Who we are

Three brothers stood before the Great Stupa of Jarung Kashor in Nepal, and each in turn made their aspirations. One brother wished to be a king who could uphold Dharma in land beyond the Himalaya; another wished to be a leader of the Sangha there; yet another wished to be born as a powerful tantric master who could quell the uprisings of spirits and other obstacles. Each vowed to play their part in spreading the Dharma far to the north of India’s plains, and still farther, even beyond Nepal’s endless mountains. These powerful seeds of aspiration were to sprout, then to fully ripen, in the eighth century.

As a result of their aspirations the three brothers reincarnated as the tantric master Guru Padmasambhava, the Dharma king Trisong Detsen, and the great abbot Shantarakshita. Once their karmic connections had reunited them in Tibet, it was their combined efforts that led to the establishment of Samye Monastery, Tibet’s first monastery—a beacon of wisdom, compassion, and dignity in our world. The establishment of Buddhism was thus accomplished on a grand scale and its importance cannot be overstated, since it were these auspicious beginnings that secured a thousand year long tradition of Buddhist masters and practitioners that upheld the Dharma to the present day.

The Samye Mandala’s overarching mission is to preserve and propagate this incredible lineage of practice and accomplishment, inspired always by the example set by the great masters who founded Samye, first and foremost, the Mahaguru Padmsambhava. With their blessings, these priceless realms of knowledge will bring benefit to today’s world, for the sake of generations to come.

Once Samye Monastery was constructed, Guru Padmasambhava’s primary aspiration was to translate the Dharma into Tibetan. Inspired by this vast and profound translation endeavor, Samye Translations seeks to follow the footsteps of the Mahaguru. Like the translators at Samye Monastery did in the past, our goal is to translate and propagate the Dharma in all languages across the world.

Samye Translations specifically looks to Prince Murup Tsenpo, a heart-disciple of Guru Padmasambhava praised for his translation efforts as Lhasé Lotsawa, as our primary role model. He embodies our aspiration to benefit the world by providing authentic sources for practice and realization. This sublime individual reincarnated thirteen generations later as the great treasure revealer Terchen Chokgyur Dechen Zhikpo Lingpa.

The primary mission of Samye Translations is to preserve and spread the Dharma by translating Buddhist practices and teachings, making them accessible both in print and online. While our main emphasis is on supporting practitioners of the Profound Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa (Chokling Tersar) with essential study and practice materials, we also translate texts from all Buddhist traditions, spanning from the time of Shakyamuni Buddha to the present day.

Phakchok Rinpoche was born in 1981 to Kyapjé Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche and Sangyum Dechen Paldrön, within the family lineage of the great treasure revealer (terchen) Chokgyur Dechen Zhikpo Lingpa. Rinpoche was recognized as the reincarnation of the 6th Kyapgön Phakchok Rinpoche, one of the three throne holders (kyapgöns) of the Taklung Kagyü seat  (densa) at Marthang Kham Riwoche monastery. Among Rinpoche’s previous incarnations, the 4th Kyapgön Phakchok Rinpoche was a devoted disciple and patron of Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa. During that period, it was the unwavering support of the upholders of Riwoche Monastery that created the auspicious circumstances for Chokgyur Lingpa’s awakened activity to spread and flourish.

Under the guidance of his root gurus—Kyapjé Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Kyapjé Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, and Kyapchok Soktse Rinpoche—Phakchok Rinpoche has received and practiced the profound Dharma teachings handed down in an unbroken lineage from Mahaguru Padmasambhava. Inspired by the life and legacy of Guru Padmasambhava, Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa and the upholders of Riwoche Monastery, Rinpoche has devoted his own life to spreading the teachings of Guru Rinpoche, particularly the Profound Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa (Chokling Tersar).

Mahaguru Padmasambhava is renowned for his role in guiding the establishment of Samye Monastery, thereby creating the auspicious causes and conditions (tendrel) for more than a thousand years of authentic practice to unfold in the land of Tibet in an incredible lineage of accomplishment that continues to this present day. Reflecting upon these auspicious beginnings, Phakchok Rinpoche has given his organization the same name, Samye, which means inconceivable. Just as this ancient Tibetan institution lived up to its name, becoming a truly inconceivable source of the Buddhadharma, Rinpoche’s aspiration is for today’s Samye mandala to do likewise and become an inconceivable beacon of wisdom, compassion and dignity for our present world and into the future.

In honor of Mahaguru Padmasambhava, Rinpoche has chosen a seal to represent Samye that traces back to Guru Rinpoche himself. This esteemed emblem was originally revealed by the Mahaguru and given to Dharma King Trisong Detsen’s royal heir, Lhasé Murup Tsenpo. Murup Tsenpo subsequently concealed it as a treasure (terma) for the benefit of future generations. Much later, in 19^th century Tibet, it was discovered as a treasure by Lhasé Murup Tsenpo’s reincarnation, Terchen Chokgyur Dechen Zhikpo Lingpa. Today, it serves as the emblem for the Profound Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa and for all Dharma activities led by Phakchok Rinpoche and his sangha.