tulku

Tulku is a Tibetan Buddhist term referring to a reincarnated lama or spiritual teacher. A tulku is believed to be the conscious continuation of a deceased master, whose recognized rebirth allows the ongoing stewardship of a particular teaching lineage. When the previous lama dies, his or her students and senior lamas seek the child who embodies the reincarnation, to be groomed for leadership, teaching, and ritual duties.

The tulku tradition developed most prominently within Tibetan Buddhism across several schools, including Gelug, Kagyu, and Nyingma. The most famous lineages are the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas (Gelug) and the Karmapas (Kagyu). The system aims to preserve doctrinal continuity and maintain the leadership and institutions that sustain monastic education, meditation lineages, and community guidance across generations.

Recognition typically involves a search guided by signs, prophecies, and dreams, as well as the examination of old possessions, sacred objects, and the child’s behavior. Oracles, senior lamas, and scholars may participate in tests and confirmations before the individual is formally enthroned and publicly acknowledged. Once recognized, the tulku receives formal monastic education and training to assume the duties of the lineage and to teach and guide adherents.

Contemporary discussions around the tulku system touch on its political and ethical dimensions, especially regarding the role of governments or civil authorities in recognition processes. Despite such debates, the practice remains a central mechanism for maintaining Tibetan Buddhist lineages, teaching authority, and communal continuity across generations.