Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche

H.E. Chokling Rinpoche and Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche

Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche was born in 1951 in Nangchen region of Kham in Eastern Tibet. He is the son of the Third Neten Chokling Rinpoche. Although he is known as the reincarnation of Taksham Nuden Dorje, he was not formally recognised as a tulku—incarnate lama—in his younger years, because it was said that this would create obstacles to his life. He is the elder brother of Khyentse Yeshe Rinpoche, Jamyang Gyaltsen and Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche and his affectionately called Abu Rinpoche (Abu meaning 'older brother' in the Kham dialect of Tibetan). At the end of the 1950s he left Tibet and went to Sikkim with his parents where he lived for a few years. People say that he used to follow his father wherever he went. In 1967 Chokling Rinpoche started the Tibetan settlement of Bir in Himachal Pradesh, North East India. It was on the way from Delhi to Bir that His Eminence died tragically in a car accident in 1973.

After the passing away of his father, Rinpoche took care of his monastery in Bir. He raised the young reincarnation of his father, the 4th Neten Chokling Rinpoche, before passing over to him in 2004 full responsibility for a monastery that had become famous throughout the Tibetan world, particularly among the Nyingma school, for its expertise in elaborate Vajrayana rituals, Rinpoche's specialty.

Rinpoche also attended Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche for many years, and it was with him that he first went to the West. After he first taught in Dordogne, France, at Pema Wangyal Rinpoche's centre, his mother heard that his teachings had been recorded, and asked for the tapes. When she listened to them, she was amazed at her son's knowledge, because she had never really seen him study. Rinpoche is well known for his incredible memory and the depth of his knowledge, particularly in the field of Vajrayana practices and rituals, and history.

Between 2004 and 2006 Rinpoche went twice to Tibet in order to rebuilt the monastery of his father, Neten Gön. Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche is also a Member of the Tibetan Parliament for the region of Kham, first elected in 2000 and reelected in 2005, and has a reputation as a formidable orator. Nowadays Rinpoche still lives in Bir, and travels occasionally to Europe, America, and Taiwan.

Long Life Prayer

Prayer for the Long Life of Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche

OM SWASTI
MI SHIK TIKLÉ GÖNPO TSÉ TAYÉ
DÜ PUNG JOM DZÉ LHAMO NAM PAR GYAL
PAK SHYI YUM GYUR JETSÜN YI SHYIN KOR
DENG DIR GONG LA TSE WANG NGÖDRUP TSOL
ORGYEN BIMA NGA DAK YAP SÉ KYI
TRINLÉ CHOK KÜN PELWÉ CHE PO RU
TSÉ WÉ YONG SHAR TOP CHÜI SEM PA CHÉ
MI NUP GYAL TSEN CHEN POR TAK TEN SOL
NGÉ JUNG SO TAR TRIM KYI TSAWA TEN
NGÉ LEK CHANGCHUP SEM KYI LODAP GYÉ
NGÉ SANG LA MÉ DRÉ BÜI KHUR CHI WÉ
SUM DEN DORJE DZIN KHYÖ SHYAP TEN SOL
DE TAR TSÉ CHIK SOLWA TAP PÉ TÜ
PALDEN LAMÉ SHYAP PÉ TENPA DANG
SHE DRUP DAR GYÉ GENDÜN DÉ NYI PEL
JIKTEN DÉ SHYING KYI PÉ TASHI SHOK

OM SVASTI
Indestructible tiklé, the protector Boundless Life (Amitayus),
Sarvavijaya who destroys the forces of Mara,
And the mother of the four Aryas, Jetsün Yishyin Khorlo,
Think of us and grant us the siddhi of power over life!
Out of love, you appear as one who furthers the enlightened activity
Of the masters in the lineages of Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra.
A great being with the ten powers of a Buddha.
May you always remain like a great victory banner!
With the foundation of renunciation, pratimoksha vows and discipline,
And the truly excellent Bodhichitta in full blossom,
You carry the weight of the unsurpassed results of the secret mantra.
Vajra holder, keeper of the three vows, may your life be secure!
Through the power of this one-pointed prayer,
May the life of this glorious master remain secure!
May the study and practice of the Dharma spread and the two sanghas increase!
And may all be auspicious for peace and happiness throughout the world!