Teachers
H.E. Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche
In 1955, Kunzang Pema Namgyal, the ninth Gangteng Tulku, was born near Tongsa, in a remote, mountainous, and stunningly beautiful area of central Bhutan. One day, at the age of three, Kunzang Pema Namgyal played alongside the family cows that he had followed into the forest. That day he had taken his father’s gau (locket) with him, which contained a small statue of the Buddha given to his father by the King of Bhutan. Opening the gau, he delicately removed the statue. Suddenly, the statue rose up, said, "I’m going to Gangteng Gonpa," and flew away!
Khenpo Tenzin Thinley
Khenpo Tenzin, the new resident teacher at Choying Dzong in Crestone, CO. is a highly accomplished student and teacher of Buddhism in the Nyingma tradition. Khenpo Tenzin was born in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, in 1969. He has been a Buddhist practitioner since the early age of 7 when he entered Dechenphordrang Lobdra (Monastery) where he flourished studying Buddhist prayers and art. As an exemplary student, he received the nyingma gyudbum transmissions from His Holiness, the previous Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche.
Lopon Phurba Dorji
Since 1998, Lopon Phurba Dorji has been Yeshe Khorlo-USA's Resident Teacher and Retreat Master. Lopon was born in Gangtey Gompa, Bhutan in 1955, the year of the Wood Sheep. From an early age he studied under the great Nyingma yogi, Khenpo Dadzar, in Tharpaling, Bhutan, one of the historical seats of the Omniscient Longchen Rabjampa. He was appointed the title of "Lopon" or "Personal Teacher" by Khenpo Dadzar. In 1986, Lopon established the Rigzhung Shedra (Buddhist College) at Gangtey Monastery, where he served for two years as the dean...