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The
Present Shartul Rinpoche,
Kunsang Dhamchoe Gyatso Thupten Choe Kye Gyaltsen |
(Tulku
Dhamchoe) |
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The
Present Shartul Rinpoche, Kunsang Dhamchoe Gyatso Thupten
Choe Kye Gyaltsen (Tulku Dhamchoe) was born
amidst miraculous signs on the 10th day of the fourth
Tibetan month of wooden tiger year. Rinpoche was recognized
as the reincarnation of the Second Shartul Rinpoche
by the omniscient Khandro Kunsang Rinpoche, His Holiness
Penor Rinpoche, H.E. Seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche and H.E.
Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche.
The night before
his birth, his mother dreamt she saw a bright lamp in
the shrine shining in all the directions, revealing a
golden vajra, carrying a bundle of blazing wood on the
back radiating the whole village. |
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On the very morning
of his birth, people witnessed a raven (believed to be the
messenger of Mahakala) guarding the house, miraculous transformation
of water into nectar, a cuckoo singing from top of the house
and above all, a streak of colorful rainbow overhead.
Even before reaching the age of one, he
sat upward and pronounced the name and mantra of Guru Padmasambhava.
Every now and then, he would perform the Mudra teachings.
When asked upon, he answered, "I am Shartul". He
is believed to have committed to memory the long text of Dhugkar
in as short time as it takes to consume a cup of tea. At the
age of nine, he received vow of refuge and Bodhichitta from
H.E. Dzogchen Khenpo Khenchen Thupten Namgyal Rinpoche, the
Abbot of Dzogchen Monastery.
At the age of ten, Shartul Rinpoche received
empowerment, initiation and instructions of Ka-Gyae, Gongdue
and Phurpa from Great Terton Master Namkha Dorje Rinpoche.
At the age of eleven, he received instructions on the Three
Roots of Jatson” and preliminary practice from the Great
Drukpa Kagyu Lineage Master Jamyang Rinpoche. At the age of
thirteen, Shartul Rinpoche received many teachings such as
the empowerment, initiation and pith instructions on Ngondro,
Dzogchen Longchen Nyingthig (Great Perfection), and pith instructions
on the sTsa-Lung (Winds and Channels), from Great Master Phurtse
Rinpoche. He not only received these teachings but also practiced
them perfectly. At the age of fourteen, Rinpoche started the
three-year three-month retreat while engaging into the practice
of “Chod” and “Nyung Ne. During the retreat
he perfectly completed “Nyung Ne” 108 times.
At the age of nineteen, Rinpoche traveled
to India. In 1993, under H.E the Seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche,
Tenzin Jigdral Thunpo, his enthronement ceremony was held
in Orgyen Samten Choeling Monastery in South India.
At the age of 20 to 26, Rinpoche continued receiving numerous
teachings from His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama, H. E. Terton
Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche, Kyabjé The 7th Shechen
Rabjam Rinpoche, including “Rinchen Terzod ” from
Kyabjé Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche, and many other
great Nyingmapa masters.
With the encouragement from His Holiness
the Dalai Lama and Penor Rinpoche, Shartul Rinpoche established
the “Ngagyur Garwang Drodul Ling” in Kathmandu,
Nepal in 1999. The following year, the Taiwan Nyidrak Drodul
Ling center was established. Rinpoche has since then traveled
abroad regularly to the United States, Singapore, Taiwan,
Thailand, China and Hong Kong to fulfill vast teaching activities.
Shartul Rinpoche’s teachings filled
with wisdom, depth, clarity and Humor. His students often
praise for his clear, detail instructions and easy to understand
teaching methods. He continues to engage in nurturing the
Dharma with unceasing compassion. |
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Concerns that the
rare and precious Nyidrak” lineage will be lost, His
Holiness the Dalai Lama kindly offered Shartul Rinpoche a
piece of land in Bir, India to build a monastery to continue
the” Nyidrak” Treasure Dharma. Rinpoche and members
of his congregation purchased additional land. Since 2001,
Rinpoche has been working tirelessly to raise fund to build
the Nyidrak Drodul
Ling Monastery.
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At
the same time, Rinpoche is taking the responsibility of another
project: to build a Zongdok Parli
at Phodrang Monastery in Kham, Eastern Tibet, and
to improve the structural conditions of the main shrine and
to rebuild the retreat center. |
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The
First Shartul Rinpoche, |
Drupwang
Shartul Karma Worsal Rang Dro |
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It was believed
that the first Drupwang Shartul Karma Worsal Rang Dro Rinpoche,
had already attained Supreme Enlightenment many aeons before.
However, in order to guide and liberate the living beings
who are still submerged in the ocean of samsara, Shartul Rinpoche
reincarnation of the great mahasiddhas such as Acharya Thotsun
Drupje, Naropa, Dharma King Lhatho Thoree Nyentsen, Nyamme
Dagpo Sangpo Dorje and Sogpo Lhapal, one of the 25 retinues
of Guru Padmasambhava.
Hoisting the banner of Doctrine of clear
and illuminative Dzogchen, the Great Siddha took birth amidst
numerous wonderful signs, in a place located within the vicinity
of "Drug Sang-ngag Choeling". He studied at Sang-ngag
Choeling and reached the highest accomplishment. Realising
that he could serve all beings in Tibet, the great Siddha
made a pilgrimage trip to major holy sites there. In the course
of this journey, he reached to the place called Palbar Zong
in Kham where he was accorded a pompous reception and appointed
as chief priest to the Chieftain. At that time, the Governor
of Chamdo was on his way back from Lhasa, sought an audience
with the Siddha. During the visit, the Governor of Chamdo
was rather reluctant to pay his obeisance. As a result, he
had a vision of three snakes with different colors coming
from the throat of the great Siddha. Terrified by the scary
sight, the Governor stepped down from his seat and prostrated
before him respectfully. He offered a place called Nyishar
where the great Siddha built a retreat Center and spent rest
of his life in retreat. There, he produced about thirty highly
accomplished disciples. He was declared to be manifestation
of Nagarjuna, by the Palbar Tulku and Gyaton Tulku. Even to
date, we can see a figure of Milarepa erected by him out of
marble stone by miraculous means. He entered into Parinirvana
at the age of eighty. |
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The
Second Shartul Rinpoche, |
Gyurne
Gawang Gyatso |
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The second incarnation
was born amidst miraculous signs from the womb of a pious
mother. As a result of constant practice of prostration by
his mother, the wooden base she used bore the print of her
hands. It was believed that his father, a Tulku and a holder
of Nyingmapa tradition, belonged to a lineage from a celestial
realm. During his birth, sound of conch shell could be heard,
and water transformed into milk. Despite a cold wave in winter,
people could witness flower blossoming in courtyard of the
house he took birth.
At the age of three, His Holiness the Fifth
Nyidrak Rinpoche recognized him as incarnation of previous
Shartul and he was designated with the name: Shartul Gawang
Gyatso. From Palbar Tulku, Gyaton Tulku and many other Lamas
of ecumenical school, he received exotic and esoteric teaching
of Nyidrak tradition.
Ngagyur Garwang Droduling is the monastery
from where the successive Shartul Rinpoche carried out his
spiritual activities. The monastery said to have been built
on a scared land where the great divine warrior king Gesar
Gyalpo subdued a demon called "Kholmo Ruta". The
monastery was named after the Demon - "Kholru".
It was also believed that Shartul was honored with a seal,
an authority letter, and a support letter respectively by
the Fifth, Sixth and Seven Dalai Lamas.
In later years, His Holiness the Fifth Nyidrak
Rinpoche, Phende Gyatso, shifted the site of the monastery
and built a new monastery on a new piece of land marked with
eight spoke wheel in the sky, eight petal lotus on the ground,
eight auspicious signs against the rear mountain and a flaming
jewel in the front. The monastery was named Shedrup Dhargyal
Ling and Shartul Gawang Gyatso was appointed head Lama to
the local chieftain.
He had all the teachings of Nyidrak tradition and Nyidrak
Rinpoche regarded him as the most valued disciple. During
the time of the Chinese occupation, almost all the Rinpoches
suffered Chinese brutality, Shartul Rinpoche was no different
and he died in prison at the age of thirty-three. |
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