Nepal-born 'reincarnation' of the Dalai Lama’s guru to celebrate second birthday

KATHMANDU: Ngawang Tenzin Choekyi Lodoe Rabsel is set to celebrate his second birth anniversary in a couple of days but he carries quite a big feather in his cap at this tender age.

Born to a family of Tibetan refugees in Kathmandu on July 25, 2013, the boy is considered to be the reincarnation of one of the gurus of the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and is the ceremonial head of the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Nyingma.

It has been reported that the Dalai Lama himself gave the seal of recognition to Rabsel, son of Choeling Trulku Ngawal Choepal Gyatso and Paylung Tsewang Dolma living in Nepal, on July 6, coinciding with his 80th birthday, as the reincarnation of his guru Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche.

The former head of Nyingma, Trulshik Rinpoche was born in Lho Talung of Tibet in 1923. He breathed his last at the Sitapaila-based monastery Thupten Choling monastery on September 2, 2011.

Following Chinese invasion, the Rinpoche fled Tibet in 1959 and took refuge in Solukhumbu district of southeastern Nepal, where he founded Thupten Choling monastery.

According to Phayul.com, the Rinpoche was recognised as the reincarnation of his heart lama, Trulshik Tendru Dorje, at the age of four by abbot Ngawang Tenzin.

Trulshik Rinpoche was considered the spiritual heir to several high Nyingma lamas like Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgyo Khentse Rinpoche.

A documentary film, Destroyer of Illusion- The Secret World of a Tibetan Lama, directed by Richard Kohn and narrated by Richard Gere, was made on the Rinpoche.