Drubthonpa Sangye Monlam (Ghen Sangye Monlam) was born in Khyungpo, Tibet in 1955.
He came from Tibet to India in 1983, at the age of 29. In the same year he became monk in Menri Monastery, Dolanji, taking his vows from the 33rd Menri Tridzin Lungtog Tenpa’i Nyima Rinpoche and from Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche.
He began to study and practice Ngondro under Yongdzin Rinpoche. For three years he attended the meditation class to study and practice meditation. Among the many teachings he received during that time are Atri Ka lung gyatso, which he received from Tsundru Rinpoche, and Kunzang Nying thig (Heart Drops of Dharmakaya) and Dzogchen Khu sum rang shar, which he received from Yongdzin Rinpoche.
In 1987 he was sent to the Bonpo refugee settlement of Dorpaten in Western Nepal to take care of the monastery there. In 1989 he joined Triten Norbutse Monastery in Kathmandu, where he took the 250 Gelong – vows to become a fully ordained monk and worked as Nyerpa for 7 years, taking care of everything from kitchen to finances. He received many teachings and transmissions from Yongdzin Rinpoche and was empowered to many practices, to mention only one here: Zhang zhung nyen gyud Ka gyud kor zhi.
He successfully completed his 4 years meditation course and continuously stayed in Djinpa nam zhi (The Four Great Offerings ) meditation retreat for four years.
In 2001 he guided the Tummo retreat with Geshe Gelek and Sherab Legden in Normandie, France.
On Rinpoche’s advice he came to Shenten Dargye Ling in 2007, where he is presently staying.