Faculty of Kunzang Palchen Ling

Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, the founder and spiritual director of Kunzang Palchen Ling, was recognized by H.H. the 16th Karmapa as the 3rd incarnation of Terchen Barway Dorje, a treasure revealer who lived at the turn of 19th and 20th centuries. Bardor Rinpoche was enthroned as tulku at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, where he subsequently received his formal training under the tutelage of the 16th Karmapa. Rinpoche has lived in the U.S. since 1977 and has taught Dharma extensively across the country and abroad. For detailed information about Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, please visit his biography page.

Lama Tashi Topgyal is from Raktrul Monastery in eastern Tibet. He received empowerments, reading transmissions, and explanations regarding the treasure texts of Terchen Barway Dorje from Lama Karma Thupthen, the main disciple of the Second Bardor Rinpoche. After many years of study, Lama Tashi went into a nine-year-nine-month retreat. He came to the U.S. in 2003 to teach at our center.

Lama Jim Dowiat has been a Buddhist practitioner for thirty-one years and has been a student of Bardor Tulku Rinpoche for twenty-one years. In 2000, Jim completed the traditional three-year retreat at Karme Ling Retreat Center under the direction of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. Lama Jim is a New York State professional engineer and owns a consulting engineering company.

Lama Yeshe Gyamtso completed two three-year retreats under the direction of Lama Norlha Rinpoche. He has served as an interpreter for many eminent Kagyu teachers, including His Holiness the 17th Karmapa. He is a translator at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) and travels to KTD affiliate centers to interpret for Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche.

Lama Jim Kukula took refuge from Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche in 1982, and completed a three-year retreat in 1996. He studied physics in college and then spent twenty years working in the semiconductor industry as a software developer. He is especially interested in how the idea of interdependent arising sheds light on issues in the ethics of technology.

Lila Weinberg has been a student of Bardor Tulku Rinpoche. She has received empowerments and reading transmissions for the practices she leads at Kunzang Palchen Ling. Lila is a retired nurse and artist. She lives near Kunzang Palchen Ling with her husband Joel, a retired ophthalmologist and a sangha member and volunteer at our center.

Naomi Schmidt took refuge from H.H. the 16th Karmapa in 1974 and has been practicing dharma since then. She worked at Karma Triayana Dharmachakra from 1979-2010, and taught meditation there from 2002-2010. Naomi is a professional graphic designer and owns a small graphic design studio in Upstate NY.

Tom Schmidt began studying and performing music in 1957. As a young adult he studied with jazz masters Charlie Haden and Dave Holland and taught music at Naropa University the summers of 1975 & ‘76. His Tibetan musically studies have been guided by Lama Tashi Dhondup, Lama Yeshe Namdag and Umdze Lodro Samphel, the principle chant master of Rumtek Monastery.