Geshe Thupten Wangchen

Geshe Thupten Wangchen was born of Tibetan parents in India in 1966. At the age of 10, he entered the Tibetan Buddhist educational system of the Gelugpa tradition as a novice monk at Sera Jhey Monastery in South India. In 2000, after 23 years of dedicated study of the major philosophical texts and rigorous examinations he was conferred the Lharam Geshe degree or PhD in Buddhist Philosophy. Geshe-la had the rare honor of representing his monastic college Sera Jhey in the yearly debate competition with its sister college Sera Mey. Only a couple of the monks in their final year of study are chosen. They debate with the top monks of the other college in front of an audience of thousands of monks. After receiving the Lharampa Geshe degree Geshe-la completed a series of preliminary practice retreats in Bodhagaya (the holy place where Buddha attained enlightenment) including: 100,000 prostrations, 100,000 mandala offerings and 100,000 Vajrasattva mantra recitations. Geshe-la continues to do short retreats every year. Geshe-la engaged in a further period of study at the Gyuto Tantric College in Dharamsala. Following his studies Geshe-la taught Tibetan and Western students at Kopan monastery in Nepal and also taught as a tenured lecturer of philosophy at Varanasi University in India. At the request of Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, Geshe Wangchen kindly agreed to become the Resident Teacher at Dorje Chang Institute in Auckland. Geshe-la came to New Zealand in June of 2003. DCI is extremely fortunate and remains the only FPMT center in New Zealand to have a resident Geshe. Geshe-la also teaches regularly at our affiliated centers— Mahamudra Retreat Center in Coromandel and Chandrakirti Center in Nelson. If you would like to make an appointment to meet with Geshe-la to ask advice, ask questions or arrange for a house blessing please contact Geshe-la’s attendant Theresa on 828-1011. Appointments are possible every day except Friday.