"The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of all the ten directions are the object of refuge. The essence of the refuge is the Guru in true nature, Having prostrated to him, I will compose this significant memoir of the Lama." In reality, it is tough to narrate the memoir of a noble guru. However, for the sake of benefiting sentient beings it is here written down to shed light on his biography without any exaggeration and depreciation. Tulku Sangngag Tenzin Rinpoche, also known as Rigzin Gawai Lodroe was born in Metal Dog year i.e. in 1970, as the third son of his father Namdol and his mother Gangtso, in Dhomey province of Golok, Tibet. Being from a nomadic family, he spent his childhood life as a shepherd. Because of his good karmic cultivation in past lives he could read and write from his early childhood without any tutor.
At the age of 13, in the year 1983, Golok Lama Kusum Lingpa visited his home and asked them to call their son. The Lama cut some of his hair and gave him a set of ngakpa clothes and advised the parents saying: "keep the child clean and don't share his cup and things with other people. In future, when his clear awareness awakens, he will benefit many sentient beings and greatly serve the cause of Dharma. Don't worry about him; he will lead his life in a perfect way. In future he will be recognized as the reincarnation of a great Lama."
Three years later, i.e. in the year 1986, The Dzogchen Tulku Kunsang, who is one among the three well-known Kun-druk-Ling (three great lamas of Dzogchen Monastery), visited his home. He begged Rinpoche's parents to give their child to Dzogchen Monastery and assured them, "Don't worry about the essential necessities such as lodging, fooding and his education, this child will benefit the Dharma greatly, and help all sentient beings as well his parents." He took the child to Dzogchen Monastery, where he stayed in the labrang(quarters of the high lamas.) There he perfected all the rituals of Nyagyur Nyingmapa's Tradition. After living there for almost a year, Penor Rinpoche sent a letter to Tulku Thupsang recognizing Rinpoche as a tulku. One night he had a dream in which Lama Chenrezig, staying in a crystal clear palace, instructed him saying: "Go to India! There, you have your karmic root Lama who will guide you into the Dharma. Have courage and go! You will reach there safely." At that moment, he decided to leave and headed towards India as if on simple pilgrimage. He prayed for the sake of all mother like sentient beings. When he came across sick and poor people,being able to feel their pain, he generously gave them everything, even food and his own clothes. All these are indications of a great Bodhisattva. His quick learning ability, which required very little effort, indicates that he is definitely a manifestation of an ancient Mahasiddha.
He had undergone many extreme hardships on the way to India. He fled across the Himalayan mountains by foot. First, he went from Kham, Dergye region to Lhasa, without having anything. After having crossing many high mountains and circumambulating Mt. Kailash, he eventually arrived at Kathmandu, Nepal in 1992, after more than a year of travel. Once he walked for about a week only surviving on water and when he finally approached an "all-you-can-eat" Nepali restaurant, he had just a hundred rupees and paid half for the meal. He ate so much that at some point the owner of the restaurant stopped him not allowing him to eat anymore.Soon after arriving from Tibet, Rinpoche got the great opportunity to receive Kalachakra Empowerment from His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1992. After arriving at Namdroling Monastery, His Holiness Drubwang Penor Rinpoche kindly gave him a warm welcome and recognized him officially as the reincarnation of Ken- Trultrim Yonten Gyatso, who in turn was the reincarnation of Shang-Na-Nam-Yeshi-De (a great lotsawa and one of the 25 disciples of Guru Rinpoche). After that, by the grace of the Lord of Compassion and His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, Rinpoche extensively studied and practiced Buddhism.
A year later, because of his health problem, Penor Rinpoche suggested Rinpoche to go to Palyul Choekorling in Bir, where the weather was much more comfortable. There, Ringo Tulku and Druk-Khenchen Tsewang Sonam requested him to give teachings to the monastery and Lamas. Thus, he taught almost for five years. In 1994, he received the oral transmission and empowerments of the hidden treasures of Guru Padmasambhava from Rabjam Rinpoche and H.H Penor Rinpoche respectively. In 1995, he received the empowerments of the Sakya Drubtap Kundue and the 80 great Mahasiddhas of India from His Holiness Sakya Trizin. In 1996, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche gave the Dzogchen Namchoe Phowa and the explanations of the practices of Tsa-lung and Thig-le. At that occasion, Sangngag Rinpoche received the auspicious title of abbot (Khenpo). At the end of 1997, Rinpoche helped to found the Ka-Nying Shedrupling Buddhist college in Kathmandu and gave teachings there for three years at the request of Tulku Chokyi Nyima.
In 1999, he received the empowerments of Nga-gyur Kama (Oral teachings) of Guru Padmasambhava from Kathog Mogtsa Rinpoche. In 2000, Rinpoche visited Tibet for the first time after a decade since his departure from his homeland. There in the nomadic areas, he saw problems such as insufficient health care and the difficulties old people had to face. Because of that, he made a strong aspiration to build a hospital and an home for old people. In order to accomplish the project, Rinpoche asked His Holiness Penor Rinpoche's blessings, who appreciated his wish and granted his full support. The building of the old age home with 27 furnished rooms was accomplished in 2001 and in 2003, he build a hospital in Tibet with the generous contribution of those with pure motivation. In the years that followed, Rinpoche visited Tibet every summer and visited East Asia in winter in order to give teachings to those interested in Dharma. Rinpoche extensively visited Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong to spread the teachings of the Buddha. In October 2008, on Guru Padmasambhava's day, Rinpoche got married with his consort Lhamo Yangchen in presence of her parents. The auspicious wedding ceremony was held in the Guru Rinpoche-Mandarava cave in Tso-Pema (Lotus-lake), India. After practicing there for almost a month, the whole family went to Mindroling monastery, Dheradun, in order to receive the empowerments of the Rinchen Terzoe (The Precious Treasury of Termas) of Guru Padmasambhava from Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, which lasted for 4 months and 10 days.
In the early morning of July 6th, 2009 with the combination of auspicious earth-water elements, Rinpoche's consort gave birth to Dungse Jigme Thrinley Sangpo. In January 2010, the whole family received Dzogpa chenpo Semnyi Nyelso and other teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as well as transmissions of the Oral teachings of Guru Rinpoche from Domo Yangthang Rinpoche. In the same year, on the 1st of March, after returning from Bodhgaya, Rinpoche founded a Dharma center known as Rigzin Thrinley Lhundrupling, which is located near the Baudhanath Stupa. Rinpoche made his first trip to Europe in 2011, where he traveled and taught for three months.
Composed by Tulku Karma Dorje
At the age of 13, in the year 1983, Golok Lama Kusum Lingpa visited his home and asked them to call their son. The Lama cut some of his hair and gave him a set of ngakpa clothes and advised the parents saying: "keep the child clean and don't share his cup and things with other people. In future, when his clear awareness awakens, he will benefit many sentient beings and greatly serve the cause of Dharma. Don't worry about him; he will lead his life in a perfect way. In future he will be recognized as the reincarnation of a great Lama."
Three years later, i.e. in the year 1986, The Dzogchen Tulku Kunsang, who is one among the three well-known Kun-druk-Ling (three great lamas of Dzogchen Monastery), visited his home. He begged Rinpoche's parents to give their child to Dzogchen Monastery and assured them, "Don't worry about the essential necessities such as lodging, fooding and his education, this child will benefit the Dharma greatly, and help all sentient beings as well his parents." He took the child to Dzogchen Monastery, where he stayed in the labrang(quarters of the high lamas.) There he perfected all the rituals of Nyagyur Nyingmapa's Tradition. After living there for almost a year, Penor Rinpoche sent a letter to Tulku Thupsang recognizing Rinpoche as a tulku. One night he had a dream in which Lama Chenrezig, staying in a crystal clear palace, instructed him saying: "Go to India! There, you have your karmic root Lama who will guide you into the Dharma. Have courage and go! You will reach there safely." At that moment, he decided to leave and headed towards India as if on simple pilgrimage. He prayed for the sake of all mother like sentient beings. When he came across sick and poor people,being able to feel their pain, he generously gave them everything, even food and his own clothes. All these are indications of a great Bodhisattva. His quick learning ability, which required very little effort, indicates that he is definitely a manifestation of an ancient Mahasiddha.
He had undergone many extreme hardships on the way to India. He fled across the Himalayan mountains by foot. First, he went from Kham, Dergye region to Lhasa, without having anything. After having crossing many high mountains and circumambulating Mt. Kailash, he eventually arrived at Kathmandu, Nepal in 1992, after more than a year of travel. Once he walked for about a week only surviving on water and when he finally approached an "all-you-can-eat" Nepali restaurant, he had just a hundred rupees and paid half for the meal. He ate so much that at some point the owner of the restaurant stopped him not allowing him to eat anymore.Soon after arriving from Tibet, Rinpoche got the great opportunity to receive Kalachakra Empowerment from His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1992. After arriving at Namdroling Monastery, His Holiness Drubwang Penor Rinpoche kindly gave him a warm welcome and recognized him officially as the reincarnation of Ken- Trultrim Yonten Gyatso, who in turn was the reincarnation of Shang-Na-Nam-Yeshi-De (a great lotsawa and one of the 25 disciples of Guru Rinpoche). After that, by the grace of the Lord of Compassion and His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, Rinpoche extensively studied and practiced Buddhism.
A year later, because of his health problem, Penor Rinpoche suggested Rinpoche to go to Palyul Choekorling in Bir, where the weather was much more comfortable. There, Ringo Tulku and Druk-Khenchen Tsewang Sonam requested him to give teachings to the monastery and Lamas. Thus, he taught almost for five years. In 1994, he received the oral transmission and empowerments of the hidden treasures of Guru Padmasambhava from Rabjam Rinpoche and H.H Penor Rinpoche respectively. In 1995, he received the empowerments of the Sakya Drubtap Kundue and the 80 great Mahasiddhas of India from His Holiness Sakya Trizin. In 1996, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche gave the Dzogchen Namchoe Phowa and the explanations of the practices of Tsa-lung and Thig-le. At that occasion, Sangngag Rinpoche received the auspicious title of abbot (Khenpo). At the end of 1997, Rinpoche helped to found the Ka-Nying Shedrupling Buddhist college in Kathmandu and gave teachings there for three years at the request of Tulku Chokyi Nyima.
In 1999, he received the empowerments of Nga-gyur Kama (Oral teachings) of Guru Padmasambhava from Kathog Mogtsa Rinpoche. In 2000, Rinpoche visited Tibet for the first time after a decade since his departure from his homeland. There in the nomadic areas, he saw problems such as insufficient health care and the difficulties old people had to face. Because of that, he made a strong aspiration to build a hospital and an home for old people. In order to accomplish the project, Rinpoche asked His Holiness Penor Rinpoche's blessings, who appreciated his wish and granted his full support. The building of the old age home with 27 furnished rooms was accomplished in 2001 and in 2003, he build a hospital in Tibet with the generous contribution of those with pure motivation. In the years that followed, Rinpoche visited Tibet every summer and visited East Asia in winter in order to give teachings to those interested in Dharma. Rinpoche extensively visited Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong to spread the teachings of the Buddha. In October 2008, on Guru Padmasambhava's day, Rinpoche got married with his consort Lhamo Yangchen in presence of her parents. The auspicious wedding ceremony was held in the Guru Rinpoche-Mandarava cave in Tso-Pema (Lotus-lake), India. After practicing there for almost a month, the whole family went to Mindroling monastery, Dheradun, in order to receive the empowerments of the Rinchen Terzoe (The Precious Treasury of Termas) of Guru Padmasambhava from Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, which lasted for 4 months and 10 days.
In the early morning of July 6th, 2009 with the combination of auspicious earth-water elements, Rinpoche's consort gave birth to Dungse Jigme Thrinley Sangpo. In January 2010, the whole family received Dzogpa chenpo Semnyi Nyelso and other teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as well as transmissions of the Oral teachings of Guru Rinpoche from Domo Yangthang Rinpoche. In the same year, on the 1st of March, after returning from Bodhgaya, Rinpoche founded a Dharma center known as Rigzin Thrinley Lhundrupling, which is located near the Baudhanath Stupa. Rinpoche made his first trip to Europe in 2011, where he traveled and taught for three months.
Composed by Tulku Karma Dorje
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