Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche is the fourth highest Lama within the Karma Kagyu lineage (after the Gyalwa Karmapa, Tai Situpa and Goshir Gyaltsabpa). His accomplishments far out-weight that of numerous masters and his abilities have rarely been equaled in our world.

In India, Rinpoche’s past incarnations included the Buddha’s attendant Ananda who was responsible for the establishment of the nuns' order and also for memorizing all the Buddha’s teachings.

As the Aryadeva, the disciple of Nagarjuna, he taught the Middle Way Doctrine and cleared away misunderstandings concerning the dharma.

As the translator Vairotsana, who accompanied Guru Rinpoche, he brought numerous dharma scriptures to Tibet and transmitted them to the Tibetan people. Vairotsana attained the rainbow body at the time of his death.

In Tibet, Rinpoche had numerous incarnations. These included:

Khyunpo Naljor (990-1139), the founder of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition. He was taught under the Indian female masters Niguma and Sukhasiddhi. His lineage is one of the eight transmission lineages of Tibet.

Sakya Pandita (1182-1251); one of the five founding fathers of the Sakya tradition. By one years old he was able to speak Sanskrit language and became a well known author. He received the Sakya transmission from Dragpa Gyaltsen and became the supreme temporal ruler of Tibet. He created the prototype for the Mongolian alphabet. He stopped the Mongols from waging barbaric battles and also prevented the Mongols from committing genocide against the Chinese.

Longchenpa (1308-1363), a manifestation of Manjushri, deeply practiced the Sakya, Kadampa, Kagyu and Nyingma traditions. He also was close to the 3rd Gyalwa Karmapa and composed hundreds of literary works.

Taranatha (16th-17th Century) was the jewel of all Tibetan historians and preserver of the rare Jonang tradition which upheld the "Emptiness of Other" (Shentong) view of the Middle Way Doctrine. He also upheld numerous tantras such as the Kalachakra.

Rigdzin Terdag Lingpa (1646-1714) was an unrivaled child prodigy and Terton who established the Mindroling lineage. Mindroling became the most respected and highly prestigious institute of the Nyingma tradition. He was a teacher and disciple to the 5th Dalai Lama. He was a teacher to all the Abbots of the Nyingma lineage and to the Sakya Trizin.

Jamgon Kongtrul was predicted in the Samadhiraja Sutra, in the termas of Padmasambhava and in the Larkauatara Sutra.

The 1st Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye (1813-1899) manifested many miracles at birth, which indicated that he was the reincarnation of an enlightened being. As a young child he proved beyond doubt to be learned and realized.

First he studied the Bon, the pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet, since that was his family tradition. Even though Jamgon Kongtrul was a Bon master, he was a great Bodhisattva whose disciples attained enlightened qualities. Such was the skillful means of his activity.

However, Kongtrul Rinpoche soon turned to Vajrayana Buddhism which possessed the ultimate teachings on enlightenment. He took Nyingma ordination in 1832 at Shechen Monastery. The next year he became a Karma Kagyu monk and was reordained by the 9th Tai Situ Rinpoche.

Jamgon Kongtrul was spotted by Tai Situ Rinpoche to be a young man of extraordinary qualities. Tai Situ Rinpoche became his root guru, even though Kongtrul would also study with over sixty other Lamas from various lineages.

Jamgon Kongtrul, together with Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo of the Sakya lineage and Chogyur Dechen Lingpa of the Nyingma lineage, initiated the non-sectarian or Rimey movement.

Jamgon Kongtrul also mediated political conflicts and turmoil in Tibet.

Rinpoche received numerous rare and near extinct transmissions of Buddhism. By perfecting and collecting these transmissions, he revived numerous lineages and traditions. Therefore, traditions that were nearly lost became abundant throughout Tibet.

The Five Treasures of Kongtrul Rinpoche include the Rinchen Terzo which is composed of over sixty volumes, the Gyachen Kardzo composed of five volumes, the Ngadzo, the Dam Ngadzo and the Sheja Dzo composed of three volumes.

Jamgon Kongtrul was the main teacher to the 15th Gyalwa Karmapa.

Kongtrul Rinpoche passed away in his eighties and had five incarnations of body, speech, mind, quality and activity. However, his main emanation continued to be Jamgon Kongtrul, and another famous emanation who was not enthroned was Kalu Rinpoche. Some of his other incarnations included Shechen Kongtrul and Dzigar Kongtrul.

The 2nd Jamgon Kongtrul Khyentse Ozer (1902-1952) incarnated as the son of the 15th Gyalwa Karmapa. Rinpoche received the lineage transmission from the 15th Karmapa and Surmang Trungpa Rinpoche. His Eminence spent much time in meditation retreat and transmitted the lineage to the 16th Karmapa Rigpe Dorje. He transmitted the Rinchen Terdzo in Tibet to thousands; this ceremony was one of the key events of 20th century Tibet. Kongtrul Khyentse Ozer was one of the main teachers of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa.

The 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Chokyi Senge (1954-1992) was born near Lhasa in 1954. He was found through the prediction of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. He was also confirmed by HH the 14th Dalai Lama and later on enthroned at Rumtek.

Rinpoche received his education and training from the Karmapa along side the other heart sons (Tai Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsab Rinpoche). Jamgon Kongtrul was also bestowed teachings from Thrangu Rinpoche. From Dorjechang Kalu Rinpoche, he received other transmissions such as instructions on Yidam practices, Mahamudra, the Rinchen Terdzo, and the Six Yogas.

In particular, his root guru was the Gyalwa Karmapa who transmitted all the empowerments and instructions, and especially the understanding of Mahamudra. Rinpoche accompanied the Karmapa on his world tours and after the Karmapa’s death, still served His Holiness by setting up charities and constructing a new building for the Karma Shri Nalanda College.

Jamgon Kongtrul returned to Tibet in order to give blessings, ordination and re-transmit the dharma there. Rinpoche also constructed Pullahari Monastery in Nepal and Lava Monastery in India.

After bestowing the Kagyu Ngak Dzo transmission and consecrating the new statue for Rumtek Monastery’s shrine, Rinpoche passed away due to a car accident. His death was due to the obstacles caused by individuals in particular and the obstacles being faced by the lineage in general.

The 4th Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche Chokyi Nyima was recognized by the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. The Karmapa predicted the circumstances of his rebirth. His Holiness granted a formal letter, instructions and sketches for the search party to find Rinpoche. After some obstacles and doubt faced by the search party, the Fourth Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche was finally found in August of 1996 in the Shemey Shang village in the Chushur district. When the search party returned and informed His Holiness of their findings, Karmapa simply unveiled a toy house he constructed. This toy house matched identically with the actual house of Rinpoche’s parents.

The Gyalwa Karmapa performed the haircutting ceremony at Tsurphu on Lhabab Duchen in September of 1996, and gave Kongtrul Rinpoche the name Chokyi Nyima. Jamgon Kongtrul was then brought to India, where the Dalai Lama, Sakya Trizin and Mindroling Trichen confirmed his recognition and bestowed names unto the incarnation. Jamgon Kongtrul returned to His main seat of Pullahari in Nepal. There he is being trained along with Dolpo Shelri Rinpoche.