The 2nd Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, was born in 1904, into a noble family in the south- eastern Tibetan province of Pemakö - one of the four ‘hidden lands’ of Padmasambhava. He was recognized as the incarnation of Dudjom Lingpa (1835-1904), a famous discoverer of ‘termas’ – teachings hidden by the eighth - centurymaster Guru Padmasambhva, to be discovered later by ‘revealers’ known as ‘tertons’ during times of need. Dudjom Rinpoche was also a great ‘terton’ and revealed ‘terma’ that are now widely taught and practiced. Dudjom Rinpoche is credited to have written over 40 volumes of scriptures. His most renowned work is the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism which he wrote after his arrival in India.

His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche was a great scholar and meditation master. He was renowned throughout Tibet for the depth of his realization and spiritual accomplishment, as well as for his unsurpassed scholarship. After leaving Tibet, Rinpoche settled first in Kalimpong, in India, and later in Kathmandu, Nepal working tirelessly to revive and preserve Vajrayana Buddhism. Late in his life, Rinpoche also traveled to the West giving empowerment's and teachings, thereby establishing the Nyingma tradition in the West.