DOKHAM

The Eighth Khamtrul Rinpoche

The Eighth Khamtrul Rinpoche Dongyud Nyima (1931-1980), was a great scholar and well versed in traditional art of thangkha painting, ritual dances, Tibetan medicine, Traditional woodcraft and metal craft.

He was one of the main revivers of Drukpa Lineage in India. In recognition of his scholarship, he was made the member of the textbook committee of the education Council of the Tibetan Government, in exile in the early 1960’s when schools for Tibetan refugee children were being setup in India.

He left behind seven volumes of collected writings and three volumes of the epic of Ling Gesar based on his vision. In 1969 the Eighth khamtrul Rinpoche re-established his main seat Khampagar monastery in a place called Tashi Jong.

Tashi Jong means Auspicious Valley, it is located in historically holy part of northern India, known as Ngalen Gyi Yul. When Khamtrul Rinpoche visited Tashi Jong he had a vision of peaceful and wrathful Manjushri and saw that Tashi Jong and its surrounding areas were formed by body, speech, mind quality, and activity mandala of Manjushri and therefore he decided this to be the place to re-establish his seat, Khampagar monastery.

Khampagar monastery is renowned for Togdens and yogis. A Togdens is someone who has realized the nature of his own mind through practicing the six yoga’s of Naropa and Mahamudra meditation.

Later in the life, Khamtrul Rinpoche was invited to Bhutan, and he visited many of the holy places there and gave many initiations and teachings in different parts of Bhutan. On Rinpoche’s last visit to Bhutan, he gave initiation of Dorje Trengwa, at the request of devotees. Due to weak health, Khamtrul Rinpoche passed away in the middle way of the initiation in Trongsa Dzong at the young age of forty-nine.

As Bodhisattvas have multiple emanations, the Eighth Khamtrul Rinpoche returned in two forms at around the same time to benefit all sentient beings. We are very fortunate to have them in our realm.