The Second Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche

The first Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche was born in 1908 and lived in Kham. His root lama was Sa Damcho, one of the most accomplished yogis of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Under his guidance, Rinpoche practiced diligently and became an accomplished meditator. He completed numerous three year retreats with his root lama at the retreat center of Dilyak monastery, which had been founded by the first Dabzang Rinpoche, an emanation of Gampopa. Dilyak monastery was famous for carrying on the Kagyu lineage of the "whispered tradition." Sa Dhamcho eventually appointed Drupon Rinpoche retreat master and Dilyak and Rinpoche also spent time as a wandering yogin.

While on a pilgrimage to central Tibet, Drupon Rinpoche met His Holiness the XVIth Karmapa in Tsurphu, and his Holiness appointed him master of the Yiwong Samten Ling, the three-year retreat center. He left Tibet with His Holiness in 1959, and settled in Sikkim until he died in 1963, at the old Rumtek monastery. The second Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche was born in Rumtek, Sikkim on August 8, 1965, and recognized as a tulku by the XVIth Gyalwa Karmapa, who sent him a special blessing cord of cloth. He was officially enthroned as the second Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche at the age of six, in Rumtek. In 1974 he received novice vows from the 16th Karmapa, and later bodhisattva vows. He was trained as a youth by His Holiness and other great lamas of Rumtek, and attended His Holiness Gyalwa Karmapa during his trip to the West in 1981. He is a graduate of the Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies, from which he received a degree of Acharya.

Since the Seventeenth Karmapa arrived in India in January 2000, Rinpoche has been at Gyuto Monastery serving the Karmapa as his primary attendant. Rinpoche also has substantial responsibilities for Dilyak Monastery in Boudhanath, Nepal, and is an advisor to Nalandabodhi. He resides primarily in Rumtek.

In 2006, Rinpoche was appointed as His Holiness the Seventeenth Karmapa's general secretary. For more information, see the website for the Karmapa's Office of Administration.

The Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche