The 9th Traleg Rinpoche 1955-2012

[phantom59]

Dear Friends and Members of Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche's centres,

It is with deep regret that we inform the Karma Kagyu tradition, the Nyingma tradition and all other schools of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the wider Buddhist community that our treasured and beloved Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX passed into parinirvana at 12.10 am on 24 July 2012, being the Fourth Day of the Sixth Month of the Tibetan calendar in the Year of the Dragon. We are deeply shocked and saddened at the loss of such an extraordinary teacher at such a young age. Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche remained lucid to the end and we were both honoured to be present with Rinpoche at the time of his gentle and dignified passing.

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Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche was devoted to maintaining the essence and purity of Buddhism. Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche was not only a remarkable and outstanding scholar of the teachings of Buddhism but his ability to communicate the teachings ensured that the essence of the teachings penetrated the hearts and minds of thousands of students of the Dharma throughout the world. We deeply and earnestly pray for the quick rebirth of Traleg Rinpoche. We feel blessed beyond belief to be a part of Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche's activities throughout the West.

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In accordance with the Tibetan tradition evening pujas at E-Vam Buddhist Institute, Carlton North, will commence on Wednesday 25 July from 8pm and all subsequent evenings for 49 days. A tribute ceremony will be held at Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche's Maitripa Centre, Healesville, at a date to be confirmed.

With Profound Sadness,
Yours Sincerely in the Dharma,

Felicity Lodro and Kal Kingi.

http://www.facebook.com/NyingmaSchoolOfTibetanBuddhiam

The Tibetan Buddhist master and onetime abbot of Thrangu Monastery, Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche, died suddenly this morning in Melbourne, Australia, site of the Kagyu E-vam Buddhist Institute which he founded.
Family and students were by his side as he passed, apparently of a heart attack. He was 57.

Though such an event was unexpected, Rinpoche’s travel and activity had been restricted in recent years due to health concerns. He was expected to arrive in North America soon, for his first visit here in some time.

http://shambhalasun.com/news/?p=35805

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche was born in 1955 in Nangchen, Eastern Tibet. He was enthroned as the Supreme Abbott of Thrangu Monastery at age two by His Holiness Gyalwa Karmapa. Rinpoche had to flee his native land at the age of four and escaped with his party to Bhutan and from there to Rumtek, the headquarters of His Holiness the XVI Gyalwa Karmapa in Sikkim. Rinpoche was educated by His Holiness with the other young tulkus in exile until he was nine, when he went to Sang-ngak Choling monastery near Darjeeling and studied under the guidance of His Eminence Thugsey Rinpoche. While there he was taught exclusively by Khenpo Noryang and Khenpo Sodar for many years. In order for Rinpoche to receive training in Karma Kagyu tantric ritual practice, His Holiness Karmapa sent Lama Ganga from Buxaduwar to train him. Thus Rinpoche received both Drukpa Kagyu and Karma Kagyu training at Thugsey Rinpoche's monastery. Lama Ganga, originally from Traleg Rinpoche's Thrangu monastery, subsequently went on to lead three-year retreats at Samye Ling in Scotland and was eventually appointed the spiritual director of the KTC Kagyu centre in San Diego, USA.

At sixteen, His Holiness Karmapa sent Traleg Rinpoche to study at the Sanskrit University of Varanasi, where he had the opportunity to study with khenpos and geshes of all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism until he was nineteen. During this time Rinpoche was under personal care of Khenpo Chodar, also of Sang-ngak Choling monastery. He was subsequently put in charge of the Zangdog Palre Monastery (the glorious copper coloured mountain) in East Bhutan with many of the old monks from his own Thrangu Monastery, including Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, Woodstock. After Khenpo Karthar’s departure, Rinpoche was placed under the private tutelage of Dregung Khenpo Ngedon by His Holiness Karmapa in order to continue his study of Sutra and Tantra. When Rinpoche was twenty-two he returned to Rumtek to be with His Holiness Karmapa. In 1980, at twenty-five years of age, Rinpoche arrived in Australia and established Kagyu E-Vam Buddhist Institute two years later. Rinpoche was also the spiritual head of Kamalashila Institute, one of the main Kagyu centers in Europe, for five years.

Traleg Rinpoche was recognized as the ninth incarnation of the Traleg line by His Holiness the XVI Gyalwa Karmapa and was accorded the title Kyabgon, a significant distinction retained by only a few lineage holders of the Tibetan tradition. The first Traleg tulku, Nyima Tashi, was recognized by the seventh Karmapa and became the supreme abbot of Thrangu Monastery. The names of the nine Traleg tulkus are as follows: 1) Nyima Tashi, 2) Nyima Gyurme, 3) Nyima Salje, 4) Chogyal Nyima, 5) Trinley Nyima, 6) Yeshe Nyima, 7) Kunchab Nyima, 8) Shedrub Chokyi Nyima and 9) Tenpa Rabgye Trinley Nyima.

http://www.evam.org/about_director.shtml

[phantom59]

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche’s work has appeared in the Buddhadharma and Shambhala Sun magazines numerous times; here’s a selection of his work.

First, the Bad News — a look at Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s unique teaching style.

Emptiness / Buddhanature — Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche on the debate over which is the final principle of enlightenment.
Not Bound by Time and Space — a tribute to the late Thinley Norbu

Suffering: The Journey Starts Here — Traleg Rinpoche, Glenn Wallis, and Phillip Moffitt explain why anxiety and dissatisfaction are the means by which we can truly begin the practice of inner transformation.

Training the Mind to Transform Adversity into Awakening –Buddhism’s mind-training slogans help us work with all the challenges of life, from the upheavals of our own emotions to the inevitable losses and disappointments of this imperfect world. Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche explains how obstacles can be brought to the spiritual path and become opportunities for awakening.

Seek A Spiritual Ground — A teaching by Traleg Rinpoche, from our “Fear and Fearlessness: What the Buddhists Teach” program, presented in conjunction with the Omega Institute.

Depression’s Truth — We are normally charmed by the world, under the spell of samsaric entertainment. But it’s when we’re depressed, says the Venerable Traleg Rinpoche, that we can see through that.

Taming the Mind, Transforming Ourselves — Traleg Rinpoche describes the techniques of Buddhist meditation. Taming and transforming our wild passions involves the meditation of paying attention to the body and paying attention to our thoughts.
Aim High but Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself — Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche’s advice to Western practitioners.

Visit Traleg Rinpoche’s website at: http://tralegrinpoche.typepad.com/

[phantom59]

When the chinese invasion of Tibet began in 1958, the new Trolig Rinpoche was very young, and the Zuru Rinpoche was very old, so all the responsibilities fell mainly on Thrangu Rinpoche. They all left Kham to go west towards Lhasa. There were thousands of Tibetans going west as refugees from Kham when the fighting broke out. The people were leaving in huge numbers accompanied by many yaks. Thrangu Rinpoche was leading a small party of less than a hundred. They would stop and camp by setting up lots of tents at night. One night an extremely old lady appeared among the thousands of people camped with all these yaks with no one knowing where she had come from. People said that she was a spy for the chinese and if they didn't kill her, they wouldn't escape. So the younger Tibetans were getting ready to kill her and Thrangu Rinpoche said, "No, you mustn't do that. The reason we are running away is to save lives. So if we kill someone, what will that be?" He said not to kill her, so they didn't.

The next day when they were traveling, a plane flew past to see where they were going. That afternoon they camped out to eat at about 3:00 in the afternoon. Then it got dark and they did not see that they were completely surrounded by Chinese soldiers. The chinese communists had machine guns and some kind of artillery. The machine guns started to fire and the people thought there was nowhere to go and just sat there. Thrangu Rinpoche said, "We mustn't just sit here, we must escape." So the machine guns were firing and the yaks were all panicking and all running into each other. All the people were jumping on horses to escape. All the time bullets were flying by and this mortar or cannon fired and the shell came right down where Thrangu Rinpoche, Tralig Rinpoche and Zuru Tulku were. The shell landed right next to them with a thump. It made a hole in the ground, but it didn't explode.

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[Greg]

I wonder what will happened with his centers. Is there a succession plan?

[pueraeternus]

This is so tragic. I had hoped to meet him in person someday at the E-Vam institute in NYC, but alas, I do not have the merit for it.

[SkyDragon]

I was overwhelmed with sadness at this news, which I received by email. As a frequent participant at the many and varied events arranged through his centre in Melbourne Australia, I really value the great dharmic works he has accomplished here.
May his aspirations and intentions be spontaneously accomplished.
May all beings be happy.

[windoverwater]

I was so fortunate to have met and received teachings from him on his travels in the US. His understanding of western psychology and intellectual traditions gave his presentations of profound dharma additional impact.

May all his aspirations for the benefit of beings be accomplished.