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H.E. The 9th Kyabje
Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche, Thutop Choekyi Wangchuk - the spiritual
head of Dechen Choekhor Lineage of Drukpa Kargyu |
Eminence The 9th and present Druk Shabdrung
Choekyi Gonpo or in short, Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche, was born in
northern India, in the remote Himalayan region of Kinnaur. Both
Rinpoche's parents were the devoted and accomplished disciples of
previous Choegon Rinpoche. His father is a remarkable yogi who had
completed more than 20 years of retreat in Dechen Choekhor Tibet
under the guidance of the 8th Kyabgon Choegon Rinpoche. His mother
too, in her early life, had also spent years studied and practiced
Dharma in Dechen Cheokhor Tibet.
Rinpoche was recognized at the age of four by the
16th Gyalwang Karmapa and the 8th Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpoche as the
emanation of Shabdrung Choekyi Gonpo, one of the two main lineage
masters of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition, and the holder of the
lineage of Dechen Choekhor. The Karmapa wrote three letters to
Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpoche, who traditionally has responsibility for
the enthronement of masters of the Choegon Rinpoche lineage. The
letters stated the precise location of Choegon Rinpoche's
whereabouts, his house, his family's names, and the year of his
birth. In the company of many yogis, Khamtrul Rinpoche visited
Rinpoche's yogic parents at their home in a distant village of
Kinnaur.
* Shabdrung (Tib: ཞབས་དྲུང་
; also Zhabsdrung, means "at the feet of"), is an honorific
title in Tibetan Buddhism, mostly used to address the second
high-ranked lama of a lineage, who is the important lineage or
throne-holder.
At the age of six, Rinpoche was enthroned by the
8th Khamtrul Rinpoche at Khampagar, Tashi Jong, India. He then
began his formal comprehensive traditional monastic training and
education, which included reading, writing, calligraphy, rituals,
sand mandala, visualization, and meditation, etc.
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The present Drukpa
Choegon Rinpoche's enthronement rituals and ceremony conducted by
his first root guru, the 8th Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpocheat Khampagar,
Tashi Jong, Northern India |
When he was nineteen, Rinpoche began the
nine-years studies in Buddhist philosophy, focused on the Sutrayana
study of the Kagyu and Nyingma tradition, and was awarded with a
Khenpo's degree, which equivalent to a PhD at the age of
twenty-eight.
The First Root-Guru - The 8th Kyabje
Khamtrul Rinpoche
From the age of six at enthronement until
fourteen years old, Rinpoche learn under the close guidance of his
first root guru, Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpoche. At the age of fourteen,
Khamtrul Rinpoche sent an urgent invitation for the young Choegon
Rinpoche to get to Bhutan immediately, where he completed the
transmission of the most vital teachings of the Drukpa Kagyu
lineage of Dechen Choekhor to Rinpoche. Khamtrul Rinpoche had
previously received the same teachings from the 8th Kyabgon Choegon
Rinpoche at Nangchen Garh in Tibet, along with the 8th Kyabje Adeu
Rinpoche. Shortly thereafter, Khamtrul Rinpoche passed away in
Bhutan at the age of forty-nine in year 1980. H.H. the late Kyabje
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was still in Bhutan at that time, took on
the mantle of teacher, and became Rinpoche second root guru until
he passed on in 1991.
The Second Root-Guru - The late
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Rinpoche received many empowerments, teachings
and retreat instructions from the late Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse
Rinpoche, especially his inner practices. Under his spiritual
guidance, Rinpoche has completed numerous practices in retreats,
including Vajrakilaya, Green Tara, Buddha Amitayus, Vajrapani,
Kurukulle and Padmasambhava, etc. Studying with Khyentse Rinpoche,
between the ages of fourteen and twenty-five Rinpoche eventually
received teachings of all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism,
including the Damngak Dzod (twenty-five volumes), Chetsun
Nyingthig, Jatson Choekhor (six volumes), Gyud Sangwa Nyingpo, the
works of Mipham Rinpoche (twenty-five volumes), Jamyang Khyentse
Wangpo (twenty-five volumes) and Shechen Gyaltsab (twenty volumes),
and other essential Nyingma teachings. Most importantly, he
received the Dzogchen pointing-out instructions from Dilgo Khyentse
Rinpoche.
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The three
root-gurus of present Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche (from left: The 8th
Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpoche, The 8th Kyabje Adeu Rinpoche & H.H.
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche)
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The Third Root-Guru - The 8th Kyabje
Adeu Rinpoche
Rinpoche most important and instrumental root
guru of this life-time was the 8th Kyabje Adeu Rinpoche, where he
spent over twenty years, between the ages of twenty and forty,
learning and accomplished all the important practices and retreats
of the Drukpa Kagyu under the spiritual blessings and dear guidance
of this third root-guru. In 1989, Adeu Rinpoche, the main holder of
Choegon Rinpoche's spiritual lineage, transmitted the entire Drukpa
Kagyu canon to him over one year at Tashi Jong. Since then,
Rinpoche has also received many precious Nyingma teachings,
including the complete Ratna Lingpa cycle and Chokgyur Lingpa's
Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo. Adeu Rinpoche welcomed Rinpoche many times in
Tibet and China, treating him as his only heart-son, and never
refusing to grant any precious teaching he requested.
In addition to these three root-guru, Rinpoche's
other important teachers, according to its chronological order,
have been H.H. the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, H.H. the 68th Kyabje Je
Khenpo of Bhutan, H.E. Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, H.E. Trulshik
Choekyi Lodro Rinpoche and H.H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche.
From age of six to fourteen, Rinpoche underwent
the formal monastic training and learned under the spiritual
guidance of the 8th Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpoche in Khampagar. Later,
from age nineteen to twenty eight, Rinpoche engaged in the studies
of Buddhist Philosophy, while serving as the Vajra Master of
Khampagar Monastery for five years, where he took responsibility
for all the great annual pujas and went deeply into the practices
of Vajrayana.
At late twenties, Rinpoche was elected the
spiritual director of Khampagar and its community of more than 600
Tibetans in Tashi Jong. During that time, he did much to improve
the facilities at the monastery and the standard of living of the
local community, helping to develop the educational and medical
facilities, built a new school for the lamas and improved their
education, renovated temples, ensured financial support for
the great annual pujas, and helps secured a source of clean water
for the community, initiated the sponsorship programs, bettered the
salaries of the lay workers and inspired young people to work for
the community.
As with all His predecessors, the sublime master
and Lineage Holder of Drukpa Kagyu, Rinpoche is working tirelessly
and selflessly for the preservation and propagation of the
authentic teachings and essence of the Drukpa Kagyu Lineage. He has
contributed much of his effort to frame The Grand Drukpa Kargyu
Lineage Empowerment and Transmissions by H.E. the 8th Kyabje Adeu
Rinpoche to almost every Drukpa Kargyu Rinpoches, tulkus, monks and
nuns in Tibet, Nepal and India. This fulfilled the prophecy made by
the previous Choegon Rinpoche in 1940s that Adeu Rinpoche will be
his successor, to hold and propagate the lineage after his
parinirvana. In this way, Adeu Rinpoche ascended to the Lineage
Holder's Throne of Drukpa Kargyu, and became the 46th Golden Rosary
Masters.
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The two
heart-sons of the 8th Kyabgon Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche - The 8th
Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpoche and the 8th Kyabje Adeu
Rinpoche
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Being the main and most revered lineage holder of
Drukpa Kagyu, Rinpoche shoulders great responsibility to preserve
the purity and continuity of the lineage. Despite with the
conditions of his health, Rinpoche has never hesitated to strive
towards the noble aspiration of preserving the authentic teachings
and spiritual essence of the pure unbroken lineage of Drukpa Kagyu
for the benefit of all beings.
Rinpoche currently residing in the United States,
and in line with the visions and missions of Jana-Vajra Foundation,
Rinpoche has been travelling extensively to propagate the lineage
teachings and practices, as well as training the sanghas of Dechen
Choekhor Monastery and its branch monasteries.
Rinpoche's profound realization and ability to
communicate the Buddha's wisdom to others with great precision and
clarity, together with his warmth and humour makes him a much
adored and revered teacher. He has been teaching in Asia, Europe,
North America and South America for over two decades, and is
renowned for his sharpness and proficiency to present the teachings
in a way that is perfectly attuned to the minds of students of all
levels and backgrounds. Rinpoche is very much loved by all. Through
his selfless dedication, his transcendent wisdom and skills,
Rinpoche has inspired and guided many to embark on the spiritual
journey to ultimate happiness laid before us by Lord Buddha.
The Lineage of Drukpa Choegon came into existence
in the early 16th century when the first Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche,
Druk Shabdrung Choekyi Gonpo became the successor of Ngawang
Choekyi Gyalpo, and then root guru to Drukchen Pema Karpo and
Lhatsewa Ngawang Zangpo.
The Drukpa Choegon Rinpoches, is one of the,
three most important lamas and lineage holder of Drukpa Kargyu
Lineage. He is an emanation of Vajrapani, and Rinpoche previous
lifetimes can be traced back to ancient India where he was Lord
Shakyamuni Buddha´s disciple and personal attendant, Ananda.
The nearer sources of emanation or the line of
incarnations of the Drukpa Choegon Rinpoches were King Indra Bhuti
(the King of Oddiyana, who adopted Guru Rinpoche when he was a
child), Mahasiddha Tilopa, King Tri Ralpachen (one of the three
great Dharma Kings of Tibet), Lochen Verotsana (the great Tibetan
translator in 8th century), Rechung Dorje Drakpa (Milarepa's heart
son), Palchen Galo (widely known as Ga Lotsawa, the great Tibetan
mahasiddha and translator who visited India and brought back many
precious teachings to Tibet), Phuljung Samgyal Khache (the great
accomplished master of Mahakala practice) and Sangdak Namkha
Palzang (also an incomparable accomplished Mahakala master of his
time).
The Drukpa Choegon Lineage is renowned as the
incomparable accomplished master in the practice of Mahakala,
Chakrasamvara and Vajrapani. The Drukpa Choegons is being revered
as the most powerful Mahakala practitioner of Drukpa Kagyu.
Read more about the Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche
Lineage
View Drukpa Choegon
Rinpoche's Long Life Supplication
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