Tibetan scholar Dhongthog Rinpoche passes away

DHARAMSALA, Jan 22: Dhongthog Trulku Tenpai Gyaltsen also known as Dhongthog Rinpoche, a widely respected Tibetan scholar who was also a reincarnated lama has passed away earlier this month in the American city of Seattle.

He was 82 when he passed away at his residence on Jan 13. He was born to father Dorjee and mother Choekyi in 1933 in Kardze in the traditional Tibetan province of Kham.Dhongthog_Rinpoche

He is the author of “New Light English-Tibetan Dictionary” and “The History of Tibet”.

Rinpoche’s other literary works include The History of Sakyapa School of Tibetan Buddhism, The Cleansing Water-drops, The Earth Shaking Thunder of True Word. In addition, he worked as a translator and editor on the Tibetan version of Sogyal Rinpoche’s The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying and translated David Jackson’s biography of Dezhung Rinpoche into Tibetan.

After being recognized as the fifth reincarnation of Jampal Rigpai Raldri by the Sakya Dagchen Ngawang Kunga Rinchen, Rinpoche studied Tibetan literature and Buddhist philosophy at Dzongsar Shedra. Before leaving Tibet in 1957, Rinpoche was the head teacher of Dhongthog Rigdrol Phuntsog Ling Monastery, Kardze, Tibet. Rinpoche served the Tibetan Government-in-Exile for 13 years before moving to the United States in 1979. In those 13 years, Rinpoche worked at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala and at Tibet House in New Delhi.unnmed

Rinpoche’s Kudung (body) was cremated in Seattle on Jan 21. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

 

 

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