Who is Khentrul Rinpoche?
Shar Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche is a nonsectarian master of Tibetan Buddhism, a tantrika, visionary, poet, and pioneering teacher dedicated to bringing the profound Jonang Kalachakra Dharma to non-monastic practitioners around the world in their native langauges. He is the author of more than twenty books, translated into over thirteen languages, making the traditionally esoteric Kalachakra teachings accessible in a clear, systematic, and practical way for modern life.
Rinpoche devoted his life to spiritual practice from an early age. He spent the first twenty years of his life herding yaks and chanting mantras on the vast plateaus of Tibet. Inspired by the bodhisattva ideal, he left his family to pursue monastic training, studying under more than twenty-five great masters from all the major Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Through this deep and expansive training, he mastered a wide range of philosophical systems, tantric practices, and meditation traditions.
Because of his nonsectarian (Rimé) approach and realization, he was recognized as a Rimé Master and identified as the reincarnation of the renowned Kalachakra master Ngawang Chözin Gyatso. He is also regarded as the seventh emanation of Bodhisattva Akasagarbha. Although appointed as a khenpo (abbot and senior teacher) of the prestigious Tsangwa Monastery in Dzamthang, Rinpoche renounced this esteemed position in order to dedicate himself more fully to intensive retreat and experiential realization.
While holding deep respect for all authentic spiritual traditions, Rinpoche places particular emphasis on the Jonang-Shambhala lineage of the Kalachakra Tantra. The Jonang tradition—once thought by many Western scholars to be extinct—preserves some of the most complete and advanced transmissions of the Kalachakra “Wheel of Time.” These teachings contain profound methods for harmonizing the outer environment with the inner dimensions of body, energy, and enlightened mind, offering a path toward both personal awakening and collective transformation.
Since 2014, Rinpoche has traveled to more than thirty countries across six continents, guiding thousands of students through a structured, step-by-step presentation of the complete Kalachakra path—from foundational practices to the most advanced yogas. His approach is uniquely suited for householders and lay practitioners, empowering individuals to integrate authentic tantric practice into modern life without abandoning worldly responsibilities.
As an author and teacher, Rinpoche articulates a bold and compassionate vision: the emergence of a new Golden Age grounded in wisdom and universal responsibility. By training students to cultivate unbiased awareness, flexible intelligence, and boundless compassion, he seeks to establish compassion-based communities that embody enlightened society. Through the Kalachakra path, he aspires to help humanity transform conflict into harmony and realize the sacred truth of limitless potential within every being.
A Secret Reincarnation
The Life Story of Khentrul Rinpoche Jamphel Lodrö
Khentrul Rinpoche is considered to be the third incarnation of the great Kalachakra adept Ngawang Chözin Gyatso. From his humble beginnings as a nomadic yak herder, Rinpoche’s life has exposed him to some truly extraordinary experiences. From his secret incarnation, through yak herding to his trip to the west, follow his timeline highlighting some of the key events which have helped shape the person he is today.
Lineage of the Parents
FATHER
Aph Shar Thubtan
A respected thangka painter, known for integrity and devotion to the Dharma
Khentrul Rinpoche’s father was a deeply accomplished Nyingma practitioner, tantric monk, and master thangka painter. Due to the political circumstances of the time, he was forced to disrobe, yet his inner realization and devotion to the Dharma never wavered. He personally taught Khentrul Rinpoche many mantras, prayers, and foundational practices, planting the karmic seeds for Rinpoche’s future path.
As a gifted artist, he created the essential conditions for the Drolmi Kazug Puja by painting two extraordinary thangkas: one depicting the 21 Taras and another of the five Lungta animals. When Khentrul Rinpoche was 19 years old, his father traveled to paint the walls of a newly re-established monastery, where he passed away on the monastery grounds. This profound and karmically charged moment became a turning point in Rinpoche’s life, inspiring him to enter monastic life and dedicate himself fully to the Dharma.
Earlier in his life, a lama performed a mirror divination predicting that Rinpoche’s father would be reborn as a great tantric practitioner in Rebkhong, Amdo. After his passing, a different lama independently confirmed the same prophecy, affirming the depth of his realization and his ongoing connection to the tantric lineage.
Memorial Stupa
MOTHER
Ama Sherab Dronme
A strong woman of faith and devotion, who inspired Rinpoche
Sherab Drolmé was a great practitioner from childhood. In her youth, she often ran away from her samsaric home to seek a life of Dharma as a nun, but her family set out on horseback to recapture her and bring her home. One day, she met a Dakini who told her not to run away. The Dakini told her that she had the karma to marry two tantric monks and would have great children born to her. At this time, many of the monks were forced to practice secretly within marriage. The Dakini said, “Don’t worry, one day you will have a chance to practice dharma seriously.” Sherab Drolme studied the Dharma and became devoted to her teacher, Getsé Khentrul. She married two times to tantric monks, with Rinpoche’s father being her second husband. She was separated from her beloved teacher, Getsé Khentrul, who promised her not to worry that he would return very soon. Unbeknownst to her, he passed away. During her pregnancy, she dreamed he was returning and returned to her as Khentrul Rinpoche. Many people in different areas of Tibet (China) secretly confirmed his reincarnation and that her teacher had passed away. All of Sherab Drolmé’s children are monastic or dedicated practitioners. She practiced seriously for the rest of her life. The villagers asked the Jonang Lama Salden where she was reborn when she passed away. He said she went to Sukhavati. In another place simultaneously, the Nyingma Khandroma Kunla said the same thing.
Memorial Stupa
In Gratitude of Rinpoche's Teachers
Shar Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche was trained and guided by many of the great masters of the Jonang, Sakya, Nyingma, and Rimé traditions. Their kindness—transmitting the Dharma, revealing its meaning, and leading beings toward awakening—is beyond measure. With deep devotion, Rinpoche honors the teachers and living lineages that shaped his path.
Empowerments Bestowed by Khentrul Rinpoche
Khentrul Rinpoche has received the Kalachakra Empowerment more than 40 times and has bestowed it over 35 times in countries across every continent except Antarctica. For him, Kalachakra is not simply a ritual or lineage transmission—it is the heart of his life’s mission. He is dedicated to spreading the teachings of Shambhala and the profound path of the Kalachakra Tantra to create the causes and conditions for a new Golden Age to arise in our world. Through empowerment, teaching, and tireless global activity, he works to make this vision of enlightened society a living possibility for future generations.
