Dvd Preview - Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche returns to Thrangu Monastery

Here is something interesting. There is a DVD coming out which tells the story of Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche and his return to Thrangu Monastery. I came across a preview, which has no commentary, but a series of fascinating moments and insights into what that must have been like. I like it without the commentary! In Australia, we only make this kind of fuss about Olympians. Not even leaders of our country would get such a parade. It's beautiful chaos.

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche is President and Spiritual Director of Kagyu E-Vam Buddhist Institute in Melbourne and E-Vam Institute in the Upstate New York. He was born in 1955 in Nangchen, Eastern Tibet. According to his website, he was enthroned as the Supreme Abbott of Thrangu Monastery at age two by His Holiness Gyalwa Karmapa, but later had to flee his native land at the age of four and escaped with his party to Bhutan. From there he went to Rumtek, the headquarters of His Holiness the XVI Gyalwa Karmapa in Sikkim.

Rinpoche was educated by His Holiness with the other young tulkus in exile until he was nine, when he went to Sang-ngak Choling monastery near Darjeeling and studied under the guidance of His Eminence Thugsey Rinpoche. While there he was taught exclusively by Khenpo Noryang and Khenpo Sodar for many years. In order for Rinpoche to receive training in Karma Kagyu tantric ritual practice, His Holiness Karmapa sent Lama Ganga from Buxaduwar to train him. Thus Rinpoche received both Drukpa Kagyu and Karma Kagyu training at Thugsey Rinpoche's monastery.

In 1980, at twenty-five years of age, Rinpoche arrived in Australia and established Kagyu E-Vam Buddhist Institute two years later. That in itself must have been an experience, as we have a strong racist undercurrent in our society. I can only imagine what that must have felt like - and how it felt to go home to a place from his very early childhood.

Here is the clip below: