The legacy of His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche extends well beyond his historical contributions and the vital role he played in preserving and transmitting the Yungdrung Bön tradition, a role that has enabled the lineage to transcend its Tibetan origins and flourish globally.

Confronting unprecedented challenges throughout his life, Rinpoche transformed each obstacle into a vibrant line of transmission, leaving behind a vast treasury of rare teachings on the qualities of refuge and compassion in action for contemporary practitioners and future generations. These qualities continue to radiate through all his early noble activities, from helping scattered Tibetan refugees to settle in shelters he built to the institutions he founded, which now stand as dynamic centres for the study and living transmission of this sacred lineage.

Menri Monastery in India has risen to renewed prominence through Rinpoche's tireless efforts in restoring the Geshe programme by giving comprehensive teachings of Bön philosophy and practices through empowerments (Wang), textual transmissions (Lung), and instructions (Thri). The accumulation of his efforts led to the establishment of the first wave of Bönpo Geshe's graduates outside Tibet. During his time at Menri Monastery, both in Tibet and India, Rinpoche lived through five generations of abbots, from whom he received empowerment. Rinpoche also guided the appointment of the new generation of abbots and vitalised the abbotship as the leader of the Bönpo living tradition.

His journey in founding Triten Norbutse Monastery reveals a rare insight into the integrated nature of spiritual and worldly responsibility. Rinpoche demonstrated a mastery that encompassed both inner realisation and outward engagement, meeting the practical, social, and logistical demands of institution-building while remaining firmly rooted in the transmissions he had received from his lineage masters. From acquiring a remote plot of land in the hills of Kathmandu to overseeing the construction of access routes and facilities, his dedication and vision created a refuge for dispersed Bön monks. Under Rinpoche's guidance, what began with just three rooms and a few monks has evolved into a world-class monastic institution, home to a thriving community of Geshes, monks, meditation teachers, and Traditional Tibetan Medicine Practitioners who carry the Bön lineage forward with clarity and devotion.

This same spirit of refuge and accessibility is equally reflected in the international centres that have flourished under Rinpoche's guidance, including Shenten Dargye Ling in France. Through these efforts, Bön teachings have become available in Western languages, fulfilling his aspiration to make the tradition accessible to all sincere seekers. His writings, including "Heart Drops of Dharmakaya", continue to serve as foundational texts for practitioners and meditation groups. At the same time, his collected works are gradually being translated. In academic circles, Bön is now recognised as a legitimate field of study—a shift made possible in part by Rinpoche's early contributions, such as The Nine Ways of Bön, and his collaborative work with researchers, translators, and ethnographers.

Throughout his life, Yongdzin Rinpoche trained numerous students and disciples across Asia and the West, whose lives and works continue to reflect his mind-stream. Through them, the transmission of Rinpoche’s  insights, teachings, and ethical examples remains vibrant and accessible to students and seekers worldwide.

Although Rinpoche spent most of his life in exile, he maintained unwavering loyalty to his homeland and lineage, ensuring the continuity of Bön was preserved amid profound political and social changes. In the 1980s, when it became possible to return to Tibet, Rinpoche supported the re-establishment of educational and medical institutions and contributed significantly to the revival of Bön teachings in regions such as Kham and Amdo. These efforts helped to re-anchor Bön within Tibetan cultural life, where it is now openly practised and officially recognised. 

Though his physical form has dissolved, Rinpoche's presence remains deeply felt. Rinpoche's life embodied the essential qualities of a bodhisattva: profound wisdom, compassion, focused discipline, and unwavering devotion.

Khenchen Tenpa Yungdrung Rinpoche, Abbot of Triten Norbutse