Lho Ontul Kunsang Drodul was the first Lho Ontul Rinpoche. He was the elder brother of Lho Orgyen Nuden Dorje. On in Tibetan means ‗the elder one.‘ He was the reincarnation of Drogben Kieuchung Lotsawa, who was one of the twenty five disciples of Guru Rinpoche. 

Historically, the main yidam deity of the Shogthang family had been Wrathful Guru—the Blazing Fire, according to the terma revelation of Terton Ratnalingpa. 

The first Ontul attained the siddhi from the Wrathful Guru as Yidam, and spent his entire lifetime in strict retreat as a recluse yogi and attained a high realization. 

After becoming a famous lord of yogis, he was often referred to as Onla Drupchen Rinpoche. He was given a formal name of Konchok Sang, but he was affectionately called by the name of Lama Sangha. Because he was the elder brother of Lho Orgyen Nuden Dorje, his subsequent incarnations were popularly known as Lama Ontul. 

There were no clear records of his birth dates, and however, from the biography of Lho Orgyen Nuden Dorje, mentioned that he passed away on the 24th day of the 6th month, the Earth Pig Year, 15th Rabjung. At the time of his passing into parinirvana, three rainbows filled the sky. A red light filled the bedroom, and different types of musical instruments were heard playing in the sky. He was said to have left for Kechari pure land after his death. 

The first Ontul‘s own teacher by name of Lama Yang‘s mummy body is still being preserved. It is said that hairs still continue to grow on the mummy. During the turbulent period of Cultural Revolution in Tibet, when Tibet‘s relics and statues faced tremendous onslaught and destruction, the yogi by the name Togden Gangshar moved the mummy statue to the cave of D‘eu Yagdrup for safe keeping. Later the Lho Lungkar Monastery managed to get hold of one part of the mummy statue from individual people. The mummy is full of fat. 

The Second Lho Ontul Rinpoche, Lho Orgyen Choeying Rangdol, was born in the southern Drong valley. He was born to the bloodline of the family, which produced lines of powerful tantric yogis over centuries. The dates of his birth were not documented, but he was recognized as the reincarnation of the first Ontul Rinpoche, and was subsequently enthroned. 

From his early childhood, he proved himself to be a child prodigy in the field of learning. He took over the responsibly of administrating Lho Gon Monastery when Lho Gyalwai Nyugu, the supreme head of monastery was then too young to take up his traditional leadership. 

He always used to dress like a rag-tag mendicant, and displayed a character of a fearless yogi. At one time, when he went for alms begging in the area of Dhe, he shouted at the people, “Hey, you people, if you have any food to give, you better give me now or else, I, an old beggar, will die of starvation.” 

Whenever he visited a house, he would always sleep nearby a mud stove, instead of sleeping on the proper mattress. The local people always used to remark that whenever he performed a puja, he would bring a lot of luck and wealth to the house owner. People had a lot of devotion to him. 

Towards the later part of his life, he remarked, “Incarnate tulkus of Lho monastery had come of age, I am now going to bestow empowerment and oral transmission. With that, this old man’s task is done.” In doing so, he handed over the entire corpus of instructions and empowerments to the younger generation of both Nyingma and Drikung traditions. Thereafter, he chose to live as a recluse yogi, who spent remainder of his life in retreat – and was never seen in public by people. He had attained a very high realization, and there were many anecdotes of his impeccable clairvoyance and hyper perceptions of the future events to come. 

For instance, he had two nephews, and the older one decided to go for a pilgrimage to Tsari in southern Tibet along with group of other pilgrims. He advised the elder nephew against going for pilgrimage that year saying that he cannot manage alone, but he did not listen. 

The nephew went ahead with pilgrimage of Tsari, and in fact finished the tour, and he said to himself that my uncle lama told me that I couldn‘t manage myself, yet here I did it. On that evening, behind a tree from nowhere one savage-tribal man came forward and stabbed him to death. At that same evening time, when the younger nephew was removing water –bowl offering from the altar, the uncle lama burst out, “oh nephew somebody killed your brother.” 

When the younger nephew got startled to hear about that, and he playfully responded that he was only joking. When other pilgrims returned home, they brought the news of the murder of his elder nephew. Some surviving elders still recounts the anecdote. Likewise, there were many other anecdotes of his extraordinary realizations to mention. He deeply touched the people who come across and won their devotion and respect. He passed away in 1949.

The third Lho Ontul Rinpoche was born in 1950 in the year of Iron Tiger, to a father Namgyal Dorje and mother Paltso. He is the third child of the five brothers of which three were incarnate tulkus including him. His elder brother was Bagyo Rinpoche, and younger brother is Beri Gyalsey Rinpoche. When he was in mother‘s womb, the mother heard him shouted, “I fell down from a cliff and landed in mother’s womb. Mother don’t worry, Lama protects you.” 

Just after he was recognized and enthroned to the seat monastery, the entire Tibet descended into political chaos. In 1957, the Fire Bird Year, with his parents and relatives, he fled Tibet to escape Chinese persecution. They braved tremendous dangers along the escape route, and instructed to rely solely on trusted people and guide, and eventually they all reached India safely. 

Nyingmapa abbot, Thupten Oser became his principle teacher along with others. Under their tutelage, he studied the entire range of sutra and tantra texts, and became a learned master of high reputation. 

In the holy site of Rewalsar, where previously Padmasambhava and his consort-disciple Mandarava were burnt alive, however, later they were found to be alive, covered in a rainbow with dew drops on their skins. The entire bonfire was transformed into a lake as it currently exists. In that holy site, referred famously by Tibetans as ‗Tso Pema,‘ the present Lho Ontul Rinpoche set up the second Wogmin Thupten Shedrup Ling Monastery.

The sixth Lho Drongdul Konchok Tenzin Drodul Pel Sangpo passed away into nirvana in 1960. The reliable news of his demise was brought to us by Lhathog Yonge Pekar who by then had safely reached exile India after fleeing Chinese occupation and persecution inside Tibet. 

In 1967, Lho Ontul Rinpoche immediately approached the sixteenth Karmapa Rangjung Rigpai Dorje, the supreme lord of Karma Kargyu tradition, when he was visiting Bir Tibetan settlement on his way to Pilgrimage to Tso Pema. 

Lho Ontul Rinpoche sought the sixteenth Karmapa’s clairvoyant vision to ascertain the birth of the incarnation of previous Lho Drongdul Rinpoche. However, the sixteenth Karmapa responded that according to his mystic clairvoyant vision, the reincarnation was not yet being born. 

Later Lho Ontul Rinpoche approached the sixteenth Karmapa in 1970 and 1976 respectively to seek his clairvoyant advice on the whereabouts of the reincarnation of the late Lho Drongdul Rinpoche. However, on both occasions, the sixteenth Karmapa responded that he did not see any clairvoyant signs of the reincarnation of Lho Drongdul Rinpoche being born.

Terton Thupten Choekyi Nyima, or more widely known as Dzogchen Ganor Rinpoche, who is widely regarded as the combined activity emanation of Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, Namkhai Nyingpo, and Lhalung Pel Kyi Dorje had a series of vivid visions beginning from 1999 onwards, the Tibetan year of Iron Dragon. 

He attested, “Earlier in the Tibetan year of Earth Tiger, 13th day of the 10th month, at dawn I had a vision. I saw myself being present inside a monastery that had twenty-one monk quarters. The monks told me that the Lord Jigden Sumgon had come to the monastery. In the vision, the Lord Jigden Sumgon’s physical appearance looked similar to Drikung Drubwang Rinpoche, donning a long dreadlock hair. Instantly, I thought to myself that the Lord Jigden Sumgon was an ordained monk and had no hair on his head. 

The Lord Jigden Sumgon turned to me and immediately remarked, “if signs are interpreted and conceived correctly, one can assume any physical form and appearance. It makes no difference at all!” 

Again, the Lord Jigden Sumgon remarked, 

Ho! The body of great unchanging bliss

This is not wavered from the great space of emptiness

Whose display of emanation assumes infinite ways according to disposition of sentient beings

One who represents the form of great primordial Buddhas

One known as Orgyen Drodul Nuden Dorjechang

His Quality-aspect emanation bears Ratna as the last name 

Is a child born to method (father) Tenzin and wisdom (mother) Dolma

Will be the holder of the four preciousness 

In the year of consecration, the year is nineteen

Auspicious omens will arise excellently clear

The noble being from Lungkar Gon Monastery 

Emaho, how wonderful!

Instantly after he spoke those lines, he disappeared from the view. I woke up from the lucid vision. It was 4: am in the morning. 

I, one who bears the name Dzogchen Ganor Tulku, wrote down my vision on the 13th day of the 10th month of Tibetan Earth Tiger Year, 17th Hexagonal Year, 1999.

The supreme head of the Drikung Kargyu, the lineage of meaning, Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche on 14, April, 2003, issued a decree letter formally declaring the recognition of the 7th Lho Drodul Rinpoche.

“May the triple refuge and the three roots grant auspiciousness! Dzogchen Ganor Rinpoche, the treasure revealer of the degenerate times, has had over a period of time, received a series of pure visions, which pointed to a boy named Karma Ratna born to father Drikung Lho Ontul Rinpoche, and mother Tashi Dolma, as the Quality-aspect emanation of Orgyen Drodul Nuden Dorje of Lungkar Gon Monastery. 

Likewise, from our side, our finding is in agreement with vision of Dzogchen Ganor Rinpoche. We refer to the boy Karma Ratna as the Quality-aspect emanation of Lho Drodul Rinpoche. 

Bestow the name Orgyen Rangjung Drodul Dechen Dorje Pel Sangpo to the boy. The following puja and rites are advised to be performed: the recitation of 100,000 verses, 1000 offerings of Namgyalma, 10,000 rite of Dukhar, and propitiation of Achi protector. 

Dzogchen Ganor Rinpoche had already recognized the boy Karma Ratna or also known as Orgyen Rangjung Drodul Dechen Dorje, who is born to the father Ontul Konchok Tenzin Thrinley Rabgye and mother Tashi Dolma as the Quality-aspect emanation of Orgyen Nuden Dorje, the supreme lord of Lho Lungkar Gon Monastery or otherwise known as Ogmin Thupten Shedrub Ling Monastery. 

If the boy grow up to emulate and continue the sublime deeds of his sublime predecessors, and diligently exert himself in acquiring the actual intent of Buddha’s teaching, then this would certainly fulfill the dual purposes — liberation deed for oneself and leading other sentient beings to liberation. If such a purpose is fulfilled, then that is the sole purpose of the reincarnation system. Therefore, it is very important to practice Buddha dharma in true spirit. 

The Dalai Lama, 14, April, 2003

Karma Ratna was born on 10, June, 1980 in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. The preliminary enthronement took place on March 6, 2004 at Lumbini, Nepal. It was followed the actual enthronement ceremony which took place on February 16, 2005, recognizing formally as the Quality emanation of the sixth Lho Drongdul Rinpoche at his seat monastery Ogmin Thupten Shedrup Ling at Tso Pema, Rewalsar, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. The actual enthronement ceremony was presided by Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche, Ladakh Togden Rinpoche, Lho Ontul Rinpoche, and Dzogchen Ganor Rinpoche. 

Long time ago, some 1,200 years ago, Tso Pema, Mandi was previously blessed and visited by a sublime yogi Adamantine Sky. Nuden Dorje upon remembering his former life as yogi Adamantine Sky spoke of his previous life in his extremely secret hagiography. It states,

• Then later on in Zahor (Mandi) Ghandakota, 
• A wealthy householder with punya as a name
• And housewife with a name starting with A syllable
• At eight the child engaged in study of Dharma
• At fifteen he studied the meaning of tantra
• He became a godly figure without peers and just by practicing a Sadhana,
• He attained immediate signs and qualities
• One day he arrived at the isle of Padmasambhava
• And followed the teaching of the Lotus Born
• In the doctrine of both Sutra and Tantra
• And in Yana of Great Perfection without renunciation
• Practicing the whispered teaching, he attained siddhi
• He was known as yogi adamantine sky
• He tamed beings and attained a body of light
• The Yana of Great Perfection acquired great fame and following
• Thirty thousand fortunate beings attained liberation. 

 

Therefore, one could certainly posit that the birth of Karma Ratna in Mandi could be in accordance to aspiration yogi Adamantine Sky made in previous times to be born again in the age of strife to lead degenerate beings to liberation. Such correlation is not deemed far-fetched. 

Both parents of Karma Ratna had not paid any particular attention to signs before and after his birth. Later after Dzogchen Ganor received a series of visions, and upon retrospection, in the year of his birth, a yogi Ngakchang Wangthang Dorje had an unusual dream. 

In the dream, he dreamt a place so beautiful, a meadow mountain landscape dotted with beautiful flowers and amidst that a large congregation of monks and nuns had gathered blowing conches and trumpets. There was a golden and silver Vajra. Ontul Rinpoche took the golden Vajra, and Ngakchang Wangthang took the silver Vajra. He even related his dream to his close friends. 

In the same year, Ngakchang Wangthang was appointed as Vajra Acharya of the Tesi monastery by Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche. Likewise a special incarnate child was destined to be born to Lho Ontul Rinpoche. That was the import of the dream. 

Likewise yogi Kunsang Dorje, during his stay in Tso Pema had a dream sign on the day son Karma Ratna was born. He remarked that he believed Ontul Rinpoche is blessed with a reincarnation of Lho Drongdul Rinpoche. 

An old hermit Tashi Gonpo, who lived on the top of Padmasambhava cave complex, had a particular dream. In the dream, he saw a huge rainbow arched over with one tip touching Mandi city and other tip landed on Drikung Kargyu Monastery. He remarked, “The newly born child must be a holy being. Please keep him clean.”

Karma Ratna started his English language education under the watch of his mother in 1985. Later he attended the kindergarten at Gangtok from 1987 – 1988. 

At the end of that year, he accompanied his parents at Panga Monastery in Manali to attend the Four Branches Empowerment given by Khenchen Thupten Ozer Rinpoche. When it was time for him to return to kindergarten school in Gangtok, he was very adamant about not going back to school. He instead expressed his steadfast resolve to become a monk. With no avail, the parents agreed to his wish reluctantly since he was the only child. 

In 1888, Karma Ratna joined the sangha community of Drikung Jangchup Ling at the age of eight. In 1989, he took up novice vows from Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche. 

He studied Tibetan writing and reading, history, grammar and linguistics under a tutor Sangay Tenzin at Jangchup Ling Monastery, Dehradun from 1988 – 1996. 

He studied Tibetan and English languages, grammar text, and mathematics under tutor Tenzin Jampa. He studied Tibetan calligraphy and cursive under tutor Konchok Samten, and studied English language under Joan Loaber. He studied English language and computer education under Edoardo Zentner and Taklha Tenzin Choekyi. 

He studied Fifty Verses of Sramana, Three Hundred Verses, Friendly Letter by Nagarjuna, and The Bodhisattva Way of Life under Khenpo Konchok Monlam. 

He studied The Bodhisattva Way of Life on two occasions under Khenpo Tokdrol. He studied Madhyamaka under Khenpo Konchok Tashi. 

He joined Zongsar Buddhist Higher College in 1997, Bir, Himachal Pradesh and remained there till 2005. He entered into a strict one-month Long Life retreat at Tso Pema monastery. 

He studied Buddhist Logic and Reasoning, The Bodhisattva Way of Life, Mahayana Lamkara Sutra, Four Hundred Verses of Madhyamaka, Fundamentals of Madhyamaka, Valid Cognition, Tsema Namdrel, Abhidharma, Buddhist Cosmology, and other Abhidharma discourses under Khenchen Kunga Wangchuk, Khenpo Choeying Lhundrub, Khenpo Tsering, Khenpo Shenyen, Khenpo Choeying Dorje, Khenpo Norbu Tsering, and Khenpo Namgyal. 

He received in particular an explanatory transmission of the Six Paramitas under Khenchen Kunga Wangchuk, and reading transmission of Manjushree Namasamgita from Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. 

He studied till Grade Sixth at Dzongsar College, and in the same year he planned to accompany his father Ontul Rinpoche on a visit to Lho Monastery inside Tibet. However, he did not get a visa permit from the Chinese government. 

He instead then visited and stayed in Malaysia and Singapore for two months. After his return to Tso Pema Monastery, he undertook the preliminary practices of Gongpa Yangsab for four months under a strict retreat. 

He studied discourses and treaties on Mahayana paramitas texts for his Seventh Grade at Dzongsar College in Bir, and studied treatises on Madhyamaka, and the Fundamentals of Madhyamaka for the Eight Grade at the Dzongsar College. 

In 2000, he received the great empowerment of Vajrakilaya from the Sakya Trichen at Bir Pema Evam Monastery. Prior to that in 1987, he received Kalachakra Tantra empowerment from His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1987 at Bodhgaya, Bihar. 

In between 16 October, 2000 and 9 March, 2001 at Drikung Jangchup Ling, Dehradun, he received extraordinary reading, pith and empowerments of Drikung Kargyu tradition from Kyabje Garchen Konchok Tenzin Nyima Rinpoche. 

He also received Fifty Initiations of Drikung Kargyu, essential initiations of dharma protectors, oral transmissions and empowerments of the Six Classes of Gongpa Yangsab in complete and sequential manner according to the tradition of Rigzin Choekyi Drakpa. 

He received from his own father Lho Ontul Rinpoche the Essential Points of Stages of Path of Mahayana, the medium scope ripening initiation of the Great Bliss Sadhana of Nuden Dorje, Chod Empowerment, and eight volumes of Nuden Dorje’s teachings in entirety.