Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo will tell you that she is “just a girl from Brooklyn.” His Holiness Penor Rinpoche (Throne holder of the Palyul Lineage and former Supreme Head of the Nyingmapa, the oldest school of Tibetan Buddhism) will tell you that she is the reincarnation of ancient Indian and Tibetan holy women who helped establish and develop Buddhism in Tibet. Her students will tell you that she is a wise, witty, and compassionate teacher who draws on her own experiences as a modern American woman in making accessible to them even the most profound Buddhist teachings.
From childhood, Jetsunma has devoted herself to meditation and the alleviation of the world’s suffering. She is the first Western woman to have been recognized and enthroned by Tibetan lamas as a tulku, an enlightened teacher who reincarnates in whatever form can most benefit all beings. Over the years, Jetsunma has gathered around her a large traditional Buddhist community at the temple where she teaches, Kunzang Palyul Chöling, just outside Washington, DC.
Just as her previous incarnations helped the Dharma--the Buddhist teachings--reach Tibet and flourish there, so now Jetsunma is among those planting the seeds of Dharma in the West. She skillfully distills the vast wisdom of the Buddha, helping people to bring real compassion into their everyday lives. Her songs and prayers serve as an inspiration and a blessing to all who here them, as she brings age-old teachings to life for modern students.
In Sanskrit, female “wisdom beings” are called “dakinis,” and Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo is truly an American Dakini.
Video of His Holiness talking about Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo on her first trip to India after her enthronement. He describes the qualities that caused him to recognize her as a reincarnate tulku.
