Nawang Tashi Rapten

Nawang Tashi Rapten (born 16 April 2018) is a Tibetan lama and the current Supreme Head of the Nyingma School, the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.^[1][2] The four-year-old Nawang Tashi Rapten is widely believed to be the reincarnation of his predecessor Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche.^[3]

Life

Nawang Tashi Rapten was born on 16 April 2018 in Rangrik village of the Tabo region of Spiti valley in Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. He was identified as the reincarnation of Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma School, who died on 24 December 2015. When Taklung Rinpoche's disciples found Nawang Tashi Rapten after nearly six years of searching, they realized that their master had been reincarnated.^[4] In November 2022, when he was four, he was placed on the high seat as the successor to Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoch. He is currently enrolled in the nursery class at Serkong Public School, Tabo. He will begin his monastic education at Dorjidak Monastery in Panthaghati, Shimla, after completing his nursery school education. On 28 November 2022, his head was tonsured to induct him into his new position, and he started his formal religious education.^[5]

References

1. "Himachal Pradesh: Nyingma monks find reincarnation of Buddhist master in 4-year-old Spiti boy". The Times of India. 2022-11-30. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
2. "Reincarnation of Rinpoche: 4-year-old boy from Lahaul and Spiti valley to be next Buddhist master". Zee News. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
3. SMSala. "Rangrik: Pitching the Next Spiritual Head of Nyingma Sect of Buddhism". Rising Kashmir. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
4. ANI (2022-11-29). "4-year-old Spiti boy 'Rapten' becomes reincarnation of Buddhist master". ThePrint. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
5. "Nyingma monks find reincarnation of Buddhist master in 4-year-old Spiti boy". Hindustan Times. 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2023-02-10.