Lama Dawa Gyaltsen
Lama Dawa Gyaltsen (bla ma zla ba rgyal mtshan)
Drupon Lama Dawa Gyaltsen, known by Tibetans in Nepal as Yolmo Lama Dawa, at the age of 13 entered the Drukpa Kagyu Gonpa near his family home on of Amdo and Kham, eastern Tibet. At the very young age of 17, before leaving his home land, Lama Dawa Rinpoche entered into retreat until he was 23, on the Drukpa Kagyu path of Mahamudra, with the famed Drupchen Kunzang Dorje acting as his Retreat-master. While in this retreat Rinpoche completed the Mahamudra ngondro 3 times. Because of being faced with the same plight all Tibetans were facing, that being the invasion of the Communist Army of China, and because unlike most Tibetans in the early years of 1949 thru 1959 (when the Tibetans staged an uprising), Khampas (people of eastern Tibet) did not think of the Chinese and the Communist Army as good nice people, the Khampas were in the early days already fighting a war for the freedom of Tibet. For these reason, soon Rinpoche and many Eastern Tibetans began to flee for places like India, Bhutan and Nepal. After his 7 year retreat he then fled to Bhutan and Nepal, as many did, where he then began truly studding the dharma, at the feet of many of the greatest masters of the Old and New Translation Schools. Having been taken as a student by Master such as Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltso Rinpoche, Khyabje Dudjom Rinpoche and Khyabje Chatral Rinpoche, Lama Dawa Rinpoche dedicated his life to retreat. In Yolmo Nepal he spent 30 year doing retreats on the Dudjom Tersar, one of which was a 3 year reatreat where Lama Dawa practiced the Ngondro (foundation practices) from the Dudjom Ter, as well as Tsa-sum (the three root deity practices), along with the entire cycle of Troma Ngakmo (Cho) and Namchad Phu-ti and Phu-ti Rapung (Vajrakilaya).
Once finished with the Dudjom Ter retreat, Rinpoche went to Parping Nepal (known to Tibetans as Yang-la Shu, where Guru Rinpoche meditated in two different caves, and where the renowned Chatral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche was residing at that time. He soon entered into a Nyingthig retreat, this time with Chatral Rinpoche himself acting as Lama’s Retreat-master. After having completed his 3rd great retreat, Lama Dawa Rinpoche continued to studying with the greatest Gurus of this era. He received numerous teachings, reading transmissions and empowerments from Penor Rinpoche. He has studied with masters the likes of Nyalsho Khen Rinpoche and Kontrul Tenpay Nyima Rinpoche. From the Lord of Siddhis, Khyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, he received teachings and transmissions for the Longchen Nyingthig as well as Rinpoche's own Terma Teachings.
In terms of Mahamudra, Rinpoche has received teaching from Master the likes of HH The 16th Karmapa, Tuksay Rinpoche, Drukpa Gar Rinpoche, Drupwang Rigdzin Lama, Lhopon Tsultrim Dorje, Lama Jamyang Drakpa, and Gegen Khyentse. From the Dzogchen Lineages, Drupon Lama Dawa has received teachings from Tripon Pema Chogyal Rinpoche (the number one heart disciple of the Mahasiddha Shakya Shri), Dudjom Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Nyalsho Khenpo, Khunu Lama, Dodrupchen Thupten Trinlay Rinpoche, Punda Khenpo Dorje, Penor Rinpoche, and Abhu Yeshe Rangdrol (the Mahasiddha Shakya Shri’s grandson). While Rinpoche was living in his retreat house for almost 20 years near Nagi Gonpa, the retreat hermitage of Khyabje Tulku Orgyen Rinpoche, he was able to meet privately with Orgyen Rinpoche and clear any doubts and obstacles he may have had. In all Rinpoche has had 22 Gurus of the Mahamudra and Dzogchen traditions
Since he finished his last great retreat, Drupon Lama Dawa has spent no less then 6 months out of every year in retreat at his house next to Nagi Gonpa. Rinpoche teaches Chatral Rinpoche’s retreatants when asked and has taught Kunzang Lamay Shelung to many of the Lamas, Khenpos and Tulku of this day that claim to be students of the Great Yogi Chatral Rinpoche. In the Untied States Rinpoche has taught three times since 1999, he has taught in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts Arizona, Wyoming and Utah. However Lama Dawa is very much a Naljorpa and he fallows very much in the tradition of Khyabje Chatral Rinpoche, he is one of the true hidden yogis living in this world today. When I see Lama Dawa Rinpoche, I see him the same as H.H. Chatral Rinpoche who is without doubt Guru Rinpoche in person.
Written by his heart-son the inje, Bj Lhundrup
Literary Works
Main Teachers
- Chatral Rinpoche Sangye Dorje
- Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje
- Abu Rinpoche
- Dilgo Khyentse
- Gegen Khyentse
- Nyoshul Khenpo
Main Students
Main Lineages
Alternate Names
- Yolmo Lama Dawa
- Drupon Lama Dawa