Teachers

Lineage is an important part of Tibetan Buddhism. It’s the direct pouring of wisdom from teacher to student. Lineage is the alive connection between the teacher’s heart/mind and the disciple’s heart/mind.

Heart/mind: In Tibetan and Thai, when a person says mind, they are referring to their heart. These languages remind people to connect to the greatest wisdom in their being.

“Buddhism is a system of self-governance where you take responsibility for yourself.”

-       Elizabeth Matthis Namgyal

Lineage

Guru Padmasambhava

Yeshe Tsogyal

Machig Lapdron

Longchenpa

Jigme Lingpa

Dudjom Lingpa

Anam Chatral Choying Phuntsok

Choje Jigme Phuntsok

Lama Tsurlo

Lama Garwang

Khenpo Nangdzad Dorje

Khenpo Thubten Tsering Chöpel

Anam Thubten

Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and at an early age began to practice in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of Dharmata Foundation, teaching widely in the U.S. and abroad. His many books in English include: Choosing Compassion, No Self No Problem, Into the Haunted Ground, and The Citadel of Awareness. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through sharing his wisdom and personal experience on the spiritual path, Anam Thubten brings alive the timeless teachings of Buddhism.

Sunisa Manning

Sunisa Manning was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. She was brought up as a Theravada Buddhist, and continues to draw on these roots in her teaching. When Sunisa was in college in the US, she began practicing Tibetan Buddhism. About five years later she became a student of Anam Thubten. Sunisa lived in the Bay Area for 11 years, practicing and studying the dharma under Anam Thubten, where she completed Dharma Leadership Training and Ngondro. Sunisa practices Chod.

In 2022, Sunisa and her family moved to Philadelphia. In 2024, Anam Thubten asked Sunisa to be a dharma teacher. She was ordained in Dhumatala Temple in Point Richmond, California in August 2024. Sunisa considers herself a bridge between Buddhism as it is manifested in Asia to how it is landing in the West.