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 The mission of Rainbowdharma is to stimulate openness in the Buddhist community, and to provide transcendent teachings to peace seekers.
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>> Rainbowdharma Firsts >> Full Bio
Lama Rangdrol's Teacher
His Eminence Khempo Yurmed Tinly Rinpoche (b.1950 ~ d. 2005)
 Like most students of great Buddhist teachers, I would like to present all of the things that made Khenpo Yurmed Tinly an amazing human being. I want to tell you about his life in Tibet, his harrowing journey to India under threat of death, his education in the midst of tumultuous circumstances in a foreign land. I would add the list of his miraculous accomplishments, which include revitalizing Buddhism in places like Sikkim, Bhutan, and finally America, where we first met. Fortunately for me, others have written this part of his story.
(Photo: Lama Rangdrol and Khenpo Yurmed, First Conference of Tibetan Buddhist Centers in North and South America, Garrison Institute)
As someone who knew him in America for a decade, I feel it is more important for me to tell you how Khenpo engaged with the dominant culture of America while maintaining openness to listen, comprehend, and provide personal leadership for me as an African-American student of the Buddhadharma. To my great fortune, Khenpo Yurmed arrived in America as a seasoned navigator of human complexity. He understood that racial strife was a part of American history, and also felt that race should never be a boundary between human beings pursuing peace. He lived as though race, culture, gender, and class boundaries were anti-thetical to the goals of Buddhism. This often brought him into conflict with Buddhists and others who lived in accord with such boundaries, but he was unrelenting in his effort to exemplify openness, despite our differences, as the path to world peace consistent with the Sutras and Tantras.
Bearing witness to Khenpo Yurmed's talent, skill, and determinism was a once in a lifetime experience. He acknowledged that I was an African American, but he taught me to be human being.
>> Read Lama Rangdrol's Interview with Khenpo Yurmed in Snow Lion
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About Lama Choyin Rangdrol
 Lama Rangdrol is the only African-American teacher of Buddhism recognized by the First Conference of Tibetan Buddhist Centers in North and South America, convened by the Office of Tibet and attended by the Dalai Lama. He was honored as a special invited guest to the Dalai Lama's teachings on "World Peace Through Inner Peace" in Miami, Florida.
Before entering the dharma stream, Lama Rangdrol worked as a licensed psychiatric technician for thirty years and Drama Therapist in departments of psychiatry including UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital, USC University Hospital, and numerous acute psychiatric hospitals and outpatient clinics serving severely mentally ill, developmentally disabled, and homeless populations.
His academic studies also include the University of Redlands School of Music (B.A.), graduate work in Ethnic Theater at Sacramento State University, and certificates of study from the National Shakespeare Company (New York), and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London).
In 1995 he entered retreat at Pema Osel Ling under the tutelage of Dzogchen lineage holder Lama Tharchin Rinpoche where he remained immersed in the Dudjom Tersar lineage for two years. During this time he also received teachings from Khenpo Orgyen Tinly Rinpoche (Khenpo Chozod), Tulku Thubten, Lama Nawang, Lama Gyaltsen, Lama Namkhar, Lama Yeshe Wangmo, Thinley Norbu, and Khenpo Yurmed Tinly. He became Khenpo Yurmed Tinly's private student in 1998 and remained with him until the Khenpo's death in 2005. Known for his clarity of insight, Lama Rangdrol has taught Buddhism to Tibetan, Zen, Vipassana, SGI, ecumenical, non-sectarian, Christian, Interfaith, and secular communities. He has authored five books, two music albums, is a signed music artist with BMI and his recent documentary, Festival Canceled Due to Heavy Rain has been accepted at five film festivals and is the winner of the Aloha Accolade Award from the Honolulu International Film Festival.
Lama Rangdrol is the father of a multiracial family including four children and three grandchildren. He maintains international headquarters in the Hawaiian Islands, USA.
"The joy of Vajrayana Buddhism is its freedom to practice as an ordinary person. Emaho!"
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