Geshe Pema Dorjee-la was born in the Lhatse district of Tsang province in Tibet. Geshe Tenzin Dorjee-la was ordained at six years of age at the Lhatse Cho De Monastery, which had been founded by the Great Fifth Dalai Lama. At age 8, he became a Getsul. Later, when Geshe Dorjee-la was 13, his uncle Sera Je Khensur Rinpoche, returned to Lhatse Cho De Monastery, and took him to Sera Monastery in Central Tibet where he remained for 8 years in Tsangpa Kham Tsen. At Sera he met Venerable Geshe Lhundub Sopa-la who became his main teacher.
In 1961 he fled from Tibet with Sera Je Khensur Rinpoche, Geshe Ngawang-la, and Tzong Tse Rinpoche who now lives in Germany. On first arrival in India they stayed in Kalimpong. From there they went to Manali to work as laborers on road construction for one year; followed by one year in Simla. Next he went to Buxador, India. He stayed at Buxador for 8 years before going down to Sera Monastery in Bylakuppe. There, he and Geshe Sherab Thabkay-la again studied together in the same class. In 1985 they both got their geshe degrees at Sera. Geshe Dorjee-la received the highest geshe degree, the lharampa rank. For one year he acted as the gegu or disciplinarian at Sera; 1 year as changtso or treasurer; and 3 years in finances.
While Geshe Dorjee-la was teaching at the Vajra Yogini Institute in France, Geshe Lhundub Sopa-la invited him to come to Deer Park to live and teach. He initially came to Deer Park in 2008 and then returned to France to finish his three year contract. After that he went on pilgrimage in India and finally returned to Deer Park in March 2009. Geshe Dorjee-la serves as the current abbot of Deer Park Buddhist Center, where students now have the great good fortune of studying with this very accomplished and practical teacher. >more
Teaching at Maitripa College
Teaching at Maitripa College
