Sed-Gyued Monastery - Founder

After the invasion of Tibet by the Communist Chinese in 1959, Sed-Gyued Monastery was among the thousands of monasteries destroyed by the Chinese army. The complete destruction of the monastery took place during the cultural revolution, hence all Sed-Gyued monks fled to exile. In exile, during early years, Sed-Gyued lineage could not flourish on the right-path despite the efforts from all the fellow Sed-Gyued monks in exile. However, under the leadership of H.E. Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang T. N. Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche with the active efforts of learned Sed-Gyud lamas and monks, the Sed-Gyud lineage was re-established in exile.

H.E. Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang T.N. Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche, the present spiritual great Master of Sed-Gyued, was born in 1936 at Da-Kyang in Western Tibet. At the age of six, he was admitted to Sed-Gyued Monastery, the famous Buddhist Tantric University in Western Tibet. At the age of twenty, he mastered all the teachings that were taught at the Monastery and received all the transmissions and empowerments of Guhyasamaja, Heru-Kawa and Yamantaka. Between 1958 - 1962, he also studied Tibetan Medicine and Astrology and other forms of rituals for five years and he acquired excellent knowledge of various traditional healing techniques. From 1964 - 1966, for three years, he made a successful retreat of glorious Sang-De-Jigsum (Guhyasamaja, Heru-Kawa and Yamantaka).

Dharamsala, 2007

Mundgod, 1983

In the year 1968, at the age of thirty-two, he escaped from Tibet and stayed at Tibetan Refugee settlement Mundgod, South India, for eleven years and served the people by giving free medicines, astronomical forecast and ritual services to both monks and laymen.

From 1972, he began to travel to various places to receive further teachings and empowerments from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other eminent scholars and masters.

In 1983 all Sed-Gyued monks in exile from India, Nepal and Switzerland convened the International Sed-Gyud Monks Meeting at Mundgod, South India. During the meeting, H.E. T. N. Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche, was unanimously requested to assume the leadership role of expanding and continuing the Sed-Gyud lineage. As most of the Sed-Gyued lineage Texts were fragmented and unedited and spread across India, the exiled Sed-Gyud monks requested the responsibility to compile all the texts of Sed-Gyued tradition to T. N. Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche. Accordingly, he collected important manuscripts of Sed-Gyued tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and published five volumes of special Sed-Gyued scriptures.

In the years 1992 and 1997, H.E. Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang T. N. Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche re-organized all the old monks in exile and fresh monks from Kalimpong, India and Nepal at Kathmandu for the teaching of Sed-Gyued lineage first time after leaving Tibet in 1959. He taught Mandala offerings, spiritual Dance (Cham), meditation etc. there. In 1992, Rinpoche built Sed-Gyued Monastery at Kathmandu in Nepal. In 1997, Rinpoche built another Sed-Gyud Monastery in Kalimpong in India, with the kind financial sponsorship by Klaus Wagener and his family of Germany.

Kathmandu, 1992

Kalimpong, 1997

In 1994, a devotee named Injula Thupten Samten and his family who were associated with Sed-Gyued Monastery for a long time made a large contribution to set-up a Sed-Gyued Buddhist Training Centre at Sonada, Distt Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. Injula and his family members provided rent free rooms for Sed-Gyued Monks consisting of a prayer hall and dwellings for monks at Sonada.

In December 1996, H.H.the Dalai Lama conducted a Kalachakara Initiation at Salugara Distt Jalpaiguri, India. After the Initiation, H.H. the Dalai Lama advice to accommodate H.E. Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang T.N. Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche at Kalachakra Phodang temporarily with his disciples till alternative permanent arrangements is in place in Salugara.

On 6th Oct, 1999 at 12 A.M, at Gyued Med Monastery at Hunsur, South India His Holiness the Dalai Lama delivered a divine speech on what kind of Dharma protectors one should rely upon. At that time, a well researched documentation on Dhol-gyal, based on the life histories of great Lamas of the past, was distributed. In the process of distribution of the document to the abbots of Sera, Drepung, Gadhen, Upper and Lower Tantric Colleges, and other monasteries, His Holiness directed that Master Jampa Wangyal also be presented a copy.

Within a minute silence, His Holiness the Dalai Lama teasingly asked, in presence of more than 5700 monks, nuns and lay people who had gathered there, by which title Master Jampa Wangjal be referred to - a Khenpo (Abbot) or a Lama. Finally His Holiness the Dalai Lama declared that Master Jampa Wangyal be referred to as Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang from then on. There was an old saying, that Gyued-Chen Kunchok Yarphel reincarnates as monks of Sed-Gyued monastery itself. We have no doubt that because of His Holiness declaration and the old saying, Master Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche is a true reincarnation of Gyued-chen Kunchok Yarphel.

A special meeting

New Delhi, 1997

In the year 2000, H.E. Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang T.N. Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche approached to the Private office of H.H. the Dalai Lama and through which he sought necessary advice from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. With specific advice from H.H. the Dalai Lama H.E. Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang T.N. Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche tirelessly dedicated his efforts in re-establishing the seat of Sed-Gyued Monastery at Salugara Distt Jalpaiguri, India.

On completion of the construction of present main temple, library and a study room the opening and consecration ceremony was held on 2nd November 2001 by H.H. the Dalai Lama followed by religious teachings to more then 60000 followers from India, Nepal, Bhutan and other countries.

In this occasion H.H. the Dalai Lama stayed for seven days and delivered the rare initiation of Sangde Jig Sum (Guhyasamaja, Heru-Kawa and Yamantaka) especially to Sed-Gyud monks along with the monks from other monasteries. The three sacred initiations of Sangde Jig Sum which are Guhyasamaja, Heru-Kawa and Yamantaka are first of all rarely given and secondly are given separately after long gaps. However, for the very first time, HH the Dalai Lama, in one place and in one teaching duration delivered all the three sacred initiations of Sang-De-Jigsum in seven days. In the recorded history of Sed-Gyud Tradition itself, no such religious function was ever held too. The Sed-Gyud monks are blessed with this unprecedented religious occasion.

Salugara, 2nd November 2001

Salugara, 6th November 2001

Conclusion

H.E. Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang T.N. Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche has served countless people with his services in teachings, astronomical forecast, Mo prediction, Purification rituals, traditional healings, Tibetan medicine, teachings, etc. as well as performed Pujas to avert and clear the obstacles which effects day to day life, studies, finance relations and health etc. Rinpoche also arranges Buddhist teachings for the benefit of mankind and for world peace.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Sed-Gyued Monastery

"Sed-Gyued Monastery, Salugara, is the main seat of the Sed-Gyued lineage or whispered lineage. Whispered lineage is a secret teaching transmitted only to the closest disciple through direct communication with their root teacher or meditational deity ... It is because of the unbroken secret teachings of Sed-Gyued lineage and commentaries that the Tibetan secret Mahayana practice is intact today ... The purpose of Sed-Gyued Monastery is to preserve and promote the unique tantric study, practice, experiences and culture of this lineage, as well as the subsequent lineage holders and Sed-Gyued masters ... I appreciate and admire Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche for his tireless effort to preserve the Sed-Gyued tradition. I wish and pray for the better establishment and further development of Sed-Gyued Monastery.”

29th September 1999, Gyued-Med Tantric University, Hunsur, India