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| Tarthang Tulku | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tarthang Tulku |
| Birth date | 1935 |
| Birth place | Kham, Tibet |
| Nationality | Tibetan |
| Religion | Tibetan Buddhism |
| Title | Rinpoche |
| Known for | Revival of Nyingma teachings, establishment of Tibetan cultural institutions |
Tarthang Tulku is a Tibetan Buddhist teacher, scholar, and author known for transmitting Nyingma lineages and establishing cultural and educational institutions in exile. He is recognized for writings on meditation, language, and cultural preservation and for founding organizations that bridge Tibetan tradition with Western contexts.
Born in Kham, Tibet, Tarthang was identified in his youth within the cultural milieu of Kham (East Tibet), receiving recognition from senior Tibetan figures and communities connected to Tibet and Lhasa. During a period marked by the 1950s Tibetan uprising and interactions with leaders such as Dalai Lama and institutions like Ganden Phodrang, his recognition linked him to Nyingma lineages allied historically with figures like Padmasambhava and lineages associated with monasteries such as Dzogchen Monastery and Mindrolling Monastery. Early interactions involved teachers from networks including Kagyu and Gelug practitioners and regional lamas who maintained connections to places like Chamdo and Derge.
Tarthang received traditional monastic education and ordination rites in settings connected to prominent monasteries and teachers within Tibetan Buddhist scholastic traditions. His training encompassed study of texts preserved in collections similar to the Kangyur and Tengyur, commentaries by masters such as Longchenpa, Jigme Lingpa, and theoretical frameworks used in universities like Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery. Ordination and transmission ceremonies reflected ritual lineages traced through figures like Rangjung Dorje, Patrul Rinpoche, and elders associated with regional centers including Tsurphu Monastery and Tawang Monastery.
Tarthang authored numerous works addressing practice, language, and cultural continuity, engaging readers interested in meditation methods from lineages such as Nyingma and concepts influenced by masters like Maitripa and Tilopa. His publications discuss meditation techniques comparable to instructions from Milarepa, perspectives on lojong similar to those by Atisha, and analyses of Tibetan script and printing traditions related to the history of the Thonmi Sambhota orthography and publishing enterprises like Kangyur editions. Writings interact with Western intellectual currents represented by authors and institutions such as Jung, Kesey, Esalen Institute, and scholars from Harvard University and University of California, Berkeley who have studied Tibetan texts. His corpus addresses applied contemplative practices linked with figures like Chögyam Trungpa, Dilgo Khyentse, Sogyal Rinpoche, and engages with modern translators and editors including Miranda Shaw and Robert Thurman.
He established organizations and initiatives that foster Tibetan culture, print traditions, and educational programs, forming institutions comparable in mission to Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Rangjung Yeshe Institute, and Central Tibetan Administration cultural efforts. His initiatives involved collaborations with artists, publishers, and educational leaders in networks connected to San Francisco, Berkeley, New York, and cultural venues like Tibetan Art Centers and libraries akin to Bodleian Library collections. These projects engaged with international entities including UNESCO, nongovernmental associations such as Friends of Tibet, and community groups similar to Tibetan Women's Association and Tibetan Youth Congress in efforts to preserve manuscripts, support printing akin to historical presses like Derge Parkhang, and develop programs paralleling Sowa Rigpa medical teaching and archival work.
His influence spans contacts with Western Buddhist teachers and institutions, shaping dialogues involving Thich Nhat Hanh, Alan Watts, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and academic programs at Columbia University, Oxford University, and University of Chicago where Tibetan studies intersect with comparative religion. Tarthang’s legacy includes contributions to the survival of Tibetan textual culture similar to the efforts of Geshe Lhundub Sopa and Ganden Monastery refugees, and cultural preservation echoing initiatives by Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama and organizations such as CTA-affiliated cultural departments. His students and collaborators include translators, artists, and scholars connected to projects at American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Smithsonian Institution, and publishing houses like Shambhala Publications and Wisdom Publications.
In later decades he continued teaching, directing cultural projects, and engaging in writing and printing initiatives with partners in regions including United States, India, and Nepal. Ongoing activities involve retreats, workshops, and archival efforts in cities such as San Francisco, Dharamsala, and Kathmandu, and collaborations with contemporary teachers and institutions across networks including Rigpa, Nalandabodhi, and university Tibetan studies programs. His continuing presence intersects with cultural events, exhibitions, and publishing collaborations that contribute to ongoing preservation efforts resonant with communities linked to Tibetan diaspora and international scholarship.
Category:Tibetan lamas Category:Tibetan writers Category:Tibetan Buddhists