The MoretoLifeTV team were at Gorton Monastery recently and interviewed this wonderful man. As part of our ongoing series of interviews with members of different religions, our David Mottram put More to Life’s five questions to him on an incredible spiritual day at an amazingly spiritual place.

Geshe Lama Ahbay Tulku Rinpoche, a high ranking Lama who people wait in line for hours to see  is currently visiting the UK from India on a mission which has been endorsed by the Dalai Lama, to raise funds to feed and clothe the Tibetan people and ultimately, to build a monastery in Tibet for the education and enlightenment of young monks. He has been kind enough to agree to be interviewed by our budding reporter David Mottram. David has asked five questions of our eminent guest; the same five questions he intends to ask of all faiths in the coming months.

Geshe Lama Ahbay Tulku Rinpoche  was born in Darjeeling, India in 1973. In the Tibetan calendar the day of his birth is “the day of the ten auspicious omens.” Sonam Dorjee and Lobsang Tseten his mother had two sons, his elder brother Dondhup Paljor and his younger sister Tsering Tsomo. In 1979, Khabche Zong Rinpoche visited Darjeeling giving profound teachings and bringing happiness to the whole world. Ahbay’s father fell at the feet of this great master in the hope that one of his sons became a monk. Zong Rinpoche saw that it would be best to choose the younger of the two brothers to enter the monastery.

Venerable Geshe Khenrab Choedak of Hardong Khamtsen became the young boy’s teacher and in accordance with tradition, he began learning to read and write and to study the Tibetan Buddhist teachings. Teachers Geshe Sonam Choephel, Geshe Lobsang and Tenzin, Geshe Choenyi Dhakpa were designated as additional teachers. When Ahbay was nine years old he was fully initiated into the monastic life and the guardian of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ling Rinpoche Khabche, gave him the name Thupten Tender.

When aged twenty years, His Holiness the Dalai Lama identified Ahbay as the reincarnation of the Lama Lobsang Tenzin (hermit). Accordingly he took his task again from the responsibilities of the previous incarnation and returned back into the role of spiritual leader of the monastery, the Yiga Choe Ling, in Tibet. Although currently based at a monastery in India, he wishes to raise funds to build one in Tibet. This fits well with his a responsibilities, as one of the jobs of Lama Lobsang Tenzin was temple builder.

read more about Geshe Lama Ahbay Tulku Rinpoche here.

Click here to watch the interview and see the More to Life team being photographed with this wonderful man.