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Lama Chime Rinpoche
Chime
Rinpoche was born in Jyekundo, Kham, East Tibet,
into a family that were direct descendants of the
chieftain
Rardha Pontsong,
who was inspired to give his land to the
4th Sangye Nyenpa
so that
Benchen Monastery
could be built (in the 14th Century). He was not the only
Tulku
in his family, as both
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
and the
9th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche
were his maternal uncles. He was educated at
Benchen Monastery,[4]
where he gained the
Khenpo
(Master of Studies) degree, Kyorpon (Shrine Ritual Master) degree and Dorje
Lobpon (Vajra Master) degree. Chime Rinpoche studied and combined the practices
of
Mahamudra
and
Dzogchen
(Atiyoga) through receiving instructions in Mahamudra from Kabje Sangye Nyenpa
and Dzogchen from Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche.
Due to the invasion of Tibet and subsequent occupation by the Chinese army, the
16th Karmapa
indicated that Chime Rinpoche should flee Tibet. In 1959, Chime Rinpoche reached
India
via
Bhutan
alongside his Root Gurus and maternal uncles,
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
and the
9th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche.
In 1965, Lama Chime was invited to live in the UK. He shared a small apartment
with
Chögyam Trungpa
Rinpoche and
Akong Rinpoche
in Oxford.
He later gained British citizenship and
has lived in Britain ever since. In
1973, Chime Rinpoche founded Kham House in
Ashdon,
Essex,
the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre in England. In 1975, just two years after Kham
House was established, the
16th Karmapa
visited this centre after visiting the
Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre
earlier in the year.
Kham House was later renamed
Marpa House
and is run by the charity The Dharma Trust.
Although presently in poor health, Chime Rinpoche still teaches at Marpa House
on occasion.
In England, Chime Rinpoche chose to stop being a monk and married. He and his
English wife had three daughters, all of whom are now adults.
He was employed by the
British Library
as Curator for Ancient Tibetan Manuscripts for 16 years, and is the Patron of
the Tibetan Terrier Association.
His students include Pema Chödrön, and the musicians
David Bowie, Tony Visconti and Mary
Hopkin.