Hip Glossary: Rinpoche
Rinpoche:
rinpoche, "Rinpoche" literally means "the precious one in human kind".
A sampling of definitions may render help in understanding the more specific usage and religious implications of the title:
- (Tib. = "Precious"). Honorific applied to reincarnate lamas and other highly respected persons.
- (Tibetan rin-po-che) – literally, precious. A term of respect added to a lama’s name.
- The title for an incarnate lama, meaning "Precious One" in Tibetan.
- ‘precious one’ – a term of endearment used respectfully for Teachers and Gurus. It does not have a technical meaning or imply a ranking or level of hierarchy amongst lineage teachers.
- Literally ‘precious one’. Rinpoche is used as a respectful form of address to ones teacher. It is a mistaken assumption that the term Rinpoche indicates an incarnate Lama; although all incarnate Lamas are called Rinpoche by their students.
- "Supremely precious," a title of respect normally reserved for highly revered incarnate masters
source:wikipedia