Trungpa tülkus

The Trungpa tülkus are a line of incarnate Tibetan lamas who traditionally head Surmang monastery (complex) in Kham (Eastern Tibet). The 3 heads of Zurmang Kagyud are known as GharTengTrungSum (Gharwang, Tenga, Trungpa), and the lineage holder of Zurmang Kagyud is Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche. There have been twelve such Trungpa tulkus. Mahasiddha Trungmase (the 1st Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche) was the teacher of the first Trungpa Tulku, Kunga Gyaltsen.

Line of the Trungpa tulkus

1. Künga Gyaltsen (15th century)
2. Künga Sangpo (b. 1464)
3. Künga Öser (15th-16th cenuturies)
4. Künga Namgyal (1567–1629)
5. Tenpa Namgyal (1633–1712)
6. Tendzin Chökyi Gyatso (1715–1761)
7. Jampal Chökyi Gyatso (1763–1768)
8. Gyurme Thenphel (b. 1771)
9. Tenpa Rabgye (19th century)
10. Chökyi Nyinche (1879–1939)
11. Chögyam Trungpa (Chökyi Gyamtso) (1940–1987) was one of the most influential teachers of Buddhism in the west. He is the founder of Shambhala International.
12. Chökyi Sengay (Sengye/Senge) (Choseng Trungpa Rinpoche) (b. February 6, 1989). Chokyi Sengay is the present Trungpa tulku.

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.^[1]

References

• Midal, Fabrice (2004) Chögyam Trungpa: His Life and Vision ISBN 1-59030-098-X