Our rich Teaching Heritage
Kyabje Chime Rinpoche
Our Founder
Kyabje Chime Rinpoche founded Marpa House (then Kham Tibetan House) in 1973, after being one of the first Tibetan Lamas to come to the West, arriving in Oxford with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Akong Rinpoche.
Kyabje Chime Rinpoche was born near Jyekundo, Kham, in East Tibet and was educated in Benchen Monastery.
He received transmissions of Mahamudra from His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa and the 9th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche, as well as Dzogchen from His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He was introduced to the essential nature of his own mind by Khenpo Gangshar.
Rinpoche was recognised by H.H. the 16th Karmapa as Radha Tulku, one of the four tulkus of Benchen Monastery in Tibet.
He was one of the first reincarnate lamas to come to the West, and has lived in England since 1965. He worked for 16 years as the curator of the Tibetan Language Collection at the British Library in London.
Rinpoche brilliantly combines Mahamudra and Dzogchen instructions and teaches in an incredibly engaging and accessible way, relating to students in the West with warmth and humour and a profound understanding of modern life.
His deep compassion, vast loving kindness and timeless wisdom are profoundly moving for everyone who meets him. Rinpoche is one of the last remaining direct disciples of Khenpo Gangshar and one of the last tulkus who was traditionally educated in Tibet.
“When I am happy, may my loving kindness flow to others, may joy fill the skies. When I am unhappy, may the sorrow of all beings be mine, may the ocean of suffering run dry.”
by Kyabje Chime Rinpoche
Rinpoche’s Teachers
Rinpoche’s teachers are: H.H. 16th Karmapa, his two uncles, H.H. Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche and 9th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche, and Khenpo Gangshar Wangpo of Shechen Monastery.
H.H. 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
His Holiness 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was one of the most loved and revered teachers ever and one of the most magical and inspiring teachers ever to visit the West.
‘Karmapa’ is the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism; the coming of the Karmapas was predicted by the Buddha himself.
It is said that the Karmapas have the ability to liberate beings simply through seeing them, hearing them, touching them or being in their presence. HH 16th Karmapa visited Marpa House twice – see our history for more details.
H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Tashi Paljor was a Vajrayana master, Terton, scholar, poet, teacher, and recognised by Buddhists as one of the greatest realised masters.
He was head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism from 1988 to 1991, and is also considered an eminent proponent of the Rime tradition.
H.E. 9th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche
The 9th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche Geleg Drubpe Nyima was the older brother of H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and the root teacher of Ven. Kyabje Tenga Rinpoche of Benchen monastery.
Sangye Nyenpa was recognised and confirmed as the authentic incarnation of the previous 8th Sangye Nyenpa Tendzin Drubchog, by the 15th Karmapa Kakhyab Dorje. The Karmapa had had a vision of the protective deity Palden Lhamo, in which he saw a vajra appearing in her mirror and heard the name Sangye Nyenpa and his family’s name “Dilgo” spoken.
Khenpo Gangshar Wangpo
Khenpo Gangshar Wangpo was a brilliant, highly realised Lama from Tibet, and Chime Rinpoche’s root guru, as well as one of the primary teachers of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and the 9th Thrangu Rinpoche.
Khenpo Gangshar was a student of the great Jamgon Kongtrul of Shechen Monastery and is famous for his unconventional approach to giving pointing out instructions directly to everyone he met, with tremendous efficacy.
Regular Visiting Teachers
Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche
Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, born in 1967, is the grandson and spiritual heir of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
Since his grandfather’s passing in 1991, Rabjam Rinpoche has taken the responsibility of transmitting Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s teachings and is bringing his vision for the preservation of Tibetan Buddhist teaching and culture to fruition.
At the age of three, Rabjam Rinpoche began receiving teachings from his revered grandfather, and today he holds this unbroken lineage. He was raised by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and attended almost every teaching, drupchen, and empowerment that he gave over the course of twenty-five years.
He travelled throughout the world with Khyentse Rinpoche and first visited the West in 1976.
Ven. Pasang Tulku Rinpoche
Venerable Tulku Pasang Rinpoche is the principal ‘Heart Son’ of His Eminence 18th Dulmo Choje Rinpoche.
He was recognised by both H.H. 17th Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorje and H.H. 12th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa as the reincarnation of Chime Drubpi Wangpo Rinpoche in Damkar Monastery.
He is also the nephew of Kyabje Chime Rinpoche.
Drupon Lama Kunga Dorje
Drupon Lama Kunga Dorje received his education in the monastery of Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. Under his guidance, he performed a traditional Three-Year Retreat in Namo Buddha, Nepal, and afterwards served as Vajra master in the Thrangu Tashi Choling monastery.
In 1998, he was appointed as retreat master (Drupon) of the retreat centre Karma Tekchen Yi Ong Ling in Halscheid/Sieg in Germany.
Traleg Kandro
Traleg Khandro (Felicity), long-time student and wife to the late Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX, is a Director at E-Vam Institute in Melbourne and the U.S, and runs Shogam Publications, Traleg Rinpoche’s publishing arm.
Khandro studied Buddhism under the guidance of Traleg Rinpoche for many years and has undertaken numerous long meditation retreats.
Marpa House Teachers
Lama Alasdair
Lama Alasdair has been a student of Kyabje Chime Rinpoche’s for over fifty years and was Rinpoche’s resident Lama at Kagyu Cho Khor Ling in the Black Forest.
Lama Klaus
Lama Klaus himself has been a student of Rinpoche’s for many years and completed the traditional three-year retreat at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra under the guidance of Khenpo Karthar.
John Howard
John is a senior student of Rinpoche’s and has completed the traditional three-year retreat practices.
The White Sangha
Kyabje Chime Rinpoche has asked a number of his students to teach the Dharma, passing on his unique legacy to anyone who wishes to follow the spiritual path.
Each White Sangha student has been given a robe by Rinpoche as a symbol of their authorisation to teach and are known as Rinpoche’s White Sangha. Since 2017, Rinpoche has increased the size of the group slowly but surely.
The White Sangha is a diverse group of lay practitioners who offer teachings and spiritual guidance to Rinpoche’s students and others in a variety of ways. Each member of the White Sangha has their own particular style and members live in a wide variety of locations across the world.
“Entrusting ourselves to the hands of a Lama, we’re completely relying on one whose competence, both in the scriptures and practice, expands like the moon; growing full and complete.”
by Kyabje Chime Rinpoche
ADDRESS
Marpa House,
Rectory Lane, Ashdon,
Saffron Walden, Essex
CB10 2HN
United Kingdom
CONTACT
T: +44 (0) 1799 584 415
E: mail@marpahouse.org.uk
“One sky, one mind”
Kyabje Chime Rinpoche
Marpa House is conducted by The Dharma Trust, a company limited by guarantee (no. 04332473) and registered with the Charity Commission (no. 1090628).
Photographs © The Dharma Trust or Kyabje Chime Rinpoche unless stated. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.
