His Eminence Khochhen Rinpoche
His Eminence Khotrul Jurme Dogyud Gyatso Rinpoche, renowned as His Eminence Khochhen Rinpoche, was born in 1937 in Gonjo in Eastern Tibet. He was recognized at an early age as the reincarnation of Namdrol Sangpo Rinpoche of Khochhen Monastery, by His Eminence the 8th Mindrolling Khenchen. At Mindrolling in Tibet, Rinpoche studied and mastered Buddhist philosophy, Sutra and Tantra, calligraphy, rituals and so on. He received profound teachings and instructions from eminent masters such as Dzongsar Khyentse Chokyi Lodroe, Minling Chung Rinpoche and the 8th Minling Khenchen Rinpoche. Rinpoche was at Mindrolling for well over ten years until the Communist invasion in 1959.
Following the invasion, Rinpoche, at the age of 22, escaped into exile in India as one of the seven-member entourage of His Holiness Mindrolling Trichen Rinpoche. In 1965, he selected land near Dehra Dun and built Mindrolling Monastery. In 1976, His Holiness was invited to assume leadership.
Since the establishment of Mindrolling in India, Rinpoche has worked tirelessly on the expansion and maintenance of the monastery and today it houses five hundred monks.
Rinpoche established the Ngagyur Nyingma College or Institute of Advanced Buddhist Studies in 1991, which teaches a nine-year course including Sutra and Tantra to approximately one hundred monks. With the intention of spreading the Buddhadharma and for the benefit of all sentient beings, many tulkus and monks have graduated and received the title of khenpo from this college over the years.
Near Mindrolling Monastery, Rinpoche erected a 190 feet high Stupa of the Buddha’s Descent from the God Realms, inaugurated in 2002, and dedicated to world peace. It is excellent on the inside, outside and all around.
In East India in Kalimpong, Rinpoche constructed a new monastery in the Mindrolling lineage, and to benefit the poor people of the region, a school for more than one hundred children, inaugurated on 1st March 2007, as well as a clinic and much more.
Rinpoche is continually engaged in similar activities for the benefit of others and especially for poor and protectorless people. Rinpoche also assists with money donations for fees so that parents with little means are able to send their children to school. In the same way that a mother cares for her only child, Rinpoche cares for all sentient beings.
In India’s capital, Delhi, Rinpoche has built a new Mindrolling branch monastery, inaugurated in 2005, in which twenty monks perform pujas for the benefit of all sentient beings every morning and evening.
Also in Taiwan, Rinpoche has founded several Mindrolling Dharma centres in Taipei, Chang Hua, Taichung City and Kaohsing City.
Besides being the director of Mindrolling Monastery, Rinpoche has served as President of the Tibetan Community of Clement Town since 1987.
With a heartfelt wish that Rinpoche’s life may last long and that all his enlightened activities may be spontaneously accomplished.