His Holiness the 42nd Kyabgon Gongma Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, is the eldest son of His Holiness Sakya Trichen, the 41st Sakya Trizin. Widely respected as one of the most accomplished lineage masters in Tibetan Buddhism, he is known for both his deep scholarship and the lucidity of his teachings.
In March 2017, he received the responsibility of leadership from his revered father and root guru, taking on the role of the 42nd Sakya Trizin, or throne holder of the lineage. Through this position, he continues to guide Dharma students around the world with wisdom, humility, sincerity, and a natural simplicity, offering the Buddha’s teachings in an authentic way while preserving the pure traditions of Buddhism.
Ratna Vajra Rinpoche is an important young lineage holder and a descendant of the Khon family, whose generations have maintained an unbroken stream of great masters. He was born on 19 November 1974 in Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, India. From birth, he received blessings, initiations, and teachings from many high lamas, including his father, nurturing his growing knowledge and wisdom.
As a child, he travelled widely throughout India and many other countries with his parents. At the age of six, he began formal study under the guidance of Venerable Rinchen Sangpo. Over the following years, he learned Tibetan reading, writing, grammar, memorisation, and the recitation of basic prayers and rituals. In 1987, at the age of fourteen, he passed his first major examination at Sakya Centre in Rajpur. Two years later, he completed his basic studies in rituals and scriptures there. The next year, he entered Sakya College and studied for seven more years. In 1998, he completed his Kachupa degree, equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree.
During these years, he received extensive exoteric and esoteric teachings, empowerments, blessings, initiations, oral transmissions, explanations, and pith instructions from his father and from leading lamas and scholars of the time, including His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, His Eminences Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, and Luding Khenchen Rinpoche. He has travelled with His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin on many teaching tours around the world, and has offered teachings and initiations in India and abroad. He has also completed many retreats focused on the principal deities of the Sakyapa order.
He currently resides at Sakya Dolma Phodrang, the palace of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, and joins him on various tours in India and abroad. He also takes part in regular prayer ceremonies at Sakya Centre and Dolma Phodrang. He is widely recognised as a learned scholar of the Sakya tradition and speaks English fluently.
On 12 September 2002, he married Dagmo Kalden Dunkyi, daughter of Mr Lundrup Topden and Mrs Yangchen Drolkar, at Sakya Dolma Phodrang. In keeping with Sakya tradition, the marriage remained private for a period of time, with only close relatives present. Their first child, Jetsunma Kunga Trinley Palter Sakya, was born on 2 January 2007, on the Parinirvana Day of Sakya Pandita. Their son, His Eminence Akasha Vajra Rinpoche, was born on 27 March 2010 in New Delhi.