SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR: Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel

Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel, the spiritual director of Land of Compassion Buddha, was born in Litang, Tibet in 1931. At the age of five, he began on his own initiative to wear the maroon robes of a monk. He formally entered Litang Monastery at the age of nine. Then subsequently entered Gaden Jangste Monastery and after 20 years of studying and practicing Sutrayana and Tantrayana, Rinpoche was awarded the degree of Lharampa Geshe in 1976. In 1992, he was awarded the degree of Ngarampa Geshe from Gaden Monastery. He taught at Namgyal Monastery, Nechung Monastery, and the Tibetan Library in Dharamsala. Rinpoche was appointed by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama as the abbot of Gaden Jangtse Monastery in 2001 and after serving the monastery for 7 years, he completed his tenor as the Abbot of Gaden Jangtse Monastery in June of 2008. Read more...

GUEST TEACHER: Thupten Tulku Rinpoche

Thupten Rinpoche, born in Sikkim, India in 1958 became a monk at Gaden Jangste Monastery at the age of eleven. He took his full ordination vows in 1977. Growing up in the monastery in south India, Rinpoche received the traditional Tibetan monastic training in Buddhist philosophy, religious rituals, and chanting. He received teachings, initiations, and personal guidance in both sutra and tantra from many highly realized lamas including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Trijang Rinpoche, Ling Rinpoche, and Zong Rinpoche. He was awarded his Geshe degree in 1992. Under the direction of his teacher, Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel, Thupten Rinpoche, the senior Tulku at Gaden Jangste, was the main project supervisor for the rebuilding of Gaden Jangtse Monastery. In 2006 Rinpoche undertook a 108 Nyung Ne retreat which lasted 7 months. Rinpoche has performed more than 250 Nyung Ne retreats so far, leading monks and laypeople in this beneficial practice. In 2009, Thupten Rinpoche founded Chokhor Gepel Ling, a Tibetan Buddhist Center in the Gelug tradition.

RESIDENT TEACHER: Geshe Thupten Jangchu

Geshe Thupten Jangchu born in Litang, Tibet, in 1962 took his novice monk vows at the age of 16. He escaped to India when he was 22 and subsequently took the full Bhiksu Ordination from His Holiness Dalai Lama at the age of 24. After many years of rigorous studies and training at Gaden Jangtse Monastic University in South India, he was awarded the degree of Tsorampa Geshe (equivalent of a PhD ) by Gaden Jangtse Monastery in 2005. Additionally, while a resident at the Monastery, he taught Tibetan language and Buddhist classes to visiting foreign monks and nuns. Since 2001, Geshe-la has served as Khensur Rinpoche's personal assistant, a position he still holds today. Those who have met Geshe-la know of his kindness, patience, and humility. Land of Compassion Buddha is very fortunate to have Geshe Thupten Jangchu as our resident teacher.