When her sister died of complications shortly after giving birth to the Buddha, Mahaprajapati became his step-mother and raised him herself.

He was empowered as the regent of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and is now passing on this lineage back to this master's tulku, who lives primarily in central Tibet. It was the abbot of Kathok monastery, Khenchen Ngawaang Palzang (Khenpo Ngakchung) especially, though, who was Rinpoche's tsa wa'i lama and who bestowed the Longchen Nyinthig "heart drop" teachings on the essential point concerning the mind's nature.

He is one of the primary lineage holders of the Longchen Nyingthig, and in particular the lineage that descends through Jigme Lingpa's heart son Jigme Gyalwe Nyugu and then on to Patrul Rinpoche.