Lama Wangyal

Lama Wangyal born in the Tibetan Buddhist Year of the Monkey (1956 AD) in Muktinath. At the age of eight, Wangyal Lama started religious studies with his grandfather as his guru. When he was 13 his grandfather Jampal Rabgyé Rinpoche declared that Wangyal Lama would be his successor as head of the Gye Lhaki Dung and abbot of Chumig Gyatsa. Thereafter Wangyal Lama went into retreat under the direct guidance of his grandfather. This was a retreat of 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. In the Year of the Horse (1978) Jampal Rabgyé Rinpoche died at 71 years and Wangyal Lama became abbot of Chumig Gyatsa, or as the Nepalese people say, 'Muktinath Lama'.

Like all lamas of Chumig Gyatsa were, Wangyal Lama is a Ngagpa, a Buddhist tantric practitioner having a householders live. Being married, having children and being the head of the Gye Lhaki Dung he had to support his family. He did this by trading carpets. However, in 1995 he decided he would focus fully on the Dharma. Wangyal Lama's family established the Dragon Guest House at Boudhanath in Kathmandu Valley, which is managed by his wife Chimi-la Dolkar, who is his sponsor. Wangyal Lama does not take any money for himself from anyone. He insists on being supported solely by his family. Local donations to him are spent entirely on Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa and local charity.