Tai Situpa
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In Tibetan Buddhism the Tai Situpa is one of the oldest lineages of tulkus (reincarnated lamas) in the Kagyu school. According to tradition, the Tai Situpa is an emanation of the bodhisattva Maitreya, who will become the next Buddha, and who has been incarnated as numerous Indian and Tibetan yogins since the time of the historical Buddha.
The Tai Situpa is considered to be one of the highest ranking lamas of the Karma Kagyu sect.
Chokyi Gyaltsen was the first incarnation to bear the title Tai Situ, conferred upon him in 1407 by the Yongle Emperor of China in the Ming Dynasty. He was a close disciple of the 5th Karmapa who appointed him as abbot of Karma Goen, the Karmapa's principal monastery at the time. The full title bestowed was Kenting Naya Tang Nyontse Geshetse Tai Situpa which is shortened to Kuang Ting Tai Situ. The full title means "far reaching, unshakable, great master, holder of the command" [1]
The current and 12th Tai Situpa, Péma Tönyö Nyinjé, was born in a farming family in 1954 in the Palyul district of Dérgé, in the East of Tibet.
At the age of twenty-two, Situ Rinpoche founded his own new monastic seat, Sherab Ling in Himachal Pradesh, in Northern India. He traveled widely making his first visit to the West in 1981 to Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland.
The 12th Tai Situpa was instrumental in recognizing Ogyen Trinley Dorje, one of the two candidates claimed to be the 17th Karmapa. He also recognized Choseng Trungpa, born on February 6, 1989 in eastern Tibet, as the reincarnation of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
[edit] Emanations and lineage of the Tai Situpas
Many great and precious lamas are recognized as emanations of the Tai Situpas by realized masters of the Kagyu lineage, such as Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye.
- Partial list of emanations[2]
- Bodhisattva Maitreya
- Bodhisattva Source of Instructions
- Yidam Hevajra
- Dombipa Heruka
- Darikapa
- Vajracarya Shri Singha
- Venerable Gyim Shang
- Demma Tsemang
- Marpa Lotsawa
- Pang Kenchen Ozer Lama
- Rabten Kunzang Pal
- Ngawang Jikten Wongchuk
- Gonpo Tsultrim Nyingpo
- Drogon Renchen Sonam Drakpa
- Yeshe Wangchuk
- Emperor Tashing Temur
- Ratnabhadra
- Taranatha
- Lineage of the Tai Situpas
- Chokyi Gyaltsen (1377-1448)
- Tashi Namgyal (1450-1497)
- Tashi Paljor (1498-1541)
- Chokyi Gocha (1542-1585)
- Chokyi Gyaltsen Palzang (1586-1657)
- Mipham Chogyal Rabten (1658-1682)
- Nawe Nyima (1683-1698)
- Chokyi Jungne (1700-1774)
- Pema Nyingche Wangpo (1774-1853)
- Pema Kunzang Chogyal (1854-1885)
- Pema Wangchuk Gyalpo (1886-1952)
- Péma Tönyö Nyinjé (1954-)
[edit] Notes
- ^ History of Tibet – A Few Chapters (Part 3) - Gaby Hollmann
- ^ The Emanations and Lineage of the Tai Situpas
[edit] External links
- Information about previous and current Tai Situpas on Sherab Ling website
- Short biography of all 12 Tai Situpas by Ken Holmes.
- [1] news and images of the 12 Tai Situpas by Karma Kagyu Cyber World.
- Recalling a Buddha (documentary on the Sixteenth Karmapa), includes commentary from all three living Kagyu Regents.
