Gebchak Wangdrak Rinpoche

Khenpo Gebchak Wangdrak Rinpoche III.

Gebchak Wangdrak Rinpoche III is the reincarnation of Wangdrak Dorje, a disciple of the first Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Tsangyang Gyamtso. Along with Tsangyang Gyamtso, the Nunnery’s founder, Wangdrak Dorje was instrumental in building Gebchak Gonpa and was renowned for his total mastery of profound yogas and meditation. Since 2003 Wangdrak Rinpoche has been working full-time to provide the Gebchak nuns with food and facilities to preserve their yogic practice tradition – projects that are featured on this website.

His Holiness Sakya Trizin formally recognized Rinpoche as the reincarnation of Gebchak Gonpa’s Wangdrak Dorje, with an extraordinarily clear prediction letter describing his name, his parents’ names, the place and year of his birth, and a unique birthmark on his back. This prediction letter was issued in accordance with the signs he received in meditation. Every detail in the letter proved to be correct. This recognition was also verified by His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa, the head of The Drukpa Lineage, and His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche.

At the age of nine he entered Chodrak Gonpa, a monastery of the Karma Kagyu and Barom Kagyu traditions, where he received the traditional training in all ritual practices. At the remote hilltop retreat place of Trachok Gon, he received the experiential instructions from Trachok Karma Tseten, the most renowned Karma Kagyu Dzogchen and Mahamudra lama in the vast provinces of Eastern Tibet. There Rinpoche spent three years in isolated meditation retreat, gaining experience and realization of the instructions he had received.

Wangdrak Rinpoche with Tsangyang Gyamtso Rinpoche

Dzongsar College in Derge, East Tibet, is where Rinpoche undertook his formal studies in Buddhist philosophy and scripture. This college is considered throughout Tibet as the best for non-sectarian scriptural study. Rinpoche undertook the entire nine-year course, consistently placing first to third in his class and graduating with the Khenpo[1] degree. From the highly respected Drukpa Kagyu lama – His Eminence Trulshik Adeu Rinpoche – Wangdrak Rinpoche received all the transmissions of the Gebchak lineage. Rinpoche has been fortunate to receive many empowerments, from many great lamas. His teachers include Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche, the late Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, and others.

When he had completed his studies, Rinpoche returned to Chodrak Gonpa to teach Buddhist philosophy for three years. After moving to teach at a branch gonpa in Nepal, Rinpoche was repeatedly requested by Tsoknyi Rinpoche and the Gebchak nuns to take on formal responsibility for the material well-being of Gebchak Gonpa. This he did and the Food & healthcare fund is Rinpoche’s response to the nunnery’s basic needs. Along with this Wangdrak Rinpoche continually works to enhance the precious treasury of practice unique to Gebchak Gonpa, both within Tibet and abroad.

Wangdrak Rinpoche resides in Nangchen, Tibet, where he oversees Gebchak Gonpa and his Dongtsang Ritro Hermitage.

Letters of endorsement and support:

Khenpo certification here.

[1] Khenpo (Tib. མཁན་པོ་) is a title given in the Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu schools to a monk who, after completing a nine-year course in Buddhist philosophy in a shedra [college], has attained a proven level of knowledge and, in some schools, also of discipline and benevolence. It can also refer to the abbot of a monastery and to the preceptor from whom one receives ordination. [Source.] The Western counterpart for a Khenpo degree resembles a PhD.