May Dharma Prevail!

With a pure state of body, speech and mind, I pay homage to my spiritual master, the embodiment of all enlightened Buddhas! 

With this deep expression of veneration, I, Tulku Jamyang Wangpo Rinpoche, a lineage holder of the Great Nyang-ral Nyima Özer (1124-1192), write this brief personal account for the sake of my friends and followers. 

I was born to my dear mother, Pema Yangchen, and father, Jyasa Dugsa Lama Nyima Zangpo Rinpoche, in the birthplace of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni in Nepal, Lumbini, on the 28th of April, 1974. At 3 years of age, I, by the grace of my previous karma, and to the surprise of many, could remember events of my past lives. Even as a child, I always reminded my parents that my parental home was not my actual home, and that I belonged to my monastery. My parents and neighbors clearly remember me as a child crying for Lhakpa, my attendant from my former life. Irritated by such demands, I received beatings from my parents to make me stop. As the news of my unusual behavior spread, people from the distant regions came to see me. Even the daughter of my previous household came to see me, and offered me a traditional scarf.

Born into a family of poor peasants, my parents could not afford a formal recognition and enthronement ceremony. Therefore, I remained an ordinary monk in the monastery, until I was 23. Later,I was recognized as the reincarnation of the great Tibetan yogi, Leha Lama Karma Rinpoche, by His Holiness Trulshik Rinpoche of the Nyingmapa School.

My predecessor was widely known and respected as a true master of the highest meditation practice of the Nyingma school, Dzogchen, or the Great Perfection. He spent most of his life in solitude in the inner recesses of Rapa cave in the Himalayas. Being a true practitioner, he devoted most of his time to teachings and meditation, and little to the administration of his monastery. This lead to the gradual decline of the monastery, which, in a partially ruined form,is now tended to by his three granddaughters

In 1984, at the age of 10, I trained under my father in the art of reading and writing, including Tibetan calligraphy. In 1990, as advised by my father and my disciples, I joined the Nyingma Mindrölling Monastery in Dehradun, North India. At Mindrölling, I undertook formal monastic education in Buddhist philosophy and logic. In addition, I also trained in the sacred arts of religious rites and rituals, including religious music and spiritual arts. In 1996, I joined the Nyingmapa College in Dehradun, and studied higher Buddhist philosophy, metaphysics, logic and epistemology, ethical discipline, and esoteric practices including tantra.

In 1997, I, along with other monks, received numerous tantric initiations and oral transmissions of sacred scriptures from H.H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche at Mindrölling Monastery. In 2000, I received teachings on the Guhyagarbha Tantra (the Matrix of Mystery Tantra) from Venerable Khenpo Namdröl. In the same year, I received special initiation on the Karwang Thukcha Chenpo (Great Initiation for Spiritual Attainments) of the Mindrölling tradition from H.H. Trulshik Rinpoche, during a teaching which was exclusively for Rinpoches and high lamas. In 2005, I received the entire teachings of the omniscient Gyalwa Longchen Rabjampa (1308-1363), including the Kunzang Lama’i Zhallung (The Words of My Perfect Teacher), from H.H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche. In addition, I have had the opportunity to attend numerous teachings of H.H. Mindrölling Trichen Rinpoche, who I revere as my spiritual Guru. I have also attended many teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the great masters of all Tibetan Buddhist schools, such as H.H. Penor Rinpoche and H.E. Kyabje Mindrölling Khenchen Rinpoche. Other teachings, initiations, and transmissions I have received from today’s living masters include those from the voluminous Karma (Oral Transmissions of the Nyingma School), Terma (Hidden Treasures of the Nyingma School), the Nyingthig Zangpo (Excellent Drops of the Heart-Essence), the Seven Treasuries of Longchen Rabjampa, and the Dam-ngag Dzod (Treasury of Pith Instructions).

I received bhikshu (fully- ordained monk) ordination from Mindrölling Khenchen Rinpoche at the age of 23.Then, in 2003, I was formally recognized and enthroned as a Rinpoche, at a grand religious ceremony held at Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. As instructed by my father and other spiritual friends, I traveled to Taiwan and established a Dharma center to help Taiwanese study the ways of developing spiritual values such as love, compassion, and bodhichitta, through adopting the effective and systematic methods applied in the Tibetan monasteries. I have taught on and bestowed the refuge vows and five precepts many times, wherein students and disciples commit themselves to avoid harmful acts such as killing, stealing, lying, etc. In all, I have stayed in Taiwan for three years, devoting myself as much as possible to Dharma works and activities.

During my stay there, I have tried to be as friendly and helpful as possible in guiding people in developing the correct attitude to everything and everyone. I have always tried to help students apply the teachings of compassion, love, tolerance, and brother hood in their daily routines and activities.Students have expressed appreciation over the changes they felt through developing good feelings towards fellow sentient beings. Currently, my primary responsibility is to look after Orgyen Shedrup Dogugling Monastery, and especially its learning center, Jyasa Shedra. This involves ensuring good food, education, accommodation, and health to the young monks of the monastery. The monastery also helps poor, uneducated people of the nearby villages.

I am happy that my candid and humorous approaches to everything, including the teachings, have brought people closer to my heart. I conduct various activities, such as the Tsechu Ceremony, teachings and initiations in Nepal. My daily routine includes presiding over the daily congregations at Jyasa Monastery, and conducting meditation retreats whenever time and circumstances permit. Under the guidance of spiritual masters, including my father, I have worked tirelessly towards for the welfare of all beings in general, and my disciples and poor people in particular. In the future, I sincerely resolve to work for the betterment of humanity and the preservation of the ancient Buddhist tradition.