H.E. Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche

                                                                                                                                                                                                 H.E.Ganteng Tulku Rinpoche, was recognized at an early age by the l6th Karmapa, Dudjom Rinpoche and other leaders of Vajrayana Buddhism as the ninth body incarnation of Padma Lingpa. By incarnating in Bhutan, the body emanation - i.e. the Gangteng Tulku - is regarded as carrying a special blessing for that country. It has been foretold that the Gangteng Tulku will always incarnate in Bhutan.

The ninth Gangteng Tulku was born near Tongsa in 1955 and was given the traditional education of an incarnate Lama at Tongsa monastery before he was formally enthroned at Gangteng Gonpa the seat of the Gangteng Tulku. The name and site of Gangteng Gonpa were chosen by Padma Lingpa himself, and the monastery was begun in the early 1500's by Padma Lingpas grandson, who was the first Gangteng Tulku.

After his enthronement, our present Gantgeng Tulku studied for three years with His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma Lineage and followed these studies with eight years in almost constant meditation retreat under the tutelage of ex Je Khenpo Tenzin Dhendup the former head of all religious activity in Bhutan. For the past 15 years, ex Je Khenpo Tenzin Dhendup, recognized as one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of our time, has remained in constant meditative retreat in his mountaintop hermtage, interrupting his meditations only for visits from the King of  Bhutan or such of his students as the Gangteng Tulku. It is thanks to the encouragement and urging of  this teacher, ex Je Khenpo Tenzin Dhendup, that the ninth Gangteng Tulku resolved to visit the west and teach Dzogchen, the  „Ninth Yana of Great Perfection” taught by the Buddha.

 In Bhutan H.E.Gangteng Rinpoche holds spiritual responsibility for over 25 private Nyingma monasteries and hermitages as well as Gangteng Gonpa the largest private monastery in the entire Kingdom. Since emerging from yet another three years of solitary meditation retreat in 1992 Gangteng Rinpoche has been working ceaselessly to assure the survival of the teachings and practices of the Padma Lingpa Lineage. In Bhutan, a new three-year-retreat center, an isolate dzogchen retreat center, a new shedra (university-level religious school for monks) and a new temple and religious school are but same of the fruits of this intense period of buddha-activity of the Gangteng Tulku. In addition, Rinpoche has toured and taught in both Europe and North America every year, and is currently developing retreat centers on both continents.

It is our great fortune to have the Gangteng Tulku among us to share his extraordinary spiritualtual heritage and experience. May we and all sentient beings benefit from this auspicious contact!

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