Khenpo Karma Tenkyong

Khenpo Tenkyong is a dynamic teacher committed to protecting nature and spreading dharma blessings to children and adults everywhere. As a bridge between ancient ways and modern needs, Khenpo Tenkyong meets students where they are in order to build strong foundations for strong practice. Skilled in meditation, yoga, and understanding precious nature Khenpo Tenkyong’s passion for life can be felt in all of his teachings.

Khenpo Karma Tenkyong was sent to KTD in 2014 by His Holiness the 17th Karmapa to serve as president and resident teacher. Currently, Khenpo Tenkyong serves as resident teacher and assists KTD, KTCs, and KKSGs with teaching and guidance. Khenpo Tenkyong also serves on the board of Karma Samadhi Ling in Canada and the board as president of Land of Bliss Meditation Center in California.

Khenpo Tenkyong loves our precious natural world, and actively learns and protects the environment. Khenpo has been a vegetarian for over 20 years, and is strongly interested in the vegan lifestyle. 

Khenpo Karma Tenkyong (Tenzin Namgyal or Khenpo Tenam) became a monk at a young age when he received his “hair cutting ceremony” from Venerable Vajra Acharya Tenga Rinpoche. 

After attending local schooling, he was admitted in 1985 to Karma Drubgyu Chokhor Ling Monastery in Pokhara, Nepal for basic monastic education. From 1986-1987, he moved to Karma Samten Ling in Kathmandu where he began to study Tibetan grammar, literature, poems, etc. 

Then Khenpo Tenkyong gained admission to Dharma Chakra Center/Karma Shedup Chokhorling in Rumtek village in Sikkim, India. The Karma Shedup Chokhorling was established by the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa after fleeing Tibet in 1959, and is the main seat of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism outside of Tibet. There, he studied dharma, Buddhist rituals, and practices with the monastic community from 1988-1990. 

Continuing his pursuit of Buddhist studies, Khenpo joined Karma Shri Nalanda Institute (KSNI) to begin his eleven year course for education in higher Buddhist studies in 1990. During this period he studied religious history, Buddhist philosophy, logic, Tibetan grammar, Sanskrit, and English.

In 1998, Khenpo Tenkyong was awarded “Shastri Certificate,” equivalent to the Bachelor of Arts. While continuing his studies for his Masters degree, Khenpo Tenkyong simultaneously taught for the intermediate classes at KSNI. He graduated from KSNI in 2000 with an “Acharya Certificate,” equivalent to a Masters in Art by Sampuranand University. Then in 2001, Khenpo Tenkyong was awarded the “Ka-rab-jam-pay-lak-khyer” Certificate/Degree of Master of the Buddha’s Teaching in the Sutra Tradition by the 12th Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche at KSNI. 

After his graduation and per tradition, Khenpo Tenkyong was a teacher at Karma Shri Nalanda Institute for three years from 2000-2003. In October 2002, Khenpo was bestowed the title of “Khenpo” (Spiritual title and degree in Tibetan Buddhism) and the name “Karma Tenkyong Wangpo” by His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. 

After teaching at KSNI, from 2003-2005, Khenpo Tenkyong was assigned to work with His Holiness the Karmapa as one of the debating assistants (tsan-shab-pas) in Gyuto Tantric Monastery in Dharamsala. 

From 2006-2009, Khenpo Tenkyong was in charge of the private library of His Holiness and the Altruism Publication, a unit under the Administrative Office of His Holiness that manages printing and publications. During the tenure of this work, Khenpo Tenkyong also completed a one-year Teachers Training Course conducted by the Department of Religion and Culture of the Tibetan Government in Exile. 

Between 2009-2011, Khenpo Tenkyong headed the administrative affairs of His Holiness, and in 2011, he began to serve His Holiness as the Audience Secretary. 

In 2008, he accompanied His Holiness the 17th Karmapa on his first foreign tour to the United States where he was in charge of audience and entourage management. And in between 2006-2014, Khenpo Tenkyong also worked for the International Kagyu Monlam Working Team. Additionally, following his love of nature and the environment, Khenpo Tenkyong worked under His Holiness for “Khoryug” as the coordinator of a system of monasteries following environmental guidelines starting from 2009. 

In 2014, His Holiness sent Khenpo Karma Tenkyong to Karma Triyana Dharmachakra in Woodstock, New York where he served as president from 2015-2018 and continues to serve as resident teacher.