8th Situpa Chökyi Jungnay

During his childhood the 8th Situpa, Chökyi Jungnay, met both the 11th Karmapa, and six years later his reincarnation, the 12th Karmapa, who became his root lama and from whom he got the complete lineage transmission. At the same time the young Situpa was trained in philosophy and Tibetan medicine.

Chökyi Jungnay became an exceptional scholar and artist who worked for the benefit of all by taking every opportunity to make his knowledge available to as many people as possible in the form of works that remain important until today. He established the famous Derge printing press, close to where he founded Palpung Monastery, which became the main seat of the Situpas. Chökyi Jungnay was always close to the people, traveled a great deal and spoke several languages.