Khyentse Leanage

From the time of the historical Buddha to the present day, an unbroken succession of great beings have achieved enlightenment and have dedicated themselves to teaching others the path that leads to awakening. Buddhism was brought from India to Tibet over several generations, starting with King Songtsen Gampo in the 6th century AD, and was finally established as the state religion under King Trisong Detsen in the 8th century AD. In Tibetan Buddhism there is a widespread tradition of recognizing the reincarnations of highly realized teachers. Such incarnations are known as tulkus. They take rebirth out of compassion, and to carry on the responsibilities of their previous incarnations.The Khyentses are such a lineage of reincarnate tulkus.

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

The Great chariot of the entire Buddhist teaching, Spiritual friend caring for students without distinction, Free from doctrinal bias, crown jewel of all teachings, I supplicate you! Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye.
Jamyang Khyentse the Great, born in 1820, was regarded as an exceptional master, a scholar, mystic, author, and meditator par excellence. In his youth he travelled all over Tibet, receiving innumerable spiritual teachings, including lineages that were almost extinct. He is known to have studied with over 150 of the greatest Buddhist masters of his day.

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo(1820-1892)

Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro

FBorn in 1894, Dzongsar Khyentse Chokyi Lodro Rinpoche was recognized as one of the incarnations of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, and acquired his name as he took responsibility for Dzongsar monastery. Like his predecessor, he received teachings from a wide variety of teachers, and held and propagated many lineages of meditation practice. He greatly expanded Khamje College, and under his guidance Dzongsar monastery became a great centre of learning. Almost all of the great lamas of the Nyingma, Kagyo and Sakya traditions of that generation received teachings from this outstanding master. The late Chogyam Trungpa met him as a young man, and recalls: On our arrival [at Dzongsar], we found that there were more visitors than residents; they had come from all the different Buddhist schools of Tibet, for the seminary specialized in a great variety of teachings. We were given accommodation in the monastery and made an appointment to be received by Khyentse Rinpoche the following day. Our party went together for a formal introduction, exchanging the traditional scarves etc. after which the lama talked to me alone. His room had been left exactly as it was in the time of the great Khyentse and still seemed to exude the power of his spirituality. Khyentse came down from his throne and sat on a cushion in front of me with a welcoming smile. There was a sense of peace, happiness and warmth all around him, but there was also a sense of awe, his words were so profound. (Born in Tibet, 1966) In the 1950s, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche settled in Sikkim, where he became the guru of the royal family, residing at the palace monastery until he passed away in 1959.

Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro (1894-1959)

Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche

The present Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, Thubten Chokyi Gyamtso, was born in 1961 in eastern Bhutan. He was recognized as a tulku by H.H. Sakya Trizin, and received empowerments and teachings from many of the greatest masters of Tibetan Buddhism, including H.H. the 16th Karmapa; H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche and Lama Sonam Zangpo (his paternal and maternal grandfathers); Chatral Rinpoche; Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, Khenpo Appey, and many others. His root guru was Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who began training Rinpoche from the age of 7.

Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse