Chamtrul Rinpoche - Early Life

Early Life

Venerable Chamtrul Lobsang Gyatso was born in the year of the Water Rabbit (1963), the third son of a highly respected family that originated in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (or Golok), Qinghai, China. Rinpoche was recognized at a young age as the reincarnation of the second Kathok Chamtrul Pema Nangsal Dorje Rinpoche, from Mardo Tashi Choling, one of the branch-Monastery of the Kathok School.

At the age of 14, he took the gemnien vows (lay people renunciation vows) from his first Root Guru, the highly realized Dzogchen master Naljor Yeshe Wangcheuk Rinpoche. He received teachings from him on the preliminary practices (ngondro) and subsequently completed the 500,000 accumulations of the ngondros three times, mostly in retreat, over a period of three years. Following this, Rinpoche studied and practiced Tummo and Dzogchen teachings intensively, under the direction of his Root Guru. During this period, Rinpoche undertook a six month pilgrimage of prostrations from Mardo Tashi Choling to Tugchen, the statue of Avalokiteshvara situated at the top of the Holy Mountain of Tsako Takyab.

At the age of 19, he received ordination from Getse Khenpo Wangchen and became a monk. For the next few years, Rinpoche continued studying at his monastery with his first Root Guru. He then moved to the Institute of Buddhist Philosophy (Shedra) of the Kathok Monastery, where he stayed for two years. He then joined the Shedra of Serta Larung Monastery. After studying the “five major sciences” curriculum (intensive training in Sutra, Tantra, logic etc...) under the supervision of His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche, his second Root Guru, he obtained the title of Khenpo (Doctor in Buddhist Philosophy).