Erik Drew Jung grew up in Portland, Oregon and at an early age was introduced to Mahayana Buddhism by his father, a practitioner in the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1990, he earned a bachelor degree from The Evergreen State College. In 1994, he received a licensure in acupuncture (Lic. Ac.) from the Worlsey Institute of Classical Acupuncture, and in 2000, a masters degree in acupuncture from The Academy for Five Element Acupuncture.

Erik first took refuge in the Three Jewels 1989 with H. H. The Dhali Lama, and in the spring of 2004 met his root teacher, Tibetan meditation master and thirty-third generation Dzogchen lineage holder, H.E. Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche. He took refuge vows with Rinpoche that day, receiving the refuge name Orgyen Thabkey Dorje, and has served and studied closely with his Root Guru ever since.

Since 2004, Orgyen Thabkey Dorje has cumulatively spent more than three years in Dzogchen Buddha Path Retreats and Internships. He took monastic vows in 2008, and since 2010 has worked full time with the Dzogchen Lineage Translation Committee to help Rinpoche compose, translate, and edit the forthcoming Third Edition Buddha Path, along with many other Buddhist texts and sadhanas in English.

As well, he has taught dharma widely across the U.S., and conducted many overseas teaching tours in Europe and Russia. In 2014 Orgyen Thabkey Dorje was awarded the Vajra Yoga Practitioner degree and was authorized as Venerable Archarya Thabkey Lama by Khenpo Choga Rinpoche.

Currently, Thabkey Lama serves to promulgate the Dzogchen Lineage as Vice President of the Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation and when he is not on tour teaching, resides at the Dzogchen Retreat Center USA.

Contact

Dzogchen Retreat Center, OR, United States
dzogchenretreatcenter@gmail.com
619-817-8255