Living Legends of Tibetan Buddhism

[Paul]

I always have held four people of the late 20th century to be contemporary buddhas. These are the 16th Karmapa, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and Dudjom Rinpoche. Unfortunately, I never met any of them.

I would hope that there are practitioners of their caliber alive today. Who would you nominate as truly exceptional practitioners - either living or who lived in the 20th century? Stories about them are obviously very welcome.

[Adamantine]

Kyabje Chatral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche

[Stewart]

Without a single doubt in my mind, my Guru, Mingyur Rinpoche, who as we speak is wandering in the mountains as a yogi with no possessions, following in the footsteps of his Guru Nyoshul Khenpo and many of the great Dzogchen masters of the past. Lama Chenno.

[conebeckham]

Kyabje Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche.

And his successor, Kyabje Dorje Chang Bokar Rinpoche--Designated Holder of the Shangpa Lineage, and Meditation Master of many of the main Karma and Shangpa Kagyu retreats.

In addition, every name that has been mentioned in this thread. And His Holiness the Dalai Lama, surely a "Living Legend of Tibetan Buddhism."

Of course, we run into the likelihood that eveyone will add their favorite Guru's name.....

In fifty years, though, I think all these names will be remembered. And Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche will be among them, I think...I'll just put that out there.

[dzoki]

Since Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was already mentioned above. Of the present masters I would definitely add Garchen Rinpoche, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Yangthang Rinpoche and Sakya Trindzin Rinpoche.

[Lhug-Pa]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, surely a "Living Legend of Tibetan Buddhism."

Since Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was already mentioned above....

...have the fortune to meet an authentic teacher of Dzogchen like Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Loppon Tenzin Namdak and so on, to name three, still living, masters of Dzogchen.

http://www.dzogchen.it/chogyal-namkhai-norbu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not very familiar with the teachings of Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, and I've never personally met H.E. Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, but I also think that Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche is to be included here.

https://www.ligmincha.org/bon-buddhism/ ... chers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.ligmincha.org/bon-buddhism/ ... poche.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[heart]

Tulku Urgyen, I am just rereading Blazing Splendor, for the 15th time, and there are a few other incredible stories about some very incredible masters in that book.

[Josef]

Tulku Urgyen, I am just rereading Blazing Splendor, for the 15th time, and there are a few other incredible stories about some very incredible masters in that book.

I love that book.

[Lhug-Pa]

Paul, I kind of missed the "or who lived in the 20th century?" part of your initial post.

So obviously Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, the 16th Karmapa, and Dudjom Rinpoche, as you've said.

My previous post was regarding who first came to mind in regard to still-living Masters.

I'm sure that there are many Masters including both now and the 20th century, in the Dzogchen and other traditions.

H.E. Trulshik Rinpoche also comes to mind, as well as the Fourth Dodrupchen Rinpoche.

[Paul]

Although she died in 1953, I would definitely include Ayu Khandro in the list. Interestingly she was a teacher of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.

50 years of dark retreat togal must have an incredible effect on a person.

Norbu Rinpoche's biography of here is here: http://www.khandro.net/book-womenofwisdom.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[rai]

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

[Jinzang]

Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche

[Rafael Maurin]

These masters passed away not so long ago and they are certainly legends of Tibetan Buddhism

Gendun Rinpoche
Tenga Rinpoche
Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche

They will be remembered - that is for sure

[Josef]

Togden Ugyen Tenzin is probably the most inspiring legend who lived in the 20th century for me personally, other than my teacher.

[xylem]

Garchen Rinpoche

[Dharmaswede]

Ani Lochen.

[Konchog1]

Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

I can feel his Wangtang through his photos. In this one he's looking at the camera and I always feel like he sees me.

That's all I need to be convinced he was great.

[Adamantine]

hmmmnnn, it seems that the living legends are in the minority so far. Living, we have listed:

Chatral Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche, Tsetrul Rinpoche, Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, Garchen Rinpoche

so I will add a few to the living list:

HH the 14 Dalai Lama

Namkha Drimed Rinpoche - living terton of Gesar

Garje Khamtrul Rinpoche Jamyang Döndrup

Bhakha Tulku Rinpoche

Shenpen Dawa Rinpoche

Lama Tharchin

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

Garab Dorje Rinpoche

Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche

Lama Dawa Chhodak RInpoche

Tulku Teglo Rinpoche

Khandro Rinpoche

Lama Wangdu

Lama Wangdor

Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

MAY THEY ALL LIVE LONG, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL !!!

Sarwa Mangalam!

Then there's the recently deceased:

Thinley Norbu Rinpoche

Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche

Trulshik Rinpoche (mentioned already)

Penor Rinpoche

Kusum Lingpa

Mindrolling Trichen Rinpoche

Kunzang Dechen Lingpa

Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche

Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche

MAY THEY ALL RETURN SWIFTLY, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL!

[Caz]

"Vajradhara said that in degenerate times he would appear in an ordinary form as a Spiritual Guide."

People mention well known names, I pay homage to the lesser known emanations of Vajradhara Guru.

[flavio81]

These masters passed away not so long ago and they are certainly legends of Tibetan Buddhism

Gendun Rinpoche
Tenga Rinpoche
Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche

They will be remembered - that is for sure

Lopon Tsechu visited my city at least two times. I was about 10-13 years old but i remember him perfectly along with his translator Lama Kalsang.

He displayed some siddhis to many witnesses on the local buddhist community (my parents being among them), like the ability to walk faster than everyone else (not bad for an 80+ year old tibetan monk, eh?), and other incidents. Some accounts are described here:

http://kagyustories.blogspot.com/2012/0 ... -kalu.html

(Note that i'm not directly affiliated with the Diamond Way local community. But i know the writer and her accounts are honest.)

The one that i recall being told by many of them is when there was a get-together at my house, with special guest Lopon Tsechu and Lama Kalsang as a translator. Visualize about 15 people crammed into our small living room, about 7x4 meters of area (this was inside an apartment.) Outside, one of our sangha friends wanted to bring yet another person. My dad went more or less angry since we were far too many inside the room and this guy wasn't invited and wasn't part of the local sangha, just an outsider interested in buddhism who wanted to meet the famous Lopon Tsechu.

After some arguing, my dad agreed and this guy was allowed into the apartment. After he entered the door, Lopon Tsechu suddenly stopped doing what he was doing, and gestured the guy to approach to him. The guy sat besides Lopon Tsechu. They observed that he and Tsechu Rimpoche went talking for a quite long time, and that Tsechu started putting his finger on the top of the guy's head, in the typical point of the head that is signaled on a phowa (conciousness transference at the time of dying) retreat.

The rest of the people -the local sangha- were amazed at how this stranger just entered the door and then Rimpoche, without asking, stopped caring for the rest of them and just basically devoted most of the evening to him... I would bet they were a little bit jealous.

About seven days later, the guy died on a traffic accident.

Another incident was a day where two practicioners of the local sangha went arguing very badly. They were on the 2nd floor of a house while Tsechu Rimpoche was on the 1st floor. Suddenly, the bathroom's toilet start overflowing for no reason at all and the filthy water, instead of running down the stairs, went into its opposite natural direction, onto the two practitioners that were arguing. They had to shut up, stop fighting, and clean all the mess.

Skillful means!!