DharmaNet's Guide to Vajrayana Dharma Teachers:

An Online Who's Who

This page is intended as a resource to help individuals who are unfamiliar with certain teachers to find thumbnail sketches of their background and teaching approach, and ultimately, some reference as to where they teach or how to contact them. Any teacher who would care to have their e-mail address listed, or revise the information here, is invited to contact us. Please help this resource to grow.

A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. U. V. W. X. Y. Z.

Chi Ji O True Dorje, Rinpoche, was selected by his teacher as a young child
to be the next lineage holder and underwent many years of training in Wu Tai Mountain, China. Since completing his training, Rinpoche has devoted himself to teaching the dharma and also to applying his powerful healing techniques that are part of his tradition. He became one of the most respected teachers and healers in China. In 1999, Rinpoche was invited to
the United States to teach his tradition's unique form of mizong, or vajrayana. He quickly attracted a group of students who have invited him to stay longer in the US so that he might continue his teachings here. For more information, contact Manjushri Institute at 408-730-0992.

Ven. Thubten Chodron is an American nun in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Ordained in 1977, she spent several years studying and practicing in Asia with Tibetan masters, including H.H. the Dalai Lama and Zopa Rinpoche. She has taught meditation and Buddhism world-wide and is the author Buddhism for Beginners, Open Heart, Clear Mind; Taming the Monkey Mind; What Color is Your Mind; and Blossoms of the Dharma: Living as a Buddhist Nun. With humor and clarity she presents Buddhism in a way that easy to understand practice. She is currently resident teacher at Dharma Friendship Foundation, Seattle WA.

The Dalai Lama - His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama has been the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet since 1951, when he was sixteen years old. Since 1959, he has lived in exile in Dharamsala, India. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He is author of many books, including Buddha Heart Buddha Mind, A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night, Freedom in Exile, The Good Heart, Healing Anger, Kindness Clarity and Insight, Live in a Better Way, The Meaning of Life, A Simple Life, Transforming the Mind, and many other books.

Lama Surya Das studied and lived with the great masters of Asia for over 30 years. Two times he completed the traditional 3-year Vajrayana retreat. A leading spokesperson for the emerging Western Buddhism, he is a lineage holder and founder of the Dzogchen Foundation. A poet, translator, storyteller, activist, and full-time spiritual teacher, he lectures and leads meditation retreats worldwide. He is the author of several widely read and cherished Tibetan Buddhist books, including Awakening the Buddha Within, Awakening the Buddhist Heart, Awakening to the Sacred and Snow Lion's Turquoise Mane.

Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche is an incarnate Lama in the Ganden Kargyu (Gelukpa) tradition, is a Geshe Lharampa, is the Ngari Khentrul tulku of Drepung Loseling monastery (Ngari Khantsen), speaks great English, and is now an American citizen and spiritual director of Jewel Heart, an international Tibetan Buddhist organization with headquarters in Ann Arbor, MI.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpochewas born in Tibet and is a fully accomplished meditation master and teacher of Buddhism. Resident in England since 1977, he has founded many Buddhist centers throughout the world. He is the author of a number of highly acclaimed books published by Tharpa Publications, including The Bodhisattva Vow, Clear Light of Bliss, Essence of Vajrayana, Guide to Dakini Land, Introduction to Buddhism, Joyful Path of Good Fortune, A Meditation Handbook, Tantric Grounds and Paths.

Geshe Lobsang Jamyang, Khenrinpoche is abbot at Sera monastery for three months of every year, and spends the rest of his time at Manjushri Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Toronto, Canada. He has completed his "Ph.D." in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, called a Geshe Lha Ram Pa degree. Khenrinpoche is known foremost for his kindness, compassion and commitment to teaching students Tibetan Buddhism. He will shortly be joined at the centre in Toronto by another Geshe, and will also be sending a Geshe to Montreal.

Lama Kunga Thartse Rinpoche.

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo is the spiritual director and resident Lama of Kunzang Palyul Ch”ling (KPC), a center for the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism in the Nyingma tradition, in Poolesville MD (near Washington DC). KPC is the seat of the Palyul lineage in the Western world. Jetsunma is the first Western woman to be recognized as a reincarnate Tibetan Lama. [Source: Richard A. Creighton]

Lama Yeshe Losal, as well as being the Abbot of Samye Ling, is the Executive Director of The Holy Island Project. Since arriving in the West, his broad experience of life as a lay person, in both the U.K. and the U.S.A., has given him great understanding of Western people and culture. After taking ordination he spent 12 years in solitary retreat and is widely renowned as a meditation master whose clarity of mind and good humour are an inspiration to Samye Ling visitors, lay community, retreatants and the growing number of monks and nuns under his wing. His direct, down to earth approach is invaluable in making Tibetan Buddhism accessible to the western mind.

Rigdzin Shikpo (formerly Michael Hookham) has spent forty years studying and practising Buddhism. He is now a Lama of the Kagyu-Nyingma tradition, authorised to teach directly in response to the needs of his western students. In 1993 he completed a three year retreat under the direction of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, an eminent yogin and scholar who gave him his name. Rigdzin Shikpo's main teacher is the late Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche whom he met in 1965. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche founded the Longchen Foundation in 1975 in consultation with H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. They entrusted it to Rigdzin Shikpo to realize the vision.

Ven. Geshe Tsulga (Tsultrim Ch=F6epal) was born in Tibet in 1939. A novice monk by the age of 7, he joined the Je college of Lhasa's Sera Monastery to begin his geshe studies at 17. In 1959 he fled Tibet after the Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupation. After a decade in the refugee camp of Buxaduar in West Bengal, he went to Bylakuppe in south India to help build Sera monastery in exile. In 1988, he graduated geshe lharampa with highest honors at the top of his class. He studied for a year at Gyume Tantric College, then returned to teach at Sera. Invited to America by the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), he arrived in December 1992. Since then he has been dividing his teaching time between three of the FPMT's east coast centers: the Kadampa Center near Raleigh NC, the Milarepa Center in Barnet VT, and Kurukulla Center in Boston MA. Those who know Geshe-la will attest to his great kindness, humility, and extensive knowledge of Buddhist philosophy. [Source: Suzanne Persyn, persyn@law.harvard.edu]

Ven. Lama Ngawang Tsultrim Zangpo is a Nyingmapa Dzogchen lama, born in Nepal and educated at Tholaka Tharling Dzogchen Monastery in the Mt. Everest region of Nepal. He joined the monastery at age 5 and completed his training under the guidance of Venerable Kushok Mangden Rinpoche of Charrok in Solu Khumbu Nepal. He holds the combined lineages of Rigdzin Jyatson Nyingpo, Rigdzin Godem, and Rigdzin Terdak Lingpa. Lama Tsultrim has been teaching western students and building stupas in Europe and the Untied States since 1981. He is the founder and resident lama of Dhongak Tharling Dharma Center in New Orleans. [Source: Ingmar K Mounce, tharling@ix.netcom.com]

[Sources: e-mail.]

Karma Kagyu Buddhist Network's Who's Who.

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