His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche
Lama Gape
Tsunma Rinchen Khandro
OTHER BELOVED TEACHERS IN OUR LINEAGE
Khenchen Konchok Gyaltsen
Drupon Trinley Nyingpo Rinpoche
Khenpo Sherab Oser
Drupon Rinchen Dorje
Traga
Rinpoche is an accomplished Dzogchen master, having received profound foundational
and the most advanced teachings from some of the greatest living masters
of Tibetan Buddhism including His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, His Eminence
Garchen Rinpoche, Khenchen Jigme Phuntsog and many others. From Garchen
Rinpoche, Traga Rinpoche received teachings on all Drikung Kagyu texts on
regular Dharma service and practice, the five-fold Mahamudra, the entire
Dzogchen Yangzab teachings, and many profound pith instructions. He then
did his Dzogchen Yangzab retreat at Lho Miyel Gon monastery.
In early 1984, Traga Rinpoche received full gelong ordination from the Nyingma master Khenpo Munsel, who gave him the detailed teachings on Dzogchen “Cutting Through the Resistance to Primordial Purity.” Khenpo Munsel gently looked at Traga Rinpoche and said, “Your karmic propensity is to practice Dzogchen. I am your karmic lama. If you can meditate, you have today found the way to liberation in one life. You will never find something like this even if you went to look for it with your horse’s hooves encased in steel. Spend one year near me and meditate.” For the next seven years, Traga Rinpoche did retreat near Khenpo Munsel, and practiced Cutting Through, Passing Over, and many other advanced practices.
In 1998,
Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche - determined to make Traga Rinpoche’s vast
knowledge and profound experiential understanding of the highest level
of Dzogchen teachings accessible to as many students as possible - enthroned
him as “Lopon Rinpoche” (Precious Master), with lavish praise
for his hard work and outstanding achievements. His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche
selected Traga Rinpoche as the retreat master and resident lama at the
Garchen Buddhist Institute, and asked his students “to have full
confidence in Traga Rinpoche, just as I have full confidence in him."