"I appreciate that," he says of Mother Teresa's work. "We have so many monks, why don't we put them all over the world to do compassionate works?"
And his wisdom about daily living, his take on Buddhism how it relates to contemporary life has attracted audiences as he travels and speaks around the country.
"I'm not insisting that you believe that way. I'm just sharing my knowledge of how I believe that," Rinpoche tells his audiences.
He says he's not interested in converting people to Buddhism, but rather that people become stronger in their own faith.
Rinpoche was called to be a leader and teacher of the Buddha way of life when he was only 17 years old and a refugee from Tibet. At the time he was living in India with his parents.
"When I was recognized as the Rinpoche by the Dalai Lama, for two years I was not comfortable with that. For two years I was not settled," he told an audience of about 50 people last weekend during his visit to Unity Church of Savannah, a non-denominational, Christian church.
Around the country Rinpoche talks about how Buddhism fits into contemporary living, but audiences also want to know about Rinpoche personal life.
"What do you do for pleasure," he's asked by a woman in the Unity audience.
"I laugh," he says, laughing. Then, his face grows serious as he says, "And I play golf."
But before all the questions about himself or how to use meditation as a way to enlightenment, he talked about the way of the Buddha.
Buddhas (one who follows the way of Buddha) hope to attain a state called enlightenment. It is the state of ultimate, everlasting happiness, Rinpoche explains -- peace, harmony, balance.
Searching for enlightenment becomes a purpose in life, so disappointments, setbacks become less important to one's ultimate destiny, and people have more courage and hope.
"That is why many Buddhism masters are, like, jolly," Rinpoche said, his smile and laughter brightening up his face.