Sonam, Tshewang

Sonam, Tshewang on the DRL

Khenpos

Tshewang Sonam

English Phonetics	Khenpo Tshewang Sonam
Sort Name	Sonam, Tshewang
Title Prefix	Khenpo

Alternate names

• The 9th Tharpaling Lama

Dates

Birth:	1962
Place of birth:	Ura, Bumthang, Bhutan

Tibetan calendar dates

Dates of birth

Day
Month
Gender
Element
Animal
Rab Jyung

Dates of passing

Day
Month
Gender
Element
Animal
Rab Jyung

About

Primary Language:	Tibetan

Biographical Information

Khenpo Tshewang Sonam was born in 1962 in Ura Bumthang to Yab Karma Lhundup and Yum Tshulthrim Yangzom. From a young age he joined Gomdey Dratshang of Wangthang near his home. Later, he received many teachings on Zhung & Rigney from the two prominent successive Principals of Semtokha Rigney College; Lam Gyelwa Nima and Tshangkha Rimpochhe Norbu Wangchuk.

He received Kagyue Wang Lung Thri Sum and many other teachings from His Holiness the 67th Je Khenpo, Nyizer Trulku, Thinley Lhundrup and Lama Tshewang Dorji from Trongsa.

Later he moved to study under Drubwang Penor Rimpochhe in Mysore, Namdroling Monastery in India. There, he was conferred the title Khenpo by His Holiness Penor Rimpochhe and served as Chief of the Shedra for many years.

In 2003 he was sent to Tibet Palyul Shedra as Principal where he served for more than five years. While at Palyul he met many Tibetan Scholars including Khenpo Akhyuk (1927-2011) and received various teachings.

After returning from Tibet, he again served as the Chief of Namdroling Shedra for one year after which he returned to Bhutan and secluded himself into retreat for three and half years.

His Holiness, 70th Je Khenpo Trulku Jigme Choeda appointed him as the new Lam of Tharpaling Monastery in Bumthang. His Holiness conferred Tashi Lekdhar to him in Tashichhodzong in the morning of July 16, 2019. Lam Tshewang Sonam is the 9th Lama of the Tharpaling Monastery. (Source Accessed Nov 19, 2021)

Links

Wiki Pages

• Sonam, Tshewang on the DRL
• Sonam, Tshewang on the LIB
• Sonam, Tshewang on the BNW

Buddha Nature Project

Person description or short bio

Expand to see this person's philosophical positions on Buddha-nature.

Is Buddha-nature considered definitive or provisional?
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All beings have Buddha-nature
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If "Qualified", explain:
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Which Wheel Turning
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Yogācāra vs Madhyamaka
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Zhentong vs Rangtong
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Promotes how many vehicles?
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Analytic vs Meditative Tradition
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What is Buddha-nature?
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Svātantrika (རང་རྒྱུད་) vs Prāsaṅgika (ཐལ་འགྱུར་པ་)
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Causal nature of the vajrapāda
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Refers to something that is taught for a specific reason, rather than because it is entirely true.

Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu around the fourth century CE, many of its central tenets have roots in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra and the so-called third turning of the dharma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana).

Along with Yogācāra, it is one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Nāgārjuna around the second century CE, it is rooted in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, though its initial exposition was presented in Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.

The state of being devoid of that which is wholly different rather than being void of its own nature. The term is generally used to refer to the ultimate, or buddha-nature, being empty of other phenomena such as adventitious defiling emotions but not empty of its true nature.

The state of being empty of self, which references the lack of inherent existence in relative phenomena.

Tsen Khawoche's "meditative tradition" of exegesis of the Uttaratantra; it is one of two major Tibetan traditions of exegesis, both stemming from students of Sajjana.