Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche
“I will end by urging you to understand how profoundly fortunate you are to be born a human being, with so much goodness and potential. Even if you are not able to do extraordinary things in this life–attaining enlightenment, liberating all sentient beings, and so on–what you can do is to live a sane life. This is accessible to you. It is something you deserve, and those related to you deserve it even more. This potential is inherent within you, so you are never far from this reminder.
The whole point of the dharma is to hone and strengthen the potential you have as a human being. You have the potential to have a good life and to make that good life the basis of goodness for others. If you accidentally bump into something called enlightenment in the bargain, that’s also good. Keep this in mind.”
Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche is a rare example of a female lama in Tibetan Buddhism. Born in Kalimpong, India, in 1967, Khandro Rinpoche’s father was the late Mindrolling Trichen, the head of the Nyingma lineage. Rinpoche was recognized at the age of two by Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the 16th Karmapa, as the reincarnation of the Great Dakini of Tsurphu Monastery, Khandro Urgyen Tsomo, who was one of the most well-known female masters of her time. Khandro Urgyen Tsomo was the consort to Khakyab Dorje, 15th Karmapa Lama (1871-1922) and an incarnation of Yeshe Tsogyal. Her name is in fact her title, Khandro being Tibetan for dakini. For the past 25 years, she has taught throughout the world. She has established and heads the Samten Tse Retreat Center in Mussoorie, India, and she is also resident teacher at Lotus Garden Retreat Center in Virginia, USA.