My Root Guru - Ven. Lama Drimed Rinpoche

I have made the fortunate connection with the Ven. Lama Drimed Rinpoche in March, 2004 and have been practicing under his guidance ever since. All the seasoned Vajrayana practitioners believe that the relationship you form with your root guru is actually a karmic reconnection from previous lifetimes to fulfill a commitment made from both the teacher and the disciple -- the disciple always calls out to the teacher from afar for his guidance, and the teacher always responds to the longing of his disciple, as promised, to come back and help them lifetime after lifetime until they attain Buddhahood.

Before I saught refuge under my guru, I had been learning about Buddhism through reading and attending occasional study group, plus some daily meditation with no guidance what so ever. Until one night during my meditation session, a strong yearning arose out of nowhere within me: "let me meet my mentor! I'm going no where with this. I need someone to guide me for my practice!" That was about a few months before we met. Then came this invitation from a distant friend about a teaching offered by a Lama new to the Bay Area, which conveniently fell on a Sunday during the one-week break between semesters when I was working on my master's degree in Counseling Psychology. I knew right then that it's time to take refuge and become an official Buddhist. I never met him before, letting alone going through the process of examing whether he is a qualified lama, as Buddha Shakyamuni himself had instructed. I was awestricken by this inner knowing, this unwaivering certainty. Over the course of 7 years, there's not a day go by that I regret or question about my choice. The faith and determination grow even stronger over time. This, I think, is a living example of the strong bond between a guru and his disciple. Homage to my root guru! Lama Chenno! Lama Chenno!

Ven. Lama Drime Rinpoche's Bio

The Venerable Lama Drimed Rinpoche was born to a nomadic family full of many renowned masters and yogis such as the Venerable Gyaltrul Rinpoche and Khenpo Lobsang Chophel Rinpoche. The Venerable Gyaltrul Rinpoche came to the U.S. in 1972 at the request of H. H. the 14th Dalai Lama and H. H. Dudjom Rinpoche. In 1976, H. H. Dudjom Rinpoche appointed Gyatrul Rinpoche as his spiritual representative and Director of Pacific Region Yeshe Nyingpo. Khenpo Lobsang Chophel Rinpoche is the abbot of Larung Five Sciences Buddhist Academy in Sichuan Province. He is also the instructor of over five thousand ordained nuns and lay practitioners.

Lama Drimed Rinpoche has demonstrated astonishing faith and passion towards Dharma beginning at the age of three. He started to attend Chinese school at the age of seven and fully mastered the language after 5 years’ vigorous learning, laying solid foundation and enabling him to give teachings in fluent Chinese in future time. When he was twelve, he began to learn Tibetan from the highly accomplished Galo Rinpoche and mastered the language swiftly without difficulty. Galo Rinpoche saw in his pure visions and dreams that Lama Drimed Rinpoche will make great contribution in the spreading of Dharma and benefiting sentient beings around the world, he therefore was determined to pass on many precious teachings to the best of his ability. During his time with Galo Rinpoche, Lama Drimed Rinpoche had shown astounding intelligence in learning both Dharma and Tibetan. After three years of intensive learning, he entered the renowned Sertha Larung Five Sciences Buddhist Academy with high recommendation. He was officially ordained at the feet of H. H. Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche and received all major oral transmissions, pith instructions, and empowerments within the Nyingma lineage, including but not limited to the Great Perfection empowerment and those of many precious terma.
 
Under direct guidance from his uncle Khenpo Lobsang Chophel Rinpoche, Lama Drimed Rinpoche had fully completed all required and advanced learning for Khenpo’s degree. The curriculum includes the main texts from the sutra, vinaya (the monastic discipline), and treatises within Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana tradition. He has also fully mastered Abhidharma, Prajnaparamita, Madhyamaka, Abhisamayalankara prana, nadis, bindu, and Dzochen Longchen Nyingtig, etc. Being proficient in Chinese, Lama Drimed Rinpoche has taught around China at the request of H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche. After completing his Khenpo’s degree, he traveled to India to acquire more teachings from H.H. Pema Norbu Rinpoche, the supreme head of the Palyul lineage of Nyingma school. Lama Drimed Rinpoche has received such empowerments as Nyingtig Yabzhi (Four Heart-Essences), Zhi Khro (A Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities), ‘Dus Pa Mdo (root tantra of Anuyoga), and many more in the Palyul lineage. He also served as the Chinese translator for H.H. Pema Norbu Rinpoche in many of these profound empowerments.
 
Lama Drimed Rinpoche came to the U.S. in 2003 at the request of the Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche, entrusted him with the torch of spreading Buddha Dharma to the West and benefit beings all around the world. In 2004, Lama Drimed Rinpoche has founded Shensem Tsogpa Tibetan Culture Center, aiming towards saving lives at stake by way of a monthly life release practice. Every month, thousands of lives were spared and virtuous seeds were planted in the mind streams of those who took part in this practice.
 
In 2005, Lama Drimed Rinpoche has founded Dechen Rang Dharma Center in the South Bay, San Jose, California, officially becoming the first holder of H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche’s lineage in the United States. Dechen Rang Dharma Center has therefore become the first official center in the U.S. upholding the lineage of H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche. Many renowned masters such as the Venerable Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche, the Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche, and the Vice Abbot of Larong Buddhist Academy -- His Eminence Tulku Tenzin Gyatso Rinpoche were invited to D.R.D.C. to give empowerments and teachings. Many were fortunate to make auspicious connections with these high lamas and benefited from the nectar of Buddha Dharma.
 
He currently resides in Orgyen Dorje Den in Alameda, California, giving regular teachings and leading scheduled practices as the Vajra master. Since the founding of Dechen Rang Dharma Center in 2005, Rinpoche has been heading and overseeing the operation of both centers besides leading the ongoing regular practices. These regular practices include: Guru Rinpoche Tsog Practice, Yeshe Tsogyal and Green Tara Dakini Tsog Practices, Vajrasattva Practice, Avalokiteshvara Fire Puja Practice, Amitabha practice, etc. Some of the past and current teachings include: instructions on Longchen Nyingtik preliminary practices, Shantideva’s “Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life”, Dzogchen master Khenpo Ngagchung’s “The Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher”, Jetsun Mipham Rinpoche’s “White Lotus: An Explanation of the Seven-line Prayer to Guru Padmasambhava”, and Karma Chagme’s “Dechen Monlam”, etc.
 
Lama Drimed Rinpoche has worked unceasingly ever since his arrival to the U.S. Other than regular Dharma teachings and practices, Rinpoche has been committing himself in performing monthly life-release, translating scriptures, providing consultation to disciples, conducting memorial services for the deceased and beseeching practices for the welfare of the living. He has introduced Buddhism to hundreds of non-believers and initiated them to become followers of Buddha. Rinpoche takes it to his heart to offer true understanding of genuine Dharma. He addresses students’ question in hopes of eliminating confusion in their mind; he leads followers to practice the way of a bodhisattva in hopes of offering every opportunity to them to accumulate virtues; He translates scriptures tirelessly in hopes of offering ways for students to understand Buddhism from all possible means; He conducts memorial services for the deceased beings in hopes of transitioning their mind streams to the Pureland of Amitabha; He prays for the welfare of the living in hopes of creating a conducive circumstance for them to practice Dharma.

http://www.dechenrang.org/

www.orgyendorjeden.org/