Biography credit: Palyul Ling International (www.palyul.org) and Palyul Ohio (www.palyulohio.org)
His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche, the eleventh throne holder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, was born in 1932 under auspicious signs in the Kham region of eastern Tibet. At the age of four Rinpoche took refuge at the Palyul monastery and began his Buddhist studies. Rinpoche studied with many lamas, benefiting most deeply from his great master, the Second Chögtrul Rinpoche. It was Chögtrul Rinpoche and the fourth Karma Kuchen Rinpoche who enthroned His Holiness. In 1963, following a difficult and dangerous journey from Tibet, with only 300 rupees and a handful of monks, Pema Norbu Rinpoche began building the Namdroling Monastery on land that had been donated by the Indian government. In time, the Namdroling monastery would grow to become the largest Nyingmapa teaching center in the world with close to 5000 monks and nuns. Rinpoche worked tirelessly to spread and strengthen Buddhist practices throughout the world. Eventually His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as requested by the entire Nyingmapa Community, appointed him as the Supreme Head of the Nyingma School in 1993, following in the footsteps of HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and HH Dudjom Rinpoche. In 1997 he founded the Palyul Retreat Center in the small rural community of McDonough, NY. His Holiness taught the traditional retreat course Liberation is in the Palm of Your Hand from the first retreat in 1998 until 2008.
After entering parinirvana in 2009, His Holiness soon manifested again in this world for the benefit of sentient beings by taking rebirth in Tibet on the 31st of December, 2011. According to His Holiness Jadrel Rinpoche’s prophecy letter, Penor Rinpoche’s Yangsi (reincarnated being) was born near Leten Tramo Drag or Dung Lung Tramo Drag, the sacred place where the Nyingthing Yabshyi (The Four Cycles of Heart Essence Teachings) was revealed. Based upon this prophecy letter, combined with pure visions of Tulku Thubten Palzang Rinpoche, the Yangsi was authentically recognized.
On 31st July 2014, the auspicious day of the Buddha’s First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, the 4th Day of the Sixth Tibetan month, 2141 Royal Year–the Yangsi was enthroned at Palyul Monastery in Baiyu, Shichuan, China (Kham), and given the name “Mingyur Dechen Garwang Zilnon Dorje.” Since then, he has been receiving the tutoring and education befitting his position.