About
Below you will find two of Lakshey Zangpo’s biographies. One authored by His Holiness Kathok Getse Rinpoche and the other by Khenpo Orgyen Chonyid of Larung Gar.
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A Brief Introduction to Lakshey Zangpo
Composed by His Holiness Kathok Getse Rinpoche
Letter from His Holiness Getse Rinpoche
“Lama Lakshey Zangpo is from Mardo Tashi Choling in which the Kathok lineage doctrine is held. Since childhood, he studied reading, grammar and so forth. At that time, he was recognized as the reincarnation of Tulku Pema Tashi, the son of the treasure revealer (Terton Orgyen Kachyod Lingpa), by the Terton Lama Gerwang.
In Larung Monastery, he studied with the Lord of the Dharma, the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel HH Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche, and many other sublime teachers. From them, he learned about Sutra, Tantra, as well as general knowledge. He engaged in listening, contemplation and meditation for many years, and received many empowerments, and oral transmissions from HH Moktrul Rinpoche, and other Lamas. He then gradually went for pilgrimage to Central Tibet, Nepal, and India. There he received many empowerments, oral transmissions, and teachings from all different Buddhist traditions.
Then he went back to Golok, his homeland, where he taught at a school for several years. This school, established by Khentrul Kunzang Gyaltsen, is for the purpose of educating orphans and poor children.
After arriving in America he continued to study. Along with that, in order to help the school in Tibet, he has established a charity organization. He is not a self-centered person. Rather, he has a very good heart, and a strong altruistic intention. I sincerely wish those who have a connection with him can help him fulfill his goals.
This brief introduction was written by Kathok Getse Gyurme Tenpa Gyaltsen (Kathok Getse Rinpoche) 2009.”
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The Biography of Lakshey Zangpo
Composed by Khenpo Orgyen Chonyid of Larung Gar
Translated by Jacob Archuletta
His father’s name is Gya Pema Tenzin, a minister of Golok from the Akyong Gya family. His mother is the descendant of Akye Sang Ngak Lingpa, as well as the great treasure revealer Orgyen Kachyod Lingpa, who is Lakshey Zangpo’s grandfather.
Kyabje Choktrul Rinpoche, Kyabje Chatral Sangye Dorje, Akya Lama Karma Chopel, Garlong Rinpoche the Terton, and Doctor Kamtsing Drugye Rinpoche all received teachings and joyfully served and relied upon Orgyen Kachyod Lingpa as their guru.
The daughter of Terton Orgyen Kachyod Lingpa, named Samdrup Tso, who herself is a wisdom dakini, gave birth to Lakshey Zangpo near Nyenpo Yurtse, on a good day in the beginning of summer in the year of the Water Tiger (1974).
From a young age he awoke to his previous lives, remembering his previous habits. He made many proclamations of his previous lives and manifested many signs of his previous dharma habits.
At the age of 6 he began studying both writing and reading and was able to understand without any difficulties.
At the age of 11 he received the Khatok lineage empowerments and transmissions called Duddul and Longsel from His Holiness Khatok Moktsa Rinpoche. Later, he also received the Rinchen Terdzod empowerments and transmissions from him at the age of 27. From Tulku Lhatsam, Khenchen Tsering Chopel, Khenpo Nangdor, he received Ngondro teachings and listened and contemplated many other teachings.
At the age of fifteen he received the Nyingtik Yabzhi empowerments from His Holiness Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok. And from Khenpo Shedrup he received the five volumes of teaching which he listened to, contemplated, memorized, and practiced.
At the age of 16 he went to Larung Chokyi Drongkyer (Sertar Buddhist Academy), where he received Sutra and Tantra teachings. Especially, he recieved the ripening empowerments of the liberating oral teachings of Dzogpa Chenpo (Great Perfection) from His Holiness Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok.
He received many teachings of sutra and tantra from Khenchen Tsultrim Lodro, Khenchen Chimed Rigzin, Tulku Lungtok, Khenpo Sherab Zangpo, Khenpo Yeshe Phuntsok, as well as more than 10 other Khenpos and Tulkus. He listened to and practiced them in a vast way.
In particular, from His Eminence Bontrul Tenpai Wangchuk he was shown the actual face of his own awareness (rigpa), and His Eminence Bontrul Tenpai Wangchuk became his Root Guru. He received Nyen Gyud (snyan brgyud), The Whispered Lineage, a lineage of secret teachings transmitted only to the closest disciples through direct communication with their root teacher.
At age 26 he went on pilgrimage for many months to many holy places in China such as Riwo Jyakhang (ri bo bya skang can), as well as holy places of Kham, Amdo, and U tsang. He also did retreat in the caves of Longchen Rabjam and Guru Rinpoche at Samye Chimpu and Gangri Tokar.
He then went on pilgrimage to many holy places in India, Nepal, and Thailand. During this time he also received teachings from many great scholars and practitioners of Sakya, Geluk, Kagyu, Nyingma and Jonang traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
Furthermore, he studied Chinese and English from many different teachers. He also went to Malaysia and Singapore to benefit beings there.
Then, at the aspiration of Khentrul Kunzang Gyaltsen, Lakshey Zangpo undertook the position of assistant principal at Kumkar Sengdruk Taktse School in Golok, where he initiated the English program, taught Philosophy, and Computer Science.
Previously, he was the son of Akye Terchen, known as Tulku Padma Trashi, who was the abbot of Phayul Dongzong Monastery in Golok. When Tulku Padma Trashi was in his early twenties, he passed away.
Various Lamas and Khenpos recognized Lakshey Zangpo’s previous lives. In particular, the manifestation of the union of Mahasiddha Atsar Sale and Yudra Nyingpo, known as Terchen Zhepa Dorje, also known as Padma Gargyi Wangchuk Tsal prophecised:
In previous lives, at Glorious Unchanging Samye Monastery
The yogi who actualized and received the blessings of
Drubpai Wangchuk Dharma Tsemang
was Trajna Rimi, holding wisdom treasures
After this, in the northern land of Sita
The awareness holder Siddhi Metri Tsen
Then in the land of Amdo
Holding the name of Padma and the tantric teachings of Padmasambhava
Then, as the emanation of Padmakara
The emanation of the awakened mind of the awareness holder Padma Thutop
is the magical emanation Padma Trashi
In this life, Lakshey Zangpo is the emanation of Padma Trashi,
who has defeated all obstacles and demons.
Even though there were unconfused prophecies such as this, Lakshey Zangpo did not want to be a tulku, or to hold a high title, or take care of monasteries. Instead, he wanted to benefit all people, especially poor Tibetan children, and orphans. He was always thinking about and talking about how to merge traditional culture together with modern thinking.
Then, Khentrul Kunzang Gyaltsen, Tulku Thubten Norbu, and Lakshey Zangpo discussed with each other how to most benefit Tibetan people, especially the students of Sengdruk Taktse School, and they decided that coming to America to study would be very beneficial. So Kyabje Lingtrul Rinpoche kindly invited Lakshey Zangpo to come to America.
Lakshey Zangpo currently lives in America where he is studying.
This was written by Khenpo Orgyen Chonyid from Larung Monastery