The Treasury of Lives

Gyazil Tulku Tubten Lungrik Gyatso (rgya zil sprul sku thub bstan lung rigs rgya mtsho, 1939-1959) was born at Arik Dewa (a rig sde ba) in Dzagyu (rdza rgyud), Kham, during the second quarter of the twentieth century, presumably around 1939. His father was named Gyazil Khyilu Ge (rgya zil khyi lu dge) and his mother was a merchant (tshong dpon) named Kellha (skal lha). The Fourth Lingla, Tubten Trinle Gyatso (gling bla 04 thub bstan phrin las rgya mtsho, c.1897-1959), identified the boy as the speech-emanation of the Fifth Dzogchen Ponlob, Konchok Tenpai Nyima (rdzogs chen dpon slob 05 dkon mchog bstan pa'i nyi ma, c.1889-c.1924), and brought him to his own estate at Dzogchen Monastery, Rudam Orgyen Samten Choling (rdzogs chen ru dam o rgyan bsam gtan chos gling). His biography states he was raised as a vegetarian.

He studied the oral transmission (bka' ma) and revealed treasure (gter ma) traditions of the Nyingma tradition with the Fourth Lingla, and also studied with the Sixth Dzogchen Drubwang, Jikdrel Jangchub Dorje (rdzogs chen 06 'jigs bral byang chub rdo rje, 1935-1959); the Sixth Nyidrak, Tubten Osel Tenpai Gyeltsen (nyi grags 06 thub bstan 'od gsal bstan pa'i nyi ma, 1914-1964); the twenty-seventh abbot of Śrī Siṃha College, Jigme Yonten Gonpo ('jigs med yon tan mgon po, 1899-1959); and the twenty-fifth abbot, Ngawang Norbu (ngag dbang nor bu, 1886-1958).

At one point, the Fourth Lingla decided to leave his estate behind in favor of a secluded life of retreat in the meditation caves surrounding Dzogchen Monastery. He appointed to Gyazil Tulku the responsibility of running his estate and maintaining his incarnation lineage, giving him the title Lingla Kuchung (gling bla sku chung), or the Junior Lingla. This did not last long, however, as the newly appointed Lingla Kuchung passed away in his early twenties during the Communist Chinese takeover of Tibet.