The Nyingma Tradition & Dzogchen

Rigdzin Namkha Gyatso Rinpoche is the spiritual director and founder of the International Nyingmapa Rigdzin Community. He was born in 1967 in Dza-Chu-Kha in the province of Kham, Tibet, into a family with a yogic lineage going back eighteen generations. From his father he received the Longchen Nyingthik lineage, separated from Dza Patrul Rinpoche by only a single master.

As a teenager he left for Lhasa, where he met his root teachers: Semo Dechen Yudron (the daughter of Dudjom Rinpoche) and her husband Chonyi Rinpoche. Under their guidance he completed the traditional three-year retreat and received the full transmission of the Dudjom Tersar lineage. He now holds two lineages: the Longchen Nyingthik and the Dudjom Tersar.

Rinpoche studied for four years at the Dzogchen Monastery Sher Sang Ha in Kham and at the Namdhun Buddhist School in Beijing, founded by the 10th Panchen Lama. He then undertook a seven-year pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and the border of Bhutan, completing many retreats at sacred places along the way, among them two retreats at Samye and a two-year solitary retreat on an island in Lake Namtso Chukmo.

H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche recognised him as the 12th reincarnation of the terton Rigdzin Trak Ngak Lingpa. Domang Yangthang Rinpoche also recognised him as the reincarnation of Domang Yeshe Dorje, the root teacher of both Yangthang Rinpoche and Drubwang Penor Rinpoche. This recognition was confirmed in writing by Penor Rinpoche as head of the Nyingma school.

After persecution by the Chinese authorities for his teaching and his open support of the Dalai Lama, he fled Tibet in 1998. Via India and Nepal he reached Europe, where he settled in Switzerland in 2002 and founded the Rigdzin Community. He teaches internationally in Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Lithuania, Sweden and the United States.

Adzom Gyalse Rinpoche is the reincarnation of Adzom Gyalse Gyurme Dorje, the son of Adzom Drukpa Pawo Dorje. He was born in 1980 in Bumthang, central Bhutan, a sacred land blessed by Guru Padmasambhava.

At the age of eight he was recognised by H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as the reincarnation of Adzom Gyalse Gyurme Dorje. His formal enthronement took place at Shechen Monastery in Kathmandu, in the presence of H.E. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche and H.E. Nyoshul Khen Jamyang Dorje Rinpoche.

From a young age he received many teachings, transmissions and empowerments from his root teacher H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and also from H.E. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, H.H. Trulshik Rinpoche, H.H. Penor Rinpoche and H.H. Taklung Tshetrul Rinpoche.

In 2004 he completed the extensive nine-year training in Buddhist philosophy at the Shechen Philosophical College under the guidance of H.E. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche. In 2010 he received the title of Khenpo. He teaches at Shechen College in Nepal and guides monks in three-year retreat in Bhutan.

Khenpo Tseten was born in 1974 in Thimphu, Bhutan. In the early 1990s he entered Shechen Monastery in Nepal. He excelled in his studies and later led the monastic college, under the guidance of Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche.

Khenpo-la has been teaching the dharma to Western students in English for many years. He is known for his practical, calm and clear way of explaining. He has been a guest at Dzogchen Ling before and returns in September 2026 for a weekend of teaching on the Guhyagarbha Tantra.