Chöje Lama Palmo
Born in 1970, Chöje Lama Gelongma Palmo graduated from Vienna Business School and subsequently from University of Vienna, having studied German philology and Romance languages, her thesis being on Medieval German literature. In her worldly life she worked in the media, as journalist, PR manager and photographer.
At 20, she connected with Buddhism and renounced worldly life and divorced at the age of 27. She received the monastic vows of a getsulma from Guru Vajradhara H. H. Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa and the full ordination of a gelongma (Skr. Bikshuni) from a Mahayana lineage after having completed the traditional Karma Kamtsang three years’ retreat which she underwent in Karma Triyana Dharmachakra under Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche.
She has studied and practiced the Buddhadharma under and in Palpung Sherab Ling from her root Guru Guru Vajradhara H. H. Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa since her taking refuge under the 3 Jewels in her early twenties and in the course of years received numerous transmissions from many masters.
She received complete transmissions of the eight major lineages of Vajrayana Buddhism, Mahamudra transmissions, instructions and practice of two of the three most important Mahamudra cycles, Ngedon Gyatsho and Marig Münsel from her root Guru, Guru Vajradhara H. H. Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa and Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche, respectively and so many countless other teachings.
Guru Vajradhara H. H. Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa appointed her Chöje Lama in 2013. In 2014, she received the traditional Chöje Lama appointment from Guru Vajradhara in silk, bearing the seal of H.H. The 1st and 8th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa as first lama, let alone a Westerner and woman. She is so far the first – H. H. Guru Vajradhara has so far never bestowed this appointment to neither a male, female, nor western lama – to receive such an appointment. Guru Vajradhara bestowed a blessing letter and a blessing video on her, too explaining her project. She established Palpung Europe with its institutes and is Head Lama of The European Seat of The Palpung lineage.
Chöje Lama Palmo explains the dharma in an easy accessible and contemporary way, guides her students in accordance with the lineage, gives empowerments, leads retreats, etc. Besides her spiritual and social responsibilities she is actively involved in many fields. She planned our houses, managed their adaption and put it into action under great physical exertion. She painted, filled and consecrated our statues and shrine, sewed the thangkas and more and built furniture. She photographs, layouts, established Palpung Europe Publications, translates the richness of the Palpung lineage into a fresh, new German, authors two own books so far and yet more.
Chöje Lama Palmo was diagnosed with terminal cancer in September 2020, received emergency surgery, chemo and is now convalescent.
