His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche
The great Mongolian Lama, His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche is considered by many in the Tibetan and Mongolian community to be the emanation of Gyenze,... His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche

His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche, also known as Bundasheri Tulku Guru Deva, is considered to be the reincarnation of one of the 84 great Mahasiddhas of ancient India. He was born in 1908 in Hanchen Hosguu of Ordos in Inner Mongolia and was enthroned on the Hutugtu throne at a young age. He lived there until 1928 when he was 20 years old.

Sokpu Rinpoche then travelled to the Monastic University of Drepung where he studied under great masters like Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Kyabje Yongzin Trijang Dorje Chang, Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche and Kyabje Gonsar Rinpoche. He studied the Sutras and Tantras extensively and was a very learned and qualified Lama.

His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche with the 10th Panchen Lama

His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche with the 10th Panchen Lama

After His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s escape from Tibet in 1959, Sokpu Rinpoche made many generous offerings and donations to the Dalai Lama and his two tutors. He was instrumental in re-establishing the Palace of the Dalai Lama, the three great monastic universities of Gaden, Sera and Drepung as well as many other monasteries, temples and residences.

Sokpu Rinpoche also shared and spread the Dharma among the Tibetan community of which he had become a part of. All his teachings were disseminated with the thought and motivation to benefit the great Dharma and all sentient beings.

Sokpu Rinpoche with the Venerable Geshe Tendar

Sokpu Rinpoche with the Venerable Geshe Tendar

In 1986 aged 78, Sokpu Rinpoche closed his printing press, donated his houses in Drepung Gomang and Nepal to the monastery and returned to his country of birth, Mongolia. Buddhism in Mongolia had more or less dissolved as the monastic order in Mongolia was either dead or had renounced Buddhism. As of the late 1940s, there was only one operational monastery left, Gaden Monastery near Ulaanbaatar with a community of 100 monks which was more for international display rather than functionality. This monastery has since been reinvigorated as Gandantegchinlen Monastery by the post-Communist governments of the country.

In 1991, after the move away from Communism in 1990 and the beginning of the revival of Buddhism in Mongolia, Sokpu Rinpoche began the project of restoring Amarbayasgalant, the monastery of Undur Gegeen. Having accomplished what he intended to do, Sokpu Rinpoche decided to continue to restore more temples, statues, scriptures and residences to provide education for the benefit of the local populace.

By 1992 when he was 84 years old, Sokpu Rinpoche had restored and returned many facilities to the monks and lay people of Mongolia. Moreover, Rinpoche continued to work tirelessly and extensively for the revival of the education of the monastic order.

His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche in Mongolia

His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche in Mongolia

This great Mongolian Lama, His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche or Guru Deva Rinpoche is considered by many in the Tibetan and Mongolian community to be the emanation of Gyenze, the ‘increasing’ form of Dorje Shugden. He entered clear light and left his earthly body in 2009 aged 101 years old.

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  • Fong

    Posted on July 18, 2016 #1 Author

    Very inspiring to read of a great high lama who was born a Mongolian but assimilated into the Tibetan community. He also helped to re-establish the 3 great monasteries of Tibet in India as well as running a printing press. Such committed lama who mush have had so much compassion and loving kindness for the people.

    And, in his later years, though old, still revived Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia as well as renovating and building monasteries in Mongolia. Feats of accomplishments of a great and compassionate lama indeed.

    May His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche return soon to bring Dharma and benefit to more sentient beings.

    Reply

  • jerry_sito

    Posted on August 1, 2016 #2 Author

    感谢您的分享,

    非常鼓舞人心的一个历史记录,高僧尊贵的 Sokpu 仁波切,可以说是把自己一生贡献了出来,包括财务等,用以利益与造福一切有情众生,中国有这样的一句话“时势造英雄”,然而对于尊贵的 Sokpu 仁波切,却恰恰相反,因为他是“英雄造时势”,在那一个动荡不安的1959年,还年轻的尊贵的达赖喇嘛与许多僧侣与西藏人民出逃到印度,而当时可以说是当时在一无所有的印度情况下,而 Sokpu 仁波切却在那时候大量供养达赖喇嘛尊者以及尊者的两位上师,为当时的达赖尊者铺平了整个印度的开始道路,为这60多年来在印度的尊者与人民奠定了一个伟大的基础。

    而这一位伟大的高僧在101年的岁月当中,尽其一生完整的体现出一位僧侣应有的品德,恪守戒律,并帮助无数的有情众生,弟子无数,而非常重要的是这一位高僧,在西藏与蒙古的人民中相信他是“多杰雄登”代表增长的化身“金泽”,也就是意味着,当时在1959年扶持着达赖尊者与帮助尊者奠定基础的,正是多杰雄登护法,包括当时帮助达赖尊者成功逃离西藏的也是多杰雄登护法。

    谢谢
    Jerry Sito

    Reply

  • KarenC

    Posted on August 1, 2016 #3 Author

    Guru Deva Rinpoche is one of the very high and qualified Lamas in Mongolia. I’ve heard a lot of great deeds and the generosity of Guru Deva Rinpoche. Known to be the emanation of Gyenze, the contribution towards the Dalai Lama Palace and the 3 great monastic universities of Gaden, Sera and Drepung were very instrumental, at the time when Tibetans coming to exile experienced a shortage of everything. Not only monetary contributions, Guru Deva Rinpoche also restored temples, statues, scriptures, accommodation and education, during the revival of Buddhism in Mongolia in 1990’s. There were stories about Guru Deva could “emanate” money “out from nowhere”, when money runs out in his Ladrang, he would do some pujas and give some instructions to the students, then very soon donors and sponsorship will come to the Ladrang.

    Reply

  • William Chua

    Posted on August 1, 2016 #4 Author

    Wow, Sokpu Rinpoche is so compassionate and lived a long life to benefit many sentient beings. He rebuilt monasteries in Mongolia so that Buddhism is revived and will continue to grow in that region. All his life work is about the Dharma and people like how is is involved in the re-establishment of the three great universities; Sera, Drepung and Gaden.

    .

    Reply

  • Wylfred Ng

    Posted on August 1, 2016 #5 Author

    Sokpu Rinpoche 真的是一位非常伟大的大师。 他可以说是见证了西藏佛法转变、蒙古佛法从昌盛到没落, 然后佛法又从新崛起的时代。 而且他不只是见证, 也是其中一位参与把佛法从新崛起的一位大师。

    他在西藏局势动荡的时代从新建立格鲁三大寺院、从新建立达赖尊者的住所。 也在后期帮助蒙古的寺院从拾辉煌。

    今天在我们的佛法讨论中一位佛友和我们分享Sokpu Rinpoche 的上师依止心。 Sokpu Rinpoche 对他的上师–赤江仁波切的上师依止心非常强。 Sokpu Rinpoche 也对钱财不留恋, 他都一直赞助其他上师的佛法工作或寺院。

    谢谢

    Reply

  • Vivian Ong

    Posted on August 1, 2016 #6 Author

    Thank you very much for the informative article about H.E Sokpu Rinpoche. I understand clearly now why Sokpu Rinpoche is named as the increasing form of Dorje Shugden or Gyenze. Sokpu Rinpoche has been very generous in offerings and also donations to Dalai Lama and his two tutors. He also re-established the three great monastic universities of Gaden, Sera and Drepung as well as many other monasteries, temples and residences. I also learned something from this article, that is to be more generous in whatever form we can offer to help.

    Reply

  • Sock Wan

    Posted on August 1, 2016 #7 Author

    Sokpu Rinpoche was the teacher of Tsem Rinpoche’s biological mother, he connected Tsem Rinpoche with Tsem Rinpoche’s biological parents.

    Sokpu Rinpoche had raised a lot of fund for the monasteries in India. It is also said that he had very strong guru devotion towards his guru Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. He would offer most of his wealth to Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche to make sure Kybje Trijang Rinpoche was fine and everything he needed was provided for. Not only did he raised fund for the monasteries in India, he also rebuilt the temple in Mongolia, revived the Gelug lineage. What a great master he was!

    May Sokpu Rinpoche come back to very soon to continue to turn the wheel of Dharma.

    Reply

    • Justin Cheah

      Posted on August 2, 2016 #8 Author

      I find Sokpu Rinpoche is really generous and for sure this is reflecting what his real qualities are, generosity and emanation of a real life Gyenze. I was told that Sokpu Rinpoche is very devoted to His Guru Trijang Rinpoche and always make offerings to HH to make sure HH is always well taken care of. Not only that, the story of how Sokpu Rinpoche reconnected Tsem Rinpoche’s parents to Him is really nice to hear. Through Sokpu Rinpoche’s kindness, not only did Sokpu Rinpoche helped Tsem Rinpoche but also Tsem Rinpoche’s father and many of us were benefitted from Sokpu Rinpoche’s kindness and its legacy runs till these days.

      Reply

  • TekLee

    Posted on August 2, 2016 #9 Author

    Thank you for the information about Sokpu Rinpoche. The generosity of Sokpu Rinpoche really benefits a lot people. He didn’t only made generous offerings and donations to the Dalai Lama and his two tutors, yet he reetablished the Palace of the Dalai Lama and the 3 great monastic universities of Gaden, Sera and Drepung, as well as many other monasteries and temples. And there, Sokpu Rinpoche is believed to be the emanation of Gyenze. May his generosity inspire us that, wealthy or not wealthy, we should not have attachment on what we have now. offer more and whatever we have to the Guru, Monasteries, temples, in the end it doesn’t only benefit others, but it benefits us also.

    Reply

  • Sofi

    Posted on August 9, 2016 #10 Author

    Thank you dorjeshugden.org for sharing the life of His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche or better known as Guru Deva Rinpoche. I would certainly believe that he is the emanation of Gyenze, the ‘increasing’ form of Dorje Shugden, by the work he has done… “instrumental in re-establishing the Palace of the Dalai Lama, the three great monastic universities of Gaden, Sera and Drepung as well as many other monasteries, temples and residences. in his later years, he had restored holy places for the monastic community in his home country of Mongolia as well as to revive Buddhism within Mondolia. How inspiring it is to read of the successful activities of great attained Masters who selflessly give their lives to spread the dharma.

    Reply

  • Alice Tay

    Posted on March 7, 2017 #11 Author

    H.E. Sokpu Rinpoche was so compassionate and generous just for dharma and to benefit all sentient beings. In this lifetime, he made offerings and donations to the Dalai Lama and his two tutors during the escape in 1959. He also donated his houses in Drepung Gomang and Nepal to the monastery. Besides, Sokpu Rinpoche worked entirely altruistic just to restore many temples, statues, scriptures,
    residences and the revival of the education of the monastic order though he was at the high risk age of 84.

    Thank you for this sharing which reminding us to keep the good qualities in practicing the dharma.

    Reply

  • Jacinta Goh

    Posted on February 4, 2018 #12 Author

    It takes an altruistic mind and great courage to reliquish whatever the possessions that one has, just to move to a place, restoring back the glory of Buddhism and continuing in benefiting others. Homage to His Eminence Sokpu Rinpoche – The emanation of Gyenze; the increasing form of Dorje Shugden ?

    Reply