| The Seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche (b. 1964)  Jikme Losel Wangpo, the seventh incarnation of Pema Rigdzin, was born in Sikkim in 1964. His father was Tsewang Paljor, who's family lineage was of Tertön descent traced back to Nüden Dorje. Tsewang Paljor was greatly respected and renowned as the private secretary to the second Jamyang Khyentse of Dzongsar, Dorje Chang Chökyi Lodrö. His mother was Pema Tsering Wangmo of the Laker Tsang family – known as great patrons of Dharma in the Kham region of eastern Tibet.This incarnation of the Dzogchen Rinpoche was recognized by His Holiness the fourth Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Thupten Thrinle Palzang, and this was confirmed by His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. The enthronement ceremony was officiated by Dodrupchen Rinpoche on the 8th of October 1972, in Sikkim's royal palace at Gangtok. Dodrupchen Rinpoche then directed the young tulku towards Dzogchen Khenpo Rahor Thubten, who became his tutor for the next three years. During this time, Rinpoche studied and received the entire initiation of Nyingma Kama from Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Rinchen Terdzö Chemo from His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and the complete teaching of Pema Lingpa from His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. At only twelve years of age, Rinpoche had completed his ritual training and memorized many of the texts that he was to study later on. Rinpoche's education was closely supervised by the Dalai Lama, who feels very strongly the link between himself and Dzogchen Rinpoche that was created during the time of his predecessor, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama. In 1976, he joined the Buddhist School of Dialectics in Dharamsala, where he stayed for the next seven years studying Prajnaparamita and Pramana Vartika, obtaining the certificate of Rabjampa. The Dalai Lama arranged accommodation and personally covered all expenses. Rinpoche stayed in a small room at the Buddhist School of Dialectics, and the Dalai Lama would often visit him here, as did Dilgo Khyentse and His Holiness the 16th Karmapa. At the request of the Dalai Lama, Khenpo Mewa Thubten would come for two months each year, and with him Rinpoche studied Longchen Dzödun, Nyelso Korsum and Kunzang Lamai Shalung. He also received the transmission and teaching of Chokling Terdzö from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Dudjom Terchö from Dudjom Rinpoche and Könchok Chidü from Trulshik Rinpoche. Throughout his years of study, Rinpoche displayed exceptional learning ability, and although he was up to six years younger than his fellow students in Dharamsala, he quickly mastered the art of debate and revealed a high degree of wisdom. On numerous occasions when the young Nyingma tulkus gathered for teachings and transmissions, the teachers noticed how Rinpoche was quite serious, while the others would often be playing and joking. In 1985, Rinpoche accepted an invitation to visit Dzogchen Monastery in Tibet. On this historic occasion, he was greeted by a magnificent welcome party of five hundred horsemen and hundreds more lamas and monks. During a two month stay, Rinpoche was able to meet with all the head lamas of branch monasteries, and he visited many of the regions sacred sites. The same year, at the invitation of his brother, Sogyal Rinpoche, he made the first of what has become a regular series of visits to the Western world; teaching in Europe, America and Australia. He then returned to South India and continued with the construction of Dzogchen Monastery. Rinpoche enjoyed study very much and between 1986 and 1989 his time was split between working on the monastery and studying Madhyamaka philosophy in Dharamsala. In recent years, through the inspiration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and with the generous support of Sogyal Rinpoche and the international Rigpa sangha, Rinpoche has worked selflessly to improve the quality of life for the Tibetan refugee community in India. And, at the same time has continued to care for his monastery, the education, training and welfare of its monks and the spiritual needs of the local community.
The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoches  |
