7/18/2019 Buddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (Reincarnate Lama) - Pema Khandro

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/buddhist-women-tibets-first-female-tulku-reincarnate-lama-pema-khandro 1/5

6/29/15, 2:uddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (reincarnate lama) - Pema Khandro

Pagettp://www.pemakhandro.org/tibetanfemaletulku/ 

HomePema KhandrPostsActivitiesContactEvents

Photos

Buddhist Women – Tibet’s First Female Tulku

(reincarnate lama)

Posted on Jun 29, 2015

About Sonam Peldren

This is the story of Sonam Peldren, a Tibetan yogini, is the earliest recorded female tulku. (1) She lived inthirteenth-fourteenth century Tibet.

Some Background

The system of finding a “tulku” (sprul sku) is one way that the Buddhist lineages are passed on throughgenerations. Someone who is known as a tulku is recognized as an emanation of a diety or a reincarnation ofpredecessor. Some tulkus are associated with major institutions, such as the Karmapa or the Dalai Lama.Others are recognized regionally, or others by certain local traditions, particular lineages or particular

monasteries. Sonam Peldren was the first Tibetan woman recognized as a tulku.

Sonam Peldren was recognized as a tulku at the end of her life, after she had already demonstrated herabilities. Such a late recognition is not uncommon for female tulkus. Most tulkus in Tibetan Buddhism aremen and few have been women. Historically speaking, the manner of their recognitions varied, with menbeing recognized in childhood and women being recognized as tulkus after they had already demonstratedtheir abilities. This is described by Havnevik:

7/18/2019 Buddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (Reincarnate Lama) - Pema Khandro

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/buddhist-women-tibets-first-female-tulku-reincarnate-lama-pema-khandro 2/5

6/29/15, 2:uddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (reincarnate lama) - Pema Khandro

Pagettp://www.pemakhandro.org/tibetanfemaletulku/ 

“While the position of the male tulku is institutionalized, this is not the case for female incarnations.

Regardless of their abilities, young boys are installed in high positions as abbots and hierarchs of important

monasteries, but this is not the case of girls. The recognition of tulkus is a matter of ascribed status…

Female incarnations can occasionally be recognized when they are young, like Jetsun Pema and Khandro

Rinpoche. It seems to have been the rule that very few women who became eminent religious teachers and w

were recognized as incarnations, were recognized as such only after having proved their abilities.”

– Havenik 133-134 (2)

The Story of Sonam Peldren

As a young girl, when a marriage was arranged for her, Sonam Peldren had refused the suitor chosen by herparents and said she was karmically destined to be married to Rinchen Pel from Kham. They married and shspent her life as a nomad, wandering from place to place with her husband.

Sonam Peldren was associated with various “miracles” such as breaking up a knife fight between four men bsingle handedly holding them apart. In the story of another miracle, when the horses were stolen in the middof the night, she jumped onto a remaining horse, chased down the thieves and took the stolen horses back. (1

During the last year of her life she had many visions and dreams. She gave religious teachings in the form ofspontaneous songs. Even though she was not officially trained in Buddhism, these songs contained themes oall the Buddhist doctrines and practices including Mahamudra. Her legend says she had a miraculous deathand appeared in the form of Vajrayogini to give messages to her husband after she died.

Sonam Peldren was finally recognized at the end of her life and due in great part to her miraculous death. Shwas recognized as an emanation of Dorje Phagmo, Vajrayogini. Even though she had proclaimed this identitoutright while she was alive, it wasn’t until after many miracles, spontaneous songs and after the event whenmany relics were found at her death, her status as a tulku was confirmed.

_______________________________________________________________

This month I have travelled to Indonesia to the Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women’s

Conference, where I will be presenting on Women’s Leadership in Tibetan Buddhism’s History. Buddhist 

women and scholars from all of the world are gathering at this conference and I am joyfully bringing two of 

my female students with me. In celebration of that inspiring event, this months’ postings are all about Buddh

women in history and in July I will teach an online course on the life and teachings of the Female Buddha of

Tibet.

The Female Buddha of Tibet: Yeshe Tsogyal, Her Life & Teachings

I will be presenting a three-part web class on the topic of women in Tibetan Buddhism with a special focus othe history, legends, songs and teachings surrounding one of the most pivotal figures in Buddhist history,Yeshe Tsogyal. Click here to read more.

7/18/2019 Buddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (Reincarnate Lama) - Pema Khandro

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/buddhist-women-tibets-first-female-tulku-reincarnate-lama-pema-khandro 3/5

6/29/15, 2:uddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (reincarnate lama) - Pema Khandro

Pagettp://www.pemakhandro.org/tibetanfemaletulku/ 

Schedule:July 21, 7-8pm, PDTJuly 28, 7-8pm, PDTAug 4, 7-8pm, PDTCost: Sliding Scale – $65.00 to$108.00

(no one turned away for lack of funds)For more information: Click here.

Posthumonously she was recognized as the early progenitress of the Tibetan Samding Dorje Phakmo lineageHer next incarnation was Chokyi Drolma.

(1) Bessenger, Suzanne. Echoes of Enlightenment: The Life & Legacy of Sonam Peldren. Dissertation,University of Virginia, 2010

(2) Havnevik, Hanna. Tibetan Buddhist Nuns: History, Cultural Norms and Social Reality. Oslo: Oxford ; NeYork: Oxford University Press, 1990. Print. 133-134

Additional Sources:

Diemberger, Hildegard, and Marilyn Strathern. When a Woman Becomes a Religious Dynasty: The Samding

Dorje Phagmo of Tibet . Reprint edition. Columbia University Press, 2012. Print.

“Sonam Peldren.” The Treasury of Lives. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 June 2015.

Share this:

Twitter   1   Facebook   17

Search for: Search

Recent Posts

Buddhist Women – Tibet’s First Female Tulku (reincarnate lama)Surrounded by Buddhist WomenA Buddhist Women’s Rights MarchWhen Buddha Was A WomanInternational Conference on Buddhist Women

! "

7/18/2019 Buddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (Reincarnate Lama) - Pema Khandro

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/buddhist-women-tibets-first-female-tulku-reincarnate-lama-pema-khandro 4/5

6/29/15, 2:uddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (reincarnate lama) - Pema Khandro

Pagettp://www.pemakhandro.org/tibetanfemaletulku/ 

Archives

June 2015May 2015April 2015March 2015February 2015

January 2015December 2014November 2014October 2014

 Buddhist Channel

Action drives "One Billion Acts of Peace"Tibetans pray for Dalai Lama at 80th birthday celebrationCambodian Buddhists celebrate opening of new Utah temple

Recent Posts

Buddhist Women – Tibet’s First Female Tulku (reincarnate lama) June 29, 2015Surrounded by Buddhist Women June 25, 2015A Buddhist Women’s Rights March June 25, 2015

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 130 other subscribers

Email Address

Subscribe

HomeA Lineage of Buddhist YogisActivitiesCommunity of Buddhist Yogis

ConnectHimalayan ChildrenPema KhandroPema Khandro – Ngakpa TraditionPema Khandro Extended BiographyPema Khandro’s BiographyPema Khandro’s RecognitionPhotos

7/18/2019 Buddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (Reincarnate Lama) - Pema Khandro

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/buddhist-women-tibets-first-female-tulku-reincarnate-lama-pema-khandro 5/5

6/29/15, 2:uddhist Women - Tibet's First Female Tulku (reincarnate lama) - Pema Khandro

Pagettp://www.pemakhandro.org/tibetanfemaletulku/ 

Q&ASubmit QuestionsTibetan BuddhismTibetan Medicine

Designed by Elegant WordPress Themes | Powered by WordPress