Biographies

Abbots, Lamas and Tulkus

Acharya, means Master in Sanskrit, and has an equivalent of the title Lopon in the Tibetan language.

Geshe is a degree in Buddhist Philosophy, much like the western degree of Ph.D., and much like in the western academic life, a Geshe degree can also be bestowed on an honorary basis. The title is only found in the Gelug and Sakya schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The other two schools, Nyingma and Kagyu, give the academic title Khenpo, which in the Gelug (like at Sera Jey) and Sakya tradition denote Abbotship.

Lama is the Tibetan word for Guru (Sanskrit), and means spritual teacher or leader. Some Lamas are considered to be reincarnations of their predecessors (Tulkus); others have won respect for their high level of spiritual development in this life.

Rinpoche is a Tibetan honorary title given to deserving Lamas by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

To date our Khangtsen has produced three Abbots of Sera Jey Dratsang.
They are the:

• 8th Ser-Jey Khenpo, Abbot, Panchen Delek Nyima
• 48th Ser-Jey Khenpo, Abbot, Thogmed Chogtul Rinpoche
• 70th Ser-Jey Khenpo, Abbot, Ven. Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Thegchok

There have been six renowned recognized reincarnated Lamas and Tulkus from our Khangtsen. They are:

• Jedrub Khangpa Gelek Gyatso
• Thogmed Chogtul Rincpoche
• Rigkya Chogtul Rinpoche
• Panchen Delek Nyima
• Guge Lachung
• Thoding Tulku

Born in 1930, Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Tegchok became a monk at the age of eight. He studied the major Buddhist treatises at Sera-je Monastic University in Tibet for 14 years before fleeing his homeland in 1959 after the abortive uprising of the Tibetans against the Communist Chinese occupation of their country.

After staying in the refugee camp at Buxa, India, Rinpoche went to Varanasi, where he obtained his Acharya (Master) Degree and taught for seven years.

He then began teaching in the West - three years in England and ten years at Nalanda Monastery in France, and then in the United States.
In 1993, His Holiness the Dalai Lama appointed him as abbott of Sera Jhe Monastic University in India. He has recently retired from that post.

Since that time until now he is at the Sera Jey monastery and resides at our Khangtsen. 2007 he turned 76 and is enjoying a very good reputation as a respected teacher in our monastery. He still tours the world and lectures both western and eastern Buddhist students alike.

Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Tegchok is the author of “Transforming Adversity into Joy and Courage: An Explanation of the Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas”, and a commentary on Seven-point Mind Training to be released in 2007/2008 by The Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

Contributions

During Khensur Rinpoche's tenure as the Abbot of Sera jey Monastery, he successfully assumed the spiritual and temporal responsibilities of the Monastery. Some of his outstanding contributions/achievements are:

The present Sera Prayer Hall and the mess of Sera Jey was successfully completed. His holiness the Dalai Lama graciously presided over the inauguration ceremony of the new Assembly hall.  

He also set up the present Library Cum Computer project and expanded the area of the debating ground. The present park on the right side of the prayer hall was made exclusively for the purpose of the senior monks to relax their mind and bodies.

He also made a great contribution in the progress of Sera Jey Secondary School and the Management of Sera Jey Health Care committee.

Rigya Rinpoche Tenzin Choedar was born in Mon-Tawang on the 24th June –1979.
When he was only a 4 yrs old, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognized him as reincarnation of the 10th Rigya Rinpoche  Palden Yeshi. His Holiness gave the little boy the monk’s ordination with grand religious ceremony and gave the name Tenzin  Choedar.
He was enthroned to his predecessor's seat at Rigya Samtenling Labrang on the 8th march,1984 and began his primary Buddhist study from Gyase Rinpoche, then the abbot of Tawang Monastery.

On the 14th Feb 1986, Rigya Rinpoche joined Sera Jey Monastic University with traditional religious ceremony. He received Getsul ordination in 1990 and Gelong or full ordination, in 2004 from His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Sera Mey Monastic University.

Rikya Rinpoche is the continued reincarnation of the great Indian enlightened master Nyamagungpa, great Yoki Basukala and Lha Lama Yeshi Woe.
From Lha Lama Yeshi Woe till now there are 11 reincarnations of Rigkya Rinpoche. The great scholar Palden Yeshi, the 6th reincarnation of Rigkya Rinpoche, was the tutor of the 6th Penchen Lama.
In the 18th century the 7th reincarnation of Rigkya Rinpoche established Rigkya Samten Ling monastery near the Sera monastery in Lhasa, Tibet.

The former Holinesses Dalai Lama used to visit Rikya Samten Ling monastery for the purpose of prolonginging His Holiness' life.
For instance the 11th Dalai Lama stayed in this monastery for one year and in 1841 the 13th Dalai Lama also stayed in this monastery for more than one year. The current 14th Dalai Lama also visited there.

There are lots Khamphu trees around the monastery, so every year the monastery offers Khamphu to H.H. the Dalai Lama.

All the reincarnations of Rikya Rinpoche have been responsible for taking care of the welfare of the Rikya Samten Ling monastery.

Bodong Rinpoche Tenzin Thutop Jigdrel was born to father Dawa Dhargye (Porong ) and mother Kesang Choedon (Dzongkar ) on the 7th Feb, 1992 in the vicinity of Buddhanath Stupa in Nepal.
In 1996, at the age 4, the little boy was recognized as reincarnation of the Great Lama Sonam Gyaltsen (1312-1375) of Bodong Buddhist tradition by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The following year,1997, he was ordained and given the name Tenzin Thutop Jigdrel.

After the recognition in 1999, the little boy was enthroned to the Bodong Pemo Choeding Monastery in Nepal. He received the Getsul ordination at Bodhgaya from His Holiness.

He then joined Dzongchoe monastery on the 3rd August, 2000 (the 6th of the 4th Tibetan month, the celebration of Buddha Turning the wheel of Dharma) and began the study of Buddhist texts under of the guidance of Gen Jampa Soepa and  Geshe Pema Dorjee Ex-director of Sarah college, Dharamsala. Rinpoche has received teachings and initiation and oral transmissions from the His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other great lamas like Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, Cho-Gyed Rinpoche & Trulshig Rinpoche.

On advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Rinpoche joined Sera Jey Monastic University for advanced Buddhist Studies on 24th Oct 2006 to continue the Buddhist philosophical studies under the spiritual guidance of his senior tutor, the Abbot Emeritus Acharya Gehse Jampa Tegchog and junior tutors Geshe Lobsang Wangdue & Geshe Ngawang Sangye. 

His predecessor, Lama Dhampa Sonam Gyaltsen (1312-1375), was constituted to the Sakya throne and assumed the spiritual and temporal responsibilities of Sakya for many years. He was then the supreme accomplished master of Bodong–monastery. His innumerable discourses and spiritual works constitute 79 various Buddhist texts. The Great Lama Tsongkhapa also became his disciple and received many tantric teachings from him.

Venerable Steve Carlier was born in the UK, and has been studying Buddhism since 1977. He first met Lama Yeshe, the founder of the FPMT, and Lama Zopa, its current head, in 1978. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk by Lama Zopa in 1979 and received full ordination from Serkong Tsenshab Rinpoche the following year.

He studied for eleven years at Nalanda Monastery in France, and from 1993 to 2004 was one of only a handful of Westerners who have followed the Nalanda (India) tradition of studies at Sera Monastery in India. Since 1978 he has been a student of the revered abbot emeritus of Sera Jey monastery, Geshe Jampa Tegchog. More recently he has served as this great master's interpreter.