H.H. Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok Jungné (1937 - 2004)

was born in 1937 in eastern Tibet. He was a reincarnation of the great master Terton Lerab Lingpa, and discovered terma treasures in this lifetime as well. Rinpoche was the foremost teacher in residence in modern Tibet. A brilliant scholar and eloquent speaker, he regularly addressed gatherings of monks, nuns and lay people numbering in the thousands. He was the founder of the great university center of Larung Gar that attracted over 15,000 students drawn there by his greatness.

In 1993, Rinpoche was able to visit H.H. the Dalai Lama in India and bestow transmissions to His Holiness. H.H. Khenpo Jigme Puntsok Rinpoche passed away at the age of 72 years on the evening of January 6, 2004, in a military hospital in Chengdu, China. His recent passing is a great loss to Buddhism in Tibet

Adzom Drukpa Thubten Pema Trinley (1921-2001)

was one of the greatest scholars in Tibetology, as well as an accomplished Dzogchen Master and Mahasiddha of the rainbow body.

Rinpoche was born in the Fire Tiger year (1926) in Kham area, nearby a sacred terma place of Guru Rinpoche, Yulhong Lhari Mountain (today’s Dege District of Sichuan Province).

Rinpoche was recognized by the 5th Dzogchen Rinpoche, Thubten Chokyi Dorje as the unmistaken reincarnation of the previous Adzom Drukpa Dordul Pawo Dorje (the manifestation of one of the 25 disciples of Guru Rinpoche, Matog Rigzin and Rigzin Chenpo and other masters – the guru of the Great Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro). In the Earth Dragon year of Tibetan Calendar, Drukpa Rinpoche was enthroned as a high ranked master of the Adzom Monastery.

Rinpoche was renowned for his impartial loving kindness and compassion. Without caring much about his own interests and benefits, he always dedicates himself wholeheartedly and selflessly for the benefit of all. He upheld and maintained pure precepts and virtuous conducts, which made him a great and exalted example of living Bodhisattva, who was highly praised and admired by all. Rinpoche was employed as the professor of Tibetan language in the Higher Buddhist Institute of China and other important positions in social and cultural organizations.

His Holiness Penor Rinpoche or Kyabjé Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche (1932-2009)

was the 11th throne holder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was the supreme head of the Nyingmapa lineage from 1993 to 2001.

H.H. Penor Rinpoche was born in 1932, in the Powo region of Kham, East Tibet. Choktrul Rinpoche was his main master, although he received teachings from many lamas. Beside becoming learned in several subjects including writing, poetry, astrology and medicine, he studied the sutras with different khenpos.

Aged twelve, he received from Choktrul Rinpoche the most important transmissions and empowerments of the Nyingma School, including the great empowerment of the Kagyé and the Rinchen Terdzö empowerments. From Karma Kuchen Rinpoche he received the terma revelations of Ratna Lingpa.

At twenty one he was fully ordained by his master at Tarthang Monastery following the vinaya lineage transmitted to Tibet by Shantarakshita, receiving all the essential instructions and empowerments of the Nyingma tradition.

He also received at that time the cycle of Tendrel Nyesel, Lerab Lingpa's great terma revelation. He then completed a Vajrakilaya retreat and, having received all the transmissions of the Kangyur and Tengyur, he entered into retreat for four years during which his master gave him all the transmissions of the Palyul tradition, following the secret oral instructions of Tertön Mingyur Dorjé's Namchö.

Penor Rinpoche successfully completed all the stages of the practice, accomplishing the root recitations of the Three Roots (lama, yidam, and khandro), the Namchö preliminary practices, tummo and tsa-lung, and Dzogchen practices.

He fled Tibet in 1959 and subsequently established Namdroling Monastery which is located in Karnataka State, in Southern India. Namdroling has become the largest Nyingma monastery in the world, where many khenpos, monks and nuns are receiving an education. Khenpo Namdrol, among others, is one of the main senior khenpos teaching at the shedra of Namdroling.

Penor Rinpoche made his first visit to the United States in 1985.

In 1993, he was elected the Supreme Head of the Nyingmapa, succeeding Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. In 2001 the title passed to Kyabjé Minling Trichen Rinpoche.