Dear Indologists/Tibetologists, Just to add to Geoffrey Samuel’s point above, some of the examples cited above (Khyentse, Kongtrul, Dudjom; other examples include the incarnation lineages of Jigme Lingpa and Dza Patrul Rinpoche) are not necessarily viewed as “competing” from within the tradition — though there are certainly competitive or even adversarial examples.
At least in the Nyingmapa context with which I am most familiar, multiple tulkus are sometimes classified within the common fivefold system of “body, speech, mind, qualities, and activity.” So it is common to hear that X Rinpoche is regarded as the “speech incarnation” while Y Rinpoche is regarded as the “activity incarnation” of the same predecessor. Sincerely, Westin Harris Ph.D. Candidate Study of Religion University of California, Davis https://religions.ucdavis.edu/people/westin-harris 2021 Dissertation Fellow, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies Sarva Mangalam. > On Mar 24, 2023, at 7:17 AM, Geoffrey Samuel via INDOLOGY > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > The recognition of multiple incarnations is not that uncommon, either > historically or in the present day. Though normally it is not a question of a > single authority certifying two or more people as rebirths of the same lama, > but of several competing candidates being certified by competing authorities. > This may be resolved by one of the candidates emerging over time as generally > recognised, but it may also be resolved by negotiation leading to more than > one being recognised. > > The classic example there is the recognition of three candidates of the > Shabdrung Rinpoche, the head lama and ruler of pre-modern Bhutan, as > representing the body, speech and mind of the Shabdrung. The story is told in > Michael Aris's Bhutan: The Early History of a Himalayan Kingdom (Aris and > Phillips, Warminster, 1979, see pp.258-262 in particular). > > The multiple reincarnations of the Mkhyen brtse, Kong sprul and Mchog gling > lamas in the 20th century are another well-known example (see E. Gene Smith, > Among Tibetan Texts, Wisdom Publications, Boston, 2001, pp.267-272; Orgyan > Tobgyal, The Lifeof Chokgyur Lingpa, Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Kathmandu, > 1988, pp.47-60). For more recent examples there are the multiple rebirths of > bDud ’joms Rin po che or the 16th rGyal ba Karma pa. But there are quite a > few others. > > Best wishes > > Geoffrey > From: INDOLOGY <[email protected]> on behalf of Jeffery > Long via INDOLOGY <[email protected]> > Sent: 24 March 2023 01:16 > To: [email protected] <[email protected]> > Subject: [INDOLOGY] Tibetan Buddhism Question (with apologies for > cross-posting) > > External email to Cardiff University - Take care when replying/opening > attachments or links. > Nid ebost mewnol o Brifysgol Caerdydd yw hwn - Cymerwch ofal wrth ateb/agor > atodiadau neu ddolenni. > > > Dear Colleagues, > > I assume most of us have seen Bernardo Bertolucci’s film Little Buddha. If > you have not seen it, you may want to stop reading this email at this point, > as I am about to spoil the plot with my question. > > Have there been any historical cases of a tülku being certified as having > been reborn in more than one body at the same time? In the film, the three > children who are candidates for the reincarnation of Lama Dorje are all > determined to be his reincarnation. Is this based on any actual historical > precedent? > > I seem to recall this being the case, but I have searched in vain for the > reference (if it does, indeed, exist). > > Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to offer! > > All the best, > > Jeff > > Dr. Jeffery D. Long > Carl W. Zeigler Professor of Religion, Philosophy, & Asian Studies > School of Arts & Humanities > Elizabethtown College > Elizabethtown, PA > > https://etown.academia.edu/JefferyLong > > Series Editor, Explorations in Indic Traditions: Ethical, Philosophical, and > Theological > Lexington Books > > “One who makes a habit of prayer and meditation will easily overcome all > difficulties and remain calm and unruffled in the midst of the trials of > life.” (Holy Mother Sarada Devi) > > “We are a way for the Cosmos to know itself.” (Carl Sagan) > > > _______________________________________________ > INDOLOGY mailing list > [email protected] > https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
_______________________________________________ INDOLOGY mailing list [email protected] https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
