A Glimpse into the life of His Eminence Khensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche. (Part 2 of 3)

(A former abbot of Gaden Shartse Monastery and Acharya degree holder of higher buddhist studies from Central Tibetan Institute of Higher Studies in Varanasi, India)


Life in India

After Communist China took over Tibet in 1959, Rinpoche was unable to complete his studies. In the aftermath of the invasion, millions of innocent Tibetans lost their lives, and almost all of the monasteries, holy shrines and statues were demolished. Amidst this brutal persecution, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and a following of 250,000 Tibetans were forced to escape into India, where they sought political asylum. Rinpoche also followed His Holiness into exile and has lived in India ever since.

Rinpoche and thousands of other monks were initially re-settled in the Tibetan monastic refugee camp in Buxa, located on India’s North-East border. Here, they were all challenged by the unfamiliar climate, the rough living conditions and poor nutrition. India’s heat and humidity contrasted sharply with the climate they had been used to in Tibet, and many great lamas became sick and died as a result. For over half a decade, Rinpoche struggled to survive in the camp and worked hard to complete his studies. During the later period in Buxa, he had several opportunities to perform retreats under the guidance of Kyabje Zong Dorjechang. He never chose to leave the Sangha (the spiritual community) in order to find a better place to live. Rather, he was completely dedicated to rekindling the flame of Buddha's teachings in exile so that they could be preserved and shared all over the world despite the Communists’ attempt to wipe them out.

In 1965, under the precious guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan government-in-exile set up a teachers training program in the Indian hill station of Mussourie. His Holiness advised the handful of scholars in Buxa that the traditional study program needed to be reformed. Many great scholars from the Gelug, Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyud lineages were introduced to innovative methods of training and Rinpoche was selected as a senior scholar. The director of the teacher-training program was Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, one of Rinpoche's root gurus, from whom he sought many instructions on both Sutra and Tantra. During the program, Rinpoche met Khunu Lama Rinpoche. This lama had been born in India and was regarded as a great master of nonsectarian practice. Rinpoche trained in other fields of study with Khunu Lama, such as literature and grammar.

In 1966, after the completion of the Teacher Training Program, the Institute of Traditional Tibetan Buddhism in Buxa was transformed into a modern learning institution under the direction of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Rinpoche was appointed as educational advisor and served there energetically until in 1968, again under the supreme leadership of His Holiness, he established the first Institute of Tibetan Higher Studies. The Institute attracted advanced scholars from all four lineages. Rinpoche studied there consistently for three years, and earned the Acharya Degree, or Masters Degree of Higher Buddhist Studies, which he received with highest honors.

At the beginning of 1971, His Holiness summoned all Master Degree holders to Dharamsala in North-West India, the seat of His Holiness’ office in exile. Nine geshes from both Tantric colleges of Gyutö and Gyümed, plus forty-nine scholars, participated in a fifteen-day-long examination on the Five Fields of Sutra Studies. Under the observation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Rinpoche was recognized as an outstanding

scholar, and finally had the privilege of a private audience with His Holiness. At the end of that same year, Rinpoche arrived in South India where he joined the convocation ceremony of Gaden, Sera, and Drepung monasteries, and was graciously conferred the title of Geshe Lharampa, Highest Masters Degree.

In 1972, he attended the Prayer Festival at Tsuklagkhang, the main cathedral in Dharamsala, and sat for his debate examination while His Holiness The Dalai Lama presided. Again, Rinpoche proved his proficiency in Buddhist dialectics by challenging his opponents with supreme confidence, and many scholars applauded his knowledge and humility.

After the examinations, Rinpoche received extensive teachings on Generation and Completion Stages of Highest Yoga Tantra practice from His Holiness The Dalai Lama. From Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, HisHoliness’ senior tutor, he received complete Guyasamaja initiation followed by teachings on the Generation Stage of Yamantaka Practice. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness’ junior tutor, gave Rinpoche extensive teachings on the Six Yogas of Naropa. It took three months for Rinpoche to receive all these teachings from his root teachers. He recalls saying at the time, "Receiving these precious teachings far surpasses even receiving a vase filled with the seven precious jewels!"

The same year, His Holiness urged Rinpoche to enter Gyutö Tantric College, where he took the time to train in the study of Buddhist Tantra. He primarily focused his study on the Tantras of Guyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, and Yamantaka. He also completed training in Tantric rituals and mudras, or esoteric gestures. At the conclusion of this training, Rinpoche was required to be examined amidst a highly learned group, where he received great admiration and respect from many senior scholars for his profound wisdom.

Having completed his studies on the practice of the esoteric path of Buddhism, Rinpoche began research on a classical treatise of ancient Buddhist logic expounded by Aryadeva. Aryadeva was a successor of Arya Nagarjuna, the pioneer of the Madhyamika Prasangika school of thought. In the course of his research, Rinpoche wrote a few hundred page thesis on ancient Buddhist logic that is a valued academic tool that has been copyrighted by the Tibetan Institute of Higher Studies in Sarnath, Varanasi.

Start of Teaching Life & Appointment As Abbot

Rinpoche returned to his monastery in South India, where he began teaching students. While teaching, he engaged in a twelve-month retreat on Yamantaka, and thereafter was appointed disciplinarian at Gyutö Tantric College in northern India.

In 1977, he attended the complete teachings of His Holiness The Dalai Lama on Je Tsongkhapa's commentary on Madhyamika Philosophy at Drepung Monastery in South India, and in 1978, he went to Sera Monastery in Bylakuppe to receive His Holiness' commentary on Abhisamayalankara, primarily based on Je Tsongkhapa's text.

Around that time, Rinpoche received a number of invitations to teach in Western countries. Hedeclined the invitations, preferring to teach at the monastery. Lama Yeshe, Spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition, invited Rinpoche to the West on two separate occasions, but once again Rinpoche turned down the invitations believing it more important for him to teach at the monastic institutions in order to produce high scholars and practitioners for the sake of future generations.

He decided to settle in the monastery and continued to teach tirelessly, every day. Venerable Kyabje Lati Rinpoche had just retired from abbotship after rendering eight years of active service, and in the course of time, Rinpoche was appointed to the post of abbot of Gaden Shartse Monastery by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The appointment to abbot of a monastery by His Holiness would normally be regarded by a Tibetan monk as his greatest life achievement, but for Rinpoche it was a total nuisance. For several nights he had trouble sleeping, worrying about all the responsibilities expected of an abbot. He never thought himself capable of managing all the affairs and administration of a monastery since he had always lived a simple, low-profile life. For this reason, he sought to resign the position and to continue to live in solitude, giving teachings to the monks.

He went to see Venerable Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and explained to him that he was not worthy of the status of abbot and that there were others better suited to the post. He also approached former abbot, Kyabje Lati Rinpoche, and told him the same thing. Both of Rinpoche's teachers, however, gently urged him to assume the post and helped him to gain confidence in his abilities. With the blessings of both his masters, Rinpoche thought it over carefully, and after some time, he resolved to become the abbot of the monastery.

In 1984 Rinpoche was enthroned as abbot of Gaden Shartse Monastery, and wisely administered all the duties expected of him. As a leader, he served the monastic community with endearing love and respect. Although he had authority over both board members and staff, he would rather place himself at the bottom of the totem pole. During his tenure, Rinpoche emphasized ethical discipline and traditional education, and continued to be recognized as a model of pure ethical behavior. Almost the entire day, he is engaged in meditation or in giving pith instructions on the path of spiritual awakening. Those who have the opportunity to spend more time with him develop a sense of peace, as the mundane ego and emotions diminish in the presence of the ethical energy and wisdom of such a spiritually balanced person. Rinpoche is, without exaggeration, attributed with such qualities as a result of his spiritual mastery and sincerity.

He always pays great attention to Vinaya teachings and practice, and this, in turn, inspires the monks to implement the monastic code in their everyday life. All members of the monastery acknowledged his selfless service with great reverence and wished him a long tenure.

While abbot, Rinpoche played an important role as a dedicated teacher. One after another, classes poured into his small room. Every day except Monday (a day of rest), each class received an hour lesson, and Rinpoche regularly gave 6 to 7 hours of classes daily to different levels of students. Throughout his abbotship, he lived a very simple life with his room containing only a fan, a bed, a table, and Dharma texts.

One time, while he was teaching a class, Rinpoche became totally exhausted from the heat, but he wouldn’t acknowledge his condition nor stop to rest even for a short while. He became so weak that he got sick, and a few of his resident students took it upon themselves to cancel the next classes without his knowledge. After a few minutes, Rinpoche wanted to resume teaching, when he discovered that the rest of the day's program had been cancelled, he appeared to scold the resident students, for "It was an evil act to not allow someone to teach Dharma and others to listen." Rinpoche doesn't care about physical relaxation when there is Dharma activity to be done. For him, imparting the teachings is the essence of his life; without it the would be lost. He states that the reason he chose to live at the monastery was to deliver teachings to students; otherwise he had pledged to live in the mountains as a hermit. His root gurus had also told him that he should remain at the monastery to turn the wheel of Dharma for the younger generation who are the seeds of the future Buddhadharma. With courageous aspiration and fondness for his young students Rinpoche continued to remain in the monastic community.

(..to be continued)

[Colophon: This biography is written by Geshe Lobsang Tsultrim Ngo-nang in the winter of 2004 in Dharamsala, India. Sincere acknowledgment owes to Rebecca Novick from TDL Center for her literary contribution.]

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