The Rinchen Terdzö
Complete Empowerments and Oral Transmissions
With Tulku Thadral Rinpoche
November 1, 2026 to February 20, 2027
We are delighted to announce this very special event to be held at Pema Osel Ling.
Lama Sonam Rinpoche, Tulku Jamyang Rinpoche, Drubpon Pema Rigdzin and the Pema Osel Ling sangha requested many years ago that Tulku Thadral Rinpoche bestow the Rinchen Terdzö here. Rinpoche has been preparing for this for over five years by accomplishing all the necessary practices in retreat.
If you wish to attend, please send an email to receive program updates. The schedule, pricing and reservation details will be forthcoming in the following weeks. The empowerments and oral transmissions will also be offered by streaming.
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About The Rinchen Terdzö
The Rinchen Terdzö, the Precious Treasury of Hidden Teachings, brings together the treasure revelations of Guru Rinpoche's regents, the one hundred treasure revealers, all in one place. These treasures or termas are the essence of Guru Rinpoche’s wisdom heart, the life force of the wisdom deities and protectors, and the wealth of all vidyadharas’ and siddhas’ wisdom minds. They can completely fulfill all the needs and desires of fortunate beings both temporarily and ultimately, like wish-fulfilling jewels. Within these treasures are the methods to accomplish all the infinite deities of the Three Roots within the Nyingma tradition's three classes of inner tantra through the development stage, completion stage, and Great Perfection, together with practices for accomplishing infinite enlightened activities. Because this treasury of Dharma is so precious and full of Guru Rinpoche’s blessings, this compilation is one of the most important in the Nyingma Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
According to Guru Rinpoche’s prophecies, the Rinchen Terdzö was originally compiled by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye in the 1800s under the direction and encouragement of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, who searched throughout Tibet for rare lineages of these teachings that were on the verge of disappearing and also rediscovered many treasures that had been lost in order to preserve them for the benefit of future generations of practitioners. Since that time it has been transmitted in a pure and unbroken lineage up to the present day.
Specifically, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche received the Rinchen Terdzö from his root Lama, Gyurme Ngedon Wangpo, a direct student of Jamgön Kongtrul and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo who had received this compilation from them on numerous occasions. Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche transmitted the Rinchen Terdzö ten times during his lifetime, more than any other master, including bestowing it on Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, from whom Tulku Thadral Rinpoche received these teachings.
The main aspects of the Vajrayana path in the Nyingma tradition are empowerment, explanation, development stage, and completion stage. Renowned as the four great rivers of lineage instruction, these must be practiced using the canonical teachings as a framework which is then ornamented with pith instructions from the treasures.
By receiving the liberating instructions as well as the supporting oral transmissions, together with the various supreme and common activities, one will create a stable foundation of study and contemplation. Then, one must practice the skillful means of the development stage in order to purify all impure relative appearances, the deluded phenomena of one's ordinary body, speech, and mind; and the wisdom of the completion stage so as to actualize the essential nature of absolute truth, the profound unconditioned nature of phenomena.
Guru Rinpoche’s treasures do not have many intervening lineage holders and are free from impurities or defects, so the distance to accomplishment is very short, the blessings are great, and siddhis can be attained quickly. All of these qualities are especially necessary in degenerate times. Therefore, one should engage in explaining and listening to such teachings with the excellent and pure intention of benefiting the teachings and beings in general as well as oneself. If one does so, teaching, practice, and enlightened activity that pleases the Victorious Ones will vastly expand and increase all the gateways to the various excellent qualities of samsara and enlightenment.
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About Tulku Thadral Rinpoche
Tulku Thadral Rinpoche, Jigme Namgyal Dorje, is a highly realized and respected contemporary Buddhist master able to teach and confer all aspects of the Nyingma tradition. Vastly learned but extraordinarily humble, he embodies the qualities of erudition, nobility, and excellence and is particularly knowledgeable about Vajrayana ritual practices. Synthesizing the meaning of the Dharma into the key points for practice, his teachings are direct, simple, and to the point.
Tulku Thadral Rinpoche was born in Northern India to devout Buddhist parents, Drolma and Dondrub, the latter a yogi at the Sang-ngak Choling Monastery. At the age of four, he was recognized by Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche as the reincarnation of Lama Thadral Dorje, a close disciple of Ladakh Chöje Rinpoche, who had achieved a high level of realization. Soon afterwards, he received refuge vows from Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, thereby entering the Dharma. He received his novice monk vows from Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche followed by the vows of full ordination from Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, who also gave him the Bodhisattva vows. Additionally, he received Bodhisattva vows from H.H. Dalai Lama and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
From a very young age, Tulku Thadral Rinpoche lived and studied at the Ngaygyur Shedrup Dojoling, the shedra or philosophical college, established by Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche at the request of H.H. Dalai Lama and H.H. the Sixteenth Karmapa and under the direction of both Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche and Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche. Here he first met and became close to Lama Sonam Rinpoche who was also studying there and acting as the shedra’s manager at the time. Tulku Thadral Rinpoche progressed through his studies with astonishing speed, mastering whatever he was taught. With incredible diligence, he would frequently stay up late into the night reading and reflecting. He received many teachings and instructions on all aspects of Buddhist philosophy, practice, and ritual from such lamas as Mewa Khenpo Thupten, Khenpo Pema Tsewang Lhundrup, Khenpo Tsewang Rigzin, and Khenpo Gelek Tenzin as well as his own root lama, Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche.
Tulku Thadral Rinpoche received a vast array of empowerments, transmissions, and teachings from the Nyingma tradition’s kama and terma lineages from such sublime lamas as Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche, Dodrubchen Rinpoche, Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche and many others. In particular, Tulku Thadral first received the Rinchen Terdzö from Dodrubchen Rinpoche in the 1980s. Later, in 2008, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche bestowed the Rinchen Terdzö at Mindroling Monastery in India, for which Tulku Thadral Rinpoche acted as the ritual master.
Putting all of this into practice, Tulku Thadral Rinpoche completed the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro in a retreat soon after receiving instructions from Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche and also completed the Longchen Nyingthik Ngondro under the guidance of Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche. He has since accomplished many practices of the Three Roots as well as the Dudjom Troma Ngondro.
In early 1998, after graduating from his studies of sutra and tantra, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche and Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche enthroned Rinpoche as Khentrul Thadral Rinpoche, “Khentrul” being the title bestowed on one with a Khenpo degree who is also recognized as a tulku and possesses a high level of realization. Since graduating, Tulku Thadral Rinpoche has taught extensively at the Dudjom Shedra and in 2003 was appointed by Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche as its Principal and Director of Education.
Once, when he visited Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, Dungse Rinpoche introduced Tulku Thadral Rinpoche to Lama Tharchin Rinpoche saying: “In the future it would be good to have Rinpoche teach at Pema Osel Ling as he has the perfect lineage, knowledge, and realization and is extremely humble and very noble.” Without being requested to do so by anyone, Dungse Rinpoche also wrote a long life prayer for Tulku Thadral Rinpoche in which he says:
Expert in teaching, debate, and composition, you make the Buddhist teachings shine.
Noble, with unconceited and pure self-discipline,
You work to help others with your excellent qualities.
Jigme Namgyal Dorje, may your lotus feet remain firm.
As this demonstrates, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche clearly held Tulku Thadral Rinpoche in high regard. In 2014, Dudjom Yangsi Rinpoche requested Tulku Thadral Rinpoche to preside as the vajra master over Pema Osel Ling’s first Mendrub and from that point on he has acted as the primary vajra master for nearly all of Pema Osel Ling’s major ritual activities. At Lama Sonam Rinpoche’s invitation, Tulku Thadral Rinpoche moved to Pema Osel Ling permanently in 2022, where he now teaches and leads retreats and practices.