Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

More than 70 years old and still with an innocence of a child and a bright cheerful face; looks that do not stare but have familiarity as if you know the man from a long time; in midst of a gentle smile, light falling on skin and creating quintessence of serenity.


That was Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, one of the foremost Dzogchen masters to grace Kathmandu. An exponent par excellence of Vajrayana Buddhism, his exceptional talent as a teacher is missed by many a sangha, commune of disciples all over the world. The Pointing - Out instruction, a close encounter with the primordial state, was his forte, not to mention his overall understanding of man's suffering and its remedy.


Pointing – Out to the bull's eye of your mind, to the core of your existence which is the finale to self inquiry. How to? By inquiring inward. By directly understanding Emptiness. Tulku even used sanskrit equivalent of Emptiness ----- Shunyata. Shunyata is Shunya (empty) +Ta (awareness). Accordingly Emptiness (empty + awareness) is awareness of this empty. This is also Dzogchen, usually translated in english as 'The Great Perfection.'


Dzogchen is: The state of luminous wakefulness (Awareness), the recognition of the basic state (Empty) which is the nature of all our minds.


'Vajra Heart' and 'Repeating the Words of Buddha' are his widely known books. A man of simplicity, he would tell his admirers that he was not so learned and he didn't posses any psychic powers. Rightly so. Would you care for a piece of gold when you have the whole treasure with you ?


Considered to be a lineage holder of Guru Rinpoche Padmasamvaba, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was born in 1920 A.D. in eastern part of Tibet. Soon he was recognised as Tulku or incarnate of Guru Chowang Tulku who had revealed sacred scriptures in Nyingma School. He studied scriptures and practised meditation for many years. After leaving Tibet in the late fifties, he came to settle in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal in 1974 and continued his work. Two years later he built White Monastery in Bouddhanath. The monastery is also known as Ka-Nying Shedrup Ling because Kagui school is also accomodated here along with Nyingma. Tulku also built Nagi Monastery up Buddhanilkantha. As per his wish, stupa and vihar are being constructed inside the holy space of Lumbini, Nepal, birth place of Gautama Buddha.


He passed away in 1996.