Tenphel Rinpoche was born in 1974 in Kham, Eastern Tibet. (Now known as Chinghai Province , Yushu State District of Kham). His Eminence is an important emanation of a highly accomplished Yogi, Konchog Tenzin Chokje Choeje Nyima Rinpoche who leads the lineage of Drikung Kagyu practitioners in the area of Kham. At the time of the 8th Chokje Rinpoche when he was still alive, Rinpoche had a vision of Drikung protectress Achi Chokyi Drolma, and Chenrezig who appeared directly to Rinpoche, giving the prophecy that mentioned “ To flourish the activities of Dharma thus making tremendous benefits to all sentient beings, Your eminence will be reborn soon, but will emanate into two manifestation of Tulkus.”  Rinpoche then indicated to his consort that he had already manifested himself into her womb and her sister’s. Rinpoche stressed that it is necessary to be such as it is purely for the sake of preserving the Buddha Dharma. To his disciples, Rinpoche said he dreamt of twins, but because one person cannot take care of two, so one is being manifested into the womb of Rinpoche’s consort, and another one into the womb of his consort’s sister – Drolma. Rinpoche then further gave instruction to his disciple telling them that these two children are like

After 4 months, when the son of Drolma was born, Rinpoche’s consort gave birth to a son. Thereafter, the 8th Chokje Rinpoche bestowed names to two of the newly born reincarnations of his as Jinaun and Tenphel Lodro. Not long after that, the 8th Chokje Rinpoche entered into nirvana and dissolved into emptiness.

Eventually Tenphel Rinpoche and his cousin brother Jinaun Rinpoche grew up and spent most of their time studying and went to school together. When both of them reached the age of 12, His Holiness the 37th Kyabgon Drikungpa Chetsang Rinpoche gave recognition to both the reincarnations as the emanation of the 8th Chokje Rinpoche. In His Holiness’s recognition letter, he quoted the prophecy of previous Kyabgon Drikungpa Chetsang Rinpoche Shiwe Lodro, confirming the authenticity of the miraculous reincarnation of two tulkus. Similarly His Holiness the 36th Kyabgon Drikungpa Chungsang Rinpoche also instructed that the two tulkus should not be separated based on the prophecy earlier, as well as the 8th Garchen Rinpoche who shared the same opinion as both Holinesses.  Thus, at the age of 15, the two Tulkus were given an official enthronement ceremony at the Chokje Monastery, and were ordained as samanera by root guru Mingyur Rinpoche in Kham.

Tenphel Rinpoche and Jinaun Rinpoche together received teachings of the Drikung Kagyu lineage from     , consisting of the Terma tradition of the Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, the great Drikung Phowa empowerment and transmission. From the 8th Garchen Rinpoche, they received the teachings of the Vajrayogini, Heruka Chakrasamvara, Yamantaka, and White Tara. Also from a Drikung Kagyu scholar - Samten Namgyal , both Rinpoches took their basic Buddhist foundation studies. During this time, Tenphel Rinpoche completed his retreat of the Ngondro preliminaries, Chakrasamvara deity, Vajrayogini deity and various other Yidam practices.

At the age of 18 to 21, Tenphel Rinpoche saw the sufferings of sentient beings and decided to take up the learning of Tibetan traditional medicine and later entered the Military School of Hainan to further his training in Western Medicine for a year. During this time, Rinpoche realised that at this degenerate age, the lay sentient beings needed the support of Dharma rather than those in the monastic institution, and therefore Tenphel Rinpoche enrolled in the North-West Tribal Institute of Lanchou to study Economics to gain further understanding to sentient beings’ needs.

At the age of 25, Tenphel Rinpoche returned to his own Chokje Monastery to resume duties from an ailing and old resident Rinpoche, therefore began his supervision of the monastery consisting of a Buddhist institute, a retreat centre which cater for the spiritual development of over 400 Lamas. At the same time, Tenphel Rinpoche continued his studies with Samten Namgyal, in between then he completed another retreat, accomplishing the practices of Manjushri, Vajrapani, Vajrakilaya, Heruka Chakrasamvara, Vajrayogini and other Yidams, as well as the practices of Mahamudra, and the Six Yogas of Naropa. From a Drukpa Kagyu master , Adeu Rinpoche , Tenphel Rinpoche received the teachings of Bodhisattvacharyavattara and Buddhist Code of Ethics (precepts and vows). Rinpoche also took up the learning of Madyamika Philosophy under the tutelage of Khenpo Pema Tsewang.

In the year 2001, during the event of the Grand Snake Year teachings in Drikung Kagyu Institute, which is held every 12 years. Tenphel Rinpoche again received  important empowerments and transmissions of the Drikung Kagyu lineage teachings from His Holiness the 37th Kyabgon Drikungpa Chetsang Rinpoche and many other accomplished masters. After the Snake year event, His Holiness expressed hope that it is his wish to send an accomplished master who is fluent in Chinese language to go abroad and make Dharma connections with disciples overseas. Thus His Holiness instructed Tenphel Rinpoche to go to Taiwan and establish a spiritual link with devotees there. This event further confirmed the prophecy of which Chenrezig gave to the 8th Chokje Rinpoche mentioning that, in future times, the Buddha Dharma will flourish outside of the Tibetan soil, benefiting greatly especially the lay disciples.

On the other hand, the other emanation of the 8th Chokje Rinpoche,  the other eye of a person that the 8th Chokje Rinpoche mentioned, Jinaun Rinpoche, given the Dharma name of Konchog Tenzin Jinaun Nyinje Nyima Choeling Gyamtso Palzangpo. Although still young at the age of 28, His Eminence has already mastered the various teachings of the Kagyu lineage and it’s oral transmission, as well as the teachings of other sects of Gelug, Sakya, and Nyingma. Jinaun Rinpoche is also well versed with the knowledge of Five sciences, specializing further in Tibetan language and poetry. Jinaun Rinpoche’s mastery of various teachings is highly appraised by various leaders of the sects, and accomplished masters of the lineage. Eventually after the Grand Snake Year teachings at Jangchub Ling in Dehra Dun, Rinpoche is bestowed the title of Khenpo of the Drikung Lineage to uphold the teachings of precepts, thus making His Eminence the main Precept Master of Drikung Lineage.

Jinaun Rinpoche