32nd Parinirvana Anniversary of Third Jamgon Kongtrul

Today the 26th April 2024, is the anniversary of the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul, Karma Lodro Chokyi Senge (1954-1992), one of the main lineage holders of Karma Kagyu and the 19th Century Non-Sectarian movement in Tibet (Rimey), heart-son of 16th Gyalwang Karmapa and Kālacakra master (who passed away suddenly in a tragic car crash in 1992).

A short but profoundly meaningful life

Born in 1954 in Lhasa, Tibet, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche was recognized as an incarnation of the previous Jamgon Kongtrul by the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Rigpe Dorje. At the age of six, the young tulku left Tibet to join the Karmapa at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim where he was raised by the Karmapa as one of his four “heart sons.”

One online biography explains:

“During his lifetime, Rinpoche made two trips to Tibet, one in 1984 and one in 1991. During these trips he gave empowerments and teachings to hundreds of monks, tulkus, and lay people of Tibet; he obtained permission for the restoration of Tshurphu Monastery (the seat of His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa) in Eastern Tibet; at Palpung Monastery he ordained about 500 monks; he visited Derge Gonchen where he inspired the reconstruction of the traditional Tibetan Derge Printing House; and he gave the precious Kalachakra empowerment at Damkar Monastery in Nangchen. Rinpoche has also given the Kalachakra empowerment in Europe, Canada and Asia and he gave the Kagyu Ngakdzo empowerment (considered the heart of the Kagyu yidam transmissions) in February 1992 to the monastic community and lay people at Rumtek Monastery, seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage in India. In the late 1980s, Rinpoche completed one of his most outstanding projects: Shri Nalanda Institute for higher Buddhist studies in Rumtek, India.”

For my article on the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul and his connection to Kālacakra, see here.

Third Jamgon Kongtrul and the 17th Karmapa recognition

Here is a video of the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul predicting the 17th Karmapa’s return to Tsurpu Monastery, Tibet.

Here is also a video of the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul speaking about the handwritten letter of the 16th Karmapa given to 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche before he passed away that led to the discovery of the current official 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje in Tibet. In the video, Jamgon Kongtrul states how he believes the letter to be authentic and “very clear and very precise”:

Shortly after this interview, Jamgon Kongtrul tragically died in a mysterious car accident in the Kalimpong District of Darjeeling, India, on April 26, 1992. A new BMW car swerved off the road and crashed. He was thirty-seven years old. The accident took place near the site of Rinpoche’s monastery and the residential school that he founded for young monks and orphans. The driver of the vehicle as well as Lama Kunga, the head of the school, were also killed. Tenzin Dorje, Rinpoche’s closest assistant was the sole survivor of the crash. There are mixed views of the cause of the car crash, some saying it was not an accident and planned.

When I interviewed British journalist, Mick Brown, who has done the most comprehensive (and objective) investigation into the 17th Karmapa recognition in his book The Dance of 17 Lives, he indicates in his book that the car crash was highly suspicious and potential ‘foul play’ with the brakes by mechanics hired by the Zhamarpa’s Bhutanese assistant, Topga was suspected. Requests were made to investigate the causes of the crash but no investigation took place for unknown reasons. Brown mentions that the car’s engine was found some distance away from the car, suggesting an explosion, rather than an accident. Whatever happened that day remains a mystery (karma and time will tell) but it created a huge loss within the Karma Kagyu to this day. Previously, I wrote about a vision I had in 2018 of 16th Karmapa/Vajrakilaya (during a Vajrakilaya Drubchen) in which I was clearly told that Kongtrul had been deliberately murdered.

4th Jamgon Kongtrul

The 4th Jamgon Kongtrul was recognised by the 17th Karmapa, who said it was one of the ‘clearest’ tulku recognitions he had made. Sadly, for unknown reasons, the 4th Jamgon Kongtrul suddenly announced his wishing to leave the monastery and official duties there on Facebook. His presence and legacy is missed within the Karma Kagyu and many hope that he will return and teach soon.

Here is a video of the 17th Karmapa speaking about this situation in 2017 here at the Kagyu Monlam (he is visibly moved to tears when he requests that people ‘no matter what the situation, to never give up on Buddhism or sentient beings’.

For a dedicated page on the website for the Jamgon Kongtrul lineage, see here.

Music? Calling the Lama From Afar composed by First Jamgon Kongtrul the Great and Don’t Dream Its Over by Crowded House.