His Holiness Katog Lhoga Rinpoche
Lhoga Rinpoche has been invited to give the precious sets of empowerments and reading transmissions of the Nyingtik Yabzhi and Nyingtik Tsapö at Katog Choling Gön (Katog Rit’hrod) in Arkansas in November, 2024. Lhoga Rinpoche received these empowerments directly from Katog Khenchen Gyaltsen Özer, who was the single reservoir into whom flowed the transmissions of the Nyingtik Lineage of Jamyang Khyentse, Jamgön Kongtrul, Katog Siddhi, Khenpo Ngaga, and others. Thus, Lhoga Rinpoche holds an exceptionally close lineage with immense power and many blessings.
His Holiness Lhoga Rinpoche is the reincarnation of Katog Monastery’s former abbot Mahapandita Khenchen Legshe Jorden. The Katog Lineage –– the source of Nyingmapa tradition –– has a history of more than 840 years. His Holiness Lhoga Rinpoche is the 84th throne holder of Katog Lineage.
Lhoga Rinpoche was an extraordinary child. His heart was pure and his mind was unaffected by worldly concerns. In his youth, he sought out many accomplished masters of the Nyingma tradition and received sutric and tantric teachings from them. He contemplated and practiced the meaning of these teachings under the tutelage of these masters. In particular, regarding the teachings on the Great Perfection, he received the ear-whispered instructions on Trekchö, Tögal, Yeshe Lama, and the practice of Choying Dzöd. His Holiness gained profound wisdom and realizations through the teachings that he received and through his practice of them.
In 1990, the Five Golden Dharma Seals of the Katog Lineage unanimously requested and agreed that His Holiness be officially enthroned as the 84th supreme throne holder of the Nyingma Katog Monastery. As the karmic links of sentient beings with him ripened, His Holiness started to propagate the Buddha Dharma on a much wider scale, giving empowerments, oral transmissions, as well as guidance on Dharma practices. Several hundreds of thousands of fortunate disciples have received initiations from him. There are often numerous unimaginably auspicious signs when His Holiness presides over pujas.
His Holiness’ activities have graced many places, from Katog Monastery to China and elsewhere around the world. He renovated Katog’s primary retreat, the Nying Gön Meditation Center. He has also built 128 stupas in the outer areas surrounding Katog Monastery. He built the magnificent mandala of the Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities at Yönten Jungkhung Monastery in his hometown in Xin Long (Nyarong) Province. He has been invited by disciples to propagate the Buddha Dharma in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Europe, America, South East Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and various other parts of China.
His Holiness not only diligently spreads Buddhism but also actively participates in charity. He supported the building of hospitals and schools in order to improve the living conditions of the people in the poor regions of Kham. He created opportunities for the young to receive education and provided a more conducive environment for study. Thus, people who are in the poor regions have benefited from his contributions and undivided compassion. Due to His Holiness’ immeasurable compassion, wisdom, and aspirations to propagate the Buddha Dharma, his activities have pervaded and nourished this world in all directions.