H.E. Dza Kilung Rinpoche was born in Dzachuka, Eastern Tibet. He is the fifth incarnation of Drupwang Jigme Ngotsar Gyatso, one of the four principal heart disciples of the renowned Dzogchen master Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa. Drupwang Jigme Ngotsar Gyatso was the founder of Kilung Monastery in the 18th century.

From an early age, Rinpoche received extensive training from some of the most accomplished Dzogchen masters of his native region of Dzachuka. Deeply rooted in the authentic Nyingma Longchen Nyingtik tradition, he has a rare gift for presenting profound Buddhist teachings in a way that is clear, practical, and directly relevant to modern life. His teachings preserve the depth and authenticity of the lineage while making its timeless wisdom accessible to people from all backgrounds.

At the age of seventeen, Rinpoche became the head of Kilung Monastery in Eastern Tibet. In 1993, he left Tibet on pilgrimage, intending to be away for less than a year. Instead, after a longer journey, he arrived in the United States in 1998, where he founded the Kilung Foundation and began sharing the Buddha’s teachings with Western students and audiences around the world.

Rinpoche’s home base is on Whidbey Island, Washington, where he founded and serves as the spiritual leader of the Pema Kilaya Sangha and the Yeshe Long Tibetan Buddhist Center. He regularly teaches throughout the United States and internationally in Asia, Europe, and South America.

In addition to his Dharma activities, Rinpoche has led numerous humanitarian projects benefiting Tibetan communities, including education for nomadic children, healthcare initiatives, infrastructure development, and disaster relief.

Rinpoche is the author of The Relaxed Mind: A Seven-Step Method for Deepening Meditation Practice and The Free Mind: Finding Clarity in a Digitally Distracted World.

For more information about H.E. Dza Kilung Rinpoche and his activities, please visit www.kilung.org.