About

Yonphula Rinpoche

Yonphula Lama Jigme Tenzin aka Yonphula Rinpoche (b. 20th cent.), born in Bhutan in the family lineage of Pema Lingpa, is a major Longchen Nyingtik and Dudjom Tersar lineage holder of Eastern Bhutan. Rinpoche is an Ngagpa Practitioner and realized Dzogchen teachings especially Nyingma Dudjom Terser teachings in Eastern Bhutan. He was trained by his father Lama Karpo and by Dudjom Rinpoche. Rinpopche also received intensive empowerments & teachings from other contemporary masters like Dungsey Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, Jadrel Rinpoche, Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khentse Rinpoche, Dungsey Garab Rinpoche, Kalipoong Lama Chhime Rinpoche and many others too. He now oversees Yonphula Monastery and takes care of the spiritual duties of his family heritage. Yongphula Lama Jigme Tenzin is married and has two daughters and two sons.

YONPHULA LHAKHANG

Yonphula Lhakhang is a Nyingma Buddhist monastery in Bhutan. It is situated in the Eastern District of Bhutan. The Lhakhang or monastery in Yonphula has been founded by Tantric Master Lama Karpo Rinpoche alias Lama Tshewang Penjor. He was the first disciple of Tertoen Dudjom Lingpa Jigdrel Yeshi Dorji, who named him as Lama Karpo from Bhutan. Before he actually met with his karmic Master, Lama Karpo went to Tibet to learn and master the Tantric practices. There in Kongbu, Tibet, he has mastered and directed him by his master therefrom to visit his Karmic Master Dudjom Rinpoche, Lama Karpo meditated in Paro Taktshang. While meditating in the cave, where Guru Rinpoche has meditated, from Guru’s statue, he heard a clear voice. He was said to have astonished by this and felt himself in illusion. But, later he found to have talked to him by that very Guru Rinpoche’s Statue. Subsequently, same Guru Statue voiced out to him for another time and during that time he did conversation with the statue.

In later years, he went back to Trashigang and founded Yonphula Monastery. It is approximately 2700 meters above the sea level. It is few km away from the yonphula domestic airport. Currently, the abode is headed by Lama Jigme Tenzin, son of Lama Karpo Rinpoche. There are approximately 100 gomchens and ordained monks. They perform periodical rituals and other related religious rituals. There is a Meditation Center where many Gomchens do meditate for minimum of three years. After that, they are known to be tshampas or Yogi. They follow the Nyingma Tersar religion.

-From the write up of Choney Norbu- Son to Gomdey Auzin, Lhodra Kharchu Nyingma Buddhist College, Jakar Bumthang

HE LAMA KARPO

Lama Karpo, aka Mön Ngagchang Lama Karpo or Tshewang Paljor (Tib. མོན་གྱི་སྔགས་འཆང་བླ་མ་དཀར་པོ་, (1917-1988) was one of the most exceptional Dzogchen masters of the 20th century. Born in Bhutan, he first studied with his father Lama Kota, then went to Lama Ling, Tibet, to study with Dudjom Rinpoche. He later settled in Bhutan, established Yonphula Monastery, and widely spread the Dudjom Tersar lineage in Bhutan.Lama Karpo was born to Lama Kota and Sithumo in the year Fire Monkey 1917 at a place called Kurtoe, in Lhuntse Dzongkhag, Bhutan. According to oral lineage stories, Lama Karpo was later recognized as an emanation of one of the Eighty-four mahasiddhas of ancient India.

The studying with his father Lama Kota.
First, he studied under his father’s guidance, Lama Kota, who was had received earlier a special lineage of Tröma Nakmo from a direct student of Dudjom Lingpa. His father also granted and trained him the Longchen Nyingtik.

Being trained in the Drukpa Kagyü tradition
Lama Karpo was also trained in the the Drukpa Kagyü tradition Going to Lama Ling, in Tibet, to study with Dudjom RinpocheLater, Lama Karpo went to Lama Ling, in Kongpo, Tibet, at this time the main centre of activity of Dudjom Rinpoche. He stayed and was fully trained there during many years. According to Kunzang Longdrel, one of the direct disciple of Lama Karpo, “The epiteth Lama Karpo, the one who wears a white robe, was given to Lama Karpo by Dudjom Rinpoche when he was receiving teaching from him in Kongpo, Tibet.’

Doing a retreat in Paro Taktsang
After receiving all these empowerments and instructions, Lama Karpo spent much of his life in retreat at different places such as Kurtoe, Lhodrak Karchung, and Kongpo in Kham in Tibet. Under the supervision and instructions of Dudjom Rinpoche, Lama Karpo did a nine months retreat in Paro Taktsang, in Bhutan. According to oral lineage stories, ‘While meditating in the cave where Guru Rinpoche had meditated, Lama Karpo heard a clear voice from the satue of Guru Rinpoche voice. He was astonished by this and thought it was an illusion. But later, he found out that that very Guru Rinpoche’s statue actually had talked to him. Later, that very same Guru Rinpoche’s statue talked out to him for another time, and during that time he had another conversation with the statue.”

Being instructed to leave Kurtoe and to settle in Yongphula by Dudjom Rinpoche
In 1959, as prophesied by Dudjom Rinpoche, Lama Karpo had to leave Kurtoe in Bhutan in order to settle at Yonphula in Eastern Bhutan. After reaching Kanglung, Lama Karpo first settled in Gorthung then to Ashom Drelo, to Gonpa Singma and finally to the present monastery of Yonphula. According to Bhutanese Calendar, Rinpoche came to Yongphula in the ‘Earth Hog Year 1959’. The activity of Lama Karpo was sponsored by Dasho Tashigangpa. There, Lama Karpo widely taught and propagated the Dudjom Tersar. In the early 1970s, Lama Karpo enlarged the monastery and established a Drupdra.

Granting extensive teachings and empowerments in Bhutan.
In the 1950s, as requested, Lama Karpo gave extensive teachings of Longchen Nyingtik to more than hundreds dzogchen masters at Paro, Bhutan. Lama Karpo became known for his ability to give introduction and teachings on the nature of mind.In 1969, receiving Kagyé empowerments from Dudjom Rinpoche in 1969 Lama Karpo was among the many participants of the Kagyé Deshek Düpa empowerments given by Dudjom Rinpoche in 1969, in Darjeeling. According to Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, In 1969, sponsored and organized by the Tsechu Association led by Golok Tulku, [Dudjom Rinpoche] gave empowerments and transmissions of the Kagyé Deshek Düpa, The Eight Herukas — Embodiement of All the Sugatas at old Ghoom monastery in Ghoom, Darjeeling, India. Attending were Minling Trichen Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, as well as dakini Sangyum Rigdzin Wangmo, Dungse Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, Sakya Khenchen Sangye Tendzin Rinpoche, Sera Gomde Rinpoche, Khachöd Rinpoche of Pema Yangtse Monastery in Sikkim, Lama Pema Longdrol, Lama Karpo and Lama Ngagpo Pema Wangchen, Jetsün Kuzhok Pema, and Yogi Sönam Kazi, Ladakh Nono Rinpoche, Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, and many other great scholars, teachers, ngagpas, and men and women practitioners—thousands came, including Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal.

Receiving the Dudjom Tersar empowerments from Dudjom Rinpoche in Boudhanath
Lama Karpo was among the many participants of the Dudjom Tersar empowerments given by Dudjom Rinpoche in 1977-78, in Dudjom Gompa, Nepal. According to Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal:Late 1977 through early 1978, Dudjom Rinpoche gave his last major teachings. The perfect place was Dudjom Gompa, Orgyen Dongak Chökhorling, the monastery of Dudjom Rinpoche in Boudnath, Nepal. The perfect teachings were the Dudjom Tersar cycle that included both his own and his previous incarnation Dudjom Lingpa’s teachings. The perfect retinue included such students as Trulshik Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Palyul Choktrul [aka Chogtrul Rinpoche], Palri Kyabgön, Gangten Tulku Kuzang Namgyal, Lhalung Sungtrul, Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, Dungse Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsöndrü, Khenpo Palden Sherab, Shar Khumbu Tengpoche Tulku, De-u Rinpoche, Tsang Gampa Gomchen, Dzatrul, Dragtrul, Nagtrul, Doshul Lama Gyalchog, Ladakh Nono, Ladakh Chhoje Rinpoche, Gyatrul Rinpoche, Yogi Lama Tsewang Lhagyal, Yogi Khetsün Zangpo Rinpoche, Mön Ngagchang Lama Karpo, Yogi Lama Nagpo Pema Wangchen, Lama Pema Longdrol and Lopön Nikula, and so forth, the great masters from the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. It included Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche and Vakracharya Tenga Rinpoche, Digung Yudra Tulku, Kuzhok Tsechu, and Dazang Tulku, Bhutan’s Je Khenpo Kunleg, and Khenpo Khedrup and so forth, and a great many other masters from the practice lineage of the Kagyü School of Tibetan Bhuddhism. It included Kyabje Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Traruk Rinpoche, Dhongthog Rinpoche, Khenpo Rinchen, and many others great masters from the Sakya School of Tibetan Buddhism. The retinue also included many others possessing the great wealth of the three trainings and of the realization of the two stages from among the assemblies, a total of over ten thousand devotees. Students Among his students are:Kunzang Longdrel, popularly known as Kurtoe Lopen.

Lama Jigme Tenzin, aka Yonphula Lama Jigme Rinpoche, a son of Lama Karpo.
Lama Karpo had a wife, with whom he had a son, Lama Jigme Tenzin, aka Yonphula Rinpoche, who became one of his main lineage holders. Lama Karpo passed away in 1988.(Bhutanese snake year=72years). Of recent, the Yonphula Rinpoche had renovated the Kudung Choten located nearby the main lhakhang, If any one happen to visit Yonphula, don’t forget to circumambulate this sacred Stupa.

–From Wisdom and Compassion of Root Guru