Khenpo Gawang

At an early age Khenpo Gawang had a strong interest in becoming a monk and studying the Buddhist dharma. Thus, when he was 10, Khenpo Gawang entered the Dzogchen Monastery called Marig Munsel (Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance). At Marig Munsel, Khenpo Gawang began his Buddhist studies and learned reading and writing. He stayed at the monastery until he was 17 when he left to study under Khenpo Karma Tsepten.

Khenpo Karma Tsepten.was an amazing Dzogchen yogi. He lived in retreat at the top of a snow-capped mountain. One could not travel to the retreat center by car and in fact, Khenpo Tsepten had never seen a car or modern things. Khenpo Tsepten wore simple clothing and would sit on a yak skin and wear a sheepskin coat. He would teach at 10 in the morning for a few hours on the days when he wanted to give teachings. Once Khenpo Tsepten began teaching a particular text, he would continue the teachings until finished. Even if it snowed, Khenpo Tsepten would continue and the students would follow along reading their pechas using their garb to keep the snow off their heads. Life on the mountain was challenging -- the students would live lower down in very small houses. Four students would live in one small room . Under Khenpo Tsepten, Khenpo Gawang studied the Dzogchen Yeshe Lama and the Bodhisattvacaryavatara.

After Khenpo Tsepten passed away, Khenpo Gawang stayed in retreat for a few months practicing the ngondro and then journeyed to India to the Namdroling shedra, one of the best shedras in all of India, Nepal and Bhutan. There, he continued his studies earning degrees in Madhayamaka, Prajnaparamita and Mantrayana. Khenpo Gawang studied the Mantrayana chiefly under His Holiness Penor Rinpoche from whom he received many abhisekas, reading transmissions and oral instructions. The Mantrayana curriculum included studies in Ngondro, Tsalung and Dzogchen. Khenpo Gawang also studied under Khenchen Pema Sherap, Khenchen Namdrol and many other great Namdroling khenpos.

In 1999 Khenpo Gawang participated in a debate on Buddha nature at Namdroling monastery attended by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and approximately 10000 visiting monks and nuns. Shortly thereafter he gave a talk on the Buddha’s teaching as an offering to His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and approximately 4000 monks and nuns.

At the time Khenpo Gawang was studying the Mantrayana, he was also teaching classes on Madhyamaka, valid cognition and grammar. This roughly occurred from 1999 through 2003. Now whenever Khenpo Gawang goes back to Namdroling, he continues to teach various subjects.

During his time at Namdroling, Khenpo Gawang met Kyabje Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. In 2003, Kyabje Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche invited Khenpo Gawang to come to the West. In accordance with the wishes of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and Kyabje Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Khenpo Gawang has come to the West where he is now teaching Western students.

(new) Click here to to view pdf file. Madhyamaka text that Khenpo Gawang and Gerry Weiner translated recently.

"The Aspiration Prayer of the Great Middle Way Free From Extremes
The Musical Play of the Moon in Water, Appearance-Emptiness"
by Ju Mipham Rinpoche

Click here to hear a talk by Khenpo Gawang on the "Heart Sutra". The file is a "WMA" file and your computer will search for a suitable player on your system. The talk is 1 hour and 17 minutes.

Click here to hear a second talk by Khenpo Gawang on the "Heart Sutra". The file is a "WMA" file and your computer will search for a suitable player on your system. The talk is 1 hour and 49 minutes.

Click here to hear a third talk by Khenpo Gawang on the "Heart Sutra". The file is a "WMA" file and your computer will search for a suitable player on your system. The talk is 1 hour and 34 minutes.

Click here to hear a fourth talk by Khenpo Gawang on the "Heart Sutra". The file is a "WMA" file and your computer will search for a suitable player on your system. The talk is 1 hour and 4 minutes.