Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Staunch Support of the Lineage

The His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche takes supporting the Drikung Lineage and propagating Buddhism as his life-long mission. Since first taking refuge in Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has spared no effort in practicing generosity and has been providing financial support to the Drikung Lineage by himself. Numerous monasteries have been helped and incidents of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s support for the Lineage are too numerous to enumerate. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has been dedicating himself without attracting public’s attention, and lots of his donations and offerings remain unknown. Nevertheless, a small number of them are enumerated below for the readers to acclaim and to let their merits and virtues grow in their hearts.

1.Supported the restoration of a Drikung monastery and the Buddha statuary in the Zhongdian area of Yunnan, as well as the renovation of the surrounding roadway and water facilities. Aslo supported the monastery in establishing a center in Kunming from 1996 to date.

2. Restored the gilded roofs of the Cannon Library and the Jambudvipa Ornament Hall in the Drikung Thel Monastery in Tibet. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang had prophesized that upon the completion of restoration, the Drikung Kagyu Lineage would flourish.

3. Supported the Drikung Thel Monastery in improving the surrounding facilities and environment.

4. Supported the establishment of Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang’s monastic buildings.

5. Supported the Songtsen Library and its procurement and installation of computers and peripheral systems.

6. Supported the renovation of Drikung Samtenling Nunnery and Retreat Center and its worshipping hall, meditation hall and water supply facilities. When the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche performed his first retreat at Jangchubling, he learned about Jangchubling’s lack of water supply facilities. Everyday the nuns had to get water from water sources faraway during the cold early mornings. The benevolent the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche empathized with their hardship and sponsored the building of a water tower and pumping station to solve the problem.

7. Supported the monasteries, stupas, and retreat centers of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage in India, Nepal, Tibet, Qinghai and Yunnan areas, as well as upgrading the facilities and living conditions of the surrounding areas.

8. Supported the maintenance of facilities for elementary and secondary schools in Tibet and Kham and provided educational opportunities to underprivileged children in those areas.

9. Repaired the ancient bronze statue of Achi Chokyi Drolma owned by the previous Drikung Kyabgons.

10. In Kham, had the largest cloth Thangka of Sakyamuni in the world created, 125 meters tall and 85 meters wide.

11. In Kham, had the largest Yamantaka bronze statue in the world cast, 15 meters tall.

12. Supported the stone engraving of Tripitaka. This is the greatest stone engraving in Tibetan Buddhism by the Drikung Kagyu. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang engraved the first word onto the stone that was obtained by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and Lhochen Rinpoche from Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of Sakyamuni.

13. Established the Jiten Sumgon Memorial Library at the birthplace of Lord Jigten Sumgon.

14. Supported His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche in setting up a retreat center in New Zealand.

Updated on July 24, 2008