Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche

Gochen Tulku Sang Ngag is the sixth incarnation of Gyalwa Gyatso, one of two parallel incarnations of Drimed Lingpa, who was a contemporary of His Holiness the Sixth Dalai Lama (1683-1706). Born in the Chumbo region of Kham in Eastern Tibet, Tulku Sang Ngag was formally recognized by Khyentse Chökyi Lödro. His first teaching master was Lama Nyima Ödzer of Gadra. In Tulku Sang Ngag’s own words, “The teacher who really caused me to mature spiritually was Tulku Orgyen Chemchok. In particular, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was very kind to me, providing me with food, clothing, and spiritual teachings…the tertön Padgyal Lingpa was also very kind in formally recognizing me as a custodian of his hidden treasure revelations and bestowing the ripening empowerments and liberating teachings for this cycle. These are my principal masters.”

As a young boy, Tulku Sang Ngag studied with his father, Namchak Tashi, learning his family’s tradition of religious rituals and liturgies, as well as traditional Tibetan medicine. Imprisoned by the communist Chinese during the Cultural Revolution, he spent his ten-year incarceration in the company of many great lamas, tulkus, and scholars, from whom he received further teachings. Released from prison, he made his way to India and then Nepal. He spent fourteen years serving H.H. Khyentse Rinpoche at Shechen Monastery, where he also served for seven years as vajra master and professor.