On April 29, H.H. the venerable Dharma King Jigdal Dagchen Rinpoche of the Sakya Phuntsok Phodrang passed into parinirvana in Seattle, U.S.A.


【Seattle News/Reported by Shi Lianwang, Translated by Lynn Ang, Edited by Henry Wolf and DJ Chang】
The Phuntsok Phodrang and Sakya Monastery in Seattle released news that H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Rinpoche passed into parinirvana on April 29 after completing a variety of Buddhadharma related duties. Upon his departure to the Buddha's Pure Land to turn the dharmachakra there were a great many auspicious signs and appearances.

H.H. Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu was in Taiwan propagating the dharma when the news of H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Rinpoche's passing broke. As soon as H.H. Living Buddha Lian-sheng heard the news, he immediately instructed disciples to go to the Sakya monastery in Seattle on his behalf to convey his most heartfelt condolences and prayers. Accordingly, disciples swiftly made a special trip to the monastery to pay their sincere respects and make offerings of flowers and fruits.

H.H. Dharma King Sakya Dagchen Rinpoche had an extraordinary affinity with H.H. Living Buddha Lian-sheng. On June 22, 1989, Dharma King Dagchen Rinpoche attended a Grand Bardo Deliverance, Calamity Eradication and Blessing Homa at Seattle Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple. When the two Living Buddhas met they happily greeted each other, shook hands, ascended the dharma throne together, and sat next to each other. Buddhas and bodhisattvas were invoked and descended to accept fire offerings during the homa. Under the brilliance of the Buddhas' light and the accompanying murmur of singing in praise of Buddha, everyone's heart was filled with peace and harmony as they ''bathed'' in Buddha's brilliance. As such, the homa ended perfectly and auspiciously.

According to media reports, H.H. Dharma King Dagchen Rinpoche was born in Tibet in 1929 into the lineage of Sakya. In 1960, his family moved to Seattle, U.S.A and in 1974, H.H. Dagchen Rinpoche and Master Dezhung Rinpoche (Sakya Master Zhengkong), co-founded the Sakya Tegchen Choling Dharma Center as a center for Vajrayana and Tibetan cultural learning. In 1984, a traditional Sakya monastery, the present day Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism, was established in Seattle. Notably, Dharma King Dagchen Rinpoche and Dezhung Rinpoche pioneered the propagation of Tibetan Buddhism in the West and together they benefited countless sentient beings.

To this end, H.H. Dharma King Dagchen Rinpoche's dharma propagation outreach mission extended to India, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Europe, and many other parts of the world.
Pictures on the right: H.H. Dharma King Dagchen of the Seattle Sakya Monastery visiting the True Buddha School booth at 2015 Dragon Festival

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