Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, July 16: Venerable Dagpo Rinpoche, a prominent Tibetan Buddhist scholar and teacher, has been awarded France’s highest national order of merit, the Légion d’honneur (Legion of Honour), making him the first Tibetan ever to receive the prestigious distinction.
According to the official decree published in the French government’s journal on July 13, Dagpo Rinpoche was named a Chevalier (Knight) of the order. The award acknowledges his decades-long dedication to preserving and promoting Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, advancing intercultural dialogue, and enriching French society through his academic and spiritual endeavours.
Dagpo Rinpoche, born in 1932 in Kongpo, Tibet, was recognized at a young age by the 13th Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of Dagpo Lama Rinpoche Jampel Lhundrup Gyatso, a renowned 19th-century Buddhist master. He received a traditional monastic education at the Drepung Gomang Monastery in Lhasa before fleeing into exile during the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959.
Less than a year later, he was invited to France by the Rockefeller Foundation to assist French Tibetologists in their academic research. He arrived in 1960 and soon became one of the foremost transmitters of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. From 1961 to 1993, he served as a professor at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris, teaching Tibetan language, civilization, and Buddhist philosophy.
A prolific author and translator, Dagpo Rinpoche played a crucial role in making complex Tibetan Buddhist texts accessible to French and European audiences. His work bridged cultures and inspired generations of practitioners and scholars.
In 1978, he founded the Ganden Ling Institute, one of the first Tibetan Buddhist centers in France, which was later officially recognized by the French state in 1995. A new temple was later inaugurated in Veneux-les-Sablons in 2005, where teachings and retreats under his guidance continue to attract students from around the world.
Established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the Légion d’honneur is France’s highest civilian honour. It is awarded to both French nationals and foreigners for exemplary service in fields such as education, culture, science, and humanitarian work. Notable past recipients include Nelson Mandela, Satyajit Ray, and Amartya Sen.
