Kunzang Palchen Ling Buddhist Center

looking at work

Introduction

 Kunzang Palchen Ling (KPL), located in Red Hook, New York, is a Buddhist center specializing in the Kagyu school of Buddhism. KPL possesses a unique mission, the preservation of the Barom Kagyu lineage and, specifically, the treasure lineage teachings of Terchen Barway Dorje. Established in 2003 by the Third Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, KPL functions as a place for meditation and study. There are two missions for the center. To offer general training in Tibetan Buddhism and to translate and preserve the treasure lineage teachings of Terchen Barway Dorje and the teachings of the Barom Kagyu.

Bardor Tulku Rinpoche 

The story of Kunzang Palchen Ling is connected to the life of its founder, the Third Bardor Tulku Rinpoche (1949–2021). Born in Kham, Eastern Tibet, he was recognized at an early age by the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa as the third incarnation of Terchen Barway Dorje. His early life was very similar to many different Tibetan practitioners after the Chinese revolution, with him and many others being displaced by the CCP. Because of the Chinese occupation of Tibet, a young Bardor Rinpoche fled his homeland with his family. The journey was extremely difficult, while traveling through the treacherous terrain of Pema Kö toward India, his entire family perishing due to the conditions. He arrived in India as an orphan.

In Darjeeling, the Sixteenth Karmapa took Bardor Tulku Rinpoche under his wing. Bardor Rinpoche was educated at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, the Karmapa’s seat in exile, where he received rigorous training. In 1976, the Karmapa sent Bardor Rinpoche to the United States to assist in the establishment of the Karma Kagyu lineage in North America. For over three decades, he served at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) in Woodstock, New York, a monastery he literally helped build with his own hands, directing construction crews and laboring alongside them. 

However, Bardor Rinpoche carried a specific responsibility distinct from the general Kagyu missions, the lineage of his incarnation Terchen Barway Dorje. For many years, his primary duty was to the wider church of the Karma Kagyu, but in 1999, motivated by dreams of the Sixteenth Karmapa he shifted his focus. In 2003, with the blessings of the Seventeenth Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje and Tai Situ Rinpoche, he founded Kunzang Palchen Ling. In 2008, he formally resigned from his duties at KTD to dedicate the remainder of his life to KPL, until he passed away on April 1st, 2021. 

Buddhist Tradition and Affiliation

 Kunzang Palchen Ling identifies primarily with the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, The core of KPL’s spiritual identity is the Terma (Treasure) tradition. In Tibetan Buddhism, termas are teachings concealed by Padmasambhava and his consort Yeshe Tsogyal to be discovered at later times by “treasure revealers” (tertons). The First Barway Dorje was a terton, known as the “Great Treasure Revealer.” The practices at KPL are drawn largely from the nine volumes of termas, 3 volumes of his own teachings, 1 volume of an autobiography, and a volume of collective songs of instruction.

While KPL is extremely rooted in these specific traditions, it does maintain a non-denominational spirit. Bardor Tulku Rinpoche’s vision was inclusive, welcoming teachings from the various Tibetan traditions like Nyingma, Sakya, and Gelug, though most teachings are from the specific sadhanas (ritual texts) of the Barway Dorje cycle. This focus makes KPL a very special lineage center, as it’s the only temple for a specific stream of revelation from Barway Dorje.

Constituency 

The constituency of Kunzang Palchen Ling is mostly from the surrounding areas within the Hudson Valley. Unlike some other Buddhist communities in New York, it seems to be based on predominantly American converts, which is consistent with the mission stated on its website of preserving and translating the lineages of Terchen Barway Dorje and the teachings of the Barom Kagyu. 

The community itself seems to be centered around memberships, which seems to not be as open to random practitioners showing up instead having to call in advance or email to show up to the community other than open events. Membership levels range from “Student” and “Senior” to “Golden Patron,” seemingly suggesting a model where they need money from a small number of practitioners versus being open to the public and accepting donations through that way. While there are no actual numbers published about how many practitioners actually exist, the existence of Palchen Study Groups across America would suggest there’s at least a few hundred active students nationwide versus just being focused specifically within the Hudson Valley

Members are meant to be serious practitioners, with the Barway Dorje lineage emphasizing complex ritual practices, including tsok (feast offerings) and multi day retreats, as well as many different events throughout the year. Because the community itself is dedicated to such a specific lineage, they see themselves as a sort of custodian of these teachings, tasked with the responsibility of learning all they can to keep the lineage alive. 

Practices and Events 

The schedule at KPL follows the lunar calendar, reflecting its traditional Tibetan orientation. 

  • Daily and Weekly: The center offers regular Chenrezik Pujas (mediation, visualization, and chanting ritual about the Compassion Bodhisattva) chanting on Sundays, and Shamatha (Calm Abiding) meditation instruction on Mondays.
  • Monthly: The core of the practice schedule revolves around specific lunar days. On the 10th lunar day, the community performs the Guru Rinpoche Puja; on the 15th (Full Moon), the Amitabha Puja; on the 25th, the White Khechari (Dakini) Puja; and on the 29th, the Mahakala Solka (Protector practice). 
  • Yearly: The annual calendar is punctuated by different major events. Losar (Tibetan New Year) is celebrated with purification smoke offerings and Green Tara pujas. The center also observes the anniversary of their founder’s death in April, which has commemoration and intense meditation. There are also spread throughout the year multiple multi-day retreats as well as in December they have specific teachings relating to the songs created by Barway Dorje. 

Not entirely affiliated with KPL in the hosted on location are zoom study groups, which take place through various times and places announced on the group facebook where they talk about various different teachings found through the terma passed down by Barway Dorje, as well as just different Buddhist philosophies. 

Pre-Losar Puja

Relationships with Other Communities

KPL’s most significant relationship is with Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD). Located just across the Hudson River in Woodstock, KTD is the North American seat of the 17th Karmapa. This is because the founder Bardor Tulku Rinpoche was actively involved in the founding of that Buddhist community as well, only separating and leaving the board of that temple in 2008.  Internationally, KPL is connected to the Raktrul Foundation, a charitable organization meant to improve the lives of Tibetans through the creation of different health clinics throughout the country of Tibet and the Himalayas. Domestically, it’s technically the main center of all of it’s affiliates (i.e Kunzang Choling in Evansville Indiana), with those affiliates using the liturgy, guidance, and translations from KPL. KPL also has great relationships with other lineage holders, holding various empowerments for different traditions at it’s temple in Red Hook NY, maintaining that non-denominational spirit that it’s founder wanted. 

KTD Monastery

KTD Monastery.

Funding

 Kunzang Palchen Ling is funded through many different ways.

There are program fees for retreats, seminars, and empowerment fees. This can be cheaper or even free if you join through a membership however.  You can also donate, through either general funds or specific funds like the “Construction Fund”. You can also sponsor specific pujas (specific rituals), or flowers for the shrine. They also have a bookstore where they have translations, practice texts, and ritual items. 

Understanding Its Place In Buddhism

The members of KPL have a very good understanding of Buddhism and their place in its spread in America. This is mainly because they had such a great connection with the incarnation line with their founder of Bardor Tulku Rinpoche. Because of this, they see themselves as people who have the duty to spread and teach for a specific, very small wisdom tradition. But unlike some other traditions, KPL also allows other traditions to come and teach as well, inviting a dialog through study groups and other means for it’s members to learn and grow, not just holding them to the specific Kagyu tradition. 

Additionally, with it not just being stuck within the Hudson Valley and allowing study groups throughout America as well as adapting because of Covid to start hosting online sessions, and then keeping them through the coming years they understand the importance of online connections to spread their teaching of Barway Dorje as well. Overall the community because of its such unique connection to their founder who only passed away in 2021 really understands their own place and how they should progress throughout their own Buddhist experiences. 

Bibliography

Written by Luke Rickli