Chogle Trulkus of Bhutan

                                             

Since institution or practice of reincarnation was started by Karmapa, many sects of Mahayana/Tibetan   Buddhism followed suit. If you are Nyingmapa, one traced their previous re-incarnations till the time of Guru Rinpoche or 25 heart sons. If one is sarma sect Lama, previous re-incarnations are traced back to chenrizi or other Buddhas. Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel’s (1594-1651 A.D) previous re-incarnations are traced as follow of which some were  born in human realm and some not;

1.       Bodhisattva Chenrizi (Bodhisattva of Compassion)

2.       King Rigden Pekar

3.       King Songtsen Gampo

4.       Kuenkhen Zhiwatsho

5.       Penchen Naropata

6.       Choje Dagpo Lhagye

7.       Choje Tshangpa Gyarey

8.       Ngawang Dudruel Sempa

9.       Gyalwa Kinga Penjor

10.   Kunkhen Pema Karpo

11.   Zhabdrung Ngwang Namgyel

After parnirvana of Zhabdrung, three kinds of re-incarnations were recognized namely Ku (Body), Sung (speech) and Thug (mind). Of three Sungtruel or Speech reincarnations were recognized till reign of second Druk Gyalpo. They were known mostly as Chogle Truelku. Before I go into listing who they were, let me tell you something about why they were called Chogle. The title chogle could have been derived from one of many names of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. Zhabdrung was also known as Pelden Drukpa Chogle Namgyel. Chogle Trulku’s were also known as Sangchoekhorpa based on monastery second Sungtruel Chogle Sakya Tenzin founded in Paro called Sang Nga Choekhor. Third name was Lama Kashopa because Chinese emperor gave Kasho (command) that Lama is entitled to graze his ponies wherever he went either in Tibet or China. Following are Chogle Truelkus;

1.       Chogle Ngawang Gyeltshen/Chogle Namgyel(1707-1730)

2.       Chogle Shakya Tenzin (1735-1774)

3.       Chogle Yeshi Gyeltshen (1775-1830)

4.       Chogle Jigme Dorji(1831-1850)

5.       Chogle Yeshi Ngodrup(1851-1917)

6.       Chogle Jigme Tenzin(1919-1949)