Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche
Lama Pema Dorje (b. 1942) was born into a yogi family named Jova, whose ancestors can be traced back to Milarepa's paternal line. His father, Kathok Rigdzin Dorje Rinpoche, was a disciple of Taklung Gangshar Rinpoche and Taklung Chodung Rinpoche. From these two teachers, Rinpoche received the entire Longchen Nyingtik teachings, as well as the Machik Labdrön chö teachings. When he was twenty, he went to Mount Kailash for an extended retreat. After that he met Golok Serta Rinpoche, a lineage holder of the first Dudjom Lingpa's treasure teachings, from whom he received the main Tröma Nakmo practice which he continues to practise today. Afterward, he became a follower of the Dudjom Tersar lineage.
Birth
Once, Rinpoche's mother dreamed of a clear and brilliant crystal pillar. At the same time her mind felt very pleasurable and her body felt great bliss. When she mentioned this dream to her husband, he said that this was a sign that they had conceived a boy. Therefore he gave the unborn infant a male name, Phagpa Dorje. Although some thought it might be a girl, he assured them it was a boy, which would be proven at childbirth. Lama Pema Dorje was born in 1942 on the banks of the Ganges River in Rishi Kesh, India. The infant was draped over by a long placenta, looking like he was wearing a meditation belt, which was considered a very auspicious sign.
Childhood
During childhood, Rinpoche always liked to be naked, disliking wearing clothes. He couldn't eat meat and also was disgusted by jerky hung in the house. The first language spoken by the infant was Sanskrit and mantra sounds. This made him very different from other Tibetan children, and people didn't know if this was a good or bad sign. When Rinpoche was four years old his father consulted with his guru, Drubwang Golok Serta Rinpoche, who confirmed this as a good sign: "Your son is the reincarnation of an accomplished Indian Acharya." He then bestowed refuge vows on the boy and gave him a statue of Buddha Shakyamuni and a picture of a white umbrella, as a sign of his future activities to benefit beings. At this time he gave him the title of Acharya Tulku Pema Dorje.
Training
At the age of 4, Pema Dorje Rinpoche started his Buddhist education under the instruction of Gokok Serta Rinpoche. He received from Golok Serta Rinpoche the Dudjom Lingpa lineage upper tradition of the Namkha Khyung Dzong teachings, including Tröma Nakmo ngöndro and the Zabsang Khandro Nyingtik ngöndro, which is the main Dudjom lineage ngöndro of the Profound Secret Heart Essence of the Dakinis. At this time he also received the short Dudjom Tersar Ngöndro, the Tröma Nakmo Chö initiation and the Chö main teachings as well as Nyen Sa, Nang Jang and Phowa.
All of these teachings were in the upper tradition of Dudjom Lingpa, and Rinpoche received these teachings twice. He finished the three ngöndro practices and continued to practise all of these teachings. Between the age of 12 and 14, he completed guru yoga and the Tröma Nakmo main development stage at Pema Chodzong. At age 15 he studied with Gen Rigsang Dorje Rinpoche, senior disciple of Dudjom Rinpoche. From him, he received the Tsokye Tuktik, the Khandro Tuktik, and the Vajrakilaya Namchak Pudri and Pudri Rekpung teachings as well as Dorje Sempa teachings. All these teachings included empowerment, lung, and practice instruction.
At the age of 17, Rinpoche went to India and first met Dudjom Rinpoche, offering his body, speech, and mind and requesting His Holiness to be his root guru for this life and until enlightenment. His Holiness accepted Rinpoche as his student and gave Rinpoche many initiations and lungs, covering all the Dudjom Lingpa teachings and his own Dudjom lineage teachings as well as many Nyingma teachings. These teachings included the Nyingma Kama and Nyingma Gyübum. At the age of 18 he did a practice intensive with His Holiness during which he received mind transmission, individual instructions, and personal interviews. Rinpoche considers this time spent with His Holiness the best time of his life.
Afterwards, Pema Dorje Rinpoche was able to learn Rigdzin Sokdrup tsa-lung and tummo practice from Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche under the permission of Dudjom Rinpoche. This study included rare teachings. Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche also gave him teachings on the Northern Treasure Phagmo Sabga tsa lung cycle and afterwards taught Rinpoche the Jatsön Nyingpo. Three Roots initiation and main completion practice, Great Perfection Three Realm Liberation practice. He also studied with the Bhutanese mantrayana master Pema Wangchen Rinpoche, who was also a Dudjom tsalung lineage holder. From this teacher he received all the Dudjom Tersar lineage tsa lung and tummo teachings, which included the complete five-branch practice including the Six Yogas, which covered the outer, inner, and secret teachings.
From Neten Chokling Pema Gyurme he received the Chokling Tersar initiations and lung. From Chatral Rinpoche he received the Guhyagarbha and many other teachings. Chatral Rinpoche acknowledged Pema Dorje Rinpoche as the reincarnation of the Indian Mahasiddha Padampa Sangye when he was 21.
From Jamtrul Rinpoche he received the teachings of Shantideva's Bodhicharyavatara. From Lama Sherab Rinpoche he received many initiations, lungs, teachings and kind advice.
From Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche he received all the Nyingma Treasures, many other teachings, and much kind advice and personal instruction. He received from Thinley Norbu Rinpoche the Three Roots initiation as well as instruction and advice on Nang Jang and many Dzogchen teachings.
From Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche he received the Orgyen Thinley Lingpa treasures, Red Tara initiation and Kurukulle initiation. He also received Longchen Nyingtik Yeshe Lama Dzogchen teachings, as well as Chagdud Rinpoche's own pure vision mind treasure, Green Tara Nortreng (Jewel Mala) initiation, teaching and instructions.
From Penor Rinpoche he received the Nyingtik Yabshyi and Kalachakra initiations, as well as many other initiations and teachings. From Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche, he received the Yangtig Nagpo Golden One Syllable teachings, the Trulshik Dongak Lingpa treasure, including the Three Roots and 100 Deities initiations. The culmination of these teachings included a seven-day dark retreat in total darkness.
Rinpoche received the Padampa Sangye Shijé Khorsem initiation and teaching and the Machik Labdrön Chö teachings, which included the Opening the Door of the Sky initiation, from Trulshik Rinpoche. From Rinpoche's uncle Kyangchak Rinpoche he received many oral teachings and inner teachings of Dzogchen. He was very kind, helpful and insightful.
From Minling Trichen Rinpoche, Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche and Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche he received many blessings and good dharmic connections. He has also received special teachings, advice and transmission from several hidden yogis. In addition to extensive connections within the Nyingma lineage, Rinpoche also received many blessings, teachings and dharma nectar from such teachers as Karmapa Rangjung Rigpé Dorje, H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, Sakya Trizin, Taklung Matrul Rinpoche and Sakya Chogyed Rinpoche.
Activity
Practice Experience
Rinpoche received many teachings from many great lamas. Having great respect for these teachings and not wanting these instructions to be wasted, he has practised diligently. In general, the root of the vajrayana path is initiation. The root of initiation is samaya. The root of all samaya combined is the guru's body, speech and mind. Rinpoche diligently renounced all contradictions with his teachers, keeping the samayas without even small mistakes and practised wholehearted faith and devotion and supplication to his gurus. He practised the outer development stage of mahayoga, Three Roots, and special deity practice. As a result of this practice Rinpoche received good signs. Rinpoche practised the inner completion cycle of anuyoga focusing on the prana, nadi and bindu. This includes the practice of tummo and the five-branch yoga. Doing these practices Rinpoche received good signs. Rinpoche has since continued to do the Great Perfection atiyoga main practices of Trekchö and Tögal. The essence of all victorious ones' wisdom, body, speech and mind come together in the root teacher; there is nothing higher anywhere. For this reason, Rinpoche has guru yoga as his heart essence practice for his whole life and until enlightenment.
Teaching Experience
Although Pema Dorje Rinpoche was qualified to teach, initially he only provided for a few fellow practitioners at the explicit request of his teacher. Then, on 20 March 1991, Dilgo Khyentse authorized and encouraged him to spread the Dharma. Rinpoche's other teachers Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche, and Kyangchak Rinpoche, as well as Shiva Rinpoche (the reincarnation of his first teacher, Serta Rinpoche) also encouraged and authorized him to teach. Therefore he accepted the invitation of Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche and started his teaching career in America, Taiwan and Brazil. Rinpoche also has students from Taiwan, Japan, America, Tibet and elsewhere.
Pema Dorje Rinpoche is a very experienced yogin and keeps pure samayas. He watches over disciples carefully and has fulfilled the wishes of serious practitioners. For those who are really interested in the Nyigma tradition, teachings, and practice, to be able to spend time with Rinpoche is very beneficial.
Family
Pema Dorje Rinpoche travels extensively. He has a wife, Kunsang, three sons and one daughter. His wife's father, Uthog Tsomchung Rinpoche, is a Longchen Nyingthik lineage holder. The family of her mother, Choje Zangmo, was from the Drikung Kagyü tradition.