In this section:

Unfinished thangka by the Sixth Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

The first Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche  worked together with Dzogchen Rinpoche to establish Dzogchen Monastery in 1685. After the death of the first Dzogchen Rinpoche, the first Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche became abbot of Dzogchen Monastery. Members of the Dzogchen Rinpoche line have been the Abbots of Dzogchen Monastery, along with members of the Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche line, and members of the Kushok Gemong Rinpoche line.

The first Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is said to have been an emanation of, among others, the great yogis Repa Shiwa Ö (Twelfth Century C.E.) and Melong Dorje (1243-1303). The former was one of the eight heart sons of Milarepa.

The Ponlop Rinpoche incarnations are as follows:

1. First Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Namkha Ösel (?-1726)
2. Second Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Pema Sang-ngak Tenzin (1731-1805)
3. Third Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Namkha Chokyi Gyatso (1806-21)
4. Fourth Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Jigme Choying Osel (?)
5. Fifth Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Kunchok Tenpe Nyima (?)
6. Sixth Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Jigtral Tsewang Dorje (1925-62)
7. Seventh Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Karma Sungrap Ngedon Tenpa Gyaltsen (b. 1965)

Biographical sketches of the previous Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoches are available in this section.

Prior lives of the Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche line