Arjia Rinpoche was asked by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to help the Tibetan Cultural Center located in Bloomington, Indiana. In April, Arjia Rinpoche and Chunpay, his assistant, moved to Indiana to help the dharma community there. In his absence, Khenchen Rinpoche will oversee our practice at our Mill Valley and Oakland Centers.

Khenchen Rinpoche was born at Simla, North India, in 1972; the second son (he has two sisters and three brothers) of parents who left Tibet in 1959. When he was four his family moved to South India and he entered Drepung Monastery at the age of eight where he received his preliminary vows from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

During the eight years he spent at Drepung, Rinpoche-la studied ritual and root philosophy along with reading and writing.

In 1988, Rinpoche was recognized as the 4th Incarnation of Khenchen Rinpoche by His Holiness. The 1st Khenchen Rinpoche was the Abbot of Jumai Tantric Monastery in central Tibet as well as Jhachung Monastery in Amdo. Jhachung was the home monastery of one of Lama Tsong Kha Pa’s first teachers.

Having been recognized as the 4th Khenchen Rinpoche, Rinpoche moved to Sera Jey Monastery where he continued his studies. After traveling to Tibet and visiting Jhachung in 1993, Rinpoche received his final vows from His Holiness in 1994. In 2001 he received his Geshe degree at Sera Jey.

Khenchen Rinpoche has received numerous initiations, oral transmissions, and empowerments over the years. His teachers include: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ling Rinpoche, Kensu Lobsang Tsering, Kensu Lobsang Tenzing, and Denma Locho Rinpoche.

Khenchen Rinpoche is currently offering teachings on: Mind and Consciousness, Ritual, and Mudra. He is also available for Tibetan language classes (focusing on sacred texts) as well as individual lessons in spoken Tibetan.