Khenpo Chowang

 

Khenpo Chowang is one of the most prolific contemporary Nyingma scholars. He is an expert in Buddhist classical cannon and philosophy, as well as Mantrayana practice. His teachings are widely studied in monastic communities of India, Nepal and Sikkim. Khenpo La visits Taiwan, Singapore, Los Angeles and New York and his lectures attract hundreds of listeners.

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Khenpo was born in Tibet, in 1955. When he was five years old, his family escaped to India and settled in Darjeeling. Following Dudjom Rinpoche’s advice, Khenpo enrolled University of Varanasi, which he graduated in 1978 with a Master’s Degree. Few years later under Chhimed Rigdzin Rinpoche’s supervision he wrote a dissertation on Buddhist philosophy and was granted a PhD title. Upon completing his education he started teaching on Gongjang Shedra and state founded shedras in Sikkim.

Since the first Nyingma Monlam in 1989 Khenpo La has been participating
in all the ceremonies and for many years he has been working as a secretary
of the Managing Board. He also helps as a consultant in the project of translating all Buddha’s teachings into English (project “84 000” under auspice of Jamyang Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche).

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Khenpo La believes that he was fortunate to be born in the times of the greatest Buddhist masters. Most of the teachings he received from Khyabje Dodrubchen Rinpoche. Among his other teachers were Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche, Chadral Rinpoche and Dalai Lama.  He was also one of the closest friends of Khandro Tsering Chodron.   

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