rinpoche means A title warranting great respect, prefixed to the names of Tibetan Buddhists. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 83 out of 100.
Why “rinpoche” is a great word
RINPOCHE — [Noun] A Tibetan Buddhist honorific title meaning 'precious one,' used for a revered teacher or incarnate lama. From Tibetan རིན་པོ་ཆེ (rin po che), literally 'precious jewel.' Unlike "lama," a general term for a spiritual guide, or "tulku," which specifies a recognized reincarnation, "Rinpoche" is a title of veneration that emphasizes the intrinsic, invaluable quality of the person. It is the gilded lettering on a weathered prayer-book, the deep, resonant tone of the ceremonial trumpet, and the low, steady murmur of prayers that warms the air—a formal acknowledgment that some vessels of wisdom are considered irreplaceable, the quiet recognition that wisdom, too, can be incarnate.
noun
- A title warranting great respect, prefixed to the names of Tibetan Buddhists.