Teachers
1st Beru Khyentse Rinpoche
The Speech reincarnation of
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
(1895 - 1945)
Beru Khyentse (Karma Jamyang Khyentse Ozer)
Beru is the name of Hor Kingdom’s royal family. Karma denotes association with the Kagyupa sect and his main seat is the Palpung Monastery in Derge, which is also the main seat of its founder, Tai Situpa.
Later in his life, the Great Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye spent most of his time at his main seat Tsandra Rinchen Drak. One of Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche’s close disciples who was also Dzogchen Paltrul Rinpoche’s disciple, named Gonpo Dudul, was also the King of the Tre-hor Beru family. He was a very spiritual person and all his activities were related to the Dharma. One day he visited Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche at Tsandra Rinchen Drak to offer his respect. Whilst there, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche predicted that his wife will conceive very soon and this boy is the speech emanation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. He told him that if Palpung Monastery wishes to take care of this child, he should not refuse. He advised him not to miss this opportunity and to keep this matter as secret for a while. At this time, Beru Khyentse’s father, Gonpo Dudul had no idea that his wife was pregnant. When he returned he found his wife was indeed pregnant and she later gave birth to a boy as predicted by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche. The Beru family had only one boy and an elder daughter, so the family members wanted to keep the boy as heir to the throne of the Beru King. But since Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche had already mentioned about the boy to the father, therefore he accepted the advice and gave the child to Palpung Monastery.
Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche also said that his main disciple, abbot Tashi Ozer, would take care of the child. He predicted the child as the speech emanation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo of the Kagyu Lineage at the Palpung Monastery.
Conditions of his Birth
In 1896, the Fire Monkey year of the Tibetan calendar, the child was born amidst many auspicious signs. His father’s name would be Beru King Gonpo Dudul and mother’s name Sonam Chodron. A few years after the child’s birth, the Palpung abbot came to see the child with another Lama, they offered many precious gems and a ‘khatak’ (white scarf signifying auspiciousness) to the Yangsi Rinpoche, who later became popularly known as Beru Khyentse Rinpoche. They escorted the child to Palpung Monastery where Situ Pema Wangchok and Abbot Tashi Ozer held a major enthronement ceremony at the Palpung Monastery.
Beru Khyentse Rinpoche received his outer Vinaya Vows, Bodhisattva Vows, Secret Vajrayana Vows and Empowerments from Tashi Ozer. Beru Khyentse Rinpoche was given the title of a high-ranking lama, the Kagyu Lineage holder, Kagyu Gyalwa Yabsay. His full name was Karma Jamyang Khyentse Ozer Lodro Mizad Jampal Gocha Ozer Drima Mepai Pal. His tutor was Lama Tsewang from Hor Bengen Gon Monastery.
Beru Khyentse Rinpoche’s father had five monasteries under his direction. Hor Bengen Gon was one of them. His tutor Lama Tsewang was a great Dharma Master. When Beru Khyentse was young, he studied Vinaya Sutra, Abhidharma, Madhyamika, grammar, poetry, medicine, astrology, mathematics, sound practice, arts and all the rituals from his teacher. He possessed special wisdom, was very quick in learning and had excellent memory. His main teachers at the time were Abbot Tashi Ozer and the great Master Tashi Choephel. He had also received various teachings and empowerments from many other Rime masters. He studied sound practice and Sanskrit as well. When he visited India on a pilgrimage he discussed and debated with Indian Masters. His main root guru was the15th Gyalwa Karmapa Khakhyab Dorje, who took him as his main heart disciple.
Exchanging Teachings
The Dharma father, 15th Karmapa Khakhyab Dorje passed on the Dharma treasures of special tantra to his Dharma son Beru Khyentse. Thus, in a way, he became the Dharma successor of the Karmapa besides being appointed as Karmapa’s regent. In his turn as the teacher, Beru Khyentse exchanged teachings, empowerments and oral transmission to the Karmapa as mandala offerings. The 15th Karmapa Khakhyab Dorje’s autobiography mentioned that he had received the oral transmission of Jonang Taranatha’s text, 2nd and 5th Shamarpa’s text, Jahtson Nyingpo’s text and the empowerment of many yidams. Therefore, Beru Khyentse was Karmapa’s disciple as well as one of his teachers. The Karmapa had great respect for him and relied on him very much. In the autobiography of the 15th Karmapa, it was mentioned that at the age of fifty-two, Karmapa wrote a letter to Beru Khyentse which said,
“I, your spiritual father have grown old now and cannot live longer therefore you should remember what I said before. Also do visit here (Tsurphu) quickly.”
In his autobiography (Namthar Namjay Danang), it has been mentioned that the 15th Karmapa requested Beru Khyentse to guide and advice his followers in the matters related to his future lives. This appeared to be a prediction related to the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Rigpei Dorje and to the 17th Karmapa.
Beru Khyentse Rinpoche received from 2nd Jamgon Kongtrul Palden Khyentse Ozer, the Rinchen Terzod recovered treasure containing more than 65 volumes of terma empowerments and teachings. From the 2nd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, he also received the oral transmission and empowerments from four other recovered treasures.
In Situ Pema Wangchok’s autobiography, he said that Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s speech emanation; the son of Hor Beru family, our Palpung Khyentse was a very great person because his wisdom quality is very pure with compassion. He was a great saint. Situ Pema Wangchok was the head of the Palpung Monastery. Beru Khyentse Rinpoche was one of the three high-ranking Rinpoches of the Palpung Monastery, along with Situ Rinpoche and Jamgon Rinpoche.