His Eminence Gyaltsen Tulku Rinpoche

Kunzang Tenpé Gyaltsen, better known as H.E. Gyaltsen Tulku Rinpoche, is a high yogi of the Drukpa order from Bhutan. In 2008 His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa in his retreat center Chitre in Darjeeling officially appointed him Drubpon or retreat master Detchen Osel Puk, which is synonymous with “Divine Auspiciousness and Light“.

His activities

Gyaltsen Tulku Rinpoche holds numerous spiritual and practical duties and pursues many activities in that center. Even before that he has effectively supported the strengthening of the Dharma in East Bhutan as an appointed retreat master of the Bhutanese government: he set up nine retreat centers. Besides that he built sanctuaries and more than 100 houses for practitioners of Buddhism, he trained and guided about the same number of Buddhists in the monasteries and centers in his whole country, as himself had been trained, guided and blessed by five enlightened spiritual masters. He always and successfully championed equal treatment and opportunities for nuns and monks in terms of H.H. and the Drukpa order.

For instance in the Jasharung nunnery in Pema Gatshel/Bhutan, which he is leading since 1992, by now almost 50 nuns are living, about 15 of whom have finished their 3-years retreat in 2002. Under the guidance of H.E. Gyaltsen Tulku Rinpoche within only 15 years the infrastructure of the retreat center was improved in many ways to the benefit of all nuns who live there: among others improvements an access road and a system to provide safe drinking water were built as well as electricity and a telephone connection installed.

Moreover, H.E. incessantly takes care of sick people to whom he gives courage and strength to overcome their ailments through his care.

Biography

Gyaltsen Rinpoche was born in 1953 in East Bhutan. When he was nine years old he was recognized as incarnation of the two great Masters Trulshik Lama Gyaltsen and Gyaltsen Marpa by Lopon Sonam Zangpo Rinpoche. Subsequently he was entrusted to the First Kyabje Tuksey Rinpoche at the age of twelve, under whose guidance he studied for more than ten years in the monastery of His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa in Darjeeling. He did not only hold numerous responsible positions - in particular the functions as Umdze (precentor at pujas and rituals), as disciplin master and as Vajra master (Dordje Lopon) – but he also unfolded diverse other activities during that time.

Gyaltsen Tulku Rinpoche returned to Bhutan with Lopon Sonam Zangpo Rinpoche to spend the next six years in strict meditation during which he mastered the Six Yogas of Naropa. Then he took refuge with Je Khenpo Kinley from Bhutan as his Root Guru and received his teachings and blessing. In the past 17 years H.E. Gyaltsen Rinpoche helped a lot of needy people and guided those who had shown interest in the path to enlightenment and deserved his help.