H.E. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche

The current 4th Zong Rinpoche Tenzin Wangdak was born in 1985 in Northern India and is renowned for his erudition and deep realizations. He has been recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the legendary Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Lobsang Tsondru, who passed away in 1984 (also known as Kyabje Dordje Chang, see below), who was a teacher of Lama Yeshe, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, and Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen.

Like his predecessor, Tenzin Wangdak displays clear signs that he is the true Zong Rinpoche in a new body. Zong Rinpoche studied Sutra and Tantra at the Ganden Shartse Monastic University, where he was guided by Lati Rinpoche (who passed away in 2010). Additionally, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Dagyab Rinpoche are also among his main teachers.

In addition to his traditional monastic education, Zong Rinpoche also attended a Montessori school as a child and lived in the United States for a period of time, giving him a good understanding of life in the Western world and proficient English language skills.

It seems that he is destined to become an important teacher; even His Holiness the Dalai Lama has praised the young Zong Rinpoche as an excellent scholar and practitioner, one of the best of the young reincarnated lamas of this time, a 'beacon of hope'.

 

Brief biography of the 3rd Zong Rinpoche, Lobsang Tsondru (1905-1984)

His Holiness Kyabje "Dordje Chang" Zong Rinpoche (1905-1984) was born in Kham, Tibet. He studied at the Ganden Monastery, where he became known as a highly learned Geshe particularly skilled in debate. His main teacher was Trijang Rinpoche (one of the personal tutors of His Holiness the Dalai Lama).

After completing his Lharampa Geshe degree (the highest level of Geshe - a Buddhist scholar in the Gelug tradition) at the age of twenty-five, he moved to the Tantric College of the Gyuto Monastery. In 1937, he was appointed the abbot of the Ganden Shartse Monastery, a position he held for nine years.

Rinpoche fled to India in 1959 and later served as the director of the Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, before relocating to his old monastery, Ganden Shartse, in South India in 1971.

Rinpoche first visited the West in 1978 to teach upon the request of Lama Thubten Yeshe. He traveled to the West three times and stayed for extended periods in the US and Europe. Thousands of Westerners received teachings from him in both the West and India, and he formed strong ties with Dharma centers in America, Canada, England, France, Italy, and Switzerland.

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