A short biography of Ven. Dungse Pema Rinpoche

Dungse Lama Pema was born in 1972 in Tsum Valley, on the Nepal-Tibet border, into a family of accomplished Buddhist practitioners. He is the eldest son of Dungse Pema Lapchen Rinpoche, a direct descendant of the 13th-century Nyingma master Guru Chowang, one of Tibet’s Five Great Tertöns (treasure revealers). This unbroken spiritual lineage spans 24 generations and Dungse Rinpoche’s younger brother Dungse Lama Pasang is the 25th seat holder of Ngak Labrang.

Guru Chowang, an emanation of Guru Padmasambhava and a reincarnation of King Trisong Deutsen, revealed many important termas, including Lama Sangdu, Yang Sang Pu Dri (Vajrakilaya), and Dzogchen Yangti Sangye Nyamjor. He also founded Naak(forest) Monastery, which today has six branches in Tsum. Dungse Rinpoche’s family has traditionally served as abbots of Dhondupling Monastery (Naak Gompa), and his brother, Lama Pasang, is the current head.

Dungse Rinpoche entered Thrangu Tashi Choling Monastery in Kathmandu at age nine and received full ordination from V.V. Thrangu Rinpoche in 1989. In 1993, he completed a traditional three-year retreat at Namo Buddha, engaging in key Kagyu practices including Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa, and later received the complete empowerments of his family’s Guru Chowang lineage.

After completing his studies, he served as principal of Shree Mangal Dvip School, then as discipline master and later Vajra Master at Thrangu Monastery. In 2003, Thrangu Rinpoche appointed him to lead the establishment of Thrangu Monastery in Richmond, BC, Canada, which was completed in 2010.

In this role, he leads the monastery’s spiritual activities and community, coordinates major events, and supports Thrangu Rinpoche’s international Dharma work. In 2012, he was selected by H.H. the 17th Karmapa to participate in the Akshobya Retreat during the Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya, India.

Dungse Rinpoche has also led the rebuilding of all the monasteries established by his ancestors in Tsum Valley. He founded Tsum Monastery and invited His Eminence the 9th Thrangu Rinpoche to consecrate and inaugurate it. In the monastery courtyard, he established a free clinic and a pre-school to serve the local community. In 2022, he founded the Tsum Library, dedicated to preserving the teachings of various Buddhist lineages. Under his leadership, many other Dharma and community projects are ongoing, further supporting the spiritual and educational needs of the region.

Dungse Rinpoche now serves as resident head lama and chief representative of V.V. Thrangu Rinpoche in North America.