Contact is taking a holiday!

His Eminence Sakya Dagchen Rinpoche, 88, died in Seattle, Washington in the United States on April 29, 2016.

The Tibetan Parliament acknowledged his “extraordinary contributions” towards the Tibetan cause in a condolence letter to Rinpoche’s family and followers, “We are saddened to learn of the passing away of His Eminence Sakya Dagchen Rinpoche Ngawang Kunga Sonam of Phuntsok Phodrang. We offer our deepest condolences to his family and disciples. Rinpoche has spent his entire lifetime engaged in dharmic activities for the sake of humanity as well as for the collective merit of Tibetans inside and outside Tibet. Therefore, his demise is a huge loss to Tibetan Buddhism as well as to his numerous disciples and devotees,” the letter stated.

His Eminence was born in Sakya County, Tibet on November 2, 1929 to Sakya Trichen Ngawang Thutop Wangchuk and Dechen Dolma. By birth, he was a part of the Phuntsok branch of the Khon lineage of the Sakya School. Rinpoche joined the principal Sakya monastery by the age of six and studied under Yongzin Sangay Rinchen. Rinpoche went on to study esoteric Buddhism, including the teachings of the sutras and tantras and the religious rites and main teachings of the Sakya tradition.

In 1949, Rinpoche married Jamyang Palmo, who comes from a family of lamas and doctors. Rinpoche and Jamyang Palmo have five sons together.

His Eminence delivered his first public sermon in 1951, during which he discussed the Lamdre Tsokshe teachings with the main Sakya monastery. He additionally travelled to eastern Tibet for the completion of his further studies under the direction of Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche and Jamyang Khentse Chokyi Lodoe.

Rinpoche delivered teachings on the Lamdre Lopshey (The Path and Its Fruits in its more esoteric form) five times, which brought him a legion of disciples from all over the world. For the cultivation of spirituality of his disciples, Rinpoche founded dharma centres and Sakya institutes in numerous places, including Vietnam, New Delhi, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Throughout his life, His Eminence Sakya Dagchen Rinpoche stressed the importance of education and interreligious and interdisciplinary meetings for the progress of Tibet. His wife and sons survive him.