Khandro Lhamo

Khandro Lhamo (Tibetan: མཁའ་འགྲོ་ལྷ་མོ་, Wylie: mkha' 'gro lha mo) (1914 - 30 March 2003) was a doctor of Tibetan medicine, who was also a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism who helped to build and maintain Shechen Monastery in Nepal.

Khandro Lhamo
Born1914
Kham
Died30 March 2003
Nepal
SpouseDilgo Khyentse
ChildrenChime Wangmo, Dechen Wangmo

Biography
Dilgo Khyentse Family

Lhamo was born in Kham in eastern Tibet to a modest family in 1914.[1] She married Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche when she was nineteen years old.[1] The marriage was arranged quickly since Dilgo Khyentse had fallen ill after an austere retreat and his mentor, Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö,[2] prophesied that a wife would heal him (despite the fact he did not want to marry, even though as a tertön he could die at young age if he did not[2]); Lhamo did help him recover and was recognised as a ḍākinī.[3] They travelled together whilst her husband undertook spiritual retreats; Lhamo also received Buddhist teachings with him in Tibet.[4]

The late 1950s saw the People's Republic of China invade Tibet, one of the first places they reached was Kham, where Lhamo and Khyentse were living. In order for Khyentse to escape Chinese soldiers, Lhamo sent him a secret message warning him to flee to Lhasa.[5] In 1959, accompanied by their two daughters and a small group of disciples, they fled Tibet to reach Bhutan.[1][4][6]

Khandro Lhamo was a highly accomplished Doctor of Tibetan medicine,[7][8] who contributed to the construction and maintenance of Shechen Monastery in Nepal.[4]

After the death of Khyentse Rinpoche in 1991, she lived in the monastery Shechen Orgyen Chodzong in Bhutan and worked with Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche their grandson, to develop the institution for women.[4]

Lhamo died on 30 March 2003 and was cremated in June 2003; relics of her eyes, tongue and heart were kept.[1]

References
  1. Rab-gsal-zla-ba, Dil-mgo Mkhyen-brtse, 1910-1991 (2010). Brilliant moon : the autobiography of Dilgo Khyentse. Palmo, Ani Jinba,, Tweed, Michael. Boston, Massachusetts. ISBN 978-0-8348-2348-8. OCLC 881277749.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Greg Zwhalen, "Khandro Lhamo". Archived from the original on 2018-07-09.
  3. Simmer-Brown, Judith (10 December 2002). Dakini's warm breath : the feminine principle in Tibetan Buddhism. Boston, Massachusetts. ISBN 978-0-8348-2842-1. OCLC 881279562.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. "Khandro Lhamo Passes". Shambhala. 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  5. Journey to enlightenment : the life of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Ricard, Matthieu. Boulder, CO. 12 January 2016. ISBN 978-0-8348-0282-7. OCLC 937698985.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. "Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoché" (PDF).
  7. Women in Tibet. Gyatso, Janet., Havnevik, Hanna, 1957-. London: Hurst & Co. 2005. p. 173. ISBN 0-231-13098-8. OCLC 48783968.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. Fjeld, Heidi; Hofer, Theresia (2012-09-15). "Women and Gender in Tibetan Medicine". Asian Medicine. 6 (2): 175–216. doi:10.1163/15734218-12341234. hdl:1983/fbc6059c-77cb-4b00-ba8c-2a137faf3344. ISSN 1573-420X.

The Cremation of Khandro Lhamo

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