Chagkhung Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche was born in 1980 in Serta (Serthar), Kham, eastern Tibet. He is the nephew of Jigme Phuntsok and the son of the Yanpa Chagkhung family, belonging to the same blood lineage as the Dudjom Lingpa Chagkhung clan of the Ah-chak Dru.
Under the direct guidance of H.H. Jigme Phuntsok, Rinpoche became a monk at the age of eight and received his early Buddhist education from his uncle. He went on to study Buddhist philosophy, Sutra, and Tantra extensively at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Serta until his uncle's passing in 2004. He is recognized as a qualified Tibetan meditation teacher and retreat master.
During his time at Larung, Rinpoche was appointed by H.H. Jigme Phuntsok as Vice President for Environmental Affairs. In this role, he led environmental awareness initiatives and engaged in community service activities, promoting ecological protection and environmental education among local villagers.
After 2004, Rinpoche continued teaching, especially giving transmissions and empowerments of the complete collected works of H.H. Jigme Phuntsok to khenpos, monks, and lay practitioners. At the same time, he undertook retreats in sacred places throughout the Himalayan region, including Bhutan, Sikkim, and Nepal.
Rinpoche has since traveled internationally to bestow teachings, empowerments, and transmissions in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, always offering the Dharma according to the needs and capacities of his students.
In 2017, he founded the Memorial Translation House to preserve and translate the collected works of H.H. Jigme Phuntsok.
Since 2018, Rinpoche has been permanently residing in Australia, actively introducing Tibetan Buddhist teachings to the local community—conducting refuge ceremonies, teaching Dharma, granting empowerments, and organizing activities for the well-being of sentient beings.
In 2022, he established Yishin Norbu in Melbourne and Sydney, rooted in the lineage and teachings of his spiritual master, with a commitment to cultivating and spreading the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. In 2023, he founded the Tsewang Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving society through educational, translation, and preservation projects related to Buddhist teachings.
In 2024, at Lumbini—the sacred birthplace of Shakyamuni Buddha—Rinpoche received the Khenpo degree from H.E. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche during the auspicious occasion of Lhabab Düchen, commemorating the Buddha's descent from the heavenly realm. The ceremony took place in the presence of distinguished teachers, monastics, practitioners, and the King of Nepal, coinciding with the inauguration of the One Thousand Buddha Temple, creating a profoundly blessed and historic occasion.
Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche has dedicated many years in Australia to the propagation of the Dharma, tirelessly benefiting countless beings. May his Dharma activities continue to flourish, and may he live long in good health for the benefit of all sentient beings.
