Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche

Experienced Nyingma school teacher Chagdud Rinpoche is the sixteenth tulku of the Chagdud line.

Chagdud Rinpoche was born in Eastern Tibet in 1930, the son of Dawa Drolma, one of the re-nowned female lamas of that time. She was a famous delog, one who had died, traveled throughout the realms of samsara and the pure realms and returned to life; in her case, five days later.

His father and stepfather were Gelugpa lamas, his mother's family lineage was Sakya and his own extensive training took place in both the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions.

His commitment to fully establish the Vajrayana tradition in the West has involved three primary areas of activity: the development of twenty-one Chagdud Gonpa Foundation centers in the United States, Canada, Switzerland and Brazil where the teachings of the Buddhadharma can be learned, practiced and maintained; the translation and publication of classic texts, commentaries and liturgies as well as his own teachings, through Chagdud Gonpa's Padma Publishing; and teaching and training his ever-growing body of students.

Chagdud Rinpoche has always emphasized the necessity of integrating view, meditation and activity and has established a work-study program in which students simultaneously develop the center and apply themselves in formal meditation and practice in daily life.

“Instead of telling ourselves, 'I don't have time today, I'll meditate tomorrow. I don't have time this week, I'll do it next week. This is a busy year, I'll get around to it next year,' we need to feel an immediacy about doing practiceright now, not just today, not just this hour, but this very moment.”