Biography of Lama Konchok Sonam An unbroken master-to-disciple relationship, from Buddha Shakymuni up until the present day, is embodied in the Venerable Lama Konchok Sonam. He is the Spiritual Director, Resident Lama (teacher), and Retreat Master at the Drikung Mediation Center in Arlington, MA, and well as the Spiritual Director of Katsel Dharma Garden in Clearwater and Katsel Dharma Center in Tampa, FL. Lama Konchok Sonam began his Buddhist training when he was very young. A fully ordained Gelong (monk) at the age of 18, he completed retreat on Ngondro (Common and Extraordinary Preliminaries), and the Fivefold Path of Mahamudra under H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche and Gelong Yeshe. He served as personal attendant to H.H. Chungtsang Rinpoche, H.E. Drubwang Rinpoche, Tongkar Tulku, and H.E. Thritsab Rinpoche, and tutored American tulku Thadag Rinpoche (Jack Churchward). Lama Sonam received teachings and blessings from more than 25 great masters, including Nyidak Rinpoche, his beloved main teacher, [and the Most Venerable Pachung Rinpoche, the renown scholar and retreat master at Drikung-Til monastery. Pachung Rinpoche was the teacher of the late H.E. Drubwang Rinpoche. Lama Sonam was the disciplinarian at the famous monastery Jang Chub Ling, in Dehra Dun, India. This difficult position required an extremely vast knowledge of the Buddha-Dharma, and inspirational deep inner qualities. On June 9, 2003, Lama Sonam arrived in Boston to be the Resident Lama at the Drikung Meditation Center. The stream of blessings has not stopped since. Lama Sonam is expert in both the theoretical and practical aspects of training the mind through meditation, and other Vajrayana methods for awakening the Buddha Nature inherent in all sentient beings. In the fall of 2005, Lama Sonam started the Jowo Rinpoche Statue Project to benefit the Boston area, the United States, and the world. Lama Sonam's vision was to bring the blessings of Buddhism from Buddha Shakyamuni and from countless other enlightened masters from India, Nepal, and Tibet to the United States by creating a pilgrimage site. The centerpiece and power source of the pilgrimage site will be a five-foot tall gilded, jewel-encrusted bronze, the Jowo Rinpoche Statue. Artisans in Nepal are creating an exact replica of the famous Jowo Rinpoche statue that was brought to Lhasa,Tibet, in 641 AD. When completed and consecrated, our statue will be an "emanation" of the original. The text on this page was copied from: http://www.drikungboston.org/bios.html.