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Pema Rinchen Rinpoche is the 4th
reincarnation of the Great Terton Master Konchok Naga Dorje. Tsapu Dadun
Rongchu Naga Dorje was one of the 13 greatest Terton Masters named by
Dorjie out of the 100 Terton Masters prophesized by Padmasambava and was
also an emanation of King Trisong Detsen. This great terton master had
revealed numerous hidden Buddha statues, sutras as well as Dharma pills.
One of the terma treasures he revealed was the Vajrapani statue from
Zharezhi Mountain (Meaning: Sword-like rock), together with its Sadhana
and precious Dharma pills. All this Dharma treasures are still
maintained and practiced in Kongya Monastery.
The 2nd reincarnation of this Great Master was Konchok Rinpoche,
recognized by the
His Holiness 15th Karmapa, and given Dharma name
Chodun Guje. He received many empowerments, oral transmissions and
teachings from his root teacher, the 2nd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche.
Chodun Guje Rinpoche practiced long time of the supreme practices of
Vajravarahi, Chakrasambhava and Gyalwa Gyamtso (Red Chenrezig) . He was
one of the great accomplished masters of the Kagyupa Luminous Mahamudra.
Presently, Pema Rinchen Rinpoche was recognized by the 12th
Tai Situ Rinpoche. He was born in the village of Tsula in Tibet. When Pema
Rinpoche was young, Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche at Kongya Monastery already
knew he was different from the rest of the children. As a child, Pema
Rinpoche showed loving-kindness and compassion to all living beings and
liked to follow his uncle, who was a lama, to various caves on retreat.
There was once they went to a very distant cave which one had to travel
a long distance in order to fetch water. Young Pema Rinpoche discovered
and dug out a clean spring of water near the cave which helped to others
to get drinking water easily.
When Pema Rinpoche completed his primary education, he became ordained
at Kongya Monastery and received many great empowerments and teachings
from Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche. The empowerments and oral transmission Pema
Rinpoche received included teachings from the 4 traditions, including
the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche's teachings on "The Five Great
Treasures", the 1st Karma Chiame Rinpoche's great teachings as well as
Nangchiu Karma, Tersa and Dzongchen Nanha teachings.
Tai Situ Rinpoche gave Pema Rinpoche Bhikkhu Vow and Bodhisattva vows.
Pema Rinpoche then went into a retreat for 3 years and 3 months at the
Tersar Monastery's retreat centre. After his retreat, Pema Rinpoche went
to the Seda Larong Five Sciences Buddhist Institute (Wu Ming Fo Xue Yuan
) to study for 5 years and received complete oral transmission on
Khandro Nyingtig from great teachers including His Eminence
Jigme
Phonchok Rinpoche and Khenpo Pema Caiwang Rinpoche. Rinpoche also
received many other teachings, empowerments and learnt from many great
realized masters and went on many retreats ranging from a month to half
a year.
Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche was pleased and asked Pema Rinpoche to teach at
the Kongya Monastery Institute as Khenpo. Pema Rinpoche currently
teaches diligently while making full use of his other time to do
practice retreats. Before the old Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche passed away, he
had made Pema Rinpoche the Monastery's Head Vajra Master as well as gave
him the responsibility of managing the monastery.
After the old Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche passed away, Pema Rinpoche had been
responsible for looking for his reincarnation. He had been to India and
Nepal to visit the 17th Karmapa, Tai Situ Rinpoche and
Gyaltsab Rinpoche
for advice.
Karmapa and Tai Situ Rinpoche have both complimented and
advised Pema Rinpoche, encouraging him to be a non-sectarian Dharma
teacher to spread Dharma to all alike, having learnt from many Great
Realized Masters from many lineages and being a practitioner of the
Mahamudra and
Dzogchen. They have issued him a recommendation letter to
benefit all sentient beings with his Dharma activities. |