Parinirvana of Khenchen Sönam Gyatso

January 4, 2026

Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, shares the following message on the passing of Khenchen Sönam Gyatso.

Khenchen Sönam Gyatso, 1951–2026

A transcript of the message follows:

Dear Dharma friends,

It was with heartfelt sorrow that I learned of the passing into Parinirvana of the great Khenchen Sönam Gyatso, luminous beacon of the Buddha’s teaching — it is a source of great sadness that our merit proved insufficient to ensure his continued presence in this world.

The venerable Khenchen stood firmly rooted in ethical discipline. His vast learning and profound wisdom encompassed all areas of sutra and tantra, as well as the traditional sciences. His immense learning, nourished through contemplative practice, and thoroughly assimilated, bore excellent fruit. Such eminent masters, who embody all the qualities of the study and practice of the Buddha Dharma, are exceedingly rare in our present time.

Khenchen Sönam Gyatso nurtured his many students with immense kindness and wisdom, like a loving mother, and thus brought to maturity many disciples capable of upholding and preserving the Dharma through both of its aspects of scholarly understanding and realisation.

His service to the Buddha’s teaching was vast beyond measure, as was the exceptional kindness he showed to me. It is indeed a matter of great sadness and concern that so many eminent masters are passing away in rapid succession.

May the sublime Khenchen’s progression through the grounds and paths of the Bodhisattva be smooth and free from obstacles, and should it accord with his intention, may he swiftly take rebirth for the benefit of all sentient beings.

With prayers,

Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa