His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, the eldest son of H.H. Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche, is considered one of the most qualified lineage masters of Tibetan Buddhism. Renowned for his erudition and the clarity of his teachings, Rinpoche belongs to the prestigious Sakya Khön family, whose generations have given rise to an unbroken lineage of exceptional masters.
Born on November 19, 1974, in Dehradun, India, His Holiness has been, from birth, the recipient of countless blessings, initiations, and teachings from H.H. Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche and many other erudite and realized masters.
Rinpoche’s formal education began at the age of six, under the guidance of the Venerable Rinchen Sangpo, with the study of reading, writing, grammar, memorization, and the recitation of basic prayers and rituals in Tibetan. In 1987, when His Holiness was twelve years old, he passed his first major examination at the Sakya Centre in Rajpur, Dehradun. Two years later, he completed his basic studies of the major rituals and scriptures of the Sakya tradition.
In 1990, Rinpoche began attending the Sakya College where he studied primarily Buddhist philosophy under the guidance of the late Khenpo Migmar Tsering. In 1998, after years of rigorous training, His Holiness completed his studies and obtained the degree of Kachupa, “master of ten scriptures.” In addition to his philosophical studies, His Holiness received many exoteric and esoteric teachings, blessings, initiations, oral transmissions, explanations, and essence-instructions, mainly from H.H. Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche, but also from many other important lineage masters, including His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche, and Khenchen Appey Rinpoche.
From the age of twelve, His Holiness has completed numerous meditation retreats, including the complete and rigorous Hevajra retreat, one of the prerequisites for being able to confer the initiations provided for in the Lamdre.
Among all his precious teachers, H.H. Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche has always been, and continues to be, his main Root Guru, a source of guidance and inspiration.
In 2002, after a long search for a wife, Her Eminence Dagmo Kalden Dunkyi was chosen as a suitable person according to the ancient Sakya tradition of sacred divination, thus becoming His Holiness’s spiritual consort. Together they have three children, who are also educated according to ancient Buddhist traditions.
With wisdom and compassion, His Holiness continues to regularly transmit numerous teachings and initiations at renowned Buddhist institutions such as the Sakya Institute, the Dzongsar Institute, the Sakya College, the Tantric College, the International Buddhist Academy, and countless other schools, centers, and monasteries around the world.
According to the new system of historical succession of throne holders, unanimously agreed upon by the Dolma Phodrang and the Phuntsok Phodrang on May 8, 2014, His Holiness inherited in 2017 from his esteemed father and Root Guru the prestigious role of throne holder, assuming the title of: His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
His Holiness continues to guide and inspire Dharma students around the world with his wisdom, his genuine qualities of untouched simplicity, humility, and complete honesty, conferring the teachings of the Buddha in the most authentic way and helping to maintain the purest Buddhist tradition.