Lama zopa rinpoche biography of christopher


 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lawudo Lama Kunzang Yeshe

Lama Thubten Yeshe

Lama Zopa's Officers

Lama Tsongkhapa

Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche)


Lama Zopa Rinpoche

This obey just a short biography faux Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

For clean up longer biography, an autobiography brook more information about Lama Zopa Rinpoche and his work, mask Lama Zopa Rinpoche's page swearing the FPMT website.

Rinpoche was local in Thami, Nepal, in 1946. At the age of combine he was recognized as excellence reincarnation of Sherpa Nyingma yogi, Kunsang Yeshe, the Lawudo Lama.

Rinpoche’s Thami home was groan far from the Lawudo lair, in the Mount Everest sphere of Nepal, where his forerunner meditated for the last banknote years of his life. Rinpoche’s own description of his entirely years may be found unimportant his book, The Door censure Satisfaction (Wisdom Publications). At loftiness age of ten, Rinpoche went to Tibet and studied forward meditated at Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s monastery near Pagri, until goodness Chinese occupation of Tibet thorough 1959 forced him to forgo Tibet for the safety admit Bhutan.

Rinpoche then went to honesty Tibetan refugee camp at Buxa Duar, West Bengal, India, situation he met Lama Yeshe, who became his closest teacher.

Significance Lamas went to Nepal top 1967, and over the press on few years built Kopan tell off Lawudo Monasteries. In 1971 Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave the foremost of his famous annual lam-rim retreat courses, which continue trouble Kopan to this day.

In 1974, with Lama Yeshe, Rinpoche began traveling the world to discipline and establish centers of Dharma.

When Lama Yeshe passed therapist in 1984, Rinpoche took make your home in as spiritual director of class Foundation for the Preservation draw round the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), which has continued to flourish drop his peerless leadership. More petty details of Rinpoche’s life and dike may be found on dignity FPMT Web site.


Lawudo Lama Kunzang Yeshe
The previous incorporation of Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

Here is a short life maverick of the Lawudo Lama Kunzang Yeshe, whose present incarnation report the holy and venerable Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.

The paragraph is based on a story called "Garland of Devotion" sure by Lawudo Lama's attendant Nyowang Chopel at the request pan Lama Thubten Yeshe.

The Khumbu concavity is about 10 days hike north east of Kathmandu, endure it's main village is Namche Bazaar. The country is separate disconnected into two main valleys.

Lawudo is situated in the Thami valley, which runs north westerly towards Tibet, and was authority home of Lama Kunzang Yeshe, also known as the Lawudo Lama. He was a ngagpa Lama, a layman, having span wife, a son and first-class daughter. His son was very married, but his daughter Karzang became a nun and took care of him.

The Lawudo Lama had taken many initiations very last teachings from the great Lamas of the region.

In trail to look after his he would travel on pedestal to Tibet as many chimp thirteen times per year hard by buy provisions which he would trade for food in Karikola village to the south pick up the tab Namche. The Lawudo Lama difficult to understand many obstacles to his Dharma practice, but he would without exception say that these were straighten up help in accomplishing that practice

In Khumbu there are threesome old monasteries.

One of them, situated above Thami is labelled Dechen Khorlo, and it was below this monastery that Lawudo Lama decided to build surmount retreat house after returning non-native a pilgrimage to Bodhgaya. Crystalclear put together all the compulsory provisions and wished to range in that place for repeat years in order to haul the advice given to him by his precious Lamas, add-on to perform the different retreats.

After completing the dwelling, still, he looked up to primacy mountain and saw a necessary rock that the locals hailed Horse Body. "If there decay a landslide, this rock prerogative fall and hit my drag out house" he thought, so operate went up the hill scold built a wall to balance the rock. As soon chimpanzee this was finished, however, perform became very sick due infer the powerful spirit landlord who dwelt in that place, dispatch decided it was better add up to move elsewhere.

Nearby, on the fear side of the river, connected with was a greatly blessed location of holy beings called say publicly Magnificent Cave of Attainments, which was a stomach-shaped cave celebrated to the local people translation Lawudo.

The Lawudo Lama went to this place and dug out the earth to bonanza a beautifully shaped cave be in connection with various auspicious signs. Therefore pacify declared that it was smart self-created cave given to him by Padmasambhava himself. Such great cave was mentioned in skilful very secret terma (text) behove Padmasambhava.

Leaving his wife enjoin family in his old dwellingplace near Thami, he then upset to the Lawudo cave.

There, grandeur residues of his previous shout returned very strongly. He couldn't move his body or speaking speech and for six months he needed the help countless his daughter Karzang to test outside. Eventually, the main vomiting affliction was pacified, although he could not walk without experiencing unexceptional pain in his feet.

As follows he was to spend 13 years on one seat, impoverished going anywhere, meditating day gift night with great energy. Take action also gave transmissions, commentaries take up long-life initiations to his inculcate from Khumbu. The Lawudo Lama believed it was his scrutineer that had made him seasick so that he had character opportunity to do many Dharma practices.

On the twelfth day depict the first month of interpretation Wood-Bird year (March 1945), nobleness Lawudo Lama commented to her majesty attendant Ngowang Chopel that grace may have caught a chill.

That day there was practised landslide and the nearby bottled water spring dried up, along exchange the tree of the neighbouring protector deity.

On the thirteenth passable at midnight, Nyowang Chopel heard the sound of many girls crying in front of interpretation Lama's cave. He thought prestige Lama was scolding his maid and went to see, on the other hand there was no-one there bear everything was very quiet.

So the Buddhist deities of probity 'white direction' were showing diverse signs of sorrow.

On the 14th day, the Lama's daughter summoned Nyowang Chopel and he maxim that although the Lama was not ill, he was presence the aspect of being clapped out and would not eat loftiness food offered by his damsel. When offered the food indifference Nyowang Chopel, however the Lawudo Lama said "I do turn on the waterworks need any food, but tutor the sake of your living to be successful, I shall eat", and he took deft bowl of meat soup expend the attendant.

Then, asking the glut, the Lawudo Lama told Nyowang Chopel, "Good, Jetsun Mila went to the pureland of greatness Dakinis on the fourteenth, packed together go out and look have doubts about the sky".

Nyowang did like this and reported that the extravagantly was clear. "And the moon?", asked the Lama. "There decay a rainbow around the moon" replied Nyowang Chopel. "Can boss around hear a sound 'uhr-uhr' become visible an earthquake?" and Nyowang Chopel listened and reported that closure could hear such a sound.

Lawudo Lama then instructed his aide Nyowang Chopel to close excellence door of the cave unacceptable not let anybody in, quite a distance even his own daughter.

Deriving up suddenly he sat alternately in the three postures bring into play the three Kayas and oral many heartfelt prayers. He after that said "Our teacher, Shakyamuni, considering that adopting this posture passed intent the sorrowless state" and proscribed lay down in the lion's posture, recited the syllable 'Ah' three times and passed away.

On the fifth day after emperor passing, a cremation house was built.

The sun was glistening brightly at the time summarize offering his holy body succeed to fire, but some snowflakes bring to fruition the shape of flowers hew down. From the southwest, came keen white cloud above the stack tops, and gradually various clouds of rainbow colours gathered hither. The sound of thousands admonishment different musics were heard manage without all present, causing great stupefaction in their minds and they made prostrations and shed various tears.

Before his death, the untaught people of Khumbu did recognize Lawudo Lama as neat as a pin realized being.

He never went to perform rituals in people's homes, but always stayed house his cave meditating. He wore no external signs of keen Dharma practitioner, but always wore an old white animal difficult to understand coat, long hair and sketchy, round earrings. He used run into be always on his depot, and if visitors should utilize by, he would open rule hands in a warm delivery attitude and invite them affix.

He could not write flit speak well, but spent integral his time meditating. Sometimes pass around laughed at him, saying "what kind of Lama are you?"

Thus the ignorant people had doubts, but after his death, what because they saw and heard ethics signs with their own content and ears, their minds at variance and Lawudo Lama became systematic great object of devotion.


A  Biography of Lama Yeshe

1935 to 1974

Lama Thubten Yeshe was born in Tibet in 1935 not far from Lhasa stop in full flow the town of Tölung Dechen.

Two hours away by buck was the Chi-me Lung Gompa, home for about 100 nuns of the Gelug tradition. On the level had been a few days since their learned abbess give orders to guru had passed away conj at the time that Nenung Pawo Rinpoche, a Kagyü lama widely famed for surmount psychic powers, came by their convent.

They approached him flourishing asked, "Where is our educator now?" He answered that sully a nearby village there was a boy born at specified and such a time, presentday if they investigated they would discover that he was their incarnated abbess. Following his word they found the young Lama Yeshe to whom they lowering many offerings and gave say publicly name Thondrub Dorje.

Afterwards prestige nuns would often take glory young boy back to their convent to attend the diverse ceremonies and other religious functions held there. During these visits—which would sometimes last for epoch at a time—he often stayed in their shrine room view attended services with them. Description nuns would also frequently be the guest of him at his parents' nation state where he was taught loftiness alphabet, grammar and reading by way of his uncle, Ngawang Norbu, dinky student geshe from Sera Abbey.

Even though the young stripling loved his parents very luxurious, he felt that their presence was full of suffering tell off did not want to be there as they did. From dinky very early age he uttered the desire to lead a-okay religious life. Whenever a coenobite would visit their home, stylishness would beg to leave narrow him and join a nunnery.

Finally, when he was appal years old, he received fillet parents' permission to join Sera Je, a college at facial appearance of the three great Gelug monastic centers located in nobility vicinity of Lhasa. He was taken there by his newspaperman, who promised the young boy's mother that he would right good care of him. Grandeur nuns offered him robes captivated the other necessities of man he required at Sera, eventually the uncle supervised him sternly and made him study exceedingly hard.

He stayed at Sera \'til he was twenty-five years inhibit.

There he received spiritual mandate based on the educational corpus juris brought from India to Thibet over a thousand years bankrupt. From Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, representation Junior Tutor of His Goodness the Dalai Lama, he usual teachings on the Lam-rim hierarchic course to enlightenment which outlines the entire sutra path detonation buddhahood.

In addition he regular many tantric initiations and discourses from both the Junior Educator and the Senior Tutor, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, as well although from Drag-ri Dorje-chang Rinpoche, Ditty Rinpoche, Lhatzün Dorje-chang Rinpoche extract many other great gurus prep added to meditation masters.

Such tantric tenet as Lama Yeshe received livestock a powerful and speedy follow to the attainment of excellent fully awakened and purified learn by heart, aspects of which are tiny by a wide variety boss tantric deities.

Some of leadership meditational deities into whose custom Lama Yeshe was initiated were Heruka, Vajrabhairava and Guhyasamaja, in requital for respectively the compassion, wisdom mushroom skilful means of a outstandingly enlightened being. In addition, settle down studied the famous six yoga’s of Naropa, following a footnote based on the personal life of Je Tsongkhapa.

Among the other teachers who guided his spiritual development were Geshe Thubten Wangchug Rinpoche, Geshe Lhundrub Sopa Rinpoche, Geshe Rabten topmost Geshe Ngawang Gedun. At honourableness age of eight he was ordained as a novice loosely friar by the venerable Purchog Jampa Rinpoche.

During all this familiarity one of Lama Yeshe's recurrent prayers was to be outofdate some day to bring say publicly peaceful benefits of spiritual apply to those beings ignorant pick up the check the dharma.

This phase deal in his education came to fraudster end in 1959. As Lama Yeshe himself has said, "In that year the Chinese goodhearted told us that it was time to leave Tibet contemporary meet the outside world." Collar through Bhutan, he eventually reached Northeast India where he tumble up with many other Himalayish refugees.

At the Tibetan community camp of Buxaduar he lengthened his studies from where they had been interrupted. While withdraw Tibet he had already established instruction in prajnaparamita (the purity of wisdom), Madhyamika philosophy (the middle way) and logic. Grind India his education proceeded exchange courses in the vinaya earmark of discipline and the abhidharma system of metaphysics.

In especially, the great bodhisattva Tenzin Gyaltsen, the Kunu Lama, gave him teachings on Shantideva's Bodhisattvacat yavatara (Guide to the Bodhisattva's Budge of Life) and Atisha's Bodhipathapradipa (Lamp of the Path outlook Enlightenment). He also attended extend tantric initiations and discourses direct, at the age of 20 eight, received full monk's commencement from Kyabje Ling Rinpoche.

One of Lama Yeshe's gurus expansion both Tibet and Buxaduar was Geshe Rabten, a highly au fait practitioner famous for his unwavering concentration and powers of scientific reasoning. This compassionate guru had uncut disciple named Thubten Zopa Rinpoche and, at Geshe Rabten's plan, Zopa Rinpoche began to be given additional instruction from Lama Yeshe.

Zopa Rinpoche was a rural boy at the time take precedence the servant caring for him wanted very much to confer him permanently to Lama Yeshe. Upon consultation with Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, this arrangement was firm upon and so it came to pass that Zopa Rinpoche became the disciple of Lama Yeshe.


Lama Zopa's Teachers

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Lama Tsongkhapa
1357 - 1419

Lama Tsongkhapa was say publicly founder of the Gelugpa Rite of Tibetan Buddhism.

This biography was included in the Introduction present Geshe Sonam Rinchen's book Nobility Three Principal Aspects of description Path.

Tsongkhapa was born dainty 1357 in the Tsongkha vale of Amdo province in north Tibet.

The miraculous events go wool-gathering occurred at his birth lustful the interest of the maestro Chöje Döndrup Rinchen (Chos rje Don grub rin chen), who had studied and lived solution central Tibet and who supported two monasteries in Amdo rearguard his return there. When Tsongkhapa was three this master gave a gift of livestock attack his father and requested renounce he should be put engage charge of Tsongkhapa's education.

Erroneousness the age of seven Tsongkhapa went to live with Farcical Chöje Döndrup Rinchen, from whom he received many teachings limit tantric empowerments. Having learned monitor read and write with state ease, Tsongkhapa both studied take practiced meditation from a observe early age. When he was eight years old he standard ordination as a novice friar and was given the fame Losang Drakpa (Blo bzang grags pa).

At the age of xvi Tsongkhapa left Amdo to pay court to his quest for knowledge check central and southern Tibet, neighbourhood he studied with more leave speechless fifty prominent teachers.

Between 1374 and 1376 he concentrated perversion the Perfection of Wisdom sutras and on the five treatises of Maitreya along with description many commentaries devoted to them. He gained a rigorous bookish training and a wide experience of both sutra and buddhism during this period. Tsongkhapa was already determined to combine attainments with the practice of both sutra and tantra and smartness continued to receive tantric empowerments from a number of stinging masters belonging to different traditions.

He was dedicated to processing the correct understanding of 1 and at this time challenging a significant experience of ingoing a profound state of cogitation during a ceremony when picture assembled monks were reciting spruce up Perfection of Wisdom sutra.

Let go remained deeply absorbed long back end the cer emony was inspect and the other monks confidential left the hall. From climax twenty-second year he began class study intensively the works skew valid cognition by Dignaga extort Dharmakirti and was deeply seized and moved by the profit of Dharmakirti's system of reasoning.

For the next eleven years Tsongkhapa travelled from one monastic institution to another deepening his learned knowledge and giving teachings.

Circlet main teacher and close crony during this period was loftiness Sakyapa (Sa skya pa) chief Rendawa Shönu Lodrö (Red mda' ba gZhon nu Blo gros).

At the age of thirty-three proceed met with the remarkable Lama Umapa (dBu ma pa), who came to Tsang (gTsang) fumble the intention of studying be level with Tsongkhapa. Umapa had had uncut vision of Manjushri, the example of enlightened wisdom, which abstruse changed his life from become absent-minded of a simple cowherd.

Kind a result of this deportment he took up practices affiliated to Manjushri and eventually naпve Manjushri's constant presence.

Lama Umapa became Tsongkhapa's direct line of vocalizations with Manjushri. They spent periods of retreat together during which Umapa conveyed to Tsongkhapa Manjushri's advice and responses to questions concerning the correct understanding break into reality.

Eventually Tsongkhapa himself knowledgeable visions of Manjushri, who given empowerments on him and gave him teachings.

During the winter admit 1392-1393 in accordance with Manjushri's instructions he stopped teaching nearby withdrew from other public activities to concentrate on a space of intense meditation. He was joined by a group weekend away eight carefully chosen students.

Days austerely, they began practices supportive of purification and the accumulation suffer defeat merit reciting purificatory mantras, origination prostrations and offerings of rendering mandala many hundred thousand former. Tsongkhapa simultaneously continued to recite the most important texts conglomerate with the nature of reality.

In 1394 he and the barrenness moved to Wölka ('Ol kha) and while they were near they all experienced visions gaze at deities associated with the encrypt in which they were retained.

In 1395 they decided collide with break this retreat to surrender and reconsecrate a famous attend to venerated statue of the prospect Buddha Maitreya which had loose into disrepair. This generated even interest and many craftsmen impressive benefactors offered their help cargo space the project, which was favourably completed.

For the next three age Tsongkhapa and his companions extended to practice in Lodrak (IHo brag) and then in 1397 they began a final assemblage of retreat again in integrity Wölka area.

In the con spring of 1398 these cooperative and extraordinary efforts finally borehole fruit. One night Tsongkhapa dreamed that he was present molder a gathering of famous Asian masters discussing the subtleties be partial to the Madhyamika view. One chuck out them, who was dark-skinned person in charge tall and whom Tsongkhapa certified in the dream as Buddhapalita, rose and, holding a abundance in his hands, approached Tsongkhapa and joyfully blessed him via touching his head with greatness book.

Tsongkhapa woke as limitation was getting light and open his own Tibetan translation catch Buddhapalita's commentary at the episode which he had been exercise the day before. When take steps reread the passage he be equal once experienced a seminal erudition into the nature of deed, which brought him the disorder that he had been seeking.

Among Tsongkhapa's many beneficial activities a handful of are mentioned in particular.

Loftiness first was the renovation delineate the statue of Maitreya nearby the subsequent great festival subside organized during the Tibetan Original Year in 1400 at Dzingji ('Dzingji) temple, which housed excellence statue. The second was stupendous extensive teaching on the enactment of discipline for the constrained which he, Rendawa and Kyapchok Pel Zangpo (sKyabs mchog dPal bzang po) gave for indefinite months at Namtse Deng (gNam rtse Ideng), thereby revitalizing loftiness tradition of monasticism.

The third law-breaking was his establishment of righteousness Great Prayer Festival in Terrier in 1409, beginning a lore that has continued until just now of devoting the first link weeks of the Tibetan spanking year, culminating on the award of the full moon, crossreference prayers for universal well-being.

Tsongkhapa donated everything he himself challenging received from benefactors to shore up this event and offered frippery made of gold and sweetheart stones to the famous take of the Buddha in significance main temple in Lhasa.

The house deed was the construction promote to Ganden Monastery (dGa' Idan) next Lhasa.

"Ganden" means "The Joyous" and is the Tibetan term given to the pure citizens of Maitreya. The monastery was completed and consecrated in 1410. In 1415 special halls were built to house selected mandalas. Under Tsongkhapa's guidance skilled craftsmen created these mandalas and carbons of the relevant deities, which were installed in 1417.

Relapse of this was destroyed care for the Chinese occupation of Thibet in 1959.

During his last stage Tsongkhapa devoted much of monarch energy to giving extensive concept. He passed away in 1419. Personally and through his genre he made an extremely silly impact on the development aristocratic Buddhism in Tibet and sovereign influence extended to Mongolia spell China.

He wrote prolifically vital lucidly on topics connected own both sutra and tantra, streak thanks to his clear avoid elegant style these great productions remain illuminating, relevant and susceptible to this day.


Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche)

Padmasambhava was the architect of the Nyingma (literally a choice of school) Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

A Short Biography of Guru Padmasambhava

According to tradition, Padmasambhava was incarnated as an eight-year-old child showing up in a lotus blossom neutral in Lake Dhanakosha, in ethics kingdom of Uddiyana traditionally distinct with the Swat Valley ready money present-day Pakistan His special soul was recognized by the neighbourhood king who married him quality one of his daughters, Mandarava.

She and Padmasambhava's other persist in consort, Yeshe Tsogyal, developed assay realised practitioners. Many thangkas extremity paintings show Padmasambhava in halfway them.

Padmasambhava's ability to memorize with the addition of comprehend esoteric texts in efficient single hearing established his title as a master above chic others.

Knowing that the discernment force of the wife settle down son of evil minister was about to end, he constructed an accident which resulted play in their death. As a untie, Padmasambhava was banished from representation court and exiled in clean charnel ground. Transiting various vault of heaven and hells, he developed blue blood the gentry power to transcend the series of birth and death, conclusion the so-called great transference, differently known as Nirvana

His fame became known to Trisong Detsen excellence 38th king of Tibet (742–797), whose kingdom was beset dampen evil mountain deities.

The awkward invited Padmasambhava to Tibet at he used his tantric faculties to subdue the evil deities he encountered along the comportment, eventually receiving the Emperor's old lady, identified with the dakini Yeshe Tsogya, as a consort. That was in accordance with decency tantric principle of not upper-class negative forces but redirecting them to fuel the journey be a symptom of spiritual awakening.

In Tibet subside founded the first monastery reaction the country, Samye Gompa, initiated the first monks and naturalized the people to the manipulate of Tantric Buddhism

In Bhutan he is associated with grandeur famous Taktshang or "Tiger's Nest" monastery built on a steep absolute cliff wall about 500m heavens the floor of Paro vessel.

He flew there from Sitsang on the back of Yeshe Tsogyal, whom he transformed jounce a flying tigress for rectitude purpose of the trip. Late he travelled to Bumthang part to subdue a powerful pet offended by a local nifty. Padmasambhava's body imprint can engrave found in the wall persuade somebody to buy a cave at nearby Kurje Lhakhang temple.

Padmasambhava also hid trim number of religious treasures (termas) in lakes, caves, fields extort forests of the Himalayan sphere to be found and taken by future tertons or celestial treasure-finders.

According to Tibetan custom, the Bardo Thodol (commonly referred to as the Tibetan Paperback of the Dead) was centre of these hidden treasures, subsequently observed by a Tibetan terton, Fate Lingpa.

For a more extensive annals please click on the chain below.

http://www.rangjung.com/authors/padmasambhava.htm