Gendün Rinpoche

Gendün Rinpoche (1918-1997) was born in the high valleys of Nangtschen in Kham, in the
nomadic family of a traditional mantra sculptor (in wood and stone); he grew up already
drawn to spiritual practice in an early age and entered the local Khyodrak Monastery when
he was seven years old.

There, he began to study and meditate and began the traditional three-years, three-month retreat at the age of 21. Later,he practiced in strict seclusion for another seven years.
Leaving seclusion, he began a pilgrimage throughout Tibet, visiting many sacred places to practice in remote caves for another decade.

When the Chinese occupied Tibet in 1959 he was forced to leave for India, guided by Buddhist protectors. When Rinpoche arrived in India, the 16th Karmapa asked him to become the head of a new monastery in Bhutan, where he lived for three years.
Thereafter, he left for Kalimpong, in North India, where he received transmissions from the 16th Karmapa for 12 years.

In 1975, Karmapa asked him to move to France in order to bring the Dharma to the western
countries of Europe. Gendün Rinpoche founded the retreat center for three-years, three-
month retreats in Auvergne, in 1983.

When he passed away in 1997 at Dhagpo Kündröl Ling in France, he was surrounded by his
close students.