Jonang Lama Thukpo Visits Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple and Pays Respects to Living Buddha Lian Sheng
[Seattle, USA / Joint Report by Master Lian Chi and Dharma Instructor Lotus Yi-Ling]
From September 26 to 27, 2026, Lama Thukpo of Dorje Ling Buddhist Center (Kalachakra Center) in Atlanta, Georgia, visited the Founding Temple, Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple, and Rainbow Temple. Introduced and accompanied by Dharma Sister Kelly, Lama Thukpo also visited the True Buddha Tantric Quarter, where he respectfully paid homage to Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu, the Root Lineage Guru of the True Buddha School.
For this two-day visit, Master Lian Chi of Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple first learned about Lama Thukpo’s lineage and Buddhist training background, and then coordinated his visits and exchanges at Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple, the True Buddha Tantric Quarter, and Rainbow Temple.
Ordained at Age Eleven and Trained at Longshijia Monastery of the Jonang Tradition
Lama Thukpo, now 45, was born in Tibet. According to the information provided, he entered monastic life and received ordination at the age of eleven. He received his primary Buddhist education and training at Longshijia Monastery (Lungkya Monastery) in Gade County, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. He later continued his Buddhist studies in India for approximately three years.
His principal teacher was the Jonang master H.H. Ngawang Padma Namgyal Palzangpo, also known as Lama Penam Rinpoche. Lama Thukpo currently resides at Dorje Ling Buddhist Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where he serves as Abbot.
Dorje Ling Buddhist Center has deep connections with the Jonang tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and the Kalachakra lineage. Lama Thukpo also travels to Nepal each year, where he assists local monasteries and schools and supports the education and well-being of children. His primary wish in making this special journey to Seattle was to meet Living Buddha Lian Sheng in person and pay his respects to Grandmaster.
Meeting Living Buddha Lian Sheng at the True Buddha Tantric Quarter and Recalling History Through Precious Photographs
On the afternoon of September 26, Lama Thukpo first visited Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple and then proceeded to the True Buddha Tantric Quarter to meet Living Buddha Lian Sheng.
During their meeting, Lama Thukpo respectfully presented Living Buddha Lian Sheng with a khata, a traditional ceremonial scarf symbolizing auspiciousness and respect, together with gifts as an expression of his reverence.
Living Buddha Lian Sheng warmly received him and, in return, presented Lama Thukpo with several of his own books and publications. These included his latest work, Book 310, The Ringing of the Morning Bell; The Samadhi Beyond Samadhi; the English-language The Vajra Sutra: A Detailed Exposition by Living Buddha Lian Sheng; and the Chinese and English editions of the Living Buddha Lian Sheng Time Corridor guidebook, A Hidden Sanctuary of the Living Buddha. These publications offered Lama Thukpo a deeper understanding of Grandmaster’s lifelong journey of spiritual cultivation, seeking the Dharma, and propagating the Buddhadharma, while also serving as treasured mementos of this Dharma exchange.
Living Buddha Lian Sheng personally placed a khata around Lama Thukpo’s shoulders. The two conversed warmly and posed together for commemorative photographs.
During the visit to the True Buddha Tantric Quarter, Grandmaster personally guided Lama Thukpo through a collection of treasured historical photographs displayed on the walls. He recounted precious memories from his earlier years of Dharma propagation, including his journeys to India in the 1990s and his past encounters and exchanges with Tibetan Buddhist tulkus and rinpoches.
From Grandmaster’s many books and guidebooks to historical photographs spanning several decades, Lama Thukpo observed and listened attentively, gaining a deeper understanding of Grandmaster’s long journey of spiritual cultivation, seeking the Dharma, and propagating the teachings.
Rinpoche Thubten Karmar also participated in the reception and exchange. Rinpoche Thubten Karmar has spent many years engaged in Dharma propagation and charitable work in Nepal, while Lama Thukpo has likewise long supported monasteries and children’s education in Nepal. The two therefore shared many common interests and topics. Their meeting through the Buddhadharma and charitable endeavors added another special karmic connection to the visit.
Visiting the Founding Temple and Attending the Padmakumara Group Practice
That afternoon, accompanied by Abbot Master Lian Yin and others, Lama Thukpo toured the various shrine halls of the Founding Temple. He learned about the history of Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple, the founding and Dharma propagation of the True Buddha School, and the temple’s various shrine halls, mandalas, and sacred images of buddhas and bodhisattvas.
That evening, Lama Thukpo remained at Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple and attended the entire Saturday group practice of the Padmakumara Personal Deity Practice. The temple also formally introduced this distinguished Jonang guest from Atlanta to the congregation.
Kalachakra is one of the most important core teachings of the Jonang tradition. On the very evening of Lama Thukpo’s special visit, Grandmaster spoke in his Dharma teaching about the Kalachakra lineages he had received, as well as the causes and conditions through which he followed his guru’s instructions to propagate the Kalachakra Dharma across the five continents, traveling to many countries to transmit its teachings.
Three Kalachakra Lineages and the Guru’s Instruction to Propagate the Dharma Across Five Continents
According to teachings given over the years by the True Buddha School, Living Buddha Lian Sheng received the Kalachakra Dharma through two human lineages and one meditative lineage known as the “Secret Lineage of Meditative Tranquility.”
The first human lineage is the shorter lineage:
Ninth Panchen Lama → Master Sakya Zhengkong → Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Sheng-Yen Lu
Master Sakya Zhengkong received the Kalachakra empowerment and teachings from the Ninth Panchen Lama in Yushu, Qinghai. He later transmitted this lineage to Living Buddha Lian Sheng in Seattle, United States.
The second is a longer human lineage:
Mongolian Ganjur Rinpoche → Thubten Nyima → Thubten Dali → Thubten Dhargye → Living Buddha Lian Sheng, Sheng-Yen Lu (Thubten Chimo)
This Dharma lineage was transmitted from the great Mongolian tulku Ganjur Rinpoche through successive masters to Master Thubten Dhargye, who then transmitted the sadhana texts and empowerment to Living Buddha Lian Sheng.
In addition, Grandmaster has taught that he directly received the blessings and empowerment of Kalachakra while in profound meditation. This is known as the “Secret Lineage of Meditative Tranquility.”
Following the instructions of his Root Guru, Master Thubten Dhargye, Grandmaster propagated the great Kalachakra Dharma across the five continents. Beginning with his first transmission of the Kalachakra Dharma in Hong Kong in 2000, Grandmaster traveled throughout the world over many years, transmitting Kalachakra and its related esoteric practices in fulfillment of his Root Guru’s instructions. True Buddha School records state that by the 2013 London ceremony in the United Kingdom, Grandmaster had fulfilled his vow to propagate the Kalachakra Dharma across all five continents.
During that evening’s Dharma teaching, Grandmaster also recalled a special event from the Kalachakra Grand Dharma Ceremony held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 25, 2012.
At that time, Grandmaster presided over the Kalachakra Homa Ceremony for calamity eradication, blessings, enrichment, harmony, and deliverance, and gave the first transmission of the Kalachakra Chain Practice. According to Grandmaster’s subsequent public teachings, while he was holding burning incense, a photograph taken at the ceremony showed the rising incense smoke forming an image resembling Kalachakra facing Grandmaster. This extraordinary image has since been remembered by True Buddha School disciples as an auspicious spiritual response. Later official records of Grandmaster’s teachings also described the event as the “2012 Indonesia Grand Dharma Ceremony—Incense Smoke Forming the Image of Kalachakra.”
For Lama Thukpo, whose Buddhist training is rooted in the Jonang tradition, his special journey to meet Living Buddha Lian Sheng coincided with Grandmaster speaking that very evening about his own Kalachakra lineages and the causes and conditions behind his propagation of the Dharma. This added a particularly meaningful Dharma connection to the encounter between practitioners of different lineages.
Following the group practice, Lama Thukpo respectfully joined the congregation in receiving a personal head-touching blessing from Living Buddha Lian Sheng.
After attending the evening’s practice, Lama Thukpo shared his impressions:
“Although our methods of practice are different, I feel that the power of the blessings is equally extraordinary.”
His sincere reflection added a warm and memorable moment to this exchange between different Buddhist traditions.
Visiting Rainbow Temple and Attending the Golden Mother Homa Ceremony
The following day, Sunday, September 27, Lama Thukpo visited Rainbow Temple, where he attended the Homa Ceremony of the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond with Myriad Buddha Hands and Limitless Eyes, presided over by Living Buddha Lian Sheng.
From the Founding Temple, Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple, to his meeting with Living Buddha Lian Sheng at the True Buddha Tantric Quarter, and then to the Homa Ceremony at Rainbow Temple, Lama Thukpo’s two-day visit on Saturday and Sunday was more than a cordial exchange among Buddhist practitioners. It was also an auspicious encounter in which practitioners from different traditions came together through the Buddhadharma in a spirit of mutual respect.
Returning to the Founding Temple to Express Gratitude and Bid Farewell
After completing his two-day Buddhist visit on Saturday and Sunday, Lama Thukpo toured downtown Seattle on Monday, September 28.
That evening, before leaving Seattle, he made a special return visit to Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple to once again express his gratitude to Grandmaster for the warm hospitality he had received and to respectfully bid Grandmaster farewell.
From his arrival in Seattle with the sincere wish to pay homage to Grandmaster, to his return to the Founding Temple before departure to express his gratitude; from viewing decades of treasured historical photographs at the True Buddha Tantric Quarter to personally hearing Grandmaster speak about the Kalachakra lineages and the causes and conditions behind their propagation—the few days they shared forged a precious Dharma connection.
On September 29, Lama Thukpo departed Seattle and flew back to Atlanta, bringing his visit to a successful conclusion.
From paying respects and engaging in Dharma exchange, to listening to teachings, attending the Homa Ceremony, and finally bidding farewell, the entire visit was completed in an atmosphere of mutual respect and Dharma joy. Although different Buddhist traditions each have their own historical lineages and distinctive methods of practice, they can meet and engage with one another through their shared devotion to the Buddhadharma. Lama Thukpo’s visit to Seattle thus left a warm and precious chapter of Dharma friendship between the True Buddha School and a practitioner of the Jonang tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.