Khenpo ("Abbot") Jigme Phuntsok (1933-2004) was a Nyingma lama from the Dhok region of Kham (in what is now the modern Chinese province of Sichuan. His family were nomads. At the age of two he was identified as the reincarnation of Terton Lerdo Lingpa (1852-1926). He studied Dzogchen at Nubzor Monastery, received novice ordination at 14, and full ordination at 22 (or 1955). In 1959 he made the crucial decision to remain in Kham rather than flee to India. Wikipedia
However, students have been drawn by a charismatic teacher, Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, who established Larung Gar a decade ago as a ritro, or mountain hermitage, with only a few students. savetibet.org/news/newsitem.php?id=84
In particular, there have been severe restriction of movement imposed on prominent and popular religious leaders such as Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok and Acho Khen Rinpoche, among others. savetibet.org/news/publications/religionreport2004.php
The definitive Wikipedia entry for Jigme Phuntsok. Wikipedia is the biggest multilingual free-content encyclopedia on the Internet. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigme_Phuntsok
In 1980, Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok founded the institute in this nomadic region on the site of a renowned Nyingma hermitage. www.tchrd.org/publications/topical_reports/destruction_of...
