བདུད་འཇོམས་སངས་རྒྱས་པདྨ།
bdud 'joms sangs rgyas pad ma
Dudjom Sangye Pema
Short Biography
Kyabje Dudjom Yangsi Rinpoche was born in the Iron Horse Year of the 17th Rabjung Cycle (1990) in Kyegudo (Yuesue County of Qinghai Province in China) to Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche's own son, Dola Tulku Jigmed Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, and his wife Pema Khandro. Following many auspicious signs including rainbows and there was much speculation as to who this child might be the rebirth of even before he was born. It was the terton and wisdom dakini, Tare Khandro (Tare Lhamo), the daughter of another great terton in Golok, Aphang Terton who first recognised him as the tulku of HH Dudjom Rinpoche. Ven. Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche III came to see Yangsi Rinpoche in Kyegudo and gave him the name "Pema Osel" (Lotus Light). While Dzongsar Rinpoche performed important initiations for Dudjom Yangsi Rinpoche, three layers of rainbows appeared above the roof of the house. After receiving a letter from Tare Khandro, His Holiness Chatral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche said he believed the child to be the Dudjom tulku and wrote to HH Dudjom Rinpoche’s eldest son, HH Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche who agreed with his view and visited the young tulku in Chengdu, Sichuan to meet Yangsi Rinpoche in 1993.
Amongst other senior lamas, H.H. Minling Trichen Rinpoche, H.H. Penor Rinpoche (the present Head of the Nyingma School), H.H. Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche and Kathok Situ Rinpoche have all recognised Kyabje Dudjom Yangsi Rinpoche.
On 25th November, 1994, the day of Lha Bab Duchen (the day that celebrates Buddha Shakyamuni descending from heaven after giving teachings to His mother) in Kathmandu, Nepal, Yangsi Rinpoche was enthroned. Many thousands of people gathered for the ceremony at Godavari, the holy place of Vajrayogini. HH Kyabje Chatral Rinpoche presided over the eight-hour enthronement ceremony, with H.H. Penor Rinpoche, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, Kathok Situ Rinpoche and many other Nyingma lamas present.
Kyabje Dudjom Yangsi Rinpoche sat as still as a statue for the entire length of the ceremony. Kyabje Chatral Rinpoche commented to Yangsi Rinpoche's father Dola Rinpoche that it was amazing, even miraculous, that a 4-year-old boy could do that while Chatral Rinpoche himself could not do that.
Yangsi Rinpoche's teachers include Ven. Bhakha Tulku Rinpoche, Ven. Urgyen Chemchok Rinpoche and Khenpo Nyima Dorje from Kathok Monastery. He has also received many important initiations and teachings from such great masters as Kathok Moktsa, Gonjo Tulku Urgyen Chemchok, Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, Dzongsar Jamyang Khysentse Rinpoche, and from HH Chatral Rinpoche, his Tsawai Lama.
Because there are reportedly three known current Dudjom incarnations, Dudjom Yangsi Sangye Pema is thought to be the body emanation of Dudjom Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje.
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Alternate Names
- Dudjom Rinpoche
- Dudjom Tulku
- Dudjom Yangzi/Yangsi
- Dudjom Sangye Pema Zhepa
- Sangye Pema Zhepa Drodul Rigdzin Trinley Drubpe De