Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche (1898 - 1975)
Kangyur Rinpoche
Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche, Longchen Yeshe Dorje, was born in Eastern Tibet in 1898, the year of the Earth Dog, and began studying the Dharma and practising from an early age. His root teacher was Jedrung Rinpoche, Trinle Jampa Jungne, of Riwoche monastery, famous for its non-sectarian approach, as well as its ceremonies and annual festivals in which its three main colleges, belonging to the Nyingma, Sarma and Taklung Kagyü dra-tsang traditions, used to practise together. He was considered to be an emanation of Namkhai Nyingpo, one of Guru Padmasambhava’s twenty-five closest disciples, and the teachings he received in his former life he now began, at an early age, to rediscover as treasures (terma).
Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche’s life broadly falls into two periods. The first half of his life, in fulfilment of his teachers’ wishes, he devoted to study and practice. After receiving the empowerment of Mañjushri from Mipham Rinpoche, he was able to memorize any text at a single reading. His diligence in study was unmatched, and he would read far into the night, his only source of light the glowing tip of an incense stick on which he blew from time to time to make it brighter. In this way he became extraordinarily learned, not only in the whole range of subjects of all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism, but in a wide variety of practical subjects as well. At the same time, he combined perfect observance of his spiritual discipline with a number of long retreats, thus adding profound meditational experience and accomplishment to his immense scholarship. He was thus able to contribute in no small measure to all aspects of the life of Riwoche monastery and eventually held the most important posts there.
Kangyur Rinpoche,
Darjeeling, India
His disregard for status of any sort led him to abandon his position in the monastery and take up the life of a wandering hermit. He visited many different places in Eastern Tibet to receive teachings from various teachers. Although he never ceased to study and practise, this second period of his life was characterized by his extraordinary humanity and his work in helping others, in particular the four activities he cherished most: caring for the chronically sick (he was a skilled doctor), looking after the aged, caring for orphans, and preserving and spreading the teachings. Kangyur Rinpoche gave major teachings and transmissions on numerous occasions. He was named Kangyur Rinpoche for his having given the reading transmission of the Kangyur (a collection consisting of more than a hundred volumes) no fewer than twenty-four times. Kangyur Rinpoche’s eldest son, Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, travelled with him and received most of those transmissions.
Kangyur Rinpoche was also dedicated to the important work of restoring monasteries and stupas. It is an example of his immense humility that in these and other projects his role was by no means confined to organizing, funding and providing inspiration, for he took an active part in them and surprised many by displaying unexpected talents, doing the work of a mason, for example, as if he had exercised that particular trade all his life.
The preservation of the Dharma became Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche’s principal concern in the last twenty years of his life as he realized that the future of Buddhism in Tibet was threatened. He and his family brought to India many rare books that might otherwise have been lost, and in India he took every opportunity to ensure that the Buddha’s teachings were transmitted to the next generation, eventually founding a monastery in Darjeeling where Tibetan children could be given a traditional education from an early age.
Kangyur Rinpoche and his family ,1969
Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche passed away in 1975, the year of the Rabbit. Although he did not have the chance to visit Europe or America, it was clearly important to him that the Dharma should become established in the West. He gave unsparingly of his time to Westerners who came to see him, and a number of them spent months practising under his guidance. It is as a result of his personal requests to other great masters, among them Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, and of the activities of his wife Jetsün Jampa Chökyi and his sons Taklung Tsetrul Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche and Rangdröl Rinpoche, as well as the dharma activity of his three daughters, Rigdzin-la, Yangchen-la, and Chökyi-la, that many Westerners have now been able to study and practise the Dharma, some of them in the context of the traditional three-year retreat.
For more photos of Kangyur Rinpoche and his family, please see Songtsen's photo gallery.
Jetsün Jampa Chökyi (1922 – 2004)
Jetsün Jampa Chökyi
Jetsün Jampa Chökyi was born on the 30th day of the 12th Tibetan month, in 1922 in the year of the Dog. She was born and raised in Nyemo, central Tibet. Her father, Sonam Tobgyal, was from the Do-Gön family, descendants of King Trisong Detsen, and her mother, Deki Norzom, was a descendant of the Zanri Sarpa, the 6th family, or tribe, of Tibet through the lineage of her father, Rin Pong Desid.
From her childhood Jetsün Jampa Chökyi was devoted to spiritual practice, and was known for her exceptional kindness and compassion. She had several tutors for private education, and at the same time was very interested in practice and meditation. She met her first root teacher, Drakshung Rinpoche, at the age of seven and received teachings on mind-training and the preliminary practice. At the age of eight, she entered Samten Yangtse nunnery in Nyemo and became renowned for her meditation practice and renunciation. Whenever she came across the suffering of other beings, whether humans or animals, she was always ready to help at any cost. She dedicated herself to protecting animals from harm or slaughter and regularly offered food, clothing, or shelter to charities for people in difficulty. Often she would empty her own store of grain to provide for the poor.
Distant view of Nyemo valley, Tibet, 1946
In her youth, Jetsün Jampa Chökyi frequently travelled to south and east Tibet, due to the important political positions held by her mother and father. As a result, she had the opportunity to meet many great teachers and to study with them. Before Drakshung Rinpoche passed away, he predicted that she would meet her root teacher, with whom she had been connected for many lives. In 1936, when she was 14 years old, she went on a pilgrimage to visit sacred places in southern Tibet. When she reached Samye Chimpu, one of the khenpos from Dzogchen monastery, who would become the father of the 6th Dzogchen Rinpoche, told her that there would be a transmission of the complete collection of Buddha's teachings (known as the Kangyur) given in Samye Chimpu by a most eminent teacher called Kangyur Rinpoche. The Khenpo advised Jetsün Jampa Chökyi to attend these transmissions, very precious and rare to receive. When she heard the name of Kangyur Rinpoche, her mind filled with joy and without a second thought she knew she must meet this great teacher. So she sent a few of her attendants and one of her nuns home to collect enough provisions to last throughout the transmissions.
Jetsün Jampa Chökyi, Darjeeling, India
According to the Khenpo's advice and as preparation for these transmissions, Jetsün Jampa Chökyi completed the preliminary practices, and meditation upon the Guru sadhana called Ocean of Jewels (Norbu Gyatso), according to the tradition of Padma Lingpa. During her practice in this sacred place of Guru Padmasambhava, she had extremely auspicious experiences, visions and dreams. In one of her dreams, Guru Padmasambhava, the main deity in the Ocean of Jewels sadhana, transformed into the most impressive and powerful teacher. When she woke up, she felt that she had met this teacher many times, but could not say when. When she saw Kangyur Rinpoche arrive at Samye Chimpu, she realized that this was the person she had seen in her dream. She felt she had known Kangyur Rinpoche for many lifetimes. She received his permission to attend the transmissions of the Kangyur collection. During that time, she received many other important initiations. In 1938, she received the getsülma ordination and, following Kangyur Rinpoche’s guidance, practised advanced meditations in various sacred places. During that time, she also studied other subjects with her private tutors, and became highly accomplished in poetry, grammar, music, dance, sculpture, and painting, all of which she continued to study for several years. During this time, she also served Kangyur Rinpoche's mother in Nyemo.
Jetsün Jampa Chökyi transcribing a text
In 1941, Kangyur Rinpoche's mother passed away. Taking on himself her unfulfilled wish to go on pilgrimage, Kangyur Rinpoche decided to set off for to the holy sites of India and Nepal, followed by many of his students, amongst whom Jetsün Jampa Chökyi had the great privilege to be included. They travelled through Sikkim, Kalimpong, Patna, Vaishali, Nalanda, Udhampur, Rajgir, Vulture's Peak, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagara, and then went to Nepal, where they visited Bodhnath, Swayambhunath, Namo Buddha and Lumbini, and back to India via Sravasti, Sankisa, Delhi, Sanchi, Ajanta, Allora, and then again Delhi and on to Amritsar, Baijnath, Simla, Mandi, and Tso Pema (Rewalsar). At Tso Pema, Kangyur Rinpoche stayed in retreat for several months. It was here that he composed the Shower of Blessings sadhana. From Manali, the group re-entered Tibet, travelling on foot to Kailash and Shigatse and finally returned to Nyemo. The whole journey took over a year, during which Kangyur Rinpoche had many visions and discovered several terma (hidden treasures).
Jetsün Jampa Chökyi with Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche and Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche
In 1943, Kangyur Rinpoche and Jetsün Jampa Chökyi married and together they had six children. She continued to serve Kangyur Rinpoche and his activities until her very last days. She passed away in Portugal on February 15th, 2004, at the age of 84 (on the 25th day of the 11th month, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar).
Jetsün Jampa Chökyi
Although exceedingly humble, Jetsün Jampa Chökyi inspired everyone who met her with the wisdom and compassion that ceaselessly radiated from her. Her entire life was devoted to study and practice. She was regarded by many high lamas, and by all who knew her, as a truly accomplished practitioner. For all of us who had the great fortune to meet her, she has forever changed our lives with her kindness and realization.
Every year, the Chanteloube community gathers on the day of her anniversary to perform the practice of tsok and to commemorate her extraordinary life.
Jetsün Jampa Chökyi with Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche in Monchique, Portugal, 2003
Jetsün Jampa Chökyi in Dordogne, France
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