Biography of Rinpoche
Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche is a Bhutanese lama whose lively and practical approach to Buddhist teachings and meditation has shown a special quality to all those who meet him. Rinpoche is an incarnation of Pema Lingpa, one of the greatest tertons or 
“Treasure Revealers” of the Vajrayana path in the history of Tibetan buddhism. As the ninth speech incarnation of Pema Lingpa, he is head of Gangteng monastery in central Bhutan. For eight years Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche remained in almost constant seclusion, study and meditation to fully accomplish realization of the teachings in his lineage. He has perfected transmission of the Nyingma and Drugpa Kagyu traditions.
Pema Lingpa was one of the two direct incarnations of Longchenpa (Longchen Rabjampa), the perfectly realized Nyingma dzogchen master, mystic and scholar. While Padma Lingpa taught and lived in both Bhutan and Tibet during the late 15th- early 16th century, he was born and attained realization in Bhutan. He is revered as a patron saint of Bhutan and stories of his daring exploits confronting skeptics are common in Bhutan.
Gangteng Rinpoche hails from the magical kingdom of Bhutan. It is a country fabled for its lush, wild, exotic and unsurpassed beauty. This Himalayan country has a population of 1.4 million people of who the majority are Buddhist practitioners. The environment of Bhutan, the ancient religion and the unchanged culture has protected one on the few intact Buddhist traditions in the world. He is an authoritative exponent of this freshly preserved tradition of Bhutanese Vajrayana Buddhism.
In addition to traveling throughout Europe, Russia, North America, Taiwan and Singapore to teach his practicing buddhist students, Gangteng Rinpoche is responsible for a group of thirty-five private monasteries and hermitages as well as Gangteng Monastery which was built in the 1500's on a site selected by Padma Lingpa himself. Rinpoche has installed a numerous groups of 3-year retreat practioners and has prepared some of the monks that completed the 3 year retreat with him to begin a further 3 year retreat focused specifically on dzogchen practice, the apex of buddhist teachings in the Nyingma lineage. In the last fifteen years Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche has been working ceaselessly to assure the survival of both the teachings and practices of the Pema Lingpa Lineage. He has built wo three-year-retreat centers; an isolated Dzogchen three-year retreat center; a new monastery (Ogyen Ling) near his birth region in Tongsa; a nunnery and shedra for women near the birthplace of Pema Lingpa in Bhumthang; and a highly-acclaimed university-level shedra adjacent to Gangteng Gonpa.
During previous visits Rinpoche has given teachings on several different dzogchen texts and has taught the practice of a dzogchen ngondro which was written by Padma Lingpa and is unique to this lineage. Additionally he has bestowed the empowerments of Amitayus, Saraswati, the Medicine Buddha, Vajrakilaya, Kurukula and has given teachings for the practice of each of these deities. This year Rinpoche wil continue with furthur dzogchen teachings as well as additional empowerments specific to this lineage.
Gangteng Rinpoche has been instructed and trained by several of the most renowned lamas- His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, His Holiness Khyentse Rinpoche, Chatrul Sangye Dorje Rinpoche and the ex-Je Kempo of Bhutan, the spiritual regent of the Drugpa Kagyu lineage of Bhutan.
As well as teaching in British Columbia, Rinpoche will be teaching in Crestone , Colorado, Los Angeles and Victoria, BC.
“Treasure Revealers” of the Vajrayana path in the history of Tibetan buddhism. As the ninth speech incarnation of Pema Lingpa, he is head of Gangteng monastery in central Bhutan. For eight years Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche remained in almost constant seclusion, study and meditation to fully accomplish realization of the teachings in his lineage. He has perfected transmission of the Nyingma and Drugpa Kagyu traditions.Pema Lingpa was one of the two direct incarnations of Longchenpa (Longchen Rabjampa), the perfectly realized Nyingma dzogchen master, mystic and scholar. While Padma Lingpa taught and lived in both Bhutan and Tibet during the late 15th- early 16th century, he was born and attained realization in Bhutan. He is revered as a patron saint of Bhutan and stories of his daring exploits confronting skeptics are common in Bhutan.
Gangteng Rinpoche hails from the magical kingdom of Bhutan. It is a country fabled for its lush, wild, exotic and unsurpassed beauty. This Himalayan country has a population of 1.4 million people of who the majority are Buddhist practitioners. The environment of Bhutan, the ancient religion and the unchanged culture has protected one on the few intact Buddhist traditions in the world. He is an authoritative exponent of this freshly preserved tradition of Bhutanese Vajrayana Buddhism.
In addition to traveling throughout Europe, Russia, North America, Taiwan and Singapore to teach his practicing buddhist students, Gangteng Rinpoche is responsible for a group of thirty-five private monasteries and hermitages as well as Gangteng Monastery which was built in the 1500's on a site selected by Padma Lingpa himself. Rinpoche has installed a numerous groups of 3-year retreat practioners and has prepared some of the monks that completed the 3 year retreat with him to begin a further 3 year retreat focused specifically on dzogchen practice, the apex of buddhist teachings in the Nyingma lineage. In the last fifteen years Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche has been working ceaselessly to assure the survival of both the teachings and practices of the Pema Lingpa Lineage. He has built wo three-year-retreat centers; an isolated Dzogchen three-year retreat center; a new monastery (Ogyen Ling) near his birth region in Tongsa; a nunnery and shedra for women near the birthplace of Pema Lingpa in Bhumthang; and a highly-acclaimed university-level shedra adjacent to Gangteng Gonpa.
During previous visits Rinpoche has given teachings on several different dzogchen texts and has taught the practice of a dzogchen ngondro which was written by Padma Lingpa and is unique to this lineage. Additionally he has bestowed the empowerments of Amitayus, Saraswati, the Medicine Buddha, Vajrakilaya, Kurukula and has given teachings for the practice of each of these deities. This year Rinpoche wil continue with furthur dzogchen teachings as well as additional empowerments specific to this lineage.
Gangteng Rinpoche has been instructed and trained by several of the most renowned lamas- His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, His Holiness Khyentse Rinpoche, Chatrul Sangye Dorje Rinpoche and the ex-Je Kempo of Bhutan, the spiritual regent of the Drugpa Kagyu lineage of Bhutan.
As well as teaching in British Columbia, Rinpoche will be teaching in Crestone , Colorado, Los Angeles and Victoria, BC.
