Ven Lama Panchen Otrul Rinpoche
The Ven Lama Panchen Otrul Rinpoche started his religious training as a monk at a very early age in Tibet. He studied initially at Dolma Lhakhag Monastery, then at Pasho Monastery, Kham and later at Drepung Gomang, Lhasa. In 1960 he left Tibet for India where he finished his studies under many renowned and highly qualified teachers .
He gained the highest degree, Geshe Lharam,in Tibetan Buddist philosophy and completed his formal studies of Buddhist Tantra at Gymed Tantric College.
Panchen Otrul Rinpoche was later involved in setting up teaching programmes in the
exiled Buddhist monasteries in Southern India, Drepung, Ganden and Sera.
In 1988 he travelled to the U.K. on behalf of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to work on inter-faith dialoque.
In 1990 at the request of Irish students he established teaching centres in Ireland.
Ven Panchen Otrul Rinpoche maintains strong connections with Drepung Gomang Monastery in India especially with the monks of Kungru Khangsten, and Pasho Monastery in Tibet.
In 1996 Panchen Otrul Rinpoche travelled to Mongolia with His Holiness the Dalia Lama. Since that time he has travelled to Mongolia each year for two months in order to help with the re-establishment of Buddhism in Mongolia.
Ven. Panchen Otrul Rinpoche `s WORK IN INDIA.
Since 1990 his main focus for fund raising has been for the purchase of land and a second accomodation block for the monks of Kungru Khangsen. This will provide adequate living, cooking and washing facilities. Most important it will help to alleviate the severe overcrowding which exists at present. To everyone`s delight this year the ground floor was finished and some monks were able to move in.
This fund has now been extended to provide :
- A Food fund to ensure that basic food is available for all monks regardless of age.
- A Medicine fund to help with sickness.
- A Geshe fund to help the future generation of Tibetan monks in their training, vital to the cultural and spiritual survival of Tibetan culture.
- Individual SPONSORING for Tibetan refugee monks, nuns, lay people and children
Ven. Panchen Otrul Rinpoche`s WORK IN TIBET
In the future Ven. Panchen Otrul Rinpoche has a great wish to help Pasho Monastery inTibet and the lay people in this area.
Ven. Panchen Otrul Rinpoche`s WORK IN MONGOLIA.
Mongolia is a country still emerging from its Communist past. This transitional time is full of challenge. The `old` has gone but the `new` has not yet appeared. It is a difficult time of change.
Panchen Otrul Rinpoche has a very special connection with Mongolia.
The first teacher in his youth was a highly realised Mongolian Lama.
His monastery, Drepung Gomang also has strong and old connections. In the past many students from Mongolia would come to Tibet to study at Drepung Gomang. This old connection is now being re-established in Drepung Gomang Monastery in India.
When he is in Mongolia Ven. Panchen Otrul Rinpoche visits monasteries both in Ulaanbaatar and in the remoter provinces. He refuses no invitations.
He ordains monks, give initiations, teaches people non-violence and love and how to take refuge.
He has a great wish to teach lay people whenever possible and visits prisons, hospitals and Mongolia`s only orphanage.
People visit him continually and he hopes increasingly to address the many problems which they bring to him.
At present two of his own Tibetan monks live in Mongolia to carry out the work Panchen Otrul Rinpoche has started. But a permanent base is needed from which the teachings of Dharma can be made available as completely as they once were throughout Mongolia.
See also,Ven. Panchen Otrul Rinpoche`s recent trip to Mongolia
The Ven. Lama Panchen Otrul Rinpoche needs help in funding all his work - in Ireland, in India and in Mongolia. Please help him to fufill his great wish to be of benefit to many sentient beings.