Pundarika UK

Tsoknyi Rinpoche's warmth, clarity and incisive wisdom have been a great inspiration for me and so many western Dharma students. His openness of heart and mind has made the precious teachings of his lineage widely accessible to people of different traditions. Rinpoche's presence and teachings are a wonderful blessing.

- Joseph Goldstein, Insight Meditation Society Founder, Teacher and Author.

Rinpoche was born in 1966 into an unbroken lineage of realized Dzogchen masters. His great great grandfather was the treasure revealer Chokgyur Lingpa and he was trained in that family tradition by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche from an early age. He was recognized by HH 16th Karmapa at the age of 8 as a reincarnation of Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche II and when he was 13 he was brought to Khampagar Monastery at Tashi Jong in India, the seat of Khamtrul Rinpoche. His teachers include some of the most renowned masters of Tibet: Khamtrul Rinpoche Dongyu Nyima, his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche and Adeu Rinpoche.

Rinpoche is the spiritual head of two nunneries and one monastery in Nepal, as well as one of the largest nunneries in Tibet, Gebchak Gonpa. He also heads around 50 practice centres and hermitages with 2,600 nuns and 400 monks who practise the Tsoknyi and Ratna Lingpa Lineages in the eastern region of Tibet (Nangchen). Ngesdön Ösel Ling Monastery in Kathmandu is his seat in the East, and Yeshe Rangsal in Crestone, Colorado, USA, is his seat in the West.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche has made the ancient Dzogchen teachings accessible to us in a way that few teachers are able to through his rare combination of depth, warmth and humour. His teachings have opened new Dharma doors for thousands of students in the West, allowing us to touch directly the intrinsic freedom of our own nature.

- Guy Armstrong, Spirit Rock Meditation Center Founder, Teacher and Author.

For over 15 years, Tsoknyi Rinpoche has been teaching students worldwide about the innermost nature of mind in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. His light-hearded yet illuminating style appeals to both beginners and advanced practitioners alike, and his personal warmth and compassionate attention greatly enrich and enliven the depth of our learning experience. His dedication to teaching is based on his belief that the precious Buddha Dharma can bring peace and harmony to the world. He is the author of two books - Carefree Dignity and Fearless Simplicity.

The first Tsoknyi Rinpoche was an emanation of Milarepa's disciple Rechungpa and the Nyingmapa Terton Ratna Lingpa. He was born in Nangchen, Eastern Tibet, in the first half of the 19th century and was a contemporary of the three great lamas of the time, Jamyang Khyentse, Jamgon Kongtrul and Chokgyur Lingpa. He fully mastered the practices of the Six Yogas of Naropa and became the principal guru for the 6th Khamtrul Rinpoche, Tenpa Nyima and the great master Shakya Shri. He excelled in the yogas of the Nyingma tradition of Ratna Lingpa as well, which laid the foundation for establishing many nunneries of this special lineage, which was unique in Tibet.

The second Tsoknyi Rinpoche was born into the family of the King of Nangchen in the first half of the 20th century and received the Six Yogas of Naropa from the 6th Khamtrul Rinpoche. He mastered all the teachings that his previous incarnation held.

Because of his great love of the Dharma, clear and open expression of the teachings, tremendous service to others and wonderful kindness, Tsoknyi Rinpoche is a very important and inspiring teacher for me and so many others.

- Sharon Salzberg, Insight Meditation Society Founder, Teacher and Author.