Western Gateway to the Buddhist Science of Mind

3902 Woodland Park Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103 USA
(206) 529-8258

The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

is the inspirational force behind Nalanda West, which provides a center of activity for the authentic education of mind in traditions of East and west.

Rinpoche is acknowledged as one of the foremost scholars and educators of his generation in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Teaching with warmth and humor, he skillfully articulates the heart essence of the Buddha’s teachings in a manner that is relevant to contemporary life. An accomplished meditation master, calligrapher, visual artist, and poet, Rinpoche is also well versed in Western culture and technology.

Born in Sikkim, India, Rinpoche was recognized by His Holiness the 16th Karmapa and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama as the seventh in the line of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoches. Since 1990, when he obtained his Acharya Degree at Sanskrit University and Ka-Rabjampa desgree (equivalent to a Doctor of Divinity) at Nalanda Institute, in Rumtek, Sikkim, India, he has traveled widely and teaches in North America, Mexico, Europe and Asia. Rinpoche has been a visiting professor at Naropa University in Colorado since 1996.

Ponlop Rinpoche founded and continues to direct the activities of Nitartha International, Nalandabodhi, and Nitartha Institute, which focus, respectively, on the preservation of endangered ancient texts, study and meditation training, and traditional Buddhist education. In 2003 Rinpoche established Nalanda West in Seattle, Washington, as a learning center and gateway to the Buddhist science of mind. It is a dedicated to the integration of contemplative inquiry with contemporary culture, business and art.

Rinpoche is the primary architect of the many websites under the Nalandabodhi/Nitartha umbrellas and the publisher of Bodhi magazine, an internationally distributed periodical. The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is the author of Wild Awakening (Shambhala Publications 2003), Penetrating Wisdom (Snow Lion Publications 2006) and Mind Beyond Death (forthcoming Snow Lion Publications 2006).

more info

The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

Teachers at Nalanda West

Organizations at Nalanda West