His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche

His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche is the worldwide spiritual head of Bon and the 34th abbot of Menri Monastery, the mother monastery of Bon in India. His Holiness was selected as the 34th Menri Trizin on January 1, 2018, following a sacred prayer ritual over several days with lamas, monks, and nuns from across Asia.

His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche was born on November 29, 1972, in Amdo, Tibet. At age 17 he became a monk at Gamal Monastery in Amdo, and at age 18 he joined the Bon Dialectic School of Gamal Monastery. He received his Geshe (doctor of Philosophy) degree from Gamal Monastery at age 24. In 1994, he was able to take the 250 vows of a fully ordained monk from the 33rd Menri Trizin, who gave him the name Dawa Dhargyal Wangpo. Thus the 34th Abbot was named Dawa (moon), followed by the 33rd Abbot, named Nyima (sun) – forming an auspicious connection like the moon proceeding in the path of the sun.

In 1997, His Holiness entered Menri Monastery in India, where he received his second geshe degree, in 2012. He served the 33rd Menri Trizin, His Holiness Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche, for many years and held several important roles in the monastery, most recently as general secretary (administrator) of the Yungdrung Bon Monastic Center Society at Menri. In February 2018, Bonpos worldwide joined in celebrating the selection of the 34th Menri Trizin at Menri Monastery. On September 6, 2018, a formal grand enthronement ceremony took place at Menri.