Brief Biography of His Eminence the Sixth Zimwock Rinpoche
His Eminence Zimwock Rinpoche is the 6th reincarnation in a long line of Tibetan Buddhist masters dating back more than four hundred years to the time of the famed Mahasiddha Rongton Sheja Kunrig. Since the early 16th century the lineage of the Zimwock Rinpoches has kept alive the unique combination of practice and scholarship that has made Tibetan Buddhism so freshly relevant in our modern times.
In 1973, when he was still a young boy, His Eminence was recognised by His Holiness the Sakya Trizin as the next reincarnation of the Zimwock lineage. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ling Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and many other high Lamas endorsed and praised the recognition and enthronement of the young Zimwock Tulku.
After his enthronement Zimwock Rinpoche completed ten years of intensive individual training with his father, the highly respected reincarnate Lama, Dzongsar Gang–na Tulku Rinpoche, and also with his own personal tutor, Lama Trinle Choedak. In 1983 Rinpoche was ordained as a monk by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche and for the next eight years attended Sakya College, Rajpur, India, under the most Venerable Khenpo Appey. Rinpoche finally graduated as Acharya with a Masters Degree in Buddhist Philosophy.
As Rinpoche was completing his studies he had to face the unexpected loss of two significant figures in his life, his personal teacher and his mother. This was a difficult time of great confusion and Rinpoche decided to return his ordained vows. He then lived quietly in Nepal starting a new relationship and raising his first daughter, Tsering Dolma. Unfortunately this relationship was not successful and Rinpoche moved to India to study Tibetan in Dharamsala under Geshe Dawa. It was here that he met his future wife, Kelsang.
Rinpoche finally emigrated to Switzerland, where he married Kelsang, and they settled into a more stable life raising their children, Lhazom, Khandro and Chime. For more than fifteen years Rinpoche has worked in Switzerland supporting his family and thinking how he might best fulfil the legacy of his predecessors and his own root guru, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.
In 2007 Chogye Trichen Rinpoche passed away spending many days in samadhi and with many auspicious signs appearing of his attainments as a great yogi, scholar and poet. With the passing of such a great teacher and dharma leader, Lama Choedak Rinpoche urged Zimwock Rinpoche to return to his role as a major lineage holder in the Tsarpa tradition, and offered all his support to make this a reality. Lama Choedak suggested his home base of Australia as a conducive place for Zimwock Rinpoche to begin teaching and again leading the dissemination of the Buddhadharma.
/>Finally in 2008, with the support and encouragement of Lama Choedak Rinpoche, His Eminence made the decision to re–enter his role as a lineage holder, and accepted the invitation to travel to Melbourne with his wife Kelsang and three young daughters to take up a new position as resident Buddhist Teacher of Jamchen Buddhist Centre.
(Please visit His Eminence Zimwock Tulku Rinpoche’s Website for more information).
