Member of the
Foundation for the
Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition

Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born in 1946 in Thami, in the Mount Everest region of Nepal, not far from the Lawudo cave where his predecessor had meditated for the last 20 years of his life. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is now the Spiritual Director of the Foundation and oversees all of its activities. For more information about Rinpoche, please go to the FPMT website.

Venerable Emeritus Abbot Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Jampa (known as Geshe Thinley Topgyal) was born in 1937 in Nyaktren, a sector of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. In 1947 at the age of 10, he gained admission to Sera Mey Monastery of the Sera Mahayana Monastic University near Lhasa---one of the three major seats of highest Buddhist studies.

In 1952, he received his novice monk vows from the late Minyag Tondues Rinpoche, the 95th Throne Holder of Gelugpa Tradition in Tibetan Buddhism. In 1959, he received the complete bikshu vows---the highest level of ordination---from His Eminence, the late Yongzin Ling Rinpoche, the 97th Throne Holder of Gelugpa Tradition and also senior Tutor to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Khensur Rinpoche studied in Tibet until 1959 when he fled to India after China invaded and forcefully occupied Tibet.

Rinpoche soon returned to his studies in the exiled Sera monastery, reconstructed under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political head of the Tibetan people. From 1959-70, he resided with more than 1500 monks from four Tibetan Buddhist sects at Buxar, an old British Army camp in West Bengal. In 1970, the monks of Sera Mey relocated to Mysore district in Karnataka State in southern India.

The monks reestablished Sera Mey Mahayana University in Bylakuppe. Khensur Rinpoche continued his spiritual training and studies there with his characteristic dedication and enthusiasm. In 1986, he completed the final exam for a Geshe degree, and received the esteemed honor of Geshe Lharampa (equivalent to a PH.D.), the highest level awarded.

From 1980 to the present, Khensur Rinpoche has continued to teach at Sera Mey Monastic University. In 1989, he assumed the position of Discipline Master for one year. Then in 1990, he received the advanced degree of Ngagrampa (highest degree in Buddhist Tantra studies) from Gyumed Tantric College after extensively studying the secret teachings of the Mahayana tradition.

In 1993, Khensur Rinpoche became Discipline Master of Gyumed. Monastic leaders soon after submitted his name and that of eight other prominent Geshes to the Dalai Lama as candidates for the post of Lama Uzed (Head Lama to lead all rituals) of the Tantric College. On January 7, 1994, the Dalai Lama selected Khensur Rinpoche to serve as the Lama Uzed, and on Nov. 12, 1996, the Dalai Lama appointed him as the honorable Abbot of the Gyumed Tantric College.

Khensur Rinpoche completed his three-year term as Abbot with dedication and success. He taught tantric studies continuously for three years and conducted numerous religious rituals and ceremonies.

On completion of his term, Khensur Rinpoche returned to his teaching position at Sera Mey Monastic University, and continues to teach sutra and tantra to students and senior Geshes. He also continues his active leadership and participation in all religious ceremonies of the monastery.

During his term as Abbot of Gyumed, Khensur Rinpoche made his first visit to the USA and Canada to conduct various religious teachings and rituals at the request of the Gyumed College administrators and western students. A considerable number of westerners benefited from this initial tour. In 2003, He taught widely in Singapore and Malaysia.

Khensur Rinpoche is both a scholar of great knowledge and understanding, and a holder of many traditional teaching lineages. His generous presence and contributions to the Sera Mey Monastic University have proven indispensable. The great master Kyabje Ribur Rinpoche has repeatedly praised Khensur Rinpoche as both a great scholar and master practitioner of Buddha's sutra and tantra teachings. Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche notes that Khensur Rinpoche is widely respected for his patience, compassion, and virtuous character; among Tibetans he is often referred to as the "Buddha Abbott." A living example of Buddha's teachings, Khensur Rinpoche divides his time between personal meditation and practices, and teaching a growing network of western and Tibetan students. He is highly qualified to teaching on all levels of Buddhist practice and to conduct all Buddhist rituals.

Venerable Khensur Rinpoche, Venerable Tashi, and Friends

Venerable Tashi was born in Bomdilla, India on August 8, 1978. His parents enrolled him as a monk at Sera Monastery in 1988 at the age of ten. From his arrival, the senior monks of Sera Monastery served as his tutors, teachers and spiritual guides including Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche.

At Sera Monastery, Venerable Tashi provides support for the senior monks who regularly teach advanced Buddhist classes to approximately 600 senior monks and are responsible for the training and well-being of his own resident college, Sera Mey Thoesam Norling Dratsang (“Sera Mey College”), home to approximately 1400 monks.

Since joining Sera Mey College at the age of 10, Venerable Tashi completed the core training program and has achieved the honored rank of fully ordained monk in the Gelugpa tradition. In 2004, Venerable Tashi completed a three-month medical health care course at Delek Hospital in northern India. Upon returning to the monastery, he successfully served as a Community Health Worker at the Sera Mey Social Service Health Center from March 2003 until February 2006. Venerable Tashi continues to pursue his studies in advanced Buddhist philosophy at Sera Mey.

Ven Tashi accompanies Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche. He prepares the ritual offerings, plays a lead role during our upcoming retreats, and manages Rinpoche's schedule. He teaches students how to arrange the altar, offer water bowls, and make tormas.

Tenzin Bhuchung has been translating for Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche since 2005. He graduated from the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in 1998 and holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Tasmania, Australia and a Master's Degree in Asian Studies from the University of California Berkeley. He has twelve years of professional experience as a translator. Both Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche have praised Bhuchung's translation skills. Bhuchung translates for our Center courtesy of Khacholing Center's Dharma Outreach Program.

Tenzin Lhamo was ordained as a nun in 2001 by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She has seen people in therapy for 25 years, and been trained in many ways of understanding people and the lives they find themselves living. For the last 15 years, Tenzin Lhamo has spent her time  in service to Dharma centers and activities; this followed the earlier years of her life spent as a teacher, wife and mother of three children. She now spends her time working with private clients   as well as at a homeless women's shelter, offering her practice, and generally trying to be of service to others of any religion or background, who are seeking  peace, happiness, and meaningful lives.

Ani Lhamo states her goal as learning how to follow the Buddha 's advice:  "accumulate goodness, avoid doing harm, and subdue your own mind.

Dr. Lorne Ladner, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in private practice near Washington, D.C. He is currently the director of the Guhyasamaja Center. He regularly teaches classes, conducts workshops, and leads meditation retreats. He is on the faculty of the Omega Institute. A longtime practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, he is the author of a number of books including The Lost Art of Compassion: Discovering the Practice of Happiness in the Meeting of Buddhism & Psychology.

Like Dr. Ladner, Dina Li studied Buddhism with Dr. Jan Willis at Wesleyan University in the 1980s. She lived in Madison, Wisconsin and went to teachings by Geshe Lhundup Sopa at Deer Park. In 2004 she received a certificate for completing Geshe Tashi Tsering's Foundation of Buddhist Thought class. Dina is currently the Guhyasamaja Center's spiritual program coordinator.

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