Venerable
Choje Lama Karma Shedrup Chogyi Senge Kartung was
born in east Tibet, in Kham Nangchen, at a
place called Chodrak. It is an area which
is considered a very important pilgrimage
area, as it is one of the holy places of Padmasambhava
and also an area in which the consort of Padmasambhava,
Yeshe Tsogyal is believed to continually manifest.
Due to this and the special abilities of Lama
Shedrup’s mother, who was a great Vajrayana
practitioner, many people in the area regarded
her as one of the Tsogyal emanations. |
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The local monastery
is of the Bah Rum Kagyu lineage, one of the
Kagyu Schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Lama Shedrup’s
grandfather Kagyu Karma Tashi Gyalsay Jinpin
Chogyi Lodo Pal Zangpo (Lama Karta) was one
of the main lineage holders of the Bah Rum
Kagyu.
Both of Lama Shedrup’s parents were
considered noble and great practitioners and
were well known in the area where they were
farmers until 1959 when the communist Chinese
overran the country. Many of Lama Shedrup’s
family were killed by the communist army.
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Lama Shedrup and
some of his family were able to escape by
embarking on a very difficult journey from
east Tibet to India. Arriving at the border,
many other Tibetans were there waiting to
gain entry. Conditions were poor, disease
rampant, and as a result further members of
his family died.
Soon after arriving in India Lama Shedrup’s
family met Dr Namkha Dorje and then Lama Shedrup
was able to enter Karma Tharjay Chokhorling
Monastery. Lama Shedrup then spent many years
studying under many Rinpoches and the abbot
of the monastery, Venerable Lama Doday. Later
he completed the traditional three-year retreat
under Khabje Kalu Rinpoche along with many
other retreats. |
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For many years
he ran the monastery and supervised the construction
of further monasteries. Following the wishes
of His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, Venerable
Lama Shedrup came to New Zealand with Venerable
Lama Samten as representatives of His Holiness,
and to be one the resident teachers at Karma
Choeling Buddhist Monastery in Kaukapakapa.
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