Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche (b. 23 Oct 1964) is the title of a tulku lineage of Tibetan Buddhist lamas. They originate with Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, one of the most illustrious lamas of recent history, known for his central role in the rimé or non-sectarian movement in 19th Century Tibet. Jigme Namgyel (b. 1964) is the present Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. He is the second or third incarnation, depending on whether Lodro Thaye is counted (he was not known as "Dzigar Kongtrul"—that lineage is one of five distinct subsequent variants beginning after his death). The 2nd Dzigar Kongtrul The second Dzigar Kongtrul, Lodrö Rabpel, was recognized by his root guru the 15th Karmapa, Khakyab Dorje, along with Karsey Kongtrul. He was the younger brother of Dzigar Chogtrül, a Drukpa Kagyü of a long incarnate lineage. His bases of activity were Palpung Monastery, Tsadra Rinchen Drag and Dzong Shö, and later he founded a monastery known as Rango Tsokhar near Neten Gön, the monastery of the 2nd Neten Chokling Rinpoche to whom he was very close. According to Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, a contemporary master who died in 1996, Lodro Rabpel was renowned throughout Derge for his eloquence. The 3rd Dzigar Kongtrul The present Dzigar Kongtrul was born in the Northern Indian province of Himachal Pradesh to Tibetan refugee parents; his father was the third Neten Chokling Rinpoche and his mother, Mayum Tsewang Palden, practiced all her life, even in the midst of raising five children. Rinpoche grew up in a monastic environment. He was trained in the Longchen Nyingtik lineage of the Nyingma school as well as the Khyen-Kong Chok-Sum lineages (those of Jamgon Kongtrul, Khyentse Wangpo and Chokgyur Lingpa—the three primary figures in the rimé movement) by his root guru H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Rinpoche also studied extensively under Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche and the great scholar Khenpo Rinchen. He moved to the United States in 1989 with his family and began a five-year tenure as a professor of Buddhist philosophy at Naropa University (then Institute) in 1990. Not long after arriving in the United States, Rinpoche founded Mangala Shri Bhuti, an organization established to further the practice of the Longchen Nyingtik and Khyen-Kong Chok-sum lineages. He established a mountain retreat center, Longchen Jigme Samten Ling, in southern Colorado, where he spends much of his time in retreat and guides students in long-term retreat practice. When not in retreat, Rinpoche