23 Facts About Penor Rinpoche

Kyabje 3rd Drubwang Padma Norbu, Lekshe Chokyi Drayang widely known as Penor Rinpoche, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and the 3rd Drubwang Padma Norbu.

Penor Rinpoche is recognized as the incarnation of Vimalamitra, an 8th century Buddhist Monk.

Penor Rinpoche began his escape from Tibet in 1959 with 300 people, and only 30 arrived in India.

Penor Rinpoche was one of a very few teachers left from his generation who received all his traditional training in Tibet under the guidance of fully enlightened masters.

Penor Rinpoche's rebuilding of the Palyul tradition in exile has grown to include monasteries, nunneries, and retreat centers in Tibet, India, and Nepal with numerous western projects such as the Palyul Retreat Center in New York state.

Penor Rinpoche was recognized in 1936 by the Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche and Khenpo Ngawang Palzang.

Penor Rinpoche trained at the Palyul Monastery in Tibet, studying and receiving teachings from numerous masters and scholars, including the Fourth Karma Kuchen, the 10th Palyul throneholder.

In 1959, recognizing the situation in Eastern Tibet to be very tense, Penor Rinpoche left with a party of 300 for Pemako in Northeast India.

In 1961, they were resettled in South India in Bylakuppe in a series of Tibetan camps where Penor Rinpoche initially built a bamboo temple to train a small handful of monks in 1963.

Penor Rinpoche made his first visit to the United States in 1985, invited by Gyaltrul Rinpoche to Ashland, Oregon, to confer the Nam Cho cycle of teachings.

Penor Rinpoche then traveled to Kunzang Palyul Choling to give the Nam Cho cycle.

Penor Rinpoche offered Kalachakra empowerments, first in Rochester in 1996 and next at his retreat center in 2007.

Penor Rinpoche granted the Nam Cho cycle of teachings in Austin, Texas, in 2002.

Penor Rinpoche was responsible for an ever-expanding population of Himalayan monks and nuns who come to Namdroling Monastery based on the traditional cultural style of sending a son or daughter to the monastery for an education.

Penor Rinpoche sponsored the pavement of the road leading from Bylakuppe to Kushalnagar.

Penor Rinpoche built a small hospital that still requires equipment, but provides infirmary services to the local community.

Monks and international students went on retreat with Penor Rinpoche and received teachings directly from him on two occasions per year.

In 2000, Penor Rinpoche designated his successor, and requested the Fifth Karma Kuchen Rinpoche as his successor, to establish his seat at Palyul Monastery in Tibet.

In 2003, Penor Rinpoche retired from his ten-year position as the 3rd Head of the Nyingma Tradition, and the position of 4th Head of the Nyingma Tradition was offered to Mindrolling Trichen Rinpoche, who accepted.

In 2005, Penor Rinpoche began to have health issues but continued to oversee projects, to travel and teach in Asia and America, and to build.

That night at around 21:30 Indian Standard Time at his residence at the Namdroling Monastery, Penor Rinpoche passed into the meditative state of tukdam where he remained for a week before his demise on 03 April 2009.

Palyul's Khenpo the 4th Karma Kuchen was detained by China's forces in 1957, and later died from torture in 1958, before Penor Rinpoche escaped in 1959.

Penor Rinpoche's students include his "heart sons" the Fifth Karma Kuchen, Khentul Gyangkhang Rinpoche, and Mugsang Kuchen Rinpoche.