His Eminence the 7th Dzogchen Rinpoche, Jikme Losel Wangpo

His Eminence the 7th Dzogchen Rinpoche, Jikme Losel Wangpo, was born in Sikkim in 1964. He was enthroned at the age of 8 years on 8.10.1972 by His Holiness Dodrupchen Rinpoche in Sikkim’s royal place at Gangtok.

Rinpoche’s extensive studies at the Buddhist School of Dialectics in Dharamsala and with Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche and other masters was supervised personally by his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama who feels very strongly the link between himself and the Dzogchen Rinpoches that began with the First Dzogchen Rinpoche and his predecessor, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama.

In recent years, through his Dzogchen Shri Senha Charitable Society, Rinpoche has worked selflessly to improve the future and the quality of life for the Tibetan refugee community in India whilst continuing to care for his monastery and the spiritual needs of the local community at Dhondenling.

At the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, one of Rinpoche’s most important current objectives is keeping alive and intact the culture and spiritual heritage of Dzogchen Monastery in particular and of Tibet in general.

In order to find support on an international level for the well-being of the Tibetan refugees and other people in need and for the preservation of the spiritual heritage of Tibet, Rinpoche founded the organization "Shenpen".

Rinpoche frequently travels throughout the world giving talks and teachings on Buddhist wisdom and sharing the great spiritual heritage of Dzogchen Monastery.

The original Dzogchen Monastery was founded in Eastern Tibet in the 17th century by the First Dzogchen Rinpoche, Pema Rigzin, in accordance with the directions of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama.

It became one of the six mother monasteries of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and maintained many branches throughout the whole of Tibet.

In 1842, during the time of the Fourth incarnation of Dzogchen Rinpoche (Mingyur Namkhe Dorje, 1793-?), the monastery was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake. After its reconstruction, Gyalse Shenpen Thaye (1800-?), one of the main students of the fourth Dzogchen Rinpoche, established the Shri Singha Shedra which became the most famous institute of learning and to this day remains a model for studies and training throughout the Nyingma world.

During the time of the fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche, Thubten Chökyi Dorje (1872-1935), Dzogchen Monastery was at the peak of its activity with up to 500 monks residing, 13 retreat centres and an estimated 280 branch monasteries.

Amidst the turmoil of events during the 1950s, Dzogchen Monastery was completely destroyed and many of its writings and spiritual treasures tragically lost forever.

In exile in India, at the advice of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the late Tsewang Paljor - father of the 7th Dzogchen Rinpoche - began the re-establishment of Dzogchen Monastery at the Dhondenling Tibetan Settlement of Kollegal in Karnataka State, South India. Upon completion of his core studies, and at the young age of 19 years, Dzogchen Rinpoche continued his father’s work, and by the end of 1991 the main infrastructure was completed. In January 1992, the monastery was inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and so began the process of re-enlivening the ancient traditions of Dzogchen Monastery in the modern world.

The Tradition Of Dzogchen

The teachings and practice of Dzogchen are held and propagated by the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. The practice of Dzogchen or "Great Perfection", is the most ancient and direct stream of wisdom within the Buddhist tradition of Tibet. It is considered the very pinnacle of all teachings and the most immediate path towards spiritual fulfilment. As a way in which to realise the innermost nature of mind, Dzogchen is most relevant to the modern world because the teachings are not too traditional and very open. It is a path at once simple and profound that can be integrated with ordinary life and practiced anywhere.

Throughout the centuries, the Dzogchen Rinpoches and Dzogchen Monastery have played a pivotal role in the transmission and preservation of these teachings.

The heart of Dzogchen Monastery’s spiritual heritage can be found in the teachings and practices of the Dzogchen Khandro Nyingthig

DZOGCHEN KHANDRO NYINGTHIG

The lineage of transmission of the KHANDRO NYINGTHIG flows from the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra (Dharmakaya) through Vajrasattva (Sambhogakaya), Garab Dorje (Nirmanakaya), Manjushrimitra (who divided the Dzogchen teachings (Atiyoga) into three categories: Semde, Longde, Me-ngagde) to Shri Singha (who again divided Me-gnagde into four cycles: outer, inner, secret and the innermost heart essence = "Nyingthig") and to Padmasambhave who brought the teachings to Tibet. The Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal, his main disciple, hid this innermost heart essence of the Dzogchen teachings for future times as "ter" in a place called Tramo Trak in Takpo Tanglung (hence the name "Khandro Nyingthig"). This "ter" was discovered by Pema Ledreltsal (1292-?) whose incarnation was Longchen Rabjam (or Longchenpa, 1308-1363). From Longchenpa, the direct line of transmission flows to the first Dzogchen Rinpoche, Pema Rigzin (1625-1697) to the second Dzogchen Rinpoche, Gyurme Thekchok Tendzin (1699-?), and on through all later incarnations to the present 7th Dzogchen Rinpoche, Jikme Losel Wangpo.

In the 18th century, Jigme Lingpa (1730-1798) founded a new and up to the present day widely practiced branch of the Nyingthig teachings by discovering the Longchen Nyingthig in a series of visions. Around the same time, the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche, Ngedön Tenzin Zangpo (1759-1792), composed the DZOGCHEN KHANDRO NYINGTHIG, a commentary on the Khandro Nyingthig which contains instructions on all levels, from preliminary to the most secret practices of Dzogchen. The present 7th Dzogchen Rinpoche has been teaching from this commentary thus continuing the tradition of Dzogchen Monastery of transmitting the Khandro Nyingthig.

Following the Dzogchen Monastery tradition, one is introduced to the Khandro Nyingthig through the preliminaries, the Ngöndro Tharlam Karpo — ‘The White Path of Emancipation’. The main daily practice of the Monastery is the sadhana of Könchok Chidü, which combines within one practice all three roots, the Lama in the form of Pema Öbar (a peaceful manifestation of Guru Rinpoche), the Yidam in the form of Guru Drakpo (a wrathful manifestation of Guru Rinpoche) and the Khandro in the form of Sengé Muka (the lion faced Dakini).