The Passing of a Great Master

After being ill for a while, Gelong Rinpoche, Konchog Tenzin  Nyima, passed away on the morning of June 7, 2006. Like many of the great masters of Drigung Kagyu, Rinpoche passed away during the holy month of Vaishaka (Tib. Saka Dawa). The week before the great passing, perhaps to satisfy the wishes of disciples, Rinpoche agreed to be taken to Lhasa for better medical care. Although he did stay in Lhasa for a few days and agreed to be inspected by doctors, Rinpoche refused all other medical interventions. 

The weeks leading up to the great passing, whenever disciples came and begged Rinpoche to “remain in the world and not pass away,” he responded to every request by reminding everyone that “all compounded phenomena are impermanent” and that we should not hope for the impossible. It then became clear to many that Rinpoche was ready to leave. Nonetheless, to deepen the connection between disciples and master, all Drigung Kagyu monasteries and nunneries in the Drigung Valley performed special practices to pray for the longevity and uninterrupted continuity of Rinpoche's Dharma-activities. Rinpoche himself continued to receive visitors at his retreat-hut, never failing to remind everyone to attend to the "profound preliminaries" as these are the truly profound teachings according to Kyobpa Rinpoche's tradition. 

After a few days in Lhasa (at Angon Rinpoche’s residence), Gelong Rinpoche was taken back to Drigung-thil as he requested. Within several hours of arriving at the monastery, Rinpoche passed away but remained in the meditation-state (Tib. thugdam) for several days after. In retrospect, like many great masters, Rinpoche foretold the exact day of his passing into nirvana. Many also believed that Gelong Rinpoche manifested all the signs of attaining rainbow-body (See picture on right: note how Rinpoche's body had "dissolved" significantly only a few hours after his passing).

Drigung Kagyu lamas, monks and nuns from far and wide arrived at Drigung-thil and participated in the funeral rites for Rinpoche. Among them were Tashi Rabten - Gelong Rinpoche's heart-disciple and successor. Tashi Rabten was chosen and enthroned by Gelong Rinpoche in 2005 as the next retreat-master and main teacher of all the retreatants, monks and nuns in the Drigung area - thus making him the thirty-seventh Thri-pon ("master of pith-instructions") at Drigung-thil Monastery. About a week after Rinpoche’s passing, Rinpoche’s remains were cremated at the famous sky-burial site above Drigung-thil Monastery. Relics were collected after the cremation and a stupa will be built at Drigung-thil in the near future to house Gelong Rinpoche’s relics.

A Brief Biography of Gelong Rinpoche