Lama Sonam Gyatso

Lama Sonam Gyatso met his Root Guru, the Ven. Bhikkhu Ananda Bodhi (known later as the Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche) in 1961, while studying mathematics at Cambridge University. Lama Sonam was ordained in London in 1963 as a novice (Samanera) by the Venerable Mahathera Saddhatissa. Following two years of intensive training in the Theravada tradition in England, under Ven. Ananda Bodhi, he accompanied the Bhikkhu to Toronto in 1965, and was one of the founding members of the Dharma Centre of Canada. During his 40 years of retreat work and travel to India, Japan and other Far Eastern countries with the Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche (including 12 years as his personal assistant), Lama Sonam has received major Transmissions and Empowerments from most of the Tibetan Vajrayana Lineages. In 1982, Lama Sonam received lay precepts from the Ven. Kalu Rinpoche (who named him Sonam Gyatso), then from the Ven. Sayadaw U Thila Wunta, and again in 1991 from the Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche. In 1993 the Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche publicly recognised Lama Sonam and subsequently authorised him to transmit the Vajrayana Empowerments. For over 30 years, he assisted Rinpoche by translating numerous Tibetan Wongkurs and Sadhanas. As Rinpoche’s senior living student, Lama Sonam regularly gives teaching and empowerments upon request, both in Canada and abroad.