Rinpoche yang terkenal ini wafat dengan damai di kediaman beliau tanpa diduga. Beliau hanya menderita gejala sakit perut ringan dan tidak dibawa ke rumah sakit. Sesaat sebelum wafat, beliau sempat melakukan pradaksina mengelilingi Vihara Dalai Lama.
Lati Rinpoche diakui sebagai inkarnasi seorang praktisi dharma yang agung, dan menjalankan hidup di vihara sejak usia 10 tahun. Beliau adalah Ketua Kehormatan Vihara Gaden Shartse di Mundgod, India Selatan, dan menjadi Penasehat Spiritual Dalai Lama ke-14 hingga akhir hidupnya.
Upacara penyempurnaan jenasah telah dilaksanakan Senin 19 April 2010 jam 7 pagi hari.
Biography: The Most Venerable Kyabje Lati Rinpoche
His Eminence Kyabje Lati Rinpoche was born in the Kham region of Eastern Tibet in 1922. After the famous Gongkar Rinpoche (previous incarnation) identified and recognized Him as a reincarnation of a great practitioner, Rinpoche consequently embarked on the fulfillment of His destiny by joining the local monastery in Tibet - at the age of ten.By fifteen years old, Rinpoche was enrolled in Gaden Shartse Norling College, located in central Tibet. It is the most prestigious and renowned school in Tibet, and it was at Gaden Shartse Norling College where Rinpoche pursued his study of Buddhist scriptures, and eventually, earning Him the highest honours among the foremost scholars of His day. At that time, Rinpoche?s field of study included Pramana Vidya (Logic), Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom), Madhyamika (Middle Philosophy), Abidharma (Treasure of Knowledge), Vinaya (Spiritual Rules and Moral Law).
In 1959, after nineteen years of intensive study and training, Rinpoche sat for the Geshe Lharmapa examination. This major examination was held in the summer palace of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, located in the capital of Tibet, Lhasa. Candidates were various scholars and top students from the 3 main monasteries, and yet Rinpoche still managed to emerge 2nd overall. In the next year, H.E. was officially conferred as "Geshe Lharampa", a qualification which is equivalent to the PH.D. degree in the Indian universities. And in that same year, Rinpoche joined the tantric college in Lhasa, and started intensive study in Tantra since. In the following years, H.E. taught many young incarnate lamas, as well as gave dharma talks to the mass public. In 1964, Rinpoche arrived in Dharamsala, and was subsequently appointed as Spiritual Assistant to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Rinpoche serves His Holiness faithfully till today.
In 1976, under His Holiness's suggestion, various universities in America invited Lati Rinpoche over, where H.E. gave illuminating dharma discourses to an appreciative public. In addition, Rinpoche taught at Namgyal Gomba (His Holiness?s personal monastery), at the debating college, and has guided and taught many laypeople as well. In the same year, Rinpoche was appointed as the Abbot of the Shartse Norling College of Gaden Monastery, in South India. H.E. held this position for eight years where besides looking after the administration, law and order of the Sangha, Rinpoche also personally taught extensively on all aspects of Buddhism. Rinpoche?s contribution towards Gaden Shartse Norling College is widely recognized by all, and H.E. is deeply respected by many strong devotees all over the world.
Since His retirement, Rinpoche dedicated His life mainly on dharma practice, as well as propagating the dharma, guiding people along the sometimes complex path of the dharma. On repeated requests from many countries in Europe and America, Rinpoche has travelled extensively, benefiting dharma students in various parts of the world.
To His credit, Lati Rinpoche has authored many important books on Tibetan Buddhism, including:
- Death, Intermediate State and Rebirth
- Mind in Tibetan Buddhism
- Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism
Click this link for Dharma Teachings: Bliss and Emptiness in the Gelug Tradition by Lati Rinpoche
