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The
8th Shabdrung Druk Choekyi Gonpo, Thutop Chokyi
Gyatso
(a precious
hand-painted coloured image in a branch monastery of Dechen
Choekhorling in Kinnaur)
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The Lineage of Drukpa Choegon came into
existence in the early 16th century when the 1st
Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche became the successor of
Ngawang Choekyi Gyalpo, and then the root guru to the
great Drukchen Pema Karpo and Lhatsewa Ngawang Zangpo.
The Drukpa Choegon Rinpoches, is one of the, the
three most important Lamas and Lineage Holders 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 the Drukpa
Choegon Rinpoches are King Indra Bhuti (the King of Oddiyana, who
adopted Guru Rinpoche when he was a child), Mahasiddha Tilopa, King
Tri Ralpachen (one of the three great Dharma Kings of Tibet, who
firmly rooted the Dharma in The Land of Snow), Lochen Verotsana
(the great Tibetan translator in 8th century), Rechung Dorje Drakpa
(Milarepa's moon-like heart son), Palchen Galo (widely known as Ga
Lotsawa, the great Tibetan mahasiddha and translator who visited
India and brought back many precious teachings to Tibet), Phuljung
Samgyal Khache (the great accomplished master of Mahakala practice)
and Sangdak Namkha Palzang (a great Mahakala practitioner).
The Drukpa Choegon Lineage is renowned as the
incomparable accomplished master in the practice of Mahakala,
Chakrasamvara and Vajrapani. The Drukpa Choegons is revered as the
most powerful Mahakala practitioner of Drukpa Kagyu.
The 1st Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche is renowned
for his life-long practice and accomplishments as a peerless master
of Vajrapani and Mahakala. His lineage blessings have remained
intact through a succession of unbroken lineage holders. The 1st
Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche is venerated as "The Dorje Zinpa
of Tsari", means The Lord of All Vajra Holders in the sacred
holy-land of Tsari Chigchar. Tsari Chigchar is the most renowned
retreat place of Drukpa Kagyu, where every Choegon Rinpoche
spent many years of retreat.
It's recorded that the 1st Druk Shabdrung Choekyi
Gonpo have recited the mantras of Chakrasamvara, Vajrapani,
Vajrayogini, and Mahakala each for well over 100 million times. He
is therefore, unanimously recognized as to have attained a very
high level of realization. Drukpa Choegon's Lineage plays an
absolutely vital role in Drukpa Kagyu, and they are known as the
Regents of Drukpa Kagyu Lineage under the banner of Dorje Dzinpa of
Tsari.
Commanding the spiritual influence from his main
seat in Druk Dechen Choekhor Monastery near Lhasa, every successive
Drukpa Choegon Lineage has made tremendous and invaluable
contributions, further embellishing this unique tradition of Yogic
practice of Mahamudra, and transmitted it to innumerable Drukpa
Kagyu's tulkus for generations ever since the 16th century. The
Drukpa Choegon's Lineage is highly revered as the very source and
essence of the Drukpa Kagyu, for keeping this enlightened Lineage
pure and vibrant for centuries; passing this blessed teachings to
his dharma heir - Khamtrul Rinpoches, and thus spreading it
throughout the entire region of Eastern Tibet.
The Centuries Gurus-Disciples
Relationship of The Choegon Rinpoche Lineage
The 1st Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche was root guru to
the 4th Gyalwang Druckchen Pema Karpo and the 1st Yongzin Lhatsewa
Ngawang Zangpo. The 3rd Drukpa Choegon Choekyi Wangchuk was root
guru to Yongzin Geleg Sherpa and the 3rd Khamtrul Ngawang Kunga
Tenzin, who subsequently, under the instruction of his root
guru, spread the Drukpa Kagyu Lineage to entire Eastern Tibet.
The 4th Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche was master to Yongzin Jampal
Pawo, who was the root guru to Drukchen Kunzig Choekyi Nangwa. The
5th Drukpa Choegon Jampal Dorje was root guru to the 5th Khamtrul
Drubgyu Nyima. The 6th Drukpa Choegon Choekyi Shenyen was root guru
to the 6th Yongzin Sheja Kunchen. The 7th Choegon Rinpoche's
disciples include the 6th Khamtrul Tenpe Nyima, the 1st Drubwang
Tsoknyi, the 6th Nangchen Adeu Rinpoche.
The 8th Choegon Rinpoche was disciple of the 6th
Khamtrul Tenpe Nyima. He dedicated his entire life to the practice
and preservation of the Drukpa Kagyu Lineage. There is no
master in the Drukpa Kagyu today that has not been under the
tutelage of the 8th Kyabgon Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche's spiritual
empowerment. His disciples include, H.H. the 11th Gyalwang Drukpa,
the 7th & 8th Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpoches, the 8th Kyabje
Nangchen Adeu Rinpoche, Thuksey Rinpoche, H.H. Je Khenpo Kunleg of
Bhutan, Drubwang Shakya Shri, Apo Rinpoche, the 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 the 8th Drukpa Choegon
Rinpoche. Thus, he has not only maintained the pure lineage but
also became the embodiment of Vajradhara.
The Prophesis of The 8th Kyabgon Drukpa
Choegon Rinpoche
In 1940, when the 8th Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche was
first invited to Khampagar by the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche;
subsequently, he was requested by the King of Nangchen to confer
the empowerment and transmissions of the complete Drukpa Kagyu
Lineage in that region. At that time, the 8th Khamtrul
Rinpoche and hundreds of other Drukpa Kagyu masters from far
and wide, received the transmissions of the entire Drukpa
Kagyu Lineage from the 8th Kyabgon Choegon Rinpoche in
Nangchen Garh.
At that time, Rinpoche prophesied that the
reason he chooses to give 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,
the 8th Adeu Rinpoche was the head of our lineage in Nangchen.
Prophetically, later when Adeu Rinpoche was invited to
India in early 1990s, he conferred the grand lineage
transmissions to almost all Drukpa Kagyu rinpoches, tulkus, khenpos
and monks. Later in Tibet, Nangchen Adeu Rinpoche transmitted
the Six Yogas of Naropas to monks in over 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 Kargyu texts and
established numerous retreat centers. Later, he visited Bhutan and
India once again, and gave empowerment to the Drukpa Kagyu Masters,
from the Je Khenpos of Bhutan to almost all Drukpa Kargyu Rinpoches
and Sanghas.

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The two heart-sons of the 8th
Kyabgon Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche - The 8th Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpoche
and the 8th Kyabje Adeu Rinpoche
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Shabdrung Choekyi Gonpo's another
heartson, the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche visited Bhutan numerous
times, 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 the 8th
Nangchen Adeu Rinpoche and the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche are the two
main lineage holders of Drukpa Kagyu Lineage from the 8th Druk
Shabdrung Choekyi Gonpo.
In the late 1950s, the 8th Kyabgon Choegon
Rinpoche arrived at Kinnaur in Northern India, where he had many
devoted disciples incuding the yogic parents of the current Choegon
Rinpoche; and later enter into parinirvana in year 1964 in his
eighties.
The Present Drukpa Choegon
Rinpoche
The 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. the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa and H.E. the 8th
Kyabje Khamtrul Rinpoche as the reincarnation of previous Choegon
Rinpoche, Thutop Choekyi Gyatso. Formal enthronement was held at
Khampagar Monastery in northern India at the age of six by the 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 H.H. the late
Dilgo Khyenste Rinpoche, who gave him the teachings of the four
schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

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The three root gurus of Drukpa
Choegon Rinpoche (from left: The 8th Kyabgon Khamtrul Rinpoche, The
8th Kyabgon Adeu Rinpoche & H.H. Dilgo Khyentse
Rinpoche)
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His most important root guru in this life time is
the 8th Kyabje Adeu Rinpoche, where he received the complete Drukpa
Choegon Lineage's practice transmission. After completion 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 include H.H. the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa,
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche, the 68th Je Khenpo of
Bhutan, and H.H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche. Rinpoche's clarity in
teaching, and his warm presence and humor makes him a
much-admired teacher. He is currently teaches around the
world, including India, South-East Asia, Europe, North and South
America.
His present residences are in Kullu valley,
northern India and Seattle, WA where he is selflessly and
tirelessly endeavor to propagate the sublime Dharma as well as
working toward the reestablishment of the great mother monastery of
Drukpa Kargyu and the Monastic Institute of Higher Buddhist
Learning, to provide education for the Tibetan and Himalayan
Buddhist community. The center aims to preserve and promote the
Tibetan cultures and traditions, and the authentic teachings of
Lord Buddha in this part of the world where its survival is under
increasing pressure.
Note to Reader:
Brief
explanation on the names used to address Drukpa Choegon
Rinpoche:
Shabdrung Druk
Choekyi Gonpo
or
Kyabje Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche
* Shabdrung
(Tib: ཞབས་དྲུང་ ; also Zhabsdrung, means "at the feet of"), is an
honorific title in Tibetan Buddhism, mostly used to address the
second high-ranked lama of a lineage, who is the important lineage
or throne-holder.
Acknowledgement: The above Choegon Rinpoche
Image is provided courtesy of Dechen Choekhorling main branch
monasteries in Kinnaur, Northern India.
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