Rahob Rinpoche

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Rahob Rinpoche Thupten Kalsang was recognized at the age of one through a dream of the Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche Thupten Chukyi Dorje as  the reincarnated Head Lama Jyamyang Drupbai Wampo. After much observation and the approval from his parents, Rahob Rinpoche followed traditional studies and trainings at his monastery. In 1952 he began his seven years education at Drepunt University in Lhasa. Later after graduating from Varanasi Sanskrit University in India, he spent ten years practicing in the Teravedan tradition in Thailand and seven years teaching and working with Zen and Shingon Masters in Japan. In 1979 he received an invitation as an adjunct professor and taught two years each at University of Massachusetts, Harvard Divinity School and Tuft University Theology Department before becoming an American.

 

In 1998, Rahob Rinpoche established the Rahob Development Project, Inc., a non-profit organization and the Rahob Dharma Center in the lovely Berkshires area of New York at the three corners of NY, VT, and MA.  Practice, events and retreats by the Rinpoche are ongoing and are aimed at bridging the traditional teachings from his Rahob Monastery with practitioners here in the West.

In 1460, the Fifth Dalai Lama ruled as the sole spiritual leader of Tibet. At the same time, Jamlang Tsultrim Dorje, one of the chief disciples of Kunzang Sherub, founded Rahob Monastery. There have been nine throne-holders at Rahob Monastery since that time.

Rahob Monastery is in a traditional monastic village setting above the tree line at 12,500 feet in the Tsang-ta area of Eastern Tibet, now part of Sichuan, China. During the early 20th century Rahob expanded, with 15 Khanpos, 1,000 monks, 200 nuns, and about 20 sub-monasteries throughout Kham.

The ninth throne-holder, Rahob Rinpoche, Tupten Kalsang was pronounced as the reincarnation of the renowned Master Jamyang Drupbai Wampo after much searching and testing. At Rabob, Rinpoche studied the six forms of Tibetan calligraphy, natural medicine, Sanskrit, poetry, astrology for healing, and many volumes of Buddhist logic and debate, as well as rituals for purifications, initiation and healings. Later, at Drepung University in Lhasa he studied advanced logic and debate and the immense volumes of the Pramana-vatika, the Prajna Paramita, the Madhyamika, the Abhidharma, and the Vinaya.

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