His Eminence Penor Rinpoche (1932-2009)
by Danny Fisher
Go Beyond Words: Wisdom Publications’ Buddhist Blog, Shambhala Sun Space, and Phayul are all reporting that His Holiness Kyabjé Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche (Penor Rinpoche) has died. I posted yesterday about his hospitalization. Phayul writes:
- The head of the oldest school of Tibetan Buddhism, His Eminence Penor Rinpoche, breathed his last today around 3.30 PM (Indian Standard time) at a hospital in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, sources told phayul.
Penor Rinpoche held the position of the head of Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Rinpoche had not been keeping well lately, according to sources.
Kyabjé Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche was born in 1932 in Powo region of Kham, Eastern Tibet. He was the 11th in the Palyul lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.
I am sad to hear about the passing away of this important teacher, but know that his life and work did much to contribute to the flowering of the Buddhadharma in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. I bow in his direction with gratitude.
Thank you for your post. Penor Rinpoche has been supremely influential in making sure that Tibetan Buddhism will survive in the west in an authentic tradition. His selfless service to thousands of practitioners, in the West and in Asia has been a source of inspiration to so many. He has granted empowerments and teachings all over the world, with his impish smile and mountain like presence. I am saddened about this news, as I am sure many people are feeling. I pray that he might have a swift rebirth and return to us to continue to benefit all sentient beings.
For clarification, it should be said that according to Tibetan tradition he did not die, he “entered his final meditation.”
See a post by a friend of mine:
http://bit.ly/XQPda
She states, “During this time there are no outward signs of life (breathing, heartbeat) but also there are no signs of death (pallor, the onset of decomposition) since life continues at a very subtle level. The moment the meditation ends will be the actual moment of death.”
All my best – and keep up the excellent blogging!