THE VEN. TSOKNYI RINPOCHE
Tsoknyi Rinpoche is one of the sons of the great Dzogchen master Tulku Ugyen Rinpoche. Tsoknyi Rinpoche was born in Nepal in 1966. At the age of eight, he was recognised by H.H. Karmapa XVI as the third incarnation of the very great Drukpa Kagyu tantrika of the mid-19th century who was known as Drubwang Tsoknyi. At the Karmapa's request, at the age of thirteen he was taken to the seat of the Khamtrul Rinpoche, the new Khampagar Monastery called Tashi Jong, which had been re-located to Himachal Pradesh, India from its original location in Kham, Tibet. Khamtrul Rinpoche was one of the great Drukpa Kagyu masters who was trained in both Kagyu and Nyingma lineages. Tsoknyi Rinpoche stayed there until his early 20's when he moved back to Kathmandu where he established his own seat at Swayambunath. That way Tsoknyi Rinpoche's principal teachers have been H.E. the eighth Khamtrul Rinpoche Döngyu Nyima, H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, his father H.E. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and H.E., the eighth Thrulzhig Rinpoche now called Adeu Rinpoche.

While Tsoknyi Rinpoche was at Tashi Jong, the great Adeu Rinpoche visited from Kham to pass on the Drukpa Kagyu lineage to all of the tulkus there. At that time, Adeu Rinpoche asked Tsoknyi Rinpoche to take on the work which has now been called the Drukpa Kagyu Heritage Project. Later, after completing his training at Tashi Jong, Tsoknyi Rinpoche returned to Kathmandu and began his own works. At that time, in deference to his guru's command and feeling an obligation to repay the kindness of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage, Tsoknyi Rinpoche started the Drukpa Kagyu Heritage Project as one of his main works.

It is Tsoknyi Rinpoche's wish that, at the completion of the work, a copy of the complete works of the Drukpa Kagyu Lineage be placed free of charge in every Drukpa Kagyu Monastery in the world. He would also like to make sure that all the major libraries of the world are able to obtain a copy of the work if they desire.

All text on this page translated by and © Tony Duff, 2000. You must obtain permission before using, posting, etc. this text in another location.