithang, Kham. Even at a young age, Tenpa Rabgye displayed strong affinity for the Dharma. At the tender age of 2, he did something very unusual for someone of his age – to request the Vajravidarna purification from the abbot of Lithang Monastery, Phuntsok Gyato. It wasn’t…
Sera Je Dragri Gyatso Thaye
The Dragri line of incarnations was significant enough for Trijang Dorje Chang, who is Heruka himself, to take an interest in them. Revealing the origins of this ancient lineage, Trijang Rinpoche wrote that the incarnations were some of the most profound Indian masters including Arhat Kanakavatsa (a direct disciple of Shakyamuni), King Chandrabhadra, and Pamting…
Serkong Dorje Chang (1856 – 1918)
Among the many wonderful texts on Dorje Shugden, there exists a very famous incense offering that can also be found in the Dorje Shugden be-bum which was composed by this great Lama. Incense offerings, otherwise known as sang are very powerful offerings that assist the practitioner to uphold his vows and morality, and to clear…
Tagphu Pemavajra
Tagphu Pemavajra is most commonly remembered today as being the guru of one of our most significant lineage fathers, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. Also, he is more famously known for being the first to transmit the lineage of Dorje Shugden that almost all of us are now practicing. This incarnation lineage is a mystical and very…
The Great Fifth Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617-1682)
In 1617, a promising boy amidst auspicious signs was born in Taktse in Southern Tibet to a family of Nyingmapa practitioners who were the descendants of the imperial line of the Yarlung Dynasty of kings. His father’s name was Miwang Dundul Rapten and his mother Kunga Lhadze. In 1622, the First Panchen Lama Lobsang Chokyi…
Morchen Kunga Lhundrub (1654-1728)
Morchen Kunga Lhundrub is the epitome of non-sectarianism, known to have upheld and respected many lineages equally and without any problems. As a highly influential master of the Sakya tradition, he was also revered by the Gelugpas as a lineage master of Naropa’s Vajrayogini. Within his own sect, Morchen was revered as a lineage holder…
Lobsang Tamdin (1867 – 1937)
Lobsang Tamdin, a Mongolian scholar and master, was a lineage holder of many practices. He became especially known for collecting many important texts written by Mongolian and Tibetan masters throughout his life. He was also known for having composed rituals to Dorje Shudgen. Lobsang Tamdin began his studies first in Gaden Monastery, Ulanbataar (Mongolia) where…