Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche

Khenpo Pema Sherab

Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche (Tib. པདྨ་ཤེས་རབ་, Wyl. pad+ma shes rab) is one of the seniormost khenpos in the Nyingma tradition and one of the three Khenchen or 'great khenpos' of Namdroling Monastery.

Biography

Khenpo Pema Sherab was born in 1936, at Riphu, in the Dergé region of Eastern Tibet. He started to study at the age of eight, learning to read and write Tibetan with his uncle, Lama Chözang, while he was herding cattle. At fourteen, he went to Lhasa and studied under masters and scholars of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1953 he received ordination from Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche. In Lhasa, he also met Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and served as his attendant for about ten years, fleeing with him to Bhutan and then India in 1959. Over the years, he received many teachings from him, including the Guhyagarbha Tantra, and Longchenpa’s Treasury of Pith Instructions. During the 1950s he also stayed for long periods at Nenang Monastery and Tshurphu, the monastery of the Karmapas, which at that time was home to many great Kagyü masters who had escaped from the troubles in East Tibet. While on pilgrimage in Central Tibet, he met Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö at Tsering Jong, the seat of Jikmé Lingpa. While in India, he also studied with Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsöndrü, and from Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche he received the vows of a fully ordained monk, and also various empowerments and teachings.

In 1968, at the request of Kyabjé Penor Rinpoche he went to Namdroling Monastery to teach. Though the shedra was not yet established at that time, Khen Rinpoche taught the monks for several years. The shedra was finally established in 1978 and from then until 2003, for 25 years, Khenpo Pema Sherab taught there tirelessly while also managing the institution.

Writings

Among the many books he has written are a biography of Guru Padmasambhava, an exposition of the two truths, lorik and tarik, and an exposition of logic.

• Wyl. dge ba'i bshes gnyen chen po thub bstan brtson 'grus phun tshogs kyi rnam thar bdud rtsi'i zegs ma, Namdroling, 1987

Further Reading

• Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Brilliant Moon, Shambhala, 2008, Chapter 15. Fleeing over the Mountains by Khenpo Pema Sherab.

Teachings & Transmissions Given to the Rigpa Sangha

• Rigpa Shedra, 27th December 2008, see internal links below.
• Lerab Ling, Thirty Pieces of Advice from the Heart, 23-24 August 2009, available for download here.
• Rigpa Shedra West 2010, Beacon of Certainty, Teachings on the first, second and third of the seven questions. Lerab Ling, 26 May-5 June 2010.
• Lerab Ling Monastic Community, A Concise Explanation of the Trainings of a Novice Monk which is Easy for Beginners to Understand, Khenpo Tsöndrü, 26 May-5 June 2010.
• Rigpa Shedra West 2011, Beacon of Certainty, Teachings on the fourth, fifth, and sixth of the seven questions. Lerab Ling, 23 May to 2 June, 2011.
• Rigpa Shedra West 2012, Beacon of Certainty, Teachings on the seventh question. Lerab Ling, September 2012.
• Lerab Ling, September 2012: the first two chapters of the Yönten Dzö.
• Lerab Ling, 2013: continuation of the Yönten Dzö
• Lerab Ling, 17 to 25 May 2014: continuation of the Yönten Dzö
• Lerab Ling, 25 May to 2 June 2015: continuation of the Yönten Dzö
• Lerab Ling, 1 to 8 June 2016: continuation of the Yönten Dzö
• Lerab Ling, June 2017: continuation of the Yönten Dzö, reaching end of chapter 9. Shyitro empowerment
• Rigpa London centre:
  • 18 May 2018: Tagön, preliminary of the Palchen Düpa (eight Herukas) empowerment
  • 19 May 2018: Palchen Düpa empowerment
  • 20 May: Lama Drakpo Takhyung Barwa empowerment
  • 21 May: Senge Dongma (Lion-faced Dakini) empowerment
  • 22 May: Vajrasattva empowerment
  • 23 May: Yang Nying Pudri empowerment
• Lerab Ling, 5 to 14 June 2018: continuation of the Yönten Dzö, the Vajrayana Chapter, 10, in Book 2. Lineage transmission, empowerment and part of samaya
• Rigpa London centre:
  • 15 September 2018: Guru Rinpoche and Tara empowerments
  • 16 September 2018: Medicine Buddha and Amitabha empowerments
  • 17-19 September 2018: teachings based on the commentary by Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche on the Seven Line Prayer of Guru Yoga by Mipham Rinpoche
• Lerab Ling, 19-26 June 2019: Continuation of Chapter 10 of the Yönten Dzö
• Lerab Ling, 25 September 2019: advice to the Rigpa sangha
• Lerab Ling, 14 December 2019: advice to the Rigpa sangha
• Lerab Ling, 18, 25 & 28 April 2021: the Longchen Nyingtik lineage
• Lerab Ling, 28-30 January 2022: drupchö, drupchen and biography of Jigme Lingpa
• Lerab Ling, 18-26 March 2023, Longchen Nyingtik Phowa practice retreat
• Rigpa London, UK, 20 May 2023, Vajra Verses on the Natural State revealed by Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa
• Dzogchen Beara (first ever visit)
  • 24 May 2023, Yang Nying Pudri jinsek
  • 25 May 2023, teaching on Advice on the Ultimate Meaning by Longchen Rabjam
  • 27-28 May 2023, teachings on The Wheel of Analytical Meditation by Mipham Rinpoche
• Dharma Mati, Germany, 9-10 September 2023, The practice of Chö in the Longchen Nyingtik tradition
• Rigpa Paris, Levallois, 13-14 April 2024, Ch 1-2 of The Four-Themed Precious Garland (Wyl. chos bzhi rinpoche’i ’phrengba) by Longchenpa
• Lerab Ling
  • 16 May 2024: empowerment of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo
  • 17 May 2024: lung-tri of The Main Recitation Manual for the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss (Nyenyik) by Jigme Lingpa
  • 18 May 2024: lung-tri of Elucidating the Body Maṇḍala—Clarifications on the Recitation Manual of the Female Practice of the Queen of Great Bliss (Lükyil) by Jigme Lingpa
  • 19-23 May 2024: lung-tri of The Lamp That Illuminates the Excellent Path of Great Bliss—A Guide to the Practice Text of the Female Awareness-Holder, the Queen of Great Bliss (Yumka Zindri) by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima
  • 24-25 May & 24 August 2024: lung (mainly) of Illuminating the Meaning of Tantra, A Commentary on the Practice Text of the Ḍākinī Queen of Great Bliss, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (Ratik commentary) by Ratön Ngawang Tendzin Dorje
  • 26 May 2024: Yang Nying Pudri empowerment
• Dharma Mati, Berlin, Germany, 26-28 July 2024, the Ultimate Inexpressible Confession
• Lerab Ling, 27 August 2024: teaching on faith and how to participate in the anniversary celebrations of one's master.

Internal Links

• An oral teaching given to Rigpa shedra students in December 2008
• Teachings on Longchenpa's Advice from the Heart. Lerab Ling, August 2009.
• Khenpo Sonam Tsewang

External Links

• Official biography
• TBRC Profile