Meet Our Lineage Teachers
The activity and teachings at the Buddhist Center are inspired by many teachers from throughout the Buddhist tradition. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and his sons are our main guiding influences.
The Ven. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Tulku Urgyen is widely acknowledged as one of the great meditation masters of modern times. Born in eastern Tibet in 1920, he was the great-grandson of the extraordinary treasure revealer, Chokgyur Lingpa. He was a highly revered meditation master of the Dzogchen and Mahamudra traditions and was regarded by the 16th Karmapa as his last living teacher. He had a unique ability to point out the nature of mind in a warm and incredibly direct way to all who were interested. His four sons, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Chokling Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and Mingyur Rinpoche, have gone on to preserve and share their father's tradition and style. Tulku Urgyen was Tim’s root guru and his teachers and style strongly influences everything we do at The Buddhist Center. Read more about Tulku Urgyen - Here
Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche -
Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche is the abbot of Ka-Nying Shedrup Ling monastery in Kathmandu, the home of 400 monks, and an international study center, Rangjung Yeshe Institute. He is a learned scholar and extraordinary teacher who has influenced thousands of western students over the years with his natural warmth and generosity. Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, the oldest son of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and a good friend and teacher of the Buddhist Center. To learn more about Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche and his activities - Here
Tsoknyi Rinpoche -
Tsoknyi Rinpoche is the third son of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. He is a close friend and teacher to us at The Buddhist Center. When ne was young, Rinpoche was recognized by His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa as a reincarnation of Drubwang Tsoknyi, a renowned master of the Drukpa Kagyu and Nyingma traditions. For many years Rinpoche has worked tirelessly to support the thousands of nuns under his care in Tibet, and to build a large monastic complex, Tsoknyi Gechak Ling, for his nuns in the Kathmandu Valley.
Learn more about Tsoknyi Rinpoche and his activities - Here
Mingyur Rinpoche -
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a much-loved and accomplished Tibetan meditation master. With a rare ability to present the ancient wisdom of Tibet in a fresh, engaging manner, Rinpoche’s profound teachings and playful sense of humor have endeared him to students around the world. Mingyur Rinpoche is the youngest son of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. In early June, 2011, Mingyur Rinpoche left his monastery in Bodhgaya, India to begin a 4 ½ year wandering retreat in the Himalayas. He is a teacher, friend and principal influence for us at The Buddhist Center.
Learn more about Mingyur Rinpoche and his activities - Here
Pema Chödrön -
Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun and resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, a monastic center for men and women in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She began studying Buddhism in the early 1970s, working closely with the renowned Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche of the Shambhala Buddhist tradition until his death in 1987. Pema spends most of each year in retreat. She is a brilliant teacher and the best selling western Buddhist author. Her books include Start Where You Are, When Things Fall Apart and No Time To Lose.
Learn more about Pema and her activities - Here
H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche -
Born in 1910, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was the direct incarnation of the great scholar and meditation master Jamgon Khyentse Wangpo. He spent nearly 30 years in solitary retreat, in later life becoming the head of the Nyingma Lineage. He was the teacher to most of the lamas of his generation, including H.H. the Dalai Lama. Scholar, sage and poet, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche never ceased to inspire all who encountered him through his extraordinary presence, simplicity, dignity and humor.
Learn more about Khyentse Rinpoche and his activities - Here
Here’s an extraordinary documentary -
Brilliant Moon: Glimpses of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
H.H the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa -
His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rikpe Dorje was, until his death in 1981 the supreme head of the Karma Kagyu Lineage whose origins extend back to Tilopa, the great Indian master of the 10th century. H.H. Holiness Karmapa was greatly loved by all for his tremendous warmth and compassion. He was the teacher of nearly all of the Kagyu lamas alive today. here
Hers’ a beautiful documentary of the life and times of HH Karmapa, ‘The Lion’s Roar’, with remarkable footage of many of the principle teachers of our tradition(48 min) - here
Listen to Tim’s introduction -
H.H the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa -
His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje is the leader of the Kagyu lineage. In 2001 at the age of 14, Karmapa fled Tsurphu, his home monastery in Tibet, to India so that he could continue his training and his responsibilities to the lineage. He resides in Dharamsala India and travels throughout the world.
Learn more about HH Karmapa and his activities - Here
Here is a lovely interview with HH - Here
Here’s a beautiful trailer for a movie about HH - Bodhisattva
“In every section of our world’s land
May there thrive a fertile field of peace and joy,
Rich with the leaves and fruits of happiness,
Filled with the many sweet scents of freedom.”
HH the 17th Karmapa
The Ven. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche -
Master of meditation, social visionary, author, artist, poet, Chögyam Trungpa (1939–1987) founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, the first Buddhist university in North America; the Shambhala Training program; and Vajradhatu, an international association of meditation centers (now known under the name Shambhala International. At the age of 18 months Trungpa Rinpoche was recognized as the 11th in the line of the illustrious Trungpa tulkus. After an extraordinary training in scholastics, and meditation, Trungpa Rinpoche fled Tibet in 1959. He went on to become the most creative and dynamic Buddhist teacher in the west.
Learn more about Trungpa Rinpoche and his activities - Here