Kyabje Lati Rinpoche
His Eminence Venerable Kyabje Lati Rinpoche was born in the Kham region of Eastern Tibet in 1922. Following his recognition as a reincarnation of the great practitioner, Gongkar Rinpoche, His Eminence joined the local monastery at the age of ten.
When he was 15, Rinpoche traveled to Central Tibet where he began his formal training at Gaden Shartse Monastery. His study included Pramana Vidya (Logic), Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom), Madhyamika (Middle Philosopy), Abidharma (Treasure of Knowledge), and Vinaya (Spiritual Rules and Moral Law).
In 1959, after nineteen years of intensive study and training, Rinpoche sat for the Geshe Lharampa examination. This major examination was held in the summer palace of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, located in the capital of Tibet, Lhasa. Candidates were various scholars and top students from the three main monasteries, and yet Rinpoche still managed to emerge 2nd overall. In the next year, H.E. was officially conferred as “Geshe Lharampa” – a qualification which is equivalent to the PhD degree in the Indian universities.
The following year, he joined Gyuto Tantric College in Lhasa where he undertook the study and intensive training of Tantra. During this period he also served as tutor to many young reincarnate masters and gave numerous public teachings.
Belonging to a very rare class of scholars, saints and practitioners who completed his training in an independent Tibet, in 1959 Rinpoche followed His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama into exile, where he continued to spread the Dharma by teaching at various monasteries and schools.
In 1976 Rinpoche was invited to the United States to teach on a wide range of Buddhist subjects at the University of Virginia and other centers of higher learning. After teaching in the United States for over a year, he returned to India where he was appointed the Abbot of the Shartse Norling College of Gaden Monastery which had been reestablished in South India.
He served successfully in that post for eight years where, besides looking after the administration, law and order of the Sangha, he also taught extensively on all aspects of Buddhism.
Rinpoche remains a major lineage holder of the Gelug tradition. In addition, His Eminence Lati Rinpoche is the Root Guru of the present Trijang Rinpoche – reincarnation of one of the Root Gurus of the present Dalai Lama. Lati Rinpoche is also the Root Guru of almost all the highest Gelugpa masters and scholars today. Moreover, Rinpoche acts as the spiritual assistant to the present Dalai Lama. Lati Rinpoche, one of the world’s foremost Buddhist scholar, has been a visiting professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia USA.
Rinpoche has authored many important books in Tibetan Buddhism including: Death, Intermediate State and Rebirth, Mind in Tibetan Buddhism, and Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism. Currently, Lati Rinpoche continues a rigorous teaching schedule at Gaden Monastery where he has been appointed tutor to many of the young Rinpoches by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Sources:
Thubten Dhargye Ling: (http://tdling.org/gurus)
Jangchub Gepel Ling: (http://www.gepeling.org/4.html)
Singapore DharmaNet: (http://www.buddha.sg/htm/people/kyabje.htm)
Many great masters have kept their practice of Dorje Shugden strong. Here we see Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche, meeting with Kensur Lati Rinpoche and Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen. The Tibetan leadership forced Kensur Lati Rinpoche and Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen to give up the practice, but they went to meet Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche in 2000, a sign that they still had great faith in Dorje Shugden. Why else would they meet a Dorje Shugden lama? Despite the ban enforced by the Tibetan leadership, they held their own views strongly. Click on image to enlarge.
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paolorossi
April 19, 2010
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE QUICK RETURN OF SUCH A MATCHLESS BEING.FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL SENTIENT BEINGS.I HAD THE FORTUNE TO MEET HIM SEVERAL TIMES,I PRAY FROM THE DEPHT OF MY HEART FOR THE QUICK RETURN OF SUCH A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF GREAT KNOWLWDGE AND HUMBLENESS
PAOLOROSSI
Arisa
February 2, 2011
H.E. Kybje Lati Rinpoche has passed on not so long ago. I have read and known about him through my friends that Lati Rinpoche is also their root Guru. He had many centres and students around the world. Although being the Abbot of Shartze College in Ganden and very busy. He took the trouble to make time to travel and visit the Centres his students had set up in their respective countries. His centres are also set up in the West as well as in the East. After retirement as Abbot from Ganden Monastery he still travels to visit his students. He is never tired of travelling. His incarnation has not been discovered yet. I hope it will be soon. And that his students can continue to rely on his incarnation as a Guru again.
Christie Banks
November 15, 2015
I find it odd that H. E. Lati Rinpoche is included on this website, when he shared his strong misgivings about the Dorje Shugden practice with H. E. Zing Rinpoche decades before H. H. the Dalai Lama forbade the practice among his students and as H. E. Lati Rinpoche was such an incredibly close and faithful student of the Dalai Lama right up to his death, even circumambulating the residence of the Dalai Lama three times right before he entered into the final Clear Light meditation..
Christie Banks
November 15, 2015
H. E. Lati Rinpoche discussed his deep misgivings about the Dorje Shugden practice with his teacher, Zong Rinpoche, decades before the Dalai Lama came out against it. H. E. Lati Rinpoche was very close to Zong Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama and remained so until entering the Clear Light meditation a few years ago. He often told his students that H.H. the Dalai Lama was a fully enlightened embodiment of Cenrezig. Why do you have him on this websight when he taught his students to avoid Shugden way before the Dalai Lama did and he always taught his students to follow the Dalai Lama?
Sierra
July 24, 2016
His Eminence Kyabje Lati Rinpoche is a highly attained master of Tibetan Buddhism. Reading about his training and education is like a blessing and inspiration to many.
His Eminence Kyabje Lati Rinpoche has worked hard for the benefit of sentient beings and his students love him. Let us not demean his works and have a tug-of-war about including this great master here in this website. Let us honor him and pray for his swift return to continue his works in turning the Wheel of Dharma and to benefit sentient beings.