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The First Shartul Rinpoche
It was believed that the first Drupwang Shartul Karma Worsal Rang Drol Rinpoche, had already attained Supreme Enlightenment many aeons before. However, in order to guide and liberate the living beings who are still submerged in the ocean of samsara, Shartul Rinpoche reincarnation of the great mahasiddhas such as Acharya Thotsun Drupje, Naropa, Dharma King Lhatho Thoree Nyentsen, Nyamme Dagpo Sangpo Dorje and Sogpo Lhapal, one of the 25 retinues of Guru Padmasambhava.

Hoisting the banner of Doctrine of clear and illuminative Dzogchen, the Great Siddha took birth amidst numerous wonderful signs, in a place located within the vicinity of "Drug Sang-ngag Choeling". He studied at Sang-ngag Choeling and reached the highest accomplishment. Realising that he could serve all beings in Tibet, the great Siddha made a pilgrimage trip to major holy sites there. In the course of this journey, he reached to the place called Palbar Zong in Kham where he was accorded a pompous reception and appointed as chief priest to the Chieftain. At that time, the Governor of Chamdo was on his way back from Lhasa, sought an audience with the Siddha. During the visit, the Governor of Chamdo was rather reluctant to pay his obeisance. As a result, he had a vision of three snakes with different colors coming from the throat of the great Siddha. Terrified by the scary sight, the Governor stepped down from his seat and prostrated before him respectfully. He offered a place called Nyishar where the great Siddha built a retreat Center and spent rest of his life in retreat. There, he produced about thirty highly accomplished disciples. He was declared to be manifestation of Nagarjuna, by the Palbar Tulku and Gyaton Tulku. Even to date, we can see a figure of Milarepa erected by him out of marble stone by miraculous means. He entered into Parinirvana at the age of eighty.

The Second Shartul Rinpoche

The second incarnation was born amidst miraculous signs from the womb of a pious mother. As a result of constant practice of prostration by his mother, the wooden base she used bore the print of her hands. It was believed that his father, a Tulku and a holder of Nyingmapa tradition, belonged to a lineage from a celestial realm. During his birth, sound of conch shell could be heard, and water transformed into milk. Despite a cold wave in winter, people could witness flower blossoming in courtyard of the house he took birth.

At the age of three, His Holiness the Fifth Nyidrak Rinpoche recognized him as incarnation of previous Shartul and he was designated with the name: Shartul Gawang Gyatso. From Palbar Tulku, Gyaton Tulku and many other Lamas of ecumenical school, he received exotic and esoteric teaching of Nyidrak tradition.

Ngagyur Garwang Droduling is the monastery from where the successive Shartul Rinpoche carried out his spiritual activities. The monastery said to have been built on a scared land where the great divine warrior king Gesar Gyalpo subdued a demon called "Kholmo Ruta". The monastery was named after the Demon - "Kholru". It was also believed that Shartul was honored with a seal, an authority letter, and a support letter respectively by the Fifth, Sixth and Seven Dalai Lamas.

In later years, His Holiness the Fifth Nyidrak Rinpoche, Phende Gyatso, shifted the site of the monastery and built a new monastery on a new piece of land marked with eight spoke wheel in the sky, eight petal lotus on the ground, eight auspicious signs against the rear mountain and a flaming jewel in the front. The monastery was named Shedrup Dhargyal Ling and Shartul Gawang Gyatso was appointed head Lama to the local chieftain.

He had all the teachings of Nyidrak tradition and Nyidrak Rinpoche regarded him as the most valued disciple. During the time of the Chinese occupation, almost all the Rinpoches suffered Chinese brutality, Shartul Rinpoche was no different and he died in prison at the age of thirty-three.

The Present Shartul Rinpoche

The Present Shartul Rinpoche, Kunsang Dhamchoe Gyatso Thupten Choe Kye Gyaltsen was born in 1974 amidst miraculous signs on the 10th day of the fourth Tibetan month of wooden tiger year. Rinpoche was recognized as the reincarnation of the Second Shartul Rinpoche by the omniscient Khandro Kunsang Rinpoche, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, H.E. Seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche and H.E. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche.

The night before his birth, his mother dreamt she saw a bright lamp in the shrine shining in all the directions, revealing a golden vajra, carrying a bundle of blazing wood on the back radiating the whole village.

On the very morning of his birth, people witnessed a raven (believed to be the messenger of Mahakala) guarding the house, miraculous transformation of water into nectar, a cuckoo singing from top of the house and above all, a streak of colorful rainbow overhead.

Even before reaching the age of one, he sat upward and pronounced the name and mantra of Guru Padmasambhava. Every now and then, he would perform the Mudra teachings. When asked upon, he answered, "I am Shartul". He is believed to have committed to memory the long text of Dhugkar in as short time as it takes to consume a cup of tea. At the age of nine, he received vow of refuge and Bodhichitta from H.E. Dzogchen Khenpo Khenchen Thupten Namgyal Rinpoche, the Abbot of Dzogchen Monastery.

At the age of ten, Shartul Rinpoche received empowerment, initiation and instructions of Ka-Gyae, Gongdue and Phurpa from Great Terton Master Namkha Dorje Rinpoche. At the age of eleven, he received instructions on the “Three Roots of Jatson” and preliminary practice from the Great Drukpa Kagyu Lineage Master Jamyang Rinpoche. At the age of thirteen, Shartul Rinpoche received many teachings such as the empowerment, initiation and pith instructions on Ngondro, Dzogchen Longchen Nyingthig (Great Perfection), and pith instructions on the sTsa-Lung (Winds and Channels), from Great Master Phurtse Rinpoche. He not only received these teachings but also practiced them perfectly.

At the age of fourteen, Rinpoche started the three-year three-month retreat while engaging into the practice of “Chod” and “Nyung Ne”. During the retreat he perfectly completed “Nyung Ne” 108 times.

At the age of nineteen, Rinpoche traveled to India. In 1993, under H.E the Seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche, Tenzin Jigdral Thunpo, his enthronement ceremony was held in Orgyen Samten Choeling Monastery in South India.

At the age of 20 to 26, Rinpoche continued receiving numerous teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness Namkha Rinpoche, His Holiness Shechen Rinpoche, including “Rinchen Terzod ” from His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, and many other great Nyingmapa masters.

With the encouragement from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Penor Rinpoche, Shartul Rinpoche established the “Ngagyur Garwang Drodul Ling” in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1999. The following year, the Taiwan Nyidrak Drodul Ling center was established. Rinpoche has since then traveled abroad regularly to the United States, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, China and Hong Kong to fulfill vast teaching activities.
Shartul Rinpoche’s teachings filled with wisdom, depth, clarity and Humor. His students often praise for his clear, detail instructions and easy to understand teaching methods. He continues to engage in nurturing the Dharma with unceasing compassion.

Concerns that the rare and precious “Nyidrak” lineage will be lost, His Holiness the Dalai Lama kindly offered Shartul Rinpoche two hectares of land in Bir, India to build a monastery to continue the” Nyidrak” Treasure Dharma. Rinpoche and members of his congregation purchased another hectare. Since 2001, Rinpoche has been working tirelessly to raise fund to build the “Nyidrak Drodul Ling Monastery”.
At the same time, Rinpoche is taking the responsibility of another project: to build a Zongdok Parli at the Phodrang Monastery in Kham, Eastern Tibet, and to improve Phodrang Monastery’s structural conditions of its main shrine and to rebuild the retreat center.