A brief Biography of the great Mahasiddha Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche
The first Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche was born as Norbu Sangpo, who after perfecting the mastery of the sacred Sutras and Tantras became known as Do-Ngag Norbu (The precious Gem of Sutra and Tantra).
The second incarnation was Arjo Tulku who carried on the deep dedication and devotion left behind by his predecessor.
The third incarnation was born to Nagchu Nubchung and Tsering Dolma in Central Tibet on the 12th day of the fourth month of the Tibetan Calendar 2038 corresponding to the year 1911 A.D. On an otherwise ordinary day, yarious auspicious signs like a rainbow in the clear sky was witnessed on the day of his birth.
As a five year old, he was recognized as the incarnation of the famous Do-Ngag Norbu Rinpoche by none other than His Holiness the 15th Gyalwa Karmapa and ordained as Karma Tscyang Dupe Rigzen. At 12, he was enrolled at the Tol-Goshar monastic centre under the tutelage of the Venerable Ogyen Sonam whose root teacher was the great 15th Karmapa himself. In a remarkably short span of five years, Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche mastered the complete works of the Sutra and Tantra. At the same time, he received the complete instructions on Dzogchen (Ngying-thik-kor-sum) and other sacred teachings.
From the age of 17,he undertook several years of strict meditation, devoid of any human company, refusing even to change his clothes in the process. In the meanwhile his mother expired and although Rinpoche was not informed of the demise, he foresaw the event and respectfully observed the necessary rituals under the circumstances. While still at retreat, he announced the birth of Shangpa Rinpoche at Tso-So-Nga (five districts) to his attendent.
A month later as foretold earlier, Do-Tso,the mother of the new born Shangpa Rinpoche arrived to see the relics of the previous incarnation and to seek blessings from Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche. But since he was in strict meditation she had to returned without his blessings. However, in his dream Rinpoche saw everything and in fact told monk Gyaltsen, in whose house the mother stayed, about the visit of Shangpa Rinpoche. Also when Shangpa Rinpoche was seriously ill in far away Dolpo, Tulku Rinpoche, while still in Tekyem, had foretold about the happening.
When the people of the region heard of his exceptional powers, they renewed their deep faith of his supernatural abilities. On one ocassion when on their way to Dolpo Shelkar, a holy place, Rinpoche revcaled the two Tibetan letters of „Ba“ and „Nam“ on the surface of two flat stones, on the circumambulation route of „Buchung Lhatso“ on the right side of the „Yungdung Phugpa“ retreat, he left his hand print on-a boulder which can be seen to this day. Then while passing through the region of Phuk-sum-dor*, Rin- poche again left his foot prints. Also he once revealed a naturally originated „Hri“ letter on a dark brown flat stone on the top of Shelri (Crystal peak) Dolma pass. Such wonders are even mentioned in the tourist brochures of Dolpo Shelri.
He continued to observe long meditation in nearby caves, disturbed only on auspicious 1st, 4th and 6th months of the Tibetan calendar, when he led his faithful followers to fasting and prayers, while preaching at the same time. Due to his austerity and sim- plicity of material needs, the people of Dolpo regard him as the second Milarepa. While at the Tekyem-Yungdung cave, he continued to confer instructions and important initiations to the faithful. Then at the age of 66, while preparing for a fasting retreat in eight pure stages, Rinpoche felt unwell and predicted his own departure from this earth. As his condition deteriorated, he attained Nirvana in 1977 A.D. (25th day of the 6th month of the Tibetan calendar 2101).
The present Tseyang Tulku Rinpoche is the fourth in succession. He was formally recognized by H.E. Shamar Rinpoche and was given the name Karma Lungthok Tenpai Nyima. When he was three years old, his parents brought him to Tekyem Monastery, which had by then been destroyed by the people of Dolpo. He cried bitterly to see the destruction. There he grew particularly fond of a piece of cloth and insisted that it belonged to him. Later, his previous life’s desciples confirmed that the cloth was used by him to cover his knees during meditation.
The young boy also insisted on being taken to a far away stupa. Later it was discovered that the spot was the same place where the third Tseyang Tulku was cremated. Another striking thing is that, like the previous Tseyang Rinpoche, who had his right ear pierced by a shell like the great Milarepa, the present incarnation too has a natural hole in the right ear. The formal enthronement ceremony and hair offering of Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche was made during the auspicious Kagyu Monlam festival at Bodh Gaya on 25th December 1996 in the holy presence of the His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje and H.E. Shamar Rinpoche. He got an official letter from HH Shamar Rinpoche about the proof of his present incarnation:
He also was enthroned 1996 in Jangchub Choeling Monastery in the presence of Shangpa Rinpoche, Dupseng Rinpoche and many other people.
Tulku Tseyang Rinpoche studied several years buddhist philosophy and grammer in the Vikamashila Institut in Pokhara. After that, in May 2005, he started a traditional three years retreat at the holy side of Pharping, under the guidance of Venerable Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche.
After he finished the retreat, he was the first time invited to Singapur by Shangpa Rinpoche for celebrating the end of the three year retreat. Then he went back to the Jangchub Choeling monastery and became there the vajra master for more then five years.
Nowadays he’s travelling regularly to his center Karma Parchen Ling and many other centers in Malaysia. He also visits every year different countires in Europe to share the Dharma. Very importanf for him is also to visit the village his was born every year, to support Dharma activities there,
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