Teachers

Khenpo Sonam Nyima Rinpoche

Resident Khenpo at Palyul Meditation Centre Vanvouver

 

Khenpo Sonam Nyima Rinpoche is a fully trained Khenpo in the Nyingma Palyul tradition.

Khenpo Sonam Nyima Rinpoche was born in 1978 in Kham, East Tibet to a farmer family. At the age of ten, he became a monk at Palyul Ngulra Monastery in his hometown. There he learnt reading, writing, and traditional rituals.

At the age of sixteen, Khenpo Sonam went to India to pursue the study of Buddhist Philosophy. He completed the rigorous nine-year program covering Higher and Lower Sutra and Tantra teachings at Nyingma Institute, the prestigious monastic university of Namdroling monastery in South India.

From the late Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche, Khenpo Sonam received full ordination, instructions on Dzogchen (Great Perfection) and Tsa Lung, the secret energy yoga practice from the Namcho cycle. From the late Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche, he also received many empowerments including the entire Rinchen Terdzod (Collection of Revealed Treasures) empowerments, a rare empowerment entitled Dowang Drangtsi Chugyün (Empowerment of the Sutra that Gathers the Enlightened Intentions called the Stream of Honey), and Nyingthig YaZhi, the heart essence Dzochen teachings of Guru Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra as collected and elucidated by Gyalwa Longchenpa. 

From H.H. Thupzang Rinpoche, he received Namcho and Ratling empowerments. 

Specifically, Khenpo Sonam spent two years receiving private teachings of Dzogchen from H.H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche and did practices under His Holiness’s close guidance.

Since 2006, Khenpo Sonam has been teaching Sutra and Tantra at the Shedra in Nyingma Institute of Namdroling Monastery, serving positions such as Vice President and Secretary of Nyingma Institute, and Principal of the high school in Namdroling monastery. He has also taught Buddhism in Canada, Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Khenpo Sonam currently lives in Vancouver, Canada.