Third Bardor Tulku Rinpoche
Encyclopedia
༼འབར་རྡོར་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ། ༽ - ('bar rdor sprul sku)
The Third Bardor Tulku Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist teacher, a holder of the religious lineage
of Terchen Barway Dorje. Rinpoche
is the founder of a Tibetan Buddhist center, Kunzang Palchen Ling, and the Raktrul Foundation in Red Hook, New York
.
, East Tibet, the Third Bardor Tulku Rinpoche is believed, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, to be a rebirth of a nineteenth/twentieth century meditation master, Terchen Barway Dorje (1836-1920).
After the failed 1959 Tibetan uprising
, Rinpoche and his family left Tibet for India
. The journey on foot over the Himalayas
and later the tropical climate of Assam
killed Rinpoche's family. Rinpoche eventually traveled to Darjeeling where Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa
(1924-1981) found him and arranged for him to be taken to Rumtek Monastery
in Sikkim.
The Third Bardor Tulku Rinpoche is mentioned among the prominent lama
s of the Kagyu
tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
He underwent his training as a tulku
(reincarnate lama) under the tutelage of the 16th Karmapa at Rumtek Monastery. He remained close to His Holiness throughout his life, serving as his attendant and traveling with him overseas. At His Holiness’s request, he stayed in the United States to help Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche
and Mr. Tenzin Chonyi establish the Karmapa’s Seat in North America, Karma Triyana Dharmachakra
.
Rinpoche started teaching in the West in 1980s. He has taught at KTD and its affiliates, at other Buddhist centers in the United States and abroad, as well lectured at universities and other venues. Some of his teachings have been published as books and DVDs.
In 2000, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche established the Raktrul Foundation and a in 2003 a Tibetan Buddhist center, Kunzang Palchen Ling (KPL), in Red Hook, New York. A ceremony of a symbolic breaking of the ground for the new building at Kunzang Palchen Ling was held in 2006.
In the fall of 2008, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche resigned from his responsibilities at KTD and is now focusing fully on the activities of Kunzang Palchen Ling (KPL). KPL is a Buddhist center that offers teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. One of the significant traits of KPL's activity is providing access to and the preservation of the treasure (terma
) teachings of Terchen Barway Dorje and the teachings of the Barom Kagyu lineage. In addition to overseeing translations of Terchen Barway Dorje's treasure teachings into English, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche himself composes liturgies and songs (dohas). Rinpoche also guides the activities of Palchen Study Groups in the U.S.
Bardor Tulku Rinpoche travels and teaches across the U.S. His teaching schedule can be found on the KPL website.
The Third Bardor Tulku Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist teacher, a holder of the religious lineage
Lineage (Buddhism)
An authentic lineage in Buddhism is the uninterrupted transmission of the Buddha's Dharma from teacher to disciple.The transmission itself can be for example oral, scriptural, through signs, or directly from one mind to another....
of Terchen Barway Dorje. Rinpoche
Rinpoche
Rinpoche or Rinboqê is an honorific used in Tibetan Buddhism. It literally means "precious one," and is used to address or describe Tibetan lamas and other high-ranking or respected teachers. This honor is generally bestowed on reincarnated lamas, or Tulkus, by default...
is the founder of a Tibetan Buddhist center, Kunzang Palchen Ling, and the Raktrul Foundation in Red Hook, New York
Red Hook, New York
Red Hook is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was reported to be 11,319 during the 2010 census. The name is supposedly derived from the red foliage on trees on a small strip of land on the Hudson River. The town contains two villages; the village of Red Hook and the...
.
Biography
Born in 1949 in KhamKham
Kham , is a historical region covering a land area largely divided between present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region and Sichuan province, with smaller portions located within Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces of China. During the Republic of China's rule over mainland China , most of the region was...
, East Tibet, the Third Bardor Tulku Rinpoche is believed, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, to be a rebirth of a nineteenth/twentieth century meditation master, Terchen Barway Dorje (1836-1920).
After the failed 1959 Tibetan uprising
1959 Tibetan uprising
The 1959 Tibetan uprising, or 1959 Tibetan Rebellion began on 10 March 1959, when a revolt erupted in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, which had been under the effective control of the Communist Party of China since the Seventeen Point Agreement in 1951...
, Rinpoche and his family left Tibet for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The journey on foot over the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and later the tropical climate of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
killed Rinpoche's family. Rinpoche eventually traveled to Darjeeling where Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa
Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism...
(1924-1981) found him and arranged for him to be taken to Rumtek Monastery
Rumtek Monastery
Rumtek , also called the Dharmachakra Centre, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in the Indian state of Sikkim near the capital Gangtok...
in Sikkim.
The Third Bardor Tulku Rinpoche is mentioned among the prominent lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
s of the Kagyu
Kagyu
The Kagyu, Kagyupa, or Kagyud school, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission school, is today regarded as one of six main schools of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other five being the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang, Bon and Gelug...
tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
He underwent his training as a tulku
Tulku
In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his predecessor. In contrast to a tulku, all other sentient beings including other...
(reincarnate lama) under the tutelage of the 16th Karmapa at Rumtek Monastery. He remained close to His Holiness throughout his life, serving as his attendant and traveling with him overseas. At His Holiness’s request, he stayed in the United States to help Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche
Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche
The Venerable Khenpo Karma Tharchin Rinpoche , widely known by his abbreviated name Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, is a highly regarded Lama of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism...
and Mr. Tenzin Chonyi establish the Karmapa’s Seat in North America, Karma Triyana Dharmachakra
Karma Triyana Dharmachakra
Karma Triyana Dharmachakra is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Woodstock, New York, USA, which serves as the North American seat of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Karma Kagyu lineage. It was founded in 1976 by the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. The abbot has been Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche...
.
Rinpoche started teaching in the West in 1980s. He has taught at KTD and its affiliates, at other Buddhist centers in the United States and abroad, as well lectured at universities and other venues. Some of his teachings have been published as books and DVDs.
In 2000, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche established the Raktrul Foundation and a in 2003 a Tibetan Buddhist center, Kunzang Palchen Ling (KPL), in Red Hook, New York. A ceremony of a symbolic breaking of the ground for the new building at Kunzang Palchen Ling was held in 2006.
In the fall of 2008, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche resigned from his responsibilities at KTD and is now focusing fully on the activities of Kunzang Palchen Ling (KPL). KPL is a Buddhist center that offers teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. One of the significant traits of KPL's activity is providing access to and the preservation of the treasure (terma
Terma (Buddhism)
Terma are key Tibetan Buddhist and Bön teachings, which the tradition holds were originally esoterically hidden by various adepts such as Padmasambhava and his consorts in the 8th century for future discovery at auspicious times by other adepts, known as tertöns. As such, they represent a...
) teachings of Terchen Barway Dorje and the teachings of the Barom Kagyu lineage. In addition to overseeing translations of Terchen Barway Dorje's treasure teachings into English, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche himself composes liturgies and songs (dohas). Rinpoche also guides the activities of Palchen Study Groups in the U.S.
Bardor Tulku Rinpoche travels and teaches across the U.S. His teaching schedule can be found on the KPL website.
Teachings on DVD
- Preparing for Death and Dying (1999) Vajra Echoes
- Twenty-One Praises to Tara (1999) Vajra Echoes
- Life of Yeshe Tsogyal (2008) Karma Kagyu Institute