The 8th Kyabgon Khamtrul Rinpoche Dongyud Nyima (1931-1980), was a great scholar and well versed in traditional art of thangka painting, ritual dances, Tibetan medicine, traditional woodcraft and metal craft.

Kyabgon Khamtrul Rinpoche and Kyabgon Adeu Rinpoche are the main lineage holders of Drukpa Kagyu Lineage from 8th Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche. Just as all his predecessors, every single Khamtrul Rinpoches Lineages primarily recieved transmission and teachings at Dechen Cheokhor from Shabdrung (Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche) or Drukpa Yongzin Rinpoche.

He was one of the main revivers of the Drukpa Kagyu 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 7 volumes of collected writings and 3 volumes of the epic of Ling Gesar based on his vision. In 1969 the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche reestablished his main seat, Khampagar Monastery in a place called Tashi Jong in India.

Tashi Jong means auspicious Valley. It is located in a historically holy land of northern India. 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 the body, speech, mind, quality and activity mandala of Manjushri. Therefore he decided this to be the place to reestablish his seat - Khampagar Monastery.

Khampagar Monastery is renowned for Togdens and Yogis. A Togdens is someone who has attained a higher realization of the nature of his own mind by practicing the Six Yogas of Naropa and Mahamudra meditation.

Later in his life, Khamtrul Rinpoche was invited to 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. He visited many of the holy places there and gave many initiations and teachings in different parts of Bhutan, including Dorje Trenba Initiation at the request of Thimphu Tashi Choedzong, the main monastery of Drukpa Kagyu, where H.H. Je Khenpo resides.

In year 1980, on Rinpoche's last visit to Bhutan; he conferred many initiations and empowerments at the request of his devotees. Due to our limited accumulation of good Karma, we have not been able to see his long life and he passed away in Tongsa Monastery, Bhutan at a young age of 49 after completing numerous empowerments. Initiations was completed around 8pm followed by dinner. At about 11pm, Rinpoche told his attendant that he was unwell, and shortly after that he passed away around 12.15am. Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche was there with him at that last moment, and has spent about one month with him to receive the most important teachings of Drukpa Kagyu Lineages.

* H.E. Khamtrul Rinpoche's Website: http://himachalweb.com/tashijong/index.htm