Founding Spiritual Head:
His Eminence Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche
His Eminence Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche was born in eastern Tibet in 1904. He was considered the supreme meditation master of the Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and the activity emanation of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great.
Having spent more than one-third of his 80 years in solitary meditation he became an expert on the nature of the mind.
From 1971 until 1989 he traveled many times to numerous countries giving teaching and empowerment and also establishing many centers like Kagyu Kunkhyab Chuling.
He placed many on the path to freedom and omniscience by always giving refuge wherever he went.
Renowned as a great retreat master in Tibet, he continued this tradition by establishing three-year retreats in Bhutan and India, and in 1976 he founded the first three-year retreat for Westerners in France. There are now many such retreats in Europe and North America where students can receive intensive training in traditional Buddhism.
In 1989, H.E. Kalu Rinpoche passed from this life.
Current Spiritual Head:
His Eminence the 2nd Kalu Rinpoche
Yangsi Kalu Rinpoche was born September 17 1990, at Samdrub Darjay Choling monastery in Sonada, India during the auspicious Shangpa Kagyu Protector the 6-armed Mahakala monthly fulfillment offerings. Many auspicious signs accompanied his birth and Samdrub Darjay Choling monastery was enshrined with a canopy of rainbows identical to those that appeared immediately after the prior Kabje Kalu Rinpoche’s Parinirvana.
Kalu Rinpoche received the entire empowerments for the Shangpa Kaygu Lineage from Venerable Bokar Rinpoche and completed his first three-year retreat in 2008. Rinpoche continues the unbroken precious transmissions of the Shangpa and Karma Kagyu lineages, ensuring that these precious teachings remain available to those who seek to walk the blessed Path of Liberation.
“That the Venerable Kalu Rinpoche chose to be reborn at his previous home, at his own monastery Samdrup Darjay Choling is an indication of his complete freedom of mind… The Supreme reincarnation of our spiritual master has been reborn!”
Bokar Rinpoche
His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche was born to Lama Gyaltsen who served as the previous Rinpoche’s secretary and his mother Drolkar. Chamgon Tai Situ Rinpoche officially recognized Kalu Rinpoche’s Yangsi (young reincarnation) on March 25, 1992, saying that he had received definite signs from Kalu Rinpoche himself. His Holiness the Dalai Lama was also consulted and confirmed that the child, then one and a half years old, was surely and unmistakably the reincarnation of Kalu Rinpoche.
His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche was invited in July of 1992, to visit the Buddhist meditation centers founded in France by his previous incarnation, his disciples and many others who met him for the first time were amazed and moved to faith by his amazing presence. In December of 1992, he made his first pilgrimage to the supreme sacred place, Bodhgaya India, the place where Shakyamuni Buddha achieved enlightenment, to attend the Kagyu Monlam.
Although still very young, he attended daily the great gathering of monks to recite The Aspirations of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra performed prostrations and made offerings to the representations of the Buddha’s body, speech and mind of the Buddha. Yangsi Kalu Rinpoche played the ritual hand drum and bell proficiently at the head of the assembly demonstration to all his understanding of sacred rituals. Young Yangsi gave gifts to the beggars there without having been taught to do so and his natural pleasure in doing these benevolent acts astonished everyone and led all to feel great faith in him.
On February 28, 1993, His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche was enthroned at Samdrup Darjay Choling Monastery in Sonada at a profound ceremony. The 14th Chamgon Tai Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsap Rinpoche presided and assisted by Kabje Kalu Rinpoche’s heart-son, Bokar Rinpoche. Tai Situ Rinpoche performed the hair-cutting ceremony and bestowed on the young incarnation the name Karma Ngedön Tenpay Gyaltsen; Victory Banner of the Teachings of the True Meaning.
Afterwards his Parents took him to Tibet when he was 3 years old to meet His Holiness the 17th Karmapa and in June of 1995, His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche made his first worldwide tour accompanied by his parents and the Venerable Bokar Rinpoche. Everyone he met on this tour was inspired by his gentle and loving presence and displaying the qualities of a true Bodhisattva. Rinpoche’s interest in meditation, chanting, calligraphy and the traditional musical instruments at a young age revealed his deep affinity for Dharma activity.
One of his greatest joys was playing the various ritual musical instruments, such as ra-gung (long horns) and gya-ling (short horns). With his gentle and loving nature he naturally composed himself in a manner surpassing the behavior of other children and his character revealed peacefulness, discipline and complete fearlessness.
When His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche was seven years old he journeyed with his parents to attend the yearly ten day Kagyu Monlam Prayer Gathering in Bodhgaya. Everyone enjoyed the Monlam Gathering and Lama Gyaltsen his Father made many offerings and participated in the Monlam every day. His Eminence with his mother and father then returned to Droden Kunchab Chodey Tashi Gomang Stupa in Salugara together after the Monlam and shortly after his Father Lama Gyaltsen suddenly passed away.
After this sad event Young Kalu Rinpoche asked that he be allowed to go to Bokar Monastery to begin his formal studies.His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche received the complete Empowerments of the Shangpa Kaygu Lineage from the Venerable Bokar Rinpoche. Thereafter he entered into the traditional Shangpa Kagyu Retreat at Bokar Monastery. In September of 2008 the Venerable Kalu Rinpoche completed his first three-year retreat.
We are indeed extremely grateful to His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche whose sole purpose in life is to bring benefit to all beings and who through his commitments and diligence to continue unbroken the precious transmissions of the Shangpa and Karma Kagyu lineages, ensuring that the precious teachings remain available to those who seek to walk upon the blessed Path to Liberation.