30 Facts About Kyabje Rinpoche

Kyabje Rinpoche was born to a farming family in a mountainous valley of eastern Tibet in what is the Kartse Prefecture of Western Sichuan.

Kyabje Rinpoche was born in a village called Rinda which had about 30 houses and some 300 people.

Kyabje Rinpoche's mother died when he was two or three years old from a disease which turned her hands black.

Kyabje Rinpoche's home was confiscated by the Chinese when they invaded Tibet.

Kyabje Rinpoche was a little boy of about three when his first spiritual teacher, Kushog Gyalden Kyabje Rinpoche cut his hair and gave him the name in religion, Lobsang Thubten.

Kyabje Rinpoche left Dhargey in 1944 to study at Sera Monastic University in Lhasa, remaining there for 18 years.

Kyabje Rinpoche returned home in 1940, his father having died six months beforehand, spending some time at the rebuilt Dhargey Gompa.

In February 1944, Kyabje Rinpoche headed for Sera Monastery, one of three famous monasteries in Lhasa.

Sera is dedicated to the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism and at the time Kyabje Rinpoche entered, it had 5,500 monks.

When he was 18 yrs old, Kyabje Rinpoche took the first step to become a Novice Monk, by making three full length prostrations before the Abbot, and was asked many questions to see if he was a suitable candidate for becoming a monk.

Kyabje Rinpoche was then given a yellow protection thread and told that he should remain humble and study well.

In 1948, Kyabje Rinpoche became a Gelong, a fully ordained Buddhist Monk, which meant he took the 253 precepts.

In 1949 Kyabje Rinpoche received both Yamantaka and later, Vajrayogini Initiations from Ling Kyabje Rinpoche.

Kyabje Rinpoche had a dilemma, he could go into the study of tantra, or could stay and teach.

Kyabje Rinpoche wrote several Long Life Prayers, including one for the reincarnation of his first teacher in Kham.

Kyabje Rinpoche stayed in Buxa until 1970, studying, doing retreats and receiving initiations.

In December 1979, Kyabje Rinpoche started a 3.3 year retreat on Vajrayogini.

Kyabje Rinpoche was very honoured by this visit and rare to have a visitor whilst on a retreat.

In 1982, after finishing the retreat, Kyabje Rinpoche was asked to teach at Tushita Institute in New Delhi, which was for local Indians and Westerners.

Kyabje Rinpoche had first taught western monks Buddhist philosophy in Sera Je before going to Tushita Centre.

In 1984, during his time as abbot, Kyabje Rinpoche restructured Sera Je School, which has resulted in an extremely high standard and diverse curriculum, achieving exemplary results in examinations.

In 1986, when Jampa Gendun arrived with a letter requesting Kyabje Rinpoche to teach in the West.

Kyabje Rinpoche then spent 6 months teaching at Kopan Monastery, and from there travelled down to Delhi, then to Singapore and Adelaide arriving on 11 September 1988.

Kyabje Rinpoche settled in Adelaide South Australia to teach at Buddha-house, an FPMT centre in Fullarton.

Kyabje Rinpoche was asked to teach at many other FPMT centres in Australasia and overseas.

Kyabje Rinpoche taught twice a week on most of the Buddhist Canon, and gave many Initiations and retreats.

Geshe Jampa Gyaltsen is a student of Kyabje Rinpoche and is the resident teacher at Tibetan Buddhist Institute.

Kyabje Rinpoche has successfully helped to raise funds to rebuild his first monastery in Kham, Dhargye Gompa, which was destroyed twice during the Chinese invasion and occupation.

Khensur Kyabje Rinpoche set up the Emergency Medical Fund, which was established for any monk or lay Tibetan in India that is in urgent need of medical assistance.

Kyabje Rinpoche advised that Rinpoche has appeared, but "there is no rush to find him".