Ven. Tulku Damcho Rinpoche

Tulku Damcho was born in Nupri, a remote area of northern Nepal. From an early age he wished to receive monastic vows. At the time that Thrangu Tashi Choling was being established in Bodhnath, Nepal, in the mid 1980s, he decided that he wished to be a monk that monastery. Even though he was very small at the time and was refused admission, he would not leave until Thrangu Rinpoche decided to take him after all.

While at the monastery, Thrangu Rinpoche found that in his behavior and his studies he was unlike other monks. He had special characteristics as a dharma practitioner, scholar, and teacher. On a visit to Nepal, His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche recognized him as a reincarnation of Lama Tsoknyi.

Lama Tsoknyi lived as a monk at the monastery of Thrangu Tashi Choling in Tibet. Lama Tsoknyi was known to have performed 2,000 Nyungnes* and to have officiated during this practice 6,000 times. The practice is the
ritual of Thousand-armed Chenrezig. He was an important teacher in the Kagyu tradition. He created new retreat facilities, renovated old temples, and engaged in other activities that promoted Buddhist teachings.

Tulku Damcho completed the traditional three year retreat and an additional year of Kalachakra retreat in 2007.Tulku Damcho speaks
English well. He has toured North America and Europe to teach in Thrangu Rinpoche’s centers. He will be accompanied by
Lama Rinchen who has also completed Three Years Retreat and Kalachakra Retreat.

Biographical sketch provided by Gloria Jones with information from Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, May 2011

*Nyungnes is a rigorous fasting and meditation practice in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.