Trijang rinpoche biography of william

The incomparable Third Trijang Rinpoche, Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (1901–1981) is widely regarded as one of the most influential Tibetan Buddhist masters of our time. He was an emanation of the tantric Buddha Vajra Yogini who appeared in the form of a lama. Trijang Rinpoche rose to prominence with the nurturing, blessings and teachings of the great Kyabje Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo whom Trijang Rinpoche referred to in his autobiography as “Kyabje Vajradhara”.

This extraordinary lama’s extraordinary life was recorded in an equally extraordinary biography which students from Kechara had the merits to study together, and share below what they learned about one of the most eminent masters to have ever left Tibet.

Originally composed in Tibetan, it took decades of hard work for the English translation of this biography to finally be published. But the incredible thing is that this biography might never have come to be. Although Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche was so highly respected and erudite, he was also extremely humble and did not think highly of himself. Thus, it was only due to the hundreds of requests from his students, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, that Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche was left with no choice but to pen his autobiography. It is this treasure trove of knowledge about Tibetan culture, religion, the monastic system, the tulku system, the education system and much more, which has been translated into English for the first time by Sharpa Tulku, a widely respected translator and an authentic source of monastic knowledge.

Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s special qualities manifested not just in the magnificent deeds he performed through

OTHER LAMAS

Born in 1939 in Lhasa, Tibet, Gelek Rinpoche studied at Drepung Monastery and was tutored by some of Tibet’s most renowned masters. Rinpoche received the Lharampa Geshe degree at the exceptionally young age of 20. He was a good friend of the late Lama Thubten Yeshe.

In the late 1970s Gelek Rinpoche was directed by both the Senior and Junior Tutors to His Holiness the Dalai Lama to teach Western students at the FPMT centers in India. Since then he has instructed Buddhist practitioners throughout the world and has established Jewel Heart centers in several countries. He is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Mandala spoke to Rinpoche in February.

Can you tell us something about your background? For example, who are you the incarnation of?

I have been recognized as the incarnation of one of the Gyuto Tantric College abbots called Tashi Namgyal. I believe I was recognized by the late Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo – the famous Pabongka. I studied at Drepung Monastery from the age of 4 until I was 20. I completed my geshe studies in that time. I’m from the Gelugpa tradition and am a student of Kyabje Trijang and Ling Rinpoche, as well as a little bit of Song Rinpoche, too.

Why did you decide to give up the lifestyle of a monk?

My attachment, probably! Yes, it’s the normal, usual attachment, which is always looking for some kind of kick, or pleasure, or something in anything else other than celibate life.

It is not at all a great thing that I did, [to disrobe]. It was a horrible thing, and it isn’t good – it’s almost like a President Clinton thing! However, many other Rinpoches, including Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, told me, “Even though you didn’t remain as a monk, it doesn’t mean you’ve resigned as a rinpoche.” They told me I still have to carry the banner of Buddhism. So that’s how it is.

How are you doing this?

I’ve been teaching T

(By Tsem Rinpoche)

Dear friends,

In the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, when one’s teacher is ill, we can request great lamas to compose special prayers that invoke the blessings of the Three Jewels to increase the life of our teacher. Or if our teacher has the ability from meditation to increase his own life then the prayer will invoke upon the compassion of the teacher to extend his own life. By reciting the prayer we generate a field of merit for the lama to live either way. So these prayers from high lamas written to invoke the power and blessings to increase one’s lama’s life is highly sought after and recited daily for one’s teacher.

I have been ill and it has been serious. My students have requested His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche to compose a long life prayer to be recited to generate merits for my long life and Dharma works to grow. They have also requested the grand Abbot Emeritus (Ex Abbot) Kensur Rinpoche Konchok Tsering of Gaden Shartse Monastery to compose the same. Both His Holiness and Kensur Rinpoche agreed immediately. How kind of them both. Both these lamas are very famous and renowned masters within the Tibetan Tradition. Both have written prayers to invoke blessings to increase my life.

How honoured, humbled and amazed I am. I am grateful to these two very high lamas to take their time to compose something to increase my life. I have not done much and yet they both feel my life is worth extending. I fold my hands humbly to His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. I was told by senior monks that my previous life’s root teacher was H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s previous incarnation! Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche is one with Vajra Yogini and with his golden hands wrote this precious prayer. I prostrate to Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche.

I also humbly thank from the bottom of my heart the great spiritual master of Gaden Shartse Monastery, His Eminence Kensur Rinpoche Konchok Tse