The third Jamgon Kongtrul

Karma Lodro Chokyi Senge

The name of the third Kongtrul incarnation is Jamgon Kongtrul, Karma Lodro Chokyi Senge, perfect guide of unequalled kindness, whose aspirations, activity, and accomplishments for the precious Dharma and sentient beings in general, and the Kagyu lineage in particular, have been a wondrous light in these dark times. For this reason, his name is spoken with great reverence. As his last testament, the previous Jamgon Kongtrul, Khyentse Ozer, stated that his reincarnation would be in central Tibet and that the household, parents, and time would be predicted by the Gyalwang Karmapa. Accordingly, in a first letter of recognition, the XVIth Gyalwang Karmapa wrote the following prophesy:

In the central part of the country, surrounded by snow mountains,
With the father's name De and the mother's Pema,
From a wealthy family of pure ancestry,
A boy of the wood horse year with excellent signs
Is without any doubt Jamgon, the incarnation of Lotsawa Vairocana.
Raising the victory banner of the teachings,
He will give life to all Buddhist traditions
And especially to the lineage of Gampopa.

According to this vajra prophesy, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche was born on the first of October, 1954, the male horse year of the sixteenth cycle, in Lhasa, from whence the Dalai Lama guided the spiritual and temporal life of Tibet. His father was Tsering Tobgyal of Sadutshang, a prominent family, and his mother was Pema Yudron, the daughter of Sawang Ngawang Jigme Ngabo, a cabinet minister in the Tibetan government. Before and after his birth, many wonderful signs appeared to his mother, and he was recognized without any doubt as the reincarnation of Jamgon Kongtrul by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Gyalwang Karmapa through the vision of their stainless wisdom.

H.E. the third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche
at 6 years of age.

Under their direction, Yonten Phuntsok, the Treasurer of the former Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, repeatedly requested the Sadutshang family to entrust the tulku to his Labrang (monastic organization). At last they consented, and when he was one year and five months old, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche was formally recognized and offered robes and his title. At the age of six, he was enthroned by His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa at the old monastery in Rumtek, Sikkim. From then onwards, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche as a heart son was inseparable from His Holiness, who supervised his education right from the very beginning, starting with reading, writing, and memorizing texts. At the age of thirteen, he received from His Holiness the XVIth Karmapa, getsul ordination along with Shamar Rinpoche and Tai Situ Rinpoche on the fifteenth day of Saga Dawa (the fourth Tibetan month) of the male fire horse year at Rumtek's Karma Shedrub Chokhor Ling (Dharma Chakra Center). At that time he received the name, Jamgon Kongtrul, Karma Lodro Chokyi Senge, Tenpay Gocha Ngedon Gyurme Trinle Kunkhyab Palzangpo.

Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche then studied a great number of texts, both in general and specifically, with Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, a great scholar and holder of the Vinaya. His further studies also included all the tantras of Marpa's tradition, especially those of the Karma Kamtsang, and the lama dances, preparation of mandalas, chanting and musical instruments pertaining to the practices of Padmasambhava, Vajrakilaya, and others. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche received from Khyabje Kalu Rinpoche, master siddha and the activity emanation of Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, teachings ranging from the Mahamudra Preliminary Practices of the Kamtsang tradition up to empowerments, reading transmissions, and explanations for Gyalwa Gyamtso, Demchok, Dorje Pagmo, and especially, the Six Yogas of Naropa, Mahamudra, The Five Golden Teachings of the Shangpa Kagyu, the great empowerments of Kalachakra and Rinchen Terdzö, and at different times, countless other teachings of the new and old traditions.

At the age of twenty, on the fifteenth day of the first month (the month of miracles) in the female water ox year, he received full gelong ordination at the Dharma Chakra Centre from His Holiness the XVIth Gyalwang Karmapa, who acted as the khenpo (abbot) for the occasion, since he is a master of the qualities of discipline and learning, well-versed in the pitakas, the second Shakyamuni of this generate time, and leader of all those who hold ordination. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche took gelong vows along with Chamgon Situ Rinpoche and Khyabje Gyaltsab Rinpoche, and was assisted by a master of procedure and other monks to complete the necessary number. Believing them to be the very foundation of the Dharma, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche always guarded carefully these precious Vinaya rules, protecting them as if they were his own eyes. He gave the ordinations of getsul and gelong to about three thousand monks in India, Nepal, and Tibet, both the worlds of East and West, and so became a great holder of the Vinaya.

From His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche received the bodhisattva vows, which are the foundation of the Mahayana path, from both traditions of Nagarjuna and Asanga. He continually practiced the many aspects of a bodhisattva's path - the six paramitas, the four ways of gathering disciples, and so forth - training in the extensive activity of the bodhisattva, and manifesting as a great one himself.

Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche had great faith, respect, and devotion for his spiritual teachers, the source of all paths and practice, and received from them many teachings of the sutra and tantra tradition. Especially, his relationship to the Gyalwang Karmapa, embodiment of all refuges, was one of total devotion, respect, and pure vision, which were greater than ever that for the Buddha himself. Rinpoche served His Holiness perfectly and received from him all the profound oral instructions, such as the Five Great Treasuries, all the empowerments, reading transmissions, and explanations of the Kamtsang Kagyu, the Root Text of Mahamudra, and so forth. In particular, the realization of Mahamudra, which is the heart blessing of the ultimate lineage, was transferred to him and he became a great siddha.

In 1976 and 1980, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche accompanied the Gyalwang Karmapa on a tour of numerous places in America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. After His Holiness' parinirvana, Jamgon Rinpoche continued to travel to Europe and Asia, and established branches of the Rigpe Dorje Foundation in many countries and the Paramita Charitable Trust in India, to further his activities of social development for the benefit of others. Through empowerments, explanations, and advice, he generously gave teachings for three different types of students in accordance with their needs, and so became like the medicine that restores the teachings and healed sentient beings.

In 1983, in order to counteract obstacles to the swift return of His Holiness the Karmapa, Jamgon Rinpoche built a Sidok Stupa with the proper measurements, mantras, dharanis, and consecration. For the same reasoon, he initiated the practice of 100 million recitations of the Vajrasattva mantra every year on the occasion of Saga Dawa (the fourth Tibetan month). In 1984, following the wishes of His Holiness, he started the construction of a new building for Karma Shri Nalanda Institute and it was inaugurated in June of 1987. Not only did Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche provide for all the furnishings of the entire building, including the statues and so forth for the shrine hall, but he also found the means to support about 150 students, comprised of many tulkus, lamas, and monks.

Jamgon Rinpoche visited Tibet in 1984, and at Palpung Monastery, he gave empowerments and teachings to a vast gathering of monks and lay people, and ordained about 500 monks giving them getsul and gelong vows. He then visited Lhasa and Tsurphu Monastery (the seat of His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa) where he gave empowerments and teachings to monks and lay people, and the ordinations of getsul and gelong to about one hundred. Furthermore, he was able to obtain permission for the reconstruction of Tsurphu, towards which he donated all the offerings that were made to him during his journey.

In 1988, Rinpoche constructed a new monastery at Lava near Kalimpong, West Bengal, and presently about 108 monks reside there, ten of whom are involved in a three-year retreat following the tradition of the golden Dharma in the Shangpa Kagyu. Likewise, in 1988 he started the construction of Pullahari Retreat Center in Nepal, where there are now about fifteen monks practicing. In 1990, he gave the great Kalachakra empowerment to the monks and lay people of Rumtek and donated funds to initiate the conducting of the Kalachakra puja there on an annual basis.

In 1991, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche returned to Tibet and visited Derge Gonchen where he gave an empowerment, reconsecrated the old and new Derge Printing House, and made donations to them. Thereafter, he journeyed to Palpung Monastery and gave the great Kalachakra initiation to about 550 tulkus and lamas of the area, including Sangye Tendzin of Japa Gonzhab Surmang Tentrul, Dodrak Tulku, and many others, and further, there was a crowd of about 10,000 lay people. He also gave getsul and gelong ordinations to about 550 people. Next he travelled to Damkar Monastery in Nangchen where he again gave the Kalachakra empowerment to about 10,000 sangha members, including lamas and tulkus, such as Shangu Tulku, Kyodrak Tendzin, Salga, Drukpa Tulku, Demon Tulku, and many others.

In February of 1992, he gave the Kagyu Ngakdzö empowerments to the monks, nuns, and lay people of Rumtek, and to numerous sangha members from the East and West. He also inaugurated the new building of Karma Jamyang Khang, a primary school for monks, for which he had arranged funding and participated in the design and construction. As his last activity, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche offered mantras and dharanis to fill the new statue of the Buddha in the main shrine hall of Rumtek monastery. Due to his pure samaya with His Holiness, he was able to cover the entire statue with gold. Once he had consecrated the statue, Jamgon Rinpoche told his attendants, "Now I have fulfilled the wishes of His Holiness."

From childhood, he naturally had all the qualities of a noble being. His faith and pure vision of his teachers was unparalleled, and especially, his devotion to his root lama, Vajradhara Gyalwang Karmapa, was fully equal to that of all the previous lineage holders of the Kagyu tradition. From the time His Holiness became ill, until he dissolved his mind into the dharmadhatu, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche was not separate from him for even one moment. He was never tired nor careless for a moment in attending to the physical needs or following the commands and wishes of his lama. With great respect he served His Holiness even to the point of cleaning His Holiness' personal bathroom and sweeping his floors when it was necessary. His life is a teaching to people like us who tend to treat the Dharma and the lamas like water by the roadside, which we take when we need it, but do not respect or give devotion from our heart.

Jamgon Rinpoche studied numerous sutras, tantras, their commentaries and oral instructions, from traditions in particular and in general. As a sign of having genuinely realized these teachings, he displayed the qualities of faith, pure vision, loving-kindness, and genuine concern for the well-being of others that were so much a part of him, they became inseparable from his name. He constantly fulfilled the wishes of others through giving away all that was offered him to build monasteries, establish centers of learning and practice, to create representations of the Buddha's body, speech, and mind, to support the sangha and the poor and needy.

With clear wisdom of the world and of Dharma, he soothed the mental sufferings of others, cut through the net of their doubts, and guided them onto the right path through direct and indirect means. To his attendants and all those, high or low, with whom he related, Jamgon Rinpoche always showed the qualities of constant friendship, modesty, humility, and gratitude; he perfected all these qualities that are esteemed in the world. We, his disciples, should always remember this perfect life story of our supreme guide and seek to emulate it with faith, respect, and pure vision.

At the age of thirty-nine (by the Tibetan calender), Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche suddenly passed away, due to the obstacles for Buddhism and people in general, and in particular for the Kagyu tradition. Considering his age, learning, qualities, aspirations, and activities, his passing has been an unbearably sorrowful event for his disciples and all who knew him.