Spiritual Patrons
Our lineage and spiritual guides.
His Holiness
Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche (41st Sakya Trichen)
His Holiness Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche (the Sakya Trichen) was born in Tibet in 1945 to the ancient and noble Khön family, which founded the Sakya Order in 1073 CE.
The history of the Khön is extensive, almost legendary, extending back to the early days of Tibet before the arrival of Buddhism in the 7th century.
He is renowned as a foremost master of Vajrayana who has inherited from countless great masters all the teachings preserved within the Sakya tradition and more.
He is known as an emanation of both Manjushri and mahāsiddha Virupa, the founder of the Lam Dré teachings, the principle teachings of the Sakya Order, and as an incarnation of Apang Tertön.
His Holiness served as the 41st Sakya Trizin (i.e. the 41st throne holder of Sakya) from 1959 to 2017.
Though still regarded as the supreme head of the Sakya Order he passed the throne holder duties in March 2017 to the next in line, His Holiness Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, the 42nd Sakya Trizin.
Known for his great wisdom and compassion, His Holiness is a brilliant and skilful master who tirelessly works for beings and the dissemination of the Buddhist doctrine. His commanding skill of the English language He has traveled extensively throughout all corners of the world bestowing teachings and guidance to innumerable students.
In this way, just as water is poured from one vase to another, His Holiness has received all the profound teachings of the Sakya tradition and many of the teachings and transmissions of other lineages from numerous teachers of the other traditions, and has passed them on to his disciples around the world.
Known for his great wisdom and compassion, His Holiness is a brilliant and skillful master who tirelessly works for beings and the dissemination of the Buddhist doctrine.
Photos
2009 | Port Douglas and Tharla Beach Lodge | Afternoon Tea
Photo
Consecrating Shrine at Khacho Yulo Ling Buddhist Centre Cairns
Biography Note
This biography is just a fraction of the numerous activities of His Holiness that a common person has the capacity to perceive. Many of His Holiness’ inner and outer activities are beyond our grasping and understanding.
Known for his great wisdom and compassion, His Holiness is a brilliant and skillful master who tirelessly works for beings and the dissemination of the Buddhist doctrine.
His Holiness the Sakya Trizin's website
His Eminence
Chogye Trichen Rinpoche (1920 -2007)
The late His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Ngawang Khyenrab Thupten Lekshe Gyatso, was the head of Tsharpa sub-lineage of the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Born in 1920, His Eminence was recognised by the 13th Dalai Lama as 18th in the lineage of Chogye Trichens.
His Eminence was a renowned tantric master, a dedicated practitioner, an outstanding scholar and an eloquent poet, embodying the wisdom, spirit and activities of the holy Dharma.
His Eminence was a master of masters as most Tibetan Buddhist lineage holders were his disciples, among them His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin and the late Dudjom Rinpoche.
In the words of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, describing the great accomplishments of His Eminence:
There are many who have attained the wisdom arising from the study of the Scriptures.
There are some who have attained the wisdom arising from contemplation of the Dharma.
There are few who have gained wisdom arising from meditation.
His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is one who has attained all three wisdoms. One should consider oneself fortunate just to meet him, which is in itself a great blessing.
After leaving Tibet in 1959, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche built two monasteries:
One in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha and the other in Kathmandu.
Living in Nepal, Rinpoche spent much time in meditation retreat and was thus regarded as a hidden master.
His Eminence passed away at his residence in Kathmandu on 22 January 2007.
He stayed in Thukdam (a state of meditation without any signs of decomposition, a sign of a great meditator) for 16 days.
After his Thukdam he was taken to Jamchen Monastery with a grand parade on the 21st day and was cremated at Boudhanath according to traditional Buddhist ritual under the direction of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, 40 days after his passing.
Rinpoche drew a packed Civic Theatre in Cairns of over 600 people for the Amitayus Long Life Blessing.
Khacho Yulo Ling Buddhist Centre was the last Buddhist Centre in Australia that His Eminence visited and blessed before he went back to Nepal and before his passing into Parinirvana in January 2007.
He also planted our beautiful Bodhi Tree which is still flourishing today.
Other Eminent Sakya Teachers
who have visited and blessed KYLBC
His Holiness
the 42nd Sakya Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche
His Holiness the 42nd Kyabgon Gongma Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, is the eldest son of His Holiness Sakya Trichen (the 41st Sakya Trizin).
He is considered one of the most highly qualified lineage masters of Tibetan Buddhism. Renowned for his erudition and the clarity of his teachings, His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin the prestigious Khön family, whose successive generations have provided an unbroken lineage of outstanding masters.
On March 9, 2017, His Holiness accepted the mantle of leadership from his esteemed father and root guru, in his new capacity as the 42nd Sakya Trizin or throne holder of the lineage.
In doing so, he will continue to guide and inspire Dharma students from all over the world with his wisdom, genuine qualities of unaffected simplicity, humility and complete honesty, by presenting the Buddha’s teachings in the most authentic way, while maintaining the purest of Buddhist traditions.
His Holiness has visited Khacho Yulo Ling Buddhist Centre in 2006 and also in 2019.
For the visit of His Holiness in 2019 we organised and Interfaith gathering at St Monica’s Cathedral, where each faith offered a prayer for world peace.
It was a beautiful evening of prayer and compassion and there were over 400 people in attendance, His Holiness was very moved by the display of love.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, His Holiness gave a two-day comprehensive teaching on the theory of the Law of Karma, called “Clear Mirror of Cause and Effect” This teaching was composed by Drogon Choegyal Phagpa (1235-1280), the 5th Sakya Master. His Holiness also gave the Vajrasattva Empowerment and Medicine Buddha empowerment during this visit.
A Short Biography
Facebook Page
sakyamonlamnorthamerica.org
Her Eminence
Jetsun Chimey Luding Rinpoche
Her Eminence visited our centre in 2007 and gave the initiation for The Uncommon White Tara practice and the initiation for Goddess Saravasti.
Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chimey Luding Rinpoche is often mentioned in conjunction with her family: she is the older sister of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, the sister-in-law of His Eminence the late Luding Khenchen Rinpoche, and the mother of Luding Khan Rinpoche.
On other occasions, she is remembered as one of the three women in the history of Sakya to have transmitted the whole Lam Dre teachings, which she did at the age of 16.
She is considered an emanation of Vajrayogini, the enlightened female energy of Buddhahood.
But to those who know her well, she is the earth itself, stable, unshakable, free from the eight worldly dharmas, and a pure example of the fruition of practice under challenging circumstances.
In 1938, the year of the Earth Tiger, Sakya Jetsunma was born as the first child of her parents.
Three other children were born after her, but only she and the youngest, who became the Sakya Trizin, survived to adulthood.
They shared the same teachers, took the same teachings, and made the same retreats. They also shared the loss of their siblings, parents and homeland. They are very close. They were raised by Thinley Zangmo, their mother’s sister, a remarkable woman who oversaw their education, who supervised the running of the town of Sakya, and who only slept from the hours of nine to eleven in order to practise through the night in her meditation box.