Ngesdon Osel Ling Gonpa

            The Gonpa was built by Tsoknyi Rinpoche at the direction of the great Dzogchen master from Tibet, Tulku Ugyen. The Gonpa is managed by both Mingyur Rinpoche and Tsoknyi Rinpoche who take care of it according to the instructions given them by Tulku Ugyen before he passed away. The monastery has both monastic sode of the Gonpa. Tsoknyi Rinpoche is a married Tantrika and takes care of the Tantrikas of the Gonpa.

The Gonpa follows both the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and all of the principals of the monastery are connected with both traditions. Tulku Ugyen was a Barom Kagyu guru and also a lineage holder of the Chogyur Lingpa lineage of the Nyingmapa Tradition. Mingyur Rinpoche is a great master of the Karma Kagyu tradition in this life and the Tulku of a great Nyingma.  Tsoknyi Rinpoche is the emanation of a great Drukpa Kagyu master who was connected with the great Nyingma treasure-revealer, Ratnalingpa. Both Mingyur and Tsoknyi Rinpoches follow their Kagyu lineages in this life but especially follow the Chogling New Terma lineage that they received from their father, Tulku Ugyen.

            Tulku Ugyen was born in Tibet early in the 20th century and studied both the inner and outer subjects of knowledge of perfection. When he was younger, he stayed at the feet of his father, the great Dzogchen master Samten Gyatso, and also at the feet of the 16th Karmapa. Later he practiced extensively at Tsurphu in Tibet and achieved great realization. Based on that realization, he became one of the gurus of the 16th Karmapa. At one point he left Tibet and took up residence at the hermitage called Nakyi Gonpa in Kathmandu Valley. He stayed there for the rest of his life, practicing and teaching. He became the guru of many of the great masters of the Karma Kamtsang tradition and of many foreign students, too. Prior to passing away in 1995, he accomplished many activities, one of which was the building of Ngesdön Osel Ling Gonpa.

            Tsoknyi Rinpoche is the third emanation of the Tsoknyi line of Tulkus. The first Tsoknyi Rinpoche was a Drukpa Kagyu monk in Kham in the nineteenth century who was renowned for the strength of his practice and who became very highly realized. Many of the great masters of the time accepted him as their guru. The second Tsoknyi Rinpoche lived in the early part of the twentieth century; he was known for his high realization and was the guru of the King of Derge. The present Tsoknyi Rinpoche is the third son of Tulku Ugyen. He was recognized by the 16th Karmapa when he was eight years old. He stayed with his father until he was thirteen at which time he was sent to Tashi Jong to stay with the Drukpa Kagyu community at Tashi Jong. He stayed there for several years under the care of Khamtrul Rinpoche who became his root guru. During that time he also returned to Kathmandu to receive instructions both from his father, Tulku Ugyen, and Dilgo Khyentso Rinpoche who also became his guru. After finishing his studies at Tashi Jong, Tsoknyi Rinpoche moved permanently back to Kathmandu where his father had him purchase the land on the hill behind Swyambunath to build the monastery Ngesdon Osel Ling. During a period of several years, under the direction of Tulku Ugyen, Tsoknyi Rinpoche built the Gonpa. During this period, Tsoknyi Rinpoche traveled widely in the world, meeting foreign students and teaching them the Nyingma teachings of the Chokgyur Lingpa lineage as passed onto him by his father.

            Mingyur Rinpoche is the seventh emanation of the Mingyur line of Tulkus. The Mingyur line of Tulkus started at the time of the tenth Karmapa who recognized the first Mingyur Rinpoche. That first Mingyur Rinpoche was closely connected with the Nyingmapa tradition and he revealed many terms. The following Tulkus manifested in the Kham region of Tibet. The present Mingyur Rinpoche is the fourth son of Tulku Ugyen. He was recognized by the 16th Karmapa at a young age. He was sent to Tai Situ Rinpoche’s monastery, Sherab Ling when he was eight years old. He has been there since that time, learning and practicing the Karma Kagyu tradition. He has completed two three-year retreats and has been the master of another retreat, all at Sherab Ling. At the request of Tulku Ugyen he will co-direct Ngesdon Osel Ling Gonpa with Tsoknyi Rinpoche, especially taking care of the eighty plus monks who dwell there.

            The Gonpa itself is situated on the peak of the hill immediately behind the hill on which the great Stupa of Swyambunath is built. The Gonpa has two main parts to it: the monastic section for the monks and a section called “The International Buddhist Meditation Centre”. The monastic section is home to about 60 monks at present. Many of them are quite young, coming from Nepalese villages, especially in the Nubri region. All of the monks at present are studying the normal studies of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The number of monks will gradually increase to over eighty. The International Buddhist Meditation Centre is meant as a place for meditation and practice place for foreign students. It will have a large meditation hall and quarters for the individual practitioners.

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