Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche


The Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche was born in the Sichuan Province of China near the Tibetan border in 1925. At the age of seven, he was recognized as a "tulku" or a consciously reincarnated spiritual being, and was reinstated as Tulku of Dhomang Monastery.

Gyatrul Rinpoche was discovered by two great meditation masters: Dzongsar Khentsey or Chokyi Lodro the Great, and Tulku Natsog. Tulku Natsog, who was the Miraculous Activity emanation of Dudjom Rinpoche, was one of the five Dudjom emanations alive in Tibet at that time. Tulku Natsog became Gyatrul Rinpoche's root guru and they spent many years together in retreat. Under Tulku Natsog's guidance, Gyatrul Rinpoche was given complete instructions on the path of Vajrayana Budhhism in the Nyingthik tradition, as well as teachings from Lama Mipham, the New Treasures of Dorje Dechen Lingpa, the teachings of Terton Migyur Dorje and teachings from Ratna Lingpa's lineage.

In 1959, due to the Chinese invasion of Tibet, Rinpoche fled his homeland and lived in India for twelve years. In 1972, he came to teach in America at the request of H. H. the Dalai Lama. In 1976, H. H. Dudjom Rinpoche appointed Gyatrul Rinpoche as his spiritual representative and Director of Pacific Region Yeshe Nyingpo. Rinpoche has established several centers on the West Coast and continues to travel and teach thousands of students abroad and in the United States.

Gyatrul Rinpoche is greatly loved for his wit and humor, his ceaseless compassion, his uncanny insight and his genuine humility. His skillful teaching techniques have enabled his students to be exposed to the profound Vajrayana path in a unique and loving way. Gyatrul Rinpoche continues to teach traditional Tibetan Buddhism in a way that can be understood and accepted by all. He is a Master at providing what is necessary for the student to learn "in the moment" and is a refuge of sanity, compassion and humor in an unsettled world.

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