Chime Rinpoche was born in Jyekundo, Kham, East Tibet, Tibet, into a family that were direct descendants of the chieftainRardha Pontsong, who was inspired to give his land to the 4th Sangye Nyenpa so that Benchen Monastery could be built. He was not the only Tulku in his family, as both Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and the 9th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche were his maternal uncles. He was educated at Benchen Monastery, where he gained the Khenpo degree, Kyorpon degree and Dorje Lobpon degree. Chime Rinpoche studied and combined the practices of Mahamudra and Dzogchen through receiving instructions in Mahamudra from Kabje Sangye Nyenpa and Dzogchen from Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche.
Escape from Tibet
Due to the invasion of Tibet and subsequent occupation by the Chinese army, the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa indicated that Chime Rinpoche should flee Tibet. In 1959, Chime Rinpoche reached India via Bhutan alongside his Root Gurus and maternal uncles, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and 9th Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche.
Life in Britain
In 1965, Lama Chime was invited to live in the UK. He shared a small apartment with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Akong Rinpoche in Oxford. He later gained British citizenship and has lived in Britain ever since. As Akong Rinpoche was the first one to find paid employment, becoming a hospital orderly, Akong supported both Chime Rinpoche and Trungpa Rinpoche.
Marpa House
In 1973, Chime Rinpoche founded Kham House in Ashdon, Essex, UK the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre in England. The building was purchased with the help of sponsors. Previously an orphanage for homeless children called All Saints' Home, it was built by the rector of Ashdon Henry Barclay Swete. In 1975, just two years after Kham House was established, the 16th Karmapa visited this centre after visiting the Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre earlier in the year. Kham House was later renamed Marpa House and is run by the charity The Dharma Trust. Although presently in poor health, Chime Rinpoche still teaches at Marpa House on occasion.
Status as a Tulku
During his 1975 visit, the 16th Karmapa identified Chime Rinpoche as Radha Tulku, the incarnation of Radha Phuntsok, one of the four Tulkus of Benchen Monastery. The Four Benchen Tulkus are:
Chime Tulku
Radha Tulku
Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche
Tenga Rinpoche
In 2011, Chime Rinpoche travelled from London for a surprise reunion with two of the other Benchen Tulkus, Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche and Tenga Rinpoche, to the 2011 Summer Camp at Benchen Phuntsok Ling, Benchen's European headquarters.
Personal life
In England, Chime Rinpoche chose to stop being a monk and married. He and his English wife had three daughters, all of whom are now adults. In Britain, Chime Rinpoche is the President of the Tibetan Terrier Association, a club that is dedicated to preserve and promote the Tibetan Terrier breed of dog. The club was established in 1967. Rinpoche still teaches occasionally at Marpa House when his health permits and annually leads a ten-day Summer School retreat in Baerenthal in northeastern France. In a video message to his students on the passing of Tenga Rinpoche, Chime Rinpoche stated that he is preparing for his own visit to the 'Pure Lands' by praying and meditating more but assures his students that it is 'a very nice place, very nice'.
Rinpoche was employed by the British Library as Curator for Ancient Tibetan Manuscripts for 16 years.
Notable students
Pema Chödrön - Before becoming a novice nun, Pema Chödrön studied Dharma in London with Chime Rinpoche for several years. After taking her novice vows in 1974, Chime Rinpoche advised Chödrön to seek training with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who later became Chödrön's root guru.
David Bowie - Chime Rinpoche also tutored David Bowie for a number of months at Tibet House in London. During an interview in 2001, Bowie relates the time of his first meeting with Chime Rinpoche,
"One day, I walked into the office and it was empty," Bowie said, calling from his New York office. "I went down the stairs and saw a man in saffron robes. He said, in very broken English, 'You are looking for me.' I realized years later that it was a question, but as a 16-year-old, I took it as a statement: 'You are looking for me.'" The man in the saffron robes, Chime Yong Dong Rinpoche, became Jones' guru for several months. "After a few months of study, he told me, 'You don't want to be Buddhist You should follow music."
Tony Visconti - Bowie later recorded the track live at the BBC with Tony Visconti, another student of Chime Rinpoche. Later, whilst recording Scary Monsters, Visconti invited Chime Rinpoche to speak with Bowie about his idea to stage a rock concert at the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet; however, nothing materialised.
Mary Hopkin - In 2010, the singer Mary Hopkin, with her son Morgan Visconti, dedicated the song "Chime" on their 2010 album, You Look Familiar, to Chime Rinpoche.
