TULKUS IN GENERAL, & SOME WORDS ABOUT DAVID GONSALEZ OF DECHEN LING PRESS
I would like to point out that a 'tulku' is not always going to be recognized via the 'tulku system' or at all for that matter, and that this idea that their only purpose is to promote Dharma is incorrect. There are 1000's of tulkus all over this planet and they are engaged in the bodhisattvas way of life both within and outside of the Dharma community, and those who did not complete the path in their previous life are continuing to work to that end, mostly in private. It is also the case that there are tulkus who due to some loss of mindfulness during the final stages of the rebirth process lost some memory of what they were doing, and in this new life reconnect with Dharma and continue their training. It is said by highly attained Yogis that sometimes tulkus do not know they're a Tulku because of this, but that the profundity of their training coming back powerfully and quickly is a clear indication of their continuity of previous training that was held by mindfulness almost all the way through the birth process! So I think people need to relax a little bit about the tulku recognition thing.
I would like to mention here that the translator from Dechen Ling Press, the late great Yogi Lotsawa Je Losang Tsering (aka David Gonsalez) was a tulku. This was privately acknowledged by many Lamas including but not limited to Geshe Khyenrabje, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Rilbur Rinpoche, and Trijang Dorjechang's attendant and scribe Gelong Losang Choepel. I will share a couple things about this Yogi Lotsawa you may find inspiring, particularly because he was from a normal American upbringing.
He was able to continue his practice for many lifetimes consecutively as a Tibetan monk and was a close disciple of various lineage Gurus such as Je Sonam Tsemo, and especially the late Trijang Dorjechang. During his immediate former life he died during a bombardment that caused an avalanche. Prior to his rebirth as an American boy, he went on holiday to Tushita. This is not embellishment, but from both his dream journals, his own mouth to me, and confirmed by Je Losang Choepel. His purpose in coming to the West is self-evident from the legacy he left behind, not only of his life as a Yogi and Dharma Teacher, but especially his translated works available at Dechen Ling Press. What is available on the site is actually only about half of what he actually translated but never released!!
Palden Lhamo holds the skullcup of an incessed-born child. There's a whole story, but basically, this Yogi, the late Losang Tsering David Gonsalez in a previous lifetime was the actual incessed-born son of the woman that became Palden Lhamo!! In his most recent incarnation as Je Tsering, he had very special visions, dreams, and confirmations from Lamas in this regard, and a very special connection to her practice and performed her Kangso for many many years every day without fail. Once during invocation of Palden Lhamo, thousands of black birds descended on his house. It is well known that she often appears as crows and ravens and it is a commitment of her Jenang not to criticize these birds. So thousands of them descended on his home in Seattle and were cawing so loud he couldn't even hear himself reciting the JHO mantra. He looked out his small gompa window to see his whole backyard and fig tree covered with the birds, and on turning back to his puja table found a stack of 12 small red blessing cords on his sadhana that were not there prior to the invocation. 12 is related to the 12 Tenma in Palden Lhamo's retinue. They bestowed a gift!
Also, his previous incarnation was friends with Gelong Losang Choepel who is still alive today, and they agreed to rebuild Je Choepel's monastery together. He died though, and took rebirth as David Gonsalez, and through auspicious occurrences re-connected with Je Losang Choepel and they worked together to fulfill the previous agreement and rebuilt Ganden Kachoe Monastery!! There are many other interesting and magical connections and auspicious occurrences regarding these two Lamas but I'll leave it at that.
Je Losang Tsering lived a very normal American life for many years and even as a practitioner early on was like a humble and quiet hermit working away at retreats and ngondro prior to meeting Je Losang Choepel. After they met, he learned Tibetan and went very deeply into his training. Not only did he translate many things, or complete the ngondro and many fully qualified retreats and fire pujas, he actually completed the generation stage and was a completion stage Yogi working on the final stages beyond isolated speech. To this great Master, I bow respectfully and thank you for showing us that with effort many great things can definitely be achieved!
