DHARAMSHALA: His Eminence Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, who recently took charge as the head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama here.

Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche met His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the auspicious occasion of 15th day of Saga Dawa in Dharamsala. His Holiness presented him with statues of Buddha and Guru Padmasambhava.

Following the parinirvana of Kyabje Trulshig Rinpoche last year, Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche consented to request from the representatives of the six main lineages of Nyingma School to take charge as the new head of Nyingma School after Kyabje Dodrubchen Rinpoche declined the request citing health reasons.

Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche is renowned as a holder of all the great Kama and Terma traditions of the Nyingmapa, as well as being a great exponent of the Rime, or non-sectarian, tradition. His seat is at Dorje Drak Monastery in Shimla, located 270 km from Dharamsala.

The Nyingma School, the oldest school of Tibetan Buddhism, was founded by Padmasambhava, an Indian tantric adept. He came to Tibet in the eighth century at the invitation of Tibet’s 37th King, Trisong Deutsen.

Brief Biography of Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche by Mindrolling Monastery

Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche is the throne-holder of the Dorje Drak Monastery, and the head of the lineage of the Northern Treasures, the tradition which originated from the treasures of the great tertön Rigdzin Godem. Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche is renowned as a holder of all the great Kama and Terma traditions of the Nyingmapa, as well as being a great exponent of the Rime, or non-sectarian, tradition. Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche is also one of the senior-most teachers in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche was born in central Tibet in the Western year 1926. Recognised as an incarnation of the great master Ngok Chöku Dorje, he began his studies at the age of five in the monastery of Taklung Tse. At the age of eight, he was invited to become the throne-holder of Dorje Drak. There, he underwent rigorous training, becoming proficient in all rituals and arts, and receiving the complete teachings and empowerments of the Northern Treasures. At the age of twenty, Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche received the complete empowerments and transmissions of the Rinchen Terdzöd, as well as other transmissions, from the previous Kyabje Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche.

After the repression of Tibetan people’s peaceful national uprising against the invading forces of People’s Republic of China in 1959, Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche was forced to leave Tibet. In exile, he has continued to seek out and receive teachings and transmissions from numerous masters, including H.E the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and others.

Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche now resides in the town of Shimla in India, where he has established a new Dorje Drak monastery in exile, and leads the community there.