Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche
Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche (Tib. སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་རིག་འཛིན་པདྨ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ, Wyl. sprul sku rig 'dzin pad+ma rin po che) was born in 1948 in Gojo, a district in Kham, Eastern Tibet. At the age of three he was recognized by Adzom Gyalse Gyurme as an incarnation of Togden Sonam Wangchuk Rinpoche, an emanation of the Indian mahasiddha Puni. This recognition took place according to the instructions left by the previous Sonam Wanchuk Rinpoche related to his next birth.
After his enthronement at the Sangak Dargyeling Monastery in Kham, he studied sutra, tantra, and philosophy with several khenpos. His main teachers were Rago Choktrul, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche and Penor Rinpoche, from whom he received all the vajrayana empowerments and transmissions. He also received teachings on trekchö and tögal from Ane Kuchok, a highly realized female disciple of Khenpo Ngakchung. He received the [[Tendrel Nyesel] and other transmissions from Khenpo Jikme Phuntsok. He holds the traditions of Adzom Drukpa and Longchen Nyingtik.
Since his escape from Tibet during the early eighties, he stayed mainly with Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche at Shechen Monastery in Nepal, where he played an important role in the preparations and blessings of all the statues. He is an expert in making stupas, for which he completed the most important mantra recitations, and was responsible for the completion of a large number of stupas in Asia, Europe, and the United States.
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche expressed that if he were to pass away and if his reincarnation were to be found, that Tulku Rigdzin Pema should be his tutor. Unfortunately at the time Tulku Rigdzin pema developed a lung infection and so the rigth circumstances did not manifest.
Teachings & Empowerments Given the Rigpa Sangha
- Amsterdam Rigpa Centre, Netherlands, 11 September 2022:
- empowerments of Pudri Rekpung (Vajrakilaya) & Rigdzin Düpa (short essential empowerment)
- oral transmissions of 6 short Vajrakilaya sadhanas, Kater Dorsem by Dudjom Rinpoche, daily practice of Shyitro Gongpa Rangdrol and the Heart Sutra