A Brief Biography of the most Venerable Khenchen Rinpoche Konchog Gyaltsen

Maintaining a balance between theoretical understanding and the practice of meditation, Khenpo Rinpoche began a three-year retreat in 1978 under the guidance of the enlightened master Khyunga Rinpoche. During this time, he was able to deepen and enhance his understanding of The Five-fold Path of Mahamudra and the profound Gong Chik text of Lord Jigten Sumgon. He also received many other transmissions.

In 1985, Khenchen Rinpoche traveled to the main seat of the Drikung Kagyu lineage, Drikung Thel, in Tibet. There, he was able to receive personal blessings, as well as instructions and transmissions of Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa, from the enlightened master Venerable Pachung Rinpoche.
In 1982, the force of karma and the requests of many practitioners combined to bring Khenchen Rinpoche to the United States. By late 1983, the Tibetan Meditation Center was well established in Washington, DC. Their original location was the site of innumerable teachings, practices, retreats and ceremonies. In September 1984, and again in 1987, the young Center was blessed with personal visits and teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Through Khenchen Rinpoche's and the Center's efforts, Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche visited later in 1987, and people in several states were able to receive benefit from his teachings and presence.

Wanting the teachings of Dharma to reach as many people as possible, Khenchen Rinpoche has quickly adapted himself to Western forms of communication. He has made appearances on television, been a guest on many radio programs, lectured extensively at colleges and universities, and spoken to the public through countless newspaper articles. Between 1983 and 1990, Khenchen Rinpoche singlehandedly translated critical Drikung Kagyu practices, prayers and histories into English. The originals of the texts were all written out by his hand: Achi Chokyi Drolma, Amitabha, Bodhicitta, Chakrasamvara, Chod, the complete Ngondro, Five-fold Mahamudra, Four-Session Guru Yoga, Green Tara, Lama Chopa and tsok, Mahakala, Mandala offering, Manjushri, Medicine Buddha, Milarepa Guru Yoga, Nyung Ne, Peaceful Guru Padmasambhava, Phowa, Refuge, Chenrezig, Vajrapani, Vajrasattva, Vajrayogini, and White Tara. The Illusory Body teachings, Supplication to Tara, Treasury of Benefit and Happiness, Meaningful to Behold, many other prayers and three of his four books were all translated and published during this time. This priceless work formed the essential base from which the holy Dharma could be taught and practiced.
For different reasons, Khenchen Rinpoche and the Tibetan Meditation Center moved to Frederick, Maryland in November 1991. Nestled inside a state park, the Center is now situated on four wooded acres. A small temple has been built there, and was consecrated by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche in 1994. With this larger facility and in surroundings more conducive to contemplation, Rinpoche has been able to benefit even more people with his teachings. Now that Western students are becoming interested in long term retreat practice, plans are being made to establish a residential retreat center nearby.
In more recent years, Khenchen Rinpoche spends a great deal of his time traveling in order to give teachings and lead retreats. He has established centers throughout the US and in Chile, and he frequently visits in Europe, especially Germany and Austria, as well as Southeast Asia. Last year, he taught the Gong Chik to the monks and nuns at the Drikung Kagyu Institute in Dehra Dun, India. With the financial assistance of the Tibetan Meditation Center's Text Project, Rinpoche arranged for 1,200 copies of the text to be printed, and then distributed them to monks, nuns and monasteries in India, Nepal and Tibet.
Rinpoche consistently strives to make important texts available to the public and to provide his students with thorough and systematic training in the Dharma. A skilled and dedicated translator, he has published four books before this one -- Prayer Flags is a small book which contains brief life stories of Gampopa, Phagmo Drupa and Lord Jigten Sumgon, as well as some Dharma-realization songs by lineage masters. There are some short teachings on the stages of Mahamudra practice, and condensed instruction on how to carry the experiences of sickness and death into one's practice.
The Garland of Mahamudra Practices is very helpful for those who already have a little understanding of the Dharma. It contains a description of all the Ngondro practices: the four foundation thoughts (precious human life, awareness of impermanence, karma and the suffering of samsara) , the four extraordinary preliminary practices (refuge, Vajrasattva, mandala offering, and Guru Yoga), yidam practice, special guru yoga and a mahamudra session itself. The mahamudra section a little more detailed, but still quite condensed. There are basically two points -- establishing the view of mahamudra and then how to practice it.
In Search of the Stainless Ambrosia is good for beginners and more advanced practitioners. First, it summarizes the fundamental teachings of refuge, love and compassion, and the six paramitas. Then, there are short sections on mahamudra and yidam practices, the experience of dying, an explanation of Chod practice and some Phowa teachings.
The Great Kagyu Masters is a translation of a 13th Century text which puts the life stories of the great masters together in one volume. It is very helpful to practitioners to have these accounts available for inspiration and guidance.
Two other books are in production and will be released soon. One is a Handbook for Practitioners, which is designed for study by individuals or groups without ready access to a lama. The second one is a translation of A Hundred Verses of Advice, a profound yet accessible teaching written by Drikung Dharmakirti.
In each case, Rinpoche has taken enormous care to make the translations as precise as possible. Because he himself has been so moved by these words that come directly from great masters, he believes it is critical that these same words be presented in an unadulterated manner. For example, to translate this text, he and his editor went through the entire text word by word four times, sometimes spending an hour or more on a single phrase or sentence. It is his sincere hope that, through this painstaking effort, many others will be as inspired as he was by these precious Dharma teachings.
Remembering the struggles of his early years, Khenchen Rinpoche inspires and supports monks, nuns and lay people in their practice of the Dharma and is always ready to assist them in whatever way he can. To all, he gives of himself freely. With his heart and mind turned firmly toward the Dharma, he compassionately and patiently shows the way.

Prayer Flags
This small book contains life stories of Gampopa, Phagmo Drupa, and Jigten Sumgon, as well as some nice Dharma songs or teachings in poetry form. Some are mahamudra teachings, explaining the different stages of the mahamudra practices. At the end there is a condensed teaching on how to carry the experiences of sickness and death into practice.
$6.95 95 Pages

Garland of Mahamudra Practices
For a beginner, this book may be a little complex. It has a brief account of the four foundation thoughts; then Refuge, Vajrasattva, Mandala Offering, and Guru Yoga practices (the four extraordinary preliminaries); followed by a little more detail about yidam practice; and nirmanakaya, sambhogakaya, and dharmakaya guru yoga; and a mahamudra session itself. The mahamudra section is a little more detailed, but still very condensed. There are basically two points -- one is establishing the view of mahamudra, explaining what mahamudra is; and the second point is how to practice it.
Briefly, when we know all appearance as the mind, then we can release attachment to things. When we understand that the mind is the nature of self awareness, and that all perceptions depend on it, release of that type of attachment is possible. The nature of awareness or wisdom is joy. For those who have a little understanding of the Dharma, especially the Mahayana and Vajrayana teachings, this book is very helpful.
$9.95 125 Pages

In Search of Stainless Ambrosia
This one is good for everybody - beginners and more advanced practitioners. I wrote this because when I go to different places, a lot of people ask me what kind of books to read, especially beginners. There are a lot of books of very high teachings, like vajrayana yidam practices, bardo practice, or mahamudra teachings. But a beginner, they don't understand these things so much. So I tried to put together a lot of information for those who are interested.
One chapter there contains the fundamental teachings - fro the beginning, all the stages of the teachings. The four thoughts, a little about refuge, then about love and compassion and the six paramitas. There is also a little section on mahamudra and yidam practice. Its very easy to read and understand. Then there is bardo teaching, but a little unlike the Tibetan Book of the Dead. In that book, you can read about visions of lots of peaceful and wrathful deities. This book explains experiences, what is there and what you see in a normal way. Finally, there is a brief account of Chod - what is Chod practice generally and a little commentary on that - and some Phowa teachings.
$10.95 153 pages

Great Kagyu Masters
We see lot of life stories of these great masters, but they are all in separate books. I found a Tibetan text that was written around the 13th century by a great teacher who put them together in one volume, and I thought that it was very useful that way. Tilopa's life story starts not in an ordinary way, but in a special way, something like Padmasambhava - birth in an exceptional way. There are lots of Dharma songs. I also found Gampopa's life story is very nice. Usually there is not much told about Gampopa's life story, but in there I found a very nice account - his meeting with Milarepa is especially good. If we practitioners read that, I think it would be very helpful

All Khenpo's works are available through Snow Lion Publications

May all mother sentient beings, boundless as the sky, have happiness and the causes of happiness.
May they be liberated from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May they never be separated from the happiness which is free from sorrow.
May they rest in equanimity, free from attachment and aversion.

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