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A Brief Biography of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche
 In the 7th lunar month of 1951, Tulku Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche was born into the Tsangsar family as the first-born son of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche whose family has, for many generations, held the now rare Barom Kagyu lineage.
At 18 months of age, Chökyi Nyima — Sun of the Dharma — was recognized as the 7th incarnation of the Drikung Kagyu Lama, Gar Drubchen, a Tibetan mahasiddha and spiritual emanation of Nagarjuna, the 2nd century Indian Buddhist philosopher. Soon after, he was enthroned at his predecessor's monastery, Drong Gon Tubten Dargye Ling Monastery in Nakchukha, Central Tibet, where he resumed his role as Dharma Master to 500 monks.
Shortly before the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, Chökyi Nyima migrated with his parents and younger brother, Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche, to Gangtok, Sikkim. Thereafter, he was enrolled at the Young Lamas' School in Dalhousie, India. At the age of 13, he entered Rumtek, seat of the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, and spent the next 11 years studying the Karma Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu, and Nyingma traditions under the guidance of such eminent masters as His Holiness, the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche.
Thoroughly engaged in the study of such classic philosophical treatises as Vasubhandu's Abhidharma Kosha, the Five Texts of Maitreya, Dharmakirti's Pramanavartika, Shantideva's Bodhicarya Avatara, and Chandrakirti's Madhyamaka Avatara, Tulku Chökyi Nyima earned his khenpo degree at an early age.
In 1974, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche left Rumtek, where he had been personal aide to Rangjung Rigpey Dorje, the 16th Karmapa, and joined his father, mother and younger brother, Chokling Rinpoche, in Boudhanath, a section of Kathmandu, Nepal. There, at the command of the 16th Karmapa, the family of high Lamas established Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery just north of the Great Jarung Khashor Stupa. After its completion in 1976, he was instructed by the Karmapa to become its 25-year-old abbot. His Holiness also advised Tulku Chökyi Nyima to turn his efforts towards instructing Western practitioners. To fulfill this directive, Rinpoche honed his English language skills and began to offer weekend teachings to the flourishing Western community in Nepal and to interested travelers; this ongoing series of free public talks soon became known as the “Saturday Morning Talks.”
 In 1980, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, embarked on a tour of Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia with his son, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, beside him as his attendant and with Erik Pema Kunsang serving as their translator. Wherever they visited, the Lamas gave Dzogchen and Mahamudra teachings and empowerments to numerous people.
In 1981, Tulku Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche founded the Rangjung Yeshe Institute for Buddhist Studies. Next, he established Rangjung Yeshe Publications who have produced many transcripts of his teachings and commentaries.
 Rinpoche has a good command of the English language, and has been instructing a growing number of Western students in meditation practice since 1977. Rinpoche makes every effort to keep his “appointment” with those who fill the main temple in anticipation of his Saturday Morning Talks. When his busy schedule allows, several mornings each week Rinpoche throws open the doors of his personal shrine-room and meets visitors personally. Moreover, each autumn, he conducts a 10-day Fall Seminar on Buddhist teachings, ranging from the most basic to the most esoteric. For the benefit of the international participants, the seminar is offered in Tibetan and translated into English, German, French, Russian, Portuguese, Chinese and a number of other languages.
Among the many fine books published by Rangjung Yeshe Publications, the teachings and commentaries of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche are found within: Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, Song of Karmapa, Bardo Guidebook, Indisputable Truth and Present Fresh Wakefulness.
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