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| Thubten Choedak Rinpoche (1954 - ) |
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 Lama Choedak is the heart son of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. He is also one of the few Sakya Lamas who have completed major retreats on Hevajra, Vajrayogini, Vajrapani, and the entire Lamdre Lobshe teachings. After making Australia his home in the 1980s, Lama Choedak has been instrumental in spreading the teaching of Tibetan Buddhism, in particular, the Sakya lineage. Lama Choedak helped create the Buddhist Education Foundation in Sydney (later known as Sidhartha’s Intent). In 1988, after making Canberra his home, Lama Choedak founded the Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Rongton Buddhist College, and the Virupa Retreat Centre. In addition, he has become the spiritual director of the Jamchen Buddhist Centre in Melbourne and a number of other centres around Australia and in New Zealand. Lama Choedak has helped design teaching programs for many other Tibetan Buddhist centers in Malaysia, USA, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, and has become a registered Minister for Religion with the Attorney General’s Office in Canberra. Lama Choedak conducts regular workshops, retreats, and gives public talks. In recent years, he has trained over 120 Australians and New Zealanders to facilitate introductory courses in a pragmatic and structured course in Calm Abiding Meditation. There are now over twenty locations where these classes are held throughout Australia. |
Date of Birth: 14 Aug, 1954
Location: Australia
State: No State Provided
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Views: 77
Summary
Lama Choedak Rinpoche was born on August 14th, 1954, in Namru region of North Tibet. In 1959, with the Chinese invasion of Tibet, Lama Choedak and his family escaped to Nepal. As a child, Lama Choedak was known as Gonpo Dondrup, the name given to him by the renowned meditation master, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, whilst in Tibet. As a child, he had a gifted aptitude for learning and study. He was one of the first Tibetan students to receive a scholarship from the Swiss Red Cross. He was also one of the first Tibetans to complete his School Leaving Certificate (SLC) in a Nepalese high school. In 1966, at the age of twelve, Lama Choedak became a monk. His hair-cutting ceremony was presided over by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. Whilst still at high school, Lama Choedak started to study at the Karma Kagyu monastery, Jangchup Choeling, under Lama Dupsing Rinpoche. A few years later in Pokhara, Lama Choedak was ordained as a novice by His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. In 1969, Lama Choedak joined His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche at his new monastery in Lumbini becoming his personal assistant and secretary for six years. During this time, he also continued his study of Tantra, Tibetan Poetry, grammar, and rituals. At the age of twenty-three, Lama Choedak began a traditional three and half year solitary meditation retreat on Lamdre Lobshe and Hevajra practices. Out of the five monks who started this arduous retreat, only three survived. One died and one went insane. After the retreat, Lama Choedak continued his studies. With fluency in four languages, he was much sought after to assist with translations. A few years later, Lama Choedak traveled to New Zealand to assist at a Buddhist centre in Auckland. At this point, he made the decision to hand back his robes and continue to teach Buddhism as a lay person. He migrated to Australia, where he helped create the Buddhist Education Foundation in Sydney (later known as Sidhartha’s Intent). He also led his first retreat for Westerners in Canberra in 1986. In 1988, after getting married, he settled in Canberra. Lama Choedak pursued a post-graduate degree in Asian studies eventually graduating with a Litt. B. in Buddhist Text. He is now a father of three children and continues to teach.
References:
Related Links:
www.sakya.com.au/
www.jamchen.com/spiritual+director/default.aspx
www.congress-on-buddhist-women.org/index.php?id=49
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