Karma Thubten Trinlay Gyurme Pal Zangpo

Third Azin Tulku Rinpoche or Karma Thupten Thinlay Gyurmayed Pal Zangpo is a tulku in the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and the founder of the Pal Thupten Nyedhon Shedrub Dhargyeling Monastery. He is considered the reincarnation of the 2nd Azin Rinpoche (Karma Lodro Tsultrim Tharchen).

He was born on 22 March 1984 in the year of the water bird in a neighbourhood near Swoyambhunath Temple (Monkey Temple) to a father named Tashi and a mother named Yeshi according to the predictions of HE Jamgon Tai Situpa (Péma Tönyö Nyinjé).

When the tulku had reached the age of three, he went to see Jamgon Tai Situ Rinpoche at Sherabling in India. On that occasion, Jamgon Tai Situ Rinpoche presided over the ritualistic cutting of a tuft of his hair and bestowed on him the name Karma Thupten Trinlay Gyurme Pal Zangpo.

In 1990, when he was six years old, the guardian of refuge Jamgon Tai Situ Rinpoche on a day chosen as particularly positive through astrological calculations, officially enthroned him as holder holder of this lineage at Palnge Monastery near the stupa in Boudha called Jarung Khashor.

In 1994, during his tenth year, in the presence Jamgon Tai Situ Rinpoche, Goshir Gyaltsap Rinpoche and Very Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche, a traditionally prescribed number of Khenpos and Acharyas and in the midst of a gathering of the sangha he took his novice ordination.

During the next period he listened to, trained in and perfected traditional arts specific to the Kamtsang Tradition passed down through a living lineage with first hand experince such as rituals, lama dances, sand mandalasmelodies for chanting and ritual instruments. He received the ripening empowerments, reading transmission and loberating instructions for Drubthab Kuntu from Sakya Gongma Rinpoche.

In the Year 1990 he received the empowerments, reading transmission and instructions for Kagyu Ngagdzo from Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche at Bokar Ngedon Chokhor Ling, Bokar Rinpoche's Monastery in Mirik near Darjeeling. He also received the explanatory readingtransmission of the third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje's Nyingpo Tenpa from Bokar Rinpoche. And From Bokar Khenpo Lodro Donyo he received teachings on the Bodhicaryavattara, the Three Levels of Precepts and grammatical texts and trained in these subjects under his tutorship.

On December 13, 1999, in the beautiful valley of Sikkim in Shedrub Chokhor Ling, the seat of the glorious Karmapa at Rumtek, Goshir Gyaltsap Rinpoche taught him Damngag Dzo.

In the year 2000, he was deemed ready to begin the traditional three year retreat at Bokar Ngedon Chokor Ling in Mirik. After completion of his three year retreat Bokar Rinpoche said that he had been very impressed by Azin Rinpoche's diligence towards his studies and his wisdom.

References

The White Lotus of a Faithful Heart, Printed by Kagyu Thegsum Gatsal Ling Buddhist Centers, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.