On Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche

On Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche

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I have run out of words to praise one of the most important teachers of my life.

I met Rinpoche in 1999 and at that moment knew any question I had he could answer. 

He did his Dharma activities quietly, seeking no reputation or fame, but Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche with HH Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche saved the Drikung Kagyu lineage from extinction, I do not think this can be argued against. And again he did it secretly, I am unsure if all the lineage is aware of this fact.

These pictures are from his first visit to the DDCV in Vermont in 2004.

Aa soon as there was a DDCV in 2001 I began supplicating Rinpoche to come to Vermont.

But Rinpoche who was in NJ did not go on tour, if you wanted teachings you went to him.

But I never stopped supplicating. This is the Tibetan Tradition for requesting teachings. 

Some teachers need to be supplicated 3 times before coming, I do not fully understand this tradition but it has worked in the past.

But not with Rinpoche, his time was too precious. He was composing texts and commentaries that are now key to the lineage's future, because he knew everything, and without his knowledge and wisdom the lineage would not even know fully it's own history 

He also knew tantra or Vajrayana like no teacher I have met.

But I never gave up supplicating and at last he agreed under the condition that I have the best translator that he would choose.

So I secured a promise from this Tibetan translator who I respect greatly.

But things changed for the translator and he had other Dharma activities he needed to do.

But I reminded him of his promise, how he was a man of honor, and he relented.

So I said yes to the translators request and since I did as Rinpoche requested he came to Vermont with Pung Gachog or Khenpo Tenzin Nyima, who in many ways was Rinpoches right hand student. Khenpo inputed so much of Rinpoches writings working at the computer his eye sight began to fail, he would get headaches, but his devotion so great he would have done anything for Rinpoche.

You can see Khenpo serving Rinpoche in pictures below.

And these days many have title Khenpo which is like a PHD in Tibetan Buddhism. You would study for 12 years and then apprentice if I remember correctly. Khenpo was and is a true Khenpo who further was personally trained by Rinpoche. Like his teacher, he also keeps a low profile, hiding his qualities. Many but few true Khenpos.

But it worked, all thise years supplicating, paying insane amount of money for the translator, it was worth every penny.

After this Rinpoche came to the DDCV 10 times, something he did not do, up until 2015.

He passed down completely a special line of teachings in danger of dying out. He gave everything from his heart.

When he became sick in 2017 I saw him one last time at a long life ceremony for him in NJ. There were hundreds there, maybe more, Rinpoche clearly did not look well.

I made sure to be outside near the car that would take him from the ceremony. He rolled down the window, I held his hand one last time, he beamed smiling, I said how much I loved him, that he was the supreme teacher, then they drove off. I never saw him in the flesh again.

I was in India 4 months later for the 800th anniverary of the parinirvana of the death of the Drikung founder Lord Jigten Sumgon.

I was blessed to bewith my root Lama Lho Ontul Rinpoche for an interview when he gave me the news Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche had died.

I fell to the floor crying.

Then Tashi Dolma his wife came in and said "impermanence." This snapped me out of my hysterical state.

The Tibetans see death very differently then we do in the West, she was right, we all eventually die. They may have sadness but death is something natural.

Even more amazing was that Rinpoche's kidneys had failed. He did not trust Western medicine. He could have gone on dialysis and lived longer but his work was complete. He chose not to go on dialysis. He felt he had lived his life and completed his work. He wanted to leave this world on his terms at his prime.

His students begged him to accept the Western medical treatment, but living forever was not his objective.

He went into deep meditation and slowly stopped his intake of food and water. When in pain sang vajra songs to Khunu Rinpoche who had been his root Lama.

In the final moments of his life he was in meditation, he opened his eyes one last time if I remember correctly and with his last breath said "AH" the most sacred seed seed syllable.

The prajnaparamita teachings on emptiness, which really is also infinite potentiality has a 100,000 verse version, a 10,000 verse version, the Heart Sutra which is very short, and then the seed syllable AH which holds it all. Someone will correct me if I have some numbers wrong but in essence I believe this is accurate. 

So Lamchen Gyalpo died as a fearless Yogi right before the 800 year anniversary of the death of the Drikung lineage founder.

So much more could be said but in his life he experienced everything.

There will never be another Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche. But he lives in my heart.

DAVID ARNDT 2022