Dzogchen Monastery

Brief History

• One of the Six Main Nyingma Monasteries and the historical seat of the Dzogchen Rinpoche and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche incarnation lines.

• Dzogchen monastery was founded in 1685 by HE Dzogchen Pema Rinzin. He was the most outstanding Dzogchen master of his time and Dzogchen teacher to His Holiness the Great Fifth Dalai Lama. Having received all the Dzogchen teachings, His Holiness instructed Pema Rinzin to travel to the Kham region of Eastern Tibet and found a monastery, so that the teachings might prosper. Following His Holiness’ instructions, Dzogchen Pema Rinzin travelled on foot to the Kham region with his two main students Ponlop Rinpoche and Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche. Having arrived at a spot close by the Rudam valley the masters stopped to have some tea. Pema Rinzin made an offering of the tea and put the offering cup on a nearby stone. Then, as the master watched, a crow flew down and picked up the cup in its beak and carried it off. They saw the crow disappear into an adjacent valley. The masters considered this an auspicious sign and they walked in the direction that the crow had flown. After a short time Pema Rinzin found the offering cup on a rock in the Rudam valley. It was on that spot that he founded Dzogchen Monastery. Having established the monastery in the Rudam valley, Dzogchen Pema Rinzin spent the rest of his life giving guidance and empowerments of the Great Perfection teachings, and thousands of students gathered to practise with him. Engaging in meditative concentration, they would stay out throughout the night, completely covering the hillside behind the monastery. Since its founding Dzogchen Monastery has had a total of thirteen abbots. The present throne holder, the Seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche, was enthroned in 2003, taking over from Kyabje Pema Kalsang Rinpoche, who was abbot for over forty years.
  

Succession of Throne Holding Abbots (gdan rabs གདན་རབས།)

• 1st Dzogchen Rinpoche Pema Rigdzin
• 2nd Dzogchen Ponlop Namkha Osel
• 3rd Dzogchen Rinpoche Gyurme Thekchog Tenzin
• 4th Jebon Pema Kundrol Namgyal
• 5th Dzogchen Rinpoche Ngedon Tenzin Zangpo
• 6th Khedrub Namkhar Tsewang
• 7th Dzogchen Rinpoche Migyur Namkhe Dorje
• 8th Kushok Gemong Gyalse Shenpen Thaye
• 9th Dzogchen Rinpoche Thupten Chokyi Dorje
• 10th Dechog Dorje
• 11th Dzogchen Rinpoche Jigdral Jangchup Dorje
• 12th (in Tibet) Choktrul Pema Kalsang
  
• 12th (in India) Dzogchen Rinpoche Jikme Losal Wangpo
  

Succession of Scholar Abbots (mkhan rabs མཁན་རབས།)

• 1st Sengtrug Pema Tashi
  
• 2nd Gyalse Shenpen Thaye
  
• 3rd Nyidrak Rigdzin Zangpo
  
• 4th Gyelrong Khenpo Pema Sheja
  
• 5th Paltrul Orgyen Jigme Chokyi Wangpo
  
• 6th Drukpa Khenpo Sonam Gelek
  
• 7th Lingtrul Thubten Nyinje Gyeltsen
  
• 8th Khenpo Pema Vajra
  
• 9th Toru Khenpo Kelden Gyatso
  
• 10th Kangtsa Khenpo Dorje Rabten
  
• 11th Purtsa Khenpo Akon
  
• 12th Jamgon Mipham Namgyal Gyatso
  
• 13th Dzowe Khenpo Gelek Namgyel
  
• 14th Khetsun Dampa Tsering Norbu
  
• 15th Domtson Konchok Drakpa
  
• 16th Adro Khenchen Sonam Chopel
  
• 17th Khentrul Thubten Tsultrim Gyatso
  
• 18th Tawe Khenpo Konchok Zangpo
  
• 19th Khenchen Zhenphen Chokyi Nangwa
  
• 20th Khenpo Pema Thegchog Loden
  
• 21st Awo Khenchen Jigme Lodro
  
• 22nd Adro Khenpo Yeshe Gyatso
  
• 23rd Khenchen Thubten Nyendrak
  
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Current Lineage Holders

• Dzogchen Rinpoche
• Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche
• Dzogchen Khenpo Choga
• Chogtrul Dorje Tashi
• Kushok Gemong Rinpoche
• Dzogchen Khyentse Rinpoche
• Dzogchen Kongtrul Rinpoche
• Tulku Kunzang
• Tulku Pegyal

Practices and Teachings

• Nyingma Kama
• Khandro Nyingtik
• Konchok Chidu (dkon mchog spyi 'dus)
• Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig)

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