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Born in 1969 in Mahi Chuma Thang, Leh, north India, the present Tersay Thutop Rinpoche was given the name of Sonam Dhundup in his childhood. At the age of eight, Rinpoche was brought to Palpung Sherabling by his father Jyamyang Tsering and mother Nimma. He took the refuge vow from his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa and was bestowed the name of Karma Tashi Phuntsok.
After three years of learning in elementary Tibetan, English, and Indian languages as well as practices in chanting prayers, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche continued and studied "Bodhicaryavatara", "A letter to King by Nagarjuna", "Three Disciplines" etc. under guidance of V.V. the late Khenpo Khaydrup.
At his thirteenth year, Rinpoche was recognized by his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa as reincarnation of the previous Tersay Thutop Rinpoche at Palpung Monastery. One year later, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche was enthroned at Karma Thubten Chokhor Ling Maha Monastery ("Maha Monastery") in Ladakh by the previous V.V. Tsurphu Drupon Dechen Rinpoche. Same year, founder of the monastery, the previous V.V. Tsurphu Drupon Dechen Rinpoche, left for restoration project of Tsurphu Monastery according to H.H. the 16th Karmapa's previous instruction. In the subsequent two decades, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche looked after Maha Monastery on behalf of his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa.
Maha Monastery is sited among the Himalayas at an altitude of 14,107 feet above sea level. It was established in 1970 by the previous V.V. Tsurphu Drupon Dechen Rinpoche. The monastery was offered to the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa on May 26, 1976.
Ever since Tersay Thutop Rinpoche's sixteenth year, he had been receiving empowerments, sacred instructions, reading transmissions, and leaning rituals from the previous V.V. Tsurphu Drupon Dechen Rinpoche. Meanwhile Tersay Thutop Rinpoche learned to perform Sacred Vajra Dances of Tsurphu tradition. In his seventeenth year onward, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche was the major Sacred Vajra Dance performer at Maha Monastery for yearly Mahakala Puja held on the end of Aug. in Kalachakra Calendar calendar.
At the age of nineteen, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche received novice vow from his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa and was bestowed the name of Karma Chokyi Sengay Thenlay Kunchab.
At the same year, the previous V.V. Tsurphu Drupon Dechen Rinpoche released Maha Monastery management responsibility to fully dedicate himself to the Tsurphu Monastery restoration project. Hence Tersay Thutop Rinpoche took over full responsibilities of looking after Maha Monastery. Regardless, every winter Tersay Thutop Rinpoche returned to Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat to receive lineage transmissions from his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa and V.V. the late fifth Kyabje Salje Rinpoche; the latter being another renowned master in Karma Kagyu lineage, who gave Tersay Thutop Rinpoche many precious teachings, empowerments, sacred instructions, and reading transmissions.
During summer time, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche traveled among nomadic areas of Ladakh to introduce Dharma and to give empowerments. And in autumn, Rinpoche did retreat for one to two months. It was during those days Rinpoche picked up Ladakh dialect.
At his age of twenty-one, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche learned the Sacred Vajra Dances from Lama Paga Gyaltso, who was acknowledged as the most proficient performer in Sacred Vajra Dances of Palpung tradition. Later Rinpoche became the major Sacred Vajra Dance performer for the annual year-end Mahakala Puja held at Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat.
At the age of twenty-two, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche took the full ordination vow from his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa.
At the age of twenty-five, assigned and dispatched by his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche made his first trip to twenty three Karma Kagyu centers in Taiwan and Hong Kong Karma Kagyu Center for giving Dharma teachings. At the same time, Rinpoche started to pick up Mandarin.
At the age of twenty-six, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche started establishing Karma Thubten Chokhor Ling Junior High School, which is located at an altitude of 14,107 feet above sea level in Ladakh. The school buildings were completed in five years, which include classrooms, Prayer Hall, 21 Taras Temple, library, clinic, kitchen, canteen, hostel, video room, electricity and water supplies. More than fifty students were enrolled in the first year. Tersay Thutop Rinpoche also adopted children from the neighborhood to study in the junior high school. Five teachers were invited to give courses in Tibetan, English, History, Mathematics, Nature Science, Painting, and elementary Buddhist philosophy. Aside from constant living and educational requirements in sustaining the whole school and students, the entire expenses in renovating Maha Monastery were fully funded by Tersay Thutop Rinpoche. Astounded by Rinpoche's substantial accomplishments in the Buddhist career, folks in Ladakh are holding reverences and esteems toward this young tulku.
At the age of twenty-seven, supplicated by disciples, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche established Palpung Sherabling Kaohsiung Center in Taiwan. The center was named and inaugurated by the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa. Since then Tersay Thutop Rinpoche has been making constant trips to Taiwan and staying in there three to four months per year.
At the age of thirty-two, under supplications of disciples from northern Taiwan, Tersay Rinpoche established Palpung Sherabling Taoyuan Center.
September 2001, H.H. the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa visited Ladakh in responding to appeals from Tersay Thutop Rinpoche and the Ladakh Buddhist Association. During two weeks of stay in Ladakh, H.H. the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa visited all Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh, giving teachings and empowerments. To everyone's exhilaration, the local muslins cordially invited H.H. the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa to their mosques and to give speeches to the public.
Same year, the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa requested the search for the reincarnation of Tsurphu Drupon Dechen Rinpoche. Under guidance of H.H. the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Tsurphu Drupon Dechen Rinpche's reincarnation was found in Nimma Village, 22 kilometers from Maha Monastery.
The present Tsurphu Drupon Dechen Rinpoche was enthroned at Maha Monastery by Ven. Drupon Rinpoche, on behalf of H.H. the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, on November 17, 2003. Instructed by the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, the renovated Maha Monastery and the newly established junior high school were handed over as gifts to Tsurphu Drupon Dechen Rinpoche on the auspicious day. On December 2, 2003, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche returned to Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat.
At his age of thirty-five, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche received reading transmissions of Kangyur and Rinchen Terzod, one of Five Great Treasuries, from H.E. the 10th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche at Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat.
Supplicated by Tersay Thutop Rinpoche, the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa bestowed precious transmissions of Mahamudra Ocean of Certainty at Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat in Dec. 2004. Tersay Thutop Rinpoche is also in charge of the yearly transmission preparatory work. This lineage transmission will take 6 years to complete group transmissions and the fifth year group transmission has been concluded in April 2009.
At his age of thirty-six, supplications of the Eastern Taiwan followers were answered. Tersay Thutop Rinpoche established Palpung Sherabling Hua-Lain Center.
At the same year, assigned by his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche was in charge of the Palpung International Institute of Buddhist Studies Project, which is part of the Palpung Congregation in Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat. The Project will be completed and full functioned at the end of 2009.
At the age of thirty-seven, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche received empowerments and sacred instructions of Rinchen Terzod, one of the Five Great Treasuries, from his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, and reading transmissions from V.V. the 7th Yongey Mingyur Dorje Rinpoche at Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat. Tersay Thutop Rinpoche was assigned to be in charge of the Five Great Treasuries transmissions preparatory work and the precious transmissions took three years to complete.
At his age of thirty-eight, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche received empowerments and sacred instructions of Kagyu Ngakzod and Dam Ngakzod, two of the Five Great Treasuries, from his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, and reading transmissions from H.E. the 10th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche at Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat.
At his age of thirty-nine, in order to introduce the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa's precious Dharma teachings, approved and blessed by his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, Tersay Thutop Rinpoche formed and is in charge of "Palpung Media Studio" at Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat.
Supplicated by Tersay Thutop Rinpoche, the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa bestowed the second session of precious transmission of Mahamudra Ocean of Certainty at Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat. Tersay Thutop Rinpoche is also in charge of the yearly transmission preparatory work. Over 300 students from all over the world received the transmission. The second level of this transmission session has concluded in April, 2009.
At the same age (thirty-nine), Tersay Thutop Rinpoche received empowerments and sacred instructions of Gyachen Kadzod, one of the Five Great Treasuries, from his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, and reading transmissions from H.E. the 10th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche. He has also received reading transmissions and sacred instructions of Treasury of All-Pervading Knowledge, one of the Five Great Treasuries, from his Guru Vajradhara the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa at Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat. During the transmissions, he received the teachings on Jewel Ornament of Liberation composed by Gampopa from H.E. the 10th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche.
At his age of forty, supplications of Central Taiwan followers were answered. Tersay Thutop Rinpoche established Palpung Sherabling Taichung Center.
Tersay Thutop Rinpoche currently is supervising all four Palpung Sherabling centers in Taiwan.
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