Polu Khenpo Dorje

Polu Khenpo Dorje (Wyl. spo lu mkhan po rdo rje) or Thupten Kunga Gyaltsen (c. 1896-1970) — was born in the Polu valley of Derge region of Tibet. His father was called Lhagyal. Entering Polu Monastery, he learned to read and write, and studied with Gönchen Shar Lama Jamyang Khyenrap, a personal student of Mipham Rinpoche. He also studied with teachers at Palyul, Dzongsar, and other monasteries, and after a while he became Polu Monastery's abbot. He was one of the principal disciples of Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang, he was regarded as one of the most accomplished Dzogchen masters of recent times. He is sometimes called Bomta Khenpo (Wyl. sbom mda' mkhan po), because of his benefactors, the Bomta Tsang, who were one of the wealthiest families in Tibet.

After the Chinese invasion of Tibet, he went to India, where he gave teachings. He went on pilgrimage to the major holy sites in Bhutan. At Bumthang he had a vision of Longchenpa. He taught throughout Bhutan, and at the invitation of the queen grandmother of Bhutan, Puntsok Chödrön, he stayed at the mountain hermitage of Dechen Chöling.

At the age of seventy-four (1970), he passed away, sitting in an upright in the posture of mind in comfort and ease. Among Polu Khenpo's most important disciples were Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Khenpo Kunga Lekpa, Dr. Trogawa Rinpoche and the third Zhingkyong Choktrul.

Polu Khenpo was a very important Lama of the Nyingmapa Tibetan Buddhist lineage and is a key figure for Tibetan Buddhists especially of the Dzogchen lineage; and there is a famous & important story amongst Buddhists about his Devotion to the lineage master(s).

He is referrred to by Nyoshul Khenpo's A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's Blazing Splendor and Sogyal Rinpoche's, Introduction to A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems: Biographies of Masters of Awareness in the Dzogchen Lineage by Nyoshul Khenpo.