India history and geography

Source: Mandala Texts: Trülku/Yangsi: Recognition of Reincarnations

Trülku (སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་) or yangsi (ཡང་སྲིད་) tradition of recognizing young children as a reincarnation of a former personage is a practice widespread in the Buddhist Himalayas. It is based on the general Buddhist belief in rebirth and Mahāyāna Buddhist concept of enlightened beings appearing in the world to rescue sentient beings. The term trülku or nirmāṇakāya in Sanskrit has a more profound and complex denotation. In the context of the trikāya theories of the tripartite corpus of the Buddha’s enlightenment, trülku refers to the diverse forms emanating from the Buddha’s state of enlightenment to benefit the sentient beings. It is the incarnation of the Buddha’s omniscient and compassionate spirit in order to help the world in myriad forms.

A trülku can appear in the form of a person such as the historical Buddha or in the form of objects such as bridges, lamps, food, drink and clothes. As emanations of the state of enlightenment, they transcend individuality and any singular line of succession.  Based on these religious ideas of rebirth and incarnation, the practice of considering some specific people as rebirths of former persons and some holy persons as incarnations of Buddhas and deities existed in both India and Tibet. The Jātaka tales and many Buddhist birth narratives and biographies are filled with such accounts of reincarnation and emanations.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Full-text: Yangsi.

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