ENLIGHTENED FUTURES

In today’s more open, rapidly changing modern society, tulkus from lineages with established histories are perpetually in the public eye, while the existing tulku system cries out for modernization as society changes. 　

In the August 2016 article “Time for Radical Change in How We Raise Our Tulkus,” Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, a lama of Tibetan Buddhism’s Sakya School, a globally acclaimed innovative master of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as a film director and screenwriter, addressed the need for modern tulkus to integrate traditional Buddhist wisdom with the demands of contemporary society. Rinpoche is an honorific term used in the Tibetan language to show respect for reincarnated, older or accomplished Lamas or teachers of the Dharma (Buddha’s teachings). 

　

“Moving from one life to the next is not like moving from one room to another. There have been tremendous changes over time, which requires new forms of training if tulkus are to manifest their true nature and qualities,” he wrote. 　

Pushing back against the trend of reducing Buddhism to “a profession designed to ensure the survival of monks, monasteries and dharma teachers,” Dzongsar Rinpoche advocated reform. He proposed that to overcome the barriers of traditional societies which are “a complex mixture of heartfelt devotion and outdated cultural baggage,” lamas, essentially spiritual teachers, must gain a clear understanding of modern society. Only then can they better guide those who suffer and recognize when to adapt or transcend the superficial trappings of tradition. 　

Many tulkus in Xizang Autonomous Region have been moving beyond the traditional constraints of their lofty role as throne-bound religious leaders. Instead, they actively embrace new forms of engagement that respond to social needs, working to benefit both society and their disciples. 　

In late May 2025, NewsChina visited three tulkus in Lhasa, capital of Xizang, to explore how they lead efforts to promote and advance tangible and intangible religious and cultural heritage for a better reality for people today. 

Born in Kangding in 1947, he was recognized as the 9th Minyag tulku of Kangding County’s Minyag Guwa Monastery when he was just 4 years old. When he turned 11 in 1957, he traveled to Lhasa to study at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa. Meeting with NewsChina at his home in downtown Lhasa, Minyag Rinpoche was dressed casually in a dark orange windbreaker. In Lhasa, where he spends most of his time, he feels more like an architect than a tulku, but when he returns to his hometown, clad in the maroon robe of a monk, he transforms into a tulku, where he is warmly received by tens of thousands of Tibetan followers.　

Minyag Rinpoche recalls studying at Guwa Monastery from when he was 5 to 10 years old. His daily lessons included Tibetan grammar, rhetoric, calligraphy and studying scripture and religious rituals. “Even as a young boy at Guwa Monastery, I was fascinated by the temple’s structure and I’d focus on the beams and columns of the main hall and draw their shapes on paper,” he said. His enthusiasm for painting and architecture took root in early childhood. 　

When he arrived at Drepung Monastery, the center of academic studies of Tibetan Buddhism, he was assigned to Loseling Dratsang, or college, for advanced studies. There he was exposed to the monastery’s grand buildings, which deepened his knowledge of traditional Tibetan architecture. 　

In 1959, Minyag Rinpoche enrolled at Sera Primary School and in 1963, he joined a class for 11 young tulkus, where he was paid a 30 yuan (US$4) monthly stipend, quite a large sum at the time. His life became easier until the Cultural Revolution (1966-76) began, when everything was upended. He and other teenage tulkus spent seven years at a farm in Lhoka, about 150 kilometers south of Lhasa, assigned to build houses. Doing manual labor, he also worked with seasoned builders, picking up carpentry and wall-building skills. “I even learned to make adobe for house foundations, which is a rare traditional method now, where you mold mud bricks that dry in the sun,” he said, adding that it is the technique used to build Lhasa’s Potala Palace. 　

His experience during the Cultural Revolution unexpectedly expanded his architectural knowledge and set him on a different path. “Those eight years on the farm were probably more important to me than going to college for an architecture degree,” he said. 　

In his spare time, Minyag Rinpoche improved his Chinese by reading newspapers with a dictionary. His bilingual skills in Chinese and Tibetan later opened many doors in his career. 　

By 1974, as the Cultural Revolution neared its end, he returned to Lhasa and was assigned to work at a construction company. The next year, Minyag Rinpoche joined a training program for construction professionals run by the Xizang Autonomous Region Architectural Survey and Design Institute. His expertise in languages helped him stand out among the 30 students, and in 1979, the institute hired him. 　

As life gradually returned to normal, he faced a choice: work at the regional Buddhist Association or continue at the design institute. Committed to architecture, he chose to stay at the institute, although he never lost sight of his religious responsibilities. 　

In mid-1980, the Ministry of Construction commissioned a survey of ancient Tibetan structures across Xizang by experts from Xizang Autonomous Region Architectural Survey and Design Institute, giving Minyag Rinpoche a firsthand look at both the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient Tibetan builders and the structures’ dilapidated states. He journeyed across the region, enduring hardships to visit most of Xizang’s monasteries. Being a tulku helped a lot. This experience reignited the deep passion he had felt in childhood for preserving ancient Tibetan architecture. 

“We conducted thorough surveys and created complete structural drawings for iconic sites like the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Yongbulakang Palace, Sangye Monastery, the Tombs of Early Tibetan Kings and the Kumbum Stupa at Pelkor Chode Monastery,” Minyag Rinpoche said. The Kumbum Stupa is particularly unique, with nine layers and nearly 77 temple halls, and 10,000 Buddha statues in halls, niches and murals. He stressed how much the survey benefits researchers, even today. 　

In 1987, the State allocated over 10 million yuan (US$1.4m) to restore Samye Monastery, the earliest Tibetan Buddhist temple in the region, built between 760-779. It was a pivotal project for Minyag Rinpoche’s architectural career. The monastery’s five-layer golden roof was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and he was tasked with recreating the exact ancient blueprints. 

He conducted painstaking research, but found only two old photos: a 1946 external panorama and a 1947 shot of the roof’s exterior corner. But his experience as a tulku at monasteries proved invaluable, and to uncover internal architectural details, he visited senior lamas of the Samye Monastery for clues. 

　

“For example, they said the distance between the roof’s outer and inner pillars was about the length of their ritual trumpets. Since I knew those instruments well, I immediately understood,” Minyag Rinpoche said. He drafted dozens of floor plans, then had a scale model of the roof’s main hall made so the lamas could visualize the plan. “When they saw the model, they cried and said, ‘We’ve always dreamed of seeing the sun shine on our monastery’s golden roof again in our lifetime,’” he said. Samye Monastery was soon restored to its former glory. 　

Over the past four decades, Minyag Rinpoche has helped restore more than 30 ancient buildings, including Tashilhunpo, Sakya, Sera, Drepung and Tsurphu monasteries. He has published architectural monographs on sites like the Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka, the Guge Kingdom Ruins and the Potala Palace. In his own words, his lifelong dedication to ancient architecture restoration and heritage preservation was predestined and a unique way to safeguard and develop Buddhism. 　

Though he spends most of his time in Lhasa, he feels a strong sense of responsibility to his hometown. In Kangding, he oversees five temples, including Guwa Monastery. Since the 1980s, residents have repaired the monasteries’ dilapidated buildings under his guidance and with his financial support. More recently, he founded a cultural heritage protection organization there, and using his expertise, he provides technical consulting on cultural heritage restoration and Tibetan-style architecture for locals, channeling the proceeds into local undertakings, like heritage preservation, ecological protection, education, healthcare and poverty alleviation. 　

Beyond architecture, he is a skilled negotiator, helping residents solve practical problems. In the early 2000s, local authorities and an energy company planned to build a hydropower station in his hometown, which would flood villagers’ homes and farmland. “When authorities pressured villagers to accept relocation terms, I represented them and appealed to higher officials to halt the reservoir construction,” Minyag Rinpoche said. It was a successful appeal. 　

“To me, Buddhism is an atheistic religion, and no one in the world, not even Sakyamuni Buddha himself can save others or determine their lives – only we can. It’s like sowing and reaping: we can only attain a good next life by doing good deeds that benefit all sentient beings in this one,” Minyag Rinpoche said. He emphasized that Buddhism is not idol worship, and demands no blind faith in the Buddha or anyone else. “A true Buddhist disciple should read the scriptures, for the truth lies within them,” he said. 

Born Tenzin Dorje in 1982, he grew up in Lhasa’s Norbulingka, the former summer palace of the Dalai Lama, and at age 8 was recognized as the reincarnation of the tulku of Yangrigar Monastery in Maldrogungkar County, with Balog being the lineage name of the tulkus of the monastery. Speaking in standard Chinese, he told NewsChina his story. His father, he said, was also a tulku of another monastery in Xizang. 　

“My father worked in Norbulingka’s library. After I was recognized as a tulku, he kept me home for my education instead of sending me to the monastery. Back then, the monastery had no Chinese or English teachers, and he thought modern education mattered more for a kid like me than missing out on it to only do blessings or empowerment ceremonies for devotees,” Balog Rinpoche said. His upbringing blended family education and formal schooling: alongside Buddhist scriptures, he took language and painting classes and joined extracurricular activities, later graduating from Xizang University with a major in thangka painting. “Looking back, I realize living in a monastery might have made me a good monk, but I wouldn’t have gotten education in key things like language and culture,” he said. 　

Balog Rinpoche is the 42nd-generation inheritor of the Songs of Milarepa, a national intangible cultural heritage listed in 2021. Since 2004, he has studied and chanted these sacred songs under the tutelage of Khenpo Dondrup, a Tibetan Buddhist master of knowledge, from Drigung Til Monastery in Lhasa’s Medrogungkar County. 　

Milarepa (1052-1135) is still one of the most revered yogis and poets in Tibetan Buddhism’s Kagyu School. His teachings, first passed down orally, were later compiled into The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa – a profound text for understanding Buddhist philosophy. Balog Rinpoche notes the Songs of Milarepa have been orally transmitted by Buddhist practitioners for centuries, traditionally sung solo without any simple ritual instruments like bells and drums. 　

He first tried promoting dharma music in a band he created in 2012: “I was teaching at Xizang Buddhism University then. Some other young tulkus and I formed a band, rehearsing dharma music in the main hall with audio equipment, and we were well-liked by teachers and students. But the band broke up when members graduated and returned to their monasteries. Still, it was a successful and meaningful experience.” 　

Founded in 2011 in Nyetang, Chushur County, Xizang Buddhism University has trained thousands of monks and nuns to serve the Tibetan Buddhist community. Its core principle encourages harmony and exchange among teachers and students from Xizang’s five religious traditions: Nyingmapa, Gelugpa, Sakyapa and Kagyupa, which are all different sects in Tibetan Buddhism, and Bon, the Tibetan indigenous religion. “We shared dharma songs from our own sects and sang together, it was a great way to learn from each other,” Balog Rinpoche said. 　

In an August interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), he emphasized Tibetan Buddhism’s prosperity under government-supported religious policies, speaking of how the site of the university is also important in Tibetan Buddhism after Master Atisha (982-1054), an Indian Buddhist teacher and leader who traveled there in 1042. “Master Atisha traveled to Nyetang, where Xizang Buddhism University now stands, marking a golden era for Tibetan Buddhism. Over 14 years, teachers from different Buddhist traditions and staff trained many outstanding monks and nuns.” 　

Later inspired by Nepalese artist Ani Choying Drolma’s dharma music, accompanied by American guitarist Steve Tibbetts, Balog Rinpoche formed the band Dharma in 2013. Its members include guitarists, a drummer and a keyboard player, and they are multi-ethnic including people from the Mongolian, Manchu, Tibetan and Han ethnicities. According to Balog Rinpoche, the idea of involving modern musical elements into the traditional way of chanting dharma music is an attempt to attract more audiences, in particular younger people, to better disseminate the Buddhism teachings of Master Milarepa. Over the past decade, the band has performed in many cities across the country, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Sanya, Chongqing and Lhasa. Their soothing dharma chants have healing effects: last year, they were invited to perform twice for doctors at Shanghai’s Guang Ci Memorial Hospital, drawing enthusiastic responses. “The audience’s connection to our songs showed me this is a powerful way to preserve the tradition and share it more widely.” To promote thangka art, he launched a painting class in 2014, welcoming students of all ages from across China. Fluent in English, he hosts weekend online Tibetan and English courses for Tibetan and Han students. 　

For him, Buddhism can be promoted anytime, anywhere. “Chanting Dharma music, teaching thangka painting, these are all ways to spread Buddhism,” he said. Today, many tulkus have found their own paths to disseminate Buddhism and serve the public: some set up free Tibetan medical clinics, others pursue higher education, and still more pass on Buddhist teachings and traditions in monasteries. 　

Balog Rinpoche emphasized that modernizing Buddhism is a key task for young tulkus of all sects, who bear the responsibility of sharing and explaining Buddhist scriptures to the public. “These classics need to be interpreted in modern language to help believers understand them,” he said. “In the past, a full set of scriptures might be enshrined in temples as precious relics for worship. Devotees would walk beneath them seeking empowerment. We do not deny the significance of this tradition, but true empowerment comes from understanding the scriptures’ content. So in modern society, we monks must first comprehend the scriptures and practice as Buddha taught. Only then can we share their meaning, rooted in our own practice.” 　

“Today’s world is open, and people are exposed to diverse religions,” Balog Rinpoche said. “It is vital for everyone to stay clear-minded when choosing what to believe.” 

Over the past few decades, Nyenang Monastery’s tulku – Palden Pawo Tsuglag Mawei Drayang, the 11th Pawo Rinpoche – has led monks and community members in conservation efforts, such as reforestation and wildlife monitoring. These efforts have made it the region’s first zero-carbon monastery. According to Pawo Rinpoche, the storage system allows excess solar power to be saved, which powers electric vehicles for the surrounding community for free. 　

Pawo Rinpoche, one of the most senior figures in the Kagyu hierarchy, is a very high-ranking reincarnated tulku in Xizang. He was born in Nakchu, 300 kilometers northeast of Lhasa. In 1995, at 15 months old, he was recognized by the 17th Karmapa (Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism) as the 11th Pawo Rinpoche, and thus became one of the heart sons of the Karmapa. Being a “heart son” refers to disciples who have a particularly close and profound spiritual connection with a tulku. In history, the Pawo Rinpoches have traditionally been recognized by the Karmapas, and the Pawo lineage extends to the 15th century. Successive Pawo Rinpoches have been both disciples and masters of the Karmapas. 　

Nyenang Valley, home to Nyenang Monastery, boasts a pristine natural environment and rich biodiversity. “Since I was young at the monastery, I would often hear that the nomads had spotted snow leopards,” Pawo Rinpoche, dressed neatly in his monk’s robe, told NewsChina at the monastery’s office in late May. “I even encountered one myself during my three years of seclusion in a mountain cave.” 　

In 2021, Pawo Rinpoche invited the Beijing-based community conservation NGO Shan Shui Conservation Center to conduct wildlife monitoring and research in the valley. Camera traps captured images of snow leopards and other animals. He launched the Nyenang Ecological and Cultural Conservation Center (NECCC) in 2023, hiring conservation professionals and recruiting volunteers from across China to run it. 　

According to NECCC staff member Liu Tao, alpine areas around the monastery are critical habitats for species like the snow leopard. In early 2023, the Xizang government approved the Nyenang Valley Natural Protection Community, a unique grassroots protected area in China. “Our protection community now covers over 50 square kilometers, with around 40 camera traps,” Liu said. “Up to now, we’ve documented seven national first-class protected animal species, including snow leopards, alpine musk deer and brown bears, 14 national second-class protected animal species and over 200 plant species. From camera trap footage, we’ve identified 13 snow leopards in total, with two adults and three cubs confirmed as permanent residents here.” 　

Backed by the monastery’s material and personnel support, a community-led conservation network has been established across seven nearby villages, engaging some 2,000 residents including nomads and farmers. “We’ve contracted 10 forest rangers from these seven villages to assist our center with monitoring, data collection and anti-poaching efforts,” Liu said. These are local men and women aged between 20 and 50. The center regularly invites wildlife and environmental experts to train residents, equipping them with knowledge to become eco-tourism guides in the future. 　

In March 2024, a nomad found an injured snow leopard with broken bones after a cliff fall, and notified monks at Nyenang Monastery. Pawo Rinpoche and other monks rushed to the scene and arranged for the leopard to be safely transported to Chushur Wildlife Rescue Center. Named Tsiring Nana, Tibetan for “benevolent goddess of auspiciousness,”the leopard received professional treatment and miraculously survived. Media coverage of the case drew nationwide attention. 　

A year later, as Tsiring Nana recovered, her future remained uncertain. Her right forelimb was completely shattered, so Pawo Rinpoche invited experts from other parts of China to perform surgery. Once she improved, the monastery hoped to release her back to the wild, but every conservation professional warned she would not survive. Chushur Rescue Center also proposed keeping her for breeding. “Our original goal was wildlife conservation, but this approach is emotionally hard for us Buddhists to accept,” Pawo Rinpoche said. “She is a free being, thus she shouldn’t be caged without dignity, used by humans as a breeding tool. That’s unfair and disrespectful to life.” 　

After negotiating with the forestry and grassland bureau, the monastery decided to try releasing her. That day, they chanted sutras to bless her. Luckily, Tsiring Nana was captured on camera traps two weeks later, healthier and stronger than before. 　

“This proves snow leopards and other wildlife can fend for themselves in the wild,” Pawo Rinpoche said. “It also made me realize this moment, in a way, reveals a misunderstanding many of us hold: We long for freedom, yet when faced with choosing it, we’re filled with fear. What’s more, we often imagine freedom as something external, something distant – but it’s not. Freedom is a state of the present, a choice we make in our current circumstances. More often than not, it’s a choice we can make for ourselves. Similarly, if you’re weighed down by doubts, expectations or hesitation, you can’t truly enjoy freedom. Only when you’re bold and resolute, when you dare to make your own choices, can you grasp and savor it.” 　

The monastery does not merely protect snow leopards. The 13 snow leopards in the valley are the Dharma Protectors that safeguard the monastery’s serenity, Pawo Rinpoche said. In 2003, a mining company wanted to operate nearby. But thanks to the snow leopards, no mining activities were permitted. 　

Amid societal changes, Nyenang Monastery has embraced new endeavors, from cultural preservation and education to healthcare, while prioritizing environmental protection initiatives. Above all, under Pawo Rinpoche’s guidance, the monastery has never strayed from its core tradition: authentic practice and strict self-discipline. 　

In 2016, the monastery established an ancient texts compilation group to collect Kagyu School-related ancient books and documents. By 2020, they had successfully gathered nearly 1,000 texts, Pawo Rinpoche noted. Beyond collaborating on research with academic institutions, including the Renmin University of China in Beijing, Zhejiang University and Sichuan University, the monastery has also published some of these materials, many of which had never been studied before outside the monastery. 　

“Overseas institutions like the University of Vienna once dominated Kagyu School research,” Pawo Rinpoche said. “But our roots are in China, so our academic research and its rightful voice should be ours. That’s why we partnered with domestic universities to launch a project called the Multi-ethnic Exchange History Based on Image Texts of the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. This project breaks new ground by integrating academic and monastic perspectives. Historically, academia led such work, providing frameworks and evidence. For us monks, participating in researching and exploring our history is key to building cultural identity and confidence to create mutual verification and advancement for both circles.” 　

For over 700 years since it was founded, Nyenang Monastery has been a hub for authentic Buddhist practice: monks uphold the Vinaya, or Buddhist monastic code, follow the Buddha’s teachings, progress through practice stages, and strive to restrain desires and subdue inner afflictions. “This tradition has weathered countless historical changes,” Pawo Rinpoche said. “To this day, our greatest pride is that it remains intact. That’s precisely why Tibetan Buddhism has not only taken root in Xizang over the past millennium, but also thrived and been passed down through generations.” 　

“Today, many see Tibetan Buddhism as ancient wisdom rooted in long-held traditions. Yet we often overlook a key fact: For most of history, it was more than a guardian of wisdom – it was a leader and driving force of civilization on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and for long stretches, a pioneer in shaping its cultural landscape,” Pawo Rinpoche said.