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Traktung Rinpoche

From ArborWiki

Traktung Rinpoche (a.k.a. Stuart Kirkpatrick) is the leader of the Ann Arbor-based Vajrayana Buddhist community at Tsogyelgar Dharma Center.

Traktung Rinpoche is believed by some to be the reincarnation of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, a Tibetan mystic who lived in the 19th century, who was in turn an emanation of Dorje Trollo.

In the 1990s, Traktung Rinpoche was known as Swami Prem Pranama, and the Tsogyelgar Dharma Center property was known as the Crazy Cloud Hermitage.[1]

The office of the Dalai Lama has refused to recognize Traktung Rinpoche as the reincarnation of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje. [1,2] In 2002, Traktung Rinpoche responded to this in an interview [2]:

"I: And what about this question of the Dalai Lama's recognition?
TR: There is simply is no "what" about it. What does the Dalai Lama have to do with it? Namkha Rinpoche, who is the holder of the family lineage of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorjo, recognized me. Namkha Rinpoche, who was recognized by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as a tulku of Trak Ngak Lingpa, has also become my student and accepted me as his root Lama. End of story. Either he is right or wrong-- I have to decide for myself and decide what it means to me. Frankly I do not see how it concerns anyone else-- unless they have some connection with Do Khyentse. Namkha Rinpoche has great affection and respect for the Dalai Lama as both Lama and King. I however have nothing in particular for or against the Dalai Lama. He is not my Lama or my King. Nor am I a rock star groupie."

Traktung Rinpoche was born as Stuart Alan Kirkpatrick, the son of former U.S. ambassador to the UN and neoconservative Jeanne Kirkpatrick, and Evron Kirkpatrick.