Pema Wangyal Rinpoche
Songtsen was founded by Taklung Tsetrul Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, the eldest son of the late Kangyur Rinpoche. Pema Wangyal Rinpoche was born in Central Tibet. His family escaped from Tibet in 1958 and eventually resettled in Darjeeling, India. After the passing of Kangyur Rinpoche in 1975, Pema Wangyal Rinpoche and his family settled in France.
Pema Wangyal Rinpoche has shaped the organization’s activities for more than three decades. Throughout this time, he has been helping the needs of Tibetan people with the help of international donors and has an intimate knowledge of the needs of the Tibetan community in exile, as well as Himalayan communities in need.
Rinpoche has been active as a teacher since 1975, making the teachings accessible in the form of seminars, courses, and by providing students with individual guidance. Since 1980, Rinpoche has been guiding the traditional three-year intensive practise and study retreats in France. He has a longstanding concern with the preservation of rare texts, organizing the conservation and restoration of ancient manuscripts and their calligraphic or computer transcription and reprinting. He also supervises the translation and preservation work of the Padmakara Translation Group in France.
Under the guidance of Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche, Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, and other great masters of Tibetan Buddhism, Pema Wangyal Rinpoche has studied extensively and spent many years in retreat. Dedicated to continuing the activities of his teachers and aspiring to fulfilling their wishes, Rinpoche frequently travels to Asia to oversee educational, cultural and development projects and gives teachings at the request of Dharma groups and institutions around the world.
Brief biographies of the other spiritual directors:
Biographies of Chanteloube's founding teachers: