The teachers of the Institute
Guéshé Tènzin Lodèn
The Institute resident teacher was born in Bylakuppe, South India, in 1961. He entered Sera Dje Monastery at the age of 9 years old and pursued his studies until he obtained the title of Geshe in 1994. He then spent over six years in strict retreat.
From 2003 to 2006, he held the position of chant master (umze) in Sera Je Monastery, which he agreed to leave at the end of 2007, to take over from Geshe Tenzin Dorje as the principal teacher in Vajra Yogini Institute.
He teaches the Basic Program.
Anila Thubten Lhamo
Anila Thubten Lhamo is a nun who took refuge with Lama Yeshe in 1979 in Kopan and was ordained by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 2019.
She studied PEBA from 2003 to 2010 at the Institute, then went on numerous retreats.
She contributed to the creation of Education Universelle France by setting up workshops on ’16 attitudes for better living’.
Christian Charrier
Christian was a resident at the Institute from 1982 to 1988. After a three-year retreat, Christian translated the fundamental texts of Buddhism and taught at the Institute.
The Éditions Mahayana have notably published his translation of the Sanghata Sutra, the Golden Light Sutra and the Wheel of Sharp Weapons. Other works he has translated are published by Claire Lumière and Padmakara (“Tsadra series”).
He currently teaches the Discovery of Buddhism modules at the Institute, and is also a Basic Program assistant.
Moine Charles
After serving as a resident at Vajra Yogini Institute, Charles took ordination in 1989. Since then he has spent several years on solitary retreat in the Pyrenees and in California and regularly guides 108 Nyoung-Nè retreats.
A fully ordained monk, he resides at the Vajra Yogini Institute.
Josep Manresa Zafra
In 2016, Josep discovered Buddhism through teachers such as Lama Lobsang Tsultrim, Lama Monlam, and Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche. After a retreat with Marina Brucet, he chose this path and, in October 2017, joined the FPMT Basic Program at the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute in Italy, which he completed in 2022 after two Lam Rim retreats. He also studied debate for a year with Atisha Matur and attended teachings by Serkong Rinpoche.
In May 2023, he was accredited by the FPMT as a “Foundational Buddhist Teacher.” He is currently following the FPMT Master Program online with the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute.
Visiting teachers
Khensour Jhado Tulku Rinpoche
Rinpoche was born in 1954 north of Lhasa in Tibet. He took novice vows with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1964 and received full ordination in 1973 from Ling Rinpoche. From 1972 to 1990, Rinpoche studied at Sera Je monastery and obtained the title of Lharampa Geshe in 1991.
From 1992 to 1996, Rinpoche taught at Namgyal Monastery in Dharamsala, then became its abbot from 1997 to 2004.
Jhado Rinpoche is one of the most esteemed lamas of the Gelugpa tradition. In addition to his excellent monastic education, Rinpoche received many oral transmissions and initiations from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, his two tutors, as well as great masters from other traditions, such as Troulshik Rinpoche.
Known for his keen intellect and dynamic teaching style, as well as his ability to personally touch Western students, Rinpoche is also appreciated for his gentleness and kindness.
Yangsi Rinpoche
Born in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1968, Yangsi Rinpoche was recognized at the age of six as the reincarnation of Geshe Ngawang Gendune, one of Lama Geshe’s masters. He studied at Kopan Monastery and then at Sera Je Monastery in India where he obtained the title of Geshe Lharampa in 1995.
In 1998, driven by the wish to share the Dharma with Western students, Rinpoche traveled to the West. After deciding to continue his work for the Dharma as a lay person, he has since offered numerous teachings across America and Europe.
He is currently the Director of the Maitripa Institute, a university he founded in Portland, USA.
He agreed to come each year to the Institute to guide retreats for his French students.
LING Rinpoche
H.E. the 7th Kyabjé Yongzin Ling Rinpoche, born in 1985, is the reincarnation of His Holiness the 6th Kyabjé Yongzin Ling Rinpoche (1903–1983), the Principal Teacher of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the 97th Gaden Throne Holder, the longest serving Ganden Tripa serving over 20 years whom the H.H. the Dalai Lama refers to as Root Guru.
Beginning with Charka the Arhat Udhay during the time of Lord Shakyamuni
Buddha, twenty previous incarnations of Ling Rinpoche have been identified,
including Tutors to His Holiness the 6th, 11th and 13th Dalai Lamas; the 48th and
75th Gaden Throne Holders; as well as kings, yogis, scholars, and lay adepts
prominent in the spiritual histories of India and Tibet.
Rinpoche travels extensively worldwide to promote peace, at requests to teach and give initiations, has organized and served as emissary for historic Buddhist events. In 2012-2015, Rinpoche organized His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s historic series of Jangchup Lamrim teachings and participated in many Buddhist and interfaith events, including that of Mind & Life Institute from 2004 and others.
SERKONG Rinpoche
At the age of two, Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche II (born in 1984) pointed to a photo of the recently deceased assistant tutor to the 14th Dalai Lama and said, “That’s me!” Recognized as the reincarnation of the former Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche, the young tulku received his Buddhist training at Ganden Jangtse Monastery in southern India. After choosing to continue his work for the Dharma as a layperson, he completed his training at the Buddhist Dialectics Institute in Dharamsala.
Rinpoche is currently the spiritual guide of Tabo Monastery in Spiti, the oldest Tibetan monastery still active in India. There, he founded the Serkong School for the education of children in the region, as well as the Serkong Institute for Buddhist Studies, in India and Italy, dedicated to the study of Buddhist philosophy through debate.
Since 2016, he has been teaching internationally. Appreciated for his clarity, warmth, and practical approach, he makes even the most subtle Buddhist teachings accessible to modern audiences. Following the advice of the Dalai Lama, he also completed two years of intensive English studies in Canada and continues his higher education.
Venerable Chantal Tenzin Dekyi
Venerable Chantal Carrerot (Tenzin Dekyi) was ordained as a Buddhist nun by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1986.
She holds a DESS in clinical psychology from the University of Toulouse Le Mirail.
She undertook Buddhist studies at Nalanda Monastery from 1985 to 1993. Subsequently, from 1994, she traveled and taught in many countries (India, United States, France, South Africa, Mongolia, Spain), while holding various responsibilities within the FPMT.
From 2009 to 2018, she resided at the Vajra Yogini Institute as a Buddhist teacher and Tibetan translator.
Since 2018, she has lived at Dorjé Pamo Monastery, a monastic community of the FPMT, where she serves as its director.
Venerable Losang Gendun
Buddhist teacher Ven. Losang Gendun is a Dutch monk. After practicing mainly Theravada Buddhism for twenty years, he became a monk in the Tibetan tradition in 2006.
At the Nalanda monastery in France, he studied Buddhist philosophy for nine years. In all, the Venerable Gendun spent more than four years in retirement.
He specializes in the Tibetan Lojong and Mahamudra methods, as well as Vipassana-shamatha meditation as taught in the Theravada forest tradition.
Venerable Robina Courtin
Robina Courtin was raised as a Catholic, and during her youth considered becoming a Carmelite. In the 1960s, she trained as a classical singer in London, where she lived. In the early 1970s, she became a feminist activist and worked on prisoners’ rights. In 1972, she returned to Melbourne. In 1974, she started to study martial arts, went to New York and returned to Melbourne.
In 1976, she attended Buddhist teachings given by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa in Queensland. In November 1977, Robina Courtin traveled to Kathmandu, Nepal to study at Kopan Monastery, where she was ordained as a Buddhist nun. She became director of the Buddhist publishing house Wisdom Publications until 1987, then editor of the magazine “The Mandala” until 2000. She leaves “The Mandala” to teach and develop the: “Liberation Prison Project.”
She has been coming to the Institute every year for over 10 years to teach.
Sixte Vinçotte
Sixte Vinçotte returned to the monastery of Nalanda in the Tarn in 1995 where he received the ordination of Getsul from his master Geshe Jampa Gyatso. The following year, he took the ordination of Gelong from Lati Rinpoche and was a monk for 9 years.
From 1995 until 1999 he studied and practiced at Nalanda monastery and then left in July 1999 to join his master Geshe Jampa Gyatso at the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Italy. He studied the “Masters’ Program”, a 7-year Buddhist sutra and tantra study program to train Western teachers, then the “Basic Program” until 2007.
Today he continues to teach and lead retreats in France, Reunion Island, Tahiti and Switzerland.
