Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche is a meditation master in the Nyingma lineage of the Buddhist tradition.  He began his studies at the age of fourteen at Larung Gar in Serta, eastern Tibet, with his teacher, the great Jigmed Phuntsok Rinpoche, who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of the twentieth century.

Over the next ten years he received teachings, meditation instructions, and spiritual training in the Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Dzogchen traditions, and developed a special appreciation for the secret treasures of Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava. He inherited from his great teacher a tradition of sharing the Buddhadharma in a way that is practical, experiential, and from the heart, and his time studying with this enlightened master changed his life.

He completed the studies, practice, and meditation training required for the khenpo degree, the highest degree of Buddhist study and practice. Out of a class of over one thousand, he was among the first group of only fifty-five highly accomplished students upon whom Jigmed Phuntsok Rinpoche bestowed the degree. The graduates of this and subsequent classes from Larung Gar now teach throughout the world preserving this unique spiritual heritage.

In 1993 he began teaching in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he stayed at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling for two years as a resident teacher to lamas, monks, and western students. In 1995 he met and received teachings from the sublime Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, who subsequently invited him to come to the United States. In 1996 Lama Tharchin Rinpoche hosted Orgyen Chowang at Pema Osel Ling in Santa Cruz, California, where he taught in the College of Buddhist Studies. Three years later, he moved to Berkeley, California in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he currently resides.

He is renowned among his peers for his ability to get to the heart of what the teachings mean, their essential point. Those who have the opportunity to hear him speak are most often struck by his passion for sharing his knowledge and experience, and his unique and contemporary style of presenting Buddha’s ancient wisdom. His way of approaching the spiritual path is not as an intellectual exercise, but rather as a direct personal experience meant to bring mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. His students treasure him for the joy and clarity he brings to every area of their lives.

Orgyen Chowang teaches regularly in the San Francisco Bay Area and travels throughout the United States to offer seminars and lectures. He is the founder and spiritual director of Atiamrita, an organization dedicated to promoting happiness, inner peace, and enlightenment, and is currently completing work on his first book.

About:

• Atiamrita