Brief Biography of Thartse Khen Rinpoche
His Eminence Thartse Khen Rinpoche Ngawang Sonam Chogden was born on the 16th April 1968 in Lomanthang village in Mustang, Nepal. He was ordained as a monk at the age of eight in Lomanthang Choede Monastery of Mustang. He is also the grandnephew of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.
At the age of thirteen, Rinpoche was recognized and officially enthroned as Thartse Shabdrung Rinpoche by His Holiness, the 41st Sakya Trizin, the supreme head of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism at Sakya Institute, Puruwala, India. The enthronement took place in front of huge gathering of monks, nuns and lay people, who came to receive Lamdre teachings (The Path and its fruit) from His Holiness at that auspicious time. Thereafter, Rinpoche became a throne holder of Thartse Palace of Ngor Monastery which is a subsect of the Sakya Tradition. Ngor tradition has four regent palaces, namely, Thartse, Luding, Khangsar and Phende.
On March 15th 1987, Rinpoche received the Bhiksu ordination from His Eminence Ngor Luding Khenchen Rinpoche, the 75th throne holder & Abbot of Ngor Monastery. The then Thartse Shabdrung completed his basic monastic studies at Ngor Monastery in Manduwala in Dehradun, India, mastering the diverse areas of expertise such as the various rituals, Tibetan language and literature, making of sand mandalas, and playing religious instruments etc. Under the kind and intensive guidance of Luding Khenchen Rinpoche, he received a whole series of rituals, teachings, empowerments and oral transmissions based on the Ngor tradition of Sakya.
After the successful completion of the monastic studies in Ngor Monastery, Rinpoche studied Buddhist Philosophy and literature in Sakya Institute for seven consecutive years and graduated from there. Thereafter he also studied tantra in Sakya College for a couple of years. Rinpoche had received several instructions and teachings from His Most Venerable Khenchen Appey Rinpoche and Khenchen Kunga Wangchuk Rinpoche.
Thartse Rinpoche has completed many major and important retreats such as the Four Armed Vajrapani, Mahavairocana, White tara, Hevajra etc. In the summer of 1993, Rinpoche accompanied His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche to Tibet and gave Bhiksu and Novice vows to thousands of monks and nuns. He also gave teachings on Sun Rays, Samaya, Guru Yoga 50 Stanzas, Birwapa Protection, White Tara, Gongpa Khensol, Mahavairocana, Hevajra, Wrathful Manjushri etc...
On the 5th day of the second month of year 2128 according to the Tibetan lunar calendar (i.e. 27th of March 2001), Thartse Khen Rinpoche was formally enthroned as the 77th Throne Holder Abbot of Ngor Monastery, in a ceremony presided over by His Holiness, the 41st Sakya Trizin. The auspicious ceremony was conducted in the presence of a huge gathering of monks and nuns from the various monasteries, lay people from various part of India and Nepal and Dharma disciples from many countries. Since then, His Eminence Luding Khen Rinpoche and His Eminence Thartse Khen Rinpoche takes on the responsibility as the Abbot/Throne Holder on alternate years of all the activities in the monastery.