His Holiness Sakya Trizin

His Holiness the 41^st Sakya Trizin, the supreme head of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, was born in Tibet in 1945 into the ancient lineage of the Khön. He is regarded as an emanation of Buddha Manjushri. He is a highly realised Master adorned with profound wisdom and limitless compassion. He started learning about Buddhist philosophy and performing retreats at a very young age. In 1959, an enthronement ceremony was held in Sakya, Tibet, by the way of which he officially became the Holder of the Sakya Throne. He was forced to quit his homeland and flee to India later that year. He has been tirelessly working for the benefit of his people, the Sakya tradition and Buddhism in general ever since. He has built and renovated monasteries, nunneries, schools, and villages for Tibetan refugees. These villages have formed the new foundations of the Tibetan lay and religious life. He has established over 30 monasteries in Nepal and India, and supported the establishment of numerous Sakya centres all over the world. His Holiness often travels around the world, teaching Dharma and transmitting authentic and profound teachings according to the needs of his disciples. Since His Holiness the Sakya Trizin has received teachings and initiations of all four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism, he is regarded as a non-sectarian (Rimé) Lama.

The current throne holder, His Holiness the 41^st Sakya Trizin, saw with his vast vision that in the current time it would be beneficial to change the throne holder succession system. Even though this diverges from the established Sakya tradition, it should give an increased stability in the continuation of the teachings and administration of the Sakya. On 8^th May 2014, the new throne holder succession system with a three-year rotation of the Sakya Trizin title was unanimously agreed by the Dolma Phodrang and the Phuntsok Phodrang.

On 9 March 2017 H. H. 41^st Sakya Trizin passed the leadership of the Sakya school to his eldest son, H. E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, who thus became the 42^nd Sakya Trizin. 

Full biography