Drukpa centres worldwide
| HIS HOLINESS GYALWANG DRUKPA | www.drukpa.org | |
| Drukpa Publications Ltd (DPPL) | www.drukpa.com | |
| Druk Amitabha Mountain | www.drukpa-nuns.org | |
| America | ||
| Drukpa Eugene/NY/NJ | www.drukpafoundation.org | |
| Drukpa Los Angeles | www.drukpala.org | |
| Drukpa Mexico | www.drukpamexico.org | |
| Drukpa Peru | www.drukpaperu.org | |
| Asia | ||
| Drukpa Hong Kong | www.drukpa-hk.org | |
| Drukpa Vietnam | www.drukpavietnam.org | |
| Drukpa Kuala Lumpur | www.drukpa-kl.org | |
| Drukpa Penang | www.drukpa.org.my | |
| Europe | ||
| Drukpa Plouray | www.drukpa.eu | |
| Drukpa Paris | www.drukpa-paris.org | |
| Drukpa Spain | www.drukpaspain.org | |
| Drukpa Canaries | www.drukpa-canaria.org | |
| Drukpa Germany Kassel | www.drukpa-germany.org | |
| Drukpa Germany Hamburg | www.drukpa-hamburg.org | |
| Drukpa Monaco | www.monaco.drukpa.eu | |
| Drukpa Poland | www.drukpa.org.pl | |
| Drukpa Switzerland | www.drukpasuisse.ch |
Drubpon Ngawang
Drubpön Ngawang's ancestors were all excellent practitioners and some of them were even realised masters of Dzogchen in Bhutan, the country that still has the good fortune of holding the blessing of Guru Padmasambhava. In addition, his familial lineage has a great reputation of containing heroic personages in many respects. In regard to Drubpön Ngawang himself, his father was told by the late Dudjom Rinpoche that his son should be given to Thuksay Rinpoche, and I think that this was very significant in that His Holiness had foreseen that Drubpön's activities would be beneficial to many beings. As everyone can see, Drubpön Ngawang is a great helper to the Masters from whom he took teachings. This actually means that he has and is developed in his practice successfully. He has no interest to show or to talk about his realisation or anything about his own positive spiritual qualities. That in itself is a great quality according to my understanding, due to the fact that, unfortunately, we can easily be deceived by certain inauthentic masters who have many beautiful things to say about themselves. The only reliable way to judge a Drubpön is through his genuine moral practices, his Guru devotion, his simplicity of living and his skill of dealing with others. One must take time, I think, to confirm the Drubpön's qualities as being truly positive or negative.
We call Drubpön Ngawang 'Nawang Chenpo' as 'Chenpo' in Tibetan means big. I remember that even when he was around 10 years old, he was quite big. He had a tall body with a beautiful plump face as he still has today. Anyway, that is his appearance, but I think he also has an enormous space in his inside which, when he was younger, allowed him the wonderful time that he had with his Guru, the late Thuksay Rinpoche, whom he served for more than 15 years, day and night. People would not even have an inkling of how hard, emotionally and physically, it is to serve a traditional master in a genuine way, unless they have read of Marpa, Milarepa or read some other genuine Master's biography. It is very rare and only truly fortunate people can joyfully serve their Master full time without a day of rest or a fracture of a doubt as did Nawang! It is true that many of us have the fantasy of serving a Master from some romantic picture that is created in the temporal mind. However, that particular romance is hardly achievable for most common beings. I have seen many of them having a big problem in their head after having the fortune of serving their master, and subsequently, if they are smart enough, they will step back. If not, they will get burned by their impure vision of the Master and their doubt in the teachings. They will look down upon Dharma friends and sustain the special pride of being a special person. As a result of this negative impact, the activities of the Master will be disturbed and beings will not be benefited as the Master had planned.
Therefore, I would say that one has to be especially fortunate like Drubpön Ngawang to have completed such service with no difficulties in his mind at all. I can be the only witness, if you like, of his positivity of life with our Guru. His tolerance, simplicity, understanding and diligence in fulfilling the Master's wishes everyday with no questions at all really made me feel so appreciative. Not only that, he has achieved the same amount of benefit as tens of preliminary practices through his genuine service that he offered to his master. Therefore, he was one of the first and very few people to whom I taught high tantric practices. I had no doubt in teaching him whatsoever. Also, he did everything that was told to him to be done perfectly with one-pointed devotion. In fact, I was told by our great Guru, the late Thuksay Rinpoche, as one of his instructions just a few months before he passed away to take him as my student and guide him in meditation, with the additional prophecy that "Nawang will never betray you and will hopefully serve you continually like he did me," and further requested me, "Do not forget to keep him within your love." Having that in my mind, I have a great trust in his helping me and my activities in running centres and guiding my other students who are in need of spiritual support.
"This brief description of Drubpön Ngawang's life and activities was written by me for website publication and is by no means a definitive account of his life as there are countless things I could say about him from my life with him, yet I would not like to tire your eyes. What I have written is to inform people and evoke their genuine motivation to be good practitioners of the Dharma in order to benefit all beings."
The Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa
The Drukpa Lineage
The Drukpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism stems directly from the primordial Buddha Vajradhara (Dorje Chang in Tibetan) and descends through an unbroken line of enlightened Masters. The early founders of the lineage include the great teachers Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, Rechungpa, Phagmo Drupa and Lingchen Repa. Lingchen Repa was the guru of the first Gyalwang Drukpa, Tsangpa Gyare. Tsangpa Gyare was recognized as the Buddha of Compassion, (Chenrezig Tib. or Avolokiteshvara Skt.), in human form, as well as an incarnation of the first Buddhist King of Tibet, Songsten Gampo, the great sage Naropa and Milarepa's son-like disciple Gampopa. The lineage spread throughout Tibet, Ladakh, Northern India and Bhutan, and is renowned for the pure qualities of its practitioners and the numerous yogis who have attained enlightenment. His Holiness Jigme Pema Wangchen, the present Gyalwang Drukpa, is the twelfth reincarnation of the supreme head of this tradition.
For more detailed information on His Holiness's family, lineage, personal Gurus and teaching programme please click on the official site of His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, www.drukpa.org
For teachings by His Holiness and other Drukpa masters, visit the website of www.drukpa.com
About us
Inspired by the accumulated wisdom of the 800-year old Drukpa lineage Drukpa UK sets out to bring benefit to beings in the modern world. We support both Buddhist non-Buddhists alike in their quest to bring happiness, contentment and peace to all beings by activating their love and compassion.
Part of a worldwide network of organisations under the direction of His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa, Drukpa UK is a UK-based spiritual and charitable organisation dedicated to:
Preserving the traditions of the 800-year old Drukpa Lineage
Supporting and facilitating the study of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and providing facilities for the devoted practitioners of the Drukpa Lineage
Promoting and organizing Tibetan Buddhist teachings and pilgrimages for Buddhists and non-Buddhists, both in the UK and abroad.
Drukpa UK also supports Live To Love, the global humanitarian and charitable initiative founded by His Holiness, which provides services for people, regardless of religion, gender or race, in the following areas:
Education
Health
Environment
Heritage
Aid and relief to those affected by natural or man-made disasters
Drukpa UK was established in July 2007 as a company limited by guarantee (registration number 6326093) and granted charitable status in August 2007 (charity registration number 1120665).
His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa
At sunrise on the tenth day of the first month of the Water-Hare year of the Tibetan calendar, while Masters had gathered at Tso Pema for the Tse Chu Festival and were performing the first dance ritual of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava, the sovereign Dragon returned to this world.
His father is Kyabje Bairo Rinpoche, the emanation of the great translator and saint Vairochana, precious Master incarnated in Kathok Zhichen monastery in Kham. His mother, Konchok Paldroen, belongs to the noble descendants of Lord Nyang. His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche himself, the supreme authority of the Nyingmapa Lineage was present at the moment of his birth, and gave him the name of Jigme Pema Wangchen.
The twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa was officially recognized by His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama, the sixteenth Karmapa and other great Masters. He was officially enthroned by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1966 in Dharamsala and in 1967, in the monastery of his own Lineage: Dotsok in Darjeeling.
Kyabje Thuksey Rinpoche was his main Master. He received the refuge vows and the minor ordination from His Holiness the Karmapa and studied with Khenpo Noryang, Khenpo Choedrak and Kyabje Bairo Rinpoche, his own father. He received from Thuksey Rinpoche all the empowerements of the glorious Drukpa Lineage, the explanations that liberate, and the scriptural transmissions which form the foundations for: the instructions of Mahamudra, the six yogas of Naropa, the seven links of interdependence, the oral transmission of the Dakinis, etc. Thus he assimilated the nectar and quintessence of all the profound instructions of the Lineage.
The great Masters from whom His Holiness the twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa received Teachings were mainly, Thuksey Rinpoche, Bairo Rinpoche, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama, as previously mentioned, the Lord of Refuge Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche, Pawo Rinpoche, Drodrupchen Rinpoche, Drubwang Kunzang Dorje Dampa, as well as renowned yogis as Lobpoen Gangri Kunzang Dorje and Gen Khyentse.
His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa displays a very extensive activity. In addition to the monastery of Darjeeling, seat of the Lineage, there is the connected retreat center of Chitray, for the 3-year retreat. His Holiness also founded the monastery of Druk Amithaba Mountain where almost 600 nuns are living. The monasteries in Ladakh, notably Hemis, are being restored at the moment. Indeed it can be said that the Lineage radiates throughout the world, its activity extending notably in Tibet, in Kham, Nangchen and Zighar, and in India, in Darjeeling, Kampagar and Bylakuppe.
His Holiness founded many centres all over the world, particularly in Europe (Paris, London, Geneva, Monaco, in Germany, Spain, Poland) and also in the USA, in Mexico, in Peru. Some centers are also active in Asia: in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and in Australia.
The activities of such a Master of exceptional radiance are dedicated to the benefit of all beings, both on the spiritual and material levels, through numerous humanitarian activities. Thus the educational complex "Druk Pema Karpo Institute", in Shey, Ladakh, and particularly the school, has already enabled 700 children, including some of the poorest families from the remotest areas, to receive education within the preservation of their own cultural references.
In 2007, His Holiness initiated the "Live to Love" project, urging his students and disciples to get involved in altruistic activites, educational, medical, humanitarian, as well as the protection of the environment.
Find out more about The Drukpa Lineage on www.drukpa.org
His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa's autobiography on www.drukpa.org