A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF LAMA SONAM TASHI RINPOCHE

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF LAMA SONAM TASHI RINPOCHE

Lama Sonam Tashi Rinpoche was born in 1987 in the sacred land of Palden Lhamo, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, into a family of the Ngakpa tradition that had, for generations, been closely connected with and highly skilled in the Vajra Dance rituals of the Dudjom Tersar lineage.

Today, Lama Sonam Tashi Rinpoche serves as the Abbot of Dundul Raptenling Monastery, which was founded by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche II in 1963. The monastery is situated in one of the most sacred Vajrayana Buddhist sites in Odisha, India, within Camp No. 3 of the Phuntsok Ling Tibetan Settlement. It is surrounded by two sacred Vajravarahi mountains to the south and three mountains representing the Three Families of the Victorious Ones to the west.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

At the age of three (1990), Lama Sonam Tashi entered Dudjom Monastery in Nepal to begin his training in the Dudjom lineage. In 1996, he enrolled in the Chandagiri Tibetan School for a three-year course of study. In 1999, he returned to Dundul Raptenling Monastery, where he continued his studies of Tibetan grammar, reading, writing, and Nyingma scriptures under Khenpo Namdrolling. Together with other monks, he received training in Dudjom Tersar liturgies from Lama Pema Choeying and Lopön Jamyang. He also received the profound instructions of Gampopa from his father, Lama Dorje Thinley.

Lama Sonam Tashi received the Dudjom Tersar empowerments from Terchen Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche, together with the complete Lung transmissions and the profound Me-Ngag and Dam-Ngag instructions from Tulku Tsephel Rinpoche. He received the oral transmission of Jamgön Kongtrul’s Nyungne practice from His Holiness Chatral Rinpoche and the complete Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Zungbum from His Holiness Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche.

He further received the complete Dudjom Tersar cycle of Troma Nagmo (Krodikali), Dham-ngag, and Phowa teachings from His Holiness Pekoe Gyalsey Rinpoche; the oral transmission of Degyal Rinpoche’s Zungbum from Kyabje Tulku Gyepa Dorje Rinpoche; the Taksham Terchö empowerments from Terchen Namkha Drimed Rinpoche; and the complete Rinchen Terdzö empowerments from Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche. He also received the Kalachakra empowerment from His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, as well as numerous Supreme Empowerments of Troma Nagmo, Dorje Drolo, Tara, and other practices from His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche III and His Holiness Kyabje Dungse Garab Rinpoche.

DHARMA ACTIVITIES

During a particularly difficult period for the monastery in 2005, despite his young age, Lama Sonam Tashi began sharing responsibility for the monastery’s welfare alongside Venerable Tulku Tsephel Rinpoche. He traveled extensively throughout India to raise funds and resources necessary for the monastery’s survival and growth, while also welcoming additional monks and young novices from various regions.

Following the parinirvana of Tulku Tsephel Rinpoche in 2010, the full responsibility for the monastery fell upon Lama Sonam Tashi Rinpoche. With the support and guidance of eminent lineage masters such as His Holiness Garab Dorje Rinpoche, His Holiness Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, and His Holiness Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche, he successfully guided the monastery through its most challenging period. Since then, he has continued to teach Dharma and ritual practice to the monastic community.

In 2017, Lama Sonam Tashi Rinpoche was honored to serve as the Omze (chant master) during the three-day Troma Nagmo Grand Drubchen held in Nepal under the direction of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche III.

In 2019, at the age of thirty-two, Lama Sonam Tashi Rinpoche received permission and encouragement from His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche III to leave the monastery annually in order to spread the Dharma throughout India and internationally, including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Europe, the United States, and other countries. During these journeys, he also provides opportunities for devoted sponsors worldwide to accumulate merit through supporting the construction of the Zangdok Palri (Copper-Colored Mountain Palace) project within Dundul Raptenling Monastery. The palace is designed according to the pure vision of Dudjom Rinpoche II as a representation of Guru Rinpoche’s Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain Paradise and was personally approved by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche III.

Lama Sonam Tashi Rinpoche tirelessly engages in enlightened activities. In addition to overseeing the construction of Zangdok Palri and presiding over the monastery’s major ceremonies, he has compiled and published the Dudjom Mandala Collection, a Rimé Daily Prayer Collection, produced recordings of Dudjom Tersar Vajra Dances, released devotional chant recordings dedicated to King Gesar, and conducted numerous Drubchen ceremonies during which sacred medicinal substances are prepared for the benefit and protection of practitioners and all sentient beings.

Today, Lama Sonam Tashi Rinpoche continues to organize annual practice gatherings and ceremonies at the monastery, attracting disciples from across India and abroad. He has also established Dudjom Troma Chöd practice groups for lay practitioners in South India, North India, and other countries, helping to preserve and expand this profound and unique practice tradition of the Dudjom Tersar lineage.