|
His Eminence Kyabje Dorje Chang Luding Khenchen Rinpoche
.... is the 75th Head of the Ngor sub-sect of the Sakya tradition. His Eminence was born to the clan of Shang, Sharchen or Ludingpa in the female sheep year of 1931 near the great seat of Ngor Ewam monastery called Pangshal. The clan of Shang, Sharchen or Ludingpa is renowned for producing scholars and siddhas of different Buddhist sects. The position of Head Abbot of Ngor was traditionally held for a three year period in which extensive teachings are given almost non-stop. The three year periods alternate between the four monastic Houses (ladrangs); Luding, Khangsar, Thartse and Phende. Due to the Chinese take-over of Tibet in 1959 and the disruption to the Ngor monastic system, His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche effectively led and maintained the Ngor School up to 16th March 2000. It was then that His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche's nephew (Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chimey Luding's son) - His Eminence Luding Shabdrung Rinpoche - was enthroned at Ngor Pal Ewam Choden Monastery, Manduwalla, India, as the 76th abbot of the line. So therefore, His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche's nephew is now known as 'His Eminence Luding Khen Rinpoche', while we address His Eminence as 'Luding Khenchen Rinpoche'.
Being the eldest in this family, His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche was ordained as a monk at the age of ten by the most gracious Khenchen Sharchen Jamyang Thupten Lungtok Gyaltsen Palsangpo. For the next thirteen years, His Eminence was blessed with the pith instructions of Lamdre, several initiations, oral transmissions, advice, grammar, poetry and so on from Khenchen Sharchen. His Eminence's other teachers include the two Khenchens of Ewam Khangsar Ladrang, His Holiness Sakya Trizin and His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.
For almost four continuous years from the age of seventeen, His Eminence was in retreat, practising mainly the sadhanas of Hevajra and other deities. In 1954 at the age of twenty-four, His Eminence was enthroned as the Abbot of the Ngor Ewam Choden Monastery.
In 1959, after the invasion of Tibet, His Eminence left Tibet and fled to Darjeeling, India. In 1961, His Eminence established the Ngor centre in Gangtok, Sikkim. In 1965, under His Eminence's guidance, Kyegu monastery was re-established in Kamrao, Himachal Pradesh. His Eminence also re-established the Ngor Pal Ewam Choden Monastery in Mandawala, North India.
His Eminence has contributed greatly to the Dharma by giving continuous teachings, empowerments, oral transmissions and re-establishing summer retreats in various Sakya monasteries in India, Nepal and other Sakya centres overseas. His Eminence has given the precious Lamdre teachings fifteen times, and has bestowed initiations and instructions mainly on the Thirteen Golden Dharmas of the Sakya tradition, the Seven Mandalas of the Ngor tradition and other deities. His Eminence has ordained over twelve thousand monks and nuns.
His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche is the 75th Abbot of Ngor Ewam Choe Dan Monastery, which is the seat of the Ngor Lineage of the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhist Tradition. Ngor Monastery is the head of hundreds of other branch monasteries such as the great Kyegu Monastery in Kham, eastern Tibet. For over 500 years, the very name "Ngor Monastery" has been synonymous with great learning. This tradition of unequalled scholarship and practice continues today.
Ngor Monastery was founded in 1429 by the great master Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo. Prophesized by the Buddha, he was a brilliant scholar, teacher, and vajra master. The Monastery was named Ngor Ewam Cho Dan because while it was under construction, Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo dreamt that the collection of all Dharma arise from the letters E and WAM.
Every year since the Monastery has been established, the Ngor Abbot has bestowed the precious Lam Dre teaching cycle, as well as the majority of full ordination ceremonies and countless other teachings to thousands of Sakya sangha members who gather from the branch monasteries. The Lam Dre, or Path and its Result, is the major Vajrayana practice of the Sakya tradition. It condenses both the sutric and tantric paths to enlightenment in three-month long secret oral instructions.
The Ngor Monastery has now been re-established by His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche in a quiet forest near Manduwala, in Uttranchal, in Northern India. Through his skillful and wise leadership, the Monastery has now fully re-established the performance and training of monks in all of the annual 'drubchot' great tantric rituals, it is a flourishing training school for young monks with a retreat centre, library, and Sakya Pandita shrine. Construction of a tantric college for in-depth study of the tantras is in progress.
Today, hundreds of monks travel great distances to enroll in the Ngor Monastery school of ritual studies and to participate in the annual grand rituals, maintaining Ngor Monastery's ancient heritage as a seat of learning and the headquarters for training of monks. Thus, the Ngor tradition has not only been completely re-established, it has been spread throughout the world.
|
