VIII Kyabgon Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche, Thutop Chokyi Gyatso

Brief Introduction of Drukpa Choegon Lineage

The Lineage of Drukpa Choegon came into existence in early 15th century when 1st Choegon became the successor of Ngawang Choekyi Gyalpo, and then teacher to the great Drukchen Pema Karpo and Lhatsewa Ngawang Zangpo.

The Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche, is one of, the three most important Lamas and Lineage Holder of Drukpa Kargyu Lineage. He is an emanation of Vajrapani, and Rinpoche previous lifetimes can be traced back to ancient India where he was the Lord Shakyamuni Buddha´s disciple and personal attendant, Ananda.

The nearer sources of emanation of Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche are King Indra Bhuti, Mahasiddha Tilopa, King Tri Ralpachen, Lochen Verotsana, Rechung Dorje Drakpa, Palchen Galo, Phuljung Samgyal Khache and Sangdak Namkha Palzang.

First Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche, Shabdrung Choekyi Gonpo is one of the main lineage holder and very important master in the Drukpa Kagyu of Tibetan Buddhism.

First Drukpa Choegon is renowned for his life long practice and accomplishments as a master of Vajrapani and Mahakala. His lineage blessings have remained intact through a succession of unbroken lineages. He is known to have recited the mantras of Chakrasambara, Vajrapani, Vajrayogini, and Mahakala each for well over 100 million times. He is therefore considered to have attained a very high level of realisation. Rinpoche's lineage plays a vital role in Drukpa Kagyu, and they are known as regents of Drukpa Kagyu Lineage under the banner of Dorje Dzinpa (Vajradhara) of Tsari. Tsari is the most renowned retreat center in Drukpa Kagyu order of Tibet.

Commanding spiritual influence from his main seat in Dechen Choekhor Monastery near Lhasa, every successive Drukpa Choegon Lineage has made tremendous contribution, futher embellishing this unique tradition of Yogic practice of Mahamudra to other Drukpa Kagyu tulkus for generations since the 15th century. Rinpoche's lineage has been known to have kept this Drukpa Kagyu Lineage pure and vibrant for centuries, passing the teachings to his dharma heir - Khamtrul Rinpoches, and thus spreading it throughout the entire region of Eastern Tibet.

1st Drukpa Choegon was one of root gurus to 4th Gyalwang Druckchen Pema Karpo and 1st Yongzin Lhatsewa. 3rd Drukpa Choegon Choekyi Wangchuk was root guru to Yongzin Geleg Sherpa and 3rd Khamtrul Ngawang Kunga Tenzin, who spread the Drukpa Kagyu Lineage to entire Eastern Tibet. 4th Choegon was master to Yongzin Jampal Pawo, who was the root guru to Drukchen Kunzig Choekyi Nangwa. 5th Drukpa Choegon Jampal Dorje was root guru to 5th Khamtrul Drubgyu Nyima. 6th Drukpa Choegon Choekyi Shenyen was root guru to 6th Yongzin Sheja Kunchen. 7th Choegon's disciples include 6th Khamtrul Tenpe Nyima, 1st Drubwang Tsoknyi, 6th Nangchen Adeu Rinpoche.

8th Choegon Rinpoche was disciple of 6th Khamtrul Tenpe Nyima, he dedicated his life to the practice and preservation of Drukpa Kagyu Lineage. There is no master in our Lineage of Drukpa Kagyu today that has not been under the tutelage of 8th Kyabgon Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche's spritual empowerments. His disciples include, H.H. 11th Gyalwang Drukpa, 7th & 8th Kyabgon Khamtrul Rinpoches, 8th Kyabgon Nangchen Adeu Rinpoche, Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, H.H. Je Khenpo Kunleg of Bhutan, Drubwang Shakya Shri, Apo Rinpoche, 2nd Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Sendrak Rinpoche, and almost every Drukpa master that existed around that period of time. Today Drukpa Kagyu Lineage Holders are mainly holding the lineage of 8th Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche. Thus he has not only maintained the pure lineage but also became the embodiment of Vajradhara.

In 1940 when 8th Kyabgon Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche was invited to Khampagar by 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche, he was then invited by King of Nangchen to give empowerment to entire Drukpa Kagyu Lineages in that region. At that time 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche, his dharma heir and hundreds of other Drukpa Kagyu masters from that region attained the transmission of entire Drukpa Kagyu Lineage from 8th Choegon.

At that time Rinpoche had prophesized that the reason he choose to gave empowerment in Nangchen Garh rather than Khampagar was because Adeu Rinpoche will in future be responsible for the propagation and transmission of our lineage. At that time, 8th Adeu Rinpoche was the head of our lineage in Nangchen. Prophetically, later when he was invited to India in early 1990s, he gave lineage transmissions to all the Drukpa Kagyu rinpoches, khenpos and monks. Later in Tibet, Nangchen Adeu Rinpoche gave Six Yogas of Naropas to monks in more than 60 monasteries, guided thousands of practitioners to practice Mahamudra and Dzogchen, performed hundreds of Drubchens in different monasteries, compiled more than 120 volumes of Drukpa Kagyu texts and established numerous retreat centers. Later, he visited Bhutan and India once again and gave empowerment to every Drukpa Kagyu Masters from the Je Khenpos of Bhutan to all Drukpa Kagyu Rinpoches and Sanghas.

8th Khamtrul Rinpoche visited Bhutan and became the first ever Tibetan master to hold the yellow scarf formally. He was requested by the King of Bhutan to lead the Drukpa Kagyu order in the Vajrayana nation of Bhutan. Both 8th Nangchen Adeu Rinpoche and 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche are two main lineage holders of Drukpa Kagyu Lineage from 8th Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche.

8th Choegon Rinpoche left for India in 1959. Finally he moved to Kinnaur and passed away in Kinnaur in 1964 in his 80s. Current 9th Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche, Thutop Choekyi Wangchuk was born in 1966, took birth in a yogic family in the remote Himalayan town of Kinnaur. At the age of 3 he was recognized by H.H. Gyalwang Karmapa and H.E. 8th Kyabgon Khamtrul Rinpoche as the reincarnation of previous Choegon Rinpoche Thutop Chokyi Gyatso. Formal enthronement was held at Khampagar Monastery in northern India at the age of six by 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche, and was then followed by years of rigorous training. His main teachers were the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche, from whom he received the main Drukpa Kagyu Lineage, and Dilgo Khyenste Rinpoche who gave him the teachings of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

He also received the complete Drukpa Choegon Lineage's practice transmission from Kyabgon Adeu Rinpoche. After completlon of his training, he served as the Vajra Master of Khampagar Monastery for 10 years, and as the president of the Khampagar Monastery for 3 years. His other teachers includes H.H .16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche, and Je Khenpo of Bhutan. Rinpoche's clarity in teaching, and his warm presence and humor makes him a much admired teacher. He currently teaches around the world including India, South East Asia, Europe, North and South America.

His currrent residence is in Kullu valley, India where he is tirelessly and selflessly working on his new monastic institute to provide education for the Tibetans and Himalayan Buddhist community. The center aims to preserve and promote the Tibetan culture, traditions and the Buddhist teachings in this part of the world where it is under increasing pressure.

Acknowledgement: The above Choegon Rinpoche Incarnations statue image is provided courtesy of Nangchen Garh, Qinghai - Tsechu Monastery of Trulshik Adeu Rinpoche