Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche

Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche (1953–2020) was the second son of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. The 16th Karmapa recognised him as a tulku of Chokgyur Lingpa, the 19th-century treasure revealer, and he was the fourth in this line of incarnations and a holder of the Chokling Tersar. A second line of Chokgyur Lingpa’s incarnations continues through Neten Chokling Rinpoche.

Shortly before 1959 he left Tibet with his parents and his elder brother, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, for Sikkim. He was educated at the Young Lamas’ School in Dalhousie and then at Rumtek Monastery, and studied with teachers of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages, including the 16th Karmapa, Thrangu Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche, Kalu Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche and his father.

At the Karmapa’s request, the family built Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling at the Boudha stupa in Kathmandu, and it became his home. There he served as Master of Vajrayana Ceremonies. He also oversaw monasteries, nunneries and practice centres in Tibet, India, Bhutan and Sikkim, published two books, established the Chokgyur Lingpa Foundation for religious, humanitarian and educational projects, and wrote a short guru yoga on his father.

He and his wife, Sangyum Dechen Paldon, had four children: Phakchok Rinpoche, Mingyur Paldron, Kelsang Bhuti and Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche, who is recognised as the reincarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He died in Singapore on 18 December 2020 after a long illness following a stroke.