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Madan Gopal Chitkara (Hindi: मदन गोपाल चितकारा), born on September 22, 1932 in the Bannu district of what is now Pakistan, is an Indian lawyer and writer. After the partition of India, he moved with his family to Shimla. He has served as the Advocate General of Himachal Pradesh and Vice-President of the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Court since 1993. ([https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madan_Gopal_Chitkara Source Accessed Apr 8, 2021]) +
Venerable Geshe Tenzin Chodrak (Dadul Namgyal) is a prominent scholar in Tibetan Buddhism. He has a doctorate (Geshe Lharampa) in Buddhism and Philosophy from the Drepung Monastic University earned in 1992. He also holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from Panjab University in Chandigarh, India.
Author of several articles on Buddhism, Geshe-la was also a professor of Philosophy at Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarnath, Varanasi, India for seven years. In addition, he has been the Spiritual Director of LSLK Tibetan Buddhist Center, Knoxville, USA.
Due to his facility in both Tibetan and English, he has served as interpreter and speaker for numerous conferences exploring the interface of Buddhism with modern science, Western philosophy and psychology, and other religious traditions on both a national and international level. His language ability has also enabled him to serve as an English language translator for His Holiness the Dalai Lama throughout the world.
As a published author and translator, Geshe-la’s credits include a Tibetan translation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s ''Power of Compassion'', a language manual, ''Learn English through Tibetan'', and a critical work on Tsongkhapa’s ''Speech of Gold''. He also serves as a Board Member for Tibet House, New York.
From 2010 until recently, he had served as Senior Resident Teacher at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta. Around the same time, he began full-time position as Senior Translator/Interpreter with the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-based Ethics at Emory University, Atlanta. There he was working in producing a six-year bilingual (English and Tibetan) science curriculum and preparing additional research & pedagogy materials in Modern Science for use in Tibetan monasteries and nunneries.
Geshe-la visited several times, inspiring us with his passion for Madhyamaka philosophy and his sheer joy in sharing Buddha’s teachings. See photos of Geshe-la teaching at Sravasti Abbey in 2016.
The Sravasti Abbey community is delighted that Geshe-la is now a resident teacher at the Abbey. He brings his abundant knowledge, compassion, and humility and acts as an excellent role model for new monastics at the Abbey. Since joining our community, he has decided to go by his ordination name, Venerable Tenzin Chodrak. (Source: [https://sravastiabbey.org/advisory-member/geshe-dadul-namgyal/ sravastiabbey.org])
Reverend Dr. Chodrung-ma Kunga Chodron (also known as Lois Peak), teaches courses meditation at Vassar College. She served for five years as an Assistant Research Professor at The George Washington University, where she taught courses in Buddhism, Buddhist Philosophy, and Tibetan Buddhism in the Department of Religion. Professor Kunga Chodron has been the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships, including several recent grants for translation of Buddhist sutras from the Khyentse Foundation, as well as fellowships and grants from the Association of Asian Studies, Spencer Foundation, and Social Science Research Council. She has authored several books and many articles on Buddhism and education in Asia.<br><br>Kunga Chodron speaks and reads the Tibetan language, and together with Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen has co-translated eight book-length works on Buddhist philosophy and ritual as well as over a hundred shorter works. She is a core member of the working committee of the Buddhist Literary Heritage Project, which is undertaking the translation of the Tibetan Buddhist Canon, known as the Tripitaka, into English.<br><br>Kunga Chodron received a doctorate in Comparative Human Development and a master’s degree in Human Development from Harvard Graduate School of Education. At Harvard, she also served for two years as an editor of the Harvard Educational Review. She worked for the U.S. government for over 15 years, serving in senior research and policy positions in the U.S. Department of Education.<br><br>Kunga Chodron has been a Buddhist nun for over twenty years. She has received many teachings from eminent Sakya lineage holders, including His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, His Eminence Luding Khen Chen Rinpoche, and the Very Venerable Dezhung Rinpoche. Her primary teacher is Venerable Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen.<br><br>In 2001, Kunga Chodron assisted in the founding of and has since continuously served as Secretary/Treasurer of Tsechen Kunchab Ling Temple, which is the Seat of His Holiness Sakya Trizin in the United States. In 1986, she also assisted in the founding and has since served as President of Sakya Phuntsok Ling Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies and Meditation in Silver Spring Maryland.<br><br>His Holiness Sakya Trizin appointed Kunga Chodron as a member of the Committee of Western Bhiksunis in 2009. In 2011, he bestowed upon her the title of Chodrung-ma (Senior Nun). ([https://www.bhiksuniordination.org/about_cmt_KC.html Source Accessed Apr 2, 2021])
A native of the U.S., Ven. Chodron, whose Chinese Dharma name is De Lin, is particularly qualified to teach Western monastics. She trained in Asia for many years, receiving novice ordination from Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in 1977 and full ordination in Taiwan in 1986. Her teachers include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and Lama Thubten Yeshe and many others.
In addition to founding Sravasti Abbey, Ven. Chodron is a well-known author and teacher. She has published many books on Buddhist philosophy and meditation, including four volumes (so far) in The Library of Wisdom and Compassion, co-authored with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with whom she has studied for nearly forty years. Find info on the first four volumes in the series here: Volume 1, ''Approaching the Buddhist Path''; Volume 2, ''The Foundation of Buddhist Practice''; Volume 3, ''Samsara, Nirvana, & Buddha Nature'', and Volume 4, ''Following in the Buddha’s Footsteps''.
Ven. Chodron teaches worldwide and is known for her practical (and humorous!) explanations of how to apply Buddhist teachings in daily life. She was resident teacher at Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore and Dharma Friendship Foundation in Seattle. Ven. Chodron is also actively involved in prison outreach and interfaith dialogue. ([https://sravastiabbey.org/community-member/thubten-chodron/ Source Accessed Nov 1, 2021]) +
Khenpo David Karma Choephel studied Buddhist philosophy at the Vajra Vidya Institute in Namo Buddha, Nepal, and Sarnath, India. He currently serves as Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche’s main English-language translator, and also translates for the Gyalwang Karmapa and the Kagyu Monlam.
His published translations include ''Ngondro for Our Current Day'' by the Gyalwang Karmapa, ''Heart of the Dharma'' by Khenchen Trangu Rinpoche, ''Jewels from the Treasury, Vasubandhu’s Verses on the Treasury of Abhidharma'', with commentary by the Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje, all published by KTD Publications; and ''Vivid Awareness: The Mind Instructions of Khenpo Gangshar'' by Thrangu Rinpoche, published by Shambhala Publications. His most recent translation, ''The Torch of True Meaning: Instructions and the Practice Text for the Mahamudra Preliminaries'' by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye and the Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje, was taught by the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, ''A Collection of Commentaries on The Four-Session Guru Yoga'', Compiled by the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, both published by KTD Publications. ([http://www.ktdpublications.com/david-karma-choephel/ Source Accessed Feb 12, 2020]) +
Geshe Lharampa Tenzin Choephel is the text tutor of Drepung Gomang Monastery. +
Produced a Chinese translation of Nāgārjuna's ''Praise to Satisfying Sentient Beings,'' published by Kurukulla Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies in 2015. +
Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi is a Buddhist nun who first became interested in meditation and Buddhism in the early 1970s, and became a student of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist teachers in early 1991. Venerable Tenzin took novice ordination in 2004 with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and completed several long meditation retreats over a six year period. Venerable Tenzin teaches Buddhist philosophy and meditation within the FPMT network, and also teaches Cultivating Emotional Balance (a secular program developed by Alan Wallace and Paul Ekman). She is passionate about social justice and interfaith work in addition to her Buddhist practice, and has been teaching in prisons for the last 13 years. ([https://www.compassioninstitute.com/teachers/tenzin-chogkyi/ Source Accessed Oct 29, 2021]) +
A modern Tibetan biography is available on [https://www.tbrc.org/#!rid=W1KG17214 BDRC W1KG17214 ]: bco brgyad khri chen rin po che'i mdzad rnam mdor bsdus. Edited by Yon tan bzang po (P5949). Kathmandu, Nepal: Sachen International, 2008.
His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Ngawang Khyenrab Thupten Lekshe Gyatso, is the most senior Sakya Lama and the head of the Tsar sub-school of Sakya tradition. His Eminence is a renowned tantric master, a dedicated practitioner, an outstanding scholar, an eloquent poet, and embodies the wisdom, spirit and activities of the holy Dharma. His Eminence is a master of masters as most Tibetan Buddhist lineage holders are his disciples. Amongst these disciples are His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, and His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin, Ngawang Kunga, and His Eminence is regarded as the definitive authority on Kalacakra Tantra. In addition to His Eminence's stature among Tibetan lamas, the late King Birendra of Nepal awarded His Eminence "Gorkha Dakshin Babu", a tribute which has never been awarded to a Buddhist monk in Nepal before.
Born in 1919 in the Tsang province of Central Tibet into the Zhalu Kushang family of the Che clan, a lineage descended from the clear light gods, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the previous Chogye Rinpoche of Nalendra Monastery by the 13th Dalai Lama, Thupten Gyatso. Many auspicious and marveleous signs accompanied His Eminence's birth. His Eminence is the 26th patriarch of Phenpo Nalendra Monastery, North of Lhasa. Founded by Rongton Sheja Kunrig (1367-1449), Nalendra is one of the most important Sakya monasteries in Tibet. Wondrously, each generation of the Kushang family has produced no less than four sons, most of who have served as throne holders of many important monasteries including Nalendra, Zhalu and Ngor.
The name "Kushang" meaning 'royal maternal uncle' derived from the fact that many daughters from the family were married to numerous Sakya throne holders, one of whom, Drogon Chagna, was supreme ruler of Tibet, who succeeded Chogyal Phakpa.
The name "Chogye" means 'Eighteen' and comes from the time of Khyenrab Choje, the 8th abbot of Nalendra who also belonged to the aristocratic Kushang family. Khyenrab Choje, a great teacher possessing the direct lineage of Kalacakra received from Vajrayogini, was invited to be the abbot of Nalendra by Sakya Trizin Dagchen Lodro Gyaltsen (1444-1495). Khyenrab Choje visited the Emperor of China who was greatly impressed by the tantric scholar from Tibet and bestowed on him 'eighteen' precious gifts. From Khyenrab Choje the lineage of Chogye Rinpoches began.
At the age of twelve His Eminence was officially enthroned at the Phenpo Nalendra Monastery. In these early years he studied intensively all the basic liturgies and rituals of Nalendra Monastery. His two main root Gurus were the 4th Zimwog Tulku, Ngawang Tenzin Thrinley Norbu Palzangpo, the other main incarnate lama of Nalendra Monastery, and Dampa Rinpoche Shenphen Nyingpo of Ngor Ewam. From these two great teachers His Eminence recieved all the major and minor teachings of Sakya such as the two Lamdre Traditions, the Greater and Lesser Mahakalas, the Four Tantras, the Thirteen Golden Dharmas, Kalacakra, etc. His Eminence completed extensive studies in all major fields of study taught in Lord Buddha's teachings. His Eminence becomes a master in both Sutrayana and Mantrayana teachings. His Eminence is also a great scholar of literature, poetry, history and Buddhist metaphysics and a highly accomplished poet. ([https://www.yuloling.com/khacho-yulo-ling/spiritual-leaders/his-eminence-chogye-trichen-rinpoche.html Source Accessed June 16, 2020])
Lama Chönam, Chöying Namgyal, was born in Golog, eastern Tibet, in 1964. His root master, Khenpo Münsel, was a direct disciple of Khenpo Ngagchung and was one of the great authentic Dzogchen masters of the 20th century. Since coming to the United States in 1992, Lama Chönam lived near and studied extensively with Kyabjé Thinley Norbu Rinpoche and has engaged in extensive studies under the guidance of Khenchen Namdrol Rinpoche. A co-founder of Light of Berotsana, Lama Chönam assists in translating classical Tibetan literature into English, helps beginning translators meet the highest standard of excellence, and teaches dharma and Tibetan language. (Source: [https://www.berotsana.org/pages/lama-chonam Light of Berotsana] Official Communication, June 14, 2024.) +
Ven. Thubten Chonyi began attending classes with Venerable Thubten Chodron at Dharma Friendship Foundation in Seattle in 1996 and has practiced steadily under Venerable’s guidance ever since.
She was a founder of Friends of Sravasti Abbey, which formed in 2003 to support Ven. Chodron’s dream to start a monastery. She moved to the Abbey in 2007 and took śrāmaṇerikā and śikṣamāṇā precepts in May 2008. See photos of her ordination.
Along with Ven. Jigme, Ven. Chonyi received bhikshuni (full) ordination at Fo Guang Shan temple in Taiwan in 2011. See the photos.
At the Abbey, Ven. Chonyi is involved with publicity and inviting generosity. She also shares Buddha’s teachings at the Abbey, online, and, occasionally, at Buddhist centers in the US and abroad. She has co-taught meditation and Buddhist ideas at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane for 13 years, and especially enjoys interfaith exchange and bringing Buddhist values into social justice issues.
Ven. Chonyi’s formal education was in theatre at Wesleyan College in Macon, GA. She worked for many years as a performer, publicist, fundraiser, and producer in the performing arts. As a Reiki teacher and practitioner for 19 years, she co-founded two Reiki centers and the Reiki AIDS Project, and led classes and workshops in Europe and North America. She was communications director for the international The Reiki Alliance and served eight years as Managing Editor for ''Reiki Magazine International''. ([https://sravastiabbey.org/community-member/thubten-chonyi/ Source Accessed May 16, 2023]) +
Yoke Meei Choong 宗玉媺 currently teaches as an Associate Professor in the Department of Buddhist Studies at Fo Guang University, Taiwan. Her research combines Buddhist philological study with the historical study of Buddhist thought. Her interest lies mainly in the derivation, adaptation and development of Mahāyāna concepts or thought from the ideas of mainstream Buddhism. Her chief publications include "''Nirvāṇa'' and ''Tathatā'' in Yogācāra Texts: The Bodhisattva’s Adaptation of the ''Śrāvaka''-Path", "To Realize or Not to Realize the Supreme Truth: A Change of the Conception of Realization”, “On the Interpretation of ''na śūnyatayā śūnya''", and a book, ''Zum Problem der Leerheit'' (śūnyatā) ''in der Prajñāpāramitā''. (Source: ''A Distant Mirror'', about the authors, 529) +
Wrote an interlinear commentary on the ''Bodhicaryāvatāra'' titled ''Byang chub sems dpa'i spyod pa la 'jug pa'i rnam par bshad pa dam pa'i zhal lung rmongs pa'i mun sel''. His commentary on chapter 9 has a separate title called ''Shes rab le'u'i brjed byang dam pa'i zhal lung rmongs pa'i mun sel''. +
Chos kyi 'od zer (Nom-un gerel, Choiji Odser, or Čosgi Odsir) was a Uighur scholar of the Sakya order who translated the ''Bodhicaryāvatāra'' into Mongolian in 1305 (other sources say 1312, see Baumann, 2008) and wrote a commentary on the text, of which only a fragment remains. According to Liland's MA thesis (2009), he flourished between 1305–1321. According to Alexander Berzin, "The first Buddhist text translated from Tibetan into Mongolian was Shantideva's ''Engaging in Bodhisattva Behavior'' (''Byang-chub sems-dpa'i spyod-pa-la 'jug-pa'', Skt. ''Bodhisattvacaryavatara''). It was prepared by the Uighur translator Chokyi Ozer (Chos-kyi ‘od-zer), during the reign of the Mongol Yuan Emperor Khaisan Külüg (Chin. Wuzong, Wu-tsung, 1308–1311). ([https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/history-culture/transmission-of-buddhism/traditional-guidelines-for-translating-buddhist-texts See Berzin]). Vesna Wallace also notes that he was the first to translate the ''Four Medical Tantras'' from Tibetan to Mongolian. His student was Shes rab seng ge. +
Chökyi Tsöndru was a translator active in the 11th century who collaborated with Jñānaśrībhadra and Ānandagarbha. ([https://library.bdrc.io/show/bdr:P8179?workGenre%5B0%5D=T132&author%5B0%5D=P7166 Source Accessed June 5, 2026]) +
Translator of the ''Vimalakīrtinirdeśasūtra'' and the ''Ratnameghasūtra''. +
Junjie Chu 褚俊傑 is an Indologist and Tibetologist, and teaches IndoTibetan Buddhist philosophy, Sanskrit and classic Tibetan in the Department of Indology and Central Asian Studies at the University of Leipzig, Germany. His current research centers on the Yogācāra system, especially its epistemological theories. He is the author of "On Dignāga’s Theory of the Object of Cognition as Presented in PS(V) 1" (''Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies'') and "A Study of Sataimira in Dignāga’s Definition of Pseudo-Perception (PS 1.7cd-8ab)" (''Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde Südasiens/Vienna Journal of South Asian Studies''). ([https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/4-publikationen/hamburg-buddhist-studies/hamburgup-hbs03-authors-linradich-mirror.pdf Source Accessed June 29, 2020]) +
The Chung Tai Translation Committee comprises of Dharma Masters and lay disciples and convenes regularly. To view or download other sutra translations by CTTC, visit “Dharma Gems” on http://sunnyvale.ctzen.org. See also the publisher, the [https://research.tsadra.org/index.php/Chung_Tai_Shan_Buddhist_Foundation Chung Tai Shan Buddhist Foundation]. +
Felin Chung is a graduate of Rangjung Yeshe Institute's Translator Training Program (TTP). She is a member of the Dharmachakra Translation Committee. +
Ven. George Churinoff (Gelong Thubten Tsultrim) has taught and studied in FPMT centers around the world. Since attending his first November Course in Kopan in 1974 and ordaining in 1975, he has studied extensively. A physics graduate from MIT, Venerable George earned a Masters degree in Buddhist studies from Delhi University, India. He took ordination in 1975 and studied the Geshe Studies Program at Manjushri Institute, England, where he also served as Spiritual Program Coordinator.
Venerable George was instrumental in founding the Masters Program at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Italy, where he also served as Program Coordinator. After studying and teaching there for eight years he spent several years at Tushita Centre in Delhi, followed by three years as Lama Osel Rinpoche's English curriculum tutor at Sera Je Monastery in South India. Venerable George has done many retreats in the sutra and tantra traditions and taught extensively in FPMT centers all over the world. He taught the Basic Program as resident teacher at Dorje Chang Institute, New Zealand and at Land of Medicine Buddha, USA. Venerable George now resides in Asheville, NC. ([https://landofmedicinebuddha.org/events/basic-program-tenets-module-with-ven-george-churinoff-2021-03-19/ Source Accessed Aug 19, 2021]) +
