A Brief Biography of Lama Yeshe Nyingpo

Lama Yeshe was born in Paris in 1952, into a modest background. At four years old he lost his mother. Moving from place to place, from one family to another, “I became aware of suffering and the transient nature of life at very early age.” The suburbs, boredom and the lack of meaning to life, “like a long, never ending Sunday afternoon.”
A passion for art, gifted in his studies, sensitivity to others and an open heart; yet dissatisfaction remains, something is missing. At the age of 14, a glimmer of hope: Lama Yeshe discovers Arnaud Desjardins’ documentary “The Message of the Tibetans.” It is his first encounter with Buddhism and the Gyalwa Karmapa… “ I said to my father: That’s what I want to do!” From then on, his life pursuit is spiritual.
Travels, reading, encounters, the comparative study of spiritual traditions conclude finally in 1981 upon finding what he had been looking for - the master, in the person of Gendun Rinpoche. As the proverb says “When the disciple is ready, the master appears.” For Lama Yeshe this first encounter is a revelation, a complete upheaval: “I had the impression of having found my true family at last, the father of all my lives. For a whole year my feet didn’t touch the ground!” A long journey had reached its conclusion - “the feeling of finally coming home.”
Gendun Rinpoche was a fully realized yogi with the capacity to “immediately touch the hearts and minds of everyone, regardless of any barriers or cultural differences.” The very embodiment of love and compassion, his life was dedicated to helping others.
Lama Yeshe begins his spiritual apprenticeship “at the master’s feet!”
Lama Gendun requests him to train in textual Tibetan as well the spoken language so that he can translate him. Accompanying Lama Gendun Rinpoche on his travels, sharing daily life with him and acting as his interpreter, every situation is a teaching, a direct and living transmission. “Living close to the lama is like living in a place filled with the fragrance of incense, one naturally becomes impregnated with his presence.”
Translating Gendun Rinpoche’s interviews was also a means to learn compassion, patience and generosity with the responses given to each person.
In 1982, he received monastic ordination and the name of Yeshe Nyingpo (heart of wisdom.)
In 1984, at Kundreul Ling in the Auvergne, France, preparations start for the first three-year retreat – a complete transmission and an in depth training in the study and practice of meditation. Lama Yeshe expresses his aspiration to take the plunge and begin what he describes as “a profound experience of human nature.” Lama Gendun has other ideas! Therefore he remains three more years close to him as a translator, assistant and chauffeur. Under Gendun Rinpoche’s guidance he also begins written translations of practice texts and commentaries and starts to teach.
1987 is finally the year he goes into his first three-year retreat, which is then followed by a second. Seven years, during which Lama Yeshe experiences the joy of meditation, and at the same time, continues his activities as interpreter and teacher in the retreat centers.
In 1994 Gendun Rinpoche appoints him as tsowo - principal spiritual teacher, and as drupon – retreat master.
In 1997 Gendun Rinpoche departs from this life. Shamar Rinpoche, the lineage’s spiritual head, confirms Lama Yeshe’s activity of transmitting the dharma given to him by Gendun Rinpoche, also authorizing him to grant public initiations.
In 2007 Lama Yeshe retired from all his duties as drupon and monk. He went into a mountain-retreat as a yogi.
“Wherever one has got to, whatever one has realized, expressing it with words and giving it to someone else is the only way to develop oneself.” Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche*.

*From Trungpa by Fabrice Midal

Lama Yeshe translating Gendun Rinpoche at a public talk in Agen, 1983.

Shamar Rinpoche’s visit to Dhagpo Kagyu Ling, summer 1985

Lama Yeshe accompanying Gendun Rinpoche at Halscheid, Germany for the founding of a three-year retreat centre, 1986

Coming out of the first three-year retreat, 1990

Lama Yeshe’s second retreat group, 1993

At Gendun Rinpoche’s service during the consecration of the stupa at Laussedat, 1995

Beside Gendun Rinpoche in Kundreul Ling’s monastic hermitage, 1997

Translating Shamar Rinpoche in Dhagpo, 2003