Our Precious Teachers
H.H. 14th Dalai Lama
Gyalwa Drikungpas Kyabgon Chetsang (L) and Chungsang (R)
His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche
Khyunga Rinpoche
Togden Rinpoche
Druwang Rinpoche
Khenchen Rinpoche
Drupon Samten - DKC Spiritual Director
Drikung Kyobpa Choling was founded in 1996 by Drupon Samten Rinpoche, under the guidance of His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang. Drupon Samten Rinpoche was born in the Himalayan mountains of Ladakh. At the age of six, he entered the Tibetan Buddhist monastery, Lama Yuru, which was built in the 12th century and is where Naropa did many years of retreat. He studied with 13 accomplished teachers, learning Buddhist philosophy, ceremony, butter sculpture, painting, music, lama dance, healing, and astrology. Drupon was 22 when he went into a 3-year retreat as a student of a great meditation retreat master, Khyunga Rinpoche. Under the retreat master's guidance, Drupon completed the traditional three-year meditation retreat and the six yogas of Naropa. In 1987, his Holiness Drikung Kyabgon sent him to the United States to teach at the Tibetan Meditation Center and he stayed with Khenchen Rinpoche there for many years. On January 20th, 2001, he was enthroned by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang in India, in front of over 800 monks attending the Snake Year teachings at Jang Chubling Monastery, and received the title Drupon Samten Rinpoche, Vajra Meditation Master. Drupon Samten has been teaching in the United States, Taiwan, Malaysia and Chile since 1987. He has obtained a very good command of the English language. He teaches with clarity, compassion and wisdom, and is open to help everyone that he meets.
Resident lamas and teachers and ordained sangha
Ven. Lama Norbu became a monk at a young age and went through many years of monastic training and studying Buddhist philosophy in addition to all the traditional Tibetan Buddhist ritual ceremonial trainings. He also has many years of practical experience in religious ceremonies, as he was the Ritual Assistant to His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang for many years. Lama Norbu is highly skilled in many religious ceremonies including detailed torma offerings, creating a proper altar with all the adornments, butter sculpture, mandala offering, playing ceremonial musical instruments, performing traditional religious chants and prayers and assisting during blessings and religious empowerments. Additionally, he is fully qualified and authorized to perform the sacred Tantric (Lama) dances used to bless the environment and those in attendance as part of this ancient traditional art performed during opening ceremonies for Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries or at special times throughout the year. As a senior monk at several Drikung Monasteries in India and Nepal, he has taught young monks in the specialized Tibetan Buddhist rituals, ceremonies, Lama Dance and Religious Music. He participated and assisted His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang in many major religious rituals and ceremonies, including a world wide Lama Dance tour in the US, Asia and Europe. Lama Norbu speaks English in addition to Hindi, Tibetan and Ladakhi. We are very fortunate to have him here as one of our resident lamas and teachers.
Ven. Omzed Tenzin has been a monk since a young age and went through many years of monastic trainings, and trainings in Buddhist ritual ceremonies and philosophy at both Lama Yuru Monastery and Skurbuchan Monastery in Ladakh India. Omzed Tenzin is specialized in many religious ceremonies including detailed torma offerings, butter sculpture, mandala offering, playing ceremonial musical instruments, performing traditional religious chants and prayers and assisting during blessings and religious empowerments. Additionally, he is fully qualified and authorized to perform the sacred Tantric (Lama) dances used to bless the environment and those in attendance as part of this ancient traditional art performed during opening ceremonies for Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries or at special times throughout the year. He was the head Lama Dancer for many years in Ladakh before coming to the U.S. He has been a mentor to many young monks to learn the precious Tibetan Buddhist rituals, ceremonies, Lama Dances and Religious Music. He completed the traditional Three Year Retreat at Skurbuchan Monastery in India. We are very fortunate to have him here as one of our resident lamas and teachers and he is working very hard learning to speak and read English.
Ven. Ani Chodron was ordained on His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon's birthday in 1995
and has been a student of Drupon Samten Rinpoche since 1991. She is currently engaged in the traditional 3-Year Retreat Home Study program under the guidance of Drupon Samten.
Ven. Ani Dolma was ordained in 1987 in Ladakh India and has trained in all the
Buddhist monastic ceremonies and rituals.
She speaks 5 languages including English. She is the resident ritual master at DKC.
Lopon Konchok Wangdu (Dr. Michael Essex) began seriously studying Tibetan Buddhism in 1985 at the Tibetan Meditation Center in Washington, DC. Under Khenchen Rinpoche, he studied meditation and Buddhist philosophy, with special emphasis on the Jewel Ornament of Liberation. He developed a system for computer publishing of bilingual Tibetan and English meditation texts. He has studied with Drupon Samten since he arrived in the USA in 1987. In September 2010, Ngakpa Wangdu was authorized to teach by HH The Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang and leads both formal and informal classes on Buddhist philosophy and practice.
Lopon Dorje Khandro (Dr. Lourdes Arguelles) was born in Cuba and educated around the world. She has been a Dharma practitioner for several decades having received refuge vows from the late HE The Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche . She has studied and done retreat under Gelug, Kagyu,and Nyingma lamas in the US, Canada, Nepal, and India, was ordained a Ngakma by HE Garchen Rinpoche, and authorized to teach by HH The Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang. Dorje Khandro is Professor Emerita at Claremont Graduate University and a licensed marriage and family therapist. She studies and practices at Drikung Kyobpa Choling where she also teaches in both English and Spanish under the direction of Drupon Samten Rinpoche.