His Eminence Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche - The Incarnation 

The Present Incarnation of H.E. Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche

Rinpoche was born to a Sherpa family from Nepal. His father is a devoted Vajrayana practitioner. When he was still in his mother's womb, his parents dreamed of many auspicious and miraculous signs. On the morning of July 12, the baby was born below a cave of Guru Padmasambhava on the sacred mountain of Tsari. The skin of his abdomen was clear and transparent and surprisingly, it shifted location from time to time. This left the doctors bewildered and led the worried parents to seek out His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa who was in Nepal at the time.

Young Rinpoche [enlarge]		Young Rinpoche at the place where he was first recognized by the 16th Karmapa [enlarge]		Rinpoche and the 16th Karmapa [enlarge]		Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche [enlarge]

At the age of eighteen months, Rinpoche was recognized by Karmapa at first sight during his stay in Swayambunath. Karmapa stated definitely and firmly to his parents, "You must relinquish this child to me. He does not have any health problems and he will be of great benefit to all sentient beings and the Dharma. He is the reincarnation of a great Kagyu master. This master is like Milarepa, showing great accomplishment. Your child is the reincarnation of Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche." Thus, Karmapa gave the baby a vajra band, performed the bathing ceremony and conducted a puja to purify disasters and obstacles for him.

The Karmapa, explaining Rinpoche's transparent abdomen as a symbol of his realization, said that it could be normal now if the parents wished, since it had already served its purpose in proving the realization of his Mahamudra practice. The transparency slowly disappeared over the following three weeks.

Later at Dalsang Rinpoche's temple in Boudhanath, Karmapa cut some of Rinpoche's hair, gave him a monk's robe and the Dharma name Gyalwa Karma Tenpai Gyaltsen Trinley Kunkhyab Pal Zangpo. The Karmapa also composed a long life prayer for Rinpoche.

It is in the oral tradition that the previous Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche stated he would adopt vegetarianism in the next life. From birth, Rinpoche has been a vegetarian.

Rinpoche was enthroned at the age of four in Sikkim where Karmapa resided. He thus took on the role of a reincarnate master with great responsibilities ahead of him. Rinpoche's education subsequently began at Rumtek Monastery.

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