Dakpo Tulku

Short Biography

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The root teacher of the Seventh Dorzong Rinpoche, H.E. Yongdzin Ronpoche, clearly prophesied exact details of the birth of the present Eighth Dorzong Rinpoche. These details were also given by the Eighth Khamtrul Rinpoche and by a well-known realized Drikung Kagyud master by the name of Agon Rinpoche from Drikung in remote Central Tibet.

The Eighth Dorzong Rinpoche was born in the early summer of the Water-Sheep year (1943), at sunrise. The people of Nyeyul village noticed many auspicious signs surrounding his birth. Almost three years later, he was enthroned at Dorzong Monastery. Dorzong's emanations include Vajrapani, Ananda, Palgyi Dorje (one of the 25 chief disciples of Guru Padmasambhava), and Rechungpa (one of the two main lineage holders of Milarepa's teachings).

At the age of five he began to study and show a remarkable aptitude for reading, writing, and memorizing. When he was seven he visited Khampagar Monastery to meet H.E. The Eighth Khamtrul Rinpoche (who held the seat of this monastery). At this time the 'Great Practice of Padmasambhava Sadhana' was being performed at the monastery. This sadhana is only held every 12 years and takes a month to complete. The young Dorzong Rinpoche joined in the practice and completed the ritual entirely from memory.

From that year Dorzong Rinpoche began to receive Drukpa Kagyud initiations, teachings and higher practices from Khamtrul Rinpoche. In the ensuing years Rinpoche underwent a thorough and systematic training and transmission not only of explicit texts and philosophy but also meditation training from many different masters of various lineages. At the age of 14 he entered Khampagar Monastery’s Institute for Higher Studies.

H.E. Khamtrul Rinpoche decided to leave Tibet for India in 1958 and invited Dorzong Rinpoche, then 15 years of age, to accompany him. They passed via Lhasa and had an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and then continued to India via many holy pilgrimage places.

From 1959 they stayed in Kalimpong, and Rinpoche moved between there, Dalhousie and Kangra until 1969 when Tashi Jong was established by Khamtrul Rinpoche. When H.E. Khamtrul Rinpoche passed away in 1980 he was asked to stand as President of the Tashi Jong Community. In that position he performed all the consultations and arrangements for recognition of the reincarnation of the present Ninth Khamtrul Rinpoche in conjunction with His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa and His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse. In his capacity as Regent of Khamtrul Rinpoche and President of the Khampagar Monastery in India as well as the Tashi Jong community, Dorzong Rinpoche worked with selfless compassion, wisdom and great energy for the betterment of the monastery and lay community. He introduced a proper Health Centre, kindergarten, and an Institute for Higher Studies.

In combination with all these official duties, as from his early age Rinpoche continued to practice meditation and uphold the lineage teachings qualifying him as a perfect authentic holder of the Drukpa Kagyud lineage. Rinpoche also practices the teachings of other Tibetan Buddhist lineages. Since that time, Dorzong Rinpoche has not only returned to Tibet, but has traveled to many countries giving lectures and teachings from which he inspired some remarkable communities and dharma practitioners.

Currently, Rinpoche’s main project is the creation of a Monastic Institute, The Dorzong Monastic Institute, Jangchub Jong. This is near the village of Gopalpur in the Kangra valley about twenty kilometres from Dharamsala, northern India.

The bulk of this information was taken from an official compilation by the office of Tashi Jong in 1992.

For an expanded version of Dorzong Rinpoche's biography, please go to his website.

Main teachers

• H.E. The Eighth Khamtrul
  
• Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
  
• Trulshik Adeu Rinpoche
  
• 16th Karmapa