His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche is one of the important masters in the Drikung Kagyu order. His lineage of incarnation can be traced to Gardampa Chödengpa, a disciple of the great Kyobpa Jigten Sumgön.

His Eminence  was born in 1936 in Nangchen Kham. At the age of seven Rinpoche was brought to Lho Miyalgon, where he was offered ceremonial clothes and other items. He pointed to a painting of the Drikung lineage’s founder, Jigten Sumgon, and proved his authenticity as the reincarnation by saying, “He is my Guru.” This made people around him confident that he was the true reincarnation.

From that time until the age of 22, Rinpoche lived at and administered this monastery and received many teachings and went into a three year retreat. After the invasion of Tibet, Rinpoche was imprisoned for 20 years in a labour camp, where he nearly died. After his release, he has devoted his life to teaching the Dharma all over the world. Now, at almost 90 years of age, he spends his time in his centre in Arizona, where he teaches and holds retreats. He makes full use of technology to allow his students all over the world to benefit from his wisdom.

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We are devoted to our Guru, H. E. Garchen Rinpoche. may he live long and be healthy for the benefit of all beings.

Each year, we gratefully receive a card as a gift from H E Garchen Rinpoche for the New Year, sent from the Garchen Buddhist Institiute:

This beautiful thangkha of the Protectress Achi Chokyi Drolma was a gift from H.E. Garchen Rinpoche after our pilgrimage visit to the Garchen Buddhist Institute in Arizona. May she protect and guide our Sangha and all sentient beings.