Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche |
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| Religion | Tibetan Buddhism |
| School | Karma Kagyu |
| Other names | The Venerable Khenpo Karma Tharchin Rinpoche |
| Personal | |
| Born | 3 February 1924 Kham, Tibet |
| Died | 6 October 2019 (aged 95) |
| Senior posting | |
| Based in | Woodstock, NY, USA |
| Title | Venerable (ecclesiastic) or Khenpo (academic) or Rinpoche (devotional) (or any combination) |
Khenpo Karma Tharchin Rinpoche (born February 3, 1924 – died October 6, 2019) was a very important teacher in Tibetan Buddhism. He was known by his shorter name, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. He belonged to the Karma Kagyu school of Buddhism. Before he passed away, he was the head of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) Monastery in Woodstock, New York, USA.
Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche taught special Buddhist practices like Mahamudra and Dzogchen. He also guided many people through long, three-year spiritual retreats. He taught about Buddhist history and philosophy and wrote several books on these topics and on meditation. He also led special ceremonies called initiations for different levels of Buddhist practice. He welcomed important leaders like the 14th Dalai Lama to KTD in 2006. In 2008, he led the ceremony to welcome the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, to his main center in the West at KTD.
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Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche's Early Life
Khenpo Rinpoche was born in Kham, Tibet, into a family of nomads. Unlike many other Rinpoches, he was not believed to be a tulku, which means a reincarnated lama. Instead, he achieved his spiritual understanding during his own lifetime. He began his religious training with his parents, who were very devoted to their practice. When he was 12 years old, he went to Thrangu Monastery to continue his education.
At age 20, he became a fully ordained monk, receiving the Gelong ordination from the 11th Tai Situ Rinpoche at Palpung Monastery. After spending time in several spiritual retreats, including a traditional three-year retreat, his teacher, the 8th Traleg Rinpoche, sent him back to Thrangu Monastery for advanced Buddhist studies. After five years of studying, when he was 30, he earned the Khenpo degree. This degree is like a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy, and after receiving it, he began teaching others.
Escaping Tibet and Moving to India
In 1958, Khenpo Rinpoche had to flee from the Chinese Communist destruction of Thrangu Monastery. He traveled for several months to reach Tsurphu Monastery. After a short rest, the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa sent him to find safety in Bhutan, where Khenpo Rinpoche stayed for eight years.
In 1967, Rinpoche was called to Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, India. There, he taught monks and helped the local community. For several years, he traveled to different places to teach and serve. In 1975, the 16th Karmapa gave him the special title of "Chöje Lama," which means a Superior Dharma Master.
Establishing Buddhism in the West
In 1976, the Gyalwa Karmapa sent Khenpo Rinpoche to North America. His mission was to create a main center for the Karmapas and to be the head of a new monastery there. Rinpoche first went to New York City and then to Woodstock, NY. There, he founded Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) Monastery. He also started many local teaching centers across the United States.
He was joined by the 3rd Bardor Tulku Rinpoche. Together with a lay representative and local practitioners, they worked hard. They started by teaching in an old hotel and eventually built a traditional Tibetan monastery complex. They also built a nearby retreat center with separate facilities for men and women.
In August 1990, Rinpoche helped the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche give a special teaching called the Kalachakra initiation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In the late 1990s, he organized and led several trips to Tsurphu Monastery in Tibet. The purpose of these trips was to meet the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. He also welcomed the 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche, who is the 17th Karmapa's teacher, to KTD for a series of teachings. After the 17th Karmapa left Tibet in January 2000, Khenpo Rinpoche led several trips to visit him in India.
In September 2006, the 14th Dalai Lama accepted Khenpo Rinpoche's invitation to visit and teach at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra. In May 2008 and July 2011, Khenpo Rinpoche hosted the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, at KTD. In July 2010, he organized and led the first Kagyu Monlam (a large prayer assembly) ever held in the Americas.
Global Reach and Later Years
Besides establishing 28 teaching centers in the USA, three in Canada, and four in South America, Khenpo Rinpoche also had many students in Taiwan and Central America. He was also well-known in Tibetan communities across Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and India.
Khenpo Rinpoche lived to be 95 years old (or 96 by Tibetan counting, which includes the time in the womb). He continued to teach and maintain his busy schedule until the very end of his life. For example, in May 2013, he shared the "Naturally Liberating Whatever You Meet" teachings, which he had learned directly from Khenpo Gangshar. From July 13-21, 2013, he led the first-ever Spanish-language retreat. This retreat was attended in person by 60 Spanish-speaking people and watched online by 1900 people from 39 countries.
From August 22-31, 2014, he gave teachings in English on the Pointing Out Instructions for Mahamudra from a book called Torch of Certainty. In April 2015, he welcomed the 17th Karmapa back to KTD Monastery for an 11-day visit. This was the Karmapa's third visit to the United States and to KTD Monastery. From July 17-23, 2016, Rinpoche led the first-ever Spanish-language Chöd retreat. From 2015 until his death, Khenpo gave oral teachings and explanations on several important teachings by Karma Chagme.
Rinpoche passed away at his home at Karme Ling Retreat Center on October 6, 2019, at the age of 95. His body remained in his room for several days, then in the main shrine room of Karme Ling until October 20. On that day, he was given a full four-way cremation ceremony, which is a special ceremony for a high Lama of the Karma Kagyu tradition.
Images for kids
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Khenpo Karthar resting in state in the main shrine room at Karme Ling
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The cremation ceremony of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche
