Known as Künsang Tenpai Gyaltsen, the seventh Bhakha Tulku was born unfolding the lotus of knowledge of the sutras and tantras in 1799, the year of the Earth Sheep. In that lifetime he was the son of the seventh Pema Lingpa. Pema Lingpa gave his son the aural transmission, treasure teachings (kama and terma), the pure vision lineages of the old translation tradition, and, in particular, the complete Dharma cycles of Pema Lingpa — the empowerments, teachings, and special instructions. Among all his father's students, Bhakha Rinpoche was the only one to whom the realization of the absolute lineage was transferred. He became the holder of the teachings, and, through that, the spiritual heart-son — even more precious than a physical son.

Later, the eighth Pema Lingpa, Künsang Tenpai Nyima, became the seventh Bhakha Rinpoche's disciple, and received from this master the old translation tantras (the Nyingma Gyü Bum); the Seven Treasures of Longchenpa; the Trilogy of Ease (Ngalso Korsum); the Whispered Lineage of T'hangtong Gyalpo; and the teachings of Guru Chöwang and Pema Ledrel Tsal. Bhakha Tulku also gave the eighth Pema Lingpa (his former father) the complete empowerments, instructions, and stream of transmission of the Pema Lingpa Dharma Cycle, as well as the collected writings of Pema Lingpa's fifth heart-son incarnation (the fifth Thuksey Rinpoche).

The seventh Bhakha Tulku traveled extensively, spreading the empowerments, transmissions and instructions of the Pema Lingpa teachings among his students, and in this way, he did a great service to the Dharma in general, and to the Pema Lingpa teachings in particular.

History & Background