Pema Lingpa and His incarnations

Pema Lingpa and His incarnations

One of my colleague told me that of the three incarnations of Pema Lingpa (Mind, Body and Speech), Speech Incarnation or Sungtruel sits at slightly higher throne. If true, why? Is Sungtruel greater among equals? They are incarnation of same person of Pema Lingpa or so I believed. In case of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel incarnations, mind incarnation took precedence of other two? Why different in case of Pema Lingpa.

Ugyen Pema Lingpa is accepted as Five Terton Kings or Five King Treasure Revealers. He was born (1450 A.D), brought up and educated in Bhutan. His descendents are present Royal Family of Bhutan.  The previous lives of him are traced back as follow;

1.       Lhacham Pemasal, daughter of King Thrisong Deutsen and Queen Jangchub Drol. She died at age of eight years. Guru and his consort Yeshi Tshogyal was said to have placed treasure on her head making aspiration as a future terton.

2.       Rikma Sangye Kyi was secret consort of Nyang Nima Oezer

3.       Jomo Pema Drol was mudra partner of Guru Choki Wangchuk

4.       Ngakchang Rinchen Drakpa was great master and student of Orgyen Lingpa

5.       Pema Lendreltsal was master as well as treasure discoverer. Even Karmapa Rangjung Dorji was said to have bowed to him.

6.       Longchen Kyenkhen Drime Ozer Palzangpo was greatest and most accomplished Nyingma master scholar.

Pema Lingpa was born in Choekhor, Bumthang to father Dondrup Zangpo and mother Drokmo Pema Drol. He was destined to reveal 108 treasures. He had a son named Dawa Gyaltshen. Dawa Gyelsten was believed to be manifestation of Hayagriva (Tamdin. When Pema Lingpa was on his deathbed, he chanted mantra ‘Ah’ three times and transferred his relic of heart, a turquoise girl, which melted into heart of Dawa Gyeltshen. Thus he is not only heart son/son but also emanation of Pema Lingpa’s mind.

Gyalse Pema Thinley was born to Thugse  Dawa Gyaltshen. He carried out the activities of both father and grandfather. He was recognized as activity (Thinley) emanation of Pema Lingpa. Later he was also known as body emanation of Pema Lingpa.

Gyalwa Tenzin Drukpa was recognized as first speech incarnation of Pema Lingpa. He is also considered as mind emanation of Thugse Dawa and Body emanation of Gyalse Pema Thinley. Thugse Dawa Gyaltshen and Gyalse Pema Thinley were considered emanations of Pema Lingpa while Gyalwa Tenzin Drukpa was recognized as direct incarnation. Probably this explain why Sungtruel (speech incarnation) is accorded slightly higher seat. Due to blood relations of father and son, they are also known as Peling Yab Se Sun (three Pema Lingpa –Father- Son).

Unlike Zhabdrung Rinpoche where mind incarnations traced back to person of Zhabdrung, Thugse Dawa’s previous lives goes back much earlier to Pema Lingpa. His previous lives are considered separate entity from Pema Lingpa’s previous lives. However, this can be another topic. The future incarnations of Dawa are as follow;

1.       Thugse Dawa Gyaltshen(1499-1586)

2.       Nyinda Gyeltshen

3.       Nyindag Loyang

4.       Tenzin Gyurmed Dorji (1641-1702)

5.       Jurmed Chodrup Pelbar Zangpo (1708-1750)

6.       Tenzin Choki Nima (1752-1775)

7.       Kunzang Jurmed Dorji

8.       Kungzang Zilonoen Zheytshel

9.       Jurmed Pema Kinzang

10.   Thegchog Tenpai Gyaltshen

Like mind incarnation, previous lives of body emanations also traced much before time of Pema Lingpa. The body emanations of Pema Lingpa famously known as Ganteng Trulku are as follow;

1.       Gyalse Pema Thinley (1564-1642), the First Gangteng Truelku

2.       Tenzin Legpai Dondrup (1645-1727)

3.       Kinga Thinely Namgyal (1727-1758)

4.       Tenzin Zizhi Namgyal (1759-1790)

5.       Ugyen Gelek Namgyal(1791-1840)

6.       Tenpai Nyima (1838-1874)

7.       Tenpai Nyinje (1875-1905)

8.       Ugyen Tenzin Dorji (1906-1949)

9.       Kungzang Rigzin Pema Namgyal (1955-)

The speech emanations or direct incarnations of Pema Lingpa are as follow;

1.       Tenzin Drakpa(1536-1597 A.D)

2.       Kyenkhen Tshithrim Dorji(1680-1723)

3.       Ngawang Kinga Rolpai Dorji (1680-1723 A.D)

4.       Tenzin Drubchog Dorji (1725-1762)

5.       Kungzang Tenpai Gyeltshen (1763-1817 A.D)

6.       Kungzang Ngawang Choki Lodro (1819-1942)

7.       Kunzang Dechen Dorji ( 1843-1891)

8.       Tenzin Choki Gyaltshen(1894-1925)

9.       Pema Ozer Gyurme Dorji (1930-1955)

10.   Kunzang Pema Rinchen Namgyal (1968-)

Note: This is just my reading notes