Trungpa tülkus


The Trungpa tülkus are a line of incarnate Tibetan lamas who traditionally head Surmang monastery complex in Kham, now Surmang. There have been twelve such Trungpa tulkus. They are members of the Karma Kagyu tradition as well as the Nyingma tradition.

Line of the Trungpa tulkus

  1. Künga Gyaltsen, student of Trungmase
  2. Künga Sangpo
  3. Künga Öser
  4. Künga Namgyal
  5. Tenpa Namgyal
  6. Tendzin Chökyi Gyatso
  7. Jampal Chökyi Gyatso
  8. Gyurme Thenphel
  9. Tenpa Rabgye
  10. Chökyi Nyinche
  11. Chögyam Trungpa was one of the most influential teachers of Buddhism in the West. He founded Shambhala Buddhism.
  12. Choseng Trungpa is the present Trungpa tülku.

    Chökyi Nyinche

According to Fabrice Midal, the tenth Trungpa tulku rejected his role as fundraiser for the Surmang monasteries and preferred to live as a disciplined meditation practitioner. At one point, to escape his duties as the figurehead of the monastery complex, he ran away on foot to study with Jamgon Kongtrul. He studied with Kongtrul Rinpoche for many years before returning to Surmang, and at that point had the reputation of a realized teacher. Dilgo Khyentse and the second Jamgon Kongtrul of Sechen studied with him. They later became the direct teachers of the eleventh Trungpa tulku.

Works cited

Category:Lamas
Category:Tulkus
Category:Religious [leadership roles]