The Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpoches
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Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpoche, the head lama of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition. Also known as Gyalwang Drukchen the sucessive Gyalwang Drukpa are considered to be incarnations of Tsangpa Gyare Yeshe Dorje(1161-1211) founder of the Drukpa Kagyu school and one of the main disciples of Lingje Repa Pema Dorje.
Main Incarnations
- 1st Gyalwang Drukpa, gtsang pa rgya ras ye shes rdo rje (1161-1211)
- 2nd Gyalwang Drukpa, gyal ba kun dga' dpal 'byor (1428-1476)
- 3rd Gyalwang Drukpa, ('jam dbyangs chos grags / rje chos kyi grags pa) (1478-1523)
- 4th Gyalwang Drukpa, kun mkhyen pad ma dkar po (1527-1592)
- 5th Gyalwang Drukpa, dpag bsam dbang po, (1593-1653)
- 6th Gyalwang Drukpa, mi pham dbang po (1654-1717)
- 7th Gyalwang Drukpa, phrin las shing rta (1718-1766)
- 8th Gyalwang Drukpa, kun gzigs mi pham chos kyi nang ba (1768-1822)
- 9th Gyalwang Drukpa, mi pham chos kyi rgya mtsho, (1823-1883)
- 10th Gyalwang Drukpa, mi pham chos kyi dbang po, (1884-1930)
- 11th Gyalwang Drukpa, bstan 'dzin mkhyen rab dge legs dpal bzang po (1931-1960)
- 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, 'jigs med pad ma dbang chen, (b.1963)
There were the two incarnations of the 4th Gyalwang Drukpa, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1651) and Pagsam Wangpo, (1593-1653). Pagsam Wangpo was favoured by the powerful Tsang ruler Phuntsog Namgyal (1597-1621?) and eventually recognised as official incarnation in Tibet. Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal went to Bhutan and established his lineage there.