Jetsun Lobsang Tenzin Palsangpo

Kyabje Jetsun Lobsang Tenzin Palsangpo

Kyabje Jetsun Lobsang Tenzin Palsangpo is the current Ganden Tripa, the head of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was appointed to this position on 24th June 2017.

Kyabje Jetsun Lobsang Tenzin Palsangpo was born in Tibet in 1934, Rinpoche was ordained as a monk at the age of seven. Following His Holiness the Dalai Lama into exile in 1959, he entered Sera Je Monastery where he was enrolled into Tsangpa Khangtsen at the age of seventeen.

Following a rigorous study of the Buddhist philosophies, he obtained the highest honor of Geshe Lharampa degree in 1979 after debate examinations attended by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other senior Buddhist scholars.

Ater receiving the Geshe Lharampa degree, he entered Gyume Tantric University and two years later became a master of discipline. Rinpoche also studied the esoteric teachings of the Mahayana tradition extensively while he was there at Gyume Tantric University.

In 1985, His Holiness the Dalai Lama appointed him as the abbot of Gyume Tantric University, a position he held for 6 years.

Since then he has taught widely in India and the West. He was also the Spiritual Director at Do Ngak Kunphen Ling dharma center based in North America.

Videos

Search for videos:

• Search YouTube for: Lobsang Tenzin Palsangpo Buddhism

Selected videos:

• Tibet Oral History Project: Interview with Jangtse Choje Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche on 1/4/2014

  Description: Jangtse Choje Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche was born in Lhatse in Utsang Province to a poor family. He was the middle child among three siblings and remembers being inducted into monkhood in the local monastery of Lhatse Choedhe at the age of 7. He learned to read, write and then memorize scriptures. Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche recounts his 20-day journey to Lhasa to join Sera Monastery at the age of 16 where began his study of the various subjects of Buddhist philosophy. He had only partially completed his studies of the Five Great Treatises of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy when the Chinese army attacked Lhasa in 1959. He narrates the bombardment of the Potala Palace, Norbulingka and Sera Monastery, which ultimately forced him to flee from Lhasa. Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche returned to Lhatse Choedhe Monastery where there was a 2-month calm period before the Chinese arrived. He describes Communist propaganda lessons and witnessed thamzing 'struggle sessions' and the imprisonment of the prominent people. He escaped to India via Nepal and resumed religious studies in exile in Buxar. He helped during the initial days of building the settlement in Bylakuppe and later served as the abbot of Gyumed Monastery. Lobsang Tenzin is presently the Jangtse Choje, second in line to the throne of Gaden, the head of the Gelug lineage.

Interview transcript available here:

• Tibet Oral History ProjectInterview #14B – Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche, Jangtse ChojeJanuary 4, 2014

External links

• His Holiness the Dalai Lama Appoints the 104th Gaden Tripa

This article is developed by our editors based on the sources cited.