Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche (born 1961), also known as Khyentse Norbu, is a Bhutanese lama, filmmaker, and writer. His two major films are The Cup (1999) and Travellers and Magicians (2003). He is the author of the book What Makes You Not a Buddhist (Shambhala, 2007) He is also a prominent tulku associated with Dzongsar Monastery in Derge, Eastern Tibet.

Lineage

Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche was born in Bhutan in 1961. At the age of seven he was recognized as the third 'mindstream emanation' (Wylie sprul sku) of the founder of Khyentse lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

The first incarnation was Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892), who helped found the Rimé or ecumenical school of Tibetan Buddhism. Followers of this non-sectarian school sought to identify and make use of the best methods from the various long-competing and isolated schools of Tibetan Buddhism. This approach led to a blossoming of scholarship and writing beginning in the 1880s.

The second incarnation was the renowned lama Dzongsar Khyentse Chokyi Lodro (1893-1959), who figured prominently in the export of Tantric Buddhism to the West as the root-teacher of a generation of influential and forward-thinking lamas.

A biographical portrait of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche exists in documentary feature film form. The film came out in 2003, and is called Words of My Perfect Teacher after the English rendering of a famed work by Patrul Rinpoche. It is a portrait of the Vajrayana Buddhist student-teacher relationship.

Education

Until the age of twelve Khyentse Norbu studied at the Palace Monastery of the King of Sikkim. Reflecting the unusual non-sectarian tradition of the Khyentse lineage, he counts as his root-masters teachers from all four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism (cf. Sakya, Geluk, Nyingma, Kagyu). He has studied with some of the greatest contemporary masters, particularly H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. After leaving Sikkim he studied at Sakya College in Rajpur, and later attended London's School of Oriental and African Studies.

From a young age he has been active for the preservation of the Buddhist teaching, establishing centres of learning, supporting practitioners, publishing books and teaching all over the world. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche supervises his traditional seat of Dzongsar Monastery and its retreat centers in Eastern Tibet, as well as his new colleges in India (in Bir and Chowntra (Himachal Pradesh)) and Bhutan. He has also established centres in Australia, North America and the Far East.

In 1989, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche founded Siddhartha's Intent, an international Buddhist association of non-profit centres, most of which are nationally registered societies and charities, with the principal intention of preserving the Buddhist teachings, as well as increasing an awareness and understanding of the many aspects of the Buddhist teaching beyond the limits of cultures and traditions.

In 2001 Khyentse Foundation was founded by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. It is a non-profit organization with the stated goal "to act as a system of patronage for institutions and individuals engaged in the practice and study of Buddha's wisdom and compassion.

References

External links

• Siddhartha´s Intent: Dzongsar Khyentse's teaching schedule and some media
• Gentle Voice archive of interviews and teachings
• Khyentse Foundation
• Interview im deutschen Magazin What is Enlightenment?
• Deer Park Institute, India
• Interview in Shambhala Sun Magazine