Tulku Theglo Rinpoche was the son and lineage holder of the great Terton (treasure revealer) Kunzang Nyima, the enlightened speech emanation of Dudjom Lingpa. You can read an explanation of his lineage, his connection with Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche, and a brief autobiography here.

Tulku Theglo Rinpoche came to the United States twice—the first time in 2008 and again in 2016. 

In 2008, he bestowed the entire Dudjom Lingpa cycle of empowerments at Orgyen Dorje Den in Alameda, California, the entire Kunzang Nyima cycle of empowerments at Tashi Choling in Southern Oregon, and then gave both cycles in their entirety again at Palri Pema Od Ling in Austin, Texas. He also traveled to several other centers and gave individual empowerments, transmissions, and teachings during his visit.

In 2016, he returned to the States and briefly offered empowerment again at O.D.D. and also privately visited Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche whose health was not so strong at that time, and performed ceremonies for his health and long life. 

Tulku Theglo Rinpoche peacefully entered parinirvana on November 21st and stayed in meditation (tuk dam) for two days. Alak Zenkar Rinpoche arrived to "awaken" him from his meditation, as the transition from that state is called. Many other tulkus and rinpoches have been gathering, including the reincarnation of his father, Kunzang Nyima, to escort the kudung (Rinpoche's precious remains) to Dodrupchen Monastery, where Rinpoche spent a great deal of time and was a main lineage holder. The cremation ceremonies will be performed there.

As our lineage masters have instructed, when a lama passes into parinirvana, it is a very powerful time to practice and focus on connecting with their blessing, whether or not one met them in person in this lifetime. Moreover, if one did have the fortune to meet the lama and receive empowerment or make a dharma connection with them, it is a very good time to practice in order to enhance that connection and also purify any samaya we might have with that lama that we have allowed to deteriorate. So, whether or not one made an overt connection with the lama while they were alive, their parinirvana is a powerful practice opportunity. Therefore, all students are encouraged to practice and focus upon this great master as much as they are able at this time.

Sunday, Nov. 30th, 2-5pm (Pacific Time)

Practice at ODD and Online

In addition to our individual practice, we will gather in person at O.D.D. and on Zoom worldwide this coming Sunday, November 30th, which is Guru Rinpoche Day, from 2:00 to 5:00pm (Pacific Time) to practice in connection with Rinpoche's passing. Tulku Jigme Wangdrak Rinpoche will be our Vajra Master for the ceremonies. Rinpoche will be giving a talk about Tulku Theglo, who was his uncle. We will perform a brief recitation of the concise Kunzang Nyima Vajrasattva practice and the usual Heart Essence of the Lake-Born Vajra (Tso Kye Tuk Tig) practice with tsok. (Links to order digital copies of these texts are below.) 

If you are attending in person, you are welcome to bring abundant offerings of food, drink, and flowers. If you are participating online, you don't need to feel you are missing out; you can similarly adorn your personal shrine with abundant offerings!

Digital Text Links:

Kunzang Nyima Vajrasattva Short Practice HERE.

Heart Essence of the Lake-Born Vajra (Tsokye Tuktig) Sadhana HERE.

Monetary offerings are being sent by various dharma centers and individuals to those holding parinirvana ceremonies in honor of Tulku Theglo Rinpoche. If you would like to contribute, we will forward your donation via the following payment methods:

* Zelle payment address (please indicate TTR Parinirvana): treasurer@orgyendorjeden.org.

* Paypal: Click HERE.

* Checks made to Orgyen Dorje Den (please indicate TTR Parinirvana), 2244 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA 94501.

In the past when various of our lamas entered parinirvana, Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche offered instructions and advice about how to view their passing and how to practice during the immediately following days, which are rich with the lama's blessing and presence, available to us at that time more than ever. A few excerpts are included below, with links to the full teachings in each case.

Regarding the Dudjom Sangyum's parinirvana:

How does the Sangyum’s parinirvana benefit us? It benefits us if we take it—as inspiration, as a reminder of impermanence, and as an opportunity to benefit ourselves—to heart by practicing. Our own practice, our own purification of obscurations and accumulation of merit, is the best offering we could make to a high being, a bodhisattva such as the Sangyum. Through her kindness, we pathetic sentient beings have a chance to practice.

Click here for full pdf of the teaching.

Regarding practices done in connection with Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche's parinirvana:

Now everybody knows a little bit, now you can get a little more strict, a little more correct, a little more clean. Less and less blah blah, more and more pure practice and focus. That is the way to practice. The important thing is to practice that way. Then if tsok or no tsok, long mantra or short mantra doesn't matter. Real practice, that's the important thing.

Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche also gave a more extensive teaching at the time of Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche's parinirvana:

Click here for a pdf of the teaching.

Regarding H.H. Getse Rinpoche's parinirvana:

Now that he has passed away I don’t have any message about his passing. What you are already doing, practicing Vajrasattva or Guru Rinpoche—what do you need beyond that? I don’t need to give any kind of message. You do know he was your guru. You know his kindness. You know his teachings. I don’t need to tell you!

Now you heard your lama has passed away and instantly you are practicing, nobody needed to tell you to do it—thank you! That really shows you understand how to connect to your lama. He came and taught us so many times, showing us such kindness, now you can offer back to him. What are you offering? Your practice. That is our real offering.

When I heard the centers are doing practices, that is very good—we need to purify our obscurations and accumulate merit. Thank you, everybody, for doing that. Each person can practice, at the center or at their home or wherever. More than lots of crying and wailing, “MY lama! MY lama!” just practice really nicely. That will benefit yourself, benefit others, and is your offering to the guru. If you really want to show your faith or love or respect for Holiness, that is the way. Then you are not wasting your guru’s teaching, your guru’s blessing, your guru’s compassion. That way he didn’t waste his time or his life. That way you don’t waste yours, either!

Remember his teachings, and do the practice—what more do you need?

Click here for full pdf of the teaching.

Regarding Dungsei Thinley Norbu Rinpoche's parinirvana:

There is a special blessing and power to practices done at such a time with faith and devotion--the merit gathered and the negativity purified are truly inconceivable. This is because of the enlightened intent of such a master, whose every act is only to bring benefit to all beings. Such masters are not ordinary like ourselves. They don't die like we do, powerless and sniveling. They are born into this world as an act of compassion, as long as their physical body endures they use it only to bring benefit, and then they pass away and again teach the truth of impermanence just as Buddha Shakyamuni did. Therefore their passing, too, is part of their enlightened display, their miraculous activity in this world. That is why there is such power and blessing at their seeming 'death.' We should not think, "Oh, I'm so sorry that this lama is dead." Instead, we should feel faith and devotion and appreciate that we personally have such an opportunity for powerful practice. We shouldn't think, "Oh, it is just tradition to practice when a lama passes." It is more than just a tradition; it is an opportunity to take advantage of the exceptional blessing of that time. Also, traditionally you might go and offer katags and other offerings, and maybe you can't do that now, but you can always make the offering of practice. That is a real offering, and you don't have to go anywhere to make it.

We also shouldn't think, "This was not my lama." In fact, when any great lama of any tradition passes away there is this same opportunity. We can always do the Vajrasattva practices at such a time. Gelug, Sakya, Kagyu, Nyingma--it makes no difference what school of Buddhism the master taught or practiced. We also should not think that there is no blessing for us if we never met that master in this life. When you do the Vajrasattva practice, such as Lama Chodpa (Offering to the Lama as Vajrasattva), you are offering to all gurus, all yidams, all dakinis. You should think in a vast way like this when you practice, don't be narrow or rigid thinking that it is only one way. A true guru encompasses all the three roots—all guru manifestations, all yidams, all dakinis. You don't have to do the Lama Chodpa only for a lama, or only at their passing. We always need to gather merit, because we are always exhausting our merit. We always need to purify negativity, because we are always so busy making more negativity. Therefore see this as an opportunity to practice, a time of blessing and guru devotion, and do as much Vajrasattva as you can--a little bit here and there continuously. It will be of great benefit.

Click here for full pdf of the teaching.