The 7th Dzogchen Ponlop (Karma Sungrap Ngedön Tenpa Gyaltsen, born 1965) is an abbot of

Dzogchen Monastery Dzogchen Monastery (Tib. རྫོགས་ཆེན་དགོན། ''rdzogs chen dgon'') is one of the "Six Mother Monasteries" of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It is located in Kham within modern day Dêgê County, Garzê Tib ...

, founder and spiritual director of

Nalandabodhi Nalandabodhi is an international Buddhist organization founded in the United States by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche in 1997 and is named after the historic Nalanda university of India. "Nalanda" translates literally as "the place that confers the l ...

, founder of Nītārtha Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies, a leading

Tibetan Buddhist Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...

scholar, and a meditation master. He is one of the highest tülkus in the

Nyingma Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and transl ...

lineage and an accomplished

Karma Kagyu Karma Kagyu (), or Kamtsang Kagyu (), is a widely practiced and probably the second-largest lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, ...

lineage holder.

Biography

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche was born in 1965 at

Rumtek Monastery Rumtek Monastery (), also called the Dharma Chakra Centre, is a gompa located in the Indian state of Sikkim near the capital Gangtok. It is the seat-in-exile of the Gyalwang Karmapa, inaugurated in 1966 by the 16th Karmapa. It is also a focal p ...

(Dharma Chakra Center) in

Sikkim Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siligur ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. His birth was prophesied by the supreme head of the Kagyu lineage,

Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, 16th Karmapa The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (; August 14, 1924 – November 5, 1981) was the spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Followers believed him to be part of the oldest line of reincarnate lamas in Vajra ...

, to Ponlop Rinpoche's parents, Dhamchö Yongdu, the General Secretary of the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa, and his wife, Lekshey Drolma. Upon his birth, he was recognized by the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa as the seventh in the line of Dzogchen Ponlop incarnations and was formally enthroned as the Seventh Dzogchen Ponlop at Rumtek Monastery in 1968. After receiving Buddhist refuge and

bodhisattva vow The Bodhisattva vow is a vow (Sanskrit: ''praṇidhāna,'' lit. aspiration or resolution) taken by some Mahāyāna Buddhists to achieve full buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings. One who has taken the vow is nominally known as a bodhi ...

s from the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Dzogchen Ponlop was ordained as a novice monk in 1974. He subsequently received full ordination and became a bhikṣu, although he later returned his vows and is now a lay teacher. Rinpoche received teachings and empowerments from the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa,

Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche () (c. 1910 – 28 September 1991) was a Vajrayana master, scholar, poet, teacher, and recognized by Buddhists as one of the greatest realized masters. Head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism from 198 ...

Kalu Rinpoche Kalu Rinpoche (1905 – May 10, 1989) was a Buddhist lama, meditation master, scholar and teacher. He was one of the first Tibetan masters to teach in the West. Early life and teachers Kalu Rinpoche was born in 1905 during the Female Woo ...

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche (1920A Brief Biography of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
– ...

, Khenchen

Thrangu Rinpoche Thrangu Rinpoche ( ) was born in 1933 in Kham, Tibet. He is deemed to be a prominent tulku (reincarnate lama) in the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, the ninth reincarnation in his particular line. His full name and title is the ''Very Venerabl ...

(chief Abbot of the Kagyu lineage), Alak Zenkar Rinpoche, and

Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche () is a prominent scholar yogi in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He teaches widely in the West, often through songs of realization, his own as well as those composed by Milarepa and other masters of the ...

, his root guru. Rinpoche began studying Buddhist philosophy at the primary school in Rumtek at age 12. In 1979 (when Rinpoche was fourteen), the 16th Karmapa proclaimed Ponlop Rinpoche to be a heart son of the Gyalwang Karmapa and a holder of his

lineage. In 1980 on his first trip to

the West West is a cardinal direction or compass point. West or The West may also refer to: Geography and locations Global context * The Western world * Western culture and Western civilization in general * The Western Bloc, countries allied with NATO ...

, he accompanied the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa to

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, and

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

. While serving as the Karmapa's attendant, he also gave dharma teachings and assisted in ceremonial roles during these travels. In 1981, he entered the monastic college at Rumtek, Karma Shri Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies where he studied the fields of

Buddhist philosophy Buddhist philosophy refers to the philosophical investigations and systems of inquiry that developed among various schools of Buddhism in India following the parinirvana of The Buddha and later spread throughout Asia. The Buddhist path combi ...

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...

logic Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premises ...

, and debate. During his time at Rumtek, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche worked for the Students' Welfare Union, served as head librarian, and was the chief-editor of the Nalandakirti Journal, an annual publication which brings together Eastern and Western views on Buddhism. Rinpoche graduated in 1990 as Ka-rabjampa from Karma Shri Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies in

. (Ka-rabjampa means "one with unobstructed knowledge of scriptures", the Kagyu equivalent of the

Sakya The ''Sakya'' (, 'pale earth') school is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the others being the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug. It is one of the Red Hat Orders along with the Nyingma and Kagyu. Origins Virūpa, 16th century. It depic ...

and

Gelug file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India). The Gelug (, also Geluk; "virtuous ...

geshe Geshe (Tib. ''dge bshes'', short for ''dge-ba'i bshes-gnyen'', "virtuous friend"; translation of Skt. ''kalyāņamitra'') or geshema is a Tibetan Buddhist academic degree for monks and nuns. The degree is emphasized primarily by the Gelug lineage, ...

degree.) He simultaneously earned the degree of

Acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a tit ...

, or Master of Buddhist Philosophy, from

Sampurnanand Sanskrit University Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya (IAST: ; formerly Varanaseya Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya and Government Sanskrit College, Varanasi) is an Indian university and institution of higher learning located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, specializing i ...

. Dzogchen Ponlop has also completed studies in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and

comparative religion Comparative religion is the branch of the study of religions with the systematic comparison of the doctrines and practices, themes and impacts (including migration) of the world's religions. In general the comparative study of religion yie ...

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

Works

As a witty, humorous and sensitive speaker, he is warmly greeted worldwide; as a teacher and prolific authorDzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche , Biography
/ref> Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is well known for his teaching contributions to ''

Bodhi Magazine ''Bodhi Magazine'' () is a 72-page internationally distributed full-color glossy format Buddhist periodical that is issued on a quarterly basis. It is based in Seattle. First printed in 1997, its content is created by and for Nyingma and Kagyu sa ...

, Lion's Roar, Buddhadharma,'' and elsewhere. He has also penned a number of books and articles: * * * * * * 2003: "Brief Histories of the Sixteen Karmapas". ''in''

Organizations

Nalandabodhi

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is the founder and spiritual director of

, an international Buddhist community with centers in multiple countries around the world. Nalandabodhi provides paths of study, meditation, and mindful activity rooted in the Kagyu and Nyingma schools of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Nitartha International

Nitartha International
was founded by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche in 1994. It is the parent organization for several different projects devoted to preserving traditional Buddhist texts, arts, and educational systems. Activities under the umbrella of Nitartha International includ
Nitartha Institute
the Nitartha Translation Network, Nitartha International Publications
Nitartha Tibetan-English Dictionary Tools
th
Nitartha Digital Library
and the development o
Tibetan language fonts
and software.

Nitartha Institute

Th
Nitartha Institute
for Higher Buddhist Studies was founded by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche in 1996 under the guidance of Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche and

. Taught by Tibetan and Western teachers, Nitartha courses are modeled on the Tibetan monastic college system (

shedra Shedra is a Tibetan word () meaning "place of teaching" but specifically refers to the educational program in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and nunneries. It is usually attended by monks and nuns between their early teen years and early twenties. N ...

). Nitartha courses are held online and at various locations around the world. In addition, an intensive annua
Summer Institute
is held in the US Pacific Northwest that also provides deeper training in meditation, and classes in traditional Buddhist arts and healing.

Bodhi Seeds

Bodhi Seeds
is a humanitarian organization founded by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche to help with the many needs of monastic and lay communities in the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. Bodhi Seeds is currently supporting medical clinics in Rumtek, India, and Legon, Tibet.

Dzogchen Ponlop lineage

#Namkha Ösal ནམ་མཁའ་འོད་གསལ། (?-1726) #Pema Sangngak Tenzin པདྨ་གསང་སྔགས་བསྟན་འཛིན། (1731-1805) #Namkha Chökyi Gyatso ནམ་མཁའ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་རྒྱ་མཚོ། (1806-1821?) #Jigme Chöying Ösel འཇིགས་མེད་ཆོས་དབྱིངས་འོད་གསལ། (?) #Kunchok Tenpe Nyima དཀོན་མཆོག་བསྟན་པའི་ཉི་མ། (?) #Jigtral Tsewang Dorje འཇིགས་བྲལ་ཚེ་དབང་རྡོ་རྗེ། (1925–62) #Karma Sungrap Ngedön Tenpa Gyaltsen ཀརྨ་གསུང་རབ་ངེས་དོན་བསྟན་པའི་རྒྱལ་མཚན། (1965–present)

References

External links

*
Emotional RescueNalandabodhi InternationalNitartha Institute for Higher Buddhist StudiesWhat the Buddha Taught
Shambhala Sun Magazine article by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche about the three teachings of the wheel of dharma.
Audio Interview Series
on Buddhist Geeks {{DEFAULTSORT:Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche 1965 births Living people American people of Tibetan descent Buddhist acharyas Dzogchen lamas Indian emigrants to the United States Kagyu lamas Nyingma lamas Rinpoches Tulkus Kagyu tulkus American education writers American male writers of Indian descent American male non-fiction writers