Born in 1953 as the second son of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche was recognized by the Sixteenth Karmapa as an incarnation of Chokgyur Lingpa. He received his early education alongside his elder brother, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, the exile seat of the Karmapa. In 1975, the two brothers joined their father in Kathmandu, Nepal, where they helped establish Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, the place where Chokling Rinpoche later resided.
A tertön and lay practitioner, he lived as a husband and father of four children. His family lineage continues to hold deep significance within Tibetan Buddhism: his eldest son was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the seventh Phakchok Rinpoche of the Taklung Kagyü lineage, while his youngest son is recognized as the reincarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche. Although Chokling Rinpoche passed away in December 2020, his presence and influence remain deeply felt.