About Lama Tashi Dundrup

Lama Tashi was born in the Pacific Northwest of the United States in 1938. As a child, Lama Tashi was embraced and partially adopted by peoples of the Samish, Skokomish and Snoqualmie First Nations Tribes.

In 1977 Lama Tashi was introduced to Vajrayana Buddhism by the venerable Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage. A few months later he met Lama Karma Rinchen of the same lineage and became his student. From 1986 -1989 Lama Tashi participated in a 40 month retreat, graduating as a traditional Tibetan Lama. Some of his teachers are; the 16th Karmapa, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Tenzin of Maui, Tai Situ Rinpoche, Lama Lodru and Lama Tsang Tsing.

In 1990 Lama Tashi began teaching on the island of Kauai, establishing the Kagyu Thubten Choling/Kauai Dharma Center with Lama Rinchen in 1991.

In 2006, along with Lama Rinchen and gendok Andrew Fitts, Lama Tashi and his Kauai students participated in the creation of a 17 ft high marble stupa to honor the Shangpa Kagyu lineage. In 2009 the stupa was consecrated, the property currently managed by the foundation, The Dharma Sanctuary.

Lama Tashi currently offers online Dharma classes weekly by Zoom to his students all over the world.

His presentation of the Dharma is more relaxed and informal than you will find at most Vajrayana Centers.