In 1976, an erudite young lama of the Gelugpa tradition, His Eminence Achok Rinpoche was born in Bomdila, Eastern India. Whilst he was in his 6th month of schooling at the Benjamin Nursery School in Kalimpong, West Bengal, Achok Rinpoche was recognised as the 4th incarnation of Achok Rinpoche of Lithang, Tibet by His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, the junior tutor to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
A young Achok Rinpoche with his Guru, H.E. Yongyal Rinpoche
Upon his recognition and following in the footsteps of his two earlier predecessors, the young Achok Rinpoche was received at Sera Mey Monastic College, part of the reconstructed Sera Monastic University (currently located in Bylakuppe, Southern India) where until the age of 10, he focused on the memorisation of basic ritual texts.
The following year, at the age of 11, Achok Rinpoche commenced his formal education in Buddhist philosophical studies according to the Gelug tradition. Under the personal guidance of his Guru, His Eminence Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche, who is the current Abbot of Serpom Monastery, the young Lama flourished in his studies which included the traditional subjects of Madhyamika, Abhidharmakosa, Paramanavarttika and Vinaya,
Achok Rinpoche with H.E. Yongyal Rinpoche in recent times
In 1998, at the age of 22, Achok Rinpoche sat for the examinations of the Gelugpa Cultural Society and obtained the Geshe Lharampa degree with the highest honours, making him the youngest monk to obtain such a high honour outside of Tibet.
Despite his youth, Achok Rinpoche is an extremely qualified Lama who has received a multitude of teachings, transmissions and initiations from many attained masters. It is a great testament to his sincerity and ability to turn the wheel of Dharma that, when tasked by Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche to give a series of initiations in Serpom Monastery for both monks and lay devotees in his stead, Achok Rinpoche did so flawlessly, conferring the empowerment and commentary of Yamantaka which he had received from Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and Geshe Yeshe Wangchuk. This important, young teacher also conferred the initiations of White Manjushri and Medicine Buddha on the following day.
H.E. Achok Rinpoche arrives in Serpom Monastery to give a series of teachings and initiations.
Achok Rinpoche currently lives in the United States of America and gives regular teachings at the Gadenpa Buddhist Center in Long Island City, New York.
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Fong
Posted on August 2, 2016 #1 AuthorWonderful to read of the youngest youngest monk to obtain such a high honour outside of Tibet. This heralds the new generation of attained masters has strted turning the Wheel of Dharma. Despite his young age, he has already given flawless initiations to both monks and lay devotee at Serpom Monastery conferring the empowerment and commentary of Yamantaka which he had received from Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and Geshe Yeshe Wangchuk and also conferred the initiations of White Manjushri and Medicine Buddha.
May His Eminence Achok Rinpoche have good health and long life to continue turning the Wheel of Dharma to benefit sentient beings.
Alice Tay
Posted on August 18, 2016 #2 AuthorDue to the power of compassion for sentient beings and the prayers to benefit others, Achok Rinpoche chose to take rebirth as the 4th incarnation of Achok Rinpoche of Lithang. What we can see here, Achok Rinpoche’s imprints remain on the consciousness. Because of his past lives’ practice in compassion and prayers to benefit others, Achok Rinpoche is become the youngest monk to obtain a Geshe Lharampa degree with the highest honours.
Thank you for sharing and this is a motivational and inspirational article which is good for us to read more.
Sofi
Posted on August 31, 2016 #3 AuthorIt is heartening to read of young reincarnate Lamas as His Eminence Achok Rinpoche turning the Wheel of Dharma. It shows his quality of attainments when his Guru, HI Eminence Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche tasked him to give a series of initiation which he did flawlessly. May he be blessed to live very long healthy life to continue turning the Wheel of Dharma to benefit more and more people.
Stella Cheang
Posted on November 17, 2016 #4 AuthorRejoice for people In India and New York to have the young incarnation of renowned lama His Eminence Achok Rinpoche, who took rebirth to turn the wheel of Dharma in this degeneration time. Achok Rinpoche is a qualified lama who received multitude of teachings from many attained masters, hence competent to confer the empowerment and commentary of Yamantaka the initiations of White Manjushri and Medicine Buddha to both ordained and lay practitioners. Thank you very much for this article.
Jacinta Goh
Posted on October 17, 2018 #5 AuthorFor a Lama, the highest form of giving is by turning the Wheel of Dharma, just like what Buddha has done and due to the teachings, it has benefited many many people for ages to come. Thank you His Eminence Achok Rinpoche for coming back life after life to carry on the lineage.