One Unbroken Transmission · A Clear Stream of Origin
ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ
This centre belongs to the Ancient Translation Nyingma Palyul lineage, and upholds Dzogchen, the summit of the nine vehicles — the ultimate path that points directly to the mind's nature as primordially pure and perfect in this very moment.
The founding of the Dharma in the Land of Snows rests on the aspiration of the "three sublime ones — abbot, master, and king": Khenpo Shantarakshita, who established its foundation through the monastic discipline; Guru Padmasambhava, who subdued obstructing forces through the secret mantra and revealed the Vajrayana; and the Dharma King Trisong Detsen, who as sovereign offered his patronage, invited the masters, and built the temple — the three together accomplishing at Samye Monastery the work of translating the scriptures and transmitting the Dharma. From this point the Nyingma transmission divided into two great rivers: the "oral transmission" (kama), passed from master to disciple mouth to ear, and the "treasure" (terma), concealed by Guru Rinpoche for the benefit of future generations and revealed when the time was ripe. The Longchen Nyingtik and the Namchö upheld by this centre both belong to the treasure lineage — the heart-essence teachings left by the masters for those who would come after.
- Dharmakāya · PrimordialDzogchen Lineage · Dharmakāya Primordial Buddha
Dharmakāya · Primordial · Dzogchen Lineage · Dharmakāya Primordial BuddhaSamantabhadra (Kuntuzangpo)
SAMANTABHADRA · 本初佛
The primordial source of the Dzogchen transmission, the dharmakāya primordial buddha. Through the Mind-Direct Transmission of the Victorious Ones he conveyed self-arisen wisdom directly to the saṃbhogakāya buddhas; he is the root of the three transmissions of Dzogchen. (Note: this is the Nyingma dharmakāya primordial buddha, not the bodhisattva Samantabhadra of the sūtra tradition.)
Read more → - SambhogakayaDzogchen Lineage · Sambhogakaya Buddha
Sambhogakaya · Dzogchen Lineage · Sambhogakaya BuddhaVajrasattva
VAJRASATTVA · 報身
Lord of all the buddha-families, manifesting in the sambhogakaya dimension. Through the transmission of the vidyadharas by sign, he conveyed the Dzogchen teachings to Garab Dorje, the first human master — the crucial bridge by which the dharmakaya's wisdom-intent descended into the human realm.
Read more → - circa 1st century CEFirst Human Master of Dzogchen
circa 1st century CE · First Human Master of DzogchenGarab Dorje
GARAB DORJE · 噶繞多傑
The first human master of the Dzogchen transmission, born in the land of Oddiyana. He received the complete Dzogchen teachings in full from Vajrasattva, and at his parinirvana he entrusted the "Three Statements That Strike the Vital Point" to Mañjuśrīmitra, which became the root of the heart-essence of Dzogchen for all generations.
Read more → - circa 8th centuryDzogchen Vidyādhara Patriarch
circa 8th century · Dzogchen Vidyādhara PatriarchShri Singha
SHRI SINGHA
The great compiler of the Dzogchen Pith Instruction Class (Mengakdé), who attended upon the venerable Mañjuśrīmitra for twenty-five years, divided the heart-essence teachings into four cycles, and transmitted the Dharma to Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and other masters who carried it into Tibet.
Read more → - Eighth centuryRoot Forefather of the Old-Translation Nyingma SchoolEighth century · Root Forefather of the Old-Translation Nyingma School
Guru Padmasambhava
GURU PADMASAMBHAVA
Root forefather of the Old-Translation Nyingma school, revered throughout Tibet as \"Guru Rinpoche.\" Together with the Three Forefathers — Abbot and King — he accomplished the work of spreading the Dharma in the Land of Snows; and for the benefit of measureless beings to come, he concealed a vast body of profound teachings as treasures (terma) — both of the great teaching systems transmitted at this centre arise from this one compassionate skilful means.
Read more → - 1308–1364The Omniscient Dharma King · venerated by later generations as "the Second Buddha"
1308–1364 · The Omniscient Dharma King · venerated by later generations as "the Second Buddha"Longchenpa
LONGCHENPA · 遍知法王
Learned in all the sutras, tantras, and five sciences, he brought the Dzogchen heart-essence (Nyingtik) to its fullest synthesis, composing such monumental works as the Seven Treasuries, the Three Cycles of Rest (Ngalso Korsum), and the Three Cycles of Natural Liberation (Rangdrol Korsum), and establishing for Dzogchen a rigorous, profound, and far-reaching view. Later generations venerate him as "the Second Buddha." The very name Longchen Nyingtik is drawn from the master.
Read more → - 1730–1798Treasure-Revealer of the Longchen Nyingtik
1730–1798 · Treasure-Revealer of the Longchen NyingtikVenerable Jigme Lingpa
JIGME LINGPA · 智悲光
The treasure-revealer of the Longchen Nyingtik. During long retreat at Samye Chimphu, three times within visions of pure, luminous perception he beheld the venerable Longchenpa in person, receiving the blessing of his enlightened mind and the transmission of the heart-essence meaning. Through a "mind treasure" he revealed the entire body of Longchen Nyingtik teachings, and from then on they spread far and wide.
Read more → - 1765–1843Lineage Master of the Longchen Nyingtik Transmission
1765–1843 · Lineage Master of the Longchen Nyingtik TransmissionJigme Gyalwe Nyugu
JIGME GYALWE NYUGU
A heart-son of Jigme Lingpa, the lord of the Longchen Nyingtik teachings, he spent long years in retreat deep in the mountains and later transmitted the Longchen Nyingtik preliminaries twenty-five times to Patrul Rinpoche, becoming the root source of The Words of My Perfect Teacher.
Read more → - 1808–1887Dzogchen Master · Author of The Words of My Perfect Teacher
1808–1887 · Dzogchen Master · Author of The Words of My Perfect TeacherPatrul Rinpoche
PATRUL RINPOCHE · 華智
The most renowned Nyingma master of the nineteenth century. He received the Longchen Nyingtik preliminaries from Jigme Gyalwe Nyugu, composed The Words of My Perfect Teacher, and transmitted the heart-essence of Dzogchen to disciples such as Lungtok Tenpe Nyima.
Read more → - 1829–1901Lineage Master of the Longchen Nyingtik Transmission
1829–1901 · Lineage Master of the Longchen Nyingtik TransmissionNyoshul Lungtok Tenpe Nyima
NYOSHUL LUNGTOK TENPE NYIMA
The most realized heart-son of Patrul Rinpoche, he served his master for twenty-eight years and received in full the Longchen Nyingtik Dzogchen pith instructions; he later entrusted the complete transmission to Khenpo Ngakchung, making him a pivotal figure of the modern Longchen Nyingtik.
Read more → - 1879–1941Modern Master of Dzogchen Exegesis
1879–1941 · Modern Master of Dzogchen ExegesisKhenpo Ngakchung
KHENPO NGAWANG PALZANG
One of the most important Dzogchen exegetes of the Nyingma school in the twentieth century. At Kathok Monastery he propagated the Longchen Nyingtik, composed a vast body of writings, and took part in recognizing the Third Penor Rinpoche. He is revered as an emanation of Vimalamitra and Longchenpa.
Read more → - 1887–1932Ninth Throne-Holder of the Palyul Lineage · Drubwang Pema Norbu
1887–1932 · Ninth Throne-Holder of the Palyul Lineage · Drubwang Pema NorbuThe Second Penor Rinpoche
DRUBWANG PEMA NORBU II
Drubwang Pema Norbu, the ninth throne-holder of the Palyul lineage, was learned in the five sciences, author of seven volumes, and a wide propagator of the Dzogchen tögal teachings — the previous incarnation of the Third Penor Rinpoche.
Read more → - 1894–1958Palyul Choktrul Rinpoche · Root Guru of the Third Penor Rinpoche
1894–1958 · Palyul Choktrul Rinpoche · Root Guru of the Third Penor RinpochePalyul Choktrul Rinpoche
PALYUL CHOKTRUL RINPOCHE
The Choktrul (emanation) Rinpoche of the Palyul tradition, root guru of the Third Penor Rinpoche. He presided over the enthronement of the Dharma King and transmitted to him the entire body of Palyul teachings together with the pith instructions of the Great Perfection.
Read more → - 1932–2009Third Supreme Head of the Nyingma School · Eleventh Throneholder of Palyul
1932–2009 · Third Supreme Head of the Nyingma School · Eleventh Throneholder of PalyulPenor Rinpoche III
PENOR RINPOCHE III
The root guru of Khenpo Nima Rinpoche, universally acknowledged as an emanation of Vimalamitra, who in 1993 was enthroned as the Third Supreme Head of the Nyingma School. In 1963, with meager resources, he rebuilt the Palyul lineage in South India and founded Namdroling Monastery, developing it into one of the largest Nyingma monasteries of the present age.
Read more → - Present DayRoot Lineage Master of This Centre
Present Day · Root Lineage Master of This CentreKhenpo Nima Rinpoche
KHENPO NIMA RINPOCHE
Holding the transmission conferred by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, he propagates the Dzogchen teachings of Longchen Nyingtik and the Namchö sky-treasure in Hong Kong, guiding fellow practitioners in relying upon the preliminaries and the graduated path of Dzogchen. His life and deeds are recounted below.
The Khenpo's life →
LONGCHEN NYINGTHIG · 心髓
The Great Perfection — Longchen Nyingtik
"Nyingtik" means "heart essence" — the most quintessential and most direct of all the Great Perfection teachings, dispensing with elaborate stages and pointing directly to the original face of mind. Its origins can be traced back to the master Vimalamitra; it was brought to fruition by the great Longchenpa, and in the eighteenth century the master Jigme Lingpa revealed the complete body of teachings as a mind treasure. It is the foundation of this centre's path of study and practice, proceeding in sequence — from the common outer preliminaries through the uncommon inner preliminaries to the main practice of the Great Perfection — and cultivated step by step under a master's personal guidance.
Learn more →NAMCHÖ · 虛空法
The Great Perfection Namchö Sky Dharma
"Namchö" means the "Sky Dharma," the "Dharma descended from the heavens," so named because its teachings arose spontaneously, as if from the open sky. It is a treasure (terma) revealed by the great seventeenth-century tertön Mingyur Dorje; its oral teachings were recorded and compiled by the great siddha Karma Chagmé Rinpoche into more than ten volumes of scripture transmitted to this day. The Namchö Sky Dharma is renowned for its complete liturgies and swift blessings, and together with the Longchen Nyingtik it forms one of the two heart-essence Dharma systems treasured by the Palyul lineage.
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The Palyul lineage is one of the six great mother monasteries of the Nyingma tradition, renowned for preserving in full the two heart-essences — the Dzogchen Longchen Nyingtik and the Namchö — and for giving equal weight to study, reflection, and practice. Its root seat, Palyul Monastery, was founded in eastern Tibet and has been passed down through the generations for centuries. After 1959, His Holiness the Third Penor Rinpoche journeyed south out of Tibet, and in 1963, near Mysore in South India, began anew with the barest of means and a small band of accompanying monks, rebuilding the Palyul lineage and founding Namdroling Monastery. Over half a century, Namdroling grew from those humble beginnings into one of the largest Nyingma monasteries of our time, with more than three thousand monks and nuns, a monastic college, and a retreat centre — becoming the central mother monastery through which the Palyul lineage continues abroad and trains its monastics. The resident khenpos of this centre all come from the Namdroling tradition, authenticated by successive throne-holders and the lineage of Penor Rinpoche, and the Dharma they transmit is one unbroken stream, clear in its source.
Khenpo Nima Rinpoche
KHENPO NIMA RINPOCHE
「To carry the Dharma into every darkened corner of the world, so that all places in shadow may shine with light.」
- 1956
Born in Menthang, Bhutan. He took ordination in Bhutan in 1965 and received monastic education from an early age, laying the foundation for a lifetime of study, contemplation, and meditation.
- 1968
He studied thangka painting under Lopön Tsering Dorje of Lhalung, over a span of several years, completing his training in 1973—a mastery of sacred imagery that would later be evident in his attention to the adornment of monasteries and to ritual implements and liturgy.
- 1983
He travelled to the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute in Mysore, South India, for advanced study. He subsequently held such posts as reviewing teacher and khenpo, teaching for many years at both Namdroling Monastery and Tharpaling Monastery, expounding the sūtra and tantra treatises.
- 1997
By the appointment of the Bhutanese government and Penor Rinpoche, he was installed as the sixth abbot of Tharpaling Monastery. During his tenure he reformed the education of the monastic community, built roads and stūpas, and travelled tirelessly to raise funds and perform ceremonies.
- 1999
Having perfected the threefold wisdom of study, contemplation, and meditation in both sūtra and tantra, he was recognized by the Third Penor Rinpoche as a qualified Khenpo Rinpoche.
- 2013
To support the monastic education of his homeland, he founded the Footprints of Guru Rinpoche Foundation, dedicated to building monasteries, training the saṅgha, supporting Dharma ceremonies, and preserving Buddhist culture.
- 2016
The restoration of Tharpaling Monastery in Bhutan was completed, and the Longchenpa Hall, the Green Tārā Hall, and the Śākyamuni Buddha Hall were consecrated. His aspiration likewise forms the basis of this centre's mission.
Khenpo Cheling Wangchug Rinpoche
KHENPO CHELING WANGCHUG RINPOCHE
Born in Bhutan in 1982, he entered the monastic life at the age of nine and received his monastic education at Tharpaling Monastery. He then went to the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute in South India, where for nine years he systematically studied the sutra and tantra treatises and the five sciences. In 2018 he was recognised by the Twelfth Throne-Holder of the Palyul lineage, His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, and conferred the title of qualified Khenpo Rinpoche of Namdroling Monastery. He now resides at this centre, assisting with Dharma activity and teaching, and guiding fellow practitioners in the study of the Longchen Nyingtik preliminaries and the stages of Dzogchen.
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