TEACHERS
Our Lineage Master and Our Spiritual Director
Our Spiritual Master
H.H. the 9th Jetsün Dampa
The lineage came down to Dakini’s Whisper Founder and Spiritual Director, Chöying Khandro, through direct transmission from the late Ninth Khalkha Jetsün Dampa, Jampel Namdröl Chökyi Gyeltsen (Khal kha rJe tsun Dam pa 'Jam dpal rnam grol chos kyi rgyal mtshan, 1933-2012).
The Ninth Jetsün Dampa Khalkha Rinpoche served as a prominent Buddhist spiritual leader in Outer Mongolia. Bestowed with the title "The Protector of Beings of the North and Leader of all the Buddhist Schools," he was recognized as the ninth incarnation of Taranatha, the Dharma king of the Jonang sect.
Following the passing of the 8th Khalkha Jetsün Dhampa Khutukhtu in 1924, the People's Revolution Government of Mongolia chose not to seek out his incarnation, effectively ending his lineage in Mongolia. The identification of incarnations had been previously conducted confidentially by the 13th Dalai Lama in Tibet. Subsequently, in 1936, the 9th Khalkha Jetsün Dhampa was discreetly recognized. For security reasons, his existence remained concealed until 1959, when he fled Tibet alongside His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
In 1991, His Holiness the Dalai Lama publicly acknowledged the existence of the 9th Khalkha Jetsün Dhampa. Invited by His Holiness, Khalkha Rinpoche established his temple, Takten House, in Dharamsala. In 2011, he was formally enthroned as the spiritual leader of Mongolians by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in Mongolia. Rinpoche entered Parinirvana in Mongolia, on March 1, 2012.
For more information about the 9th Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche -
Founder and Spiritual Director
Chöying Khandro
SHORT BIOGRAPHY:
Chöying Khandro inherits the complete transmissions of both the Ear-Whispered Lineages of the Mount of Bliss and the Machik Dakini from her esteemed teacher, the Late His Holiness Ninth Khalkha Jetsün Dampa. Among the select original students who accompanied Khalkha Jetsün Dampa since the early 1990s, Khandro-la received authorization from him to establish Dakini’s Whisper. In a rare gesture, she was bestowed with teaching robes by him in 2011, a distinction uncommon for a laywoman within the Geluk tradition. Over the past twenty-five years, Chöying Khandro has dedicated herself to imparting this precious lineage to the Western world.
Her teachings are enriched by decades of rigorous study and practice, during which she has led retreats and translated Tibetan texts. Chöying Khandro has undertaken numerous personal retreats, including the traditional 108 Spring Wandering Retreat in the Mongolian wilderness. Notably, she completed a three-and-a-half-year solitary retreat, known as the “Great Retreat (nyen chen),” amidst the forests of Oregon. Holding an M.A. in Oriental Philosophy from Waseda University in Japan and another M.A. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Michigan, she brings a scholarly depth to her teachings. Additionally, her extensive training in body-oriented disciplines as a registered Yoga Therapist and certified Wisdom Body Trainer underscores her holistic approach to the spiritual path, integrating body and mind for contemporary practitioners.
With the inspiration and guidance of the late Khalkha Jetsün Dampa Rinpoche, Chöying Khandro serves as the founder and spiritual director of Dakini's Whisper: a community dedicated to preserving and transmitting the Ear-Whispered Lineage. As a female practitioner and teacher, Khandro-la bravely navigates the intersection of tradition and the Western world, infusing her teachings with a unique integrative quality that resonates with practitioners from diverse backgrounds.
For more information on Khandro-la, please visit: https://choyingkhandro.org
Images and Videos
H.H.Dalai Lama talks about Khalkha Jetsun Dampa. His account starts at 2:44:50.
Khandro-la with Khalkha Rinpoche
Khandro-la with Khalkha Rinpoche
Khandro-la with Gen Rinpoche Yeshe Thabke
Khandro-la with Dagyab Rinpoche