Logo International Kalachakra Network
   International
   Kalachakra Network

 

 His Holiness Penam Rinpoche
(Ngagwang Pedma Namgyal Palzangpo) passed away

 
  
   

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of our Great Teacher and Tulku His Holiness Penam Rinpoche. His passing was on the 10th of March. It was the anniversary "The Day of the Tibetan Uprising" and also within days of the new moon. In accordance with the tradition of the Jonang Lineage, we will be having a very special ceremony this Sunday March 16th, at 10:30am. Our regular scheduled Green Tara practice will not be held in lieu of this ceremony.

We are asking all sangha members to please come and participate in this very important puga. As is our tradition, we will be lighting 100,000 butter lamps to honor our Great Teacher and Tulku.

We are asking that all sangha members who are interested in attending to please bring butter lamps, flowers, and any other special alter item you wish to dedicate to His Holiness. Sangha members are also encouraged to do meditations on a daily basis during this time and Vajrasattva mantra recitations. 100,000 recitations during the next two months would be appropriate, but members are asked to do as many recitations as possible.

It is the desire of all great Tulku's to reincarnate for the "sake of all sentient beings." It is our prayers and mantras, and aspirations that will help to bring about the reincarnation of our Great Teacher.

Ngagwang Pedma Namgyal Palzangpo (His Holiness Penam Rinpoche) was born in 1925 between the Machu River and the Machen Pomra Mountain in Amdo, Tibet. He was identified and honored since childhood by many high lamas and tulkus as a highly enlightened being and the upholder of the Jonang doctrine and the Kalachakra Tantra.

At the age of 3, a high lama from the Nyima lineage identified him as the incarnation of a supreme being. At the age of 5, Chempa Chozin, another high lama from the Nyima lineage came to him to pay high respect as if greeting a great yogi who has many deep realizations. At the age of 7, Palyo Chukdrup Rinpoche, the highest lama of the region, visited him with great reverence recognizing him as a highly enlightened being, and asked his parents for permission to take him to his monastery. His parents were reluctant to have their child leave, but two years later he was invited to Lama Tsenpa Monlam Sangpo's Monastery (a modern Milarepa Monastery).

H.H. Penam Rinpoche received numerous instructions and commentaries on the Sutras as well as numerous quintessential instructions, transmissions, and the empowerments and commentaries for the Four Tantras, especially the Completion Stage of the Kalachakra from Lama Monlam Sangpo.

Lama Monlam Sangpo said to him, "Son of good fortune! You have come into this world for the purpose of the doctrine and sentient beings. In particular you should hold the lineage of the Kalachakra Tantra. I have great hope that you will possess armor-like perseverance." Later Lama Monlam Sangpo enthroned Penam Rinpoche as his spiritual heir and successor.

As one of the unrivaled lineage holders, H.H. Penam Rinpoche studied under many great gurus from several schools and traditions, so that his training would be based on a non-sectarian approach.

H.H. Penam Rinpoche has been proclaimed to be the Lord of the Jonang Doctrine by numerous Lamas and Tulkus during the recent revival of spiritual life in Tibet. He is likened to a fully blossomed Lotus flower due to his work as an important spiritual founder and leader of Dharma. He has continued to be a great leader and inspiration to his people.

H.H. Penam Rinpoche is a great yogi actualizing the awareness of the illusory nature of phenomenal existence. It is simply not possible to express the full extent of his enlightened abilities.

Dorje Ling Buddhist Center
New York, NY, Atlanta, GA, Taipei, Taiwan
www.Jonang.org