The Treasury of Lives

The Tenth Peling Tukse, Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen (pad gling thugs sras 10 theg mchog bstan pa’i rgyal mtshan) was born in 1951 in Dranang Tsayul (dra nang rtswa yul), Tibet. In 1955, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the Ninth Peling Tukse, Tubten Pelbar (pad gling thugs sras 09 thub bstan dpal 'bar, 1906-1939). He was enthroned at Lhalung Tekchokling (lha lung theg mchog gling) monastery in Tibet.

It is said that all the young boys who were potential reincarnations had been brought to Lhalung Tekchokling monastery and let loose in the monastery compound. While the other children wandered off in different directions, Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen is said to have gone straight to the throne of the Peling Tukse. Another story told is that the young boy joined the village children playing a game of making footprints by dipping their feet in water and making wet impressions on the rock; little Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen made a clear foot impression in the hard surface without first dipping his foot in water.

At the age of nine, accompanied by his mother, sister, elderly tutor and other attendants from Tekchokling Monastery, Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen fled Tibet to Bhutan in 1960 and arrived in Bumthang via Bayul Kenpelung (sbas yul mkhan pa lung), near Sengge Dzong (seng ge rdzong).

Popularly known as Tukse Rinpoche (thugs sras rin po che) in Bhutan, Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen took on the responsibilities of a reincarnate lama, giving empowerments, performing rituals, and travelling all over Bumthang (bum thang), Zhemgang (gzhem sgang), Trongsa (krong gsar) and Lhuntse (lhun rtse) at the requests of his devotees.

In Bhutan, Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen conducted numerous religious ceremonies in the country, including oral transmission of Peling Chokhor (pad gling chos 'kor) to the people of Bumthang and the oral transmission of Kangyur (bka' 'gyur) in Paro (spa gro) and Bumthang. A rainbow is said to have appeared every day of the ceremony in Bumthang.

After becoming ill from prolonged diabetes, Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen passed away in Thimphu on April 18, 2010 at the age of 59. His purjang (spur byangs) funeral ceremony, attended by royal family members, ministers, and thousands of devotes, was held in front of Tamzhing Lhakhang (gtam zhing lha khang) built by Pema Lingpa (padma gling pa, 1450-1521) in 1501, near Konchoksum Lhakhang (dkon mchog gsum lha khang) in Bumthang on July 15, 2010, the fourth day of the sixth month of iron tiger year.

 

Line of the Peling Tukse

First Peling Tukse, Tukse Dawa Gyeltsen (pad gling thugs sras 01 thugs sras zla ba rgyal mtshan, 1499-1587)

Second Peling Tukse, Nyida Gyeltsen (pad gling thugs sras 02 ny zla rgyal mtshan, d.u.)

Third Peling Tukse, Nyida Longyang (pad gling thugs sras 03, snyi zla klong yangs, d.u.)

Fourth Peling Tukse, Tendzin Gyurme Dorje (pad gling thugs sras 04, bstan 'dzin 'gyur med rdo rje, 1641-c.1702).

Fifth Peling Tukse, Gyurme Chokdrub Pelbar Zangpo (pad gling thugs sras 05 'gyur med mchog grub dpal 'bar bzang po, c.1708-1750)

Sixth Peling Tukse, Tendzin Chokyi Nyima (pad gling thugs sras 06 bstan 'dzin chos skyi nyi ma, c. 1752-1773)

Seventh Peling Tukse, Kunzang Gyurme Dorje Lungrik Chokyi Gocha (pad gling thugs sras 07 kun bzang 'gyur med rdo rje lung rigs chos kyi go cha, c. 1778-c.1825)

Eighth Peling Tukse, Kunzang Zinnon Zhapa Tsal (pad gling thugs sras 08 kun bzang zil gnon bzhad pa rtsal, d.u.)

Ninth Peling Tukse, Tubten Pelbar (pad gling thugs sras 09 thub bstan dpal 'bar, 1906-1939)

Tenth Peling Tukse, Tekchok Tenpai Gyeltsen (pad gling thugs sras 10 theg mchog bstan pa’i rgyal mtshan, 1951-2010)