KHENCHEN KONCHOG GYALTSHEN RINPOCHE

Khenchen Rinpoche Konchog Gyaltshen was born in a province that is sacred to the Drikung Kagyu lineage: Tsari, Tibet, in 1946.  In 1959 he fled with his family to Darjeeling, India, where he began his education.  He was an excellent student, and was able to complete his middle school studies in less than the average time.  In October 1967, he traveled to Varanisi, India to study at the new Institute of Higher Learning there.  He began a nine-year course that included Madhyamika, Abhidharma, Vinaya, Abhisamayalankara, the Uttaratantra, history, logic, and grammar.

In early 1968, he took full monastic ordination from H.E. Kalu Rinpoche http://www.kdk.org/kalu-rinpoche.html, and received teachings from the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa on  The Eight Treasures of Mahamudra Songs of the Indian Mahasiddhas.  Rinpoche received teachings and instructions the Venerable Khunu Rinpoche; whom 

the H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama places on the crown of his head for his actualization of Bodhicitta.  With Ven. Khunu Lama, Khenchen Rinpoche studied Mahamudra, the songs of Milarepa, and Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation and Precious Garland of the Excellent Path.

In 1978, under the guidance of the great master Khyunga Rinpoche, Khenchen Konchog began a three-year retreat, wch included the Five-fold Path of Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa, Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon’s Gong Chik, plus many transmissions from Kyunga Rinpoche.

In 1985, Khenchen Konchog Rinpoche traveled to the main seat of the Drikung Kagyu lineage at Drikung Thil, Tibet, to receive blessings, instructions, and transmissions of Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa from the great yogi, Pachung Rinpoche.  In 1982, His Holiness, the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche asked Khenchen to bring the Dharma to the United States, and the Tibetan Meditation Center http://www.drikungtmc.org was founded.  He has traveled ceaselessly throughout North America to found Drikung Kagyu meditation centers until his retirement as head of the lineage in North America in 2003. 

Wanting the teachings of Dharma to reach as many people as possible, and being a genius at language, Khenchen Rinpoche quickly adapted himself to Western forms of communication.  He has been on the media and has given many lectures.  The Tibetan calligraphy in the early editions of sadhanas that he’s translated are written in his own hand.   He has translated and written many books; Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation is one of the works that Khenchen has found most inspiring.  Seeing the need for a precise translation of this great text, Khenchen Rinpoche, in order to accomplish this, spent many years working with his editor, Khenmo Konchog Thinley Chödron.  They went through the entire text word by word four times, sometimes spending an hour or more on a single phrase or sentence!  It has now gone through several reprintings and is often quoted in scholarly works by other authors.

Due to decades of unremitting travel and teaching, Khenchen Rinpoche fell ill and now  makes his home in India.   Although not fully recovered, he is again traveling and teaching more  in Europe, Asia and Tibet.  He has returned to us several times.  In May of 2007, he finished his several-year course of teachings on the Jewel Ornament of Liberation, to coincide with the Tibetan Meditation Center’s 25th Anniversary.

DRUPON RINCHEN DORJE RINPOCHE                                                       Photo by Gretchen Howard, NY, 2007                                                    

DKDC is incredibly fortunate to have Drupon Rinchen Dorje Rinpoche, resident lama at Garchen Institute in Arizona,  as our Spiritual Director. His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, Venerable Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche, Khenpo Sherab Odzer Rinpoche and Drupon Thinley Nyingpo Rinpoche all recommended him because of his high degree of realization and his gentleness and kindness.  He arrived here in October of 2006, and also goes to Chicago Ratna Shri to teach on a frequent basis, as well as to many other Drikung centers in the U.S.

In 1984 Drupon Rinchen Dorje stayed in his local monastery for nine years, working hard at its reconstruction. While there, he took novice monk’s vows from Tulku Nyendrak Gyaltsen Rinpoche, receiving many profound teachings from him such as the Five-fold Path of Mahamudra and Dzogchen.  From Tulku Thogme Rinpoche he received wang,  transmission and pith instructions on Five-Deity Chakrasamvara in the tradition of Drilbupa. 

In 1990, at Drithil Ogmin Jang Chub Ling monastery, he received Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon’s Five-fold Mahamudra wang, transmission and teachings from Master Gelong Tenzin Nyima.  He went on pilgrimage to Dhaglha Gampo temple and did retreat there for several weeks. In 1993, he made a pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash. Then at the Drikung Kagyu Institute at Jang Chub Ling monastery near Dehra Dun, he studied Buddhist logic, philosophy, etc.  From great masters such as Khenpo Konchog Gyaltshen and Khenpo Thogdrol he received teachings on Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon's Gong Chik, the Uttaratantra and more. 

In 1995, during his stay at the Drikung Kagyu Institute, he accomplished the preliminary practices to Mahamudra and the recitation of Chakrasamvara in group retreat in the presence of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, and was ordained as a full bikshu by him.  In 1996, in Almora, he received wang on the Six Yogas of Naropa, Five-Fold Path of Mahamudra, Chakrasamvara/Vajarvarahi and the symbolic whispered lineage from H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche, and accomplished a three year retreat in the Drikung Thil tradition under Gelong Yeshe Rinpoche.  In 2000, he received Snake Year teachings form H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche and H.E.

In 2001, he went to Lapchi, in Nepal, the site of many sacred caves where the great yogi Milarepa practiced.  In a cave there, he accomplished another three-year retreat on Rechungpa’s whispered lineage of Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi, the Six Yogas of Naropa and the naked instructions of the bardo.  In 2004 he was enthroned as a Drupon – Accomplished Retreat Master. 

In 2005, he received wang and transmission on the five deities of Hevajra in Marpa’s tradition from H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche, and in 2006 he accomplished a retreat on it at Almora.  Thus, our precious teacher has completed some eight years of retreat!  HOME

KHENPO TSULTRIM TENZIN RINPOCHE

Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin was born in 1970.  At the age of 14 he took his monk's vows and began his Buddhist studies.  In 1987 he traveled to Jangchub Ling in Dehra Dun to attend the Drikung Kagyu Institute.  He was an outstanding student, and excelled in all of his subjects.  He completed the nine-year program of study in only five years while also teaching part time.  He was enthroned as a Khenpo in 1998 and spent three more years teaching Buddhist philosophy at the Institute.  He has completed the Ngondro and Chakrasamvara practices in retreat.  

Khenpo Tsultrim arrived at TMC in April 2001.  He is the Spiritual Director of TMC in Frederick, Maryland.  
In Summer of 2003, Khenpo came to Sky Heart Retreat Center to lead an Achi Chogi Drolma retreat.   He is a brillliant schollar, and we hope to invite him to Madison soon, to teach on Madyamila philosophy.

At the Tibetan Meditation Center, in 2008 and 2009, Rinpoche taught on the Vinaya vows and practices for the ordained sangha.  It is his wish to continue to give these teachings to Drikung monks and nuns every year.  HOME

DRUPON THINLEY NYINGPO RINPOCHE                      (Shown with H.E. Garchen Rinpoche at TMC)  

Spontaneously
From the center of my heart
My body bends like a willow
To receive your blessings.

From an early age, Drupon Thinley Nyingpo Rinpoche has had a natural inclination towards religion. With his father's encouragement, he entered Brong-ngur Monastery in Tibet, and became a student of the eminent Buddhist scholar, Lama Kedrub Siddhi Rinpoche.  While studying at Brong-ngur, he met the great yogi/scholar, Drubwang Pachung Rinpoche, and received pith instructions on Mahamudra from him.  In 1988, while on a pilgrimage to the sacred places of Western Tibet, Drupon Thinley escaped to India by making a perilous two-month journey on foot across the Himalayas.  Once in India, he joined the Drikung Kagyu Monastery, Jhangchub Ling, in Dehra Dun, and began his higher education.  After completing his studies, he was appointed Dean and disciplinarian of the institute, where he was well-loved and respected, serving with distinction for six years.  He engaged in many retreats, including the traditional three-year retreat on Five-fold  Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa.  He is adept in the practice and philosophy of both sutra and tantra, loving to do it so, he has special skill in building stupas and has erected many of them.

In the year 2000, Drupon Thinley participated in the Drikung Kagyu Snake Year teachings  where he received the entire corpus of empowerments, transmissions, and instructions in the Drikung Kagyu lineage.  Based on his accomplishments, he was awarded the title of Drupon, “Master of Spiritual Attainment or Retreat Master”. Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche brought Drupon Thinley to America to be a retreat master at the Tibetan Meditation Center in Frederick Maryland.  Drupon la has taught at other Drikung centers throughout the country, including DKDC of Madison.  He came to Sky Heart in Spring of 2003 to begin teaching and leading us in retreats, and to guide us in building the stupa here.  In September of 2010, he will come to Chicago to give Chod and Vajra Yogini teachings, and then to Madison give a Wang on Amitabha, and  to lead an Amitabha Retreat in the first week of October.  HOME

KHENPO SHERAB ODZER RINPOCHE                                                                 

Khenpo Sherab Odzer Rinpoche was born in Tibet in 1964 and received full monastic ordination in 1987 from Drubwang Pachung Rinpoche, one of the most renowned Drikung teachers and yogis in Tibet in our time.  He arrived in India in 1992, where he continued to receive training from many important teachers, including His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, and Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche.  Khenpo Sherab Rinpoche then went to Nepal, where he studied with other great masters.  He was named an Acharya at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling, in Boudhanath, Nepal.  After continued study, he was enthroned as a Khenpo of the Drikung Kagyu Scriptural College there. 

In May, 2004, he established the Drikung Namgyal Ling, Drikung Kagyu Buddhist Center of Tucson, Arizona. www.drikungkagyutucson.org.  In addition to being extremely learned, Rinpoche has a very warm and peaceful demeanor and a playful, affectionate nature and he is much loved.  He enjoys singing Mila songs to his students!  Khenpo Sherab visited us in 2005 and 2006 to teach on Rigdzin Chödrak’s 35 Pieces of Advice, and in 2007 to teach on Geshe Chekawa’s Seven Point Mind Training – Lo Jong.  Two years ago, His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche intended that Tibetan women become educated in the Dharma so that in later years, Drupon-ma’s, Khenmos and female tulkus could emerge.  Recently, H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, Khenpo Sherab’s root master, asked him to return to Tibet to teach the entire. eighteen-course study of higher learning to 800 nuns, where he will remain as their resident lama.  This is very inspiring.  Khenpo Sherab will return to the U.S. every three years to give us teachings.  We are very happy that the Dharma is going back home in this way, and are so grateful that he will continue to return to us!

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Khenmo Konchog Chodron Trinley

Khenmo Thinley Chodron met Khenchen Rinpoche in the mid 1980’s, and felt a very strong connection to him. She began studying and practicing with deep devotion. She was one of the main forces in getting TMC off the ground, and has tirelessly donated her time to TMC ever since. In 1992, the then Ani la began assisting Khenchen Rinpoche in translation projects for publication, most notably, The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, by Gampopa. They worked together closely on the project for many years, so that eventually Khenchen Rinpoche authorized her to give teachings on the classic text. She has worked with Khenchen on many other volumes, including the 100 Verses from the Heart, by Drikung Dharmaradza, with a commentary by Khenchen Rinpoche.

After importuning Khenchen for some years, Khenmo Trinley joyfully received ordination in 1997 . She said that when she was ordained it felt like coming home. In 2005, she took full Bikshuni vows. In 2007, Khenchen Khonchog Rinpoche asked His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche if Ven. Bikshuni Thinley could be enthroned as a Khenmo. Her enthronement took place in May 2007, during TMC’s 25th anniversary. DKDC invited Kenmo Trinley to come to Sky Heart to lead the first retreat on the land when there were only the roof, floor, and beams of a rough cabin. The next year she lead a Chod retreat in the Dodgeville area. In 2000 and 2001, she came again to give teachings on Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation. During the 2008 Spring Retreat at TMC, Khenmo gave teachings on the 4 Noble Truths and the 12 Links of Interdependant Origination. People loved her scholarship and warm-hearted approach. Her faultless devotion and rigorous scholarship are inspiring and her sense of humor and gentle warmth endear her to us.   Recently, Khenmo has worked in partnership with Khenchen Rinpoche, Konchog Gyaltshen, editing his book, A Complete Guide to the Buddhist Path," a commentary on Drikung Bhande Dharmaradza's text,  A Jewel Treasury of Advice: 100 Verses of Advice from the Heart.   This July, 2010, Khenmo lead a discussion with us on the text that was extremely creative and thougt-provoking.  

In near future, we hope that she will come to teach on a very germaine topic that she calls, "De-mystifying Tantra," discussions on the Vajrayana path for Americans on issues that only Americans, (and perhaps other Westerners, but not Tibetans,)  have questions about. She also hopes teach on the Four Immeasurables in the future.

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THE STUPA  AT SKY HEART 

The sky here is big...
Just by looking out over the hills
and the vastness above
it opens one's heart.

"Dharma is one of the most important things in our lives and we wanted to provide a space that 
facilitates the study, practice and contemplation of the Buddhadharma.” 
Sky Heart resident.                                                               

Buddhism was influenced by the cultural milieu in which it was born.  Much iconography was absorbed from the already ancient Hindu tradition, which included incredibly elaborate and sophisticated temples, the geometry of which reflected exactly the characteristics of the deities and their celestial mansions.  From this sacred geometry came the architecture of the Buddhist reliquary or Stupa – Chorten in Tibetan.  A stupa is an actual embodiment of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha.  These three can be condensed into mind.  It is considered to be the actual Dharmakaya.  "Circumambulation around it, doing work, maintenance or painting a stupa.can result in, Incredible positive merit for many, many lifetimes to come."  Lama Zopa  Rinpoche.  http://www.fpmt.org/projects/stupa/

Before a stupa is built, the ground must be ritually consecrated.  Inside the square that will become the stupa’s base, an image of a protector goddess is drawn.  A geometrical grid is laid out, and a ceremony is performed in order to appease the local deities that were on the land first.  This will delight and please them and they will be devoted aids and protectors of the Dharma.  A specially chosen and blessed cedar pole will go straight up from the ground to the very top of the golden rings of the stupa’s spire.  The first level of the stupa is poured, and the sides built up.  In this level, precious offerings of dream-like samsara are placed.  The level is sealed and another level is added where precious relics, and tsa tsas, (molded images of the Buddhas and Yidam deities) - www.tsatsastudio.org/practice.htm 

are placed inside.  The dome or (bumpa - vase,)  holds more precious relics and statues of the deities.   The pole goes in, and the rings, sun and moon complete the spire.  Finally the Gau or niche for a statue of the Buddha is put in place, and the precious stupa is painted and consecrated a final time. A korwa or walkway for circumambulation of the stupa is made, and the final landscaping is done.  The stupa is an inspiration of awesome beauty for many beings.  

Many, many persons helped to make the stupa at Sky Heart arise.  Folks from all over the world donated relics, money, tsa tsa’s and labor to make this miracle come to be.  We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

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