Lives of His Eminence Sonam Lodroe Rinpoche
His Previous Life
During the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution in China during the 1950s, the previous life of Sonam Lodroe Rinpoche, Adzom Losel Jigmey Jamtsok Rinpoche was imprisoned in the prime of his life. He was the disciple of the great Nyingma Master Adzom Gyaltse Rinpoche from Adzom Monastery. Jamtsok Rinpoche emerged as a highly accomplished vajra master who was renowned for His prominent Vajrayana practices and distinguished contribution in the dissemination of the Buddha’s Teachings through establishing Dharma Centre in Shanghai in 1930s. During the years of captivity, He had been learning and practicing in secret for years and achieve enlightenment with the witness of all others lamas and masters in the prison in late 1960s,
The Biography of the Present
Tulku Sonam Lodroe, was born in Dira, the province of Sichuan, China. In Tibetan, Tulku is a reincarnated Buddha or Bodhisattva. He was recognized and authenticated as the incarnation of Adzom Losel Rinpoche by H.H Adzom Jamga Rinpoche, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and His Holiness Dordrupchen Rinpoche.
Since his childhood, Sonam Rinpoche had shown his renunciation mind and demonstrated genuine respect and devotion toward lamas, and a deep compassion toward sentient beings. At the age of six, Rinpoche learned the basic Tibetan language from his father, Yonten Tharshin and at the age of ten, he was robed as a monk at the Adzom Monastery, Sichuan. At very young age, Rinpoche has achieved outstanding performance in his monastic studies. He started His dharma education from Dzogchen Innermost Essence Preliminary Text and systematically obtained all the Dzogchen Teachings and initiations under the tutelage of His root guru, H.H Yidjin Drukpa Rinpoche for 10 years unceasingly and practiced diligently.
At the same time, Rinpoche learned the Bindu teaching and practice from Adzom lineage holder, H.H Jamga Rinpoche; The Tantric and Nangwa Lhadub from Khenchen Choechab; Buddhism Views from Khenchen Jigmed Phuntsok Jongne as well as other cultural studies from other famous Khenpos. Sonam Rinpoche spent months, practicing in solitude in a cave at Donghra Mountain near the Adzom village with HH Jamga Rinpoche and Gyaltse Rinpoche to complete the entire course of Ridzin Digpa.
Although holding the high title as a Tulku, He always believe that only do, whatever is appropriate to benefit the teachings and sentient beings. Hence, even after fully completed the Dzogchen study from Adzom Monastery, Rinpoche later pursue to Serta Larung Gar Monastery, another renowned Buddhist monastery in Tibet. Sonam Rinpoche received teachings of The Precious Treasury of Philosophical Systems and The Pith Instrauctions from HH Khenpo Gyurmey Phuntsok during the past two years.
Rinpoche later pursued higher Buddhist philosophy in India under the guidance of H.H Penor Rinpoche and received the Rinchen Terzod empowerment from His Holiness. For another eight years, Rinpoche studied at the prestigious monastic college of Namdroling Monastery where he studied, debated and researched all the sutras and tantrums teachings of the Buddha for 8 years under numerous scholars and masters. He completed his advanced Buddhist studies in the year of 2001 and reached the status equivalent to professor, Khenpo.
During His university study, Rinpoche showed his excellent Buddhist scriptural knowledge by presenting a long discourse on Sangwa Nyingpo (Magical Net Tantra, a Mahayoga Teaching) in front of HH the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and H.H Penor Rinpoche together with 30,000 sanghas. He also gave the explanation and debate on the subjects namely the Illusory Manifestation of Secretly Essence and The True Face of The Nature. H.H Dalai Lama complimented His wisdom and encouraging him to continuously uphold and propagating the Buddha’s Teachings for the benefits of all the sentient beings.
With his remarkable accomplishment in the Buddhist studies and practices, not only Rinpoche has persistently contributed in the spread of Buddha Dharma from time to time, through giving teaching of Buddhist philosophy and conducted initiations and oral transmissions for disciples, Rinpoche has also written a few books, including The New Light of Philosophy.
Dedicated To The Welfare of Others
After leaving Namdroling, Rinpoche has made a pledge to spread Buddha's teachings widely, and started His journey of propagation of Buddha teachings extensively in dharma centers in Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and US.
Although at the young age of 40, Sonam Rinpoche is known for His extraordinary love, limitless compassion and clear wisdom, he travels an exhausting schedule, Working tirelessly, and selflessly, reaching as many students as He can, conduct retreat programs and acting on projects that benefit not only His Tibetan homeland but the world which is equally important to Rinpoche. Through His profound teachings have initiated numerous sentient beings on the path of Dharma.
He encouraged and contributed to welfare projects at various countries. In the year of 2008, Rinpoche established the Nga Gyur Shed Dup Choe Ling. He initiated the community projects such as school and orphanage, renovated temple, and provided financial support to help secure the source of clean water for the community and the needy.
Rinpoche believes that the interest of the human happiness can be generated through the authentic ancient Buddha Teachings of compassion and wisdom practice and will continue this mission to whenever allows.