Arjia Rinpoche' was the Abbot of Kumbum Monastery in Amdo, one of the six great centers of Buddhism in Tibet. Born to Mongolian nomads in Eastern Tibet, he is the reincarnation of the father of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelupa (Yellow Hat) Sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

Rinpoche (Gegeen in Mongolian) is one of the most important religious leaders to leave Tibet since the Dalai Lama fled into exile in 1959. He is fluent in Tibetan, Chinese, and Mongolian, and since 1998, when he moved to California, he has become quite adept at English as well. In the year 2000, the Rinpoche established The Tibetan Center for Compassion and Wisdom (TCCW) to preserve and celebrate Tibetan language, arts, and to advance understanding of Tibetan Buddhism in the West.

Rinpoche is the only Tibetan high lama of Mongolian descent. Since a very early age, he has trained with lineage teachers, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the late Panchen Lama, from whom he received many initiations and empowerments in sutric and tantric traditions.

Rinpoche is fluent in Tibetan, Chinese, and Mongolian languages and has become quite adept at English as well. He regularly teaches and leads meditations at the Tibetan Center for Compassion and Wisdom (TCCW) in Mill Valley and in Oakland, and has spoken to students at all levels of education throughout San Francisco Bay Area. Since 1999 rinpoche is vegetarian.

• Source: TCCWOnline

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