Sangter Tulku Rinpoche is the 8th incarnation of famous terton Dorje Lingpa. He was born in Sikkim in 1977. In his youth he was recognized as an incarnation of a great practitioner, abbot of Dorling Gompa (abbreviation of Dorje Lingpa), a small monastery from the tradition of Nyingmapa in Sikkim. Rinpoche has studied intensively under the guidance of the greatest present lamas of the Nyingmapa tradition. For 8 years he was studying at Nyingmapa Shedra in Sikkim and for 2 more years he practised debates in the great Shedra of Penor Rinpoche in South India.
When he was about twenty years old, his teacher, the great master Chatral Rinpoche, told him, that Sangter Tulku will bring a greater benefit to all sentient beings, if he will devote this life to the Kagyu practice and become a student of Venerable Tenga Rinpoche. Sangter Tulku has been living in Benchen monastery in Kathmandu for the next ten years, studying intensively Kagyu teachings. After receiving proper empowerments and oral transmissions from His Eminence Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche and Tenga Rinpoche, he successfully completed a three-year retreat in Parping, a Benchen monastery meditation centre.
While studying in Benchen monastery, Sangter Rinpoche hasn't been assigned to any official function. He hasn't, therefore, been seated on a throne, but only on a special place in the first row of monks. After he had finished his education, Sangter Tulku could have gone back to his home monastery, but instead he made a kind request to continue being a member of the Benchen society and to continue his work for the monastery. His request was accepted both by Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche and by Tenga Rinpoche.
In November 2007, during The Great Puja of Guru Rinpoche, Sangter Tulku was for the first time sitting on the Benchen throne. This, however, doesn't take away his responsibility for the Sikkim monastery, where from time to time he will be giving teachings and empowerments. Tenga Rinpoche recommends fully Sangter Tulku as a Buddhist teacher, underlining that we can rely both on his education and his meditation experience.