Karma Thinley Rinpoche

Karma Thinley Rinpoche
Religion Tibetan Buddhism
School Kagyu, Sakya
Lineage Mahamudra, Lamdré
Education Riwoche
Other names Lama Wangchen (bla ma dbang chen)
Personal
Nationality Canadian
Born 1939
Nangchen, Tibet
Senior posting
Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Title Karma Thinleypa IV
Religious career
Teacher XVIth Gyalwa Karmapa, Dilgo Khyentse Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen, Ling Rinpoche
Reincarnation Beru Kunrik, Palkhang Lotsawa

Karma Thinley Rinpoche, (b. 1931)[1][2] is an important master of the Kagyu[2] Mahamudra, Sakya Lamdré[2] and Chod traditions of Tibetan Buddhism active in the west. He is also well regarded by Tibetans as a scholar, poet and artist.

Life

Karma Thinley Rinpoche was born in Nangchen, Kham, in Qinghai[1] in 1931.[1][2] At age two, he was recognized as a reincarnation of Beru Shaiyak Lama Kunrik.[1][2]

Throughout the 1950s, Rinpoche made pilgrimages to Radeng, Samye, Sakya and Lhasa.[2] Eventually, he settled for a period at Tsurphu Monastery,[2] traditional seat of the Karmapa. The 16th Karmapa recognized Rinpoche as a tulku of Karma Thinleypa.[2]

Karma Thinley Rinpoche left Tibet for India in 1959[1] and during the 1960s was abbot of the Young Lamas Home School[1] and Karma Drubgyu Thargay Ling nunnery[2] both founded by Freda Bedi in Dalhousie, HP. There he was one of the first Tibetan refugee Lamas to teach western students. In 1971 he accompanied a group of Tibetan refugees resettled in Ontario, Canada as their Lama[2] and in 1973 established a Buddhist center, Kampo Gangra Drubgyud Ling meditation centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[2]

In 1982, Karma Tinley Rinpoche was able to visit his homeland Nangchen for the first time since leaving a quarter of a century earlier.[1] Returning several times since then he has established a temple in Shorda, capital of Nangchen District and a school for nomad children in the Sangshung valley.

In 1988, he also established a nunnery, Tekchen Lekshay Ling, at Boudhanath Nepal and subsequently a small meditation retreat center at Pharping.

His students include Lama Jampa Thaye, a British Buddhist teacher who is Karma Thinley Rinpoche's dharma-regent and founded the Dechen sangha [3] and the Nepalese Lama, Rana Guru.

Bibliography

  • Karma Thinley. History of 16 Karmapas. Shambhala (2001) ISBN 1-57062-644-8
  • Karma Thinley Rinpoche. The Telecope of Wisdom. Ganesha Press (2009) ISBN 978-0-9509119-6-0

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lama Karma Thinley Rinpoche
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Karma Thinley Rinpoche
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-04. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
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