Sakya Lama

Madame Krull  brought the Sakya Lama, (Sakya Lama like Dalai Lama is a hierarchical spiritual designation.) a high priest of the Tibetans in Mussoorie, to Shri Nathji. The Sakya Lal was greatly revered in Mussoorie and Tibetans bowed before him as he walked on the road. At the time the Sakya Lama came to Shri Nathji at Savitri Nivas he could not understand what Shri Nathji said to him because of the language barrier, but the radiant smile on his face revealed the inner glow of his soul. "I communicated with him through the heart," Shri Nathji said, "words were not necessary. The heart understands its own language! He received my light from within."

 The Sakya Lama who had the good fortune to meet Shri Nath ji is the current Lama  H.H. Sakya Trizin, Ngawang Kunga Thegchen Palbar Samphel Wang-gi Gyalpo, the forty-first in the line of throne-holders (Trizin) of Sakya and emanation of Manjushri, was born in Tsedong in southern Tibet in 1945. His Holiness hails from the Khön family, the dynastic heads of the Sakya school from its beginnings.

In his early years, Sakya Lama received various initiations from his father, Dagchen Ngawang Kunga Rinchen, head of the Drölma palace of Sakya. However, by the age of five, he had lost both his parents. Following this, his religious training began in earnest when he received the Esoteric Transmission of the Path and its Fruit (lam-drey lob-shey) from Dampa Rinpoche, Ngawang Lodro Shenphen Nyingpo.

 In 1952, he was confirmed as the forty-first Sakya Trizin, although it would not be until early 1959 that his full enthronement could take place. During the 1950s, Sakya Lama accomplished a number of retreats such as Hevajra and Vajrakilaya and received an extensive array of Sakya and Nyingma teachings from various masters, including Shabdrung Ngawang Tenzin Nyingpo, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, Zimok Rinpoche and Khenchen Jampal Zangpo.

 In 1959, following his enthronement, Sakya Lama departed for India due to the political difficulties of the time. Having remained initially near Darjeeling, and then Mussoorie, he settled finally in Rajpur, close to Dehra Dun. In the early 1960s, His Holiness' education concluded under Khenpo Appey Rinpoche and Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.

In 1967, Sakya Lama bestowed the Path and its Fruit for the first time at Sarnath. A little later, Shri Sakya Centre was inaugurated in Rajpur, followed a few years later by Sakya College. His Holiness himself married Lady Tashi Lhakyi in 1974, since when they have had two sons, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche (b. 1974) and Gyana Vajra Rinpoche (b. 1979). His Holiness not only leads numerous Sakya monasteries in India and Nepal but has made teaching tours around the world.