KTZL Founder & Abbot

Lama Tashi Dondup is the founder and Abbot of Karma Tekchen Zabsal Ling. He was born in Lodrag, Tibet in 1952.  From 1970 to 1988 he resided at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, India, the seat of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, and received teachings on the major texts from the Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, V.V. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, Salje Rinpoche, and Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso.   He completed the traditional three-year-plus retreat at Rumtek and entered a one-year Kalachakra retreat under Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche’s guidance in Mirik in Darjeeling, India.  He is exceptionally knowledgeable in ritual music, torma, and mandala making, as well as the construction of stupas.