BOKAR RINPOCHE was born to a nomadic family in Western Tibet. He was recognized at age four by His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa as the reincarnation of the previous Bokar Rinpoche. Bokar Rinpoche left Tibet at age twenty and at that time met the great meditation master Kalu Rinpoche. Beginning in 1967, under the guidance and direction of Kalu Rinpoche, Bokar Rinpoche stayed in retreat for three years, practicing the Six Yogas of Niguma. After that, he did another three-year retreat for the Six Yogas of Naropa. Bokar Rinpoche became the retreat master of the retreat center at Sonada, and later His Holiness appointed him master of the new retreat facility at Rumtek as well. Due to his remarkable qualities and deep realization, Bokar Rinpoche is the spiritual heir of Kalu Rinpoche and holder of the Shangpa Kagyu Lineage.

In June of 1996, Bokar Rinpoche offered a retreat in the United States on the complete meditative stages in the great Mahamudra tradition of the Karma Kagyu lineage. In response to his experiences with Western students, Bokar Rinpoche formulated this retreat and an accompanying program of meditation practice to meet the needs of sincere lay practitioners of Buddhism.

Bokar Rinpoche has written A Brief Biography of H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche that is also included in this section of the Web site.