The History and Mindrolling Lineage
The Founders of Mindrolling – Terdag Lingpa and Lochen Dharmshri
Mindrolling Monastery was founded in Tibet in 1676 by Choegyal Terdag Lingpa and Lochen Dharmashri, the two brothers, descendents of the Glorious Nyö lineage. Following the unique and profound vision of these masters, Mindrolling became a source of pure and authentic Dharma, preserving traditions and sacred arts in their entirety, and emerging as an important center of education and practice for the whole Nyingma world, providing in-depth Dharma studies and training in Vajrayana rituals—such as sadhanas, mandala drawings, music, recitation, torma making, and ritual dances.
You may read more about these Great Masters under these links.
The Family Lineage – Trichens, Khenchens and Jetsünmas
The great vision of Mindrolling Monastery has been upheld and nurtured by the unbroken family lineage of Rigdzin Terdag Lingpa. Through the tireless dedication, profound devotion to the Dharma, and harmonious efforts of thirteen successive generations, this sacred legacy has been preserved and carried forward to the present day.
Traditionally the oldest Mindrolling son would become the Trichen – a throneholder in a monastery and a supreme head of the lineage, ensuring the continuity of blessings, empowerments and accomplishments. The lineage of trichens is refered to as tri rab.
The younger Mindrolling brother would become the Khenchen – a main vinaya holder of the monastery, who bestows the vows to the monks and a highly learned master, responsibile for curiculum of studies and rituals of the monatic sangha .
From the very beginnings of Mindrolling, Terdag Lingpa emphasized the importance of access to learning and practice for all his children. Since then, the daughters of Mindrolling have, through generations, been extraordinary examples of practitioners and teachers, carrying the title Jetsün. Throughout history, many of Minling Jetsünmas became highly renowned and played an essential role in safeguarding the continuity of the transmissions.
Efforts and dedication of all these generations, through the centuries not only caused the teachings of the Nyingma School to flourish but also contributed to the splendour of other lineages and schools in an unbiased manner. Thus, Og Min Ogyen Mindrolling became famed as the great central place throughout the Tibetan Buddhist world.
More information about the Mindrolling Lineage you can find on the website of the Mindrolling History Project.
Mindrolling in India
Mindrolling Monastery was re-established in India in 1965, when the 11th Mindrolling Trichen took his seat again as the head of the Monastery.
Re-establishing the monastery after the invasion of Tibet was an incredibly important task that was only possible due the incredible effort and vision of Kyabje Khochhen Rinpoche, Kyabje Dzongnang Rinpoche and a small group of dedicated monks and practitioners.
Gradually through continued teachings and practice, Dharma was firmly established at the Mindrolling Monastery in India. Here, the vast tradition of study, practice, and realization is carried forward to this day. Monastic education, great rituals and ceremonies (drubchen), retreats, and the training of new generations of practitioners, all continue in their authentic form.
You may read more about ceremonies and rituals in Mindrolling here.
Source of Dharma – Great Transmissions
Since its founding, Mindrolling has been the main seat dedicated to ensuring the continuity of the profound Kama and Terma transmissions and to safeguarding the pure stream of the precious Dharma. This has included upholding the major transmissions that have been bestowed at Mindrolling in India over the past decades, to generations of monks, nuns, and lay practitioners by the greatest Nyingma masters with the purest lines of transmission including Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Kyabje Trulzhig Rinpoche, and Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche.
You may read more about some of these transmissions at the link below, or explore a chapter from the Commemorative Book published for the Golden Jubilee (50 years) of Mindrolling in India, which includes photographs of many great masters of our time—both bestowing and receiving these remarkable transmissions.
The current Minling Ladrang – 12th and 13th generation
Kyabje Mindrolling Rinpoche, the 11th Trichen of Mindrolling, passed into parinirvana in 2008, thus transferring the safeguarding of the lineage to his two remarkable daughters—Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche and Mindrolling Jetsün Dechen Paldrön. These members of the 12th generation of Mindrolling are working tirelessly to fulfill the vision of their ancestors, the great founders of Mindrolling—Terdag Lingpa and Lochen Dharmrashri.
The young 13th Mindrolling generation—Dungse Jigdral Garwang Dondrub Wangyal Rinpoche (b.2014) and Jetsün Gautami Thrinley Choedron (b.2012) born to Minling Jetsün Dechen Paldrön and Kunda Britton Bosarge la are progressing in their studies and practice and successively taking on more responsibilites.
