Khandro Dorje Phagmo Visits the Bay Area

Written By Lama Palden Drolma

On June 5, Wisdom River Meditation Center was very fortunate to receive an impromptu visit from Khandro Dorje Phagmo Rinpoche during her Bay Area journey, along with her consort Tashi-la, and her wonderful attendant Tsokyi. As well as being incredibly grateful to Khandrola for coming, I am so very thankful to Lama Tsultrim Allione for inviting Khandrola to the US from Bhutan. The visit to our center was originally for my personal interview with Rinpoche, but I invited local long-time students and those in our programs to greet and welcome Rinpoche.

Khandro Dorje Phagmo, born in the forest among wonderful signs near Punakha, Bhutan, is an emanation of Dorje Phagmo, and was predicted by many mahasiddhas. The yidam Dorje Pagmo, or Vajra Varahi, as she is called in Sanskrit, is a fierce female awakened being known as the supreme one among the dakinis, and who great yogis and yoginis of all lineages of Vajrayana Buddhism meditate on. Some of you may be more familiar her form called called Vajra Yogini. She is very important in both of our primary lineages at Sukhasiddhi Foundation, the Kagyu and Shangpa, and we do a lot of meditation on her in our three year retreats. People in our Shangpa Program, and beyond, meditate on her in union with her consort Korlo Demchog, Chakrasamvara in Sanskrit.

Khandrola was recognized as an emanation of Dorje Phagmo by several different rinpoches, the first of these being Drupthob Thangtong Gyalpo, himself the 16th incarnation of the great Thangtong Gyalpo of the 14th-15th century. I was very close to this great mahasiddha in Bhutan, and had the honor of massaging him for many years. When I was with him in Bhutan, he told me in the early 80s about recognizing this emanation of Dorje Phagmo, shortly after he recognized her. As a child Khandro Rinpoche stayed with Drupthob Rinpoche at his nunnery in Thimphu, Bhutan until he, and then his Sang Yum (consort) passed away. Then Khandrola went to Sonada and lived at Kalu Rinpoche’s monastery, studying with him. She developed a very close connection with Kalu Rinpoche, with Bokar Rinpoche, and with the Shangpa lineage. She later lived with my dear friend from the three-year retreat, Dechen, in Kathmandu, where she was able to receive empowerments. Khandrola and I shared in delight discussing our many connections.

Khandro Doje Phagmo has been teaching for many years, and has a monastery in a remote village in the Zhemgong District of Bhutan. She welcomes people with both physical and mental disabilities into her monastery. This unusual inclusion is part of her compassion in action, which she advocates. In Thimphu every year Khandrola does a week-long Tara practice attended by thousands of people. She is also a terton (treasure revealer) and has discovered many termas.

We were extremely fortunate for Rinpoche to spontaneously offer us the Kagö transmission at Wisdom River Meditation Center. This is a blessing that removes outer, inner, and secret obstacles for oneself and the world. It is a specialty of Khandrola’s that Drupthob Thangtong Gyalpo gave to her. It is done for each person individually. It also has an effect on beings across the world. In Bhutan yogis and yoginis come down from their caves to have their obstacles removed by her, as it is especially potent and beneficial for practitioners.

Tara Mandala sponsored three days of teachings at Orgyen Dorje Den in Alameda. Some of the students from Sukhasiddhi attended. It was a sublime time. The first day Khandro Dorje Phagmo gave the Kagö transmission blessing for each of the participants. The second day she transmitted, taught, and practiced with us the Chenrezig practice from the first Thangtong Gyalpo, the same one we do at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. The third day Khandrola transmitted, taught, and practiced with us Tara Jigchobma who removes the eight fears.

It was incredibly heartening for me personally to be with her and to receive her transmissions and teachings. We have so many karmic connections that are now bearing fruit. Khandro Dorje Phagmo has agreed to come teach for Sukhasiddhi Foundation in the future. Everyone seemed delighted and grateful to be with her, both at Wisdom River Center and at the Tara Mandala event in Alameda. It was a profound blessing for her to visit the Bay Area, and we sincerely pray that she will continue to come again and again.

Lama Palden Drolma

Lama Palden Drolma founded Sukhasiddhi Foundation in 1996, developing its curriculum and teaching all classes, retreats and programs for many years as Resident Lama, bringing many people to the profound transformative path, and supporting their growth. In 2002 she initiated and taught a traditional three year retreat and instituted multi-year programs for those serious students who could not attend the retreat. Lama Palden Drolma has led many pilgrimages to Bhutan and India, and has trained and authorized five of her students as lamas in the Shangpa Kagyu lineage, including Lama Döndrup who completed the three year retreat, Lama Tashi (Annik Brunet), Lama Stephen Gross and Lama Pat Berube, who completed all the Shangpa Lineage meditation and training of the three year retreat over a period of many years. Lama Döndrup is now Resident Lama at Sukhasiddhi Foundation, Lama Tashi and Lama Pat have been teaching at Sukhasiddhi for many years, and Lama Stephen lives in Corfu, where he teaches a weekly dharma class. Lama Palden has trained many others as Community Dharma Leaders.

After two years of living in Portugal, Lama Palden Drolma returned to the San Francisco Bay Area in November 2021, where she continues to act as Senior Lama of Sukhasiddhi Foundation, teaching advanced programs, the Women’s Group, and retreats.

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Mahamudra: The Great Seal