A Short Biography of Rigzin Karma
by Prof. Marilyn Wu, University of New England
by Prof. Marilyn Wu, University of New England
In the quiet cradle of the Himalayas, where the mountains & the heavens oscillate and the air buzzes with the whispers of ancient wisdom, a child was born at the dawn of the Millennial era. His birth was not marked by celebration but by a cascade of misery that would shape the very essence of his being. Abandoned by his father and orphaned by the loss of his mother and grandparents, the boy was named Karma—a name that echoed the weight of destiny and the promise of transformation.
For years, Karma toiled as a child laborer, his tiny hands bearing the burden of survival in an unforgiving world. Yet, even in the darkest corners of his orphaned existence, a spark of divinity flickered within him. At the age of 13, fate intervened, and Karma was enrolled in a monastic school—a sanctuary where his soul began to awaken.
Karma was no ordinary child. Though he wasn't quite keen on memorizing scriptures, his mind was a fertile ground for profound understanding. He devoured the sutras, not with rote repetition, but with a heart that sought the essence of truth. His poetic compositions flowed like a river, carving pathways through the rigid landscapes of tradition. Recognizing his extraordinary potential, Karma was handpicked by H.E. Yeshi Rinchen, a luminary among Buddhist scholars, who nurtured the seeds of wisdom within him.
Despite the scars of poverty and abandonment, Karma’s spirit remained unbroken. He briefly became a cherished student of the late H.E. Lekshed Jamtsho, another beacon of Buddhist scholarship in Himalaya Region. Yet, it was at the age of 20 that Karma’s life took a pivotal turn. He met his root Guru, H.E. Khen Sonam Dondrup Rinpoche, who saw in him a vessel worthy of the most sacred teachings. From his Guru, Karma received the treasures of the Nyingtik lineage—a spiritual inheritance passed down through an unbroken chain of enlightened masters, including H.H. Rahor Chodrak and H.H. Zhenphen Choeki Nangwa, with fewer than ten masters bridging them to the great Longchen Rabjam.
For a time, Karma retreated into the solitude of the Himalayas, meditating amidst the snow-capped peaks and ancient forests. But the siren call of modernity lured him away. Seduced by the glittering promises of a fast-evolving world, Karma drifted from the monastic life and even from the Dharma itself. He embarked on a quest for knowledge, mastering English, delving into the mysteries of astronomy, exploring the Vedas of Hinduism, and wandering into the theological wilderness of Christianity. For 17 years, he wandered far from his roots, a seeker lost in the labyrinth of worldly pursuits.
Then, in 2020, life delivered a thunderous wake-up call. A severe illness brought Karma to the brink of death, forcing him to confront the fragility of human existence. In the shadow of mortality, he grappled with the fear of endless rebirths and the fleeting nature of life. It was in this crucible of suffering that Karma rediscovered his purpose. He chose to return to the Dharma, shedding the comforts of modernity and embracing a life of minimalism and devotion.
Today, after enduring the arduous trials of an orphaned childhood, the relentless violence of poverty, and the heart-wrenching deprivation of the modern education he so deeply yearned for, Karma emerged as a survivor, carrying within him both the scars of curses and the grace of blessings.
Along his journey, he bore many pseudonyms, each a testament to the resilience he summoned as he navigated the unforgiving path of an unjust life. Yet, in the end, he returned to the name of his childhood—Karma—and embraced the title of Rigzin (equivalent to Yogi in Tibetan), a reflection of his present life as a wandering hermit, devoted wholly to the practice of Dharma.
For Karma, life is now a simple, sacred journey—a pilgrimage of the soul, guided by the light of truth and the stillness of the Himalayas. His journey through multiple dimensions of wisdom—Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and scientific—has enriched his understanding of the Dharma, making his practice more profound than ever before.
Once a lost, Karma is now a stream-enterer arhat, a true monk in every sense of the word. He navigates the mundane world in his Vajrayana vehicle, a modern-day Dondampi Gelong (དོན་དམ་པའི་དགེ་སློང་), relentlessly accelerating toward a superior universe. His story is a beacon of hope, a reminder that no matter how far we stray, the path to enlightenment is always within reach.
"Don't let the glitter of gold or the flicker of screens blind you to the eternal light within. Walk the modern world with skill, using its tools but not being used by them. Seek not just amusement, but meaning; not just excitement, but elevation. True wealth is a mind unshackled, a heart undimmed by endless want. Let progress unravel knowledge, sharpen dharma wisdom, and serve as a stepping stone—not a stumbling block—to teach dharma or attain enlightenment. For technology represents a powerful tool for the refinement of the soul, and modernization offers a valuable means to achieve clarity of being." -Rigzin Karma
Om Mani Padme Hum. 🙏
