Damien van Effenterre is a translator and long-term student of Buddhist philosophy. He began practicing the Dharma in 1999 and later left his scientific career as a physicist to commit fully to shedra study and Tibetan language. He trained for over a decade at the Rigpa Shedra in Nepal and Namdroling Monastery in South India, studying with learned khenpos and khenmos under Khenchen Namdrol Rinpoche’s guidance.
A former director of Rigpa’s International Shedra Department, Damien is now the main translator for Khenpo Tashi Tseten at the Rigpa Shedra in Pharping and online, and continues translating classical Tibetan texts. He also teaches and guides study with a humble wish to support students’ understanding.
Since 2015 he has lived in Bhutan with his family, where immersion in the living Dharma culture of the Himalayas continues to deeply nourish his practice and inspire his commitment to making authentic Buddhist study accessible and meaningful.
