Omniscient Buton Rinchen Drub

Omniscient Buton Rinchen Drub is widely considered to be one of Tibet’s greatest scholars, historians, translators, and writers.

He was the eleventh abbott of Shalu Monastery.  Born in Western Tibet in 1290, Buton Rinpoche led Shalu for thirty-seven years.  After stepping down as abbott, he continued to be active in many areas until his death in 1364.

Under Rinpoche’s guidance, Shalu became one of the most renowned and important centers of study in Tibet, and Shalu’s presence as an influential Monastery continued for centuries.

His legacy also included the compilation of 500 years’ worth of translated teachings into the encyclopedic Kangyur and Tangyur collections. This monumental effort helped to preserve and propagate the teachings throughout Tibet. These collections have become well known by all of the schools of Buddhism in Tibet, and continue to this day to serve as quintessential references for the vast teachings of the Buddha.

Rinpoche also composed at least twenty-six prolific volumes of commentaries over the period of his life.  He is also remembered as being an ardent translator and proponent of the Kalachakra Tantra, and he wrote the famous book, the “History of Buddhism in India and Tibet,”  a work which many Tibetan scholars still utilize in their studies today.

His impact during the time of his life, and continuing to this day, cannot be underestimated. He truly was one of the brightest lights of Tibetan Buddhism.

Rinpoche’s father was a prominent Nyingma Lama named Drakton Gyeltsen Pelzang, and his mother, Sonam Bum, was also a Nyingma master. Rinpoche began his studies of reading and writing around the age of five or six with his mother. In addition, Rinpoche’s grandfather, Tsultrim Pelzang, was a Nyingma Lama, and Rinpoche received medical training, teachings on Guhyasamaja, Dzogchen, and other topics from him.

Even as a very young child, Rinpoche exhibited extraordinary abilities, and behaved in accordance with the activity of a High incarnated Lama. Learning the complex Sanskrit language came easily to Rinpoche, and from the time he was a young boy, he had a succession of renowned masters as his teachers, many of whom were some of the most learned masters and abbots of that period in time.  In addition, Rinpoche was reputed to have mystical abilities as a young boy, such as the capacity to perceive the face of the great Manjushri directly, and to even enter conversation with him. 

At the age of eighteen, Rinpoche was granted both novice and primary monastic vows.  He was taught topics relating to the Prajnaparamita, Vinaya, and logic, as well as receiving esoteric oral instructions from the Dzogchen tradition. Rinpoche studied with many masters and received multiple transmissions and empowerments. During this time, he was considered a brilliant student.

At the age of twenty-three, he received full ordination in the presence of twenty learned masters. Rinpoche was often studying during the day and meditating in the evening at this point of his life.

Not long after this time, he traveled to Tarpa Ling to study Sanskrit poetry and grammar for several years. He worked with a well-known translator, Tarpa Lotsawa Nyima, whom Rinpoche came to regard as one of his primary teachers.

Soon thereafter, Rinpoche began to teach, to give ordination to some students, and to compose some of his own writings. Then, in 1320, he was installed as the eleventh abbott of Shalu. Rinpoche worked so tirelessly to expand Shalu, both in spiritual learning and in constructing new stupas and temples, that he often has come to be considered the first abbott of Shalu.

In spite of his many activities at Shalu, Rinpoche continued to study diligently and to seek out outstanding teachers. He received a strong background in the Sakya tradition, and is considered to have studied with at least twenty-eight masters.

At the age of fifty-five, he gave teachings at Sakya Monastery and his fame was spreading. While at Sakya, he worked on translation of a number of scriptures and commentaries.  Translating and editing were a natural part of Rinpoche’s abilities, and he continued to translate and edit throughout his life.

Around the age of sixty-two, Rinpoche traveled for several years, giving teachings, empowerments, transmissions, and ordinations at several monasteries along the way. After this period, he returned to Sakya for a time, and then, in 1354 at age sixty-five returned to Shalu. He eventually stepped down as abbott of Shalu after serving for thirty-seven years. Then, working out of a hermitage  connected to Shalu, he continued to teach and receive teachings, and would occasionally travel as well.

Finally, after a lifetime of almost indescribable contributions, Rinpoche passed away in 1364.

After his passing, his followers were known as Bhulugpa. The Shalu’s Bhulug Spiritual Lineage tradition founded by Buton Rinpoche is one of the most important lineages within the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition.

Throughout his life, Rinpoche has continued to serve humanity and the Dharma.  He has reincarnated up to the present day, with his most recent reincarnation Buton Tenzin Gendun Choe ke Nyima Rinpoche born in Sikkim, India to a father Khando and mother Tsewang Sangmo. Buton Tenzin Gendun Choe ke Nyima Rinpoche recently passed away and we are awaiting his reincarnation.