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H.H Jigme Phuntsok

Star to the earth

Choeje (King of Dharma) Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche, an incarnation of Terchen Lerab Lingpa, also known as Terchen Sogyal who was a teacher of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, was born in Dokhog, Dokham, Eastern Tibet in 1933. Guided by many great scholars and teachers of his time, he studied and mastered all aspects of the general Buddhist teachings as well as the distinct Kama and Terma tradition of Nyingma School around the age of six.

Dharma Holder

When His Holiness was 14, he took novice monk's vows from the renowned scholar Khenpo Sonam Rinchen and when he was 18 he went to Dzachukha to study under Thubten Choepel Rinpoche. At the age of 24, through his boundless compassion and profound wisdom, he returned to his home monastery of Nubzor, about 30 kilometers east of Serthar, and began teaching. Under the Chinese occupation of Tibet when there was no religious freedom, he hid himself within secluded caves and secretly gave teachings to a handful of students despite the great danger to his life. Until his final days, he never stopped teaching. He bravely sacrificed his life to benefit sentient beings and preserve the sublime Buddha dharma.

Larung WuMing Buddhist Institute

In 1980 he founded the Larung Gar WuMing (Five Science) Buddhist Institute near Serthar, Sichuan province. Under his compassionate spiritual leadership, the institute prospered, becoming one of the world's largest Buddhist centers of learning. Monks and nuns from all four Tibetan Buddhist traditions studied under one roof. Students from all over the globe including China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other places flocked to hear his words of wisdom and to sow the seed of enlightenment within themselves. During special religious ceremonies over one hundred thousand disciples gathered and about fifteen thousand monks and nuns stayed permanently.

Met Panchen Lama

In 1987 H.H Jigme Phuntsok traveled to Wutaishan (sacred Buddhist mountain site in Shanxi Province) accompanied by several thousand of his disciples. He also visited the Panchen Lama in Beijing during the same trip.

Seeing his enlightened vision, Panchen Lama visited Larung Gar Institute and gave recognition to both Choeje and his institute. At the end of 1988, at the request of the Panchen Lama, H.H Jigme Phuntsok taught at the Tibetan Buddhist Institute in Beijing.

Met Dalai Lama and traveled the world

In the summer of 1989, he went on pilgrimage to the central Tibetan cities of Lhasa and Shigatse. From there, H.H Jigme Phuntsok traveled to Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal and India. In 1990, he traveled to India and met His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, offering him Nyingma teachings including Dzogchen instructions. Therefore, HH the Dalai Lama considers Choeje as one of his root spiritual masters. In the same year, he went to Namdroling Monastery in South India and met HH Penor Rinpoche. He also visited Bhutan, the United States, France, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore , and other countries where he gave teachings including empowerment, oral transmission and spiritual advice to many followers.

Entered the parinirvana

Returning to Larung Gar, H.H Jigme Phuntsok continued to teach extensively and write commentaries from all Tibetan Buddhist lineages, spending most of his time at Larung Gar in the late 1990s.

On a scale not witnessed since the Cultural Revolution, massive demolition of monastic homes and large scale eviction of monks and nuns by Chinese security forces began in July 2001. All Chinese students were evicted. During this time, H.H Jigme Phuntsok's health deteriorated and he moved between hospitals in Barkham (Ch: Maerkang) and Chengdu for medical care.

On January 7, 2004, H.H Jigme Phuntsok entered parinirvana, the final achievement and the state of perfect peace as well as the highest of happiness, in Chengdu.