Lineage Incarnations
The 5th Yongzin Ling Rinpoche, Thupten Lungtok Namgayl Trinley, had a vision of his prior lives. Depictions of these past incarnations were painted on the wall of his Garpa hermitage near Lhasa. Trijang Rinpoche, the Junior Tutor of the 14th Dalai Lama, was inspired by the mural and composed a poem in 1954 supplicating the past lives of the 5th Yongzin Ling Rinpoche, the Tutor to the 13th Dalai Lama. (Poem)
After the 6th Yongzin Ling Rinpoche escaped Tibet and was living in India, new sets of these paintings were produced. Trijang Rinpoche’s poem listed the names of the 5th Ling Rinpoche’s past lives, but did not include biographical information. Venerable Tenzin Chonyi, the Senior Secretary of His Holiness the the 14th Dalai Lama, conducted research to discover more about these past lives, with the assistance of Venerable Losang Yonten. A book was then published by Thupten Tsering (“TT la”) with detailed biographies of all but five of the incarnations.
21st Thupten Lungtok Namgyal Thinley — 6th Kyabjé Yongzin Ling Rinpoche
1st Charka the Arhat Udhay — Foe Destroyer
A high ranked minister in the court of King Suddhodana, the father of Shakyamuni Buddha, he was the last messenger sent by the King to plead with Lord Buddha to return and rule the kingdom. Like all others before him, the minister was mesmerized by Lord Buddha’s teachings and became a monk, who attained Arhathood. Lord Buddha clearly prophesied he would be an outstanding champion of instilling faith in lay people and subduing them through Dharma.
2nd Dramse Rigje Yerma — Brahmin
He was an expert on all aspects and branches of Veda.
5th Gyalpo Rabzang — King
A great king who ruled his kingdom with both spiritual and temporal righteousness.
11th Chayulwa Shonnu Woe — Practitioner
Although he was skilled at concealing his efforts, he attained high levels of realization of Jowo Kadampa practices through the sequential practice of the lesser, middle and higher beings.
3rd Drupchen Palkyong — Great Saint
Attained a high level of genuine realization of the Ultimate Bliss through extensive Tantric practice of both the generation and completion stages.
7th Gyalpo Dhamed Lhangpo Kyong — King
Managed his kingdom with great efficiency. He ruled with kindness, protected the good and subdued the bad with strict enforcement of law.
4th Gyalpo Pema Chen — King of Oddiyana
A great king of the land of the deep and secretive Vajra Tantra teachings of the 4th Buddha, Lord Shakyamuni.
6th Gyalpo Singtachen — King
A champion charioteer of both the spiritual and temporal.
8th Drupthob Dudropa — Cemetery Saint
Lived a simple, unattached life at cemeteries to remind him of the impermanence of life.
10th Aku Drudung — Warrior
He was a warrior and inner circle minister under the legendary King Gesar Gyalpo.
12th Terton Chenpo Ogyen Lingpa — Discoverer of Treasure
A great discover of treasure prophesied by Guru Padmasambhava, founder of the Nyingma tradition.
13th Drubchen Rigzin Dorje — Yogi
A renowned yogi capable of experiencing deep and clear spontaneous, Ultimate Bliss eternally.
18th Lobsang Tenpai Gyaltsen
3rd Kyabjé Yongzin Ling Rinpoche (1791-1810) was born at Lingtsang in the Derge region of Kham. He later traveled to Lhasa and joined Ling Khangtsen at Drepung Monastic University’s Loseling College, rather than Gomang College like the previous two Ling Rinpoches. This was due to Den Choekhor Ling Monastery’s strong association with Loseling’s Ling Khangtsen. Unfortunately, the 3rd Ling Rinpoche, a gifted student fully immersed in his studies, passed away at the age of 20 in 1810.
20th Lobsang Lungtok Tenzin Thinley
5th Kyabjé Yongzin Ling Rinpoche (1856-1902) was recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor at a very early age. He joined Drepung Loseling Monastic University and Gyuto Tantric Monastery to pursue Sutra and Tantra studies. After many years of rigorous work, the 5th Ling Rinpoche became a highly respected scholar of both Sutra and Tantra. Unsatisfied with just gaining knowledge, he meditated at serene isolated places, such as Drigung Chayul Mangra Gon, to deepen every practice as a method to control his mind. His work the \”18 Staircases to Enlightenment\” written at the age of 25, is still the definitive text on Yamantaka practice studied today. The 5th Ling Rinpoche also became the Lama Uze and then abbot of Gyuto Tantric Monastery. In 1895 he became a Tutor to the 13th Dalai Lama, Thupten Gyatso, offering him an ocean of Sutra and Tantra teachings.
14th Dorje Duedul Pawu — Saint
A famous champion conqueror of all internal and external evils.
15th Khechok Gyamapa — Great Scholar
A renowned scholar well versed in all three canons of Lord Buddha’s teachings.
16th Trichen Dhondup Gyatso
1st Kyabjé Yongzin Ling Rinpoche (1655 — 1727) was born at Tehor Nagtsang and joined Drepung Monastic University\’s Gomang College in 1667. He successfully completed extensive, in-depth study which led to being conferred a 1st ranked Geshe Lharampa title at the Great Lhasa Monlam Chenmo Festival. Ling Rinpoche became the tutor to the 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso. Since there was a great deal of political turmoil after the 5th Dalai Lama died, he was active as the tutor to overcome many obstacles, but was not successful and the 6th Dalai Lama was forced to leave the Potala Palace. Ling Rinoche was also the Abbot of Palden Tashi Gomang Monastery, Abbot of Palden Guydmed Tantric Monastery and at 48 the Gaden Tipa. After completing the traditional seven-year term on the Gaden throne, he lived in seclusion at Chayul Mangra Monastery until passing away in 1727 at the age of 73.
17th Gedun Tenpai Gyaltsen
2nd Kyabjé Yongzin Ling Rinpoche (1728-1790) was born in the Chayul Mangra region of Central Upper Tibet. He was enrolled at the monastery there, after being recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor Trichen Dhondup Gyatso. The 2nd Ling Rinpoche later traveled to Lhasa and joined Drepung Monastic University\’s Gomang College, immersing himself in rigorous study. His fame as a scholar spread when the depth of his knowledge was exhibited during the Geshe Lharampa debates at the Lhasa Monlam Chenmo Festival. Ling Rinpoche was a close disciple of the 7th Dalai Lama, Kelsang Gytso, who sent him to Kham as the Patron-Guru (U-la) of Den Choekhor Ling Monastery in Lingtsang. The Mongolians, who were great patrons of the Dhama, gave him the honorific title of Ertini Dalai Hothothu for his illuminating service to Dharma, before he left his body in 1790.
19th Ngawang Lungtok Yonten Gyatso
4th Kyabjé Yongzin Ling Rinpoche (1811-1855) was recognized by the 9th Dalai Lama, Lungtok Gyatso, through the divination tradition of the golden urn shake, which identifies the final candidate through several stages of eliminating names from the urn. After entering Ling Khangsten at Drepung Monastic University\’s Loseling College, he focused on many years of intense study. The 4th Ling Rinpoche charmed the audience at the Geshe Lamramapa Debate Rounds at the Lhasa Monlam Festival. After completing his Sutra studies, he joined Gyuto Tantric monastic university and mastered all the four classes and levels of Tantra. Ling Rinpoche then gave extensive teachings in Tibet, Mongolia and China. He ascended to the Gaden Throne as Tripa at the age of 40 in 1847. That same year Ling Rinpoche also became the tutor of the of the 11th Dalai Lama, Khedup Gyatso. After completing his term as the Gaden Tripa in 1853, he left his body in 1855.