Ngak’chang Rinpoche will be 70 this year and it has been 50 years since he first journeyed to the Himalayas — where he became the disciple of Kyabjé Düd’jom Rinpoche Jig’drèl Yeshé Dorje. Kyabjé Düd’jom Rinpoche asked Ngak’chang Rinpoche to establish the gö kar chang lo’ dé (sangha of ngakpas and ngakmas) in the West and Ngak’chang Rinpoche has ever since worked diligently to fulfill this promise. Today more than 70 of his students have been ordained as ngakmas and ngakpas or as naljormas and naljorpas and more than 20 of them have started to become teachers of the Aro gTér. This shows that the White Sangha has actually started to take roots in the West.

However, Kyabjé Künzang Dorje Rinpoche, one of the root lamas of Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen, gave the clear advice that for the future survival of this lineage it will be of primary importance to establish a retreat center  To this end Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen have spent almost 30 years saving and in 2019 it finally became possible to buy the land for Drala Jong. We now need help to complete the project by building a shrine hall and residential facilities for Drala Jong. Drala Jong emphasises the integration of practice with everyday working life. and is unique in presenting Vajrayana in terms of the Art of Life.

Please consider making a donation to Drala Jong to celebrate the 70th birthday of Ngak’chang Rinpoche.