Geshe Lhundup Chaphur

Geshe Lhundup Chaphur is a lineage holder of the Chaphur Lama family. He was born in 1977 in Amdo Ngawa Tibet. He lived in Northern Tibet for three years, where he received his first instructions in Bon – the indigenous religion of Tibet and Zhang Zhung cultures and tradition from his first teacher Bongya Rinpoche, the head lama of Bongya monastery and one of the great knowledgeable masters of Bon in the world.

In 1993, Lhundup Chaphur went to India and entered Menri Monastery – the main seat of the Bon religion and education in the world. He joined the Bon Dialectic School where he completed fifteen years of studies in Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen, finally receiving his Geshe degree in February 2008. While a student he served twice as accountant, later as secretary, and finally as president of the dialectic school.

Geshe-la contributed articles and helped to edit “Bon-Go” – the first and most respected Bon Academic Journal in the world. He has also contributed a number of works of poetry and articles to various other popular Tibetan periodical magazines. In 2000 he published his first book, View of the Natural Mind (in Tibetan). In 2003, he was awarded the title of Rtsam p’I sgyu tsal ba as second best writer of Tibetan by the Tibetan Tsam-pa Association for his poetry. The Tibetan Library of Dharamsala honored him in 2006 with the certificate “Monk Science Scholar” for his success in the study of Western Sciences and Tibetan Cosmology in Southern India. In 2007, he published his second book, Footsteps of Shenrab from Olmo Ling, a historical study of Zhang Zhung and Bon in Tibet.

Geshe-la completed a fifteen-year course of traditional studies at the Bon Dialectic School. There he was taught by His Holiness Lungtok Tenpai Nyima, Menri Trizin and head of the Bon religion, receiving empowerments, transmissions and teachings. He also studied with Menri Lopon Trinley Nyima, who holds the position of chief teacher of the Menri Monastery. He received his Geshe degree (PhD) in 2008. In conclusion he has studied about Bon – the indigenous religion of Tibet – for over twenty years.

Geshe Chaphur has visited the United States and various countries in Europe several times as assistant to Menri Ponlob Trinley Nyima Rinpoche, the head teacher of Menri monastery. He is currently studying English at Glendale Community College, Glendale, California, in preparation for becoming a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, where he will teach and take classes in 2010 and 2011.