His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya was born into the Phuntsok branch of the Khön lineage of the Sakya school in 1929 in southwestern Tibet. Under the guidance of his father, H.H. Trichen Ngawang Thutop Wangchuk (the 40th throne holder of the Sakya school), and other distinguished teachers, he received instructions in all the teachings of the sutras and tantras. Upon completion of his training, he received the unbroken Khön lineage transmission of the Sakya Vajrakilaya and Hevajra empowerments, the complete Lamdré, and 13 Golden Dharmas, which are the main teachings of the Sakya tradition. He took a leave of absence from Sakya at the age of 22 in order to travel to East Tibet to receive advanced teachings from those who were to become his main masters. He became a great tantric master and gave a series of Lamdre teachings in Tibet (in Kham and Sakya), Nepal, and India.
Since 1960, His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen has been residing in Seattle, USA. He works actively to help preserve and share the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. To this end he has given extensive empowerments and teachings throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. In 1974 he established the Sakya Monastery in Seattle as a seat of cultural and religious learning in the West. He established the Sakya Heritage Society in New Delhi in 2001 with the aim of preserving his heritage for the future generations and lineage holders.
On April 29, 2016, H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya passed into a special state of meditation (Thukdam) and entered Parinirvana on May 5, 2016.
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