Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche’s root guru. Following his teacher’s instructions, Kongtrul Rinpoche has taught in the West since 1988. His organization, Mangala Shri Bhuti (Khyentse Rinpoche’s Sanskrit name) is named after Khyentse Rinpoche. Rinpoche often says that all his endeavors to spread the dharma are simply an extension of Khyentse Rinpoche’s own work. Here Rinpoche describes meeting Khyentse Rinpoche in his own words:

“The first time I met my root teacher, Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, was in 1966 or 67. I remember being about 2 or 3 years old. I’d heard that a great master had arrived in Bir, one of the greatest of the greatest. So I went to see him along with my family. I clearly recall a very strong feeling that I was going to see a Buddha in the real sense. I can still remember this strong anticipation of meeting an enlightened being as we were walking along the road to see him. That’s all I recall from that time.

The second time I met His Holiness, he had come to preside over the cremation

ceremonies for my father. I was around nine. He stayed in our house for a week or so. The feeling I had was of incredibly deep devotion. I was nine, so of course, there was a real feeling of devotion to Khyentse Rinpoche as a teacher and a sense of taking refuge in him as a teacher. He was incredibly kind to my family and myself.

: Khyentse Rinpoche and a young Kongtrul Rinpoche

Soon after, we received extensive empowerments from Rinpoche, and when we were with him, we used to pick off different things that were on his blanket, like a piece of hair, or some threads, for their blessings.

I still can remember walking on the road towards him with this anticipation of seeing a Buddha. It never has left. Every aspect of my life as it is now is due to his blessings.”

For more about Kongtrul Rinpoche.