Gendun Rinpoche (1918-1997)

Early Life in Eastern Tibet

Gendun Rinpoche was born in 1918 in the high valleys of Nangtschen, Kham, in eastern Tibet. His father, a skilled sculptor, carved sacred mantras into wood and stone. During the summer, the family lived in a large tent with their herds, embracing a traditional nomadic lifestyle. Even as a young child, Gendun Rinpoche displayed a deep contemplative nature, often building huts from twigs to play as a hermit. He pondered the true value of worldly actions, especially in the face of death, and felt great compassion for the suffering of all beings. Despite his father’s efforts to teach him the family craft, Gendun Rinpoche was drawn to spiritual practice and persistently requested to study under a spiritual master.

At the age of seven, he received permission to join the nearby Khyodrag Monastery, marking the beginning of his lifelong dedication to the Dharma.

Monastic Training and Spiritual Realization

As a young monk, Gendun Rinpoche found true fulfillment in meditation and spent most of his time learning from the great masters of his monastery. He received full ordination at seventeen and, by twenty-one, began the traditional three-year, three-month retreat. Afterward, he entered a period of strict seclusion, practicing alone in a monastery cell for seven years.

His teacher, Tulku Tendsin, eventually visited and recognized Gendun Rinpoche’s profound realization, declaring him a true “holder of blessing.” Tulku Tendsin encouraged him to leave seclusion and serve others, as his spiritual attainment was now “irrevocable like a golden rock.”

Pilgrimage and Continued Practice

After completing his retreat, Gendun Rinpoche embarked on a year-long pilgrimage to Tibet’s most sacred sites. He then spent another decade practicing in remote caves, further deepening his realization. In 1959, following the occupation of Tibet, Gendun Rinpoche received guidance from a protective deity to leave for India.

Leadership and Teaching in Exile

Upon arriving in India, the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, appointed Gendun Rinpoche as the head of a new monastery in Bhutan, a role he held for three years. He then lived in Kalimpong, North India, for twelve years, receiving annual transmissions from the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa.

In 1975, Gendun Rinpoche moved to France at the Karmapa’s request. He dedicated himself to spreading the Dharma across Western Europe, founding a retreat center in Auvergne in 1983. This center became a place where practitioners from around the world could undertake traditional three-year retreats. He later established monastic communities and a temple for meditation courses and ceremonies at Le Bost and Laussedat.

Passing and Legacy

Gendun Rinpoche passed away on October 31, 1997, at Dhagpo Kundrol Ling, surrounded by close students. Just nine days earlier, he had blessed over a thousand people during the closing ceremonies of a retreat. His cremation ceremonies, conducted by Shamar Rinpoche, took place 49 days later at the same location.

Gendun Rinpoche was renowned for his simplicity, humility, and approachable nature. He never sought recognition as a great lama, embodying the extraordinary through his ordinariness and accessibility.

Reincarnation and Continuing Influence

In 1999, the 14th Shamar Rinpoche recognized Gendun Rinchen as the reincarnation of Gendun Rinpoche. Gendun Rinchen now regularly visits the Dharma Center Möhra and continues his training there.