Biography of His Holiness
Dudjom Dungzin Garab Dorje Rinpoche

A Concise Biography of His Holiness Dudjom Dungzin Garab Dorje Rinpoche

From the prophetic declarations found in the Throma Lungjang:

“He shall be known as Garab Dorje,
a yogin who holds the treasury of the Great Vast Expanse.
He alone will dispel the darkness of beings in the three realms,
and will turn the wheel of Dharma throughout U, Tsang, and Kham.”

And further:

“To the one bearing the name Ngaktsün Rab,
the profound and secret heart-essence of Dharma shall descend.”

In accordance with these prophetic verses, His Holiness Dudjom Dungzin Garab Dorje Rinpoche was born in the eastern region of Bhutan, at Drikha Ösel Chöling, Tashi Gang, adorned with many wondrous and auspicious signs, in the 17th Rabjung Water-Serpent Year (1965).

He was born as the son of Dungzin Trinley Norbu, the spiritual heir and lineage descendant of Dudjom Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje, the regent of Orgyen Maha Guru, whose lineage was sealed by the infallible vajra prophecies of Orgyen Dorje Lingpa. His mother was Jamyang Chödrön, daughter of the great hidden yogini lineage descending from Tertön Pema Lingpa, and herself the daughter of the accomplished master Sönam Zangpo.

While still in his mother’s womb, the learned and accomplished master Polokhen Rinpoche, in accordance with prophetic indications, bestowed upon him the name Garab Dorje, performing the auspicious ritual of empowerment. At that time, a prophecy was given that in the future he would reveal the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) teachings not through external learning, but by spontaneously unveiling the wisdom of self-arising awareness from the vast expanse of realization itself. It was foretold that his enlightened activity for the benefit of beings and the teachings would be unequalled.

From early childhood, His Holiness naturally displayed the qualities of a great being. Without difficulty, he mastered reading and writing with only minimal instruction. In 1970, he entered the Royal Institute of Language and Culture of Bhutan. In 1975, he studied at Orgyen Mindrol Ling (Ngendon Gawa’i Tshal), and in 1985, at the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute, mastering grammar, poetics, logic, sutra, tantra, and the great treatises.

In particular, before His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje, he received in full the empowerments, oral transmissions, and instructions of the Great Treasury of Precious Termas, including all the upper and lower Dudjom Terma cycles, perfectly and completely, like filling a vase to the brim. He was enthroned as the holder of the newly revealed terma teachings.

From Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, he received the complete empowerments and transmissions of the Kama and Terma traditions. From his own father, he repeatedly received the profound oral instructions of the Secret Essence Tantra. In this way, the pure golden lineage of the Early Translation Nyingma Dudjom New Treasure tradition was transmitted to him without the slightest blemish or degeneration. Moreover, from numerous great masters without sectarian bias, he fully received the complete empowerments, oral transmissions, and essential instructions of both the Kama and Terma traditions, thereby attaining full authority and mastery.

In accordance with his father’s prophecy, and in response to repeated requests from disciples in Bhutan, in 1988 His Holiness first ascended the throne of his father’s seat at Gelong Gonpa (also known as Thegchok Garab Yangtse). He gave preliminary instructions of the Dudjom New Treasure to approximately twenty retreatants and traveled extensively throughout regions and valleys, granting refuge vows, bodhicitta commitments, ethical guidance, tantric feast offerings, and continuous drubchens, skillfully guiding beings onto the path of liberation according to their capacities.

In 1989, he founded Rangjung Ösel Chöling Monastery, establishing both its physical supports and spiritual institutions. He founded a new monastic Sangha and expanded the teachings through explanation and practice. In 1993, he established the nunnery Thegchok Künzang Chödrön, and founded teaching and practice centers in fourteen affiliated monasteries, further strengthening the Buddha’s teachings.

As the time ripened for the prophecy of Traktung Dudjom Lingpa, in the year 2000, His Holiness turned the Wheel of Dharma for the first time on the Black Throma (Tröma Nagmo) cycle in Bhutan, establishing the Throma community. To this day, there are 46 Throma groups within Bhutan alone, with more than 30,000 practitioners, and a stable organizational structure has been firmly established.

In 2004, at Rangjung Ösel Chöling, he bestowed the complete empowerments and transmissions of Dudjom Lingpa’s Collected Works, as well as the first and second volumes of his father’s realization teachings. In 2021, at the request of the Sangha assembly, he bestowed the sealed secret instructions and oral transmissions of the Razor-Sharp Wisdom Vajra Tantra.

In 2022, at Bumthang Chumed Jangchub Gawa’i Tshal, at the request of Trulku Tshultrim Gocha, he granted the empowerments of Trinley Norbu Rinpoche’s Collected Works, the Bardo Thödrol transmission of Karma Lingpa, and the ripening empowerments of Dudjom Zhi-Tro Mantra Healing. Later that same year, at Rangjung Ösel Chöling, he bestowed the complete empowerments and transmissions of Traktung Dudjom Lingpa’s Collected Works, as well as the Guhyagarbha Tantra empowerment to the entire monastic assembly.

In brief, His Holiness’s enlightened activities---guiding beings of all backgrounds in the discernment of what to adopt and abandon for the benefit of this life and future lives---are vast and inexhaustible.

For the preservation and practice of the Dudjom New Treasure Three Roots, he established more than four new retreat centers, sustaining the teachings with extraordinary dedication, like a peerless sugarcane illuminating the doctrine.

His activities have extended throughout Europe, Russia, Brazil, Canada, England, Belgium, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, as well as India, Tibet, and Nepal, where many Dudjom Dharma centers have been founded. Practitioners now number as countless as the stars in the sky. Across affiliated monasteries, he continuously supports approximately 600 monks and over 200 nuns, providing the three necessities of food, clothing, and Dharma, thus becoming a refuge endowed with the threefold kindness.

Each year, more than 50,000 Throma practitioners receive the intensive three-day Throma retreat and Great Empowerment, progressing from the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind through Guru Yoga and Phowa, thereby liberating their mental continuums through teaching, meditation, and practice. By bestowing instructions such as the conferral of blessings that cause the accumulation of merit and the raining down of accomplishments, he guides beings to the level of Samantabhadra within this very life.

At Vajrasana (Bodh Gaya), under the Bodhi Tree, with His Holiness presiding, tens of thousands of Throma practitioners from around the world gather every two years for the Great World Peace Dudjom Throma Assembly, elevating the unsurpassable Vajrayana Dzogchen teachings to their full splendor.

Furthermore, because it is of vital importance that Bhutan’s younger generations understand the true meaning of the Buddha’s teachings, His Holiness established an organisation known as the Bhutanese Buddhist Youth Association to introduce them to the Dharma. Bringing together many students and young people, he offered practical guidance in discernment---what to cultivate and what to avoid---while clarifying essential points of view and practice. Today, the Bhutanese Buddhist Youth Association continues this leadership role by coordinating the annual Buddha commemoration during the month of Saga Dawa, when the Five Great Events are observed together. Through remembering the kindness of the Teacher---the Buddha, Lord of the Dharma---many people have been inspired to deepen their faith and devotion.

All of the above activities are now formally registered under the umbrella organization “Rangjung Phendey Foundation”, ensuring the preservation, revitalization, and flourishing of authentic Buddhist teachings and cultural heritage in alignment with Bhutan’s vision of Gross National Happiness and spiritual prosperity.

In this sacred southern land of Mon, the fourfold border region of the Medicinal Valley---this realm beautifully arrayed like a garden of sandalwood---Bhutan stands as a uniquely blessed hidden land where the precious teachings of the Great Vehicle, and especially the Secret Mantra Vajrayāna, flourish. The renown of Bhutan now resounds far and wide, like the thunderous drum of summer echoing in all directions, as the nation’s cultural identity, spiritual heritage, and authentic Dharma traditions are preserved, revitalised, and spread.

In particular, throughout both the Eastern and Western worlds, His Holiness tirelessly upholds and propagates the Buddha’s teachings in their entirety; most especially, he safeguards and expands the Early Translation tradition of the Luminous Great Perfection (Dzogchen), and above all, the supremely precious teachings of the Dudjom New Treasure lineage. In accomplishing the threefold task of preservation, protection, and dissemination, his enlightened activity for the benefit of beings stands like an unrivalled victory banner---without equal or comparison---continuing unceasingly for the welfare of the world.

Closing Verse

“The Early Translation Dzogchen of the Lotus Tradition,
the chariot of definitive meaning---the Dudjom Lingpa lineage:

May its profound treasure teachings endure until the end of existence,
upheld unceasingly through explanation and practice.”

This was compiled and published by the Dudjom Lingpa Empowerments and Oral Transmissions Committee, as a virtuous offering.