Biography of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo is the first Western woman to be recognized and enthroned as a Tulku or reincarnate lama in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.  As a Westerner with no formal Buddhist training, Jetsunma's path to enthronement was anything but traditional.

Born Alice Zeoli in Brooklyn, New York, Jetsunma’s compassion and longing to end the suffering of the world was evident at an early age.  By the time she reached her twenties, she had established for herself a stringent program of meditation and contemplation—with no guidance from teachers, books or any other sources. After almost ten years of deep meditative preparation, a profound spiritual experience indicated she was ready to begin her life’s work.

As students began to gather around her in 1981, she agreed to teach, taking as her authority both the beneficial results she witnessed from her own meditations as well as the need for her students to find a way out of suffering. 

In 1985, through a series of unexpected, auspicious connections, Jetsunma received word from His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in India, at the time Supreme Head of the Nyingma School, that he would like to visit her center during his first trip to America.  During his visit, His Holiness questioned Jetsunma thoroughly on the essential points of her teachings and proclaimed that she was, in fact, teaching the pure Mahayana Buddhist precepts.  When asked how that could be the case since she had never studied Buddhism, His Holiness explained that it was through the force of her deep practice and spiritual accomplishment in the past. 

In 1987, His Holiness made formal the recognition of Jetsunma as the incarnation of Genyenma Ahkon Lhamo, who in the mid-17th century helped her brother, Kunzang Sherab, found the original Palyul Lineage monastery.  At the time of Genyenma Ahkon Lhamo’s death, miraculous signs occurred and holy relics were produced.  In 1988 His Holiness returned to KPC Maryland in order to formally enthrone Jetsunma as a Palyul Lineage Holder as well as install one of these very relics on an altar at the temple.

See the Relic and it's story here.

Another of Jetsunma's predecessors was revealed by His Holiness Kusum Lingpa, a terton or treasure revealer, also of the Nyingma School. The long life prayer His Holiness discovered as a terma, or hidden teaching, of Guru Padmasambhava reveals Jetsunma to be the direct emanation of White Tara and the manifestation of Mandarava, mystical consort of Padmasambhava. Also referred to as Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambava was responsible for bringing the Buddha’s teachings into Tibet. Many miraculous activities are recounted in the recently published book, The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava (Wisdom Publications). Jetsunma’s life story is also found in Vicki MacKenzie’s book, Reborn in the West.

Click here to see the Long Life Prayer His Holiness Penor Rinpoche offered.

Click here to see the Long Life Prayer His Holiness Kusum Lingpa offered.

Click here to see the Long Life Prayer His Holiness Ngawang Tenzin of Bhutan offered.