Teachers
Lama Kunsang
Lama Kunsang Korpon is the director of the center Drikung Kagyu Dorje Ling in Switzerland.
In his early years, he came to the Drikung Kagyu Institute and the Jangchubling monastery in Dehradun / India. He was introduced to Buddhist philosophy, methods of meditation, rituals, Tibetan language and culture. Over seven years he completed his training at the monastery and deepened his knowledge by studying the “Five Treatises on Buddhist Philosophy”, receiving the title of Shastri / Dharma teacher.
After completing his training, he taught young monks Tibetan grammar and Buddhist philosophy. Lama Kunsang was also trained in the art of thangka painting and the sprinkling of sand mandalas.
Lama Kunsang completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Drubpö Yeshi Rinpoche. The retreat is dedicated to practicing the entire path from beginning to end and possesses great benefit and power. Because Lama Kunsang was selected by H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche to take part in the project “Science Meets Dharma” of H.H. the Dalai Lama at the Tibet Institute Rikon monastery, he came to Switzerland in 2001. In 2005, the Drikung Kagyu Dorje Ling center was inaugurated with Lama Kunsang as its leading lama. The center is so far the only one of the Drikung Kagyu lineage in Switzerland.
MJ* «The true teachers are those who have attained mastery over their own senses.» – Buddha
Lama Kunsang’s Teachers
When we find the authentic teachers, we recognize how fortunate our life is. Lama Kunsang considers himself very fortunate and is glad to have received so many precious Dharma teachings from authentic bodhisattvas.
His Holiness Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoche
From His Holiness, Lama Kunsang received the empowerments of the lineage, initiations and in particular many explanations on Mahamudra, for example on the simultaneous arising and merging of Mahamudra.
“Embodiment of the three precious jewels
Padmapani, who preserves the teachings of the Victorious One
You see the goodness of all meanings with your wisdom eye
Thinley Lhundrub, spontaneously perfected activity, may you remain for hundreds of kalpas.”
(Long-life prayer for H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Tenzin Kunsang Thinley Lhundrub)
His Holiness Kyabgön Chungtsang Rinpoche
From His Holiness Chungtsang Rinpoche, Lama Kunsang twice received the great Drikung Phowa as well as other transmissions.
«Noble Manjushri, lord of speech
Who manifests to preserve the teachings of the three jewels
Who erects the lamp of the wise
May you, who are the light of the Dharma, remain for hundreds of kalpas!»
(Long-life prayer for H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Tenzin Chökyi Nangwa)
His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche
H.E. Garchen Rinpoche is one of the last great yogis still living and is regarded as an embodiment of boundless compassion. He was recognized early on as a high rebirth and from then on lived and practiced at the Gar monastery. His Dharma studies and his three-year retreat were abruptly interrupted at the age of 22 by the Chinese invasion of Tibet. He was arrested and had to spend 20 years in a Chinese labor camp, where, however, he secretly continued to practice until his release in 1979. As soon as he was free, he took on the task of rebuilding the Drikung Kagyu monasteries and restoring the Buddhist teachings. In 1997 he visited the West for the first time and founded monasteries and centers in America and Europe.
The Great Yogi Drubwang Konchok Norbu Rinpoche
Lama Kunsang says about the encounter with this master: «I regret nothing, even if I were to die in the next moment, for I was allowed to see the Mahasiddha Drubwang Rinpoche.»
From him, Lama Kunsang received the complete Mahamudra teachings.
His Holiness Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche
His Holiness Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche was the head of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
From him, Lama Kunsang received the eight Heruka empowerments and detailed explanations on mandalas and sand mandalas.
In a two-month retreat, Lama Kunsang also received all the teachings and transmissions of the northern treasure-text transmission lineage of the Nyingma tradition.
The Venerable Khenpo Tokdröl Rinpoche
Khenpo Tokdröl Rinpoche was Lama Kunsang's principal teacher of philosophy for over 7 years and taught the commentaries of the Indian masters and Tibetan scholars. Beyond that, he was also a great tantric master and instructed him in tantric rituals for the (sand) mandala and the building of stupas.
His Eminence Nubpa Rinpoche
H.E. Nubpa Rinpoche carried out several long retreats on the holy mountain Lapchi, where he still looks after more than 30 practitioners today. After the Chinese destructions, he restored the old Drikung retreat places in Tibet and supported H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche in building up the Drikung Kagyu headquarters in exile. Rinpoche is the principal abbot of the monastery Drikung Kagyu Rinchen Ling in Kathmandu, Nepal
His Eminence Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche
H.E. Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche is the incarnation of Lhama Phurga and was born into an aristocratic family in Tibet. After his flight from Tibet, he was a member of the exile parliament Kashag in Dharamsala for 11 years. He first worked as private and general secretary for H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche and later founded various Dharma centers in America and Taiwan. He travelled tirelessly to pass on his rich knowledge.
The Venerable Drubpön Yeshi Rinpoche
Drupön Yeshi Rinpoche gave Lama Kunsang the fivefold transmissions of Mahamudra, a Mahamudra practice for beginners composed by Lord Jigten Sumgön. The transmission contains the instructions on meditating on bodhicitta, on one's own body in the form of the deity, on devotion to the guru, and on the view free of concepts. Furthermore, the venerable Drubpön Yeshi Rinpoche granted him the introduction to the Six Yogas of Naropa:
- The yoga of inner heat
- The yoga of clear light
- The yoga of the illusory body
- The dream yoga
- The yoga of the intermediate state
- The yoga of the transference of consciousness
The Venerable Khenchen Rinpoche
Khenchen Rinpoche gave Lama Kunsang many teachings on Buddhist philosophy, in particular those of Lord Jigten Sumgön and of Gampopa, and explained to him a multitude of commentaries by the great Indian masters.
Khenchen Nyima Gyaltsen
Born in 1976 in central Tibet, Khenchen Nyima Gyaltsen entered religious life at Lho Lungkar Ogmin Thubten Shedrub Ling at the age of just 12, where he studied ritual practices for six years.
In 1994 he went to Jangchub Ling (India), where he took the novice monk vows with H.H. Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang.
H.H. the Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang enthroned him in 2004 as Khenpo of the Kagyu College in Jangchub Ling. In 2006, Khenpo then returned to his own monastery in Lungkar to teach the monks and nuns of the monastic college Jamyang Gatsel Ling Gampopa's Jewel Ornament of Liberation.
Khenpo Monlam
Khenpo Monlam originally comes from Tibet, where he learned Tibetan rituals and grammar at the monastery. He then studied philosophy for nine years at the Drikung Kagyu Institute in Dehradun (India), where he successfully completed his training with the title of Khenpo in 2006.
Khenpo Konchok Monlam is currently abbot at the Drikung Kagyu Institute (Kagyu College) in Dehradun (India).