His Holiness Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche, the 34th Menri Trizin, is the spiritual leader of Bön and the abbot of Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India. His Holiness was selected as the 34th Menri Trizin on January 1, 2018. It is a lifelong appointment.
The 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche was born November 29, 1972, in Amdo, Tibet. At age 17 he became a monk at Gamal Monastery in Amdo, and at age 18 he joined the Bön Dialectic School of Gamal Monastery., He received his geshe degree from Gamal Monastery at age 24.
In 1994, he had the opportunity to meet His Holiness Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche, the 33rd Menri Trizin, when His Holiness traveled to Tibet for the first time. At this time, he was given the name Dawa Dargye Wangpo by the 33rd Menri Trizin. Then, in 1997, when he was 25, he decided to study at Menri monastery, which had been reestablished by the 33rd Menri Trizin and His Eminence Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, in Himachal Pradesh, India. From then on, he studied primarily with H.H. the 33rd Menri Trizin, and Menri Lopon Trinley Nyima Rinpoche. He received his second geshe degree in 2012 at Menri.
For many years Geshe Dawa Dargye Wangpo served the 33rd Menri Trizin and held important roles at Menri Monastery, including treasurer, keeper of discipline and most recently as general secretary of the Yungdrung Bön Monastic Center Society.
In February 2018, Bönpos worldwide joined in celebrating the selection of the 34th Menri Trizin at Menri Monastery. Many geshes’ names were considered, but only one was selected to become the new Menri Trizin. On September 6, 2018, a formal grand enthronement ceremony took place at Menri, at which time Geshe Dawa Dargye Wangpo came to be known as His Holiness Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche. We are very happy for this wonderful selection of His Holiness Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche as the leader of Yungdrung Bön!